Reference: Corinthians, First Epistle To The
Easton
was written from Ephesus (1Co 16:8) about the time of the Passover in the third year of the apostle's sojourn there (Ac 19:10; 20:31), and when he had formed the purpose to visit Macedonia, and then return to Corinth (probably A.D. 57).
The news which had reached him, however, from Corinth frustrated his plan. He had heard of the abuses and contentions that had arisen among them, first from Apollos (Ac 19:1), and then from a letter they had written him on the subject, and also from some of the "household of Chloe," and from Stephanas and his two friends who had visited him (1Co 1:11; 16:17). Paul thereupon wrote this letter, for the purpose of checking the factious spirit and correcting the erroneous opinions that had sprung up among them, and remedying the many abuses and disorderly practices that prevailed. Titus and a brother whose name is not given were probably the bearers of the letter (2Co 2:13; 8:6,16-18).
The epistle may be divided into four parts:
(1.) The apostle deals with the subject of the lamentable divisions and party strifes that had arisen among them (1-4).
(2.) He next treats of certain cases of immorality that had become notorious among them. They had apparently set at nought the very first principles of morality (5; 6).
(3.) In the third part he discusses various questions of doctrine and of Christian ethics in reply to certain communications they had made to him. He especially rectifies certain flagrant abuses regarding the celebration of the Lord's supper (7-14).
(4.) The concluding part (15; 16) contains an elaborate defense of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which had been called in question by some among them, followed by some general instructions, intimations, and greetings.
This epistle "shows the powerful self-control of the apostle in spite of his physical weakness, his distressed circumstances, his incessant troubles, and his emotional nature. It was written, he tells us, in bitter anguish, 'out of much affliction and pressure of heart...and with streaming eyes' (2Co 2:4); yet he restrained the expression of his feelings, and wrote with a dignity and holy calm which he thought most calculated to win back his erring children. It gives a vivid picture of the early church...It entirely dissipates the dream that the apostolic church was in an exceptional condition of holiness of life or purity of doctrine." The apostle in this epistle unfolds and applies great principles fitted to guide the church of all ages in dealing with the same and kindred evils in whatever form they may appear.
This is one of the epistles the authenticity of which has never been called in question by critics of any school, so many and so conclusive are the evidences of its Pauline origin.
The subscription to this epistle states erroneously in the Authorized Version that it was written at Philippi. This error arose from a mistranslation of 1Co 16:5, "For I do pass through Macedonia," which was interpreted as meaning, "I am passing through Macedonia." In 1Co 16:8 he declares his intention of remaining some time longer in Ephesus. After that, his purpose is to "pass through Macedonia."
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It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, by passing through the inland districts, came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there
This went on for two years, so that everybody living in the province of Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message.
So ever be on your guard and always remember that for three years, night and day, I never ceased warning you one by one, and that with tears.
For I have been informed about you, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that there are wranglings among you.
I will come to see you after I pass through Macedonia -- for I am to pass through Macedonia --
And I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come to see me, because they have supplied what you lacked.
For out of great sorrow and distress of heart, yes, while shedding many tears, I wrote you, not to make you sad but to make you realize that my love for you continues running over.
I had no rest of spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia.
so that I insisted that Titus, as he had formerly commenced it, should bring to completion this gracious contribution among you too.
But thanks be to God, who kindles in the heart of Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have; because he has acceded to my request, or rather, because he is so enthusiastic for you, of his own accord he is off to visit you. read more. I am sending with him the well-known brother whose praise for spreading the good news is ringing through all the churches.
Hastings
CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
1. Occasion of the Epistle.
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And anyone who listens to my words and does not practice their teaching, will be like an imprudent man who built his house on sand.
for He was teaching them as one who had authority to teach, and not as their scribes did.
"I solemnly say to you, of all men born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has ever appeared; and yet the one who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
He said to them, "It is not every man who has the capacity to carry out this saying, but it is for those to whom the capacity has been given.
They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."
Among them was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods from the town of Thyatira, and she stayed to listen to us. She was already a worshiper of God, and the Lord so moved upon her heart that she accepted the message spoken by Paul.
By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was wholly absorbed in preaching the message and was enthusiastically assuring the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, and so did all his family, and from time to time many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized.
Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and kept beating him right in front of the court; but Gallio paid no attention to it.
Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, a learned man, and skillful in the use of the Scriptures.
where he stayed three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, he changed his mind and returned by way of Macedonia, because a plot against him had been laid by the Jews.
where he stayed three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, he changed his mind and returned by way of Macedonia, because a plot against him had been laid by the Jews.
while we, after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, sailed from Philippi, and five days after joined them at Troas, where we spent a week.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses.
What is our conclusion then? Are we to continue to sin for His unmerited favor to multiply?
Now through the unmerited favor God has shown me I would say to every one of you not to estimate himself above his real value, but to make a sober rating of himself, in accordance with the degree of faith which God has apportioned to him.
Timothy, my fellow-worker, wishes to be remembered to you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater too, my fellow-countrymen.
