New Testament Survey: First Corinthians

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New Testament SurveyFirst Corinthians
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The Author

• External evidence clearly shows that the apostle
  Paul authored the book.
• Internal evidence of Pauls authorship is also
  very strong.
• 13 1621-24

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The Date

• A letter that preceded the first letter contained
  no additional needed truth.
• 1 Corinthians 59
• Paul, while in Ephesus in 55 AD, learned of
  serious problems in Corinth.
• Divisions existed in the church.
• The Corinthian church sent Paul a letter
  requesting answers to several questions.

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The Date

• Paul answered with this epistle dispatched by
  Timothy.
• 1 Corinthians 417
• Had Paul paid them a personal visit after his
  first letter?
• 2 Corinthians 1214 131,2
• Did the letter accomplish its intended purpose?
• 2 Corinthians 24 78
• Paul wanted to know the effect of the letter. He
  waited for Titus to come from Corinth with
  answers.
• 2 Corinthians 213 75,13

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The City

• Corinth was geographically situated at the center
  of the Grecian peninsula.
• Built upon an isthmus, it was strategically
  important in the defense and conquest of the
  Grecian peninsula.
• The city was fortified by a wall.
• Citadel rising 2,000 feet above sea levelthe
  view from the summit to the sea, from both east
  and west, is magnificent.

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The City

• A lower-level harbor made Corinth a city of
  east-west trade.
• In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar established a Roman
  colony in Corinth.
• The new city grew, attracting both Jews and
  Greeks, who were more numerous than Romans.
• Dishonesty, suspicion, speculation, egotism,
  profligacy, and vice ruled the city.
• The temple to the goddess Venus supported 1,000
  temple prostitutes!

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The Church

• Established by Paul
• Acts 188
• After Paul, Apollos met with unusual success in
  preaching the gospel.
• Division arose when men started following other
  men instead of Christ.
• Their licentious character was evidenced by some
  of the sins committed by Gods people.
• 1 Corinthians 611

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• The letters address is significant.
• 11,2
• Its first four chapters deal with division.
• Trusted in human wisdom
• Gloried in men rather than Christ
• Carnally minded, making spiritual understanding
  and reception impossible
• Failure to distinguish between holy and profane
  thingsending in defilement of Gods temple

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Prescription for remedying the division (110)
• Speak the same thing.
• That there be no more divisions among you.
• That you be perfected together in the same mind
  and same judgment.

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Paul dealt with the corrupt influence of heathen
  immorality.
• Chapters 4 and 5
• The Church was harboring a man who was living in
  open adultery with his fathers wife!
• Public withdrawal
• 55
• Have no company with himmake him ashamed!
• 59

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Engaged in commerce and industrysometimes with
  one another.
• Some were having financial disputes and
  disagreements.
• They sought to settle the matter before heathen
  courts and judges.
• Paul condemned this and told them to settle these
  matters among themselves.
• 1 Corinthians 61-11

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Moral laxity had made it difficult for them to
  honor their marriage commitments.
• A chapter is devoted to answering their questions
  about this relationship.
• Certain rules and applications were to be used
  because of the present distress.
• 1 Corinthians 726-32
• Marriage was to be honored, even when a Christian
  was married to an unbeliever.
• 1 Corinthians 710-24

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Some were eating for food the remnants of the
  bodies of animals offered in heathen services.
• Some of the Jewish brethren questioned this
  practice.
• Paul taught that this matter was a case of
  personal liberty.
• The practice was not to be exercised
  at the expense of a weaker brothers conscience.
• 1 Corinthians 810

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Paul next discussed the local churchs
  obligations.
• The church was to support and sustain those who
  made their living by preaching and teaching the
  gospel.
• 1 Corinthians 9

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Abuses during the worship assembly
• Gods order of authority and the place of women
• Praying and prophesying
• Refusing to wear the veila custom of the day
  showing subjection and the mans authority
• 1 Corinthians 111-16

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Having a feast before observing the Lords
  Supper.
• Glutting themselves with food and drinknot
  spiritually discerning the meaning of the Lords
  Supper.
• They came together to worship.
• They had houses in which to eat and drink to
  nurture their physical bodies.
• 1 Corinthians 1119-34

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Due to their exaltation of selfish ambitions and
  fleshly values, they had serious disputes about
  spiritual gifts.
• Pitting the importance of one gift against
  another.
• The nature and purposes of the gifts.
• 1 Corinthians 12
• The better waylove
• Temporal nature of the gifts
• 1 Corinthians 13
• Each member working together for the whole!
• 1 Corinthians 14

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Questions concerning the resurrection
• Christ has risen
• 151-11
• Meaning of the resurrection
• 1512-57
• Universality of the resurrection
• 1520-22
• The Christians new body
• 1542-49
• Inheriting the kingdom of God
• 1550,51

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The 1 Corinthian Letter

• Question concerning the collection for the poor
  saints in Jerusalem
• Divine plan for church finances
• 161,2
• Benevolence to be raised by its own contribution
• Church to select its own messengers
• 163,4
• Limited to the needy saints.
• Acts 1127-30