Emphasis Preaching Journal

Paul sees himself as the spiritual mentor of the Corinthian Christians. In this passage he claims that role and the authority that vests him. There is great care in sharing the central feature of his message: the all-sufficiency of Christ (and the ethical imperative of sharing that message). Few people today will underestimate the value of mentors. Most of us realize the importance of role models in shaping our value systems, guiding and nurturing children, and encouraging new patterns of behavior.