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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It is showed unto me, my brethren, of you by them that are of the house of Chloe; that there is strife among you.
As concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man, not to touch a woman.
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
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 baptise, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should have been made of none effect.
And we have not received the spirit of the world: but the spirit which cometh of God, for to know the things that are given to us of God,
How dare one of you having business with another, go to law under the wicked? And not rather under the saints?
As concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man, not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his wife: and let every woman have her husband. read more. Let the man give unto the wife due benevolence. Likewise also the wife unto the man.
Let the man give unto the wife due benevolence. Likewise also the wife unto the man. The wife hath not power over her own body: but the husband; And likewise the man hath not power over his own body: but the wife.
The wife hath not power over her own body: but the husband; And likewise the man hath not power over his own body: but the wife. Withdraw not yourselves one from another except it be with consent for a time, for to give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and afterward come again to the same thing, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.
Withdraw not yourselves one from another except it be with consent for a time, for to give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and afterward come again to the same thing, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency. This I say of favour, not of commandment. read more. For I would that all men were as I myself am: but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, another after that.
For I would that all men were as I myself am: but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, another after that. I say unto the unmarried men, and widows: it is good for them if they abide even as I do,
I say unto the unmarried men, and widows: it is good for them if they abide even as I do, but and if they cannot abstain, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn. read more. Unto the married command not I, but the Lord: that the wife separate not herself from the man. If she separate herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled unto her husband again. And let not the husband put away his wife from him. To the remnant speak I, and not the Lord: if any brother have a wife that believeth not, if she be content to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath to her husband an infidel, if he consent 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. Or else were your children unclean: but now are they pure. But and if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in subjection to such. God hath called us in peace. For how knowest thou o woman, whether thou shalt save that man or no? Other, how knowest thou o man, whether thou shalt save that woman or no? But even as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every person, so let him walk: and so ordain I in all congregations. If any man be called being circumcised, let him add nothing thereto. If any be called uncircumcised: let him not be circumcised.
If any man be called being circumcised, let him add nothing thereto. If any be called uncircumcised: let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing: but the keeping of the commandments of God is altogether. read more. Let every man abide in the same state wherein he was called. Art thou called a servant? Care not for it. Nevertheless if thou mayst be free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant, is the Lord's freeman. Likewise he that is called being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are dearly bought; be not men's servants. Brethren, let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God. As concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet give I counsel as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
To speak of things dedicated unto idols, we are sure that we all have knowledge. Knowledge maketh a man swell: but love edifieth.
For if some man see thee, which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple shall not the conscience of him which is weak be boldened to eat those things which are offered unto the idol?
Nay, but I say, that these things which the gentiles offer, they offer to devils, and not to God. And I would not that ye should have fellowship with the devils. Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord, and of the cup of the devils. Ye can not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Whatsoever is sold in the market, that eat, and ask no questions for conscience sake.
But and if any man say unto you, "This is dedicated unto idols," eat not of it, for his sake that showed it, and for hurting of conscience - the earth is the Lord's and all that therein is -
Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth bare-headed, dishonesteth her head. For it is even all one and the very same thing, even as though she were shaven. If the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn. If it be shame for a woman to be shaven or shorn, let her cover her head.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, for the angels' sakes.
This I warn you of, and commend not that ye come together: not after a better manner but after a worse.
Let your wives keep silence in the congregations. For it is not permitted unto them to speak: but let them be under obedience, as saith the law.
and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.
After that appeared he to James, then to all the apostles.
But some man will say, "How shall the dead arise? With what bodies come they in?
To speak of brother Apollos: I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren, but his mind was not at all to come at this time. Howbeit, he will come when he shall have convenient time.
But I now rejoice, not that ye were sorry, but that ye so sorrowed, that ye repented. For ye sorrowed godly: so that in nothing were ye hurt by us. For godly sorrow causeth repentance, unto salvation not to be repented of: when worldly sorrow causeth death. read more. Behold what diligence this godly sorrow that ye took hath wrought in you: yea it caused you to clear yourselves. It caused indignation, it caused fear, it caused desire, it caused a fervent mind, it caused punishment. For in all things ye have showed yourselves that ye were clear in that matter.
For if he that cometh to you preach another Jesus than him whom we preached, or if ye receive another spirit than that which ye have received, either another gospel than that ye have received; ye might right well have been content. I suppose that I was not behind the chief apostles.
They are Hebrews, so am I. They are Israelites, even so am I. They are the seed of Abraham, even so am I.
I am made a fool in boasting myself. Ye have compelled me: I ought to have been commended of you. For in nothing was I inferior unto the chief apostles, though I be nothing: