Author: Paul
Possible Dates Written: Between A.D. 55 and 57 (during Paul’s third missionary trip)
Approximate Years Covered in Books: N/A
The Books’ Titles: From the First and Second recorded letters written by Paul to the church in Corinth, Greece.
It is Written to: The Church at Corinth in Greece (About 40 miles west of Athens)
A Brief Background:
(I Corinthians) – When Paul wrote his first letter, Corinth was the equivalent to our present day Las Vegas, a.k.a. “Sin City.” It was a relatively new city; one that had ancient ties. It was destroyed in battle and left desolate by the early Romans, but after a century and a half of Roman expansion it was rebuilt (mid 40’s B.C.) by the Romans for the purpose of being the major port of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea. One of its advantages was that it had three spectacular harbors. Many different types of people flocked to the city in droves, soon making it the premier economic trade center of Greece. With people eager to strike a claim in the world, the “boomtown” lifestyles fueled rapid population and economic explosions. Yet with such diversity came conflicts and animosity on many levels of society. This was as ripe a place as any for a church to be planted. Paul did this back in Acts with the help of people like Aquila and Priscilla, Silas, and the young minister Timothy. Paul Spends almost a year and a half in Corinth to get the church on its feet, but soon after he leaves to go plant another church, divisions among the believers and sin threaten the survival of the young church.
(II Corinthians) – This letter was probably written a couple of months after Paul wrote I Corinthians. It is a response to the church at Corinth’s reaction to his previous letter. Paul was not able to go there directly, so he sent his assistant and traveling companion, Titus, to the Corinthian church. Titus, missed Paul at first, but caught up to him with the news, questions, arguments, etc. that stemmed from I Corinthians. The big news is that it seems like most of the church has repented. There are still a few who have not repented, some of which are considered to be “false teachers,” who cause strife and confusion for the believers. Paul’s leadership and character are called into question, calling for an immediate reply, one that cannot wait until his promised personal arrival.
Basic Content:
(I Corinthians) – Paul is addressing two letters he has received. His main appeal is to his theme of the need to rely on, “The Wisdom of God.” One letter is from the household of Chloe, and the other is from a delegation of members from the Church in Corinth. Paul’s letter is a way to systematically answer the questions, concerns, reports, and anything else brought to him in these letters. We see concerns reflect issues like: divisions amongst the believers in the body, sexual immorality, lawsuits, a variety of objections to Paul’s apostolic leadership, meat, idolatry, dietary issues, marriage, divorce, worship, and communion. Paul also takes the opportunity to teach the believers on some doctrinal and theological issues. His teachings on spiritual gifts, Christian love, and the resurrection are paramount. He doesn’t want his letter to be a total downer, so he turns from admonishment to encouragement. His words are prevalent and practical, while remaining true to his central message/main appeal.
(II Corinthians) – This is a very personal letter from the Apostle Paul. Its central message is that of “The Comfort of God Through Christ.” We see not only his raw emotions, but many of his aspirations for the church he started; always chalk full of love. His ministry is explained in detail, including moments of vulnerability where he writes about some of his ordeals and sufferings. He does so not to brag, but to give the Corinthians hope that they too will triumph through Christ. Paul makes a vague reference to a thorn in his flesh, implying that he is by no means perfect and that God keeps Paul humble, even though God allows Paul in high decision making positions of leadership. Paul also reminds the Corinthians of the importance of generous giving; a collection is being taken up among some established churches to help some new churches in Macedonia. The Paul takes a sharp turn and goes on the defensive. His defensive stance includes his calling from God, the vindication of his apostolic ministry, and his purposes and ambition for the Corinthian church.
Key Words:
(I Corinthians) – “Lord”; “Correction”; “Wisdom of God”; “Love”; “Unity”. The Corinthians have let the world into their church instead of going out into the world. Much of the division and confusion that was in the Corinthian church was a result of their failure to recognize Christ as Lord. They need correction to keep the church alive, yet this correction must come through love. If they are earnestly seeking wisdom, they should seek the wisdom of God and submit to it instead of trying to find loopholes. The only way for the division to be shored up is through loving other believers and Loving God. This will bring about a unity that can overcome the present evil and draw them closer to God through the Spirit.
(II Corinthians) – “Comfort”; “Reconciliation”; “Authority”; “Ministry”; “Sharing”; “Apostleship”. In order for the Corinthians to continue to grow and move away from sin, they need the comfort of God to reassure them that they are going in the right direction. Paul guides them towards reconciliation with God and with each other, as they submit to the authority of Christ. He uses his own authority, as one called by Christ, to continue to combat false teachers and those who try to sabotage the church and its ministry. Paul reminds the church of the reasons he is in ministry, and why they should also be in ministry, whereas none of it would be possible if everyone was always looking out for old number one. He therefore stresses a community of believers who share with one another and carry other believers’ burdens.
Key Verses:
(I Corinthians) – 1:24, 30; 2:4–8, 12, 13; 12:27; 13:3–7, 13; 15:3, 4, 58; 16:13, 14
(II Corinthians) – 1:3, 4; 3:18; 5:7, 10, 17, 18; 13:11
Themes:
(I Corinthians) – The wisdom of God; Only the Lord is able to purify us of our sins and make us right before God; God will never let us be tempted beyond what we can handle; Only Christians are able to GIVE true love, which is a decision, a commitment, an action; Jesus is interested in all the areas of our lives and is the answer to all of our problems; Brothers and Sister is Christ share a unity (oneness) that is not available to the world; We are free in Christ, but with freedom comes responsibility, and sometimes we need to limit our freedoms (the mature need to limit their freedoms to assist those weaker than they); The reason that believers receive gifts is for the purpose of bringing glory to God and to build up the body of Christ, IN LOVE.
(II Corinthians) – The comfort of God through Christ; It is acceptable to boast, so long as it is about Jesus Christ and what He has done; God’s goodness is more powerful than the devil’s evil; Do not listen to those who claim to be religious teachers, but who are not from the God; Not everyone who teaches and claims to be religious have our best interest in mind, nor do they have the Lord’s interest in mind; Just being able to give back to God’s work is a privilege and an ability which will result in a blessing; The world often misunderstands and condemns the words from the righteous.
Outlines
(I Corinthians)
(1) Introduction, 1:1–9
(2) Problems reported through Chloe and Paul’s Response, 1:10 – 4:21
(3) Discipline Among the Body, 5:1 – 6:20
(4) Marriage Issues, 7:1–40
(5) The Believers’ Freedom, 8:1 – 11:1
(6) Proprieties of Public Worship, 11:2–34
(7) Spiritual Gifts, 12:1 – 14:40
(8) The Resurrection; Christ’s and Christians, 15:1–58
(9) Conclusion, 16:1–24
(II Corinthians)
(1) Introduction, 1:1–11
(2) Paul’s Conduct in Ministry, 1:12 – 2:11
(3) Paul’s Character in Ministry, 2:12 – 6:10
(4) Paul’s Plea Through Ministry
(5) Paul’s Comfort Through Ministry, 7:5–16
(6) Christian Giving, 8:1 – 9:15
(7) Paul’s Authority/Apostleship Defended, 10:1 – 13:10
(8) Conclusion, 13:11–14