Sunday, July 5, 2009
Background of the city
Because
of its strategic location on the narrow isthmus connecting the Peloponnesus to the rest of Greece, the city of Corinth long played an important role in
Greek history. Its location gave it command of North/South trade by land and
East/West trade by sea. It was a very treacherous voyage around the cape of Malea, the southern most tip of Achaia.
Consequently, most ship owners preferred to unload their cargo, transport it the
3.5 miles across the isthmus, and reload it into other ships on the other side.
Corinth’s history as a Greek city came to
an end in 146 b.c. when the Roman
general Lucius Mummius destroyed the city, killed the entire male population,
and sold the women and children into slavery.
Julius
Caesar rebuilt the city a century later as a Roman colony and settled many
Roman freedmen there. So although it was a Greek city in origin, it had a
rather substantial Roman element in its population in Paul’s day. We see this in
the many Latin names associated with the church there (Titius Justus and
Crispus [Acts 18:7-8]; Fortunatus, Achaicus [1 Cor. 16:7]; Lucius, Gaius,
Tertius, Erastus, and Quartus [Rom. 16:21ff.].
Many
other peoples and nations were represented there as well, as was common for a
large port city. Consequently, it was a multicultural city, with quite an array
of religious options. The Greek and Roman gods were all represented there, as
were their eastern counterparts. And, as the introduction to the book in the ESV Study Bible mentions, “The
worship of all these gods was fully integrated into governmental affairs, civic
festivals, trade guilds, and social clubs, and everyday life in general.”
This is why there is a good deal of emphasis in Paul’s
instruction warning the Corinthian Christians of the dangers of idolatry (1
Cor. 8; 10; cf. 12:1-2).
So Corinth was a very cosmopolitan city, a
very international city. Travelers, businessmen, merchants, and soldiers from
all over the Mediterranean might be found there. Adding to
its influence was the fact that the emperor Augustus made it the capital of
Achaia.
The city was
well-known in antiquity for its wealth, luxury, and immorality. Contributing to
its immorality was the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty,
which was situated atop the highest peak of the Acrocorinth, a small mountain
just south of the city. The temple was once serviced by 1,000 prostitutes. In
fact, it was to this trafficking in women that the ancient geographer, Strabo,
ascribed the prosperity of the city.
Even in
Roman times Corinth was so infamous for its
immorality that it was a commonplace to use the word “Corinthianize” to mean
“to practice immorality.” Similarly, “Corinthian girl” meant a prostitute. Corinth had a bad reputation in this
respect. Cities, like people, you know, have reputations. Think San Francisco. Think Las Vegas. New Orleans. Paris.
It is no wonder that Paul dealt with sexual immorality as
much as he did in his two letters. More on this in a moment.
The city
also played host to the Isthmian Games, similar to the games held in Olympia (the Olympic Games), but held
every two years instead of every four. Paul alludes to these games in 9:24-27,
when he says,
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every
athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a
perishable wreath [originally a wreath of celery leaves; later of pine leaves],
but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I
do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline
my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself
should be disqualified.
So then,
the city was influential in a number of ways:
as a provincial capital, as a center of trade, and as a center of
Greco-Roman culture.
Founding of the Church at Corinth
We find
Paul purposely traveling to important cultural centers. He spent considerable
time in Antioch in Syria, the third city in the Empire,
behind only Rome and Alexandria as cities of great influence.
Later we will find him spending a good deal of time in Ephesus, another important city of the
day. And of course eventually he will make his way to Rome.
Paul
founded the church at Corinth on his second missionary journey.
We read about it in Acts 18:1-11.
And in
order to show that the Lord was good to his word, we have an interesting
incident recorded in 18:12-17.
Sosthenes, as the leader of the synagogue, was the one who
brought the charges against Paul before Gallio. But Gallio wanted nothing to do
with it. The charges were of a religious nature of concern to Jews, not matters
of a criminal nature, which he was authorized to judge. Judaism was a licit
religion; that is, it was officially recognized under Roman law, and in
Gallio’s eyes this was simply an internal dispute between Jews of different factions
on the finer points of Jewish theology—about which he cared not one whit and
had no authority to judge. Consequently he drove them out of the court.
Now, when Luke says, “They all seized Sosthenes…and beat
him in front of the tribunal,” we’re not sure who it was who did the beating.
Luke doesn’t tell us. There’s no antecedent for the pronoun. Was it the Roman
authorities? Probably not. Sosthenes was not on trial and had not been
convicted of anything. It was probably a crowd of onlookers who had had enough
of the Jews. Remember, the emperor Claudius had recently booted the Jews out of
Rome. It is likely that there was some
nasty feelings toward the Jews in many of the other major cities, as well.
