Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 4].
\to\ is in the accusative case as the object of the verb
\math•te\ (learn) and points at the words "\M• huper ha
gegraptai\," apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form
with no principal verb expressed with \m•\, whether "think"
(Auth.) or "go" (Revised). There was a constant tendency to
smooth out Paul's ellipses as in 2Th 2:3; 1Co 1:26,31.
Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted
in 1Co 1:19,31; 3:19,20. {That ye be not puffed up} (\hina m•
phusiousthe\). Sub-final use of \hina\ (second use in this
sentence) with notion of result. It is not certain whether
\phusiousthe\ (late verb form like \phusia•, phusa•\, to blow up,
to inflate, to puff up), used only by Paul in the N.T., is
present indicative with \hina\ like \z•loute\ in Ga 4:17 (cf.
\hina gin•skomen\ in 1Jo 5:20) or the present subjunctive by
irregular contraction (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 203, 342f.),
probably the present indicative. \Phusio•\ is from \phusis\
(nature) and so meant to make natural, but it is used by Paul
just like \phusa•\ or \phusia•\ (from \phusa\, a pair of
bellows), a vivid picture of self-conceit. {One for the one
against the other} (\heis huper tou henos kata tou heterou\).
This is the precise idea of this idiom of partitive apposition.
This is the rule with partisans. They are "for" (\huper\) the one
and "against" (\kata\, down on, the genitive case) the other
(\tou heterou\, not merely another or a second, but the different
sort, \heterodox\).
4:7 {Maketh thee to differ} (\se diakrinei\). Distinguishes thee,
separates thee. \Diakrin•\ means to sift or separate between
(\dia\) as in Ac 15:9 (which see) where \metaxu\ is added to
make it plainer. All self-conceit rests on the notion of
superiority of gifts and graces as if they were self-bestowed or
self-acquired. {Which thou didst not receive} (\ho ouk elabes\).
"Another home-thrust" (Robertson and Plummer). Pride of
intellect, of blood, of race, of country, of religion, is thus
shut out. {Dost thou glory} (\kauchasai\). The original second
person singular middle ending \-sai\ is here preserved with
variable vowel contraction, \kauchaesai=kauchasai\ (Robertson,
_Grammar_, p. 341). Paul is fond of this old and bold verb for
boasting. {As if thou hadst not received it} (\h•s m• lab•n\).
This neat participial clause (second aorist active of \lamban•\)
with \h•s\ (assumption) and negative \m•\ punctures effectually
the inflated bag of false pride. What pungent questions Paul has
asked. Robertson and Plummer say of Augustine, "Ten years before
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