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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It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the interior, reached Ephesus. Finding some disciples there,
This went on for two years, so that everyone who lived in Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message.
So you must be on your guard and remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped warning any of you, even with tears.
For I have been informed, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that quarrels are going on among you.
I will come to you after passing through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia,
But I shall stay in Ephesus until the Harvest Festival,
But I shall stay in Ephesus until the Harvest Festival,
And I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here, for they have made up for your absence.
For I was in great trouble and distress of mind when I wrote you, and I shed many tears as I did it, yet it was not to hurt your feelings, but to make you realize the extraordinary affection I have for you.
but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
This has led me to urge Titus to complete the arrangements he had formerly begun among you for this gracious undertaking.
Thank God, he puts the same devotion to you that I feel into Titus' heart, for he has responded to my appeal, but he goes to you really of his own accord, he is so devoted to you. read more. I am sending with him his brother, who is famous in all the churches for his work in spreading the good news.
Hastings
CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
1. Occasion of the Epistle.
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And anyone who listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
for he taught them like one who had authority and not like their scribes.
"I tell you, among men born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has ever appeared. And yet those who are of little importance in the Kingdom of Heaven are greater than he.
He said to them, "It is not everyone who can accept that, but only those who have a special gift.
They appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
that you avoid whatever has been sacrificed to idols, the tasting of blood and of the meat of animals that have been strangled, and immorality. Keep yourselves free from these things and you will get on well. Goodbye."
One of our hearers was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods, from the town of Thyatira. She was a believer in God, and the Lord touched her heart, and led her to accept Paul's teaching.
By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was absorbed in preaching the message, emphatically assuring the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, and so did all his household, and many of the people of Corinth heard Paul and believed and were baptized.
Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio paid no attention to it.
A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, skilful in the use of the Scriptures.
where he stayed for three months. Just as he was going to sail for Syria, the Jews made a plot against him, and he made up his mind to return by way of Macedonia.
where he stayed for three months. Just as he was going to sail for Syria, the Jews made a plot against him, and he made up his mind to return by way of Macedonia.
while we sailed from Philippi after the festival of Unleavened Bread, and joined them at Troas five days later. There we stayed a week.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
Then what shall we conclude? Are we to continue to sin to increase the spread of mercy?
By the favor that God has shown me, I would tell every one of you not to think too highly of himself, but to think reasonably, judging himself by the degree of faith God has allowed him.
My fellow-worker, Timothy, wishes to be remembered to you, and so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow-countrymen.
For I have been informed, my brothers, by Chloe's people, that quarrels are going on among you. What I mean is this, that one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," another, "And I, of Apollos," another, "And I, of Cephas," and another, "And I, of Christ!"
What I mean is this, that one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," another, "And I, of Apollos," another, "And I, of Cephas," and another, "And I, of Christ!" Christ has been divided up! But was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news??ut not with fine language, or the cross of Christ might seem an empty thing.
Where now is your philosopher? Your scribe? Your reasoner of today? Has not God made a fool of the world's wisdom?
Where now is your philosopher? Your scribe? Your reasoner of today? Has not God made a fool of the world's wisdom?
but we proclaim a Christ who was crucified??n idea that is revolting to Jews and absurd to the heathen,
but we proclaim a Christ who was crucified??n idea that is revolting to Jews and absurd to the heathen,
For consider, brothers, what happened when God called you. Not many of you were what men call wise, not many of you were influential, not many were of high birth.
So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come and tell you the secret purpose of God in superior, philosophical language,
Yet there is a wisdom that we impart when we are with people who have a mature faith, but it is not what this world calls wisdom, nor what the authorities of this world, doomed as they are to pass away, would call so.
These disclosures we impart, not in the set phrases of human philosophy, but in words the Spirit teaches, giving spiritual truth a spiritual form.
But you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Now, brothers, for your benefit I have applied all this only to Apollos and myself, by using us as illustrations to teach you the old lesson, "Never go beyond the letter," and to keep any of you from boasting of one teacher at the expense of another.
when they slander us, we try to conciliate them. We have come to be like the scum of the earth, the dregs of the world, and we are so now.
I have handed the man over to Satan, for his physical destruction, in order that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people??10 not that you are to have nothing whatever to do with the immoral people of the world, any more than with its greedy and grasping people or idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world altogether.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not your part to judge those who are inside the church,
When one of you has a disagreement with his neighbor, does he dare to bring the matter before a heathen court, instead of laying it before his Christian brothers? Do you not know that the Christians are to be the judges of the world? And if the world is to come before you for judgment, are you unfit to decide the most trivial cases?
Do you not know that the Christians are to be the judges of the world? And if the world is to come before you for judgment, are you unfit to decide the most trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to be the judges of angels, to say nothing of ordinary matters? read more. If then you have ordinary matters to be settled, will you submit them for judgment to men who are nothing in the church? I ask it to shame you. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a disagreement between one brother and another, but one Christian has to go to law with another, and before unbelievers too? Having lawsuits with one another at all means your utter failure, to begin with. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be robbed? But it is you who wrong and rob others, and your own brothers at that!
Some of you used to be like that; but you have washed it all away, you have been consecrated, you have become upright, by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God. I may do anything I please, but not everything I may do is good for me. I may do anything I please; but I am not going to let anything master me.
