3:9 labourers together with God. Both the Father and the Son have been working together ever since the fall of man on their great work of reconciling man to God (note John 5:17), and we have the great privilege of sharing in this “ministry of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:18). Our faithfulness in this “labour in the Lord” (Romans 16:12) will be evaluated when Christ comes again “to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12).

3:10 masterbuilder. “Masterbuilder” is the Greek architekton, meaning essentially “structural engineer.”