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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS (5/25/11) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
BACKGROUND AND DATE OF FIRST
CORINTHIANS A.
On Paul’s second missionary
journey, after being forced to leave Thessalonica and Berea (Act 17:1-10),
and after having ministered in Athens, Paul went to Corinth (Act 18:1). B.
Paul met a Christian husband
and wife, Aquila and Priscilla, who along with all Jews, were recently
commanded to leave Rome (Act 18:2). Like Paul, they were tentmakers and he
stayed with them (Act 18:3). C.
Paul evangelized the Jewish
synagogue and met with harsh resistance. As a consequence, Paul began
ministering to the Gentiles (Act 18:4-6). There were a number of converts in
Corinth from Paul’s ministry, Titius [Tish́-ee-us] Justus, a
worshiper of God, Crispus, the leader of the synagogue which were
specifically mentioned (Act 18:7-8), and Sosthenes, another leader of the
synagogue (Act 18:17 cp. 1Co 1:1). D.
However, persecution broke out and Paul was brought
before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia, who said he would not wrangle over
religious words and meanings (Act 18:12-17). Paul was not charged and
eventually continued on and concluded his second missionary journey (Act
18:18-23). E.
Acts 19 begins with Paul on his third missionary
journey. He arrived in Ephesus sometime around A.D 53 and stayed for several
years (1Co 16:8). It was at this time that Paul wrote two letters to the
Corinthians in aprox. A.D. 55-56. One letter was lost (1Co 5:9-11) and the
other was labeled “First Corinthians.” Apparently Paul wrote another letter
which included sharp rebuke, but it was lost as well (2Co 7:8-9). “Second
Corinthians,” written from Macedonia, was Paul’s fourth letter to the
Corinthians (A.D. 56). God is sovereign in collecting and preserving the
Scripture He intended us to have. II.
THE CITY OF CORINTH A.
Corinth’s location gives us a
clue why it was a flourishing city for centuries. It was located on an
isthmus (small neck of land connecting two larger portions.) connecting lower
Greece (Peloponnesus - Pel-o-pon-né-sus) with upper Greece (Delphi). It became a bottle neck for the
Saronic and Corinth Gulf as well as the Mediterranean
and Adriatic Sea. B.
Not only did it bring worldwide
commerce making Homer’s words true about its wealth, but it became a central
passage way. Instead of sailing around Peloponnesus, aprox. a 250 mile trip,
the opportunistic and ingenious Corinthians constructed large scale skids to
transport ships across the 4 mile wide isthmus. The idea of a canal was
brought up by Nero but it wasn’t until 1893 that one was finally chiseled. C.
The city was unfortunately
known not only known for its materialism but also for its immorality. Plato
referred to a prostitute with the expression, “a Corinthian girl.” An ancient
degenerate burlesque play was named after the Corinthians, and Aristophenes
coined the Greek verb korinthiazomai to
refer to fornication. The Temple of Aphrodite (goddess of love, Eng.
“aphrodisiac”) flourished as well as its aprox. 1000 temple prostitutes. It
was the epitome of vulgar wealth, immorality, and pagan religion. D.
The city declined after 146
B.C. and was destroyed by the Romans when the waning Corinthians tried to
revolt. The ruins of columns seen today are a result of defeat not deterioration.
In 46 B.C, Julius Caesar reestablished the city as a new Roman colony, but
its immoral vices were ingrained up until the time Paul visited Corinth in
A.D. 51. III.
AUTHOR AND OCCASION OF FIRST CORINTHIANS A.
Even the critics with greater
imaginations do not deny that Paul was the author of “First Corinthians.” Not
only does Paul include himself in the salutation (1Co 1:1), rebuke the
Corinthians for becoming followers of “Paul” (1Co 1:13; 3:4-5, 22), but signs
his own name at the end of the letter (1Co 16:21). B.
Paul’s purpose for writing was
twofold. First, he had heard bad reports about the believers at Corinth and
their sinful behavior and addressed their behavior. 1.
They had divisions among
themselves (1Co 1:10-4:21). 2.
They did not exercise church
discipline for open and blatant sin (1Co 5:1-13). 3.
They could not settle their
disputes and were taking each other to court (1Co 6:1-8). 4.
