Reference: CORINTHIANS
American
EPISTLE 1. This was written by Paul at Ephesus, about A.D. 57, upon the receipt of intelligence respecting the Corinthian church, conveyed by members of the family of Chole, 1Co 1:11, and by a letter from the church requesting advice, 1Co 7:1, probably brought by Stephanus, etc., 1Co 16:17. Certain factions had arisen in the church, using his name and those of Peter, Apollos, and of Christ himself, in bitter partisan contentions. In the first part of this letter he endeavors to restore harmony among them, by reuniting them to the great and sole Head of the church. He then takes occasion to put them on their guard against teachers of false philosophy, and resting their faith on the wisdom of men instead the simple but mighty word of God. He proceeds, in 1Co 5, to reprove them for certain gross immoralities tolerated among them, such as they had formerly practiced like all around them, but which he charges them to banish form the church of Christ. He replies to their queries respecting celibacy and marriage, and the eating of food offered to idols; and meets several errors and sins prevalent in the church by timely instructions as to disputes among brethren, decorum in public assemblies, the Lord's supper, the resurrection of believers, true charity, and the right use of spiritual gifts, in which the Corinthian Christians excelled, but not without a mixture of ostentation and disorder. He directs them as to the best method of Christian beneficence, and closes with friendly greetings.
EPISTLE 2. This was occasioned by intelligence received through Titus, at Philippi. Paul learned of the favor reception of his former letter, and the good effect produced, and yet that a party remained opposed to him-accusing him of fickleness in not fulfilling his promise to visit them; blaming his severity towards the incestuous person; and charging him with an arrogance and assumption unsuited to his true authority and his personal appearance. In the course of his reply he answers all these objections; he enlarges upon the excellence of the new covenant, and the duties and rewards of its ministers, and on the duty of the Corinthian Christians as to charitable collections. He then vindicates his own course, his dignity and authority as an apostle, against those who assailed him. His last words invite them to penitence, peace, and brotherly love. This epistle seems to have been written soon after the first.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
For it has been made known to me concerning you, my brethren, by the family of Cloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for they have supplied what was wanting on your part:
Watsons
CORINTHIANS, Epistles to. St. Paul left Corinth A.D. 53 or 54, and went to Jerusalem. From Ephesus he wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians, in the beginning of A.D. 56. In this epistle he reproves some who disturbed the peace of the church, complains of some disorders in their assemblies, of law suits among them, and of a Christian who had committed incest with his mother-in-law, the wife of his father, and had not been separated from the church. This letter produced in the Corinthians great grief, vigilance against the vices reproved, and a very beneficial dread of God's anger. They repaired the scandal, and expressed abundant zeal against the crime committed, 2Co 7:9-11.
To form an idea of the condition of the Corinthian church, we must examine the epistles of the Apostle. The different factions into which they were divided, exalted above all others the chiefs, ???? ???? ???? ?????????? [the very chiefest Apostles,] 2Co 11:5; 12:11, whose notions they adopted, and whose doctrines they professed to follow, and attempted to depreciate those of the opposite party. While, then, some called themselves disciples of Paul, Cephas, or Apollos, others assumed the splendid appellation of Christ's party. Probably they affected to be the followers of James, the brother of our Lord, and thought thus to enter into a nearer discipleship with Jesus than the other parties. The controversy, as we shall see from the whole, related to the obligation of Judaism. The advocates of it had appealed, even in Galatia, to Cephas and James, for the sake of opposing to Paul, who had banished Jewish ceremonies from Christianity, authorities which were not less admitted than his own. The question itself divided all these various parties into two principal factions: the partisans of Cephas and James were for the law; the friends of Paul adopted his opinion, as well as Apollos, who, with his adherents, was always in heart in favour of Paul, and never wished to take a part in a separation from him, 1Co 16:12. The leaders of the party against Paul, these ?????????????, [false apostles,] as Paul calls them, and ?????????????????? ??? ?????????? ???????, [transformers of themselves into the apostles of Christ,] who declared themselves the promulgators and defenders of the doctrines of Cephas, and James, were, as may be easily conceived, converted Jews, 2Co 11:22, who had come from different places,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
For Christ sent me not to immerse, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of speech, lest the cross of the Christ should be deprived of its power.
