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 was signified to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now concerning the things of which ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman;
And I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; because these 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 immerse, but to proclaim the Gospel; not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
And we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is of God; that we may know the things freely given us by God.
Dare any one of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Now concerning the things of which ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman; but, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. read more. Let the husband render to the wife her due; and, in like manner, the wife to the husband.
Let the husband render to the wife her due; and, in like manner, the wife to the husband. The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife.
The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband; and, in like manner also, the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one the other, except by consent for a Season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.
Defraud not one the other, except by consent for a Season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. But this I say by way of permission, not of command. read more. And I wish all men to be even as myself. Each one, however, has his own gift from God; one, indeed, after this manner, and another, after that.
And I wish all men to be even as myself. Each one, however, has his own gift from God; one, indeed, after this manner, and another, after that. Now I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them, if they remain even as I am.
Now I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them, if they remain even as I am. But, if they have not continency let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. read more. And to the married I give command??ot I, but the Lord??hat the wife depart not from her husband; but if she even depart, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to her husband; and that the husband leave not his wife. But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not leave her. And, if any wife has an unbelieving husband, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; else your children are unclean; but as it is they are holy. But, if the unbelieving departs, let him depart. The brother or the sister has not come into bondage in such cases; but God hath called us in peace. For what do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or what do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each one, as God hath called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the assemblies. Was any one called, having been circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Has any one been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Was any one called, having been circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Has any one been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God. read more. Let each one abide in that calling in which he was called. Were you called, being a slave? care not for it; but, even if you can become free, use it rather. For he that was called in the Lord, being a slave, is the Lord's freedman: likewise, he that was called, being free, is Christ's slave. Ye were bought with a price; become not slaves of men. Brethren, let each one abide with God in the same condition in which he was called. Now, concerning the virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as having received mercy from the Lord to be faithful.
Now, concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we know because we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
For, if anyone sees you, who have knowledge, reclining at table in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat the idol-sacrifices?
Nay, but I say that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to become partakers with the demons. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Whatsoever is sold in the market eat, asking no question because of conscience;
But, if anyone says to you, "This is the remains of an idol-sacrifice." eat it not, for his sake that showed it, and because of conscience:
But every woman, praying or prophesying with her head unveiled, dishonors her head; for it is one and the same, as if she were shaven. For, if a woman is unveiled, let her also be shaven; but, if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.
for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head because of the angels.
But, in giving this charge, I praise you not; because, not for the better, but for the worse, do ye come together.
Let the wives keep silence in the assemblies; for it is not permitted them to speak, but let them be in subjection, as also says 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 raised? and with what kind of body do they come?"
But concerning Apollos, the brother, I besought him much to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his will to come now; but he will come, when he shall have opportunity.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that in nothing ye might receive damage from us. For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world works death. read more. For, behold this very thing??hat ye were made sorry after a godly manner??hat diligence it wrought in you; yea, what defense of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea what earnest desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what avenging! In everything ye proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
For, if he that comes preaches another Jesus, Whom we did not preach; or, if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different Gospel, which ye did not accept; well do ye bear with him. For I reckon that I am in no respect behind the most eminent apostles.
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they Abraham's seed? so am I.
I have become foolish; ye compelled me; for I ought to be commended by you; for in nothing was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even if I am nothing.