Introduction to 1 Corinthians
Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians as a means to bring correction to various matters raised in a letter from the church, as well as reports from Chloe's household. It is ‘the most business-like of all Paul’s Epistle’[1], but its ‘form is not a mere literary device by which the author shapes his views for general publication’.[2] As one considers the issues raised, it is apparent that the prevailing culture together with a faulty interpretation of Salvation play a contributing factor to the Corinthians' behaviour.
Greek culture led many to become enamoured with ‘wisdom’. D.A. Carson writes that wisdom was a ‘public philosophy, a well-articulated world-view that made sense of life and ordered the choices, values and priorities of those who adopted it’.[3] There were many skilled orators who claimed to be able to show meaning to life, and such defended their position against many of the worldviews at that time. Philosophers were known for both their content and oratory skill. People even paid to hear them. They could speak convincingly on a theme in various contexts. Any public speakers who could not or chose not to meet their standards in speaking were deemed as seriously inferior. Apollos encapsulated both content and oratory skill in his presentation of the gospel, whereas Paul purposely chose not to meet the cultural expectation for fear of the gospel message being jeopardised at the expense of his ego being inflated. It would appear that perhaps as a result of Apollos' ministry, the Corinthians began to think of their faith in terms of wisdom and it is very possible that Apollos’ oratory skills were a contributing factor which influenced the Corinthians to form a low opinion of Paul. Their low opinion was further strengthened as it was demeaning for a wise man to work with his hands (9:3-14) which Paul was doing, and in addition, his refusal to accept patronage from them called his apostleship into question in their estimation
To them, the gospel was just another worldview, and just as the Greeks claimed their favourite orators, so too did the Corinthians in the name of wisdom. They probably began to think of their teachers in terms of itinerant philosophers. This favouritism led to quarrelling and division. The content of Paul’s message – a crucified messiah simply made no sense to them. The anticipated Messiah was to be powerful and overthrow the Romans, not someone who would be crucified, die a death which was seen to be cursed by God and expect His followers to live their lives as under the sentence of death. Paul in voluntarily lowering his oratory skills further reinforced the Corinthians low opinion of him.
Their experience of the Spirit and in particular the gift of tongues led them to believe that they had arrived spiritually. Paul’s response to their spirituality is to ‘remind them that the gospel has a crucified Messiah, risen from the dead at its very heart’.[4] The Corinthians however were puffed up and saw themselves as possessing special wisdom and superior knowledge. This led them, to develop a haughty attitude which looked down on Paul and even sat in judgment on him. Paul however challenged them with sarcastic remarks such as ‘you are so wise’ and ‘do you not know’. Paul demonstrated that God's wisdom - the message of the cross, turned conventional wisdom on its head, and can only be apprehended by those who have the Holy Spirit.
Corinth was strategically located for commerce, and in Paul's day was the largest cosmopolitan city in Roman Greece. According to Leon Morris, Corinth was ‘intellectually alert, materially prosperous and morally corrupt’.[5] It was a city which boasted many temples – an analogy which Paul used to tell the Corinthians that they were God's temple because God's Spirit lived within them. Amongst its citizens, there were class distinctions and this influenced behaviour which led to conflict in the church.
Their behaviour did not reflect a community which believed the gospel. A significant factor which was the root of much of the problems was influenced by Hellenistic dualism. This led them to take ‘a dim view of continuing existence in the material world, including the body’.[6] Wrong theology in conjunction with Hellenistic dualism was at the heart of the Corinthian problem. The Corinthians saw themselves has having arrived spiritually because they spoke in tongues. To them they had achieved angelic status. This notion coupled with Hellenistic dualism caused them to either deny the body or indulge it. Such an ideology manifested in both rampant immorality on the one hand and excluding sexual relations within marriage on the other. Having attained angelic status led them to conclude that there would be no future resurrection of the dead. It fostered an incorrect understanding as to what it meant to be spiritual and led them to believe they were like angels.
Class distinction in Corinth had spilled over into the church which led to an open abuse at the Lord’s table. Craig Keener points out that ‘the conflicting values of diverse groups in the broader society had been carried over into the church as divisive issues'.[7] The church gathered for meals in the homes of the rich. The dining room could not accommodate many guests, so the majority would eat in the Courtyard. The host would invite those of his own class to eat in the dining room while others would eat in the atrium. In verse 21, Paul speaks of one eating privileged portions which were not made available to the poor. The meals of the rich were probably superior in terms of quantity and quality and some were blatantly were eating their own private meals, shaming those who had nothing.
This letter highlights the need for a proper understanding of the role of the Spirit in both individual and corporate life. In addition one must also recognize and facilitate diversity, both in spiritual gifts and individuals while cultivating unity by stressing that all are one in Christ.
[1] Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove: IVP, 1993, p440.
[2] Carson, D.A., & Moo, Douglas J. An Introduction to the New Testament. Leicester: Apollos, 2005, p415.
[3] Carson, D.A. The Cross & Christian Ministry An Exposition of Passages from 1 Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Baker books, 1993, p15.
[4] Fee, Gordon, D., & Stuart, Douglas. How to read the Bible Book by Book. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002, p326.
