1 Corinthians 4:1
“So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.”
What does 1 Corinthians 4:1 mean?
Paul is inviting the church at Corinth to see him and his fellow leaders in a particular way: not as celebrities, authorities to be blindly followed, or sources of wisdom to compete over. Instead, they're servants working for Christ and caretakers of the sacred truths God has entrusted to them. The word "steward" was familiar to his audience, describing someone who manages a household or estate on behalf of the owner, responsible but not in control. Paul is essentially saying that leaders hold something precious that isn't theirs to own or reshape according to personal preference, but theirs to handle faithfully and pass along. This reframes what leadership actually means, especially in a community where people were forming rival factions around different teachers.