Corinthians

02 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 Division in the church

May 8, 2019 by Krisan Marotta

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:06 — 45.3MB) | Embed

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 Division in the church | WednesdayintheWord.com

1Corinthians 1-4 are one of the best examples of why it’s necessary to study an entire letter rather than sets of verses here and there. We won’t accurately understand Paul unless we understand the situation into which he was writing.

Review

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth from Ephesus around 55 AD. He wrote this letter in response to a written letter from the church at Corinth and a verbal report about the situation in the church. It is this Q&A that gives us the structure of the letter.

In his greeting Paul says two important things about himself: 1) He is an apostle of Jesus Christ and 2) he is an apostle by the will of God. Paul’s authority will become an issue in the letter.

After his greeting when Paul expresses his gratitude for what God has done in Corinth, Paul thanks God for making them rich in speech and knowledge. Speech and knowledge is the first issue he addresses. 1Corinthians 1:10 begins the body of the letter, and his first topic in 1:10 which he discusses through the first 4 chapters.

Passage

^1:10Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? – 1Corinthians 1:10-13 NASB

Paul gives us three clues that he has more than who favors what teacher on his mind.

Clues from context

1Corinthians 1-4 stick to a theme: 1Corinthians 3:4-5; 1Corinthians 4:6
1Corinthians 1:17 introduces the topic of “cleverness of speech” or “wisdom of word.” The Greek word wisdom (Strong’s G4678) appears in 16 verses in the first 4 chapters. Paul contrasts the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of the gospel and defends the fact that the gospel is true wisdom.
Paul focuses the discussion on himself and Apollos.
Paul spends much of the 1Corinthians 1-4 defending himself and how he speaks: 1Corinthians 1:17; 1Corinthians 2:1-5; 1Corinthians 3:1-2; 1Corinthians 4:3-6

Clues from other Scriptures

We learn from Acts 18:24-19:1 that Apollos is a skilled and eloquent debater who taught in Corinth after Paul left. Unlike Paul he had success in persuading Jews to believe the gospel.
1Corinthians 16:12 implies that no rift exists between Paul and Apollos.
In 2Corinthians 10:9-11 we learn that the Corinthians found Paul personally unimpressive and his speech contemptible.
2Corinthians 11:5-6 imply that some in Corinth found Paul inferior to the other apostles and unskilled in speech.

Clues from History

We learn from Greek history that the sophists were a influential group skilled in debate and rhetoric.
Sophists were famous for taking any side of an argument and winning the debate.
At the time Paul wrote, their style of debate was in fashion.

If we put all those clues together a deeper picture emerges than fashionable cliques and who is the best teacher.

Some are unimpressed with Paul, they find him unskilled, contemptible in speech.
Apollos who is a man of words and a powerful debater comes to Corinth after Paul leaves and impresses the Corinthians with his ability to argue and win debates.
A split develops with some in the church judging Paul, finding him deficient, and rejecting his authority as an apostle. For them Apollos is their guy.
Paul responds by defending the way he speaks without sophistry (without wisdom of words). He says the wisdom of the world is foolish when compared with the gospel and they should stop judging him.

Paul is NOT arguing for harmony. Paul is arguing that the all have the same understanding of the gospel.
The deeper problem is their wrong perspective which has led to the divisions.
The bond that unites us is the gospel of Christ crucified.
The strategy for unity is not to overlook deep theological issues; The strategy is to pursue truth.
Unity for the sake of unity is conformity – not unity.
The warning against valuing style over substance is one we ought take seriously today.
The content of the message is crucial. The eloquence of the delivery is not.

For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.

Next: 03 1 Corinthians 1:13-17 Is Baptism necessary?

Previous: 01 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Themes and greetings

Series: 1 Corinthians: Pride and Prejudice in the church

Study: 1Corinthians Resources

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

01 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Themes and Greetings

May 1, 2019 by Krisan Marotta

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:12 — 31.7MB) | Embed

01 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Themes & Greetings | WednesdayintheWord.com

In the greeting of 1 Corinthians, Paul introduces 3 themes of the letter: 1) Paul is an authoritative emissary for Jesus Christ; 2) God chose Paul for this role; and 3) speech and knowledge are gifts from God that we ought to view wisely. We’ll also contrast 2 ways to approach studying this letter. One perspective finds little value in some of the practical problems. The other perspective leads to wisdom that can be applied to any situation.

