Now he that plants and he that waters are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
All Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:8 Go To 1 Corinthians 3
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one. They are one, say S. Thomas, Anselm, and others, in office and one in their ministry, i.e, they are both alike ministers. Therefore one is not to be despised or extolled in comparison of another, e.g, Paul in comparison of Apollos. Moreover, all ought to be knit together as one by the same bond of charity, and ought not to cause divisions on account of their ministers. For although they may have different gifts, yet they all discharge the self-same duty, and are one in Christ, who hates schisms, loves unity, and carefully watches over His ministers, however feeble thy be, and wishes them to be esteemed and honoured by all, not as men but as His representatives.
And every man shall receive his own reward according to his labour. This passage shows clearly the merits of good works; for where there is reward there is merit, the two terms being correlatives.
He does not say, it should be noticed, that "each one shall receive a reward according to the fruit that he has brought forth," but simply "according to his labour," for the fruit is not in our power, but in the hand of God that giveth the increase. You will receive, therefore, a full reward for all genuine labour, even though no fruit follow—though no heretic or sinner be converted. Nay, the reward will be the greater, because it is more difficult and more disheartening to preach when little or no fruit is seen than when many applaud the sermon, or profit by it.
