The First Letter To The Church In Corinth

by Chris Simmons

While on his second missionary journey, Paul had just preached in the city of Athens regarding the “God who made the world and all things in it” (Acts 17:24) when he came to the city of Corinth where “he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4). After a while, Paul began to face resistance from the Jews in Corinth, and he turned his efforts to teach the Gentiles who lived there. The resistance was such that the Lord felt compelled to go to Paul in a vision by night and exhort him to “not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10). God blessed Paul with the opportunity to teach and preach the gospel for a year and a half (verse 11), before returning to Caesarea by way of Ephesus (verses 18-21).

The city of Corinth in the days of the apostle Paul was a large city that had begun to regain the prominence that it had once enjoyed between the 8th and 5th centuries BC. Destroyed in the year 146 BC, Julius Caesar had it rebuilt around 46-44 BC. At the height of its prominence, the Greek dominated citizenry was said to have included around 200,000 free men and a half a million slaves. It became the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and by the time Paul visited the city around 51 AD, history records the city as the most beautiful, modern and industrious city of its size in Greece. At the crossroads of the major trade routes of the day, Corinth was represented by all the major idolatrous gods of Egypt, Rome and Greece. The temple to the famous idol Aphrodite, the goddess of love, where a thousand prostitutes once served, dominated Corinthian culture. The culture of Corinth could be summarized by the statement that it was a city that “catered to the desires of sailors and traveling salesmen.” To refer to someone as a “Corinthian” was to impugn their morals and the phrase “to live like a Corinthian” meant to live with drunken and moral debauchery. The city simply became renowned throughout the world for its gross immorality. Where else in the world at that time was the gospel of Jesus Christ and cleansing power of His blood needed any more than Corinth?

Not long after Paul’s departure from Corinth, Apollos came to Corinth to work with the church there (Acts 18:27). In spite of the teaching provided by Paul and Apollos, problems in the church in Corinth began to arise. Paul’s letter shows that the church had written to Paul concerning some questions and problems they were facing (I Corinthians 7:1). Paul had also heard reports from others such as those of “the house of Chloe” (I Corinthians 1:11, KJV) about the problems they were facing in the church there. I Corinthians 5:9 indicates that Paul had written to the church prior to what is recorded in the book of 1st Corinthians and later, when Paul wrote 1st Corinthians, he mentioned that Timothy had been sent to help them and work with them (I Corinthians 16:10; Acts 19:22). Apollos had already left Corinth when 1st Corinthians was written but Paul promised that he would return “when he has opportunity” (I Corinthians 16:12). The book of 1st Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul to help address many of the problems that had been reported to him. The letter was written from Ephesus while on his 3rd missionary journey, in approximately 55-56 A.D., and carried by Titus (II Corinthians 7:6-8, 13, 15). Paul, by way of inspiration, had to respond quickly to the sin and error that had invaded the congregation and this first letter to the Corinthians illustrates his concern for the spiritual well-being of those in the church in Corinth.

Paul wanted the brethren in Corinth to understand a couple of fundamental characteristics of his message to them. First, what he said was not just personal opinions but were in fact God’s commandments. “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment” (I Corinthians 14:37). Secondly, what he had to say has application to every congregation of the Lord’s church. “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (I Corinthians 4:17). Paul didn’t preach different things in different places and his letter to the Corinthians is needful for the Lord’s church today.

What were some of the problems and issues addressed in 1st Corinthians? Perhaps most fundamental was the issue of division and factions in the congregation. The brethren were aligning themselves after men and not uniting under the authority and command of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (I Corinthians 1:10-14; cf. 3:1-9). Human wisdom was rearing its ugly head and Paul needed to rebuke their fascination with the “wisdom of the world” and their allegiance to those who propagated it (1:14-2:15).

The church in Corinth had issues of immoral conduct to deal with – immorality that was not even found among the Gentiles (5:1ff). The solution was simple – they must “clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump” (verse 7). The sins of adultery and fornication are selfish sins and their selfishness was also being made manifest in the litigation going on between brethren (6:1-8). Paul rebuked them for airing their enmity before the world and chided them for not having the attitude that it’s better to be “wronged” and “defrauded” than to bring such reproach upon the Lord’s church (verse 7). The brethren had some serious questions to be answered regarding lawful marriage in God’s eyes which Paul answered in chapter seven. Paul clearly establishes that those who are married, whether a Christian or not, are not to leave their spouse, but if their spouse does leave, there are but two options: “remain unmarried or else be reconciled” (verses 10-11).

The church, being comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, had issues to deal with regarding liberties such as the eating of meat (chapters 8-11). Paul’s admonition was to consider our brethren’s conscience as more important than our own desires (cf. Philippians 2:3-5) and to never do anything that would cause my brother in Christ to stumble (8:13). Paul summed up the attitude we are to live by when he said, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify” (10:23). How many problems would be avoided if we all concurred that just because we can, doesn’t mean we should!

Selfishness was also corrupting the worship of the brethren in Corinth as they were turning the Lord’s Supper into a common meal and neglecting what the Lord commanded to be done in remembrance of His death (chapter 11). Paul’s instructions were clear, to the Corinthians and to us today – physical hunger and thirst is to be taken care of at home (verses 22 & 34) and when you do come together, it is to be for the purpose of engaging in a solemn memorial of the Lord’s death as He prescribed (verses 23-25), to look forward to His return (verse 26) and to examine ourselves as we partake (verses 27-29).

In chapters 12 through 14, their selfishness was expressed in their abuse and misuse of the spiritual gifts they had been bestowed with. All spiritual gifts were given by the Holy Spirit “just as He wills” (12:8-11) and were for the purpose of building up the body. But even more important than the spiritual gifts, that would one day be “done away” with (13:10), are the faith, hope and love that are found in Christ (13:13). In short, “let all things be done for edification” (14:26).

Finally, Paul addressed their misunderstanding and confusion relating to the resurrection from the dead, establishing that if we are not to be raised from the dead, then neither was Christ raised from the dead and we have no hope and are to be pitied more than anyone who has ever lived (15:16-19). Christ was raised from the dead though and His resurrection is what has given us the victory over sin and death (15:55-57). The conclusion? I Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

For all of these spiritual problems, there is a spiritual solution and I believe that Paul summarized the solution in I Corinthians 16:13-14 when he wrote, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” Sober mindedness, steadfast faith, spiritual maturity and strength, and true brotherly love are the cure for any problem the Lord’s people may ever face.