Read the Passage: 1 Corinthians 1

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: 1 Corinthians 1

Authorship and Date – The book of 1 Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 1:1, 13, 3:4–6; 4:15; 16:21). This text was penned around AD 55 from Ephesus while Paul was on his third missionary journey (cf. 1 Cor. 16:8). Acts records that Paul had first reached Corinth around AD 50 while on his second missionary journey (cf. Acts 18:1–17). Here Paul met Aquilla and Pricilla who aided him in ministry in Corinth, and would later travel with him to Ephesus. On his initial visit to Corinth, Paul (along with Timothy and Silas), spent 18 months ministering in the city, during which time the church was established, largely from Gentile converts. After writing this letter, Paul would again travel to Corinth and spend three months there (cf. Acts 20:1–3; 1 Cor. 16:6). In this epistle, Paul was responding to issues that arose because of a former letter (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9), known as “the lost epistle.” Furthermore, the current book, which is actually Paul’s second epistle to Corinth, was followed by another lost letter, known as “the severe letter” (cf. 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:8). 1 Corinthians, then, is Paul’s second epistle to this church, and 2 Corinthians is actually Paul’s fourth letter to Corinth.

Theme and Purpose – The book of 1 Corinthians is one of the most practical of Paul’s thirteen epistles. The apostle wrote this letter to address and correct a number of theological, moral, and practical problems that the Corinthians were facing. In this sense, the church at Corinth was similar to many other churches, for all churches face challenges. It is clear that Paul was troubled by the presence of sin in this church, yet he was more concerned with the Corinthians’ response to the sin that was in their midst. Topics addressed in this letter are wide-ranging and include: church unity, church discipline, the roles of church leaders, lawsuits, incest, prostitution, marriage, divorce, spiritual gifts, miracles, gender roles, Christian liberty, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, giving and generosity, and Jesus’ resurrection, among many other topics. Indeed, nearly all of the topics that the apostle addresses in this letter are relevant for the modern church. Note that Paul’s answer to the Corinthians’ woes is always to point to Christ, the cross, the gospel, and God’s plan of redemption.

Structure and Outline – The book of 1 Corinthians covers many issues in a mostly topical format. In broad strokes, then, this epistle can be thematically outlined as follows:

• Introduction (1:1–31)
• Church Unity (2:1–4:21)
• Personal Ethics (5:1–11:16)
• Church Ethics (11:17–14:40)
• The Resurrection (15:1–58)
• Conclusion (16:1–24)

Paul’s Greeting (1:1–9)

Paul begins his letter with a standard introduction, mentioning that Sosthenes is with him in Ephesus. Sosthenes, who likely served as Paul’s amanuensis and thus wrote this letter, was a former synagogue ruler in Corinth who had earlier come to faith in Jesus (cf. Acts 18:12–17). Observe the parallel clauses Paul uses to define the church in this passage. He describes the church as “those sanctified” (1 Cor. 1:2a), “call to be saints” (1 Cor. 1:2b), and “those in every place [who] call upon the name of Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2c). This describes believers’ positional standing, life orientation, and practical duty. Next, in 1 Cor. 1:4–9, Paul writes about the effect of grace upon the Corinthians’ lives, which was wrought by the Holy Spirit. Paul says their speech and knowledge were enriched, the testimony of Christ was confirmed, they lacked no spiritual gift, and they would be blameless at Jesus’ return.

Church’s Unity (1:10–17)

Paul had received word from “those of Chloe’s household” (1 Cor. 1:11) that there were at least four separate and contentious factions in the Corinthian church—those who claimed to be followers of Paul, Apollos, Peter, or Christ. Therefore, Paul wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you” (1 Cor. 1:10). Of course, in calling for unity Paul was not asking for complete unanimity. There is certainly room for disagreement within the Body of Christ—especially regarding historically debated issues; yet, disagreement is different from discord. Note the phrase “you agree” in this passage can be translated “you speak the same.” It refers to a common way of viewing life—in other words, a worldview. Other important passages on Christians unity include: Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; Eph. 4:1–6.

God’s Wisdom (1:18–31)

In the biblical world, individuals were divided into two groups: Jews and Greeks (or Gentiles). In this passage, using these categories, Paul notes the way in which these groups seek salvation is, “Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:22). In other words, Jews wanted to have their hearts stirred by some type of observable event, while Greeks wanted to have their intellects peaked by additional knowledge. Yet, each of these ways to know God is deficient in isolation, for they are ultimately man-centered. In this passage Paul writes that salvation is of Christ. Indeed, the fact that the gospel is God-centered is why it seems to be foolish to many Jews and Greeks. For believers, however, Jesus becomes both the power of God and the wisdom of God. Indeed, the gospel creates unity among all men, for it shows the deficiency of all attempts at self-salvation, and it points to the glory of God.

Application Questions:

1. What do you know about the book of 1 Corinthians? What verses or passages from this book come to mind?
2. Do most believers view their inclusion in the church in accord with Paul’s description of believers in 1 Cor. 1:2?
3. How important is unity in the body of Christ (cf. John 17:20–23)? Can a true church be composed of dis-unified Christians?
4. What types of things are divisive in the modern church, causing quarrels, factions, and even church splits?
5. Why do many believers become so easily entangled in disputes? How can be distinguish between disunity and discord?