Corinth was a most licentious city. Sitting between two natural harbors and connecting continental Greece in the north and Peloponnesus to the south, Corinth bustled with commerce not unlike the world in which we live today.
The assembly there had many problems. Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians looks at the internal order of the church of God. The character of the second is very different. With Titus’s positive report from Corinth (2 Cor. 7), Paul opens his heart and speaks with greater liberty.
First Corinthians
Divisions had arisen among the believers in Corinth. Evil was tolerated in their midst, and some were even denying the resurrection. The Apostle, having received notice through the house of Chloe and a letter from themselves (1 Cor. 1:11; 7:111For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (1 Corinthians 1:11)
1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. (1 Corinthians 7:1)), finds it necessary to defer a visit lest he should come with a rod (ch. 4:21) and directs this divinely inspired communication to them.
A key to the book may be found in verse 9 of the first chapter: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” The Lordship of Christ is impressed upon them the Lord’s table, the Lord’s supper (ch. 10:21; 11:20) and it is into His fellowship that we are called. It is not our own. Likewise, the power of the Spirit is everywhere presented in contrast to the wisdom of man: “We speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means” (ch. 2:13 JND).
Outline
After a brief introduction of nine verses, the Apostle immediately addresses the subject of divisions. What Paul or Apollos taught could not be separated from Christ or each other. Paul determined not to know anything among them save Jesus Christ and Him crucified (ch. 2:2) he meets and silences all thought of division with the cross of Christ. The one foundation had been laid; man was responsible for how he built upon it (ch. 3:10-15).
From chapter 5 through the end of chapter 11, Paul addresses various moral questions. Before considering the things that they had written him (ch. 7), the Apostle is compelled to deal with a specific instance of immorality among them (ch. 5:1). After this, Paul addresses going to law, marriage and eating things offered to idols.
In chapter 10 Paul warns the professing church with examples from Israel’s history. Departure from Christ will ultimately lead to apostasy. It is at this juncture that the Lord’s table is introduced: “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” (Psa. 78:1919Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? (Psalm 78:19)). The collective nature of the remembrance feast, particularly the unity of the body as expressed in the loaf, is emphasized here. “We being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:1717For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17)).
Chapter 11 begins with something that is perceived to be of little relevance today, but which, nonetheless, has never lost its significance. The woman’s head covering (and the man’s lack) is an outward display of God’s order in creation (ch. 11:1-16). The latter part of the chapter brings before us the Lord’s supper, a subject of special revelation received by Paul (vs. 23). In the Lord’s supper we remember the Lord and announce “the Lord’s death till He come” (vs. 26). The bread and cup are not to be partaken of in an unworthy manner-individual self-judgment is essential (vss. 27-29). In chapter 11 it is the individual responsibility that is brought before us, while in chapter 5 it is assembly judgment.
In chapters 12-14, Paul takes up the subject of spiritual gifts (ch. 12:1). By one Spirit, gift is divided to each as He pleases, and, by one Spirit, gift works (vs. 11). Gift cannot be exercised without love (ch. 13), and when gift is appropriately exercised, there is order and the church is edified (ch. 14).
In chapter 15 some were questioning the resurrection from the dead (ch. 15:12). Without the resurrection, there is no gospel “we are of all men most miserable” (vs. 19).
Paul concludes the letter in chapter 16 with a final word on collections, his travel plans and a closing salutation.
Second Corinthians
Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians was written during his third and final journey. His first letter had wrought repentance, and the wicked person had been dealt with (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2:66Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. (2 Corinthians 2:6)).
The subject matter of this beautiful epistle is, to use the words of another, “restorative grace, according to the character and power of life in Christ, and that accompanied by the deepest exercise of the heart under the disciplinary ways of God.”
Outline
The Apostle was not a disinterested bystander, terrifying them by letters from afar. Rather, he was deeply affected, first by the state of things in Corinth, and then by news of their repentance.
This epistle was written after Paul had met Titus. From verse 13 of chapter 2 until we finally read of the happy reunion with Titus in verse 6 of chapter 7, we have the sweet communion between souls that have experienced the restorative effects of grace in their lives though under very different circumstances.
Paul describes themselves as captives led about in triumph, a sweet savor unto God. He didn’t make trade of the Word of God; rather, before God he spoke, not of, but in Christ (2 Cor. 2:1717For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:17)).
He did not need a letter commending him to the Corinthian saints, for they themselves were living epistles, “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (ch. 3:3). Their actions had been ample testimony of their faith.
In chapter 5 we have the confidence of one whose life is in Christ. Here we have what motivated the Apostle and us in his life and ministry. “The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (ch. 5:14-15).
The Apostle still had a great concern for the spiritual well-being of the Corinthians, and he does not fail to touch on the difficulties that remained though, in the main, the tone is exhortative rather than assertive, nevertheless with authority. In chapters 89 liberality to the poor saints is encouraged, while in chapters 10-12, Paul addresses those that would question his apostleship. He feared lest there should be those that would beguile them and their minds be “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ,” bringing them into bondage (ch. 11:3,20).
The book closes with chapter 13. They sought proof of Christ speaking in the Apostle. They should examine themselves: If they were Christians, was that not the proof they sought?
N. Simon