Reference: Corinthians, First Epistle To The
Easton
was written from Ephesus (1Co 16:8) about the time of the Passover in the third year of the apostle's sojourn there (Ac 19:10; 20:31), and when he had formed the purpose to visit Macedonia, and then return to Corinth (probably A.D. 57).
The news which had reached him, however, from Corinth frustrated his plan. He had heard of the abuses and contentions that had arisen among them, first from Apollos (Ac 19:1), and then from a letter they had written him on the subject, and also from some of the "household of Chloe," and from Stephanas and his two friends who had visited him (1Co 1:11; 16:17). Paul thereupon wrote this letter, for the purpose of checking the factious spirit and correcting the erroneous opinions that had sprung up among them, and remedying the many abuses and disorderly practices that prevailed. Titus and a brother whose name is not given were probably the bearers of the letter (2Co 2:13; 8:6,16-18).
The epistle may be divided into four parts:
(1.) The apostle deals with the subject of the lamentable divisions and party strifes that had arisen among them (1-4).
(2.) He next treats of certain cases of immorality that had become notorious among them. They had apparently set at nought the very first principles of morality (5; 6).
(3.) In the third part he discusses various questions of doctrine and of Christian ethics in reply to certain communications they had made to him. He especially rectifies certain flagrant abuses regarding the celebration of the Lord's supper (7-14).
(4.) The concluding part (15; 16) contains an elaborate defense of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which had been called in question by some among them, followed by some general instructions, intimations, and greetings.
This epistle "shows the powerful self-control of the apostle in spite of his physical weakness, his distressed circumstances, his incessant troubles, and his emotional nature. It was written, he tells us, in bitter anguish, 'out of much affliction and pressure of heart...and with streaming eyes' (2Co 2:4); yet he restrained the expression of his feelings, and wrote with a dignity and holy calm which he thought most calculated to win back his erring children. It gives a vivid picture of the early church...It entirely dissipates the dream that the apostolic church was in an exceptional condition of holiness of life or purity of doctrine." The apostle in this epistle unfolds and applies great principles fitted to guide the church of all ages in dealing with the same and kindred evils in whatever form they may appear.
This is one of the epistles the authenticity of which has never been called in question by critics of any school, so many and so conclusive are the evidences of its Pauline origin.
The subscription to this epistle states erroneously in the Authorized Version that it was written at Philippi. This error arose from a mistranslation of 1Co 16:5, "For I do pass through Macedonia," which was interpreted as meaning, "I am passing through Macedonia." In 1Co 16:8 he declares his intention of remaining some time longer in Ephesus. After that, his purpose is to "pass through Macedonia."
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And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, after passing through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples,
This continued for two years; so that all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, by day and by night, I ceased not to warn every one of you with tears.
For it has been made known to me concerning you, my brethren, by the family of Cloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now I will come to you, when I have passed through Macedonia, for I intend to go through Macedonia;
I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for they have supplied what was wanting on your part:
For out of much affliction and distress of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not that you might be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly for you.
I had no rest in. my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but I took leave of them, and went into Macedonia.
so that we exhorted Titus, that, as he had previously begun, so he would bring to an end this gift among you also.
But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you in the heart of Titus: for he accepted my exhortation, and, being more earnest, he went to you of his own accord. read more. And we have sent with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is in all the churches;
Hastings
CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
1. Occasion of the Epistle.
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And every one that hears these words of mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Verily, I say to you, Among those born of women, there has not risen a greater than John the Immerser. But the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
But he said to them: All can not accept this saying; only those to whom it is given.
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from lewdness; from which if you keep yourselves carefully, you will do well. Farewell.
And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things that were spoken by Paul.
And when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul was roused in spirit, and earnestly testified to the Jews, that-the Christ was Jesus.
But Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were immersed.
And all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallic cared for none of these things.
And a certain Jew, named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
And having remained there three months, he determined to return through Macedonia, because a plot had been laid for him by the Jews, as he was about to sail to Syria.
And having remained there three months, he determined to return through Macedonia, because a plot had been laid for him by the Jews, as he was about to sail to Syria.
But we sailed from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we remained seven days.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
This man had four virgin daughters, who had the gift of prophesy.
What, then, shall we say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one that is among you, that he must not think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but that he be disposed to think modestly, as God has distributed to each a measure of faith.
Timothy, my fellow-workman, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.
For it has been made known to me concerning you, my brethren, by the family of Cloe, that there are contentions among you. I mean this: that each one of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.
I mean this: that each one of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is the Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were you immersed into the name of Paul?
For Christ sent me not to immerse, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of speech, lest the cross of the Christ should be deprived of its power.
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of- this world?
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of- this world?
but we preach Christ crucified; to the Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks, foolishness:
but we preach Christ crucified; to the Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks, foolishness:
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble call you;
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.
Yet we speak wisdom among the perfect; but not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are brought to nought:
which things also we speak, not in words taught by man's wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.
and you are Christ's: and Christ is God s.
And these things, brethren, I have, in figure, applied to my self and Apollos, for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think more of teachers than what has been written; and that no one of you be vain of one to the injury of another.
when defamed, we entreat; we have become like the outcasts of the world, the offscouring of all things to this day.
that we deliver such a one over to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
I have written to you in the letter not to associate with lewd persons; yet without the lest allusion to the lewd, or the covetous, or the extortioners, or the idolaters of this world; for then you must go out of the world;
For what right have I to judge those who are without? Do you not judge those who are within?
Does any one of you that has a matter of dispute with another, presume to be judged before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Know you not that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unworthy to decide concerning the smallest matters?
