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 I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by those of the family of Chloe, that there are dissensions among you.
Now as to the matters about which ye wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman;
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for what was lacking on your part, they 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,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
But we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that have been given to us by the grace of God;
Doth any one of you, who hath a matter against another, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the holy?
Now as to the matters about which ye wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman; but on account of the commonness of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. read more. Let the husband render to his wife her due; and so also the wife to her husband.
Let the husband render to his wife her due; and so also the wife to her husband. The wife hath not the disposal of her own body, but her husband; and so also the husband hath not the disposal of his own body, but his wife.
The wife hath not the disposal of her own body, but her husband; and so also the husband hath not the disposal of his own body, but his wife. Defraud not one another, except by agreement for a time, that ye may have a season for prayer; and be together again, that Satan may not tempt you through your incontinence.
Defraud not one another, except by agreement for a time, that ye may have a season for prayer; and be together again, that Satan may not tempt you through your incontinence. But I say this by way of permission, not command. read more. I would that all men were as I myself; but every one hath his own gift from God, one man this, and another that.
I would that all men were as I myself; but every one hath his own gift from God, one man this, and another that. I say also to the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them to remain as I am;
I say also to the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them to remain as I am; but if they cannot control themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. read more. But to those who are married it is my command, yet not mine, but the Lords: Let not the wife separate herself from her husband, and if she have separated herself let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she be satisfied to dwell with him, let him not put her away; and if a wife hath an unbelieving husband, and he be satisfied to dwell with her, let her not put her husband away. For the unbelieving husband hath been made holy by his wife, and the unbelieving wife hath been made holy by the brother; otherwise were your children unclean, but, as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving separateth himself, let him separate himself; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God hath called you to be in peace. For how dost thou know, O wife, but that thou mayst save thy husband? or how dost thou know, O husband, but that thou mayst save thy wife? But let every one continue to walk in the lot which the Lord appointed him, in the condition in which God called him. And this direction I give in all the churches. Was any one called being circumcised, let him not become as if uncircumcised; hath any one been called in uncircumcision, let him not become circumcised.
Was any one called being circumcised, let him not become as if uncircumcised; hath any one been called in uncircumcision, let him not become circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. read more. Let every one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Wast thou called being a slave, care not for it; but even if thou canst be made free, use it rather. For he that was called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lords freeman. In like manner the freeman, who is called, is Christs slave. Ye were bought with a price; become not the slaves of men. In that state, brethren, in which he was called, let every one remain with God. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
Now concerning the things offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth;
For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, at table in an idols temple, will not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat the things offered to idols?
Nay, but that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons; ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and the table of demons.
Whatever is sold in the market that eat, without asking questions for the sake of conscience;
But if any one say to you, This hath been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat of it, on account of him that showed you this, and from a regard to conscience;
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn; but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.
For this cause the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
But I give you this charge, not praising you, because ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted them to speak, but they are to be in subjection, as also saith the Law.
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
After that, he appeared to James; then to all the apostles.
But some one will say, How are the dead to rise? and with what body do they come?
As regards Apollos, the brother, I urged him much to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his will to come at this time; but he will come when he hath a convenient opportunity.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorrowful, but that your sorrow produced repentance. For the sorrow which ye felt had respect to God, that ye might in nothing receive injury from me. For sorrow before God worketh repentance to salvation never to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world worketh death. read more. For behold this very thing, that your sorrow had respect to God; what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what longing desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what readiness to punish! In every thing ye showed yourselves to be pure in the matter.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye did not receive, or another gospel, which ye did not accept, well might ye bear with it. For I suppose that I am in no respect behind the very foremost apostles.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abrams offspring? So am I.
I have become a fool; it is ye that compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the very foremost apostles, though I am nothing.