For I have been informed about you, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that there are wranglings among you. I mean this, that one of you says, "I belong to Paul's party," another, "And I belong to Apollos' party," another, "And I belong to Cephas' party," another, "And I belong to Christ's party."
I mean this, that one of you says, "I belong to Paul's party," another, "And I belong to Apollos' party," another, "And I belong to Cephas' party," another, "And I belong to Christ's party." Christ has been parceled out by you! It was not Paul who was crucified for you, was it? You were not baptized in Paul's name, were you?
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news -- but not by means of wisdom and rhetoric, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied of its power.
So where is your philosopher? Where is your man of letters? Where is your logician of this age? Has not God shown up the nonsense of the world's wisdom?
So where is your philosopher? Where is your man of letters? Where is your logician of this age? Has not God shown up the nonsense of the world's wisdom?
we are preaching the Christ who was crucified -- a message that is a trap-stick to the Jews and nonsense to the Greeks,
we are preaching the Christ who was crucified -- a message that is a trap-stick to the Jews and nonsense to the Greeks,
For consider, brothers, the way God called you; that not many of you, in accordance with human standards, were wise, not many influential, not many of high birth.
Now when I came to you, brothers, I did not come and tell you God's uncovered secret in rhetorical language or human philosophy,
Yet, when among mature believers we do set forth a wisdom, but a wisdom that does not belong to this world or to the leaders of this world who are passing away;
These truths we are setting forth, not in words that man's wisdom teaches but in words that the Spirit teaches, in this way fitting spiritual words to spiritual truths.
Yes, you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Now, brothers, for your sakes I have applied all this to Apollos and myself, that from us as illustrations you might learn the lesson, "Never go beyond what is written," so that you might stop boasting in favor of one teacher against another.
When we are slandered by them, we try to conciliate them. To this very hour we have been made the filth of the world, the scum of the universe!
to turn such a man as this over to Satan for the destruction of his lower nature, in order that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
I wrote you in my letter to stop associating with sexually immoral people -- not that you are to stop all dealings with sexually immoral people of this world, any more than with its greedy graspers, or its idolaters, for then you would have to get clear out of the world.
For what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not for you to judge those who are inside the church,
When one of you has a grievance against his neighbor, does he dare to go to law before a heathen court, instead of laying the case before God's people? Do you not know that God's people are to judge the world? And if the world is to be judged before you, are you unfit to try such petty cases?
Do you not know that God's people are to judge the world? And if the world is to be judged before you, are you unfit to try such petty cases? Do you not know that we Christians are to sit in judgment on angels, to say nothing of the ordinary cases of life? read more. So if you have the ordinary cases of life for settlement, do you set up as judges the very men in the church who have no standing? I ask this to make you blush with shame. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a grievance of one brother against another, but one brother has to go to law with another, and that before unbelieving judges? To say no more, it is a mark of moral failure among you to have lawsuits at all with one another. Why not rather suffer being wronged? Why not suffer being robbed? On the contrary, you practice wronging and robbing others, and that your brothers.
And these are just the characters some of you used to be. But now you have washed yourselves clean, you have been consecrated, you are now in right standing with God, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is good for me. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not become a slave to anything.
Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is good for me. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not become a slave to anything. Foods are intended for the stomach, and the stomach for foods, but God will finally put a stop to both of them. The body is not intended for sexual immorality but for the service of the Lord, and the Lord is for the body to serve. read more. And as God by His power raised the Lord to life, so He will raise us too. Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ Himself? Then may I take away parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Never! Never!
Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ Himself? Then may I take away parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Never! Never! Or, are you not aware that a man who has to do with a prostitute makes his body one with hers? For God says, "The two shall be physically one." read more. But the man who is in union with the Lord is spiritually one with Him. Keep on running from sexual immorality! Any other sin that a man commits is one outside his body, but the man who commits the sexual sin is sinning against his own body. Or, are you not conscious that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit that is in you, whom you have as a gift from God? Furthermore, you are not your own, for you have been bought and actually paid for. So you must honor God with your bodies.
Now I take up the matters about which you wrote me. It may be good thing for a man to remain unmarried;
To the people already married I give this instruction -- no, not I but the Lord -- that a wife is not to leave her husband.
About unmarried women I have no command from the Lord, but I will give you my opinion as of one who is trustworthy, since I have had mercy shown me by the Lord.
But in my opinion she will be happier, if she remains as she is, and I think too that I have God's Spirit.
Now about the foods that have been sacrificed to idols: We know that every one of us has some knowledge of the matter. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
For if somebody sees you, who have an intelligent view of this matter, partaking of a meal in an idol's temple, will he not be emboldened, with his overscrupulous conscience, to eat the food which has been sacrificed to an idol? Yes, the overscrupulous brother, for whom Christ died, is ruined by your so-called knowledge. read more. Now if in such a way you sin against your brothers and wound their overscrupulous consciences, you are actually sinning against Christ. So then, if food can make my brother fall, I will never, no, never, eat meat again, in order to keep my brother from falling.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the product of my work for the Lord?
It cannot be that we have no right to take a Christian wife about with us, can it, as well as the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers, and Cephas?
What soldier ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Who shepherds a flock and does not drink any of the milk the flock produces?
