1 Corinthians 3:13

Contextual Overview

¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. ¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay besides that which [is] laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. ¹¹ After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that is Jesus Christ.Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 16:18; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:7; Ephesians 2:20;">[xr] ¹¹ But let every man beware how he buildeth upon it. For another foundation besides this which is laid no man can lay, (that, namely,) which is Jeshu the Meshiha. ¹¹ For any other foundation can no man lay, different from that which is laid, which is Jesus Messiah. ¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹¹ For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ. ¹¹ For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹¹ For other foundation can no man laie, then that which is laied, which is Iesus Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

man's: 1 Corinthians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 3:15, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Timothy 3:9

the day: 1 Corinthians 1:8, Malachi 3:17, Romans 2:5, Romans 2:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2 Timothy 1:18, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 20:12

shall be revealed: Gr. is revealed, Luke 2:35

and the fire: Isaiah 8:20, Isaiah 28:17, Jeremiah 23:29, Ezekiel 13:10-16, Zechariah 13:9, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:5 - and Genesis 29:25 - in the morning Numbers 31:23 - abide Ecclesiastes 5:6 - destroy Isaiah 5:24 - devoureth Isaiah 43:2 - when thou walkest Jeremiah 23:28 - What Ezekiel 24:11 - that the filthiness Daniel 5:27 - art Malachi 3:2 - for Matthew 7:25 - the rain Matthew 7:27 - General Luke 6:48 - the flood 1 Corinthians 4:3 - judgment Revelation 3:18 - gold

Cross-References

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said to the woman, Ye will not certainly die;

Genesis 3:4
But the snake said to the woman, "You will not die.

Genesis 3:4
The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die,

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman: 'Ye shall not surely die;

Genesis 3:4
And the snake said, Death will not certainly come to you:

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent sayde vnto the woman: ye shall not dye the death.

Genesis 3:4
Then the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not die at all,

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die;

Genesis 3:4
The snake replied, "That's not true; you will not die.

Genesis 3:4
but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every man's work shall be made manifest,.... The doctrine he preaches shall be sooner or later made manifest to himself, and to his hearers; who shall see the inconsistency, irregularity, and deformity of such a building; at first so well laid, then piled up with such excellent materials, and at last covered in with such trifling or incoherent stuff:

for the day shall declare it; meaning not the day of judgment, though that is often called the day, or that day, and will be attended with fire, and in it all secrets shall be made manifest; but the apostle intends a discovery that will be made of doctrines in this world, before that time comes: wherefore this day rather designs a day of tribulation; as of persecution, which tries men's principles, whether they are solid or not; and of error and heresy, when men are put upon a re-examination of their doctrines, whereby persons and truths that are approved are made manifest; or of some great calamity, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, whereby many wrong notions the Jews yet retained were discovered: but it is best of all to understand this day of the Gospel day, and of the progress of Gospel light, especially in some particular periods of it; as in the primitive times, at the reformation from popery, and the more remarkable Gospel daylight, which will be in the latter times, when the impertinence and inconsistency of many things which now obtain in the ministry will be seen; see Ephesians 5:13.

Because it shall be revealed by fire: not that day, but the man's work, or doctrine:

and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is; by the fire is meant, not the general conflagration of the world, when that, and all that is therein, will be burnt up; much less the fire of purgatory, the "papists" dream of, for the punishment of evil actions; for the apostle is not speaking of the actions of men, good or bad, but of the doctrines of ministers; rather the fire of tribulation and affliction, which, as it is for the trial of the grace of faith, so of the doctrine of faith, whereby it becomes much more precious than of gold that perisheth; or of some fiery dispensation of God's vengeance, as on Jerusalem: though the word of God, which is as fire, seems to be intended; which in some certain times so blazes forth, and will more especially in the latter day, that by the light of it, both ministers and churches will be able to see clearly the bright shining lustre of the gold, silver, and precious stones; and with so much heat, as to burn up the wood, hay, and stubble; when the difference between these things will be most easily discerned.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every man’s work shall be made manifest - What every man has built on this foundation shall be seen. Whether he has held truth or error; whether he has had correct views of piety or false; whether what he has done has been what he should have done or not.

For the day - The Day of Judgment. The great Day which shall reveal the secrets of all hearts, and the truth in regard to what every man has done. The event will show what edifices on the true foundation are firmly, and what are weakly built. Perhaps the word “day” here may mean time in general, as we say, “time will show” - and as the Latin adage says, dies docebit; but it is more natural to refer it to the Day of Judgment.

Because it shall be revealed by fire - The work, the edifice which shall be built on the true foundation shall be made known amidst the fire of the great Day. The “fire” which is here referred to, is doubtless that which shall attend the consummation of all things - the close of the world. That the world shall be destroyed by fire, and that the solemnities of the Judgment shall be ushered in by a universal conflagration, is fully and frequently revealed. See Isaiah 66:15; 2Th 1:8; 2 Peter 3:7, 2 Peter 3:10-11. The burning fires of that Day, Paul says, shall reveal the character of every man’s work, as fire sheds light on all around, and discloses the true nature of things. It may be observed, however, that many critics suppose this to refer to the fire of persecution, etc. Macknight. Whitby supposes that the apostle refers to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem. Others, as Grotius, Rosenmuller, etc. suppose that the reference is to “time” in general; it shall be declared ere long; it shall be seen whether those things which are built on the true foundation, are true by the test of time, etc. But the most natural interpretation is that which refers it to the Day of Judgment.

And the fire shall try every man’s work - It is the property of fire to test the qualities of objects. Thus, gold and silver, so far from being destroyed by fire, are purified from dross. Wood, hay, stubble, are consumed. The power of fire to try or test the nature of metals, or other objects, is often referred to in the Scripture. Compare Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 24:15; Mal 3:2; 1 Peter 1:7. It is not to be supposed here that the material fire of the last Day shall have any tendency to purify the soul, or to remove that which is unsound; but that the investigations and trials of the Judgment shall remove all that is evil, as fire acts with reference to gold and silver. As they are not burned but purified; as they pass unhurt through the intense heat of the furnace, so shall all that is genuine pass through the trials of the last great Day, of which trials the burning world shall be the antecedent and the emblem. That great Day shall show what is genuine and what is not.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 3:13. The day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire — There is much difference of opinion relative to the meaning of the terms in this and the two following verses. That the apostle refers to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem I think very probable; and when this is considered, all the terms and metaphors will appear clear and consistent.

The day is the time of punishment coming on this disobedient and rebellious people. And this day being revealed by fire, points out the extreme rigour, and totally destructive nature, of that judgment.

And the fire shall try every man's work — If the apostle refers to the Judaizing teachers and their insinuations that the law, especially circumcision, was of eternal obligation; then the day of fire-the time of vengeance, which was at hand, would sufficiently disprove such assertions; as, in the judgment of God, the whole temple service should be destroyed; and the people, who fondly presumed on their permanence and stability, should be dispossessed of their land and scattered over the face of the whole earth. The difference of the Christian and Jewish systems should then be seen: the latter should be destroyed in that fiery day, and the former prevail more than ever.