The First Epistle to the Corinthians was written to the church at Corinth near the centre of the Roman Province of Achaia. It was an important city of Greece. This was a city where Paul had founded the Church of Corinth (Acts 18:1-17) ca 52 CE or earlier. He was three years at Ephesus and this letter was considered to have been written ca 55 CE at the end of his three years at Ephesus (see below).

On his second journey to take people the gospel Paul arrived in Corinth from Athens. He had only very little success in Athens and he did not stay there for very long. But he stayed in Corinth for 18 months. He spent longer there than in any other city apart from Ephesus. He stayed with Aquila and Priscilla, who were tent makers like himself. He preached first in the synagogue there. When the Jews opposed him, he used the home of Titius Justus, who lived next door to the synagogue. Paul was successful and Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, became a Christian. When a new Roman official arrived, the Jews took Paul to him ca 51 CE. Paul later went to Syria.

His writing shows a sound knowledge of the life of the church there. He was concerned, from the issue of both letters, over the conduct of the church.

Paul wrote the letter (1:1-2; 16:21) from Ephesus (16:8, Acts 19:1-40). It is located across the Aegean Sea from Corinth. It was probably dated some two or three years before Romans (cf. 16:1 cf. 2Cor. 9:1-2 re Contribution for the Saints (see Introduction to Commentary on Romans)). His authorship was attested by Clement of Rome as early as 96 CE. The letter was written c. 55 toward the close of Paul’s three-year residency in Ephesus (see 16:5-9; Acts 20-31). It is clear from his reference to staying at Ephesus until Pentecost (16:8) that he intended to remain there less than a year when he wrote 1Corinthians.

The epistle concerns doctrinal problems in the church and the ethical problems that flowed from those matters. In dealing with those issues we are able to determine lasting guidance on our conduct and love as a church (chapter 13) and our expectation of the coming Kingdom of God and the Resurrection (ch. 15).

Corinth was located in a narrow Isthmus. It was an important trading centre and hence a good place for the gospel to disseminate. It had two harbours. The harbour on the east coast was 4 miles (6 km) from the harbour on the west coast. Today a canal joins the two harbours.

It was a major centre of land and sea trade. It had a high, strong citadel at its back, and lay between the Saronic Gulf and the Ionian Sea, with ports at Lechaion and Cenchrea. A stone road (diolkos), used for the overland transport of ships, linked the two seas. Crowning the Acrocorinth was the temple of Aphrodite, served, according to Strabo, by more than 1,000 pagan priestess-prostitutes. To live ‘like a Corinthian’ meant to live a profligate lifestyle. The temple prostitutes served until they were mature and then married. To preserve their anonymity they wore veils or hijabs after their “retirement” and marriage. The church women refused to wear them as they were not prostitutes in their youth. The family of the Arabian prophet refused to wear them in the Seventh Century (cf. Q001C).

“Corinth contained at least 12 temples. Whether they were all in use during Paul’s time is not known for certain. One of the most infamous was the temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, whose worshipers practiced religious prostitution. About a fourth of a mile north of the theater stood the temple of Asclepius, the god of healing, and in the middle of the city the sixth-century b.c. temple of Apollo was located. In addition, the Jews had established a synagogue; the inscribed lintel of it has been found and placed in the museum at old Corinth... Like any large commercial city, Corinth was a center for open and unbridled immorality. The worship of Aphrodite fostered prostitution in the name of religion.” (cf. Biblica.com below). That was so all over the Middle East under Baal worship and the Greek systems.

Corinth had a proud history of leadership in the Achaian League, and a spirit of revived Hellenism under Roman domination after 44 BCE, following the destruction of the city by Mummius in 146 BCE.

It was a Roman Colony in which there were many nations including Greeks, Jews, and various people from Asia.

The area around Corinth was also the home of the Isthmian Games They were only second in importance to the Olympic Games.

“Paul’s lengthy stay in Corinth brought him directly in contact with the major monuments of the agora, many of which still survive. The fountain-house of the spring Peirene, the temple of Apollo, the macellum or meat market (1Co 10:25) and the theater, the bema (Ac 18:12), and the unimpressive synagogue all played a part in the experience of the apostle. An inscription from the theater names the city official Erastus, probably the friend of Paul mentioned in Ro 16:23 (see note there).

Occasion and Purpose

Paul had received information from several sources concerning the conditions existing in the church at Corinth. Some members of the household of Chloe had informed him of the factions that had developed in the church (1:11). There were three individuals—Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus—who had come to Paul in Ephesus to make some contribution to his ministry (16:17), but whether these were the ones from Chloe’s household we do not know.

Some of those who had come had brought disturbing information concerning moral irregularities in the church (chs. 5–6). Immorality had plagued the Corinthian assembly almost from the beginning. From 5:9–10 it is apparent that Paul had written previously concerning moral laxness. He had urged believers “not to associate with sexually immoral people” (5:9). Because of misunderstanding he now finds it necessary to clarify his instruction (5:10–11) and to urge immediate and drastic action (5:3–5,13).

Other Corinthian visitors had brought a letter from the church that requested counsel on several subjects (see 7:1 and note; cf. 8:1; 12:1; 16:1).

It is clear that, although the church was gifted (see 1:4–7), it was immature and unspiritual (3:1–4). Paul’s purposes for writing were: (1) to instruct and restore the church in its areas of weakness, correcting erroneous practices such as divisions (1:10—4:21), immorality (ch. 5; 6:12–20), litigation in pagan courts (6:1–8) and abuse of the Lord’s Supper (11:17–34); (2) to correct false teaching concerning the resurrection (ch. 15); and (3) to answer questions addressed to Paul in the letter that had been brought to him (see previous paragraph).

https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-1-corinthians/

Re: The ‘previous’ letter. Paul said, ‘I wrote you a letter. In that letter, I told you to have nothing to do with men with bad character’ (1Corinthians 5:9). This letter is considered to have been either lost or a fragment of it may now be found in 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 (cf. Oxford RSV fn).

Paul mentions a second ‘painful’ visit. Paul heard that problems in Corinth were worse. So he made a second visit. There is no record of this visit. But Paul writes about when he visited Corinth for the ‘third’ time (2Corinthians 12:14; 13:1-2). So there must have been a second visit.

Re: the ‘severe’ letter. Paul’s visit was not successful. So he wrote a letter when he was feeling very hurt (2 Corinthians 2:4). He was almost sorry that he had sent it. Some writers believe that chapters 10-13 in 2 Corinthians are comprised from the ‘severe’ letter.

The letter shows that the Christians at Corinth and Paul were friends again. Paul was so worried about his ‘severe’ letter that he went to meet Titus. Titus had taken the severe letter to Corinth. Paul met Titus in Macedonia and learned that all was well. So, he wrote chapters 1-9 in 2Corinthians. It is considered possible by some academics that someone put the severe letter and the next letter together in the wrong order. We will discuss this in the Commentary on 2Corinthians (F047).

The letter deals with problems in Christian conduct in the church. It concerns progressive sanctification and the continuing development of a holy character. The purpose of the Chapters is examined below. This letter is considered to be timely for the church today. Christians were influenced by their cultural environment. Much of the pagan doctrines that were extant then pressing on the church found their way into and became causes of division in the church and are extent even today. By the Fourth Century the priests of Attis in Rome were complaining that the Christians had stolen all their doctrines, which was indeed true (cf. re Attis, Frazer, The Golden Bough Pt. IV, vols I and II).

