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1 Corinthians Lecture

Background

  • Corinth’s Reputation - City of Sin

    • Sexual promiscuity

  • Cenchreae - Allowed for it to become a trade hub

  • Cosmopolitan

  • Congregation - mostly poor, mostly Gentiles, though two wealthy Jewish leaders converted, but fairly diverse

  • Paul, Silas, Timothy - make tents in the city to become a part of their culture and city

    • Stayed 18 months

  • 1 Corinthians was actually the second letter written

  • Written in response to -- Chloe’s people and churches’ questions

  • Purpose - Provide guidance to issues and problems threatening the unity of the church

Critical Issues: Four Letters

  • “Lost Letter” - first letter to the Corinthians

  • 1 Corinthians

  • 2 Corinthians

  • “Painful Letter” - lost or in 2 Corinthians

Themes: Spiritual Elitism

  • Cliques - by leader (Paul, Cepheus, Apollos)

  • Temple - everyone in the temple is important and all need to do their job

  • Spiritual Infants - Not firm enough in their faith to be spoken to with the hardness of Christianity and didn’t act mature enough to admit their downfalls

  • Christ Crucified - focused too much on Christ exalted, so Paul tries to draw them back to Christ crucified

Themes: Resurrection

  • Some felt that the resurrection had already happened

  • Paul argued against his by presenting:

    • While Jesus conquered Death, Evil is still being conquered

    • The dead had not perished, but are waiting to be risen up again

    • Exchange of perishable bodies for imperishable bodies in the resurrection

Themes: Communion

  • Problem - didn’t know how to deal with meals together and manage meals/drinks together

  • Liturgy - Earliest and most laid out story of the Last Supper

  • Examine Yourselves - do not partake without the right heart and mind

  • Grace - We are all equal at this table and working together, noticing our own faults and extending grace to others

Themes: Sex & Excommunication

  • Immorality - some immorality needs severe punishment (man with stepmother)

    • Harsh punishment was meant to take away the protection of the church and bring them back in a roundabout way

  • All Things Lawful? - Corinthians believed that “freedom in Christ” meant freedom to do all things

  • Celibacy? - A good option if you can stick with avoiding passions; though marriage was not a bad option

Themes: Meat Sacrificed to Idols

  • Sacrificed Meat - cannot eat because sacrificed to demons

  • Demons - Roman Gods

  • Purchased Meat - Marketplace sold unclean meat; but as long as you didn’t know if it was sacrificed it was okay to eat

  • Weaker Members - Do not eat sacrificed meat in front of people that would take offense to it (Jewish Christians)

Themes: Spiritual Gifts

  • Spiritual Gifts - wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, teaching, etc.

  • Glossolalia - Speaking in tongues

    • Acts - Glossolalia used when extended to new groups

    • 1 Corinthians - Glossolalia used in worship (and addition of interpreters)

  • Problems - boasters (saw it as a special gift), disrupted service, put off other members

  • Paul’s Admonitions - Gifts should be used for love, Gifts should be used for unifying the church

Themes: Love (Agape)

  • 1 Corinthians 13 - Love Chapter

  • Agape - Noble love (closely with respect)

  • Phileos - Friendly love

  • Eros - Erotic love (between a husband and wife)

MS

1 Corinthians Lecture

Background

  • Corinth’s Reputation - City of Sin

    • Sexual promiscuity

  • Cenchreae - Allowed for it to become a trade hub

  • Cosmopolitan

  • Congregation - mostly poor, mostly Gentiles, though two wealthy Jewish leaders converted, but fairly diverse

  • Paul, Silas, Timothy - make tents in the city to become a part of their culture and city

    • Stayed 18 months

  • 1 Corinthians was actually the second letter written

  • Written in response to -- Chloe’s people and churches’ questions

  • Purpose - Provide guidance to issues and problems threatening the unity of the church

Critical Issues: Four Letters

  • “Lost Letter” - first letter to the Corinthians

  • 1 Corinthians

  • 2 Corinthians

  • “Painful Letter” - lost or in 2 Corinthians

Themes: Spiritual Elitism

  • Cliques - by leader (Paul, Cepheus, Apollos)

  • Temple - everyone in the temple is important and all need to do their job

  • Spiritual Infants - Not firm enough in their faith to be spoken to with the hardness of Christianity and didn’t act mature enough to admit their downfalls

  • Christ Crucified - focused too much on Christ exalted, so Paul tries to draw them back to Christ crucified

Themes: Resurrection

  • Some felt that the resurrection had already happened

  • Paul argued against his by presenting:

    • While Jesus conquered Death, Evil is still being conquered

    • The dead had not perished, but are waiting to be risen up again

    • Exchange of perishable bodies for imperishable bodies in the resurrection

Themes: Communion

  • Problem - didn’t know how to deal with meals together and manage meals/drinks together

  • Liturgy - Earliest and most laid out story of the Last Supper

  • Examine Yourselves - do not partake without the right heart and mind

  • Grace - We are all equal at this table and working together, noticing our own faults and extending grace to others

Themes: Sex & Excommunication

  • Immorality - some immorality needs severe punishment (man with stepmother)

    • Harsh punishment was meant to take away the protection of the church and bring them back in a roundabout way

  • All Things Lawful? - Corinthians believed that “freedom in Christ” meant freedom to do all things

  • Celibacy? - A good option if you can stick with avoiding passions; though marriage was not a bad option

Themes: Meat Sacrificed to Idols

  • Sacrificed Meat - cannot eat because sacrificed to demons

  • Demons - Roman Gods

  • Purchased Meat - Marketplace sold unclean meat; but as long as you didn’t know if it was sacrificed it was okay to eat

  • Weaker Members - Do not eat sacrificed meat in front of people that would take offense to it (Jewish Christians)

Themes: Spiritual Gifts

  • Spiritual Gifts - wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, teaching, etc.

  • Glossolalia - Speaking in tongues

    • Acts - Glossolalia used when extended to new groups

    • 1 Corinthians - Glossolalia used in worship (and addition of interpreters)

  • Problems - boasters (saw it as a special gift), disrupted service, put off other members

  • Paul’s Admonitions - Gifts should be used for love, Gifts should be used for unifying the church

Themes: Love (Agape)

  • 1 Corinthians 13 - Love Chapter

  • Agape - Noble love (closely with respect)

  • Phileos - Friendly love

  • Eros - Erotic love (between a husband and wife)

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