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Epiphany Season · Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year A

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

You Are God's Temple: All Things Are Yours, and You Are Christ's

February 22, 2026

The Building of the Temple of Solomon: The Construction of the Temple, Jean Bondol
The Building of the Temple of Solomon: The Construction of the Temple, Jean Bondol, 1372KB, National Library of the Netherlands, via Europeana
A French manuscript miniature of the temple going up, drawn as a medieval building site with masons, hods and a treadwheel crane.Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?Jean BondolA Bruges painter and illuminator who worked for Charles V of France and designed the Apocalypse of Angers tapestries.KB, National Library of the Netherlands, via EuropeanaThe national library of the Netherlands, holding a major collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts.KB, National Library of the Netherlands, via Europeana
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:38-48Mt 5:38-48
Second Reading1 Cor. 3:16-231 Cor 3:16-23
First ReadingLev. 19:1-2, 17-18Lv 19:1-2, 17-18
Responsorial PsalmPs. 103:1-2, 3-4, 8+10, 12-13 (8a)Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8+10, 12-13 (8a)

Overview & Insights

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Paul tells the quarreling Corinthians that their community, not a building, is the temple where God's Spirit lives, and warns against destroying it through rivalry over teachers. He closes by inverting their boasting in human leaders: every teacher belongs to them, because they belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

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Commentary

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23Commentary on 1 Cor 3:10-11, 16-23 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary commentary on the church as God's temple, built on the one foundation of Christ crucified.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11,16-23 Commentary1 Cor 3:10-11,16-23 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on grace toward a divided church and the folly of the world's wisdom.

1 Corinthians 3 Commentary1 Cor 3 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse by verse reading of the temple image and Paul's warning against destroying it.

1 Corinthians 3 Resources1 Cor 3 Resources Precept Austin

Gathered conservative commentary resources on the Corinthian church as God's building and God's temple.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Commentaries1 Cor 3:16 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregated classic commentary on the church as the indwelling place of God's Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3 - Barnes' Notes1 Cor 3 - Barnes' Notes StudyLight

Barnes' Notes verse by verse on the wisdom of this world being foolishness with God.

The Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre

Dr. Brant Pitre's Catholic exegesis of the Sunday's readings, including all things belonging to the believer in Christ.

Background & Word Study

1 Corinthians 3:16 Interlinear1 Cor 3:16 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek word by word with parsing for temple, dwells, and the wisdom of this world.

The Church Fathers

1 Corinthians 3 - Catena Bible & Commentaries1 Cor 3 - Catena Bible & Commentaries Catena

Patristic comment on the church as temple and on boasting in Paul, Apollos or Cephas.

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