SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:1
¶ De manera que yo, hermanos, no pude hablaros como a espirituales; sino como a carnales; es a saber , como a nios en Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 3:1
Verse 1. I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual] This is a continuation of the preceding discourse. See the notes there. But as unto carnal] sarkikoiv, Persons under the influence of fleshly appetites; coveting and living for the things of this life.
Babes in Christ.] Just beginning to acquire some notion of the Christian religion, hut as yet very incapable of judging what is most suitable to yourselves, and consequently utterly unqualified to discern between one teacher and another; so that your making the distinctions which you do make, so far from being a proof of mature judgment, is on the contrary a proof that you have no right judgment at all; and this springs from your want of knowledge in Divine things.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you , etc.] Though the apostle was a spiritual man himself, had spiritual gifts, even the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, could judge all things, had the mind of Christ, and was able to speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, yet could not speak it to them, as unto spiritual ; not but that they had the Spirit of God in them, and a work of grace upon them; for they were, as the apostle afterwards says, the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelt in them; they were washed, sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; but had not that spiritual discerning, or judgment in spiritual things, which some believers had, at least when the apostle was first with them; and now they were under great spiritual declensions, and had not those spiritual frames, nor that spiritual experience and conversation, which some other Christians had: but as unto carnal : not that they were in a carnal state, as unregenerate men are; but had carnal conceptions of things, were in carnal frames of soul, and walked in a carnal conversation with each other; though they were not in the flesh, in a state of nature, yet the flesh was in them, and not only lusted against the Spirit, but was very predominant in them, and carried them captive, so that they are denominated from it: even as unto babes in Christ ; they were in Christ, and so were new creatures; they were, as the Arabic version reads it, in the faith of Christ; though babes and weaklings in it, they were believers in Christ, converted persons, yet children in understanding, knowledge, and experience; had but little judgment in spiritual things, and were unskilful in the word of righteousness; at least this was the case of many of them, though others were enriched in all utterance and knowledge, and in no gift came behind members of other churches.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - The most simple truths of the gospel, as to man's sinfulness and God' mercy, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ stated in the plainest language, suit the people better than deepe mysteries. Men may have much doctrinal knowledge, yet be mere beginner in the life of faith and experience. Contentions and quarrels abou religion are sad evidences of carnality. True religion makes me peaceable, not contentious. But it is to be lamented, that many wh should walk as Christians, live and act too much like other men. Man professors, and preachers also, show themselves to be yet carnal, by vain-glorious strife, eagerness for dispute, and readiness to despis and speak evil of others.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εγω 1473 P-1NS αδελφοι 80 N-VPM ουκ 3756 PRT-N ηδυνηθην 1410 5675 V-AOI-1S-ATT λαλησαι 2980 5658 V-AAN υμιν 5213 P-2DP ως 5613 ADV πνευματικοις 4152 A-DPM αλλ 235 CONJ ως 5613 ADV σαρκικοις 4559 A-DPM ως 5613 ADV νηπιοις 3516 A-DPM εν 1722 PREP χριστω 5547 N-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Carnal (sarkinoiv). Made of flesh. See on Rom. vii. 14, and on flesh, Rom. vii. 5.Babes (nhpioiv). From nh not, and epov a word. Strictly, non-speakers. Compare the Latin infans. Strongly contrasted with perfect; see on ch. ii. 6.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:1 {But as unto carnal} (all' hws sarkinois). Latin _carneus_. "As men o' flesh," Braid Scots; "as worldlings," Moffatt. this form in -inos like liqinos in #2Co 3:3 means the material of flesh, "not on tablets of stone, but on fleshen tablets on hearts." So in #Heb 7:16. But in #Ro 7:14 Paul says, "I am fleshen (sarkinos) sold under sin," as if sarkinos represented the extreme power of the sarx. Which does Paul mean here? He wanted to speak the wisdom of God among the adults (#1Co 2:6), the spiritual (hoi pneumatikoi, #2:15), but he was unable to treat them as pneumatikoi in reality because of their seditions and immoralities. It is not wrong to be sarkinos, for we all live in the flesh (en sarki, #Ga 2:20), but we are not to live according to the flesh (kata sarka, #Ro 8:12). It is not culpable to a babe in Christ (nepios, #1Co 13:11), unless unduly prolonged (#1Co 14:20; Heb 5:13f.). It is one of the tragedies of the minister's life that he has to keep on speaking to the church members "as unto babes in Christ" (h"s npiois en Christ"i), who actually glory in their long babyhood whereas they ought to be teachers of the gospel instead of belonging to the cradle roll. Paul's goal was for all the babes to become adults (#Col 1:28).
