Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 4:15

"For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel." — 1 Corinthians 4:15 (ASV)

Paul’s seeming harshness in writing this to the Corinthians was not to “shame” (GK 1956) them but to warn them of the seriousness and perverseness of their actions and their pride. He grants that they have countless guides or guardians but denies that they have spiritual fathers to advise them. This reference to “guardians” (GK 4080) calls attention to the distinction between himself, their spiritual father, and their other leaders. In the ancient Roman Empire, “guardians” were slaves who escorted boys to and from school and were in charge of their general conduct. So, in a sense, they could be called instructors (cf. Galatians 3:24). But he, Paul, has begotten them in Christ (i.e., by Christ’s atoning work) through the Gospel and is therefore their spiritual father. So he feels he has a right to advise them, specifically to ask them to become imitators of him (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:9). He has sent Timothy to them to help them in their progress. Timothy, too, was Paul’s beloved child, “begotten” through the Gospel, and faithful in the Lord—i.e., in his service for Christ.

Though Paul mentions having sent Timothy, the latter was evidently not the messenger who brought the 1 Corinthians letter. He is not mentioned in the greetings at the beginning or at the end of this letter, suggesting that he was not with Paul in Ephesus at the time Paul wrote this letter. Further, Acts 19:22 states that Paul had sent Timothy from Ephesus to Macedonia, and 1 Corinthians 16:10 implies that he was to continue on to Corinth and was still on his way. It is more likely that Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who are indicated as being from Corinth and who are said to be with Paul (16:17), were the bearers of the letter (see the introduction). Paul expects that when Timothy arrives at Corinth he will cause the saints there to reflect on all Paul’s work and actions, and that they correspond to his teaching in all the churches. As should be true of every Christian, Paul practiced what he preached.