Fundamentals

Depending on your view of what the Bible teaches us about the Christian life, you’ll approach a letter like 1Corinthians differently. I approach this book the second way.

Perspective 1: Faith is a settled issue

Under this view, salvation is solely determined by whether and when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and savior and prayed some version of the sinner’s prayer. Having done that, faith is now a settled issued and something we don’t need to think about anymore. What we need to think about now is how we improve the quality of our Christian life and obedience. Therefore, what we worry about now is how we improve our life as disciples of Christ.

Under this view, Paul writes this letter to give the believers in Corinth practical advice on how to handle the various problems they face. From this perspective, we will not find everything in the letter equally interesting because some issues we will never face.

Perspective 2: Faith is a journey toward maturity

From this second perspective, faith in Jesus is not a one-time event that we can settle and forget. Faith is a radical change of heart that we grow to understand and which works itself out into maturity over the course of our lives the way a baby progresses toward adulthood. The choice as to whether I will believe the gospel repeatedly confronts me in various and many ways as I live my life.

Under this view, Paul writes this letter because the way the Corinthians are responding to the practical issues in their lives raises red flags about their faith. For each issue Paul addresses, he explains the implications of believing the gospel in this particular situation, and warns that the way you Corinthians are responding indicates they don’t really believe the gospel.

Under this view, Paul wants to drive home the fundamental principles of the gospel at stake in each issue. Thus, we will find everything in the letter equally interesting because we can apply those fundamental principles to any situation we find ourselves in today.

Passage

^1:1Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ²To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1Corinthians 1:1-3 NASB

Like most New Testament letters, 1Corinthians starts by identifying the author, then the recipients and followed by a greeting.
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the believers at Corinth.
Paul reminds them that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ and that he is an apostles of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Paul’s authority will become an issue in the letter.
This is probably the same Sosthenes we met in Acts 18. Paul is dictating the letter to Sosthenes, but Sosthenes is not contributing to the content.
The Greek word for church (Strong’s G1577) refers to an assembly of people, not a building.
Saints are people who are set apart to belong to God. But as we read the letter, we’ll learn that Paul does not believe every member of the Corinthian church is a believer.

⁴I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, ⁶even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, ⁷so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. – 1Corinthians 1:4-9 NASB

Before Paul begins the body of a letter, Paul expresses his gratitude for what God has done in the church at Corinth.
He thanks God for making them rich in speech and knowledge (1:5). Both speech and knowledge will become issues in the letter.
He says they are not lacking any gifts (1:7) which will also become an issue in the letter.
Because they have understood the gospel, they have now set their hope on the day when Christ returns because that day will bring the fulfillment of all the promises of God. The Corinthian church has problems but it also has a foundation of genuine believers who heard Paul teach the gospel and responded to it with genuine faith. God has done this work among them and for that Paul is grateful.
God is not done with them. He is faithful and will finish the work he began in them.
Blameless in 1:8 does not mean they have never sinned. It means their sins will not be held against them because of the blood of Jesus.
Notice the centrality of Christ in everything Paul says.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: 02 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 Division in the church

Previous: Acts 18 Paul in Corinth

Series: 1 Corinthians: Pride & Prejudice in the church

Study: 1Corinthians Resources

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Acts 18 Paul in Corinth

April 24, 2019 by Krisan Marotta

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:15 — 26.2MB) | Embed

Acts 18 Paul in Corinth | WednesdayintheWord.com

Acts 18 tells the story of Paul’s first visit to Corinth. No church in the New Testament is more like our modern churches than the Corinthian church.

Corinth was a city of wealth and culture, seated at the crossroads of the Roman Empire, through which flowed all the trade and commerce of the empire. A beautiful resort city, it was also a city of immorality. On the hill that rises behind the ancient city stood a temple to Aphrodite. Every evening the priests and priestesses — male and female prostitutes — would come down from the temple into the streets to ply their trade. It was known throughout the length and breadth of the ancient world as a city of great and widespread immorality.

City of Corinth

Corinth was an exceptionally wealthy city and the 2nd most important city in the Roman empire.