These problems like immaturity, instability, divisions, jealousy and envy, lawsuits, marital difficulties, sexual immorality and misuse of spiritual gifts still exist.

Book Overview - 1 Corinthians

by E.W. Bullinger

THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9 INTRODUCTION
1 Corinthians 1:10 - 1 Corinthians 4:16 MINISTERIAL. REPROOF AND EXPLANATIONS.
1 Corinthians 4:17 MISSION OF TIMOTHY.
1 Corinthians 4:18-21 VISIT OF PAUL.
1 Corinthians 5:16-20 THINGS HEARD BY PAUL.
1 Corinthians 7:18-13 THINGS WRITTEN TO PAUL.
1 Corinthians 9:11 - 1 Corinthians 15:58 MINISTERIAL. REPROOF AND EXPLANATIONS.
1 Corinthians 16:1-9 VISIT OF PAUL.
1 Corinthians 16:10-18 MISSION OF TIMOTHY.
1 Corinthians 16:19-24 CONCLUSION.

NOTES ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

An account of Paul"s labours in Corinth is given in Acts 18:1 Acts 18:18. Some time after this Apollos, commended by the brethren at Ephesus, came to Corinth and produced a powerful impression by his eloquent presentation of the gospel (vv . Acts 18:27-28).

Two parties soon began to show themselves; one adhering to Paul and his simple preaching, the other to Apollos; to these was added a third, evidently the outcome of the visit of some Judaizers who claimed the authority of Peter, while a fourth, repudiating the other three, claimed that they only were the true followers of Christ. This was but one of the difficulties the apostle had to deal within the infant church he had founded. Already he had written to them of the dangers due to their corrupt surroundings in such a city (1 Corinthians 5:9). He had moreover received a letter from them, asking advice on certain questions, but making no reference to their divisions. Of these he was informed by visitors to Ephesus (1 Corinthians 1:11; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 1 Corinthians 15:12), who brought word also of the profanation of the Lord""s Supper, of the toleration of the incestuous offender, and of the scepticism as to the resurrection. Paul had thus many matters to deal with. He begins by referring to their divisions, and vindicates his own ministry, appealing to them as his beloved sons. He then refers to the notorious offender of whom even the Gentiles would be ashamed, and whom he charges them to tolerate no longer, but to cut off from their assembly. He blames their litigious spirit, and charges them to settle their differences without the scandal of appealing to heathen courts.

Next he takes up the question of marriage, which was one of the subjects of their letter, and the eating of food offered to idols, which was another, and again makes a defense of his apostolic authority. The rest of the Epistle deals with errors which affected the life of the assembly, the behaviour of women and their leaving the head un covered, the disorder at the Lord"s Supper, then spiritual gifts (especially speaking with tongues), and the scepticism as to the resurrection which evoked the noble fifteenth chapter.

In Paul’s day Corinth was the chief city of the Roman province of Achaia. Situated on the Isthmus of the same name, and having a harbour on each side, it was notable for its commerce. And no less was it noted for the wealth and profligacy of its citizens. The great city has now become a mean village.

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Intent of the Chapters

Chapter 1

Paul gives thanks for the faith of the church at Corinth and the fact that the testimony to Christ was confirmed among them. Christ was explained to hold them guiltless until the days of the Lord. God is faithful, by whom we are called and given to the fellowship of the body of His Son Christ. What follows then from verse 10-17 is an appeal to unity.

Church Unity

The biblical position on unity in the church is very clear among the apostles. Paul is no different.

1Corinthians 1:10-17

Paul here is discussing the rise of personality cults which has been a factor of the church and its communities since the beginning. We see here that the Corinthians were putting importance on the person who baptised or ordained them, thus taking the focus away from their new spiritual status and showing partiality towards the one who baptised them. The gift is from God, not the person who baptised them. Modern Churches of God have fallen into this trap, particularly at the Last Days, and follow the command of an individual and that individual’s interpretation. Such views affected the Churches of God from the rise of the Radio Church of God and destroyed the theology of the Adventists.

Paul says in verse 10 that we all speak the same thing and let there be no contentions among you. This refers back to the law.

Those who would cause a schism in the church are held accountable for the schism. Unity of the body is a critical aspect of the faith. People who split the body on administrative grounds are held accountable for that fact. False prophecy is an indicator of whom God is dealing with in the body. It is true that there are many administrations but one Lord as Paul taught.

Understanding of the body is revealed through its officers and achieved through collective operation in the Spirit.

1Corinthians, right up to chapter 4, deals with the unity of the faith within a unity of doctrine. There is only one truth. Paul condemns idolatry from Romans 1:22-25.

²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. ²⁴Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Paul and the Law (N0. 271) (pp. 6-7)

Paul then continues from verses 18ff to speak of the word of the stauros or stake being folly to those who are perishing. However, for those who are being saved it is the Power of God. He speaks of God destroying the wisdom of the wise and thwarting the cleverness of the clever. This is a direct attack on the Greek philosophers who argue against a vicarious sacrifice, in that if Christ were not true God then how could his sacrifice reconcile man to God. This comes from a deficiency in the Greek language and their thought process. They had no word for the Love of God. They only understood filial and erotic love. The word Agape came from the translation of the LXX in the Song of Songs where the word Ahabah had to be transliterated into Agape but that was not widely known among the Greeks. They also failed to comprehend the Power and Plan of God. From verses 20-25 Paul speaks of this wisdom and says that Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom but we preach Christ staurooed or sacrificed. The word “crucified” does not appear in the Greek texts. It was the god Attis that was displayed or paraded on the sun cross and especially in Rome.

From verses 26-31 Paul urges the church to consider their calling and how that God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong. God chose the low and despised, things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no human could boast in the presence of God. God is the source of our life in Christ Jesus who is to be the source of our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Let us therefore boast in the Lord.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 speaks of the Wisdom of God conveyed through the Holy Spirit. God will pour out the Holy Spirit and, in these last days, the mysteries will be expounded so that all of the Host of heaven understand the manifold wisdom of God.

1Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (RSV)

These angels long to look into the wisdom of God as we understand the Plan of Salvation (1Cor. 2:1-7), and that our faith did not rest in the wisdom of men. The wisdom of the church was a secret and hidden wisdom from the faith which rests in the Power of God (vv. 5-7).

Thus we are glorified, having been chosen, called, justified and thence glorified (Rom. 8:29-30). The extent of the mysteries to be revealed in the last days will demonstrate the wisdom of God to both the heavenly and human hosts. The Mysteries of God (No.131) (page 8)

None of the Rulers of this age understood this fact or they would not have killed the Lord of Glory (v. 8). No one can really comprehend what God has prepared for those who love Him (v. 9). God has revealed it to us through the Spirit, which searches everything, even the depths of God (v. 10). It is only the Holy Spirit that enables that knowledge (v. 11). It is through that Spirit that we understand the gifts God has bestowed on us (v. 12). It is through the Holy Spirit that God becomes all in all as we saw from Ephesians and that the same message of God acting within us through the power of the Spirit. It is in this way that we became Consubstantial with the Father (No. 081) as we saw in Ephesians (1:23) and below in 1Cor. 12:6; and 15:28 which is the purpose of the creation and the resurrections.

