Introduction 1 Corinthians for CCS Course 19 March 202

 CORINTHIANS

Acts 18 is Luke’s account of Paul’s visit to Corinth.  This was a populous seaport in Greece, well known both for its wealth and its immorality. Cosmopolitan with many nations and pagan religions there.

 Paul knew his time there would be hard. He came across Aquila and Priscilla, a Jewish married couple, who had been forced to move from Rome. So they settled there and plied their trade as tentmakers – as was Paul so he went into partnership with them to earn a living and sustain his ministry without being a financial burden on the fledgling church. This is important to note, as in 1 Cor 9 he stresses how he was free to preach the gospel, reliant on no-one’s financial support.

It is worth a look at Acts 18:1-11 to get the picture according to Luke.

The letter written by Paul & Sosthenes. If Luke is right, Paul founded the church in Corinth  50-51 CE and was in Ephesus2-3 years later when he wrote this letter.  It

So what is this letter all about?

1.    DIVISIONS. chapters 1-4

Paul immediately kicks off in chapter 1 about divisions splitting the Christian community. He is fierce. And points out that the folly of the cross is the means by which God has made Jesus “our wisdom, and in him we have our righteousness, our holiness, our liberation.” (1:30)

2.    SEX and RELATIONSHIPS. Chapters 5-7

Some Christians were claiming that because Christ had set them free the rules didn’t apply to them and were living immoral lives. Paul is quite clear that this must stop and lays down very clear teaching about marriage, sex, divorce and the single life. Again, Paul reminds them that Christ died for their sins.(5:7:  “Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us.”)  He writes “God’s call is a call to live in peace.” (7:15)

3.    FOOD chapters 8-10

Some of the Corinthians thought themselves to be superior and it did not matter if they were with pagan friends that they ate food that had been offered to idols. Some Christians were offended by this. Paul says, if someone is offended by this then don’t do it! Do not cause offence. But he also makes it clear that as idols are simply carved statues they are not really gods. “There is one God, the Father from whom are all things, and we exist for him; there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we exist through him.” (8:6)

4.    BEHAVIOUR IN CHURCH chapters 11-14

Much here for today’s Christians to get hot under the collar about!  Remember Paul was writing in the first century and was countering practice in pagan temples and Jewish synagogues where men kept their head covered during worship. In this respect what was appropriate then is not necessarily appropriate now.

Paul gives us the earliest account of the Eucharist (11:23) in the Bible. He speaks at length about spiritual gifts and illustrates the whole with that wonderful image of the human body.

5.    THE RESURRECTION  (chapter 15)

The Resurrection is central/indispensable for Christian belief. “He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (15:57)

Now Paul makes much mention of Jesus and his ministry. Look for instance at 1. Corinthians 11:23-26. Turn to that and I will read it

For this tradition which I handed on to you came to me from the Lord himself: that on the night of his arrest the Lord Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said; “This is my body, which is for you; do this memory of me.”  In the same way, he took the cup after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this in memory of me.” For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until he comes.

Now that, to me, is a most important passage, for it points out the importance of the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion for the Christian community. In the Church of Scotland it is regarded as so important that communion is celebrated rarely – perhaps 4 times a year with Sundays before being times of preparation for it, whereas Roman Catholic and many Anglican churches regard it as so important that it must be the main worship every Sunday. This passage is the EARLIEST written record that we have about the form and understanding of the Lord’s supper. Acts 2:42 reminds us that the first Christians “met constantly to hear the apostles teach, and to share the common life, to break bread, and to pray.”   The breaking of bread was a central feature of Christian life from the earliest of times.

Then look, if you will at 1 Corinthians 15:3-7. I am going to start at verse 1.  “I must remind you of the gospel that I preached to you; the gospel which you received, on which you have taken your stand, and which is now bringing you salvation….(v3)  First and foremost, I handed on to you the tradition I had received:

That Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures;

That he was buried;

That he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures;

And afterwards he appeared to Cephas, and afterwards to the Twelve.

Then he appeared to over five hundred of our brothers at once, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

Then he appeared to James, and afterwards to all the apostles.

Last of all he appeared to me too; it was like a sudden abnormal birth.”

The Cross at the heart of the gospel which has been the main thrust of Pauline teaching is now, equalled in his teaching with the importance of the Resurrection. There is an equal insistence on its centrality.

The way Paul writes these words is almost as if he reciting a short creed – an agreed statement of faith that is at the basis of the early church life. And he is reminding the Corinthians of this because as the earlier chapters of this letter demonstrate they have wandered away from the central features of the faith which are the Cross, The Resurrection, the Breaking of Bread, and the life of faith, which is what the whole letter is about.