Corinth had access to both the Adriatic and Agean seas, as it sat on an isthmus.

Ships and goods could cross this narrow land-bridge to avoid a long trip into the open sea.

It was an important military outpost.

The city, like Las Vegas today, was know for decadence and sexual immorality.

Corinth had a population of about 200,000 free citizens, 500,000 slaves and a large population of freed slaves.

The patron god was Poseidon, but it also had a large temple to Aphrodite. Temple worship consisted of visiting one of a temple priestess/prostitute.

The Apostle Paul visited Corinth around 50 AD during his second missionary journey.

Isthmus Map

Bible Atlas: Corinth

Map of NT Greece

Paul in Corinth

Paul left Silas and Timothy in Berea and traveled alone to Athens and then Corinth. He intended to stay in Corinth a short time, but after God’s vision, he stayed 18 months.

Aquila is a Jew from Pontus (now northern Turkey). His name is Latin for “eagle” and he may have been a freed slave. It is unclear whether or not Priscilla is Jewish and whether she is also a tent maker.

Priscilla’s name is often listed first. We can only speculate on the reason. She may have been the better teacher or simply had a closer relationship to Luke, the author of Acts.

In 49 AD, the Emperor Claudius ordered all Jews who were not Roman citizens to leave Rome, causing Priscilla and Aquila to leave Rome.

When Paul leaves Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila go with him to Ephesus, where they stay and host a house church.

Paul begins his visit working as a tent maker during the week and preaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath.

After the Jews reject him, he begins preaching to the Gentiles.

Silas and Timothy arrive with a financial gift from Macedonia which allows Paul to preach full-time.

^18:1After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. ²And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, ³and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. ⁴And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. ⁵But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ⁶But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” ⁷Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. ⁸Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. ⁹And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. – Acts 1:1-11 NASB

MAP: Paul’s 2nd Journey – visits Corinth on this trip

The Riot in Corinth

^18:12But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹³saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” ¹⁴But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶And he drove them away from the judgment seat. ¹⁷And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things. ¹⁸Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus. ²²When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch. – Acts 18:12-22 NASB

Gallio is the brother of Seneca, the well-known stoic philosopher.

Paul is charged with preaching an illegal religion, which could be punished by death.

Judaism was a legal Roman religion. At this point, Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism and was therefore legal.

Gallio’s ruling here gives Christianity legal protection for a few more years.

Sosthenes became leader of the synagogue after Crispus converted and now has converted himself.

The angry Jewish mob cannot beat Paul since he is a Roman citizen, so they turn on Sosthenes.

This is probably the same Sosthenes mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:1.

Paul’s Letters to Corinth

Paul probably wrote 4 letters to the Corinthians, but only 2 survived.

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus around 55 AD.

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia around 56 AD.

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in response to a letter of questions from Corinth and a verbal report from “Chloe’s people.”

Encouraged by new from Titus, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians to prepare for his coming to see them again (after Macedonia).

Paul’s 4 letters to the Corinthians

Chronology of Paul

Map: Paul’s 3rd Journey – writes the letters during this time period.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: 01 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Themes and Greetings

Series: 1 Corinthians: Pride & Prejudice in the church

Study: 1 Corinthians Resources;

2 Corinthians Resources

Photo by Musab Al Rawahi on Unsplash

City of Corinth

April 4, 2019 by Krisan Marotta

In Paul’s time, Corinth was the 2nd most important city in the Roman empire. Corinth was an exceptionally wealthy and important city in Greece.

Corinth was the capital of Achaia and located 40 miles west of Athens on the narrow isthmus connecting Peloponnese (on the south) with northern mainland of Greece. Corinth was located between the Aegean and Adriatic Seas and was a port city about five miles in circumference just south of the sharply rising 2000 foot Acrocorinth (see picture and see map “G”) from which Athens could be seen on a clear day.

At one time the city was home to at least 12 pagan temples. The Temple of Aphrodite (Roman = Venus) was located on the Acrocorinth and housed the 1000 “priestesses” employed who served as temple prostitutes to facilitate idolatrous “worship” (cf “sacred prostitution“). Worship at the temple involved sexual encounters with these “priestesses” and this attracted “worshipers” from all across the Roman world. The immoral condition of Corinth was so well-known the Greek term (coined by Aristophanes) Korinthiazomai (lit., to act the Corinthian) came to mean “to practice fornication.”

