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 has been plainly told me concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that there are dissensions among you.
Now concerning the question in your letter. It is well for a man to have no intercourse with a woman,
I am glad that Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus have arrived, for they have made up for your absence.
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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 did not think I baptized any one else. For Christ did not send me forth to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel; and that not in philosophic words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made an empty thing.
But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may realize the blessings freely given us by God.
Dare any one of you who has a grievance against his neighbor go to law before heathen judges, instead of before the saints?
Now concerning the question in your letter. It is well for a man to have no intercourse with a woman, but because there is so much immorality let each man have his own wife; and let each women have her own husband. read more. Let the husband give his wife her due, and likewise the wife her husband. The wife is not mistress of her own person,
Let the husband give his wife her due, and likewise the wife her husband. The wife is not mistress of her own person, but her husband is; and in the same way the husband is not master of his own person, but his wife is.
but her husband is; and in the same way the husband is not master of his own person, but his wife is. Do not refuse one another, unless it is only temporary and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, lest through your lack of self-control Satan begin to tempt you to sin.
Do not refuse one another, unless it is only temporary and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, lest through your lack of self-control Satan begin to tempt you to sin. But what I have just said is by way of concession, not command. read more. I would that every one lived as I do; but each man has his own special gift from God, one this, another that.
I would that every one lived as I do; but each man has his own special gift from God, one this, another that. But to the unmarried, and the widows, I say that it is well for them to remain as I am.
But to the unmarried, and the widows, I say that it is well for them to remain as I am. If, however, they are not exercising self-control, by all means let them marry; for marriage is better than the fever of passion. read more. But to those already married my commandment is??nd not mine, but the Lord's??hat a wife is not to leave her husband; (or if she has already left him let her either remain as she is, or be reconciled to him), and also that a husband is not to put away his wife. To the rest it is I who am speaking, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife who is not a believer, if he is willing to live with her, let him not send her away. And a woman whose husband is not a believer, if he is willing to live with her, let her not separate from him. For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through union with his believing wife; and the unbelieving wife, through union with her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unholy, but now they are consecrated to God. But if the unbelieving partner be determined to leave, separation let it be. In such cases the believing husband or wife is not under bondage. But it is into peace that God has called us. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? Only whatever be the lot in life to which God has assigned each one??nd whatever the condition in which he was living when God called him??n that let him continue. Such is the rule I give in all the churches. So, was any man called, being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was any man called when he was uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
So, was any man called, being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was any man called when he was uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands in everything. read more. Whatever be the condition of life in which he was called, in that let him continue. Were you called in slavery? Let not that trouble you; but if you can become free make use of the opportunity. For the slave who has been called in the Lord is the Lord's freedman; and in the same way, the free man who is called is Christ's slave. You have been brought with a price; do not become slaves to men. Where each man stood when he was called, there, brothers, let him stay, close to God. I have no command from the Lord to give you concerning unmarried women; but I give you my opinion, and it is that of a man who, through the Lord's mercy, is deserving of your confidence.
Now in regard to food which has been offered to idols, we are sure of course that "we all have knowledge." But knowledge puffs up, while love builds up.
For if any one should see you, the possessor of "knowledge," reclining at table in an idol's temple, would not his conscience, if he were weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
On the contrary, what the heathen sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have communion with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons; you cannot be partakers in the Lord's table and in the table of demons.
Eat anything that is for sale in the markets, asking no questions for conscience sake;
But if any one tells you, "This food has been offered in sacrifice," do not eat it, for the sake of him who told you,
but every woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head (her husband). for it is one and the same thing as if she were shaven. If a woman does not wear a veil, let her also cut off her hair; now if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her be veiled.
For this reason the woman ought to have authority over her head, because of her guardian angels.
But in giving you the following instructions, I cannot praise you; your solemn assemblies do more harm than good.
"In your congregation" you write, "as in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. On the contrary let them be subordinate, as also says the law.
Then he was seen by James, then by all the apostles,
But some one will ask. "How are the dead raised? and with what body are they coming?"
As for our Apollos, I have many times urged him to go to you with the others, but he was always unwilling to go to you at this time. He will come, however, whenever he has a good opportunity.
But now I am glad; not because you were pained; but because your pain led you to repentance. For your pain came from God, and so you took no harm from me. For the pain which is from God works repentance leading to salvation, a repentance never to be regretted. But the world's pain works death. read more. Note the results of this pain which God permitted; what earnestness it has called forth in you, what explanations, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what fervor, what punishment of wrong. In every way you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
If indeed some one is coming to preach another Jesus, whom I did not preach, or you are receiving a Spirit other than you once received, or another gospel which you did not accept before, you would do well to bear with me. For I reckon that I am in no respect behind your superapostolic apostles.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they descendants of Israel? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
I am become a fool??ou have forced me to; for you yourselves ought to have been my vindicators. In no respect am I inferior to these superapostolic apostles, even though I am nothing.