OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF 1 CORINTHIANS
Author: 1 Cor. 1:1 identifies the author of the Book as the apostle Paul.
Date of Writing: The Book of 1 Corinthians was written in approximately A. D. 56 or 57.
Purpose of Writing: The apostle Paul founded the church in Corinth. A few years after leaving the church, the apostle Paul heard some disturbing reports about the Corinthian church. They were full of pride and were excusing sexual immorality. Spiritual gifts were being used improperly, and there was rampant misunderstanding of key Christian doctrines. The apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians in an attempt to restore the Corinthian church to its foundation-Jesus Christ.
Key Verses:
● 1 Cor. 3:3: "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?"
● 1 Cor. 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 honor God with your body."
● 1 Cor. 10:31: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
● 1 Cor. 12:7: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
● 1 Cor. 13:4-7: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
● 1 Cor. 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."
Brief Summary: The Corinthian church was plagued by divisions. The believers in Corinth were dividing into groups loyal to certain spiritual leaders (1 Cor. 1:12; 3:1-6). Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers to be united because of devotion to Christ (1 Cor. 3:21-23). Many in the church were essentially approving of immoral relationships (1 Cor. 5:1-2). Paul commanded them to expel a certain wicked man from the church (1 Cor. 5:13). Because the Corinthian believers were taking each other to court (1 Cor. 6:1-2), Paul taught them that it would be better to be taken advantage of than to damage their Christian testimony (1 Cor. 6:3-8).
Paul gave the Corinthian church instructions on marriage and celibacy (chapter 7), food sacrificed to idols (chapters 8 and 10), Christian freedom (chapter 9), the veiling of women (1 Cor. 11:1-16), the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:17-34), spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14), and the resurrection (chapter 15). Paul organized the book of 1 Corinthians by answering questions the Corinthian believers had asked him and by responding to improper conduct and erroneous beliefs they had accepted.
Practical Application: Many of the problems and questions the Corinthian church was dealing with are still present in the church today. Churches today still struggle with divisions, with immorality, and with the use of spiritual gifts. The Book of 1 Corinthians very well could have been written to the church today and we would do well to heed Paul's warnings and apply them to ourselves. Despite all the rebukes and corrections, 1 Corinthians brings our focus back to where it should be-on Christ. Genuine Christian love is the answer to many problems (chapter 13). A proper understanding of the resurrection of Christ, as revealed in chapter 15, and thereby a proper understanding of our own resurrection, is the cure for what divides and often defeats us.