“Ships wanting to avoid the dangerous trip around the southern tip of Greece were dragged across that isthmus. The city boasted an outdoor theater that accommodated 20,000 people (See reconstruction of Corinth circa A D 100), athletic games second only to the Olympics, a Greek, Roman, and Oriental population….There were taverns on the south side of the marketplace, and many drinking vessels have been dug up from those liquor lockers. Corinth was noted for everything sinful.” (Charles Ryrie) Every shop in the city had a deep, spring-fed well in which to cool containers of wine. Strabo wrote that “All the people of Corinth gorge themselves.” It was even customary in stage plays for actors to come on stage drunk.

The agora was the city’s marketplace and the Bema was the judgment seat. Corinth boasted extensive commerce, like all the large towns on the Mediterranean Sea, and became celebrated for its wealth, magnificence, and learning. The Corinthians were captivated by Greek philosophy, disciplined training and athletic events held at the Isthmian Games. Corinth’s pottery, brass and marble for building columns were famous throughout the world. The city is now desolate with just a little village near the ancient Corinth. There is, however, a modern city of Corinth, a few miles away, with about twenty thousand inhabitants. Archaeologists have also discovered a broken lintel (part of a door) bearing the Greek description “synagogue of Hebrews.”

Go to top

Series: 1 Corinthians: Pride & Prejudice in the church

Study Resources: 1 Corinthians; and/or 2 Corinthians

General Bible Study Resources: Maps, charts, reference works, websites & tools

Bible Study 101: Learn how to study the Bible

Bible Study 201: Learn to teach the Bible

Resources for Ministry Leaders

Map from Cryptotheology

2Corinthians Bible Study Resources

January 17, 2019 by Krisan Marotta

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians.

Jump to: Background; Maps; Key Words; Encyclopedias; Commentaries; Articles; GotQuestions Next

Basics

Author: The Apostle Paul, writing from Macedonia, approx 55-56 AD.
Who was Paul?
Occasion: To explain his change of travel plans and defend his authority as an apostle

Structure

Chapters 1-7 – Paul explains his ministry in terms of the New Covenant
Chapters 8-9 – Paul asks them to contribute to relief fund for the church in Jerusalem
Chapters 10-13 – Paul responds to his accusers and defends his ministry

Genre: Understanding Epistles

Go to top

Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

How many letters did Paul write to Corinth

City of Corinth

Chronology of Paul

Paul’s use of the Old Testament

Blue Letter Bible: Chronology of Acts/Epistles

Blue Letter Bible: 2 Corinthians Outline

Bible Atlas: Corinth

Map of NT Greece

Map of Corinth from Middletown Bible Church

Ray C. Stedman: Overview of the Book

John MacArthr: Author, Date, Background

James van dine: Introduction to 2 Corinthians

David Malick: An Introduction To 2 Corinthians

David Malick: An Argument Of 2 Corinthians

J Vernon McGee: 2 Corinthians Introduction

Go to top

Section 2: Maps

Maps

Journeys

Paul’s Conversion and Early Ministry– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 1st Journey – Bible-History.com

1st Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 2nd Journey – Bible-History.com

2nd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 3rd Journey – Bible-History.com

3rd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Journeys– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Voyage to Rome– Holman Bible Atlas

Pentecost and the Jewish Diaspora– Holman Bible Atlas

Apostles’ Journeys – Bible-History.com

Geography

Israel in New Testament Times – Bible-History.com

New Testament Jerusalem – Bible-History.com

Herod the Great’s Kingdom – Bible-History.com

Herod’s Kingdom Divided – Bible-History.com

The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa I – Holman Bible Atlas

The Kingdom of Agrippa II– Holman Bible Atlas

Expansion of the Early Church in Palestine– Holman Bible Atlas

Go to top

Section 3: Key Words

Key Words in 2 Corinthians

Occurrences are based on New American Standard Text. “4x/3v” means the word appears 4 times in 3 verses. “3x” means the word appears 3 times in 3 verses.

