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.
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For it has been revealed to me concerning you, my brethren, by those who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
But concerning those things about which you wrote to me: That it is good for a man not to receive a wife:
But I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: because they have supplied your deficiency:
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 baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with the wisdom of speech, in order that the cross of Christ may not be made of none effect.
But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God; in order that we may know the things which have been graciously given unto us from God.
Which one of you having a matter dares to go to law with another before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
But concerning those things about which you wrote to me: That it is good for a man not to receive a wife: but on account of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. read more. Let the husband give to the wife that which is due, and likewise the wife also to the husband.
Let the husband give to the wife that which is due, and likewise the wife also to the husband. The wife has not the authority over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not the authority over his own body, but the wife.
The wife has not the authority over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not the authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not defraud one another, unless it may be with consent for a time, that you may give attention to prayer, and again come together, in order that Satan may not tempt you on account of your incontinency.
Do not defraud one another, unless it may be with consent for a time, that you may give attention to prayer, and again come together, in order that Satan may not tempt you on account of your incontinency. But I speak this according to knowledge, not according to commandment. read more. But I wish that all men were even as myself; but each one has his own gift from God, some one, and some another.
But I wish that all men were even as myself; but each one has his own gift from God, some one, and some another. But I speak to the unmarried and the widows, that it is good for them that they may remain even as I:
But I speak to the unmarried and the widows, that it is good for them that they may remain even as I: but if they do not contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. read more. But I proclaim to those who have married, not I, but the Lord, That a wife shall not depart from her husband (but if indeed she may depart, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled unto her husband); and that the husband shall not send away the wife. But I say to the rest, not the Lord, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is willing to live with him, let him not send her away. And if any wife has an unbelieving husband, and he is willing to live with her, let her not send away her husband. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified by the brother. Since then your children are unclean; but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him or her depart; the brother or the sister has not been enslaved in such things. God has called you in peace. For what do you know, O wife, if you shall save your husband? And what do you know, O husband, if you shall save your wife? If not as the Lord has imparted to each one, and as God has called each one, so let him or her walk. And thus I command in all the churches. Is one called having been circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised: has one been called in uncircumcision? let him not get circumcised.
Is one called having been circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised: has one been called in uncircumcision? let him not get circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. read more. Let each one abide in the same calling in which he is called. Have you been called being a slave? let it not be a care to you: but if indeed you are able to become free, use it in preference. For the one having been called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freeman: likewise the one having been called, while free, is the slave of Christ. You have been bought with a price; be not the slaves of men. Let each one remain with the Lord, in the same calling in which he was called, brethren. But concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give knowledge, as one having obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
But concerning things offered to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but divine love builds up.
For if any one may see you having knowledge sitting at the table in the idol temple, will not the conscience of him, being weak, be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to the idols?
But those things which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. But I do not wish you to be the communicants of demons. You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you are not able to partake of the table of the Lord, and the table of demons.
Eat everything which is sold in market, asking no questions on account of conscience;
But if any one may say to you; This is offered to an idol, eat not, on account of him who gave the information, and his conscience.
But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head: for that is one and the same to her being shaven. If a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it is a disgrace for a woman to be shorn or shaven; let her be covered.
Therefore the woman ought to have authority on her head, on account of the angels.
And proclaiming this, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.
let the women be silent in the churches: for it is not permitted to them to talk; but let them be subordinate, as the law also says.
and that he was seen by Cephas; then by the twelve.
Then he was seen by James; then by all the apostles.
But one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come?
But concerning brother Apollos, I entreated him much, that he may come to you with the brethren: but it was not altogether his will that he may come now; but he will come when he may have opportunity.
now I rejoice, not because you grieved, but because you grieved unto repentance: for you grieved toward God, in order that you may receive damage by us in nothing. For a godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death. read more. For behold, how great enthusiasm, yes, how great apology, yes, how great clearing up, yes, how great fear, yes, how great longing, yes, how great zeal, yes, how great avenging, this same godly sorrow did work in you! In everything you have established yourselves to be pure in the matter.
For if indeed one coming preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel which you did not receive, well do you bear with him. For I consider that I am not inferior to the chief of the apostles.
Are they Hebrews? I am also. Are they Israelites? I am also. Are they the seed of Abraham? I am also.
I have become a fool: you did compel me. For I ought to be commended by you: for I am not inferior to the very chief of the apostles, if indeed I am nothing.