Get Ready
These two letters give us tremendous insight into Paul’s personal story as well as his ideas about the organization and practices of an effective Christian church. His advice – for both believers and church leaders – is as timely today as it was nearly two thousand years ago.
Author
The Apostle Paul is the author of these two letters. He identifies himself as such in both letters [1 Cor 1:1 and 2 Cor 2:1], and early church leaders confirm his authorship. He wrote the first letter in 56 while he was working in Ephesus; he wrote the second about one year later from Macedonia.
Paul (originally named Saul) was a former Pharisee who actually persecuted the early followers of Jesus. On his way to Damascus to continue his efforts to destroy the church, Jesus confronted and blinded him and told him to continue to Damascus and wait for a person who would tell him what to do [that’s all in Acts 9]. As a result Paul became one of the most active and effective early Christian missionaries. Thirteen of his letters are included in the New Testament
Context
Corinth was a large and very cosmopolitan city in Greece; as a major commercial crossroads it contained a variety of cultures and religious beliefs – many of them very counter to Judaism and Christianity.
Paul started the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey, probably in 51. Most of the early converts were pagans from the lower status groups; however some converted Jews and people of wealth were also involved. As a result of the environment and social differences the church was under constant pressure and strain. Both of Paul’s letters address these problems. [Acts 18 recounts the founding of the Corinthian church.]
Structure
The first Corinthian letter appears to be a point-by-point response to the news Paul received about the problems in the church. There are four major sections to the letter:
- Paul stresses unity in Christ and urges the church to resolve its differences and come back together [chapters 1-4].
- He then deals with situations concerning sexual morality that arose because of the cultural environment [chapters 5-6].
- He provides guidance on several doctrinal questions in the third section, including celebration of Communion [chapters 7-14].
- And he explains and justifies the belief in resurrection of the dead in the final section [chapters 15-16].
The Corinthian church was no better than churches throughout the world today – it was no worse either.
The second letter is much more personal in tone and subject, and deals with Paul’s reaction to the latest news from Corinth:
- In the first seven chapters Paul writes about his feelings in response to the church’s rejection and then acceptance of his ministry, and includes his ideas about ministry and reconciliation.
- In chapters 8 and 9 he encourages support for the church in Jerusalem, which was dealing with a famine in the region.
- Paul concludes this letter defending his position and role as an Apostle and warning the church and his opponents against false doctrine.
Major Themes
Even though the letters to Corinth deal with a variety of problems in that church, Paul incorporates some major ideas or themes in both letters:
- Wisdom: Corinth was a major center of Greek culture and reflected the high value placed on wisdom; but Paul does not compete with the Greek philosophers. He bases his arguments on the Old Testament understanding of wisdom as “fear of the Lord.” He also stresses that God does not work as humans expect – the cross and all that it stands for is a “stumbling block” to the Jews and “foolishness” to the Greeks – Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God, [1 Cor 1:24].
- Freedom: The church was having a hard time reconciling the idea of Christian freedom with forgiven sin. Paul taught that even though “all things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial” – believers should avoid those things that do not “build up” the believer or the church, and those things that could become master of the believer [1 Cor 6:12, 10:23].
- Spirituality: Greeks believed some people are more “spiritual” than others and trances or mystical behavior is a sign of increased spirituality. Paul stresses that all “gifts” are from the one Holy Spirit and that a variety of “spiritual gifts” helps to build the church (the “body of Christ” with many differently gifted “parts”).
- Ministry: Paul calls the Gospel “this treasure in clay jars,” [2 Cor 4:7]. He contrasts the power and mercy of God in Christ with the frailty and weakness of the people God calls to tell others about it; but he concludes that if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything has become new! [2 Cor 5:17]. Paul also describes some of the suffering he experienced.
Get into the Word
1. Who wrote these letters to the church at Corinth? When did he write them? What was the author’s background? How was he qualified to write the letters?
2. When did Paul begin his work in Corinth? What kind of city was it? What types of people were involved in the early church? How did this affect the church?
3. What caused Paul to write these letters? What were the problems he was trying to address? Why was it important that he work on these problems? How do you think the church members felt about Paul’s suggestions and directions?