glory (21x/14v) – Strong’s G1392 in 3:10, 3:11, 3:18, 4:4, 4:6, 4:15, 6:8, 8:19, 8:23; Strong’s G1391 in 3:10

boast (14x/11v) – Strong’s G2744 in 9:2, 10:8, 10:13, 10:16, 10:17, 11:16, 11:18, 11:30, 12:5, 12:6, 12:9; and boasting (3x) in 10:5 11:12, 12:1

boasting (6x) – Strong’s G2746a in 7:4, 7:14, 8:24, 11:10, 11:17; Strong’s G2745 in 9:3; confidence (1x) – Strong’s G2746a in 1:12

grace (10x) – Strong’s G5485 in 1:2, 1:12, 4:15, 6:1, 8:1, 8:9 9:8, 9:14, 12:9, 13:14

confidence (9x) – Strong’s G4006 in 1:15, 3:4, 8:22, 10:2; Strong’s G3982 in 2:3 Strong’s G3954 in 7:4; Strong’s G2292 in 7:16; Strong’s G5287 in 9:4, 11:17

comfort (11X/9V) – Strong’s G3874 in 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 7:4, 7:7, 7:13; Strong’s G3870 in 1:4, 2:7; comforted (6x) – Strong’s G3870 in 1:4, 1:6, 7:6, 7:7, 13:11

sorrow (11x/8v) – Strong’s G3077 in 2:1, 2:3, 2:7, 7:10, Strong’s G3076 in 2:2 2:5. 7:8, 7:11; sorrowful (6x/4v) – Strong’s G3076 in 2:2, 2:4, 6:10, 7:9

afflicted (3x) – Strong’s G2346 in 1:6, 4:8, 7:5; affliction (8x/7v) – Strong’s G2347 in 1:4, 1:8, 2:4, 4:17, 7:4, 8:2, 8:13

suffer (2x) – Strong’s G3958 in 1:6, 7:9; sufferings (3x) – Strong’s G3804 in 1:5, 1:6, 1:7;

death (10x/9v) – Strong’s G2288 in 1:9, 1:10, 2:16, 3:7, 4:11, 4:12, 7:10, 11:23; Strong’s G2289 in 6:9

life (8x/7v) – Strong’s G2198 in 1:8, 2:16, 3:6, 4:10, 4:11, 4:12, 5:4

heart (8x) – Strong’s G2588 in 2:4, 3:15, 4:1, 4:16, 5:12, 6:11, 8:16, 9:7

Go to top

Section 5: Commentaries

Commentaries & Study Bibles

Top 5 Commentaries on 2 Corinthians by Keith Mathison – Ligonier.org

Best Commentaries on 2 Corinthians – Tim Challies

Commentary Reviews: 2 Corinthians

Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: 2 Corinthians

Albert Barnes Notes on the Whole Bible: 2 Corinthians

Alfords Exegetical Commentary: 2 Corinthians

Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible: 2 Corinthians

Geneva Study Bible: 2 Corinthians

Reformation Study Bible Notes: 2 Corinthians

Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: 2 Corinthians

Ligonier Ministry Devotionals

2 Corinthians 1:20 Our Amen to the Glory of God

2 Corinthians 3:7–18 Transformation into Glory

2 Corinthians 4:7–15 The Kingdom Paradox

2 Corinthians 5:17 Genuine Conversion

2 Corinth i ans 5:21 The Righteousness of God

2 Corinthians 9:6–15 Cheerful Giving

2 Corinthians 11:14–15 The Angel of Light

2 Corinthians 11:22–12:10 Paul the Preacher

2 Corinthians 12:1–10 Power in Weakness

2 Corinthians 13:14 Contradiction Vs. Paradox

Go to top

Section 4: Encyclopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

City of Corinth

Corinth Map – Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Corinth – Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Corinth – Ancient History Encyclopedia

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Corinth

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Corinth

Fausset Bible Dictionary Corinth

Holman Bible Dictionary Corinth

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Corinth

Watson’s Theological Dictionary Corinth

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Isthmus of Corinth

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Corinth

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Corinth

McClintock and Strong’s Bible Encyclopedia Corinth (2) Divisions in the Church at Corinth Corinth

The Nuttall Encyclopedia Corinth

The Jewish Encyclopedia Corinth

Letter

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Corinthians 1st & 2nd, Theology of

