So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

ὥστε οὔτε ὁ φυτεύων ἐστίν τι οὔτε ὁ ποτίζων ἀλλ’ ὁ αὐξάνων θεός.

Early Fathers

John Chrysostom (349-407)

Homilies on First Corinthians

6. So then, neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters, but God that gives 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.

Later Commentaries

George Leo Haydock (1774-1849)

Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary: 1 Corinthians

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. Wi. — 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. S. Chrys. — 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 misqoV, (merces) or wages. See 1 Tim. v. 18. Apoc. xxii. 12. Matt. 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. A.