Chapter 3

Paul commences this chapter dealing with the spiritual immaturity of the Church there as babes in Christ and why they had to be fed with milk and not meat and even when he was writing they were not ready for they were still of the flesh and acting in divisions or factions (v. 4). He then says that they are simply men through whom they believed as the Lord assigned to each (v. 5). He uses the analogy that he planted, Apollos watered, but it was God that gave the growth (v. 6). Neither mattered, but only God who gave the growth (v. 7). The Labourers are all equal and each shall receive his wages according to his labour. They are all fellow workers and the brethren are God’s Field and God’s Building as the Temple of God (No. 282D) (vv. 8-9, 16 below).

In verse 11 he says that each must take care as to how he builds and each has no other foundation than that which is laid by Jesus Christ. Whatever the material used each person’s work is measured and tested by fire to determine what sort of work they have done (vv. 12-13). If their work built on the foundation survives they will receive a reward. Those whose work is burned up will lose their work. They themselves will be saved but only as through fire (14-15).

Paul tells them they are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in them (v. 16). This was the Plan of Salvation (No. 001A) from the beginning (cf. 282D)). If anyone destroys God’s Temple God will destroy them. For God’s Temple is Holy and the elect are that Temple (v. 17). The wisdom of the world is folly to God who catches the wise in their craftiness (18-19). The thoughts of the wise are futile to God (v. 20). So let no one boast of men. For all things are the elects, both the apostles and ministry; the world, life or death and the present or the future. All are theirs and they are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.

Paul says that the law is holy and righteous and he kept the law (271). The law is what defines sin. Christ has saved us from the penalty of death by his sacrifice. We are now under the spirit of the law through the Holy Spirit. Our minds have been renewed through the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 3:16; also 1Cor. 3:1-2). We are the Temple of God and God dwells in us.

Chapter 4

The chapter goes on into the fact that the elect are servants of Christ and stewards of the Mysteries of God (v. 1) (cf The Mysteries of God (No. 131) (pp. 2-3)). The Mysteries of God are divided into what shall be termed phases of revelation. The first phase is comprised of basic doctrines concerning the Godhead, the relationships of Christian living, and the elements of prophecy that affect our understanding of the Plan of Salvation.

The Holy Spirit gives understanding of the mysteries to the elect and makes them stewards of the Mysteries of God (1Cor. 4:1-5). Titus 1:7 shows the elders (the presbuterous or the episkopon) are stewards of God.

Titus 1:7For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (KJV)

The injunction against being self-pleasing (authade) and not being passionate (orgilon) or given to wine, striking or greedy of base gain (aischrokerde) shows an attitude in the people to whom and through whom the mysteries are revealed. The translation of the term huperatas meaning attendant, or servant, as minister of Christ in the KJV has obscured, or unnecessarily restricted, the application of the stewardship of the Mysteries of God to a priesthood which is not the meaning. The elect are all given access to the understanding of the mysteries dependent upon their relationship to God in the Holy Spirit. It is however, quite inappropriate to be indiscriminate in the explanation of those mysteries.

The mysteries are given to those who are dedicated to God in Jesus Christ. None is blameless before baptism. That is not the meaning of Titus 1:7. The attitude for the revelation of the Mysteries of God is one of selfless devotion to duty. The Holy Spirit works with us before baptism and in us from baptism (see paper Repentance and Baptism (No. 052)). It is quite impermissible to be baptised and then not be committed to the work of God in Jesus Christ. The sequence is established as being introduced to the mysteries, trained in the word, and then being prepared to teach the word. That is what Paul meant when he spoke of milk and meat (1Corinthians 3:1-23 above). This text in 1Corinthians 3 was the prelude to the sentiments expressed in chapter 4. The work of the Twentieth century Church of God is exactly what Paul spoke against; each claiming to be followers of men. That is why the works were exposed to the fire of false testimony and destroyed in their own weakness. The trials that we endure are to test our faith and our foundation for we are the temple of God.

1Peter 2:1-5 So put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander. ²Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; ³for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. ⁴Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; ⁵and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (RSV)

The attitude that is required puts away all malice, guile, envy and slander. We are required to work together. We are to be as newborn babes taking of the pure spiritual milk so that we may grow up to salvation. Christ was the first living stone chosen by God and to which we are added one by one to build the house of God. Upon each living stone that we are, others are added. Thus we must be true and firm for the edifice to stand intact. The living stones are also given a living oracle (Acts 7:38) which is the Scriptures, and a living hope (1Pet. 1:3) which is the faith (see paper The Oracles of God (No. 184)).

Paul speaks of judging one another and says that it will be Christ who judges us when he comes. The reality is that when he comes we will have been judged and our position determined either in or out of the ex-anastasin of the First Resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:11). Our commendation will then be from God. In verse 6 he states that he applied these lessons to himself and Apollos for their benefit in not going beyond what is written and being puffed up in favour of one another. Who sees anything different in them that they did not receive? Why then boast as if it were not a gift? (v. 7). Paul says that they are already filled and rich. He says without us you would have become kings. And he wishes they did reign so the apostles could share the rule with them (v. 8).

He thinks that God has exhibited the apostles as last of all, as men sentenced to death, because they have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men (v. 9). He is aware that he will die as was Peter and Andrew and many others (cf. 122B). He seems to confuse the role and power of the church saying that they are fools for Christ’s sake but the elect are wise in Christ. The apostles are weak but the elect are strong. They are held in honour and the apostles in disrepute (v. 10). However he had, a chapter or so above, just castigated them for being unaware and needing to be fed milk and not meat. Had an irony symbol been inserted it would be more clear. He then proceeds to inform them of how badly off the apostles are. He says they hunger and thirst, are ill clad and buffeted and homeless. They work with their own hands for their sustenance. He says that when reviled they bless, when persecuted they endure, when slandered they try to conciliate. They are treated like the refuse of the world. The fact is that the brethren would suffer for two millennia like that until the very end.

In verse 14 he says he does not write this to make them ashamed but to admonish them as children. For, although they have countless guides in Christ, they do not have many fathers. He then says that he became their father in Christ Jesus through the gospel (v. 15). He then urges them to be imitators of him and for that purpose he sent Timothy to inform them of his ways in Christ as he teaches them everywhere in all churches (vv. 16-17). He then says that some are arrogant as though Paul was not coming to them soon. He says that he will come soon and find out not the talk of these people but their power (vv. 18-19). For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power (v. 20). He then offers them the choice of a rod or with love in a spirit of gentleness (v. 21).

He then goes on to deal with the issue of immorality in the church at Corinth.

Chapter 5

In the first five verses we deal with a sin reported to Paul (possibly by Chloe’s people 1:11) and its removal from the individual and the church. The first five verses deal with the matter of a man living with his father’s wife (stepmother) which is a sin not even found among the gentiles. Both Roman and Jewish law prohibited a marriage between a man and his stepmother (Lev. 18:7-8). Paul’s judgment was that they were to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus. In other words he was to be removed from the Church and the protection of the Holy Spirit (No. 117) so that he may be brought to repentance through the destruction of the flesh under Satan outside of the protection of God among those in the faith. He would then hopefully repent and be restored to the faith for salvation in the First Resurrection (143A), or at least the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment (No. 143B). Paul was shocked as much by the sin as he was by the complacency of the congregation in tolerating the sin among them.