Know you not that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unworthy to decide concerning the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? Much more then, things pertaining to this life. read more. If, then, you have controversies pertaining to things of this life, set them to judge who are the least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you a wise man, not even one, who shall be able to arbitrate between his brethren? But brother goes to law with brother, and this before the unbelievers? Now, certainly, you are altogether in fault, that you have law-suits with one another. Why do you not rather suffer injustice? Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? But you act unjustly, and you defraud, and that, too, your brethren.
And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All meats are lawful for me: but all are not profitable. All are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under subjection by any.
All meats are lawful for me: but all are not profitable. All are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under subjection by any. Meats for the stomach, and the stomach for meats; but God will destroy both it and them. But the body is not for lewdness, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body: read more. and God has raised, up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his power. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I, then, take the members of the Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? It must not be.
Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I, then, take the members of the Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? It must not be. Know you not that he that is joined to a harlot, is one body? For the two, says the scripture, shall be one flesh. read more. But he that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit. Shun lewdness. Every sin that a man commits, is without the body; but he that is guilty of lewdness sins against his own body. Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
But to the married I give commandment, not I, but the Lord: Let not the wife leave her husband:
But with respect to virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that is enabled, by the mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.
But she is happier, in my judgment, if she remains as she is; and I think that I have, also, the Spirit of God.
Now, with respect to meats offered to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up with pride, but love edifies.
For, if any one see you, who have knowledge, reclining at table in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened, so that he will eat meats offered to idols? and will not the weak brother, for whom Christ died, perish through your knowledge? read more. But if you sin in this way against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. For which reason, if meat cause my brother to fall, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord-? Are you not my work in the Lord?
Have we not the right to lead about a sister wife, as the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
What man ever serves as a soldier, at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not of its fruit? Or who tends a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
If others partake of this right over you, should not we rather? But we have not used this right: but we endure all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of the Christ.
So, also, the Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.
What, then, is my reward? That, while I preach, I may make the gospel of Christ to be without charge, in order that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.
Know you not that all the runners in the race-course run the race, but that one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain the prize.
Now, brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and that all passed through the sea,
and. did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was the Christ.
No trial has come upon you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tried more than you are able to bear; but he will, with the trial, make a way to escape, so that you be able to bear up under it. Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now, I praise you, brethren, because you remember me in all things, and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you.
But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered, dishonors her head: for it is one and the same as if she was shaved.
For this reason ought the woman to have a token of subjection on her head, on account of the angels.
"When, therefore, you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's supper;
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: That the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was delivered up, took bread;
You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to those dumb idols, as you might be led.
And God has placed some in the church, first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; then mighty deeds; then gifts of healing; helps, governments, kinds of tongues.
Let your women keep silence in the assemblies; for they ire not permitted to speak; but they must be in subjection, as also says the law. But if they wish to learn any thing,, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in an assembly.
Let all things be done with propriety, and in good order.
and that he was buried; and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures;
But if Christ is preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that a resurrection of the dead is impossible?
As it respects the collection which is for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so also do you.
and perhaps I may abide with you, or even spend the winter, that you may conduct me on my way to whatever place I may go.
And in this confidence I intended to go to you before, that you might have a second benefit;
But I call on God as a witness against my soul, that wishing to spare you, I did not go to Corinth;
But their minds were blinded: for till this day, in the reading of the old covenant, the same vail remains not taken away, which vail is removed in Christ.
Therefore, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor on account of him who received the wrong; but that our diligent care for you, in the sight of God, might be made manifest to you.
And I give my judgment in this matter; for this is profitable for you, who began not only to do, but to show a willing mind, a year ago.
For I know your readiness of mind, on account of which I boasted of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago: and your zeal has incited very many.
Do you look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trusts in himself, that he is Christ s, let him again reason thus of himself: that as he is Christ s, so also are we.
The third time am I coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses, every matter shall be established.
for the husband is the head of the wife, as the Christ also is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body.
for the husband is the head of the wife, as the Christ also is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body.
PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
I PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, I and Timothy my brother,
For this reason, we intended to go to you, (I Paul) both once and again, but Satan hindered us.
whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to revile.
I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
who, as it respects the truth, have erred, saying that the resurrection has already taken place; and they overthrow the faith of some.
Smith
Corinth'ians, First Epistle to the,
was written by the apostle St. Paul toward the close of his nearly three-years stay at Ephesus,
which, we learn from
probably terminated with the Pentecost of A.D. 57 or 58. The bearers were probably (according to the common subscription) Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. It appears to have been called forth by the information the apostles had received of dissension in the Corinthian church, which may be thus explained: --The Corinthian church was planted by the apostle himself,
in his second missionary journey.
seq. He abode in the city a year and a half.
A short time after the apostle had left the city the eloquent Jew of Alexandria, Apollos, went to Corinth,
and gained many followers, dividing the church into two parties, the followers of Paul and the followers of Apollos. Later on Judaizing teachers from Jerusalem preached the gospel in a spirit of direct antagonism to St. Paul personally. To this third party we may perhaps add a fourth, that, under the name of "the followers of Christ,"
sought at first to separate themselves from the factious adherence to particular teachers, but eventually were driven by antagonism into positions equally sectarian and inimical to the unity of the church. At this momentous period, before parties had become consolidated and that distinctly withdrawn from communion with one another, the apostle writes; and in the outset of the epistle, 1Cor 1-4:21, we have this noble and impassioned protest against this fourfold rending of the robe of Christ.
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And he remained there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them
And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, after passing through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples,
This continued for two years; so that all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, by day and by night, I ceased not to warn every one of you with tears.
And we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God:
I planted, Apollos watered: but God made to grow.