So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
In relation to God’s honor, human honor is nothing. As far as the ministry is concerned, a man may be honored in the way that a servant is honored. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Since the apostles would not have accomplished anything if God had not given the increase, how much more true is this of you or me, or anyone else of our time, who fancies himself as a teacher.
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God giveth the increase. The husbandman who plants and waters does hardly anything when compared with God; for he works from without only, and whatever he does he receives it from God, and works as His instrument. But God works within directly as the chief agent, and supplies the power of vigorous growth. For action is assigned to the chief agent, and especially to the first cause. So S. Thomas and Theophylact; S. Augustine (in i. Ep. S. John. Tr7) says beautifully: "Outward ministries are helps and warnings, but He that teacheth the heart has His throne in heaven. These words which we address to another from without are to him as the husbandman to the tree. For the husbandman acts upon the tree from without, by diligently watering and tending it, but He does not fashion its fruits." It is God that co-operates with the tree, and lends it the power of bringing forth fruit. In the same way the words of the preach...
That planteth you by your first conversion. Apollo watered you by preaching the same truths.
He that planteth and watered, are one, aim at one and the same end. (Witham)
According to his own labour. God does not recompense his servants according to the success of their labours, because their success depends upon him alone; but he recompenses them according to their sufferings and diligence in his service; for, whilst he crowns the labour of his apostles with success, he crowns his own work. (St. Chrysostom)
This text most evidently proves that good works proceeding from grace are meritorious, and that the rewards in heaven are different, according as God sees just to appropriate them. The Greek word here employed is mist hos, (merces) or wages. See 1 Timothy v. 18; Apocalypse xxii. 12; Matthew xvi. 27. It is by our union with Jesus Christ that our actions, of themselves without value or merit, become gold, silver, and precious stones. (Haydock)
But it is one God who bestows things suitable upon both-seed to the sower, but bread for the reaper to eat. Just as it is one that planteth, and another who watereth, but one God who giveth the increase.
Do you observe the manner in which he soothes them, so that they should not be too much irritated, on hearing, Who is this person, and Who is that? Nay, both are invidious, namely, both the saying, 'Who is this person? Who the other,' and the saying, that neither he that plants nor he that waters is any thing. How then does he soften these expressions? First, By attaching the contempt to his own person, Who is Paul, and who Apollos? and next, by referring the whole to God who gave all things. For after he had said, Such a person planted, and added, He that plants is nothing, he subjoined, but God that gives the increase. Nor does he stop even here, but applies again another healing clause, in the words.
The apostle certainly, after assigning the planting and watering to art and earth and water, conceded the growth to God alone, where he says, "Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."
