Introduction – 1 Corinthians 1:1-19
By Chester McCalley
“Meeting the Saints in Corinth”
PERSPECTIVE FOR THE BOOK
The book of I Corinthians is written to a group of believers who are described as men of flesh (3:1), babes in Christ (3:1), and still fleshly (3:3). This letter deals with the problems that rise from the condition of such believers. The words in Christ assure us that they were Christians, while the other terms show their carnal condition. Paul will focus on the spiritual problems of carnal Christians and the divine solutions to these problems.
The book of I Corinthians may be outlined by noting the order in which Paul addresses the problems.
The Problem of Dissensions 1:10-4:21
The Problem of Morality 5:1-13
The Problem of Litigation 6:1-20
The problems dealt with in chapters 7-11 are Paul’s response to a letter received from the Corinthian church.
The Problem of Marriage 7:1-40
The Problem of Liberty 8:1-11:1
The Problem of Worship 11:2-14:40
The Problem of the Resurrection 15:1-58
SALUTATIONS TO THE CHURCH 1:1-9
THE GREETINGS OF PAUL 1:1-3
“Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Author 1:1
The first three verses follow the form of first century personal correspondence which contained three elements: the author, the recipients, and the greeting. This was followed by the body of the letter. Any one of these elements could be expanded as the author desired. Paul always expands these in some way. Two comments concerning the author are made.
The Divine Summons of the Author
The supernatural nature of Paul’s summons is expressed three ways. The first is by the word called found here and elsewhere. Paul did not volunteer his service; he was commissioned by God apart from his own choice. Second is by the historical event of Acts 9:1-4, 15-16. Paul was persecuting believers with no thought whatsoever that he would soon be the servant of Christ—God intervened on the Damascus road in the most dramatic way. Third is by the state- ment of Galatians 1:15 where he speaks of being set apart from his mother’s womb.
Specifically, Paul was called and set apart as an apostle. An apostle was a divinely chosen man selected to be the vehicle of divinely inspired truth. The words of the apostles became the foundational doctrine of the church and remain so today (Ephesians 2:19-20). An apostle needed two things: someone to represent and authorization to do so. The words of Jesus Christ point to the former; the words by the will of God point to the latter.
The Human Partner of the Author
The mention of Sosthenes in the greeting does not mean he is a co- author along with Paul. He is called a brother, not an apostle. When Paul begins to address the Corinthians in verse 4, he uses the pro- noun I, not the pronoun we. Sosthenes is mentioned in connection with the Corinthian church in Acts 18.
The Recipients 1:2
Their Earthly Residence
The city of Corinth had a prime location that made it one of the cosmopolitan cities of the world. It was on a small neck of land that connected the East and the West. Ships would often unload their cargo on one side and relaunch it on the other. Today there is a deep canal that has been cut across the neck of land through which ships may pass.
The social conditions in Corinth could not have been worse from the Christian standpoint. It was no exaggeration to say that Corinth was the fountainhead of immorality in the Roman Empire. On a high summit called Acrocorinthus stood the temple of Aphrodite. Oriental influence had permeated Greek religion, and sexual con- tact with the priestesses was considered a means of communication with the gods. The name of the city comes from a Greek verb that means to be immoral. It should be remembered that Romans 1:18-32 was written as Paul viewed Corinth.
Their Spiritual Position
The first thing Paul notes is that they are in Christ Jesus. This New Testament expression means to be in union with Christ and points to the essence of our salvation. As a result of this union, the Corinthians are said to be sanctified. The word means to be set apart and is the same root word as holy and saint. The last half of verse 2 shows us that sainthood is not limited to those addressed in this letter; it is for those who know the Lord everywhere. The material of I Corinthians is for believers of all ages everywhere and at all times.
The Greeting 1:3
Grace is the basic principle of life in the church age, and peace is the basic blessing of the church age. The order is important. Grace comes before peace; there is no peace with God until His grace salvation is known.
THE PREAMBLE OF HOPE 1:4-9
“I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
They Possessed God’s Grace 1:4
When Paul speaks of his continual thanks for them, we could easily ask, “Paul, how could you?” It is not possible to find a more con- fused, irresponsible, carnal group of believers than those at Corinth. We are led to wonder what the basis of this thanks might be, for it certainly does not lie in their conduct. The answer is introduced by the word for, a Greek preposition meaning upon that is used to introduce the basis on which a thing rests. They had been recipients of God’s grace, and for this reason Paul is thankful for them.
They Possessed God’s Wealth 1:5-7
These verses make it clear that possession of spiritual gifts is not the same as spirituality. Corinth is the most gifted church in the New Testament and, at the same time, the most reprehensible in terms of conduct—the only church that is charged with mass car- nality. Compare I Corinthians 1:7 with 3:1. They were fully gifted, but they were not spiritual.
They Possessed God’s Guarantee 1:8-9
There is nothing in the conduct of the Corinthians to justify the statement made in these two verses. Assurance about the ultimate destiny of every believer rests in two things—the sovereign plan of God that we will be blameless in the day of Christ and the faithful- ness of God. The believer’s security lies, not in himself and his merits, but in God and His ever faithful character.
APPLICATIONS FOR LIVING
In spite of the many manifestations of carnality in Corinth, Paul considered the good things first. We should always seek to commend before we condemn, an especially important principle in raising children as well as in dealing with fellow believers.
Paul speaks of the position the Corinthians have in Christ first because it is the highest motivation for good conduct. What we are in Christ should move us to align our thinking and our conduct with that position. We should learn to live in harmony with the position that is truly ours in the body of Christ.
I Corinthians 1:4-9 is a preamble of hope because our position in Christ and the faithfulness of God is the guarantee of our ultimate conformity to Christ.
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