Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 4].
the challenge of Pelagius, the study of St. Paul's writings, and
especially of this verse and of Ro 9:16, had crystallized in
his mind the distinctively Augustinian doctrines of man's total
depravity, of irresistible grace, and of absolute
predestination." Human responsibility does exist beyond a doubt,
but there is no foundation for pride and conceit.
4:8 {Already are ye filled?} (\•d• kekoresmenoi este?\). Perfect
passive indicative, state of completion, of \korennumi\, old
Greek verb to satiate, to satisfy. The only other example in N.T.
is Ac 27:38 which see. Paul may refer to De 31:20; 32:15. But
it is keen irony, even sarcasm. Westcott and Hort make it a
question and the rest of the sentence also. {Already ye are
become rich} (\•d• eplout•sate\). Note change to ingressive
aorist indicative of \ploute•\, old verb to be rich (cf. 2Co
8:9). "The aorists, used instead of perfects, imply indecent
haste" (Lightfoot). "They have got a private millennium of their
own" (Robertson & Plummer) with all the blessings of the
Messianic Kingdom (Lu 22:29f.; 1Th 2:12; 2Ti 2:12). {Ye have
reigned without us} (\ch•ris h•m•n ebasileusate\). Withering
sarcasm. Ye became kings without our company. Some think that
Paul as in 3:21 is purposely employing Stoic phraseology though
with his own meanings. If so, it is hardly consciously done. Paul
was certainly familiar with much of the literature of his time,
but it did not shape his ideas. {I would that ye did reign} (\kai
ophelon ge ebasileusate\). More exactly, "And would at least that
ye had come to reign (or become kings)." It is an unfulfilled
wish about the past expressed by \ophelon\ and the aorist
indicative instead of \ei gar\ and the aorist indicative (the
ancient idiom). See Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1003, for the
construction with particle \ophelon\ (an unaugmented second
aorist form). {That we also might reign with you} (\hina kai
h•meis humin sunbasileus•men\). Ironical contrast to \ch•ris
h•m•n ebasileusate\, just before. Associative instrumental case
of \humin\ after \sun-\.
4:9 {Hath set forth us the apostles last} (\h•mas tous apostolous
eschatous apedeixen\). The first aorist active indicative of
\apodeiknumi\, old verb to show, to expose to view or exhibit
(Herodotus), in technical sense (cf. 2Th 2:4) for gladiatorial
show as in \eth•riomach•sa\ (1Co 15:32). In this grand pageant
Paul and other apostles come last (\eschatous\, predicate
accusative after \apedeixen\) as a grand finale. {As men doomed
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