1 Corinthians

Composition

1 Corinthians is a book of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. Most scholars attribute the book to Saint Paul the Apostle. Scholars also believe that Paul composed other biblical epistles, including Romans and Ephesians.

Originally known as Saul of Tarsus, Paul became one of the leaders of the early Christian Church after experiencing a dramatic conversion. After having a vision from God that revealed Jesus as the Messiah, Paul converted to Christianity. Before his conversation Paul had been a prominent Jewish leader called a Pharisee who traveled and preached the Christian gospel. Paul established numerous Christian congregations, including one in the Greek city of Corinth.

Corinth was a prosperous center of trade, but the city became known for its leisure and hedonism. Paul received reports of behavior in the city that went against the Church’s teachings. He also received at least one letter from the residents of Corinth asking for his guidance in trying to solve the problems in Corinth. Paul felt a strong connection to the congregation because he had helped found it and believed that the community would fail unless the sinful behavior was stopped. To help guide and counsel the community, Paul wrote the letter that became 1 Corinthians in 56 or 57 CE while in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor.

In the salutation of 1 Corinthians, Paul includes Sosthenes “our brother” and himself as the senders. Historians and theologians are unsure of Sosthenes’ identity, though he may be the man with the same name who was mentioned in another New Testament book, the Acts of Apostles. Some biblical historians believe that Sosthenes helped Paul, possibly by working as a scribe. It is possible that Paul, who believed in working as a unified community, acknowledged Sosthenes’ contribution in the letter’s salutation because he helped Paul with his work.

Although nearly all biblical scholars agree that Paul was the main author of 1 Corinthians, some believe that the text is a mixture of two letters that he sent to Corinth. In 1 Corinthians, Paul indicates that he wrote another letter to the congregation. Some scholars believe 1 Corinthians is a mixture of this first “lost” letter and a second letter. However, most contend that 1 Corinthians was most likely a separate letter and Paul’s first letter was lost.

Summary

1 Corinthians begins with a greeting to the people of Corinth, with Paul identifying himself and Sosthenes as the senders of the letter. After his salutation, Paul includes an expression of thanksgiving for the Corinthian congregation’s faith.

In the body of the letter, Paul immediately exhorts the congregation to avoid having divisions in the faith community. Paul explains that he has learned from others that the congregation is experiencing disunity. He points out that he has learned of individuals in the congregation who have been identifying themselves with specific Christian leaders. He says, “[E]ach of you is saying, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ’” (New American Bible, 1 Cor. 1.12). Paul tells the audience that all the leaders and apostles are acting on behalf of Jesus. He reminds the congregation that they should be following Jesus, not the apostles. He also states that the people who are believed to be the wisest in society may not be the most faithful to or the knowledgeable about God. Paul advises the Corinthians to seek God’s wisdom instead of human wisdom.

In the next chapters of the letter, Paul addresses the moral disorders that he has learned are taking place in Corinth. He tells the congregation that people who continue to sin should be removed from the congregation. He also cautions the congregation specifically against sexual immorality.

Paul then addresses a question about whether believers are allowed to eat meat that was sacrificed to idols. According to Paul, eating the meat is not sinful, but people should not eat it if it would confuse other Christians about their beliefs. He says, “Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin” (1 Cor. 8.13).

Paul then talks to his audience about his own life, which he believes he has lived for God. He also warns the audience not to be idolators as the ancient Israelites were. He gives the audience guidance about what to eat and how to pray. He also discusses the various spiritual gifts that have been given to those in the congregation. He suggests that all people in the congregation use their skills and gifts to worship God and tells them that all believers in the Church have a role to play. Paul also muses about the importance of love in these lines, which have become famous: “Love is patient, love is kind. . . . Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13.4–8). Paul uses his musing on love to point out that people’s gifts are not useful unless they are influenced by love.

Paul also discusses about Jesus’s death and resurrection, reminding his audience that the Church believes that people’s sins were forgiven because Jesus died and rose from the dead. He indicates that people who do not believe Jesus rose from the dead are not really part of the Church because Jesus could not have forgiven sins without dying and resurrecting. He also states that Christ will have the final triumph over death and sin because of his sacrifice.

In his conclusion, Paul tells the congregation that he will visit them again. He also reminds them to be strong in faith and to act out of love.

Themes

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is an important biblical text with meanings and teachings that have been written about, researched, and debated. One reason why 1 Corinthians is one of the most famous of Paul’s letters is that it gives insight into historical events that took place in the early Church. Paul wrote the letter because the early Church in Corinth was experiencing problems and disunity. Paul records the Church’s problems, which helps modern readers understand that disagreements and misunderstandings occurred in the early Christian Church. This letter helps Christians better understand how the religion’s ideas and theology developed.

1 Corinthians is also important because it is seen as a model for how to address infighting and sinfulness in the Church. Some theologians have pointed to Paul’s bluntness in the letter as an indication that Christians should be bold in pointing out sinfulness and division in the Church and trying to address it. Some theologians also note that Paul is quick to tell the Corinthians to remove people from the congregation if they refuse to stop their sinful behavior. However, the letter is also important because it encourages the congregation to embrace unity. It also indicates that people should be allowed to make their own choices based on their beliefs and certain doctrines. For example, Paul allows the people of Corinth to decide for themselves if they should eat meat that was sacrificed to idols. Just as Paul encourages unity in the Church, he encourages all its members to act with love. He explains the nature and importance of love so that members of his audience will understand why they should always act with love.

Another theologically important part of 1 Corinthians is what it reveals about Paul’s Christology, which is the part of theology that focuses on the nature of Jesus Christ. Understanding the Christology of members of the early Church has been important for many theologians because they want to have insight into the earliest beliefs of the Church. They also want to know if the early Church leaders disagreed about aspects of Christology. Most scholars believe that in 1 Corinthians, Paul indicates that Jesus Christ is both divine and crucifiable. Paul’s discussion of God and Jesus in 1 Corinthians helped shape Christian beliefs.

Bibliography

“1 Corinthians.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/0

The Bible. New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). Oxford University Press, 2011.

Ellis, E. Earle “1 Corinthians: A Commentary.” Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021.

“First Corinthians.” Insight for Living Ministries, 2022, insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/first-corinthians. Accessed 21 Apr. 2022.

Hays, Richard B. First Corinthians: Interpretation. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2011.

Jamieson, R. B. “1 Corinthians 15.28 and the Grammar of Paul’s Christology.” New Testament Studies, vol. 66, no. 2, 2020, pp. 187–207. search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=141959804&site=ehost-live. Accessed 21 Apr. 2022.

Jeremiah, David. 1 Corinthians: The Authentic Christian Life. Thomas Nelson, 2020.

Taylor, Mark Edward. 1 Corinthians: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. B&H Publishing Group, 2014.

White, Benjamin L. “The Traditional and Ecclesiastical Paul of 1 Corinthians.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly. vol. 79, no. 4, 2017, pp. 651–69. search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=125699404&site=ehost-live. Accessed 21 Apr. 2022.