1 CORINTHIANS Introduction

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (KJV)

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Somebody once said that if you have a problem in your church, but don't want to address it directly, you should teach through the book of 1 Corinthians because every major type problem a church can have is handled in this book.

Someone else wrote that 1 Corinthians offers to us the most: 

·   Practical, 

·   Detailed, and 

·   Scriptural 

instructions on conducting church affairs anywhere in the New Testament.

So, from that vantage, I want to begin this study through 1 and 2 Corinthians.

*I. INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY OF CORINTH

Corinth in Paul's day was a city of about 600,000 to 700,000 people and was one of the three most important cities of the Roman Empire.

It was located on a small isthmus in Greece connecting the Aegean and Ionian Seas. 

Because of the storms south of Greece, many ships used Corinth as an overland trade route. 

They actually had a paved road they used to roll ships across the land, from one sea to the other.

This location had secured Corinth a place as a prosperous city even as early as 800 years before Christ.

Corinth's original population had been entirely destroyed by the Roman armies in 146 BC and was repopulated by freed slaves from all over the known world.

The population of the city of Corinth was composed of people who had come to the area for three reasons:

1. To capitalize on the money to be made there.

2. To revel in the gambling and games there

3. To enjoy the legalized prostitution there

Corinth was the center of the worship of that day of Aphrodite, a sex goddess. The Temple there employed several hundred male and female prostitutes used for her "worship."

The city was so well known for its immorality that the name "Corinthian girl" was used as another name for a prostitute.

Corinth suffered two earthquakes, one in 521 AD and another in 1858, which entirely destroyed the city. It was rebuilt but today has a population of just over 22,000.

*II. INTRODUCTION TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH

The details of the founding of the church at Corinth are found in, Acts 18:1-18 (KJV)

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

And he drave them from the judgment seat.

Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

The church was founded by the Apostle Paulon his Second missionary journey, somewhere between AD 50-54. 

He had come to town alone, and for a while, had worked as a tentmaker with his new found friends, Aquila and Priscilla.

But when Timothy and Silas arrived, Paul kicked his preaching ministry into full gear

Many people were saved there, but two notables were Crispus and Sosthenes, the chief rulers of the Jewish synagogue there.

Eventually, the unbelieving Jews became violent against the believers and Sosthenes was taken and publickly beaten.

The membership of the churchwas composed, like the city itself, of people from nearly every background imaginable. 

This probably accounts for the divisions among them. And the prominent use and then abuse of unknown tongues in their church.

*III. INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

The Apostle Paul wrote first Corinthiansfrom Ephesusin around 57 AD.  It had been between 3 to 7 years since he had seen these brethren.

He had written to them earlier[1], but we do not have that letter available to us today. Obviously not everything that Paul wrote was inspired of God, and God only saw fit to preserve for us that which was inspired.

Word got back to Paul that there were problems in the church.  That word got to him through two sources;

A. The house of Chloe[2]

Members of this family apparently visited Paul and they expressed to him their concerns over some of the things going on back home.

B. A letter from the church itself[3]

The members of the church had also written Paul to ask him certain questions they needed answered.

There are two things that have to be remembered in order to properly understand 1 Corinthians especially:

1. This is a letter written to a local church.

There is so much false doctrine taught out of 1 Corinthians that stems from a lack of that understanding.

This is not a letter written to a universal body of believers. it is written to a local congregation. Therefore the primary lessons must be understood from that vantage point.

2. This is a letter of rebuke.

Paul is writing this letter to rebuke them for error.

·   He rebukes them for division (1:11)

·   He rebukes them for carnality (3:1)

·   He rebukes them for immorality (5:1)

·   He rebukes them for improperly using the Lord's Supper (10-11)

·   He rebukes them for misuse of tongues (12-14)

Later on I hope to show you that there are certain pillars of truth that are interwoven throughout these corrections. 

Those who use the passage to teach speaking in tongues for example, often misinterpret 1 Corinthians 12-14 simply because they view tongues from a positive point of view, and Paul is handling it in 1 Corinthians from a negative point of view.

The kinds of problems in the church at Corinth are so broad ranging, that it really is true, almost every problem issue a church could face is dealt with somewhere in these pages.

But we will also be able to gain some very positive and profitable insights into how to live for Christ here too.

I pray you will be here for every one of these lessons.

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[1]1 Corinthians 5:9 (KJV)

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 

[2]1 Corinthians 1:11 (KJV)

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Notice that he does not shirk from giving the name. I might choose not to divulge the name of those who report to me about a problem, but neither do I accept the report of someone who refuses to allow me to divulge their name.

[3]1 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: …