The restoration to the faith required repentance and then the forgiveness of sin through the Lord’s Supper as the annual rebaptism of the Footwashing and the bread and the wine of the Body and Blood of the Messiah (cf. The Sacraments of the Church (No. 150), pp. 7-8). Thus the entire process of sacrifice foreshadowed Christ and the Church that are the elect as the naos or the Holy of Holies in the Temple of God (1Cor. 3:16). The symbolism of sin being eliminated at the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread is dealt with by Paul at 1Corinthians 5:6-8. Paul was using the Corinthian as an example of the sin that had to be cleansed out of the Church. This process was a build-up to the Passover. It began with the taking of the Lord’s Supper. Paul criticised their behaviour at the Passover. They were getting drunk and holding parties. He told them they were not to eat and drink while taking the Lord’s Supper. It is a solemn assembly. However, the whole festival is one of joy and happiness. We are to eat outside the room where we take the Lord’s Supper. “To live like a Corinthian” was a saying of the time, meaning that person was a “high liver”.

As we see above there were 1,000 temple prostitutes at the temple of Artemis in Corinth alone, and the structure was such that they had to get rid of all the sin out of their lives during the build-up to the Passover. So the concept of eliminating sin and communion was a function of the Passover within the Plan of God. It was a function of Unleavened Bread and then Pentecost and it could not be relegated to the week or the Shewbread because the entire significance of it was then lost. The sacrifices looked towards Christ and away from the early sacrifices of which the Shewbread was part.

Sin is thereby removed in the period up to the Lord’s Supper. The Passover and Unleavened Bread are made possible by the sacrifice of Christ as the Passover offering when he was crucified. The Passover night (or Night To Be Much Remembered) looks back to liberation from slavery to sin and forward to the captivity of Messiah (see the paper The Night to be Much Remembered (No. 101)). Unleavened Bread pictures the sinless state awaiting the Holy Spirit. The Wave Sheaf Offering (see the paper The Wave Sheaf Offering (No. 106b)) commemorates the ascension and acceptance of Christ by God. Pentecost, counted fifty days from the Wave Sheaf Offering (see the paper Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115)), then represents the first harvest of the elect. The purification of the elect goes through the process of putting aside sin. This is pictured by the concept of the leaven of malice and wickedness (1Cor. 5:6-8) (cf. The Old and the New Leaven (No. 106a) pp. 4-5)

Paul was saying a number of things here. The first was that Christ was the Paschal Lamb, the sacrifice of the Passover, laid before the High Priest and of which there was only one, according to the Mishnah. Schürer comments on this in The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (Vol. 1, p. 522). The second point is that leaven is not sin but rather that there are different types of leaven. The leaven which we formerly had was the leaven of malice and evil. The Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrates the fact that we were saved by Christ to an unleavened state of sincerity and truth. We have to keep this festival with that in mind.

Thirdly, we were not yet in receipt of the Holy Spirit which was granted at Pentecost. This Spirit was the new leaven of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 13:33 The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.

The measures are the sequence from God to Christ to the elect. Thus the woman is the Church, the leaven is the Holy Spirit and the three measures are the levels of the relationship within the family of God. All of it would become leavened. God would become all in all (Eph. 4:6). The symbolism of the two loaves at Pentecost, which are leavened, has direct relationship to this aspect (see the paper Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115)).

The concept we must deal with is that of having to rid ourselves of the old leaven over the Feast. We are required to put away malice and wickedness and proceed to the development of holy righteous character in the Spirit. This is to be pictured in the build-up to Pentecost, which symbolises our harvest as the general first-fruits after Christ. This harvest is before the general harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths because it is ongoing over the two-thousand-year period. Our judgment is now.

Fornication

ALL of the faith are to abstain from ALL forms of fornication (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25 1Corinthians 5:1-13). Fornication with our father’s wife or our step-mother is not simply fornication, it is incestuous fornication. The punishment for fornication and especially in this instance was removal from the Church until repentance. This was so that the life of the fornicator might be saved at the last days, as we see from verse 5 above.

Those in the Church not in the spirit are under the authority of the god of this world and are consigned to the Second Resurrection. In the Church, failure to repent of sin means removal from the First Resurrection and delivery to the Second Resurrection. The sooner this is done and the clearer it is made to the perpetrator the better chance there is of repentance, either now or following instruction in the Second Resurrection.

God will judge whoremongers and the adulterous.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (KJV)

The Law of God in the Church is placed on a higher level among the elect than the law was for the nation (cf. Mat 5:27-32). (cf. Law and the Seventh Commandment (No. 260) pp. 8-9).

Chapter 5:9-13 requires the church to cleanse itself of all sinners guilty of immorality (7^th) or greed (10^th), or who is an idolater (1^st, 2^ndand3^rd), reviler (6^thand 9^th), drunkard (3^rd and 10^th), or robber (8^th), not even to eat with such a one. Thus all who break the Ten Commandments of God under the Law of God (L1) are removed from the Body of Christ until they repent.

1Corinthians (RSV)

Chapter 1

¹Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sos'thenes, ²To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge-- ⁶even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you-- ⁷so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; ⁸who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹⁰I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. ¹¹For it has been reported to me by Chlo'e's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. ¹²What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apol'los," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." ¹³Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Ga'ius; ¹⁵lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶(I did baptize also the household of Steph'anas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. ¹⁸For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." ²⁰Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. ²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; ²⁷but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; ³¹therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."

Chapter 2

¹When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. ²For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; ⁴and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. ⁶Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. ⁷But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him," ¹⁰God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. ¹³And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit. ¹⁴The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ¹⁶"For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 3

¹But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. ²I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, ³for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men? ⁴For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apol'los," are you not merely men? ⁵What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶I planted, Apol'los watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor. ⁹For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- ¹³each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. ¹⁶Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are. ¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," ²⁰and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." ²¹So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, ²²whether Paul or Apol'los or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; ²³and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

Chapter 4

¹This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ²Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. ³But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. ⁴I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God. ⁶I have applied all this to myself and Apol'los for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. ⁷For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? ⁸Already you are filled! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! ⁹For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. ¹¹To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, ¹²and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; ¹³when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things. ¹⁴ Ido not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁵For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶I urge you, then, be imitators of me. ¹⁷Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. ¹⁸Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. ²⁰For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. ²¹What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Chapter 5

¹It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father's wife. ²And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. ³For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment ⁴in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ⁶Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ⁹I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; ¹⁰not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber--not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? ¹³God judges those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among you."

Bullinger’s Notes on 1Corinthians Chs. 1-5 (for KJV)

Chapter 1

Verse 1

called, &c. Literally a called apostle. See Romans 1:1.

called. Greek. kletos. See Romans 1:1. No ellipsis of "to be", nor in 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

will. App-102.

God. App-98.

Sosthenes. If he is the same as in Acts 18:17, he had followed in the steps of Paul (Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:23).