They did not rid themselves of
sin and immorality (1Co 6:9-20). C.
Secondly, Paul received
numerous questions from the Corinthians on various issues and responded with
biblical answers. 1.
They were confused on the
concepts of celibacy and marriage (1Co 7:1-40). 2.
They were confused on eating
meat offered to idols (1Co 8:1-10:33). 3.
They needed instruction and
reproof on church ordinances (1Co 11:1-34). 4.
They misunderstood the purpose
for spiritual gifts (1Co 12:1-14:40). 5.
They were confused on the
doctrine of the resurrection (1Co 15:1-58). 6.
They needed encouragement and
instruction in the area of giving (1Co 16:1-12). IV.
THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF
FIRST CORINTHIANS A.
Paul dealt with numerous issues
which stem from the sin of a lack of spirituality among the Corinthians.
Therefore, their problems and ours today can only be dealt with by biblical
and theological solutions. B.
Theological issues are dealt
with such as: 1.
Carnality and the believer 2.
Spiritual wisdom vs. worldly
wisdom 3.
The Spirit’s ministry to the believer 4.
Christian rewards 5.
Marriage and divorce 6.
Proper worship and use of
spiritual gifts 7.
Role of men and women in the
church 8.
Christian Liberty 9.
The importance of Christ’s
literal bodily resurrection V.
OUTLINE OF FIRST CORINTHIANS
(See Below on Pg. 3) VI.
OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A.
A flourishing city does not
mean flourishing spiritual lives (1Co 3:18-21 cp. 1Co 1:30-31). B.
Beliefs change behavior or
behavior changes beliefs (1Co 3:1-2). C.
Carnality in the church is
possible, but it is sin (1Co 3:3). D.
Paul persisted in working with
a carnal church (1Co 1:2-9). OUTLINE OF FIRST CORINTHIANS “DEALING WITH PROBLEMS IN THE
LOCAL CHURCH” I.
DEALING WITH CORINTHIAN
BEHAVIOR A.
Introduction (1:1-9) 1.
Salutation and description of
the writer and readers (1:1-3) 2.
Thanksgiving for the effects of
God’s grace (1:4-9) B.
Divisions in the Church
(1:10-4:21) 1.
The reality of division
(1:10-17) 2.
The causes of division
(1:18-4:5) a)
A misunderstanding of the
message (1:18-3:4) b)
A misunderstanding of the
ministry (3:5-4:5) 3.
The cure of division (4:6-21) C.
Disorders in the Church (chaps.
5-6) 1.
Failure to discipline a sinner
(chap. 5) 2.
Failure to resolve personal
disputes (6:1-11) 3.
Failure to practice sexual
purity (6:12-20) II.
DEALING WITH CORINTHIAN
QUESTIONS A.
Difficulties in the Church
(chaps. 7-16:12) 1.
Counsel concerning marriage
(chap. 7) a)
Marriage and celibacy (7:1-9) b)
Marriage and divorce (7:10-24) c)
Marriage and ministry (7:25-38) d)
Remarriage and widows (7:39-40) 2.
Counsel concerning Christian
liberty (chaps. 8-14) a)
Christian liberty in relation
to pagan worship (8:1-11:1) (1)
The principle of brotherly love
(chap. 8) (2)
The regulation of privilege
(9:1-10:13) (3)
The application to idolatry
(10:14-11:1) b)
Christian liberty in relation
to Christian worship (11:2-14:40) (1)
The state of women in worship
(11:2-16) (2)
The state of Christians at the
Lord’s Supper (11:17-34) (3)
The state of spiritual gifts
(chaps. 12-14) B.
Doctrinal Issues in the Church (chaps.
7-16:12) 1.
Counsel concerning the Resurrection (chap.
15) a)
The certainty of bodily
resurrection (15:1-34) (1)
Historical argument (15:1-11) (2)
Logical argument (15:12-19) (3)
Theological argument (15:20-28) (4)
Experiential argument
(15:29-34) b)
Answers to certain questions
(15:35-58) (1)
Answers about the resurrection
of the dead (15:35-49) (2)
Answers about the Rapture of
the living (15:50-58) 2.
Counsel concerning the
collection for the poor (16:1-4) 3.
Counsel concerning future
visits (16:5-12) III.
CONCLUSION (16:13-24) |
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