There always was a good deal of antipathy toward the Jews. Claudius’ expulsion
would have only intensified the feeling.
Paul
wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth from Ephesus, while he was on his third
missionary journey. This would be about the year a.d. 54.
Paul’s Correspondence with the
Church at Corinth
The name
“First Corinthians” is somewhat of a misnomer because the letter is actually
the third piece of correspondence
between Paul and the church. How do we know this? Because in 1 Corinthians 5,
Paul refers to a previous letter he
had written to the church (5:9). And
then there is a reference to a letter which the church had written to him (7:1).
So here’s
what we have:
Paul preaches the gospel and founds the church in Corinth in a.d. 51-52
Not long afterwards he writes them a letter, which is no
longer extant (available). All we know of this letter is that Paul had told
them not to associate with sexually immoral people (5:9). What else was in the
letter, we don’t know.
The Corinthians then write him a letter.
Paul then writes 1 Corinthians in response. So First
Corinthians is actually Second Corinthians, and Second Corinthians is actually
Third Corinthians.
You got
that?
And then
we have to add to the mix the report that Paul had received about the church in
Corinth from “Chloe’s people” (1:10-11).
Paul’s Tone
It will
be noticed that Paul’s tone in First and Second Corinthians is very strong. It
seems that the church had to a considerable extent disregarded Paul’s
instructions. Perhaps that’s why we don’t have a copy of Paul’s first
letter—because they disregarded it. In fact, Paul was rather disturbed by their
somewhat cavalier attitude toward his instructions. That’s why his tone is so
strong. Not because he took personal offense, or was concerned about his
reputation, but because he was concerned about them. It was for their own good
that they come to recognize the apostolic authority of his teaching. If they
rejected his teaching, it was not him they were rejecting, but Christ.
36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are
you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks
that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am
writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone
does not recognize this, he is not recognized (1 Cor. 14:36-38)
2 I warned those who sinned before and all the
others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second
visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3 since
you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with
you, but is powerful among you. 4
For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also
are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of
God (2 Cor. 13:2-4)
You want
a demonstration of power? You want proof that I speak on behalf of Christ? I’ll
give you proof. When I come I will exercise the full weight of my apostolic
authority. Have you heard about Ananias and Sapphira? Have you heard about
Elymas the false prophet? Have you heard what God did to them?
His tone
is very stern, almost combative, but I believe very pastoral. It was exactly the pastoral attitude necessary to minister
to the Corinthians.
10 For this reason I write these
things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe
in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not
for tearing down (2 Cor. 13:10; cf. 10:8)
Their
letter to him seems to have been a justification for disregarding his
instructions. And he writes back with a defense of his calling and authority,
and takes up various points that they had raised.
“They were calling both his apostleship and his gospel
into question, and in every instance they seem to be modifying it toward
Hellenism—toward their pagan past and their Greek way of thinking.” (Gordon
Fee, as quoted by Steve Schlissel)
This is
always one of the biggest temptations for the people of God—to modify the
message of the gospel in order to fit our preconceived ideas, which are often
instilled in us subconsciously by the culture in which we live.
This was
not just a problem for the ancient Israelites as they came out of Egypt and entered the land of Canaan (Lev. 18:1-3). Nor was it just a
problem for the Christians in Corinth or Rome or Ephesus in the first century. It has
always been, and will always be, a problem for God’s people no matter what time
period and no matter what culture they live in.
It’s a
problem for us.
It’s
always easier to see it in others, and more difficult to see it in ourselves.
But it’s a problem for us, too. Many things, many of the ideas and practices,
that are simply taken for granted in the modern American evangelical church
world, are notions derived from the surrounding culture, rather than being
derived from the teaching of Scripture.
Let’s outline the material and make a few comments along the way...
I.
Introduction, 1:1-9
II.
Paul’s response to what had been reported to him about the
church, 1:10 – 6:20
A.
On divisions in the church (1:10-4:21)
B.
On sexual immorality in the church (5:1 – 6:20)
1.
With a digression on lawsuits between Christians before
unbelievers (6:1-11)
III.
Paul’s response to the church’s letter, 7:1 – 16:18
A.
On marriage and celibacy (7:1-40)
B.
On food offered to idols (8:1 – 11:1)
1.
With a digression on forsaking one’s rights for the good
of others (9:1-27)
C.
On the role of men and women (11:1-16)
D.
On abuses of the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34)
E.
On the use of spiritual gifts (12:1 – 14:40)
F.
On the resurrection (15:1-58)
IV.
Final Greeting and Benediction, 16:19-24