Verse 2

church of God. This expression occurs in 1 Corinthians 10:32; 1 Corinthians 11:22; 1 Corinthians 15:9. Acts 20:28. 2 Corinthians 1:1. Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:13. 1 Timothy 3:5, 1 Timothy 3:15; and in the plural in 1 Corinthians 11:16. 1 Thessalonians 2:14. 2 Thessalonians 1:4.

church App-186.

at = in. App-104.

them that are sanctified. Greek. hagiazo. See John 17:17, John 17:19.

Christ Jesus. App-98.

saints. Greek. hagios. See Acts 9:13.

call upon. Greek. epikaleo. See Acts 2:21. Same as "appeal to" (Acts 25:11, &c).

the name. See Acts 2:38 and Compare 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Lord. App-98.

Verse 3

Grace. App-184. See Romans 1:7.

peace. This has no reference to their divisions, as the same salutation is given in all Paul"s epistles except those to Timothy and Titus.

Lord. App-98.

Verse 4

thank, &c. Greek. eucharisteo. See Acts 27:35.

on your behalf = concerning (App-104.) you.

Verse 5

are = were.

enriched. Greek. ploutizo. Only here and 2 Corinthians 6:10; 2 Corinthians 9:11.

knowledge. App-132. Compare 2 Corinthians 8:7; 2 Corinthians 11:6.

Verse 6

testimony. Greek. marturion. Always rendered "testimony", save Matthew 24:14. Acts 4:33; Acts 7:44. James 5:3. In these "witness".

confirmed. Greek. bebaioo. See Romans 15:8.

Verse 7

come behind = are not (App-105) lacking (Greek. hustereo). See Romans 3:23.

no. Greek. mideis. A double negative.

waiting for = eagerly expecting. Greek. apekdechomai. See Romans 8:19.

coming = revelation. App-106. There are two other words used with reference to the Lord"s coming, parousia (see Matthew 24:3), and epiphaneia (see 2 Thessalonians 2:8). Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:7. 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 1:13.

Verse 8

unto = until. Greek. heos. Compare Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:6.

end. Greek. telos. See Matthew 10:22.

blameless. Greek. anengkletos. Here, Colossians 1:22. 1 Timothy 3:10. Titus 1:6, Titus 1:7.

Verse 9

faithful. App-150. Compare 1 Corinthians 10:13. 2 Corinthians 1:18. 1 Thessalonians 5:24. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

fellowship. Greek. koinonia. Compare 2 Corinthians 13:14. 1 John 1:3.

Son. App-108. The title "Lord" is added to "Jesus Christ" six times in the first ten verses of this chapter.

Verse 10

beseech = exhort. App-134.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

divisions. Greek. schisma. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 11:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25. Matthew 9:16 (rent). Mark 2:21 (rent). John 7:43; John 9:16; John 10:19. Hence Engl. "schism".

perfectly joined together = -fitted, or perfected. Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6. See App-125.

judgment = opinion. App-177.

Verse 11

declared = shown. Greek. deloo = to make manifest. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 3:13. Colossians 1:8. Hebrews 9:8; Hebrews 12:27. 1 Peter 1:11. In these three last, signify. 2 Peter 1:14 (show).

contentions = strifes. Greek. eris. See Romans 1:29.

Verse 12

this I say = I mean this.

every, &c. i.e. each one is attached to some party.

Apollos. See Acts 18:24.

Cephas. See John 1:42.

Verse 13

Is Christ divided? The omission of me, with the question, implies that the answer must be affirmative. "He is indeed. "Compare 1 Corinthians 12:12-25. You are rending Him.

was Paul, &c. ? The me here requires a negative answer.

Verse 14

baptized. App-115.

Crispus. See Acts 18:8.

Gaius. See Acts 19:2. Romans 16:23.

Verse 15

Lest. Literally in order that (Greek. hina, as in 1 Corinthians 1:10) not (Greek. me).

any. Greek. tis. App-123.

had. Omit.

Verse 16

also, &c. = the household of Stephanas also.

Stephanas. Compare 1 Corinthians 16:15, 1 Corinthians 16:17.

besides = for the rest. Greek. loipon. Neut. of loipos. App-124.

Verse 17

sent. App-174.

preach the gospel = evangelize. App-121.

words. App-121. This means either "eloquent language", or "clever reasoning". Perhaps both ideas were in the apostle"s mind.

made of none effect. Greek. kenoo. See Romans 4:14.

Verse 18

preaching = word, or message. Greek. logos, as in 1 Corinthians 1:17.

them that perish = those that are perishing. Greek. apollumi. Compare 2 Corinthians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 4:3. 2 Thessalonians 2:10. See John 17:12.

foolishness. Greek. moria. Only in this Epistle, verses: 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:19.

us which are, &c. = those who are being saved, (even) us. This is the order in the Greek. Salvation has more than one aspect. See Romans 13:11. Philippians 1:2, Philippians 1:12. 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 4:18. 1 Peter 1:5.

power. App-172. Compare Romans 1:16.

Verse 19

is = has been. The reference is to Isaiah 29:14. App-107.

destroy. Greek. apollumi, as in 1 Corinthians 1:18.

bring to nothing = annul. Greek. atheteo. See John 12:48.

understanding. Greek. sunesis. First occurance: Mark 12:33.

prurient. Greek. sunetos. Adjective akin to the above. See Acts 13:7. This quotation agrees with the Septuagint, except that it reads "hide" (krupto) instead of "bring to nought". In the Hebrew the form of the sentence is different. (See Authorized Version)

Verse 20

disputer. Greek. suzetetees. Only here. Compare Acts 15:2.

world = age. App-129. It was an age of speculation. Acts 17:21.

made foolish. Greek. moraino. See Romans 1:22.

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129. The wisdom of the world is human wisdom generally.

Verse 21

it pleased God = God was well pleased. Greek. eudokeo. Occurs twenty-one times. Generally translated "pleased", "well pleased", "take pleasure".

preaching = the thing proclaimed. App-121.

Verse 22

the. Omit.

sign. App-176. The texts read "signs".

Verse 23

crucified. That is, a crucified Messiah.

the. Omit.

stumblingblock. Greek. skandalon. Occurs fifteen times. Nine times translated "offence"; once "offend"; thrice "stumblingblock"; elsewhere "occasion to fall, or of stumbling". First occurance: Matthew 13:41. Instead of the signs of the kingdom promised by the prophets, the One who claimed to be their Messiah was crucified. This staggered them.

Greeks. The texts read "Gentiles" (ethnos).

Verse 25

foolishness. Literally foolish thing. Greek. moros

men. App-123.

weakness. Literally weak thing. Greek. asthenes.

Verse 26

ye. Omit.

calling. Greek. klesis. See Romans 11:29. Here it means the way ye were called, i.e. the kind of persons whom God sent to call you. Hence instead of "are called" as in Authorized Version and Revised Version, the ellipsis should be supplied thus: "not many are wise", &c. Apollos was an eloquent man, but as to Paul, his speech was regarded as contemptible. See 2 Corinthians 10:10, and compare Acts 17:18.

after = according to. App-104.

noble. Greek. eugenes. See Acts 17:11.

