First epistle to the corinthians

Paul of Tarsus according to a representation in the monastery of Stavronikita, on Mount Athos.

The First Epistle to the Corinthians (abbreviated 1 Co) is a book of the New Testament of the Bible. It is a letter written by Paul of Tarsus to the Christian community or Church of Corinth.

It was written from Ephesus around the time of Passover in the third year of Paul's journey there, about AD 54, when he planned to visit Macedonia and later return to Corinth.

Author and dating

The First Epistle to the Corinthians was written in Ephesus, where, according to Acts 20.31, Paul lived for three years, probably between 54 and 57. While he was there, believers in the congregation sent him, possibly through Estéfanas, Fortunato and Acaico (cf. 16.17), some queries, to which he responded with the present letter (cf. the passages beginning at 7.1, 25; 8.1, and also 10.23; 11.2; 12.1; 15.1).

The Church of Corinth

Corinth in Greece, place of the Church of Corinth.

Despite not belonging to the Pentarchy, the Church of Corinth is one of the best known. He owes his fame to the two epistles that Saint Paul sent him and to the one that Clement of Rome sent him.

Content

Chapter I

The epistle begins with a lengthy salutation. Extensive, it is understood, in current terms but usual among ancient writers, more inclined to recreate themselves in the prolegomena.

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus and Sostenes, brother, to the Church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.

I Corinthians 1.1-2

In this greeting, Paul says of himself that he is an apostle by the will of God, alluding to his late and atypical conversion. Paul was a stranger in the apostolic community since he did not belong to the twelve or to his closest disciples. Not receiving the apostolic commission from them, Paul became an unexpected and decisive factor in the spread of Christianity. After praising the virtues of the Corinthian community (1,4-9), he adds: I have learned from Chloe that there are disagreements among you (1,11), thus indicating the plot axis from the epistle

Next, concealed behind a biographical note, he develops a doctrinal piece that will be a commonplace of later theology. It is about the strangeness between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. In this regard, this is the most well-known quote:

Because it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and reject the science of the intelligent.

I Corinthians 1,19

While the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, we preach a crucified Christ, scandal for the Jews and madness for the pagans...

I Corinthians 1.22-23

Chapter II

This chapter mentions the foundation of the Christian faith, and Paul teaches where this faith should be based. Although Paul was a very wise and eloquent man when it came to exposing the sacred scriptures, he determined not to preach among the Corinthians with persuasive words of human wisdom, but rather with demonstration of the Spirit and power of God. What Paul wanted to make clear is that man's salvation does not depend on his wisdom, nor on his ability to achieve it, but that it must be obtained by the infinite power of God in his sole sovereignty.

Chapter V

Despite being referred to as the first epistle, it should not be like that, as Paul affirms: I already wrote you another letter (1 Corinthians 5,9).

Chapter VI

This chapter talks about making people think about the fact that the unjust will not enter the kingdom of heaven if they don't think about it and stop sinning.

1 How dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to judgment before the unrighteous, and not, rather, before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unworthy of judging such small lawsuits? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, in the event that there are prayers concerning the things of this life, to which for the Church they are of little esteem, shall ye put to judge? 5 I tell you to be ashamed. Well, what? Is there not among you a single wise man who can judge among his brothers? 6 But brother goes to judgment against brother, and this is before the unbelievers! 7 Without a doubt, it is already a total failure for you who have prayers among you. Why not suffer injustice rather? Why not be rather defrauded? 8 However, you do injustice and disappoint, and this to the brothers! 9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: that neither the fornicators, nor the idolaters, nor the adulterers, nor the shaves, nor the homosexuals, 10 nor the thieves, nor the coves, nor the drunken, nor the slanders, nor the scammers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And this was some of you, but you have been washed, but you are already sanctified, but you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Chapter 7

Exposes the doctrine of marriage. In verses 1 to 9 we would say that the themes are: mutual marital responsibility, it is made clear that each one belongs to the other, and that both cannot be denied except by mutual consent and for some specific purpose. The other issue is celibacy, it is dealt with at the council level, those who have not married may remain so, and those who are widowed may not seek to remarry; as long as they can remain that way without sinning.

It is good for the man not to touch a woman, therefore, I say to the singles and widows that it is good for them to endure it just as I do. But if they can't stop, get married, because it's better to marry than burn

Some claim that the apostle Paul was of this idea because he had the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as imminent, therefore it was better to concentrate on matters of the Gospel in those "end times" rather than on matters of the couple.

Verses 10-24 deal with the issue of divorce. This has always been a rather contentious topic. In verses 10 and 11 it is clear that what the Apostle advises is to stay together, he even affirms that the one who suffered a separation must remain without marrying; in this case both are believers. The conflict is in verse 15, where the marriage is mixed, one believing and the other not. Paul has made it clear that the believer should be careful not to separate in mixed marriages. The issue is when it is the non-believer who decides to divorce, without a doubt this person divorces to remarry, what should the divorced believer do? Is it Paul's mandate from I Cor. 7:11 for him? "and if you separate, stay unmarried". Some biblical thinkers do not tell us anything and guide their comments by the conservative position... stay unmarried, others take the text of I Cor. 7:15 because the brother or the sister is not there sister subject to bondage and this is interpreted as opening the door to remarriage if the non-believing spouse does so.

Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII deals with a matter of concern in Christian communities. It was the question of whether meat sacrificed to idols could be eaten. In almost every community there was tension between its pagan-Christian members and its Judeo-Christian members. Just because they came from different cultures, they already had different perspectives. Eating meat sacrificed to idols was for pagans a daily matter and nothing problematic. Not so for the affections to Judaism to whom its law expressly prohibited them.

Chapter XIII

This is one of the most popular chapters of the Bible because of the fiery defense of love as the fundamental force of Christianity. It is a reference reading in the celebration of Christian marriage.

« Love is patient, it is helpful; love is not envious, does not boast, does not fade,

does not proceed with lowerness, does not seek his own interest, does not irritate, do not take into account the evil received, He does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoice with the truth.

Love all apologises, everything believes, everything waits, everything endures."

1 Corinthians 13.4-7.

Chapter XIV

In this chapter the apostle Paul addresses a subject as controversial as prophecy as well as the order of development of the meeting of worship.

From the first verse Paul serves up the polemic after giving it a degree of importance (μᾶλλον greater degree in Greek) superior, at least at this moment, to the prophetic than even to love or spiritual gifts, subjects that coincidentally have dealt with in previous chapters.

In the course of the chapter the writer tries to clarify the importance of prophecy, as well as to establish a clear difference of purpose between prophesying and speaking in tongues.

After addressing these mystical issues, the apostle decides to frame their operation, in an orderly flow so that it is beneficial and not confusing for the Church.

Paul ends the text by mentioning the attitude of the women in the gathering of saints 14:33-35 there, he tells the women to "be silent in the congregations" "if you want to learn something, ask your husbands." The remaining verses are a summary of the entire chapter.

Chapter XV