1 Corinthians Summary

1 Corinthians is a Pauline epistle written about 55 A.D. by Paul while he was on his third missionary journey in Ephesus. He helped establish the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey and spent eighteen months there. Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia, situated on an isthmus near Greece, providing access by land and sea to the surrounding regions. It became a large and wealthy city during Roman times, and had a reputation for wickedness, including sexual immorality. It appears Paul wrote four letters in total to the church at Corinth, but we only have two letters that are available. In this first letter to them, he responds to reports from within the church in the first six chapters and responds to a letter from them in the remainder of the book.

After his introduction, including a greeting, he has a thanksgiving section, which encompasses Paul’s themes of the letter. The Corinthians do not lack any spiritual gift (1:7). God will keep them strong to the end (1:8). Paul shares his concerns about divisions he has heard about because he wants to build unity in the church as they mature together (1:10-12). God chose the lowly things so no one can boast before him (1:29).

God has revealed his secret wisdom by his Spirit (2:7,10). We have the mind of Christ (2:16). Paul urges the Corinthians not to split into factions following different leaders, but rather to be united. The church is the temple of God and God’s Spirit lives in us (3:16). Paul claims to be their father through the gospel and as an apostle he has been mistreated by the world (3:9-13,15). In chapter 5, Paul deals with an immoral brother and tells the church to excommunicate him (5:13). In chapter 6, he commands the church to avoid lawsuits against each other.

For the remainder of the book, Paul responds to questions posed to him by the church. Chapter 7 deals with marriage issues. Paul says it is better to marry than burn with passion (7:9). He encourages believers to avoid divorce (7:10-12,27). If an unbeliever leaves the marriage, the believer is to let them go (7:15). If a spouse dies, the partner is free to remarry, but it must be to a believer (7:39). The topic in chapter 8 is food sacrificed to idols. Paul teaches that food does not bring us closer to God (8:8). Those who have freedom in eating should not become a stumbling block to the weak (8:9). In chapter 9, Paul speaks about his right as an apostle to receive his living from the gospel (9:14). But he does not make use of this right, but rather offers the gospel for free (9:12,15-18). He has become all things to all men so that by all possible means he might save some (9:22).

Chapter 10 discusses warnings from Israel’s history. Paul exhorts the Corinthians not to be idolaters, as some of the Israelites in the desert were (10:7,14). They are to avoid sexual immorality (10:8). God provides a way out of temptation. The Lord’s supper is a topic in chapters 10 and 11. Idol feasts should not be mixed with the Lord’s supper since sacrifices made by pagans are offered to demons (10:20). We have freedom to eat, but we should be careful not to cause anyone to stumble. When coming to the Lord’s supper, Paul instructs believers to eat at home first, wait for each other, and eat together the communion meal.

Chapters 12-14 involve spiritual gifts. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit (12:4). He lists the gifts in 12:8-10,28-30. The Spirit gives a gift to each one just as he determines (12:11). Paul uses an analogy of the body for the church. Chapter 13 is the famous love chapter where Paul defines love (13:4-7). In the context, Paul is admonishing the believers to love each other in the way they use their gifts in the church. He ties the two ideas together in 14:1. Speaking in a tongue speaks to God, while prophesying speaks to men. Therefore, it is better to prophesy in the church (14:5,39). Everything should be done in an orderly way (14:40).

Chapter 15 focuses on the resurrection. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead (15:20). For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality (15:54). God gives us the victory in Jesus Christ (15:57).

Lastly, chapter 16 contains the closing of the letter. Paul encourages the believers to save up for a gift to be sent to the Jerusalem church (16:3-4). Paul wants to visit them again (16:5). Apollos will visit when he is able. Paul ends the letter with grace and love.