Verse 27

hath chosen = chose. Greek. eklegomai. See Acts 1:2.

to = in order to. Greek. hina. confound = put to shame. Greek. kataischuno. See Romans 5:5.

Verse 28

base. Greek. agenes. Literally without family, or descent. Only here. The opposite of eugenes, v. 26.

despised. Greek. exoutheneo. Literally counted as nothing. See Acts 4:11.

bring to nought. Greek. katargeo. See Romans 3:3.

Verse 29

glory = boast. Greek. kauchaomai. See Romans 2:17.

Verse 30

of = from. App-104. The Greek reads "became . . . wisdom from God".

is made = became. Greek. ginomai.

Greek. hagiasmos. See Romans 6:19.

and = even.

redemption. Greek. apolutrosis. See Romans 3:24 and compare Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 4:30.

Verse 31

is = has been. This is a summary of Jeremiah 9:23.

Lord. App-98. 1God.

Chapter 2

Verse 1

excellency = pre-eminence. Greek. huperoche. Only here and 1 Timothy 2:2.

speech = word. App-121.

declaring. App-121.

testimony. Greek. marturion, as in 1 Corinthians 1:6.

God. App-98.

Verse 2

determined. App-122.

save = except. Greek. ei (App-118) me (App-105).

Jesus Christ. App-98.

Him = This One. Emphatic.

Verse 3

trembling. Greek. tromos. Elsewhere, Mark 16:8 (literally trembling . . . seized them). 2 Corinthians 7:15. Ephesians 6:5. Philippians 1:2, Philippians 1:12. Fear is joined with trembling in all these passages save Mark 16:8. His sense of weakness (compare Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:13) produced fear, and this resulted in trembling. Compare 2 Corinthians 4:7.

Verse 4

preaching. Greek. kerugma, as in 1 Corinthians 1:21.

enticing = persuasive. Greek. peithos. Only here. Compare App-150.

words. Greek. logos, as in 1 Corinthians 2:1.

But the texts omit "man"s".

demonstration. Greek. apodeixis. Only here. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:9.

of the . . . power. Here spirit = spiritual gift, in this case Divine wisdom. By Figure of speech Hendiadys(App-6) = "the powerful gift".

Verse 6

Howbeit = But.

speak. App-121.

them, &c. = the perfect. Greek. teleios. App-125.

world = age. App-129.

princes = rulers.

come to nought = are being brought to nought. Greek. katargeo. See 1 Corinthians 1:28.

Verse 7

hidden. Same word as in Luke 10:21. Ephesians 3:9. Colossians 1:26.

ordained = preordained. Greek. proorizo. See Acts 4:28.

before. App-104. Compare Romans 16:25. Ephesians 1:4. 2 Timothy 1:9.

world = ages, as in 1 Corinthians 2:6.

Verse 8

none. Greek. oudeis.

had they = if (Greek. ei. App-118. a) they had.

the Lord. App-98.

of glory. Compare Acts 7:2. Ephesians 1:17. Colossians 1:27. Hebrews 1:3. James 2:1.

Verse 9

is = has been. The quotation is from Isaiah 64:4. App-107.

hath not seen = saw not. App-133.

nor ear heard = and ear heard not (Greek. ou).

neither have, &c. = and went not (Greek. ou) up.

hath. Omit.

Verse 10

hath revealed = revealed. App-106.

His. The texts read "the".

Spirit. App-101.

searcheth. Greek. ereunao. See John 5:39. Compare Psalms 139:1. Revelation 2:23.

Verse 12

have. Omit.

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.

spirit. App-101.

freely given. App-184.

Verse 13

which man"s, &c. = taught (Greek. didaktos. Only here and John 6:45) by man"s wisdom.

but . . . teacheth. Supply Ellipsis (App-6), "but in (things) taught by the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:10). The texts omit "Holy".

comparing = interpreting. Greek. sunkrino. App-122. Used in Septuagint of interpreting dreams. Genesis 40:8, Genesis 40:16, Genesis 40:22; Genesis 41:12, Genesis 41:13, Genesis 41:15. Daniel 5:16, Daniel 5:17.

To interpret = to fit the meaning to the words.

spiritual. i.e. spiritual (things) to spiritual (men). See 1 Corinthians 12:1.

with. No preposition. Dative case.

Verse 14

natural. Greek. psuchikos. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 15:44, 1 Corinthians 15:44, 1 Corinthians 15:46, and (translated "sensual") James 3:15. Jude 1:19. Compare psuche. App-110.

foolishness. See 1 Corinthians 1:18.

spiritually. Greek. pneumatikos. Only here and Revelation 11:8.

discerned. App-122.

Verse 15

judgeth = discerneth.

judged. As discerned, above.

Verse 16

LORD. App-98.

that he may = who shall.

instruct. Greek. sumbibazo. See Acts 9:22. Quoted from Isaiah 40:14.

Christ. App-98.

Chapter 3

Verse 1

spiritual. Greek. pneumatikos. See 1 Corinthians 12:1.

carnal. Greek. sarkikos, as in Romans 7:14, but the texts read sarkines. See 2 Corinthians 3:3.

Christ. App-98.

Verse 2

have fed you with = gave you . . . to drink (Greek. potizo).

hitherto, &c. = ye were not as yet able to bear it. Instead of supplying the ellipsis with "to bear it", we might read "not as yet strong enough".

neither. Greek. oute or oude.

Verse 3

carnal. Greek. sarkikos. See 1 Corinthians 3:1. Romans 7:14.

envying. Greek. zelos. See Acts 5:17.

strife. Greek. eris. See 1 Corinthians 1:11.

divisions. dichoatasia. See Romans 16:17. But the texts omit "and divisions".

Verse 4

while = whenever.

carnal. Greek. sarkikos, as in 1 Corinthians 3:3; but the texts read "men" (anthropoi).

Verse 5

ministers = servants. App-190.

believed. App-150.

the Lord. App-98.

gave. See Ephesians 4:11.

every man = each (one).

Verse 6

watered. Greek. potizo, as in 1 Corinthians 3:2. See Acts 18:27, Acts 19:1.

God. App-98.

gave the increase = was causing it to grow. Imperf. because God"s work was continuing, Paul"s or any other"s only temporary.

Verse 7

neither . . . neither. Greek. oute . . . oute.

any thing. Greek. neut. of tis. App-123. Compare 2 Corinthians 3:5. Galatians 1:2, Galatians 1:6; Galatians 6:3.

Verse 8

one = one thing. Both belong to the same company of servants, of whom God is the Master.

his own. Emph. Greek. idios.

according to. App-104.

Verse 9

we. i.e. Paul and Sosthenes. See 1 Corinthians 1:1.

labourers together with God = God"s fellow-workers. The word "God" is in the genitive of possession (App-17), as in the two other clauses of the verse. It is the Figure of speech Anaphora (App-6), and the verse should read: "God"s fellow-workers we are: God"s husbandry, God"s building, ye are. "Ministers are co-workers with one another, not with God, as though He were one of them. Were it so, "God" would be in the dative case.

labourers together with. Greek. sunergos. Occurs thirteen times. Three times as here, used generally; in all other cases used of individuals, Timothy, Titus, Luke, &c.

husbandry = tilled field. Greek. georgion. Only here. Compare Numbers 24:6. Psalms 80:15.

building. Greek. oikodome. Used in Matthew 24:1. Mark 13:1, Mark 13:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1. Ephesians 2:21, of an edifice. Elsewhere twelve times of the act of building, and translated "edifying", in a metaphorical sense.

