1 Corinthians: Christ crucified and risen, for a church set apart

Where 1 Corinthians sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · The Journeys, c. AD 48–57

In the Bible

New Testament · Letters · book 46 of 66

Before it in the story

2 Thessalonians

After it in the story

2 Corinthians

Written from Ephesus on the third journey to a church Acts shows being founded (Acts 18), between the Thessalonian letters and 2 Corinthians; it shows the apostolic gospel applied to a young Gentile church in a pagan city.

1 Corinthians summary

Paul planted the church at Corinth on his second journey and stayed eighteen months (Acts 18:1–18). About three years later, at Ephesus, he received bad news from Chloe's people and others, and a letter from the church carried by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus (1:11; 7:1; 16:17). First Corinthians is his answer. He first takes up what was reported: the church is splitting into parties behind its teachers, and Paul answers with the message of the cross, God's wisdom that shames the world's (1:10–4:21); it tolerates a man living with his father's wife, sues its own members before pagan judges, and excuses visits to prostitutes, and Paul calls a people washed and bought by Christ to judge itself and glorify God in the body (5–6). Then he answers their letter, topic by topic, each opened with “Now about”: marriage and singleness (7), food offered to idols (8:1–11:1), and spiritual gifts (12–14), with the church's gatherings set in order between them (11:2–34). Love is the way all gifts must be used (13). Because some deny the resurrection of the dead, he restates the gospel of Christ crucified and raised, the firstfruits whose rising guarantees the harvest at His coming, when death will be swallowed up (15). He closes with the collection for Jerusalem, his plans, and the prayer “Come, O Lord!” (16). The cross at the start and the resurrection at the end frame every answer.

1 Corinthians in context

Written by

Paul, with Sosthenes as co-sender (1:1); the letter is undisputed as Paul's, and he signs the greeting in his own hand (16:21)

Written to

The church of God in Corinth, mostly converted pagans (12:2) with some Jews (7:18; Acts 18:8), few wise or powerful but some well-off (1:26; 11:21–22); together with all who call on the Lord's name everywhere (1:2)

Setting

Written from Ephesus near the end of Paul's long stay there (16:8–9, 19; Acts 19:8–10; 20:31) to Corinth, the Roman colony and capital of Achaia that he had evangelized about three years before (Acts 18:1–18). Paul had already written once (5:9), had heard reports (1:11; 5:1; 11:18), and had received their letter (7:1; 16:17); Timothy was on his way (4:17; 16:10)

When

Spring, c. AD 54–55, before Pentecost (16:8), during the third journey; proposals range from 53 to 56. The founding visit is anchored by Gallio's term as proconsul of Achaia from AD 51 (Acts 18:12).

Why

To heal a divided and proud church by the message of Christ crucified; to correct its tolerance of sin and its misuse of liberty, worship and gifts; to answer its questions on marriage, idol food, spiritual gifts and the collection; and to defend the bodily resurrection, so that a church sanctified in Christ might live as His holy temple and body until the day of the Lord (1:8–10; 3:16–17; 15:58).

Themes of 1 Corinthians

• The word of the cross
• One church, one body
• God's holy temple
• Love builds up
• Worship in order
• The Spirit and His gifts
• The resurrection of the body
• Living toward the Day

Key verses in 1 Corinthians

• 1 Corinthians 1:18

  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

• 1 Corinthians 1:23–24

  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

• 1 Corinthians 2:2

  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

• 1 Corinthians 3:11

  For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

• 1 Corinthians 5:7

  Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

• 1 Corinthians 8:6

  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

• 1 Corinthians 10:31

  So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

• 1 Corinthians 11:26

  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

• 1 Corinthians 12:13

  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13

  And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.

• 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

• 1 Corinthians 15:20

  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians chapter by chapter

Part 1 · Greeting and thanksgiving 1:1–9

Part 2 · Reported: divisions, and the wisdom of the cross 1:10–4:21

1. 1
   1 Corinthians 1: Christ crucified, the wisdom of God

   A gifted church is splitting over its preachers; Paul answers with the cross, God's power and wisdom.

2. 2
   1 Corinthians 2: Revealed to us by the Spirit

   Paul preached only Christ crucified; God's hidden wisdom is revealed by the Spirit and received by the spiritual.

3. 3
   1 Corinthians 3: God's field, God's building, God's temple

   Factions show they are worldly; preachers are servants, Christ is the foundation, and the church is God's temple.

4. 4
   1 Corinthians 4: Servants of Christ and stewards

   Apostles are stewards judged by the Lord alone; the proud must learn from their suffering and imitate their father.

Part 3 · Reported: immorality and lawsuits 5:1–6:20

1. 5
   1 Corinthians 5: Christ, our Passover lamb

   A man living with his father's wife must be removed; Christ our Passover is sacrificed, so purge the old leaven.

2. 6
   1 Corinthians 6: You were bought at a price

   Saints must not sue brothers before unbelievers; washed and bought by Christ, their bodies belong to the Lord.

Part 4 · You wrote: marriage and singleness 7:1–40

1. 7
   1 Corinthians 7: Each one as the Lord has called him

   Marriage is good and its duties shared; singleness is a gift; let each live as God called him, for the time is short.

Part 5 · You wrote: food offered to idols 8:1–11:1

1. 8
   1 Corinthians 8: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up

   Idols are nothing and there is one God and one Lord, yet love will not wound a weak brother for whom Christ died.

2. 9
   1 Corinthians 9: All things to all people

   Paul has an apostle's right to support but gives it up for the gospel, becoming all things to all to save some.

3. 10
   1 Corinthians 10: That rock was Christ

   Israel's fall warns against idolatry: flee it, for the Lord's table excludes demons; do all to God's glory.

Part 6 · When you come together: heads and the Supper 11:2–34

1. 11
   1 Corinthians 11: In remembrance of Me

   Men and women honor their heads in worship, and the Supper proclaims the Lord's death; eat it worthily, together.

Part 7 · You wrote: spiritual gifts 12:1–14:40

1. 12
   1 Corinthians 12: One Spirit, one body, many members

   Every gift comes from the one Spirit for the common good, and every member is needed in the one body of Christ.

2. 13
   1 Corinthians 13: The most excellent way

   Without love every gift is nothing; love is patient and kind, and when gifts pass away, love remains.

3. 14
   1 Corinthians 14: Build up the church

   Prefer prophecy to uninterpreted tongues, for gifts exist to build up the church; let all be done in order.

Part 8 · The resurrection of the dead 15:1–58

1. 15
   1 Corinthians 15: Christ the firstfruits

   Christ is raised, the firstfruits; at His coming His people rise imperishable, and death is swallowed up.

Part 9 · The collection, plans and farewell 16:1–24

1. 16
   1 Corinthians 16: On the first day of every week

   Set aside for the saints on the first day; Paul will come after Pentecost; stand firm and do all in love. Come, O Lord!

See the outline of 1 Corinthians