I may do anything I please, but not everything I may do is good for me. I may do anything I please; but I am not going to let anything master me. It is true, food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach for the food, but God will put an end to both of them. But the body is not meant for immorality, but for the service of the Lord, and the Lord is for the body to serve. read more. And as God raised the Lord to life, he will raise us also by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ's body? Am I then to take away from Christ parts of his body, and make them parts of a prostitute's? Never!
Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ's body? Am I then to take away from Christ parts of his body, and make them parts of a prostitute's? Never! Or do you not know that a man who has to do with a prostitute makes one body with her? For "The two," says the Scripture, "shall become physically one." read more. But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Fly from immorality! Any other sin a man commits is something outside his body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit that is within you, which you have received from God? Besides, you are not your own; you have been bought and paid for. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
As to the matters of which you wrote me, it is an excellent thing for a man to remain unmarried.
To those already married my instructions are??nd they are not mine, but the Lord's??hat a wife is not to separate from her husband.
About unmarried women I have no command of the Lord to give you, but I will give you my opinion as that of one on whom through the Lord's mercy you can depend.
But she will be happier, in my judgment, if she remains as she is, and I think I have God's spirit as well as other people.
About food that has been offered to idols, it is true, as you say, that we all have some knowledge on that matter. Knowledge gives people airs; love is what builds up character.
For if somebody sees you, who are intelligent about this matter, attending a dinner in an idol's temple, will not he, with his sensitive conscience, be led to eat meat that is offered to idols? For this overscrupulous brother, for whom Christ died, is ruined by what you call your knowledge. read more. But in sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their too scrupulous consciences, you are really sinning against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat makes my brother fall, I will never eat meat again, rather than make my brother fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the product of my work in the Lord's service?
Have we not a right to take a Christian wife about with us, like the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?
What soldier ever pays his expenses out of his own pay? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of the grapes? Who tends a flock and does not get any of the milk?
If others enjoy such rights over you, have we not a still better claim? But, you say, we have never availed ourselves of this right. No, we will stand anything rather than put any hindrance in the way of the good news of the Christ.
In just that way the Lord directed that those who preach the good news should get their living from it.
What pay then do I get? Why, that in my preaching I can offer the good news without cost, and so not take full advantage of my rights as a preacher.
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one wins the prize? That is the way you must run, so as to win.
For I would not have you forget, brothers, that though our forefathers were all protected by the cloud, and all passed safely through the sea,
and drank the same supernatural drink??for they used to drink from a supernatural rock which attended them, and the rock was really Christ??5 still most of them disappointed God, for they were struck down in the desert.
It is no superhuman temptation that you have had. And God can be depended on, not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but when temptation comes, to give you a way out of it, so that you can withstand it. Therefore, my dear brothers, have nothing to do with the worship of idols.
You must follow my example in this, as I am following Christ's.
You must follow my example in this, as I am following Christ's. I appreciate your always remembering me, and your standing by the things I passed on to you, just as you received them.
and any woman who offers prayer or explains the will of God bareheaded disgraces her head, for it is just as though she had her head shaved.
That is why she ought to wear upon her head something to symbolize her subjection, out of respect to the angels, if to nobody else.
So when you hold your meetings it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat,
For I myself received from the Lord the account that I passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus the night he was betrayed took some bread
You know that when you were heathen you would stray off, as impulse directed, to idols that could not speak.
And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpfulness, administration, ecstatic speaking.
Women are to keep quiet in church, for they are not allowed to speak. They must take a subordinate place, just as the Law says. If they want to find out about anything, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.
But let everything be done in a proper and orderly way.
that he was buried, that on the third day he was raised from the dead, as the Scriptures foretold,
Now if what we preach about Christ is that he was raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?
About the collection for God's people, I want you to do as I told the churches of Galatia to do.
and I will probably stay some time with you, or even pass the winter, so that you may start me off for wherever I may be going.
It was because I was sure of this that I wanted to come to see you before going anywhere else, to give you a double pleasure;
But upon my soul I call God to witness that it is simply to spare you that I have stayed away from Corinth.
Their minds were dulled. For to this day, that same veil remains unlifted, when they read the old agreement, for only through union with Christ is it removed.
So although I did write to you, it was not on account of the offender, nor of the injured man, but in the sight of God to reveal to you your devotion to me.
But I will tell you what I think about it. For this is the best way to deal with you, for you were the first not only to do anything about this, but to want to do anything, and that was last year.
for I know how willing you are to help in it; I boast of you for it to the people in Macedonia, telling them that Greece has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has been a stimulus to most of them.
You look at things externally. If anyone is sure he belongs to Christ, let him think again and understand that I belong to Christ just as much as he.
This will be my third visit to you. Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, which is his body, and is saved by him.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, which is his body, and is saved by him.
Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the devoted adherents of Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the superintendents and assistants;
Paul, by God's will an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy,
For we resolved to come to see you??, Paul, did so again and again??ut Satan held us back.
like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I turned over to Satan, to be taught not to blaspheme.
I do not allow women to teach or to domineer over men; they must keep quiet.
who have missed the truth and say that the resurrection has taken place already, thus undermining people's faith.
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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After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.
So he settled there for a year and a half, and taught them God's message.
It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the interior, reached Ephesus. Finding some disciples there,
This went on for two years, so that everyone who lived in Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message.
So you must be on your guard and remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped warning any of you, even with tears.
But the Spirit we have received is not that of the world, but the Spirit that comes from God, which we have to make us realize the blessings God has given us.
I did the planting, Apollos the watering, but it was God who made the plants grow.
But I shall stay in Ephesus until the Harvest Festival,