Verse 10

masterbuilder. Greek. architekton. Only here.

have. The texts omit.

foundation. Compare App-146.

buildeth thereon. Greek. epoikodomeo. See Acts 20:32.

take heed = see. App-133.

Verse 12

any man = any one. Greek. tis. App-123.

upon. App-104.

hay. Greek. chortos. Translated twelve times "grass", twice "blade", Matthew 13:26. Mark 4:28. Only here rendered "hay". Note the Figure of speech Asyndeton (App-6).

stubble. Greek. kalame. Only here. All these six things are perishable (1 Peter 1:7).

Verse 13

the day. i.e. the day of the Lord. See Acts 2:20.

declare. Greek. deloo. See 1 Corinthians 1:11.

revealed. App-106.

try = test, or prove. Greek. dokimazo.

Verse 15

burned = burned up. Greek. katakaio. Compare Matthew 3:12. Luke 3:17. 2 Peter 3:10.

suffer loss. Greek. zemioo. Elsewhere, Matthew 16:26. Mark 8:36. Luke 9:25. 2 Corinthians 7:9. Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:8. He will Jose his reward. Compare 2 John 1:8.

Verse 16

Know ye not. This expression occurs twelve times in Paul"s epistles. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 6:3, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 6:15, 1 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 9:13, 1 Corinthians 9:24. Romans 6:16; Romans 11:2. One other occurance is in James 4:4. It conveys a delicate reproach.

Temple. Greek. naos. See Matthew 23:16. There is no art. because naos is the predicate.

Spirit. The Holy Spirit. App-101.

in = among. App-104. The Spirit dwells in the shrine formed by the collective body of believers. Compare Ephesians 2:22.

Verse 17

defile. Greek. phtheiro. Same word as "destroy" below. Occurs also in 1 Corinthians 15:33. 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 11:3. Ephesians 4:22. Jude 1:10. Revelation 19:2 (corrupt). The word "mar" will suit both clauses. The man who mars God"s Temple by introducing divisions, and the wisdom that is not from above (James 3:15), will himself be marred (1 Corinthians 3:15).

him = this one. Greek. houtos. Emphatic.

holy. Greek. hagios.

which = and such, i.e. holy, or separated. Omit "temple" in the last clause.

Verse 18

deceive. Greek. exapatao. See Romans 7:11.

world. App-129.

fool. Greek. moros, as in 1 Corinthians 1:25, 1 Corinthians 1:27.

Verse 19

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.

foolishness. Greek. moria. See 1 Corinthians 1:18.

taketh. Greek. drassomai. Only here. Found in the Septuagint, but not in Job 5:13, from which this is quoted.

craftiness. Greek. punourgia. See Luke 20:23. This is the only time Job is quoted in the NT.

Verse 20

The LORD. No art. App-98.

thoughts = reasonings.

vain. Greek. mataios. See Acts 14:15. Quoted from Psalms 94:11.

Verse 21

Therefore = So then.

glory = boast, as in 1 Corinthians 1:29.

Verse 22

life. Greek. zoe. App-170.

present. Greek. enistemi. See Romans 8:38.

Chapter 4

Verse 1

so. This emphasizes the "as" which follows.

account = reckon. Greek. logizomai.

Christ. App-98.

stewards. Greek. oikonomos. Occurs ten times. Always translated "steward", except Romans 16:23 and Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:2. See Luke 16:1.

mysteries. Greek. musterion. App-193. To Paul were committed various secrets. See 1 Corinthians 15:51. Romans 11:25. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. 1 Timothy 3:9, 1 Timothy 3:16.

God. App-98.

Verse 2

Moreover = For the rest. Same as "besides" (1 Corinthians 1:16).

required = sought.

Verse 3

judged = examined. App-122.

man"s judgment. Literally man"s day. The day in which man is examining, and "judging", and God is silent.

man"s. Greek. anthropinos, as in 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:13.

yea, &c. = I do not even (Greek. oude) judge.

Verse 4

know = am conscious of. Greek. sunoida. See Acts 5:2

nothing. Greek. oudeis.

by = against. No preposition.

hereby = in (Greek. en) this.

justified. App-191.

the Lord. App-98.

Verse 5

judge. App-122.

nothing = not (Greek. me. App-105) anything (Greek. tis).

time = season. t

he Lord. App-98.

bring to light. Greek. photizo. See Luke 11:36

make manifest. App-106.

counsels. Greek. boule. App-102.

shall every, &c. Literally praise shall be to each one.

Verse 6

I have in a figure transferred. Greek. metaschematizo. Elsewhere translated "transform", 2 Corinthians 11:13, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Corinthians 11:15; and "change", Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:21.

for your sakes = on account of (Greek. dia. App-104. 1 Corinthians 4:2) you.

no one . . . one. Literally ye be not (Greek. me) puffed up, one on behalf of (Greek. huper. App-104.) the one.

puffed up. Greek. phusioo. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 4:18-19; 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 13:4. Co 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Verse 7

maketh . . . to differ. App-122. Note the change from plural in 1 Corinthians 4:6 to the singular here.

glory = boast, as in 1 Corinthians 1:29.

as if thou hadst not = as not (Greek. me) having.

Verse 8

Now = Already. Notice the Figure of speech Amplificatio (App-6).

Greek. koremnumi. See Acts 27:38.

without = apart from. This is an instance of Irony (App-6).

would to God. Greek. ophelon, from opheilo, to owe. Used to express a wish; also in 2 Corinthians 11:1. Galatians 1:5, Galatians 1:12. Revelation 3:15.

reign with. Greek. sumbasileuo. Only here and 2 Timothy 2:12.

Verse 9

hath. Omit.

set forth. Greek. apodeiknumi. See Acts 2:22.

last. They were the successors of the prophets in this. Acts 7:52.

appointed to death. Greek. epithanatios. Only here.

spectacle. Greek. theatron. In Acts 19:29, Acts 19:31, it means the place. It was also used for the actors, and the spectators.

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.

and = both.

Verse 10

fools. Greek. moros, as in 1 Corinthians 1:25, 1 Corinthians 1:27.

honourable. Greek. endoxos. Elsewhere translated "gorgeously", Luke 7:25, and "glorious" in Luke 13:17. Ephesians 5:27.

despised. Greek. atimos. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 12:23. Matthew 13:57. Mark 6:4.

Verse 11

Even unto = Up to, or until. Greek. achri.

present. Greek. arti = now.

are naked = are scantily clothed. Greek. gumneteuo. Only here.

are buffeted. Greek. kolaphizo. Here, Matthew 26:67. Mark 14:65. 2 Corinthians 12:7. 1 Peter 2:20.

have no certain dwellingplace. Greek. astateo = to be a wanderer. Only here.

Verse 12

working, &c. See Acts 18:3; Acts 20:34. 1 Thessalonians 2:9. 2 Thessalonians 3:8.

reviled. Greek. loidoreo. See John 9:28.

