1) What did you read that was brand new to you—something you've never observed before? 2) What did you read this week that you have noticed before, but that maybe hit you in a new or different way? 3) What are your points of application from your reading this week, either new or review? 1 & 2 Thessalonians Review Questions

FIRST CORINTHIANS

When and Where did Paul write First Corinthians?

Preliminary Matters: Paul was in Corinth for 18 months during his second missionary journey employing his trade as a tentmaker. Acts 18:1-18

Second Missionary Journey After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:1-4

Second Missionary Journey When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Acts 18:5-11

Second Missionary Journey But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. Acts 18:12-18

Considerations: Paul’s ministry at Corinth is used by historians to establish a chronology of his ministry, working backward and forward from these dates to assign dates of other events in his life. Acts 18:12 tells us that Paul was brought before the Roman proconsul of Achaia named Gallio. Proconsuls serve a term of one year. And the "Delphi inscription," provides a date of A.D. 51 for Gallio, supporting the view that Paul was in Corinth A.D

Paul was in Ephesus when he wrote First Corinthians. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 1 Corinthians 16:7-9 And from Acts we learn Paul spent approximately three years in Ephesus during his third missionary journey....Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. Acts 19:1 (Acts 19)

And Paul indicated that he was planning on leaving Ephesus, thus supporting the position that it was written at the end of his stay in there. I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 1 Corinthians 16:5-8

Paul wrote First Corinthians from Ephesus c. A.D. 56

To whom did Paul write First Corinthians?

Considerations: Corinth was a key city in ancient Greece, destroyed by Rome in 146 B.C. and rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. Population 700,000, two-thirds of whom were slaves. Pagan culture that was home to the Temple of Aphrodite on the Acrocorinthus with 1,000 consecrated prostitutes. So notorious for its pleasure seeking atmosphere the term Korinthiazomai (“to act like a Corinthian”) became a synonym for debauchery and prostitution.

Considerations: Paul established the church in Corinth. – See Acts 18:1-7 above – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave growth...According to the grace of God given me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. 1 Corinthians 3:6, 10 – For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers, I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:15 Paul identifies his audience, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours. 1 Corinthians 1:2

Paul wrote First Corinthians to the church he had established in Corinth approximately three to four years earlier.

Why did Paul write First Corinthians?

Considerations: The church at Corinth dealt with struggles of a nascent body called out of the pagan society within which they lived. Problems included factions, lawsuits, immorality, questionable practices, abuse of the Lord’s Supper and spiritual gifts. When Paul was Ephesus he was notified of quarreling in the church and wrote this letter, in part, to address the divisiveness. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarrelling among you, my brothers. 1 Corinthians 1:11

Considerations: And, in part, he responded to a report of sexual immorality. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among the pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 1 Corinthians 5:1 Paul also wrote this epistle in response to a letter from the church at Corinth inquiring of his judgment on a number of matters. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote... 1 Corinthians 7:1 This was not the first letter to Corinth from Paul, he had written them at least once previously. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – 1 Corinthians 5:9

What did Paul write about in First Corinthians Chapters 1-8?

Outline: Opening A. Greetings of Grace(1:1-3) B.Expression of Thanksgiving (1:4-9) Part One: Answer to Report of Division A. Reports of Divisions(1:10-17) B. Reasons for Divisions (1:18-4:21) Part Two: Answer to Report of Fornication A.On Incest (5:1-13) B.Litigation between Believers (6:1-11) C.Warning against Sexual Immorality (6:12-20)

Outline: Part Four: Answer to Letter of Inquiries A. Concerning Marriage: (7:1-40) B. Concerning Thing Offered to Idols (8:1-11:1) C. Concerning Public Worship (11:2-14:40) D. Concerning the Resurrection (15:1-58) E. Concerning the Jerusalem Collection (16:1-4) Conclusion: 16:5-24

What are some key ideas/terms Paul uses in First Corinthians?

Chapter 1: Unity in Christ The wisdom of the world contrasted With the Power of God

Chapter 2: Revelation of God through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit The natural person contrasted with the spiritual person

Chapter 3: Rewards lost and gained

Chapter 4: Admonition not to boast

Chapter 5: Eschew Sexual Immorality

Chapter 6: Do not take one another to court Do not return to what you were

Chapter 7: Counsel regarding the unmarried and widows to remain single The expression “I, not the Lord.”

Chapter 8: Do not lead a brother astray in the exercise of liberty.

Key Verse Chapter’s 1-8: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20