McClintock and Strong: Corinthians, Second Epistle to

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Corinthians, Second Epistle to

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Corinthians, Second Epistle

Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Corinthians, Epistles to

Epistles to the Corinthians – 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

Paul

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Paul the Apostle

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Paul

Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Paul

Fausset Bible Dictionary: Paul

Holman Bible Dictionary: Paul

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Paul the Apostle

Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Paul

Morrish Bible Dictionary: Paul

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Paul, the Apostle

McClintock and Strong: Paul

The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Paul

The Jewish Encyclopedia:

Titus

Holman Bible Dictionary: Titus

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Titus

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Titus

McClintock and Strong: Titus

Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Titus

Titus in 2 Corinthians: 2:13; 7:6; 7:13-14; 8:6; 8:16; 8:23; 12:18

Titus in rest of New Testament: Galatians 2:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:10; Titus 1:4

Go to top

Section 7: Got Questions

GotQuestions.org

Treat like any commentary: read thoughtfully and carefully.

Book of 2 Corinthians – Bible Survey

What are the Pauline epistles?

What can we learn from the life of Paul?

What is the seal of the Holy Spirit?

What is the meaning of “from glory to glory” in 2 Corinthians 3:18?

What does the Bible say about transformation?

How is Satan god of this world?

Why does God allow deception?

What is Spiritual Blindness?

What does the Bible say about despair?

What does it mean that we have treasures in jars of clay?

What is the inner man?

What is glorification?

What does it mean to be absent from the body?

What does the Bible say about death?

What is Christian reconciliation? Why do we need to be reconciled with God?

What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ?

What does it mean to walk by faith not by sight?

What does it mean that a Christian is a new creation?

What is righteousness?

What does it mean that today is the day of salvation?

What does it mean to be unequally yoked?

What is biblical separation?

Is it good to have close friendships with unbelievers?

What is godly sorrow?

What Can We Learn from the life of Titus?

What does the Bible say about sowing and reaping?

How can I become a more cheerful giver?

Why is giving so emphasized in the Christian faith?

Spiritual strongholds – what is the biblical view?”

Do we need to be aware of the spiritual battle that is taking place around us?

What does it mean to take every thought captive?

Who are the super-apostles Paul mentions?

What does it mean that Satan masquerades as an angel of light?

How can I recognize a false teacher / false prophet?

What does the Bible say about an out of body experience / astral projection?

Are there different levels of Heaven? Are there three heavens?

What does the Bible say about near death experiences?

What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh?

What is the key to truly experiencing God?

If our salvation is eternally secure, why does the Bible warn so strongly against apostasy?

What are some of the signs of genuine saving faith?

What exactly is a ‘holy kiss’?

What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?

Go to top

Section 8: Next

Next: Galatians

Previous: 1 Corinthians

Series: Resources by Book

Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash

1Corinthians Bible Study Resources

April 12, 2018 by Krisan Marotta

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians.

Bible Study: 1 Corinthians: Pride & Prejudice in the church

Jump to: Background; Maps; Key Words; Encyclopedias; Commentaries; Articles; GotQuestions Next

Basics

Author: Paul, writing from Ephesus around 55 AD
Who w a s Paul?
Occasion: To address issues in the Corinthian church which he learned from a verbal report and to answer questions the Corinthians the asked him in a letter.

Structure

1:1-9 – Introduction and thanksgiving
1:10-6:20 – Corrections based on verbal report about situation in Corinth
7:1-16:12 – Response to questions they asked him (“now concerning”)

Genre: Understanding Epistles

Go to top

Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

1 Corinthians ESV Study Text

1 Corinthians NASB Study Text

How many letters did Paul write to Corinth

Paul’s use of the Old Testament

City of Corinth

Chronology of Paul

Blue Letter Bible: Chronology of Acts/Epistles

Blue Letter Bible: 1 Corinthians Outline

Bible Atlas: Corinth

Map of NT Greece

Map of Corinth from Middletown Bible Church

Ray C. Stedman: Overview of the Book

John MacArthr: Author, Date, Background

James van dine: 1 Corinthians: Introduction

David Malick (Bible.org): An Introduction to First Corinthians

David Malick (Bible.org): An Argument Of First Corinthians

Hampton Keathley IV: I Corinthians: Introduction and Outline

Daniel B. Wallace: 1 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline

Charles Swindoll: 1 Corinthians Overview

Go to top

Section 2: Maps

Maps

Journeys

Paul’s Conversion and Early Ministry– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 1st Journey – Bible-History.com

