Reference: CORINTHIANS
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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.
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For it hath been signified unto me, concerning you, my brethren, - by them who are of the household of Chloe, - that there are strifes among you,
Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman;
I Rejoice, moreover, in the presence of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus: because, your own shortcoming, these, have filled up: -
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,
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For Christ sent me not, to be immersing, but to be telling the good news, - not with wisdom of discourse, lest, void should be made, the cross of the Christ.
But, as for us, - not the spirit of the world, have we received, but the Spirit which is of God, - that we might know the things which, by God, have been given in favour unto us: -
Dare any of you, having, a matter against his brother, sue for judgment before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman; But, on account of fornications, let, each man, have, his own wife, and, each woman, have, her own husband: read more. Unto the wife, let the husband render what is her due, and, in like manner, the wife also, unto the husband, -
Unto the wife, let the husband render what is her due, and, in like manner, the wife also, unto the husband, - The wife, over her own body, hath not authority, but the husband, and, in like manner, the husband also, over his own body, hath not authority, but the wife.
The wife, over her own body, hath not authority, but the husband, and, in like manner, the husband also, over his own body, hath not authority, but the wife. Be not depriving one another - unless perhaps by consent for a season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and, again, may be together, - lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self-control.
Be not depriving one another - unless perhaps by consent for a season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and, again, may be together, - lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self-control. This, however I am saying, by way of concession, not of injunction; read more. Besides, I desire all men to be, even as myself, - but, each one, hath his, personal, gift from God, one, after this manner, and, another, after that.
Besides, I desire all men to be, even as myself, - but, each one, hath his, personal, gift from God, one, after this manner, and, another, after that. But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I;
But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I; But, if they have not self-control, let them marry, for, better, is it, to marry than to burn. read more. To the married, however, I give charge - not, I, but the Lord, - that, a wife, from her husband, do not depart, - But, if she should even depart, let her remain unmarried, or, to her husband, be reconciled; and let not, a husband, leave, his wife. But, unto the rest, say, I - not the Lord, - if, any brother, hath, a wife that believeth not, and, she, is well pleased to dwell with him, let him not leave her; And, a woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and, he, is well pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband; - For the husband that believeth not is hallowed in the wife, and the wife that believeth not is hallowed in the brother: else were, your children, impure, but, now, are they, pure. But, if, the unbelieving, departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister hath not come into bondage, in such cases, but, in peace, hath God called us. For how knowest thou, O woman, whether, thy husband, thou shalt save? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether, thy wife, thou shalt save? If not - as the Lord hath distributed - unto each one, as God hath called, each one, so, let him be walking; - and, so, in all the assemblies, I ordain. After being circumcised, was any called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision, hath any been called? let him not be circumcised:
After being circumcised, was any called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision, hath any been called? let him not be circumcised: The circumcision, is, nothing, and, the uncircumcision, is, nothing, - but keeping the commandments of God. read more. Each one, in the calling wherein he was called, in the same, let him abide: A bond-servant, wast thou called? let it not cause thee concern; but, if thou canst even become, free, rather use it. For, he who in the Lord was called, being a bond-servant, is, a freed-man of the Lord: in like manner, he that was called being, a freeman, is Christ's bond-servant: - With a price, have ye been bought, - do not become bond-servants of men: Each one, wherein he was called, brethren, in the same, let him abide with God. But, concerning them who are virgin, injunction of the Lord, have I none; yet, a judgment, do I give, as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be, faithful:
Now, concerning the idol-sacrifices, we are aware - because we, all, have knowledge, - knowledge, puffeth up, but, love, buildeth up;
For, if anyone should see theewho hast knowledge, in an idol-temple, reclining, will not, his conscience, being, weak, be built up for the eating of the idol-sacrifices?
On the contrary - that, the things which the nations sacrifice, unto demons, and not unto God, they sacrifice; and I wish not that ye should become, sharers together with the demons! Ye cannot be drinking - a cup of the Lord, and a cup of demons; ye cannot be partaking of, a table of the Lord, and a table of demons.
Whatsoever, in the market, is sold, eat, - asking no question, for conscience sake;
But, if anyone should say unto you, - This, is, a holy sacrifice, do not eat, for that man's sake who disclosed it, and for conscience sake: -
But, every woman, praying, or prophesying, with her head, unveiled, putteth to shame her head, - for it is, one and the same, with her having been shaven. For, if a woman doth not veil herself, let her also be shorn; but, if it were a shame in a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.
For this cause, ought the woman to have, permission, upon her head, because of the messengers.
But, in giving you the following charge, I praise you not, - in that, not for the better, but for the worse, ye come together.
As for the women, in the assemblies, let them be silent, for it is not permitted them to be speaking; but let them be in submission, - even as, the law, saith.
And that he appeared unto Cephas, then, to the twelve,
After that, he appeared unto James, then, unto all the apostles,
But some one will say - How, are the dead raised? and, with what kind of body, do they come?
But, concerning Apollos the brother, much, did I beseech him, that he would come unto you, with the brethren, but there was, by no means, any will, that he should come, now; - he will come, however, as soon as he hath good opportunity.
Now, am I rejoicing, - not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved unto repentance; for ye were grieved according to God, in order that, in nothing, should ye receive damage from us. For, grief according to God, worketh, repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; although, the grieving of the world, worketh, death. read more. For lo! this very thing - the being caused to grieve, according to God: - what manner of diligence it wrought out in you, - nay! defence, - nay! sore displeasure, - nay! fear, - nay! earnest desire, - nay! jealousy, - nay! avenging. In every way, ye shewed yourselves to be, chaste, in the matter.
For, if, indeed, he that cometh, is proclaiming, another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or, a different Spirit, ye are receiving, which ye had not received, or a different glad-message, which ye have never welcomed, ye are, well, bearing. For I reckon not to have come a whit behind the exceeding overmuch apostles;
Hebrews, are they? I also, Israelites, are they? I also, seed of Abraham, are they? I also,
I have become foolish, - ye, compelled me: - I, in fact, ought, by you, to have been commended; for, not a whit, have I come behind the exceeding overmuch apostles, - even if I am nothing: