(Paul wrote 1 Corinthians near the end of his three years' stay at Ephesus (Acts 20:31) during his third missionary journey. It was not written with Timothy, who Paul had sent ahead into Macedonia (Acts 19:22). This letter was written after the letter to the Romans which covered the foundational Christian Doctrine of Salvation. This was the second letter of the section known as the Pauline Epistles. It was placed second because it dealt with the basic Doctrine necessary to begin a New Testament Church. Paul wrote this letter to the church he founded in Corinth in order to break down divisions within the church through settling fundamental doctrinal questions. Paul's main theme was the church ought to do everything according to love so that they would always be profitable.)
1 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours:
(Doctrine: Apostles are called by God. Apostles travel to a new place and begin the process of forming a church. A key piece of information to remember when reading this letter was that Paul was writing this letter to the church of Corinth, to everyone. It appeared they did not have elders/pastors yet.)
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;
5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge;
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Doctrine: Grace was given by Jesus Christ for our enrichment (to make profitable) in all utterance (speech) and all knowledge so that we will be blameless.)
9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
(We are called into fellowship with Jesus Christ and as an effect we ought to be in fellowship with each other: perfectly joined, same mind, no divisions, agreement, etc.)
11 For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
(Paul had been informed about contentions among the believers in Corinth. In his letter to the Romans, Paul broke down the divisions between Jews and Gentiles. This letter was written to break down the divisions within the church.)
12 Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius;
15 lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
(Paul was grateful that he did not baptize the Corinthians because people were causing divisions among themselves regarding whom they said they belong to.)
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
(In the Book of Acts and Book of Romans, Paul (and Peter) used a two step method to preach a sermon:
-1st Step: Present the premise (what) and reason (why).
-2nd Step: Support the premise with scripture.
The key to getting the correct interpretation of Paul's premise is to make sure your interpretation fits the context of what Paul previously wrote and fits the context of the supporting scripture. Verse 17 presented a premise.
Premise: Paul was sent to preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words (eloquent speech), but with actions (power). Teaching is done with wisdom of words. Preaching is meant to move people which involves words and emotions. Paul's reason was that if he focused on words to the point that he was eloquent, he would be distracting people from the power of the cross to change peoples' lives.)
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
(Paul referenced Isaiah 29:14 to show God said those who relied only on facts would be destroyed by Jesus' resurrection because without experiencing the power of the cross, Jesus' death did not make logical sense.)
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
(The term "disputer of this world" referred to people looking for special interpretation of the scriptures. Paul referenced Isaiah 33:18 to show God said those who claimed to represent God would be made foolish if they relied only on logic.)
21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
(Premise: God gets pleasure out of saving those who choose to believe.)
22 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom:
(Paul contrasted the Jews and the Greeks to show why neither believed: The Jews only looked for actions and the Greeks only looked for facts. Paul stated we need to look for both.)
23 but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
24 but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
(The Jews saw the cross as a stumblingblock because they did not understand the scriptures and the Greeks saw the cross as foolishness because they did not experience the power. However, believers know that Christ is the power and the wisdom of God.)
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
(Paul continued this "power and wisdom" theme by contrasting God's "lack of wisdom" as greater than man's wisdom and God's "lack of power" as more powerful than men.)
26 For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
(Paul added the attribute of noble to the wisdom and power theme.)
27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;
28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:
(Paul added the concept of the invisible to this theme. God used the lack of: wisdom, power, nobility, and visibility...for what purpose?)
29 that no flesh should glory before God.
(Answer: So that no flesh should glory before God. God intentionally set everything up for Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection in a way that would not use worldly: wisdom, power, nobility, and appearance so that the flesh would not glory before God, and that people had to operate opposite of the flesh in order to believe in God.)
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:
31 that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
(Paul referenced Jeremiah 9:23-24 to support the premise that God would be the source of everything that the flesh looked to get from the world.)
(Theme of Chapter 1: God intentionally set everything up for Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection in a way that would not use worldly: wisdom, power, nobility, and appearance so that the flesh would not glory before God, and that people had to operate opposite of the flesh in order to believe in God. Paul began chapter 2 by stating he had operated according to this same approach.)
1 Corinthians 2
1 And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
(Paul went to the church of Corinth humble and lacking everything the world would value.)
4 And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
(Paul's speech was with words, however he preached the Gospel by God's wisdom (grace through the Holy Spirit) and not man's wisdom.)
5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
(Paul wanted their faith to be in words and actions (the power of God) and not in man's wisdom, not according to words of the flesh.)
6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory:
8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:
(Premise: Believers speak the wisdom of God in a mystery which the princes of this world (unbelievers) have not known.
Reason: if they did know God's wisdom they would not have crucified Christ. Whether or not you understand the mysteries of God's wisdom is dependent on if you are a believer or not, a choice that is your's alone.)
9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.
(Paul referenced Isaiah 64:4 to show that God intentionally approached man in a manner opposite to his flesh. Notice, if you choose to love God instead of the flesh, then you are choosing to understand God. God did not foreordain who would choose to love Him. God did foreordain the process for finding out who would choose to love Him.)
10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.
(We can get God's wisdom revealed to us only through the Holy Spirit, only once we choose to believe. Our recognition that we are flawed and fleshly ought to lead to us humbling ourselves: willing to consider our beliefs and methods are wrong. Once we humble ourselves and accept the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can then receive the wisdom of God.)
12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words.
(We have received the Spirit of God that we might know all things. Notice, we end up having spiritual things (actions) with spiritual words.)
14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
(Paul proved his premise from chapter 1: The natural man sees the things of the Spirit of God as foolishness because the things and words of the Spirit are wisdom to those who choose to walk in the Spirit and not according to the flesh. For example, the natural man desires comfort; God desires growth.)
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
(Verse 16 was in two parts. The first part showed that none of us knows the mind of Jesus Christ well enough that we are able to teach Him. All this meant was that we will never be wiser than Jesus. However, some can try to interpret this verse as "We'll never know anything, so why try?"
The second part ought to prevent this fleshly comparative thinking by realizing: We have the mind of Christ. Verse 16 showed us that we can have God's wisdom, but we will never have more wisdom than Jesus Christ.)
(Theme of Chapter 2: Paul furthered his premise from the first chapter by giving more resolution between the physical things of the world that the flesh values and the spiritual things from God that mature Christians value.)
1 Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;
3 for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?
(After bringing resolution between the mysteries understood by the Spirit and the things valued by the flesh, Paul spoke to the church of Corinth carnally because they were being fleshly. They could only handle "milk" as babes, not "meat" as those who were mature. Paul said their divisions proved they were being fleshly.)
4 For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?
5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him.
(Paul and Apollos were ministers of the same Lord in which the Corinthians believed.)
6 I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
(Paul planted (apostle), Apollos watered (teacher) but God gave the increase (made them profitable, caused their growth). Paul gave God the credit for the profitability.)
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
(However, those who "plant" and those who "water" will be Rewarded through Justice as will all men according to their labor.)
9 For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building.
(Believers are God's husbandry (the "land" that a Husbandman works; a cultivated field); believers are God's building: believers will inhabit the new Jerusalem which is the Bride and also referred to as God's House.)
10 According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(The ultimate foundation is Jesus Christ.)
12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is.
(Our works will be judged by fire at the final judgment.)
14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
(Doctrine: Our works do not save us, but will result in Reward during the Reward Judgment on Judgment Day (Revelation 20:11-15). Whatever works we do on Christ's foundation will be Rewarded through Justice.)
16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(The Holy Spirit dwells in believers, which makes believers the temple of God.)
17 If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
(Those who are humble are able to become wise. Wisdom is profitable actions. Humility is the cause.)
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:
(Paul referenced Job 5:13 to support his point that those who were proud in their own wisdom were actually foolish.)
20 and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.
(Paul referenced Psalm 94:11 to support his point that God knows man in his own wisdom has vain (unprofitable) thoughts.)
21 Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
(Paul ended with the Theme of Chapter 3: Glory in God, not in men. Men, in their own wisdom are foolish and vain. Glorying in Paul or Apollos, instead of in God, is even more foolish and unprofitable.)
Day 327
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