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 passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there
This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you.
My brothers, some members of Chloe's family have made it clear to me that there are quarrels among you.
I will visit you when I go through Macedonia for I intend to go through Macedonia
However, I'll stay on in Ephesus until Pentecost,
However, I'll stay on in Ephesus until Pentecost,
I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came here, because what was lacking they have supplied through you.
I wrote to you out of great sorrow and anguish of heart along with many tears not to make you sad but to let you know how much love I have for you.
but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn't find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
So we urged Titus to finish this work of kindness among you in the same way that he had started it.
But thanks be to God, who placed in the heart of Titus the same dedication to you that I have. He welcomed my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will. read more. With him we have sent the brother who is praised in all the churches for spreading the gospel.
Hastings
CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
1. Occasion of the Epistle.
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moving quickly to rub the face of the needy in the dirt. Corrupting the ways of the humble, a man and his father go to the same woman, deliberately defiling my holy name.
"Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
because he was teaching them like a person who had authority, and not like their scribes.
I tell all of you with certainty, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom from heaven is greater than he.
"Not everyone can accept this saying," he replied, "except those to whom celibacy has been granted,
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
to keep away from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from anything strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you avoid these things, you will do well. Goodbye."
A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple goods, was listening to us. She was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to listen carefully to what was being said by Paul.
But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to the word as he emphatically assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.
Now Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole family. Many Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were baptized.
Then all of them took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge's seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures.
and stayed there for three months. When he was about to sail for Syria, a plot was initiated against him by the Jews, so he decided to go back through Macedonia.
and stayed there for three months. When he was about to sail for Syria, a plot was initiated against him by the Jews, so he decided to go back through Macedonia.
After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.
From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to ask the elders of the church to meet with him.
He had four unmarried daughters who could prophesy.
What should we say, then? Should we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you.
Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
My brothers, some members of Chloe's family have made it clear to me that there are quarrels among you. This is what I mean: Each of you is saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to the Messiah."
This is what I mean: Each of you is saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to the Messiah." Is the Messiah divided? Paul wasn't crucified for you, was he? You weren't baptized in Paul's name, were you?
For the Messiah did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with eloquent wisdom, so the cross of the Messiah won't be emptied of its power.
Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? God has turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense, hasn't he?
Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? God has turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense, hasn't he?
but we preach the Messiah crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to gentiles,
but we preach the Messiah crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to gentiles,
Brothers, think about your own calling. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come and tell you about God's secret with rhetorical language or wisdom.
However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene.
We don't speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.
but you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.
Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another.
When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe.
turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
I wrote to you in my letter to stop associating with people who are sexually immoral not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, greedy, robbers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
After all, is it my business to judge outsiders? You are to judge those who are in the community, aren't you?
When one of you has a complaint against another, does he dare to take the matter before those who are unrighteous and not before the saints? You know that the saints will rule the world, don't you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can't you handle insignificant cases?
You know that the saints will rule the world, don't you? And if the world is going to be ruled by you, can't you handle insignificant cases? You know that we will rule angels, not to mention things in this life, don't you? read more. So if you have cases dealing with this life, why do you appoint as judges people who have no standing in the church? I say this to make you feel ashamed. Has it come to this, that there is not one person among you who is wise enough to settle disagreements between brothers? Instead, one brother goes to court against another brother, and before unbelieving judges, at that! The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!
That is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and by the Spirit of our God. Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not allow anything to control me.
Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not allow anything to control me. Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will make them both unnecessary. The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. read more. God raised the Lord, and by his power he will also raise us. You know that your bodies belong to the Messiah, don't you? Should I take what belongs to the Messiah and unite them with a prostitute? Certainly not!
You know that your bodies belong to the Messiah, don't you? Should I take what belongs to the Messiah and unite them with a prostitute? Certainly not! You know that the person who unites himself with a prostitute becomes one body with her, don't you? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." read more. But the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Keep on running away from sexual immorality. Any other sin that a person commits is outside his body, but the person who sins sexually sins against his own body. You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don't you? You do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.
Now about what you asked: "Is it advisable for a man not to marry?"
To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband.
Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.
Now concerning food offered to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you, who know better, eating in an idol's temple, he will be encouraged to eat what has been offered to idols, won't he? In that case, the weak brother for whom the Messiah died is ruined by your knowledge. read more. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak consciences, you are sinning against the Messiah. Therefore, if food that I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, in order to keep my brother from stumbling.
I am free, am I not? I am an apostle, am I not? I have seen Jesus our Lord, haven't I? You are the result of my work in the Lord, aren't you?
We have the right to take a believing wife with us like the other apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Cephas, don't we?
Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink any of its milk?
If others enjoy this right over you, don't we have a stronger claim? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we tolerate everything in order not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of the Messiah.
In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who proclaim the gospel should make their living from the gospel.
What, then, is my reward? It is to be able to preach the gospel free of charge, and so I never resort to demanding my rights when I'm preaching the gospel.
You know that in a race all the runners run but only one wins the prize, don't you? You must run in such a way that you may be victorious.
Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the fact that all of our ancestors who left Egypt were under the cloud. They all went through the sea,
and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that went with them. That rock was the Messiah.
No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it. And so, my dear friends, keep on running away from idolatry.
Imitate me, as I do the Messiah.
Imitate me, as I do the Messiah. I praise you for remembering everything I told you and for holding to the traditions that I passed on to you.
and every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, which is the same as having her head shaved.
This is why a woman should have authority over her own head: because of the angels.
When you gather in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you how the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a loaf of bread,
You know that when you were unbelievers, you were enticed and led astray to worship idols that couldn't even speak.
God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and those who speak various kinds of languages.
As in all the churches of the saints, the women must keep silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak out, but must place themselves in submission, as the oral law also says. If they want to learn anything, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is inappropriate for a woman to speak out in church.
But everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and is still alive!
Now if we preach that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how can some of you keep claiming there is no resurrection of the dead?
Now concerning the collection for the saints, you should follow the directions I gave to the churches in Galatia.
and will probably stay with you for a while or even spend the winter with you. Then you can send me on my way, wherever I decide to go.
Because I was confident, I planned to come to you first so you might receive a double blessing.
I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
However, their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil is still there when they read the old covenant. Only in union with the Messiah is that veil removed.
So, even though I wrote to you, it wasn't because of the man who did the wrong or because of the man who was hurt. Instead, I wrote to you so that your devotion to us might be made perfectly clear to you before God.
I am giving you my opinion on this matter because it will be helpful to you. Last year you were not only willing to do something, but had already started to do it.
For I know how willing you are, and I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated most of them.
Look at the plain facts! If anyone is confident that he belongs to the Messiah, he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to the Messiah, so do we.
This will be the third time I am coming to you. "Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses."
For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body.
For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body.
From: Paul and Timothy, servants of the Messiah Jesus. To: All the holy ones in Philippi, along with their overseers and ministers, who are in union with the Messiah Jesus.
From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.
That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, wanted to come time and again, but Satan blocked our way.
These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Moreover, in the area of teaching, I am not allowing a woman to instigate conflict toward a man. Instead, she is to remain calm.
They have abandoned the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place, and so they destroy the faith of others.
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, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
So Paul lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.
It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there
This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
So be alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped tearfully warning each of you.
Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept everything growing.
However, I'll stay on in Ephesus until Pentecost,