And we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God:
Does any one of you that has a matter of dispute with another, presume to be judged before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But, to avoid lewd practices, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. read more. Let the husband render to the wife that which is due, and likewise, also, the wife to the husband.
Let the husband render to the wife that which is due, and likewise, also, the wife to the husband. The wife has not power over her own body, but the husband; likewise, also, the husband has not power over his own body, but the wife.
The wife has not power over her own body, but the husband; likewise, also, the husband has not power over his own body, but the wife. Debar not one another, unless by agreement for a time, that you may have leisure for prayer; and come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence.
Debar not one another, unless by agreement for a time, that you may have leisure for prayer; and come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence. But this I say by permission, not by commandment: read more. for I could wish that all men were even as I am myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this way, another in that.
for I could wish that all men were even as I am myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this way, another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It would be good for them, if they remain as I myself.
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It would be good for them, if they remain as I myself. But if they can not be continent, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. read more. But to the married I give commandment, not I, but the Lord: Let not the wife leave her husband: but if she leave him, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and, let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest, I, and not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she is well pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And if any woman has a husband that believes not, and he is well pleased to dwell with her, let her not put him away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; for if not, then are your children unclean; but now they are holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart; the brother or sister is not bound in such cases. But God has called us to live in peace. For how do you know, wife, but that you may save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, but that you may save your wife? But as God has assigned a place to every one, as the Lord has called every one, so let him continue to live: and so do I command in all the churches. Has any one been called that had been circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the mark of circumcision. Has any one been called that had not been circumcised? Let him not be circumcised,
Has any one been called that had been circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the mark of circumcision. Has any one been called that had not been circumcised? Let him not be circumcised, Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God is our aim. read more. Let every one remain in that condition in which he was, when called. Were you a servant when you were called? Care not for it. But if you can become free, rather enjoy your freedom. For he that is in the Lord, having been called when a servant, is the Lord's freedman. Likewise, also, the freeman who has been called, is Christ's servant. You have been bought with a price; become not the servants of men. Brethren, let every one, in whatever condition he is called, abide in this with God. But with respect to virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that is enabled, by the mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.
Now, with respect to meats offered to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up with pride, but love edifies.
For, if any one see you, who have knowledge, reclining at table in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened, so that he will eat meats offered to idols?
But I say, that the things which the Gen tiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not wish you to be partakers with demons. You can not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you can not be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
Any thing that is sold in the market, eat, asking no questions on account of conscience:
But if any one say to you: This is sacrificed to idols; eat not, for the sake of him that pointed it out, and for conscience sake:
But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered, dishonors her head: for it is one and the same as if she was shaved. For if a woman has no vail on, let her also be shaved. But if it is a shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her have a vail.
For this reason ought the woman to have a token of subjection on her head, on account of the angels.
But I praise you not in this, which I now mention, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse.
Let your women keep silence in the assemblies; for they ire not permitted to speak; but they must be in subjection, as also says the law.
and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve;
After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
But some one will say: How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
As it respects Apollos my brother, I urged him much to go to you with the brethren, yet he was not at all inclined to go now; but he will go when he has a suitable time.
Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed in order to repentance. For you sorrowed in a way acceptable to God, that you might in nothing receive injury from us. For godly sorrow works repentance not to be regretted, which leads to salvation: but the sorrow of the world works death. read more. For behold this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner; what earnestness it produced in you; what defense of yourselves; what indignation; what fear; what strong affection; what zeal; what assertion of right. In all respects you have shown yourselves to be blame less in this matter.
For if he that comes should preach another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or, if you receive another Spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you would well bear with him. I count myself indeed to be in no respect inferior to the very greatest of the apostles.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they of the posterity of Abraham? So am I.
I have become of no understanding; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you: I am in no respect inferior to the very greatest of the apostles, although I am nothing.