Verse 13

defamed. Greek. blasphemeo. But some texts read dusphemeo.

intreat. App-134.

filth = sweepings. Greek. perikatharma. Only here.

offscouring. Greek. peripsema. Only here.

unto this day. Literally until now. Greek. heos arti.

Verse 14

I write, &c. Literally Not as putting you to shame do I write these thing.

shame. Greek. entrepo. Occurs elsewhere, Matthew 21:37. Mark 12:6. Luke 18:2, Luke 18:4; Luke 20:13. 2 Thessalonians 3:14. Titus 2:8. Hebrews 12:9, all in middle sense, meaning "to feel shame", and so "to reverence", as in the Gospels.

warn. Greek. noutheteo. See Acts 20:31.

Verse 15

thought = if. App-118. b

instructers. Greek. paidagogos. Only here and Galatians 1:3, Galatians 1:24, Galatians 1:25.

Christ Jesus. App-98.

Greek. gennao. Compare Philemon 1:10.

gospel. App-140.

Verse 16

Wherefore = On account of (App-104. 1 Corinthians 4:2) this.

beseech. Greek. parakaleo, as in 1 Corinthians 4:13.

be = become.

followers = imitators. Greek. mimetes. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 11:1. Ephesians 5:1. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:14. Hebrews 6:12. 1 Peter 3:13.

Verse 17

For this cause = On account of (Greek. dia. App-104. 1 Corinthians 4:2) this.

Timotheus. See 1 Corinthians 16:10.

bring you into remembrance = remind you. Greek. anamimnesko. Elsewhere, Mark 11:21; Mark 14:72. 2 Corinthians 7:15. 2 Timothy 1:6. Hebrews 10:32.

which be. Omit.

church. App-186.

Verse 18

some. App-124.

would not come = were not coming.

Verse 19

shortly = quickly.

-102.

know. i.e. find out and expose. App-132.

power. App-172.

Verse 20

kingdom of God. App-114. No verb in the sentence. Supply "is established". Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.

word. Greek. logos as in 1 Corinthians 4:19.

Verse 21

unto. Greek. pros, as in verses: 1 Corinthians 4:18-19. This verse is an example of Figure of speech Anocoenosis. App-6.

with = in. Greek. en, as in 1 Corinthians 4:2. Compare Luke 22:49, where en is translated "with".

rod. Greek. rabdos. Translated four times "staff", twice "sceptre" (Hebrews 1:8). Compare Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15. See also 2 Samuel 7:14. Psalms 2:9.

meekness. Greek. prautes. Compare App-127. Occurs elsewhere, 2 Corinthians 10:1. Galatians 1:5, Galatians 1:23; Galatians 6:1. Ephesians 4:2. Colossians 3:12. 1 Timothy 6:11. 2 Timothy 2:25. Titus 3:2. James 1:21. James 3:13. 1 Peter 3:15.

Chapter 5

Verse 1

reported = heard. Compare Matthew 2:3; Matthew 4:12. Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:23.

commonly = altogether. Greek. holos. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Corinthians 15:29. Matthew 5:34.

not so much = not even. Greek. oude.

named. The texts omit. Supply the Ellipsis by "found". "Named" has been suggested by Ephesians 5:3.

Gentiles. Greek. ethnos.

one = a certain one. App-123.

Verse 2

puffed up. Greek. phusioo. See 1 Corinthians 4:6.

have, &c. = did not rather mourn.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

taken away. Greek. exairo. Only here and 1 Corinthians 5:13. The texts read the commoner word airo. Had they mourned and humbled themselves for such a scandal in their midst they must have taken action (1 Corinthians 5:13).

from among = out of (Greek. ek. App-104.) the midst of.

Verse 3

verily = indeed, or for my part.

as. The texts omit.

in. No preposition. Dative case.

spirit. App-101. Absent bodily, he was present with them in thought and feeling. Compare Colossians 2:5.

judged. Greek. krino. App-122.

concerning. Omit.

done this deed = wrought (Greek. katergazomai. See Romans 1:27) this.

Verse 4

In the name, &c. Read, "Having been gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye and my spirit. "A Latin MS. of the seventh century in the British Museum reads "and the sanctifying Spirit Himself".

the name. Compare Acts 2:38.

Lord. App-98.

Jesus. App-98.

Christ. The texts omit.

Verse 5

To deliver. i.e. That ye should deliver. Greek. paradidomi. See John 19:30. This clause depends on "judged" in 1 Corinthians 5:3.

unto = to.

Satan. Compare 1 Timothy 1:20. Satan is regarded as inflicting bodily suffering. See Luke 13:16. 2 Corinthians 12:7.

the. Omit.

destruction. Greek. olethros. Elsewhere, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. 2 Thessalonians 1:9. 1 Timothy 6:9.

spirit. App-101.

day. The day of resurrection, when the spirit which returns to God at death is restored.

Verse 6

glorying = boasting. Greek. kauchema. See Romans 4:2.

Know. App-132. See 1 Corinthians 3:16.

leaven. See Matthew 13:33.

leaveneth. See Matthew 13:33. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6. Compare Galatians 1:5, Galatians 1:9.

lump. Greek. phurama. See Romans 9:21.

Verse 7

Purge out. Greek. ekkathairo. Only here and 2 Timothy 2:21.

Christ. App-98.

is = was.

for = on behalf

of. App-104. But the texts omit "for us".

Verse 8

Therefore = So then.

keep the feast. Greek. heortazo. Only here. He means, the Passover being past, we are living in the days of unleavened bread. Figure of speech Allegory. App-6. Psalms 89:15

with. Greek. en, as in 1 Corinthians 4:21.

neither. Greek. mede.

malice . . . wickedness. Greek. kakia . . . poneria. App-128.

sincerity. Greek. eilikrineia. Elsewhere, 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 2:17.

Verse 9

an = the, i.e. the present one.

company. Literally mix together. Greek. sunanamignumi. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 2 Thessalonians 3:14.

Verse 10

world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.

covetous. Greek. pleonektes. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:10. Ephesians 5:5.

extortioners. Greek. harpax. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:10. Matthew 7:15. Luke 18:11.

idolaters. Greek. eidololatres. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 10:7. Ephesians 5:5. Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15.

must ye needs = ye ought to.

Verse 11

keep company. Same as "company with" (1 Corinthians 5:9).

any man. Greek. tis, as in 1 Corinthians 5:1.

called = named, i.e. bears the name of.

railer. Greek. loidoros. Only here and 1 Corinthians 6:10. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:12.

drunkard. Greek. methusos. Only here and 1 Corinthians 6:10.

no not = not even. Greek. mede, as in 1 Corinthians 5:8.

eat. = eat with. Greek. sunesthio. See Acts 10:41.

Verse 12

have I to do. Literally is it to me.

Verse 13

God. App-98.

Therefore. The texts omit. The injunction is more forcible without it.

put away. Greek. exairo, as in 1 Corinthians 5:2.

from among. App-104.

that, &c. = the wicked (one). App-128. With this chapter should be compared the Lord"s words in Matthew 18:15-17, and Paul"s injunctions in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. The aim in every case was to bring the offender to repentance. Note also that this was a moral offence, and no sanction is given by these injunctions to the separation so common now on the ground of differing interpretations of Scripture statements.

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