Introduction to First Corinthians

Authorship: Paul

• Autographic subscription (16:21)
• Co-Sender: Sosthenes

Date: AD 54-55

Place of writing: Ephesus

Paul wrote First Corinthians at the end of his stay in Ephesus. “I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost … The churches of Asia send you greetings” (1 Cor 16:8, 19).

Addressees

1. Corinth the city
   1. Located on an isthmus—center of trade
   2. Capital of Roman province of Achaia (Greece)
   3. Society: ambitious, status-hungry people
   4. Greek rhetoric, wisdom, intellectual sophistication
2. Corinth the church
   1. AD 50 Paul comes to Corinth on his second Missionary Journey (Acts 18:1-10).
   2. Paul stays for about 18 months (Acts 18:11).
   3. AD 51 Gallio proconsul of Achaia; Jewish attack on Paul (Acts 18:12-17).
   4. AD 52-55 Paul stayed in Ephesus for two and a half years; near end of this time, he wrote 1 Corinthians.

The Corinthian Correspondence

1. There are references to numerous letters back and forth.
2. An earlier letter mentioned in 1 Cor 5:9: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.”
3. The Corinthians wrote to Paul with their questions: “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote …” (1 Cor 7:1).
4. Their questions for Paul:
   1. 7:1: “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’”
   2. 7:25: “Now concerning the betrothed.”
   3. 8:1: “Now concerning food offered to idols.”
   4. 12:1: “Now concerning spiritual gifts.”
   5. 16:1: “Now concerning the collection.”
   6. 16:12: “Now concerning our brother Apollos.”

Purpose of 1 Corinthians

From Garland, BECNT (pp. 5-8, 13-17)

1. The problems at Corinth:
   1. Corinthians have imbibed values from surrounding culture that are antithetical to the message of the cross—striving for power, honor, prestige, status, wisdom.
   2. They misinterpreted their extraordinary spiritual gifts, especially glossolalia, as granting them new status, but this only puffed them up with pride.
   3. Specific issues (incest, lawsuits, sexual immorality, idolatry, abuse of the Lord’s Supper, glossolalia, etc.) were only manifestations of this underlying spiritual problem.
2. Paul’s response:
   1. He seeks to thwart rivalries and build up a harmonious community.
   2. He seeks to subvert their societal values with the message of the cross.
   3. He plays the eschatological card in every issue he addresses: this present evil age is passing away, but God’s people are destined for glory.

Outline of 1 Corinthians

1. 1:1-9: Letter Opening
2. 1:10–15:58: Letter Body
   1. 1:10–4:21: Wisdom and Factions in the Church
   2. 5:1–6:20: Judging those Inside the Church
   3. 7:1-40: Response to the Corinthians’ Questions about Marriage
   4. 8:1–11:1: Response to the Corinthians’ Questions about Idol Food
   5. 11:2-34: Two Matters of Order in Public Worship
   6. 12:1–14:40: Response to the Corinthians’ Questions about Spiritual Gifts
   7. 15:1-58: The Hope of the Resurrection
3. 16:1-24: Letter Closing

Key Contributions

1. The wisdom of the cross (1:18–2:8); Christ is our wisdom (1:26-31)
2. How to think of church leaders (3:1-15; 4:1-2)
3. Church discipline (ch. 5): “A little leaven …”
4. “But you were washed” (6:9-11; cp. 1:2)
5. “Shall I take the members of Christ …?” (6:12-20)
6. The Marriage Chapter (ch. 7)
7. One God, one Lord (8:6)
8. The Lord’s Supper (10:16-17; 11:17-34)
9. The Body of Christ Chapter (ch. 12) - many members in one body
10. The Love Chapter (ch. 13)
11. The Resurrection Chapter (ch. 15)