If others share this right with you, have we not a stronger claim? Yet, we have never used this right; no, we keep on bearing everything, to keep from hindering the progress of the good news of Christ.
Just so the Lord has issued orders that those who preach the good news shall get their living out of it.
Then what is the pay that I am getting? To be able to preach the good news without expense to anybody, and so never to make full use of my rights in preaching the good news.
Do you not know that in a race the runners all run, but only one can get the prize? You must run in such a way that you can get the prize.
For I would not have you, brothers, to be ignorant of the fact that though our forefathers were all made safe by the cloud, and all went securely through the sea, and in the cloud and the sea
and all drank the same spiritual drink -- for they continued to drink the water from the spiritual Rock which accompanied them, and that Rock was the Christ --
No temptation has taken hold of you but what is common to human nature. And God is to be trusted not to let you be tempted beyond your strength, but when temptation comes, to make a way out of it, so that you can bear up under it. So then, my dearly beloved, keep on running from idolatry.
You must follow my example, just as I myself am following Christ's.
You must follow my example, just as I myself am following Christ's. I prize and praise you for always remembering me and for firmly standing by the teachings as I passed them on to you.
and any woman who prays or prophesies bareheaded dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing with having her head shaved.
This is why woman ought to wear upon her head a symbol of man's authority, especially out of respect to the angels.
For the account that I passed on to you I myself received from the Lord Himself, that the Lord Jesus on the night He was betrayed took a loaf of bread
You know that when you were heathen you were in the habit of going off, wherever you might be led, after idols that could not speak.
And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as prophets, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then people with power to cure the sick, helpers, managers, ecstatic speakers.
Women must keep quiet in the churches, for no permission is given them to speak. On the contrary, they must take a subordinate place, just as the law says. If they want to find out about something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.
Everything must always be done in a proper and orderly way.
that He was buried, that on the third day He was raised from the dead, in accordance with the Scriptures,
Now if we preach that Christ has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you are saying that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?
Now about the contribution for God's people, I want you to do as I directed the churches of Galatia to do.
and I shall likely stay over with you some time, or maybe spend the winter with you, so that you may help me on to whatever points I may visit.
It was because of this confidence that first I planned to visit you, to give you a double delight;
But upon my soul I call God to witness that it was to spare you pain that I gave up my visit to Corinth.
Besides, their minds were made dull; for to this day that same veil remains unlifted, whenever they read the Old Covenant; because it is only through union with Christ that it is removed.
So, although I did write to you, it was not for the offender's sake, nor for the offended party's sake, but in the sight of God for the sake of having your enthusiasm for me made perfectly clear to you. This is why I am so comforted.
Now I will give you my opinion on this matter. For this is for your interest, because you were not only the first to do anything about it, but the first to want to do so; you started it a year ago.
for I know your readiness to help in it. I am boasting of you about it to the Macedonians, reminding them that Greece has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated the most of them.
You look at me and measure me by outward appearances. If anyone is confident in himself that he belongs to Christ, let him have another thought about himself, that just as he belongs to Christ, so do I.
This is my third visit to you. Any charge preferred must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it.
Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all God's people in union with Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and assistants:
Because we did want to come to see you; I mean, that I myself, Paul, wanted again and again to come, but Satan prevented it.
Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan to be so disciplined that they will stop their abusive speech.
I do not permit a married woman to practice teaching or domineering over a husband; she must keep quiet.
who have missed the truth by saying that the resurrection has already taken place, are undermining some people's faith.
Smith
Corinth'ians, First Epistle to the,
was written by the apostle St. Paul toward the close of his nearly three-years stay at Ephesus,
which, we learn from
probably terminated with the Pentecost of A.D. 57 or 58. The bearers were probably (according to the common subscription) Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. It appears to have been called forth by the information the apostles had received of dissension in the Corinthian church, which may be thus explained: --The Corinthian church was planted by the apostle himself,
in his second missionary journey.
seq. He abode in the city a year and a half.
A short time after the apostle had left the city the eloquent Jew of Alexandria, Apollos, went to Corinth,
and gained many followers, dividing the church into two parties, the followers of Paul and the followers of Apollos. Later on Judaizing teachers from Jerusalem preached the gospel in a spirit of direct antagonism to St. Paul personally. To this third party we may perhaps add a fourth, that, under the name of "the followers of Christ,"
sought at first to separate themselves from the factious adherence to particular teachers, but eventually were driven by antagonism into positions equally sectarian and inimical to the unity of the church. At this momentous period, before parties had become consolidated and that distinctly withdrawn from communion with one another, the apostle writes; and in the outset of the epistle, 1Cor 1-4:21, we have this noble and impassioned protest against this fourfold rending of the robe of Christ.
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So for a year and a half he settled down among them and went on teaching God's message.
It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, by passing through the inland districts, came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there
This went on for two years, so that everybody living in the province of Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message.
So ever be on your guard and always remember that for three years, night and day, I never ceased warning you one by one, and that with tears.
Now we have not received the spirit that belongs to the world but the Spirit that comes from God, that we may get an insight into the blessings God has graciously given us.
I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but it was God who kept the plants growing.