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Paul - The Books Of Corinthians The First Of Corinthians Place of Writing: Ephesus Completed: c. 55 C.E. Corinth was 'a renowned and voluptuous city, where the vices of East and West met." (Halley's Bible Handbook, 1988, H.H.Halley, pg 593) Situated on the narrow isthmus between the Peloponnesus and continental Greece, Corinth commanded the land route to the mainland. In the days of the apostle Paul, its population of about 400,000 ws exceeded only by Rome, Alexandria and Syrian Antioch. To the east of Corinth lay the Aegean Sea, and to the west, the Gulf of Corinth and the Ionian Sea. So Corinth, the capital of the province of Achaia, with its two ports of Cenchreae and Lechaeum, held a position of strategic importance commercially. It was also a center of Greek learning. "Its wealth", it has been said, "was so celebrated as to be proverbial; so were the vice and profligacy of its inhabitants." (Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, 1863, Vol. 1, pg 353) Amoung its pagan religious practices was the worship of Aphrodite (counterpart of the Roman Venus). Sensuality was a product of Corinthian worship. It was to this thriving but morally decadent metropolis of the Roman world that the apostle Paul travelled in about 50 C.E. During his stay of 18 months, a Christian congregation was established there. (Acts 18:1-11) What love Paul felt toward these believers to whom he had first carried the good news about Christ! By letter he reminded them of the spiritual bond that existed, saying: "Though you may have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you certainly do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have become your father through the good news." (1 Cor. 4:15) Deep concern for their spiritual welfare moved Paul to write his first letter to the Corinthian Christians while in the course of his third missionary tour. A few years had passed since he had resided in Corinth. It was now about 55 C.E., and Paul was in Ephesus. Apparently he had received a letter from the relatively new congregation in Corinth, and it required a reply. Furthermore, disturbing reports had reached Paul (1Cor. 7:1; 1:1; 5:1; 11:18) So distressing were these that the apostle did not even refer to their letter of inquiry until the opening verse of chapter 7 of his letter. Especially because of the reports he had received did Paul feel compelled to write to is fellow Christians in Corinth. But how do we know Paul wrote 1Corinthians from Ephesus? For one thing, in concluding the letter with greetings, the apostle includes those of Aquila and Prisca(Priscilla). (1Cor. 16:19). Acts 18:18+19 shows that they had transferred from Corinth to Ephesus. Since Aquila and Priscilla were residing there and Paul included them in the closing greetings of 1Corinthians, he must have been in Ephesus when he wrote the letter. A point that leaves no uncertainty, however, is Paul's statement at 1Corinthians 16:8: "But I am remaining in Ephesus until the festival of Pentecost." So 1Corinthians was written by Paul at Ephesus, apparently near the end of his stay there. The authenticity of 1Corinthians, and also of 2Corinthians, is unquestionable. These letters were ascribed to Paul and accepted as canonical by the early Christians, who included them in their collections. In fact, it is said that 1Corinthians is alluded to and quoted at least six times in a letter from Rome to Corinth dated about 95 C.E. and called First Clement. With apparent reference to 1Corinthians, the writer urged the recipients of this letter to "take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the apostle." (The Interpreter's Bible, Vol 10, 1953, pg 13) 1Corinthians is also directly quoted by Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Irenaeus and Tertullian. There is strong evidence that a corpus, or collection, of Paul's letters, including 1 & 2 Corinthians, "was formed and published in the last decade of the first century." (The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 9, 1954, pg 358) Paul's first letter to the Corinthians gives us an opportunity to look inside the Corinthian congregation itself. These Christians had problems to face, and they had questions to be resolved. There were factions within the congregation, for some were following men. A shocking case of sexual immorality had arisen. Some were living in religiously divided households. Should they remain with their unbelieving mates of separate? And what of eating meat sacrificed to idols? Should they partake of it? The Corinthians needed advice regarding the conducting of their meetings, including the celebration of the Lord's Evening Meal. What should be the position of women in the congregation? Then, too, there were those in their midst who denied the resurrection. Problems were many. Particularly, though, was the apostle interested in bringing about a spiritual restoration of the Corinthians. Because conditions inside the congregation and the environment outside in ancient Corinth, with its prosperity and licentiousness, have modern parallels, Paul's sterling counsel penned under divine inspiration commands our attention. What Paul said is so full of meaning for our own day that thoughtful consideration of his first letter to his beloved Corinthian brothers and sisters will prove beneficial indeed. Recall now the spirit of the time and place. Think searchingly, as the Corinthian Christians must have done, while you review the penetrating, stirring, inspired words of Paul to his fellow believers in Corinth of old. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Second Of Corinthians Place of Writing: Macedonia Completed: c. 55 C.E. It was now probably late summer or early fall of 55C.E. There were still some matters in the Christian congregation at Corinth that were causing concern to the apostle Paul. Not many months had passed since the writing of his first letter to the Corinthians. Since then Titus had been dispatched to Corinth to assist in the collection being undertaken there for the holly ones in Judea and possibly also to observe the reaction of the Corinthians to the first letter. (2Cor. 8:1-6; 2:13) How had they taken it? What comfort it brought Paul to know that it had moved them to sorrow and repentance! Titus had returned to Paul in Macedonia with this good report, and now the apostle's heart was filled to overflowing with love for his beloved Corinthian fellow believers. (2Cor. 7:5-7; 6:11) So Paul wrote again to the Corinthians. This heartwarming and forceful second letter was written from Macedonia and was delivered apparently by Titus. (2Cor 9:2, 4; 8:16-18, 22-24) One of the matters of concern that moved Paul to write was the presence amoung the Corinthians of "superfine apostles," whom he also described as "false apostles, deceitful workers." (2Cor. 11:5, 13+14) The spiritual welfare of the comparatively young congregation was in jeopardy, and Paul's authority as an apostle was under attack. His second letter to Corinth thus filled a great need. It may be noted that Paul said: "This is the third time I am ready to come to you." (2Cor. 12:14; 13:1) He had planned to visit them a second time when he wrote his first letter, but though he got ready, this "second occasion for joy" did not materialize. (1Cor. 16:5; 2Cor 1:15) Actually, then, Paul had been there only once before, for 18 months in 50-52 C.E., when the Christian congregation was founded in Corinth. (Acts 18:1-18) However, Paul later realized the fulfillment of his wish to visit Corinth once more. While in Greece for three months, probably in 56 C.E., he spent at least part of the time in Corinth, and it was from there that he wrote his letter to the Romans. (Rom. 16:1, 23;1Cor. 1:14) 2Corinthians has always been reckoned along with 1Corinthians and the other Pauline epistles as an authentic part of the Bible canon. Again we are enabled to look inside the congregation at Corinth and derive benefit from Paul's inspired word given to admonish them, as well as us. Love Katidid. |
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