Lesson 12

Author: Paul Date and Place: - Written between 51-55 AD. (most likely between 54-55 AD).

- Paul is writing from Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:8).

- Paul is writing to the church in Corinth.

- In 146 BC Corinth was destroyed by the Romans.

- In 44 BC Julius Caesar undertook the task of rebuilding Corinth.

- At this time many colonists came creating a great mix of many different races.

- Population in Paul day: Approx. 500,000. - It was at the heart of movement and trade in

the known world. - Intellectual, materialistic. - Loose sexual behaviour. (the word Corinthanize meant to fornicate).

- A Temple of Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) was built nearby which had over 1000 temple prostitutes serving in it.

- City hosted the Isthmian

games (second only to the Olympics).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

1. Church divisions (chapter 1-4).

- The Corinthians viewed

Paul, Apollos, Peter and other ministers as competitors rather than co-laborers with God (1:11-13, 3:5-9).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

1. Church divisions (chapter 1-4).

- Paul warned against

glorying in people (3:21).

- Paul calls this spiritual immaturity which hinders their grasp of the truth (3:1-4).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

2. Church Discipline (chapter 5): - A man in the church had his father’s wife and

instead of the church being filled with grief they were proud of this (5:1-2).

- Paul calls for church discipline to be taken. (Not like a policeman arresting a criminal, but like a father correcting his son with the hopes of restoring him).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

3. Legal disputes (chapter 6:1-11). - Christians should settle things among

themselves or take the loss rather than fight with each other in the secular courts.

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

4. Sexual immorality (chapter 6:12-20). 5. Marriage & Celibacy (chapter 7). 6. Meat sacrificed to idols (chapter 8). 7. Head coverings and women preaching and

praying publicly (chapter 11:1-16). 8. Problems around the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11:17-33).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

9. Worship & Spiritual Gifts (chapters 12-14). - There are many different spiritual gifts (12:1-11).

- There are many parts, yet we are one body (every part needs the other parts - 12:12-31).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

- There should not be division in the body, but each part should have equal concern for each other part (12:25).

- Christian love and unity must be the guiding principle of how we work as a body (13).

- Worship must be done orderly (14:26-39).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

10. The Resurrection (chapter 15).

If Christ has not been raised: - Our preaching and faith are useless (15:14).

- We are false witnesses (15:15).

- We are still in our sins (15:17).

- When we die we are lost forever (15:18).

“If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.’” (15:32).

Some of the issues Paul deals with in 1 Corinthians:

But Christ has been raised from the dead (15:20). “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where,

O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (15:55).

11. Collection for the saints (chapter 16).