1st Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 2nd Journey – Bible-History.com

2nd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 3rd Journey – Bible-History.com

3rd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Journeys– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Voyage to Rome– Holman Bible Atlas

Pentecost and the Jewish Diaspora– Holman Bible Atlas

Apostles’ Journeys – Bible-History.com

Geography

Israel in New Testament Times – Bible-History.com

New Testament Jerusalem – Bible-History.com

Herod the Great’s Kingdom – Bible-History.com

Herod’s Kingdom Divided – Bible-History.com

The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa I – Holman Bible Atlas

The Kingdom of Agrippa II– Holman Bible Atlas

Expansion of the Early Church in Palestine– Holman Bible Atlas

Go to top

Section 3: Key Words

Key Words in 1 Corinthians

Occurrences are based on New American Standard Text. “4x/3v” means the word appears 4 times in 3 verses. “3x” means the word appears 3 times in 3 verses.

love (17x/14v) – Strong’s G26 in 4:21; 8:1, 3; 13:1-4, 8, 13; 14:1; 16:14, 16:24; Strong’s G25 in 2:9; Strong’s G5368 in 16:22

spirit (36x/29v) – Strong’s G4151 in 2:4, 2:10, 2:11, 2:12, 2:13, 2:14, 3:16; 4:21; 5:3, 5:4, 5:5, 6:11, 6:17, 6:19; 7:34, 7:40, 12:3, 12:4, 12:7, 12:8, 12:99, 12:11, 12:13, 14:2, 14:14, 14:16, 15:45, 16:18

body (46x/34v) – Strong’s G4983 in 5:3, 6:13, 6:16, 6:18, 6:19, 6:20; 7:4, 7:34; 9:27; 10:16, 10:17; 11:24, 11:27, 11:29; 12:12, 12:13, 12:14, 12:15, 12:16, 12:17, 12:18, 12:19, 12:20, 12:22, 12:23, 12:24, 12:27; 13:3; 15:35, 15:37, 15:38, 15:44

idols (6x) – Strong’s G1494 in 8:1, 8:4, 8:1-. 10:19,10:28, 12:2; idol (5x/4v) – Strong’s G1497 in 8:4, 8:7, 10:19; Strong’s G1493 in 8:10; idolatry (1x) – Strong’s G1495 in 10:14

temple (8x/5v) – Strong’s G3485 in 3:16, 3:17; 6:19; 8:10; 9:13

wisdom (19x/16v) – Strong’s G4678 in 1:17 (cleverness); 1:19, 1:20, 1:21, 1:22, 1:24, 1:30, 2:1, 2:4, 2:5, 2:6, (2:8 implied), 2:13 3:19; 12:8

wise (11x/10v) – Strong’s G4680 in 1:19, 1:20, 1:26, 1:27; 3:10, 2:18, 2:19, 2:20; 6:5; Strong’s G5429 in 10:15

foolishness (6x) – Strong’s G3472 in 1:18, 1:21, 1:23, 1:25, 2:14; 3:18; foolish (3x) – Strong’s G3471 in 1:20, 1:27, 3:18; fools (1x) – Strong’s G3474 in 4:10; fool – Strong’s G878 in 15:26

power (11x) – Strong’s G1411 in 1:18, 1:24; 2:4, 2:5; 4:19, 4:20; 5:4; 6:14; 15:24, 15:43, 15:56

gifts/gift (13x) – Strong’s G5486 in 1:7, 7:7, (12:1 implied), 12:4, 12:9, 12:28, 12:30, 12:31; 13:2, 13:8, 14:1, 14:12; 16:3

boast (6x) – Strong’s G2744 in 1:29, 1:31, 3:21, 4:7, 9:15, 9:16

arrogant (6x) – Strong’s G5488 in 4:6, 4:18, 4:19, 5:2, 8:1, 13:4

Go to top

Section 5: Commentaries