AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST CORINTHIANS

Corinth was an important cosmopolitan Greek city located on a large isthmus about fifty miles west of Athens. It was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Only Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch had more people. Corinth was on a major trade route and had a thriving economy, but the vices of East and West converged there. Greeks, Romans, Jews, and a mixed multitude of sailors and merchants flocked to this crossroads. Corinthian-style architecture was famous. The Isthmian athletic games were held there every two years. By the end of the second century, Corinth had become one of the richest cities in the world.

Paul believed that Corinth was a strategic center of influence and there was already a large Jewish presence (see Ac.18v4). But Corinth was also full of sin. It was one of the most wicked cities of ancient times. Degradation, immorality, and heathen customs abounded. There were many religions represented, especially a temple which offered one thousand "sacred" prostitutes. Pleasure was worshipped more than principles.

Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months (probably A.D. 52-53.) The congregation was established by Paul during his second missionary journey (see Ac.18v1-11; 1Cor.2v1-2). Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, worked with a husband-wife team, Aquila and Priscilla (Prisca). Apollos came later.

After about three years, Paul was in Ephesus, approximately 200 miles due east, across the Aegean Sea. Both cities were on a busy trade route. Communication flowed freely between them. Paul received unfavorable news about the Corinthian congregation from members of the household of Chloe (1Cor.1v11) and other friends (1Cor.16v17). They reported that there were divisions and much sin in the congregation. There was gross immorality (one particular incestuous relationship), specific instances of trouble between Christians, many practical problems in living the Christian life, marriage problems, difficulties concerning meat offered to idols and matters of conscience, abuses in partaking of the Lord's Supper, disorderly conduct in the formal assemblies for worship, confusion about the role of women in the church, and heresies about the afterlife, which produced a tremendous response from Paul to teach the truth about the resurrection.

1Cor.13, the famous chapter about love, is one of the most beloved passages in the entire Bible. Judging from 1Cor.7v1, the Christians at Corinth had already written Paul at least one letter before First Corinthians was written. And Paul had written them a previous letter (now lost) (compare 1Cor.5v9). Many of the individual Christians there had recently converted from pagan practices and they were having difficulty in adjusting, i.e. breaking with the past. As long as there are human beings in a congregation, there will be human failures. Paul did not have enough time to ground them well. Paul planned to spend the following winter in Corinth (1Cor.16v5-8) and did so (Ac.20v2-3).

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