4. How does the second letter differ from the first? What subjects does Paul address in the second letter? What is different about the tone of the letter?
5. Why do you think Paul included the personal details in the second letter? How do you think the Corinthians responded to them? How does this affect your understanding of Paul as a missionary?
6. What are the primary themes Paul develops in these two letters? How do these ideas relate to the problems in the Corinthian Church? How do you think the church members received his ideas?
6. How do Paul’s major concepts apply to the church today? Have you seen examples of the problems in the Corinthian Church in your own congregation? How have you or other members dealt with the problems? Was Paul’s advice helpful?
Bible Trivia:
The first Corinthian letter contains two firsts:
1. Paul’s guidance on Communion is the earliest record of the Lord’s Supper [11:23-26].
2. His discussion of the resurrection is also the first recorded reference to this central event of our faith, [15:1-58].
Paul closed his second letter to the Corinthians with the only New Testament appearance of the three-in-one (triune) blessing many believers are familiar with today: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you, [2 Cor 13:13].
65: Spiritual gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
Get Ready
What activities – like sports, or hobbies, or creative activities – do you enjoy participating in and excelling at? What do you avoid because you feel you are not very skilled or talented in that area? How comfortable are you with your mix of talents and abilities?
The Word
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
2 You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
One Body with Many Members
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. NRSV
Get into the Word
1. What is Paul’s subject in this chapter? How does he describe the Corinthians regarding this subject? What “test” does he give them? Is this still valid for us?
2. How does Paul explain the different types of gifts? Where do they come from? What specific gifts does he mention? Who determines who gets which gift?
3. What image does Paul suggest to help understand the differences among the gifts? How do you think his readers responded to this metaphor? How do you respond?
4. What parts of the “body” does Paul deal with in his explanation? What would happen if the body consisted of only one part? What about one part of the body being “more important” than other parts? What about parts of the body that some people think are less or “weaker” than other parts? Why must the body be a unified whole rather than just the sum of all the parts?
5. What gifts does Paul mention at the end? What gifts are “greater”? Why should we strive for them?
Get Personal
What spiritual gifts do you think God has given you? How has God helped you to use these gifts? Who has benefited from your spiritual gifts? How have they affected your walk with Christ?
Notes . . .
12:1. Uninformed — evidently the Corinthian believers have been confusing their former, pagan beliefs (which included oracles – the ability to “see” the future) with Christian teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit.
12:3. I want you to understand — the clear test is whether the gift acknowledges “Jesus is Lord.”
12:4. Varieties . . . same — Paul stresses that spiritual gifts come in many different forms and actions, but all are given by the one God.
12:7. Common good — the purpose of every gift is to build up the church – the body of Christ [check Ephesians 4:11-14].
12:8. To one is given — Paul presents a list of different spiritual gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpreting speaking in tongues. NOTE: the list is not intended to identify every possible gift.
Discernment — the critical ability to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world,” [1 John 4:1].
12:11. As the Spirit chooses — the Holy Spirit determines who gets what spiritual gift – it is not a
matter of us asking for a gift (like selecting one from a catalogue). NOTE: the Greek word for “gift” comes from the same root as “grace” – spiritual gifts are freely bestowed, they are not earned.
12:12. Body — a fairly common metaphor for the universe or the nation (in Paul’s time, Rome). Paul uses it in other letters as well: For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another, [Rom 12:4-5].
12:15. If the foot — Paul uses the metaphor of the body to point out the diversity of the gifts and the importance of each gift, even the gifts some might think are less important.
12:28. And God has appointed — Paul concludes this section with another (not exhaustive) list.
12:31. Greater gifts — those gifts that benefit and strengthen the whole church. (This actually is linked to Paul’s initial plea for unity among the Corinthian believers: that you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose, [1:10].)
Memory Verse
For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
[1 Corinthians 12:13]
Next Lesson
2 Corinthians 4: Clay jars.
As I was reading this lesson, what kept popping into my mind was the racial inequalities that are front and center to many people today–we are one people in God–he created all of us and we all have our own gifts to share and not one is more important than another–not in God’s eyes–can’t say that about society