[5] Morris, Leon. 1 Corinthians. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Leicester: IVP, 1983, p17.
[6] Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1987, p11.
[7] Keener, Craig. The IVP Bible Background Commentary. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993, p452.
Greek culture led many to become enamoured with ‘wisdom’. D.A. Carson writes that wisdom was a ‘public philosophy, a well-articulated world-view that made sense of life and ordered the choices, values and priorities of those who adopted it’.[3] There were many skilled orators who claimed to be able to show meaning to life, and such defended their position against many of the worldviews at that time. Philosophers were known for both their content and oratory skill. People even paid to hear them. They could speak convincingly on a theme in various contexts. Any public speakers who could not or chose not to meet their standards in speaking were deemed as seriously inferior. Apollos encapsulated both content and oratory skill in his presentation of the gospel, whereas Paul purposely chose not to meet the cultural expectation for fear of the gospel message being jeopardised at the expense of his ego being inflated. It would appear that perhaps as a result of Apollos' ministry, the Corinthians began to think of their faith in terms of wisdom and it is very possible that Apollos’ oratory skills were a contributing factor which influenced the Corinthians to form a low opinion of Paul. Their low opinion was further strengthened as it was demeaning for a wise man to work with his hands (9:3-14) which Paul was doing, and in addition, his refusal to accept patronage from them called his apostleship into question in their estimation
To them, the gospel was just another worldview, and just as the Greeks claimed their favourite orators, so too did the Corinthians in the name of wisdom. They probably began to think of their teachers in terms of itinerant philosophers. This favouritism led to quarrelling and division. The content of Paul’s message – a crucified messiah simply made no sense to them. The anticipated Messiah was to be powerful and overthrow the Romans, not someone who would be crucified, die a death which was seen to be cursed by God and expect His followers to live their lives as under the sentence of death. Paul in voluntarily lowering his oratory skills further reinforced the Corinthians low opinion of him.
Their experience of the Spirit and in particular the gift of tongues led them to believe that they had arrived spiritually. Paul’s response to their spirituality is to ‘remind them that the gospel has a crucified Messiah, risen from the dead at its very heart’.[4] The Corinthians however were puffed up and saw themselves as possessing special wisdom and superior knowledge. This led them, to develop a haughty attitude which looked down on Paul and even sat in judgment on him. Paul however challenged them with sarcastic remarks such as ‘you are so wise’ and ‘do you not know’. Paul demonstrated that God's wisdom - the message of the cross, turned conventional wisdom on its head, and can only be apprehended by those who have the Holy Spirit.
Corinth was strategically located for commerce, and in Paul's day was the largest cosmopolitan city in Roman Greece. According to Leon Morris, Corinth was ‘intellectually alert, materially prosperous and morally corrupt’.[5] It was a city which boasted many temples – an analogy which Paul used to tell the Corinthians that they were God's temple because God's Spirit lived within them. Amongst its citizens, there were class distinctions and this influenced behaviour which led to conflict in the church.
Their behaviour did not reflect a community which believed the gospel. A significant factor which was the root of much of the problems was influenced by Hellenistic dualism. This led them to take ‘a dim view of continuing existence in the material world, including the body’.[6] Wrong theology in conjunction with Hellenistic dualism was at the heart of the Corinthian problem. The Corinthians saw themselves has having arrived spiritually because they spoke in tongues. To them they had achieved angelic status. This notion coupled with Hellenistic dualism caused them to either deny the body or indulge it. Such an ideology manifested in both rampant immorality on the one hand and excluding sexual relations within marriage on the other. Having attained angelic status led them to conclude that there would be no future resurrection of the dead. It fostered an incorrect understanding as to what it meant to be spiritual and led them to believe they were like angels.
Class distinction in Corinth had spilled over into the church which led to an open abuse at the Lord’s table. Craig Keener points out that ‘the conflicting values of diverse groups in the broader society had been carried over into the church as divisive issues'.[7] The church gathered for meals in the homes of the rich. The dining room could not accommodate many guests, so the majority would eat in the Courtyard. The host would invite those of his own class to eat in the dining room while others would eat in the atrium. In verse 21, Paul speaks of one eating privileged portions which were not made available to the poor. The meals of the rich were probably superior in terms of quantity and quality and some were blatantly were eating their own private meals, shaming those who had nothing.
This letter highlights the need for a proper understanding of the role of the Spirit in both individual and corporate life. In addition one must also recognize and facilitate diversity, both in spiritual gifts and individuals while cultivating unity by stressing that all are one in Christ.
[1] Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove: IVP, 1993, p440.
[2] Carson, D.A., & Moo, Douglas J. An Introduction to the New Testament. Leicester: Apollos, 2005, p415.
[3] Carson, D.A. The Cross & Christian Ministry An Exposition of Passages from 1 Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Baker books, 1993, p15.
[4] Fee, Gordon, D., & Stuart, Douglas. How to read the Bible Book by Book. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002, p326.
[5] Morris, Leon. 1 Corinthians. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Leicester: IVP, 1983, p17.
[6] Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1987, p11.
[7] Keener, Craig. The IVP Bible Background Commentary. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993, p452.
