Note 2 at 1Co 3:12: There is no great significance in the "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble." God's Word has been compared to gold (Pr 8:10, 16:16; 2Ti 2:20; 1Pe 1:7; and Re 3:18), but it is always superior to gold. It is not an exact comparison. Paul was simply illustrating that a person can build with good building materials that will last (gold, silver, precious stones) or inferior materials that will be burned (wood, hay, stubble).