IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 3, Number 31, July 30 to August 5, 2001

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS

By Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.

with Ra McLaughlin

Circumstance and Synopsis

The letter was probably written circa A.D. 54-56 from Ephesus during Paul's third missionary journey.
Paul write to the church in the city of Corinth, the capital city of the Roman province Achaia. Paul had planted this church during his second missionary journey only a few years earlier.
The original audience in Corinth contained members from all levels of society, but consisted mostly of people who were neither rich, wise, nor of noble birth.
The original audience had sat under the ministry of Paul, Apollos and Peter.
Subsequent to the ministries of Paul, Apollos, and Peter, the Corinthian church had begun to place improper value on worldly wisdom, including probably Greek philosophy.
The letter is occasional, written both in response to reports Paul received about conditions in the Corinthian church, and in response to a letter Paul received from the Corinthian church.
Paul wrote the letter largely to correct the problems he saw in the Corinthian church, although he also included praise for certain things the church was doing well.
Literary form: epistle
Doctrinal themes:
- The nature of the church, and the implications thereof;
- The nature of believers' union with Christ, and the implications thereof;
- God's wisdom;
- Proper worship;
- The Lord's Supper;
- Spiritual gifts;
- Resurrection of the dead.
Practical themes:
- The importance of unity in the church;
- Proper valuations and roles of church leaders;
- The importance of church discipline;
- Lawsuits;
- Prostitution;
- Marriage and Divorce in light of famines;
- Christian freedom and responsibility;
- Interaction with secular world;
- Proper roles and honor in worship;
- Love;
- Ministering to the physical needs of others.

Author

The apostle Paul wrote this letter.
He was not one of the original twelve.
He had formerly been named Saul (Acts 13:9).
He had formerly been a zealous Pharisee (Acts 23:6; 26:5; Phil. 3:5).
He had formerly persecuted the church (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2; 22:3-4; 26:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:14,23; Phil. 3:5).
He had been Converted an appointed to his apostleship by direct encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-19; 22:6-16; 26:12-18).
He was one of the church's earliest missionaries, and was especially commissioned to evangelize the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 15:12; 18:6; 22:21; Gal. 2:9).
He planted churches all over the Mediterranean world.
He authored more New Testament books than any other writer: Romans; 1 & 2 Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon.

Outline

Introduction (1:1-9)
1. Salutation (1:1-3)
2. Thanksgiving (1:4-9)
Paul's Response to Reported Matters (1:10-6:20)
1. Divisions in the Church (1:10-4:21)
  1. Appeal in Response to Divisions (1:10-12)
  2. Divisions are Contrary to Paul's Ministry (1:13-17)
  3. Divisions are Contrary to the Gospel of Christ (1:18-2:5)
    1. Worldly Wisdom and the Wisdom of the Gospel (1:18-25)
    2. Worldly Wisdom and the Experience of the Gospel (1:26-31)
    3. Worldly Wisdom and the Preaching of the Gospel (2:1-5)
  4. The Message of Wisdom (2:6-16)
    1. Wisdom for the Mature (2:6-10a)
    2. The Spirit of Wisdom (2:10b-12)
    3. Spiritual and Unspiritual People (2:13-16)
  5. Personalities in the Church (3:1-23)
    1. The Worldly Practice of Divisions (3:1-4)
    2. The Proper Role of Church Leaders (3:5-15)
    3. The True Nature of the Church (3:16-23)
  6. Following the Apostles (4:1-21)
    1. Obligations of Leaders (4:1-5)
    2. The Responsibility of Followers (4:6-7)
    3. Sarcasm (4:8-13)
    4. Paul's Purpose as a Spiritual Father (4:14-17)
    5. Paul's Upcoming Visit (4:18-21)
2. A Situation of Immorality (5:1-13)
  1. Report and Instructions (5:1-5)
  2. A Supportive Illustration (5:6-8)
  3. A Point of Clarification (5:9-13)
3. The Problem of Litigations (6:1-11)
  1. An Incredible Problem: Mishandling Lawsuits (6:1-6)
  2. An Underlying Problem: Not Living the Gospel (6:7-8)
  3. The Root Problem: Misunderstanding the Gospel (6:9-11)
4. Prostitution (6:12-20)
  1. Opposing Their Slogans (6:12-14)
  2. The Nature of Sexual Union (6:15-17)
  3. Uniqueness of Sexual Sin (6:18-20)
Paul's Response to the Corinthians' Letter (7:1-16:18)
1. Issues Related to Marriage (7:1-40)
  1. General Outlooks on Marriage and Divorce (7:1-16)
    1. Marriage (7:1-9)
    2. Divorce (7:10-16)
  2. Stay Where You Are (7:17-24)
  3. Virgins and Marriage (7:25-40)
    1. Virgins (7:25-28)
    2. The Implications of an Eternal Perspective (7:29-35)
    3. Final Concessions (7:36-40)
2. Food Sacrificed to Idols (8:1-11:1)
  1. Dining in an Idol's Temple (8:1-13)
    1. Love, Not Knowledge (8:1-3)
    2. Believers' Knowledge (8:4-6)
    3. Dealing with Others' Ignorance (8:7-13)
  2. Freedom and Rights (9:1-27)
    1. We've Got Every Right (9:1-14)
    2. We Give Up Our Rights (9:15-27)
  3. Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols (10:1-11:1)
    1. Idolatry in the Old Testament (10:1-13)
      1. An Historical Example (10:1-5)
      2. The Relevance of the Old Testament Example (10:6-13)
    2. Idolatry and the Lord's Supper (10:14-22)
    3. Practical Directions on Meat Offered to Idols (10:23-11:1)
3. Worship and Spiritual Gifts (11:2-14:40)
  1. Head Coverings, Hair, and Honor (11:2-16)
    1. Words of Praise (11:2)
    2. The Divine Order (11:3)
    3. Responsibilities to Heads (11:4-12)
    4. Cultural Considerations (11:13-16)
  2. The Lord's Supper (11:17-34)
    1. Words of Rebuke (11:17)
    2. Divisions at the Table (11:18-22)
    3. The Central Focus of the Supper (11:23-26)
    4. Take Great Care (11:27-34)
  3. Spiritual Gifts (12:1-14:40)
    1. Serving Each Other with Spiritual Gifts in Worship (12:1-30)
      1. Identifying the Spirit (12:1-3)
      2. Diverse Spiritual Gifts (12:4-11)
      3. Unity and Diversity of Members in the Body (12:12-30)
    2. The Most Excellent Way (12:31-13:13)
      1. Introduction (12:31)
      2. Priority of Love (13:1-3)
      3. The Characteristics of Love (13:4-7)
      4. The Superiority of Love (13:8-13)
    3. Edification and Order (14:1-40)
      1. Love and Gifts Together (14:1-5)
      2. Tongues (14:6-25)
        
        The Limitations of Tongues (14:6-12)
        Tongues and Edification within the Church (14:13-19)
        Tongues and Unbelievers (14:20-25)
      3. The Practice of Worship (14:26-40)
4. Controversy over the Resurrection (15:1-58)
  1. The Reality of Christ's Resurrection (15:1-11)
  2. The Hope of Believers' Resurrection (15:12-34)
    1. If There is No Resurrection, Then Christ has not been Raised (15:12-19)
    2. Christ has been Raised, Therefore Believers will be Raised (15:20-28)
    3. If There is No Resurrection, Christian Life is Meaningless (15:29-34)
  3. The Nature of Resurrection (15:35-58)
5. Instructions on Collections (16:1-4)
6. General Exhortations (16:5-18)
Final Greetings and Closure (16:19-24)