1 Corintios 3:9

9 Porque nosotros, coadjutores somos de Dios; y vosotros labranza de Dios sois, edificio de Dios sois.

1 Corintios 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:9

For we are labourers together with God
The ministers of the Gospel are labourers in the Lord's vineyard, and not loiterers; their work is a laborious work, both to body and mind; which lies in close study and meditation, in diligent reading and constant prayer, in frequent ministration of the word, and administration of ordinances; besides reproofs, admonitions, and exhortations, counsels, and instructions, which are often necessary: it is a work, which no man is sufficient for of himself; what requires diligence, industry, and faithfulness; is honourable, and, when rightly performed, deserves respect: nor do they labour alone, but with God; not as co-ordinate, but as subordinate workers; for though they labour in planting and watering, yet they bear no part with him in giving the increase; he is the husbandman, the chief master builder, they are labourers under him; however, he works with them; hence their labours are not in vain, and they have great encouragement to go on in their work; and they are God's labourers with one another, which is a sense of the phrase not to be overlooked. The apostle often, in his epistles, speaks of his fellow workmen, and fellow labourers, who wrought together with him under God:

ye are God's husbandry;
or tillage; he is the proprietor of the field, the occupier of it, the husbandman who breaks up the fallow ground of the hearts of his people; he casts in the seed of grace, he makes the ground good, and causes it to bring forth fruit; the churches of Christ are his property, land of his fertilizing, and all the fruit belongs unto him; they are gardens of his planting, and vineyards of his watering, and which he keeps night and day, lest any hurt:

ye are God's building;
as the former metaphor is taken from agriculture, this is from architecture: believers in a church state are God's house, in which he dwells, and which he himself has built; he has laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ; he makes his people lively stones, and lays them on it; he raises up the superstructure, and will complete the building, and ought to bear all the glory, and in all which he makes use of his ministers as instruments.

1 Corintios 3:9 In-Context

7 Así que, ni el que planta es algo, ni el que riega; sino Dios, que da el crecimiento.

8 Y el que planta y el que riega son una misma cosa; aunque cada uno recibirá su recompensa conforme á su labor.

9 Porque nosotros, coadjutores somos de Dios; y vosotros labranza de Dios sois, edificio de Dios sois.

10 Conforme á la gracia de Dios que me ha sido dada, yo como perito arquitecto puse el fundamento, y otro edifica encima: empero cada uno vea cómo sobreedifica.

11 Porque nadie puede poner otro fundamento que el que está puesto, el cual es Jesucristo.