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 when Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, passing through the higher portions of the country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples;
And this was done for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to admonish every one of you with tears.
For I have been informed of you, my brothers, by the family of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
And I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia; for I will pass through Macedonia
But I will remain at Ephesus till Pentecost,
But I will remain at Ephesus till Pentecost,
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaiacus, for they supplied your lack,
For I wrote to you in much affliction and distress of mind with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.
I had no rest in my spirit from not finding Titus my brother; but leaving them I went to Macedonia.
so that we requested Titus, as he before began, that he would complete also this charity with you.
But thanks be to God, who put this care for you into the heart of Titus, for he received the exhortation, and being extremely diligent went to you of his own accord. read more. And we 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 who hears these words of mine and performs them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand;
for he taught them as having authority, and not as their scribes.
I tell you truly, there has not arisen among those born of woman a greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
And he said to them, All do not receive this word, but those to whom it is given.
And having appointed them elders in every church, and having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
that you should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication, from which if you keep yourselves you will do well. Farewell.
And a certain woman by the name of Lydia, a dealer in purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard, whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the [words] spoken by Paul.
And when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul gave himself wholly to preaching the word, testifying to the Jews Christ Jesus.
And Crispus the synagogue ruler believed in the Lord, with all his house; and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.
And they all took Sosthenes the synagogue-ruler and beat him before the tribunal; and Gallio cared for none of these things.
AND a certain Jew by the name of Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, being powerful in the Scriptures.
and when he had staid there three months, and a conspiracy was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to sail to Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
and when he had staid there three months, and a conspiracy was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to sail to Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
And we sailed from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to those at Troas in five days, where we staid seven days.
And from Miletus sending to Ephesus he called for the elders of the church.
This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
WHAT shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that the grace may abound?
For I say through the grace given me, to every one among you, not to be higher-minded than he ought to be, but to think soberly, as God has distributed to each the measure of faith.
Timothy my co-laborer salutes you, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
For I have been informed of you, my brothers, by the family of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. I mean this; that each one of you says I indeed 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 indeed am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the good news, not with a wisdom of speech lest the cross of Christ should be without effect.
Where is the wise? where the scribe? where the disputer of this life? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Where is the wise? where the scribe? where the disputer of this life? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed an offense, and to the gentiles foolishness,
we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed an offense, and to the gentiles foolishness,
For you see your calling, brothers, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble [are called];
And when I came to you, brothers, I came not with excellency of speech, or wisdom, declaring to you the mystery of God.
But we speak wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this life, nor of the rulers of this life, who are destroyed;
which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
and you Christ's, and Christ God's.
I have applied these things figuratively, brothers, to myself and Apollos on your account, that you may learn by us not to [go beyond] what is written, that you may not be puffed up for one against another.
being defamed we entreat; we are made like the offscouring of the world and the vilest of all things, even till now.
to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
I wrote to you in the epistle not to associate with fornicators; not altogether the fornicators of this world, or the covetous and rapacious, or idolaters, since then you would have to go out of the world.
For what business have I to judge those without? Do you not judge those within?
Dare any of you having a business with another be judged by the wicked, and not by the saints? Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy of the lowest courts?
Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy of the lowest courts? Know you not that we shall judge angels? Much more then things pertaining to this life? read more. If then you have courts for the business of this life, do you constitute them of the most abject in the church? I speak to your shame. Is there not now a wise man among you? not one who can judge between his brothers? But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers. Now therefore there is a great fault among you, that you go to law one with another. Why not rather suffer injustice? why not rather be defrauded? But you injure and defraud, and that your brothers.
And such were some of you; but you are washed, you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Food for the stomach, and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both it and them. And the body is not for fornication but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body; read more. and God both raised the Lord, and will raise us up by his power. Know you not that your bodies are Christ's members? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them a harlot's members? by no means.
Know you not that your bodies are Christ's members? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them a harlot's members? by no means. Know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body [with her]? For the two, says he, shall be one flesh. read more. But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit [with him]. Avoid fornication. Every crime that a man commits is out of his body; but he that commits fornication sins in his body. Know you not that your bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit in you which you have from God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
CONCERNING what you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman;
But the married I charge, not I, but the Lord, Let not a wife separate from her husband,
And concerning the virgins I have no ordinance of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
But she is happier if she continues thus, in my opinion, and I think also I have the Spirit of God.
And concerning things offered to idols we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
For if any one sees you who have knowledge reclining in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat things offered to idols? And will not the weak brother for whom Christ died perish by your knowledge? read more. But when you thus sin against the brothers, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Wherefore, if food offends my brother, I will eat no meat forever, that I may not offend my brother.
AM I not a freeman? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?
Have we not a right to lead about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles; and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
Who ever goes on a military expedition at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and eats not the fruit of it? or who feeds a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock?
And if others have this right, do we not have it more? But we have not used this right, but endure all things, that we may not impede the gospel of Christ.
So also the Lord has appointed to those who preach the gospel to live by the gospel.
What then is my reward? That preaching I may make the gospel without expense, that I may not abuse my right in the gospel.
Know you not that those who run in the race all indeed run, but one takes the prize. So run that you may obtain.
For I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ;
For no trial has befallen you but what is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial will order the event, that you may be able to endure. Wherefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry.
Be followers of me as I also am of Christ.
Be followers of me as I also am of Christ. I COMMEND you, brothers, that you have remembered all my [instructions], and that you retain the traditions as I delivered them to you.
But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head; for it is one and the same as if she was shaved.
For this reason ought the woman to have a power [veil] on her head because of the angels.
When you come together therefore, it is not to eat the Lord's supper,
For I received of the Lord, what I also delivered to you; that on the night in which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread
You know that when you were gentiles, you followed dumb idols as you were led.
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, then gifts of performing cures, aids, governments, different tongues.
As in all the churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the assemblies; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also says. But if they wish to learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an assembly.
but let all things be done becomingly and in order.
and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures,
But if Christ is preached that he was raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
CONCERNING the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also do you.
and perhaps remain and spend the winter, that you may send me forward wherever I go.
And in this confidence I wished to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit,
But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.
but their minds were blinded. For to this day in reading the old covenant the same vail remains, not taken away because it is taken away in Christ;
If therefore I wrote to you, it was not on account of him that did the wrong, nor on account of him that suffered wrong, but that our diligence in your behalf might be manifest before God.
And in this case I give an opinion; for this is expedient for you, who began before to act in this matter and to act willingly a year ago.
for I know your readiness, of which I boasted in your behalf to the Macedonians that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has excited many.
You see things according to appearances. If any one trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider again with himself that as he is Christ's so also are we.
This third time I am coming to you; by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
for the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; he is the savior of the body.
for the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; he is the savior of the body.
PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.
PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother,
For which reason we wished to come to you; I Paul indeed once and again, and Satan hindered us.
of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
but I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have authority over a man, but to be quiet.
who have erred from the truth, saying that the resurrection has passed already, and overturn 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 after this Paul left Athens and came to Corinth.
And he remained there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.
And when Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, passing through the higher portions of the country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples;
And this was done for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to admonish every one of you with tears.
And we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things given us by God,
I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused [the seed] to grow;
But I will remain at Ephesus till Pentecost,