|
By this time you might consider leaving, but you stay only to find out that a prominent member in the church is involved in fornication. The whole church knows about it, and they are actually proud of it. One member tells you, "We're a very loving church; we know this man is in sin but we love him any way. Aren't we spiritual?"
The service is total chaos, with several members trying to prophesy at the same time, while others are speaking in tongues. Since you are not getting much out of the service, you decide to read the doctrinal statement in the visitor pack. You find that their doctrine of the resurrection is all messed up, and some people in the church don't even believe in the resurrection.
During the Lords' Supper many of the members get drunk and exclude others from this fellowship. They eat and drink in an unworthy manner making a total mockery of the Lords' table.
By the time the service ends and you finally make it to your car, you have also learned that several of the members are suing each other in the secular courts. And some of the members engage in sinful sexual practices, saying it's just fulfilling a bodily appetite. Immorality is rampant in this church. Another faction in the church reacts to the rampant immorality by promoting celibacy--complete sexual abstinence for all believers--as the Christian ideal.
As you drive away you are sick to your stomach, and you can't believe what you have just experienced. This is your first and last visit to this church. You have just visited the first century church in Corinth.
This church existed 2,000 years ago, but all of the issues remain remarkably current. If we can understand the nature of these problems and the nature of Paul's divinely inspired response to them, then we will gain great insight into numerous debates that threaten to divide taday's church and keep it from being salt and light. May each of us approach this book with an open heart, praying that the Holy Spirit may teach us.
Some background of the troubled at Corinth will help us understand the book of 1 Corinthians. Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaea, which included practically all Greece. Corinth was located on the southwest end of the isthmus that joined the southern part of the Greek peninsula with the mainland to the north. Greece is divided geographically into two parts; the southern part, the Peloponnesus, is attached to the northern part by a very narrow, four-mile-wide isthmus. All north and south overland traffic, including the traffic to and from Athens, had to pass through Corinth.
The north and south traffic of Greece passed through Corinth of necessity, and the greater part of the east and west traffic of the Mediterranean passed through her by choice. The extreme southern tip of Greece was known as Cape Malea. To round this dangerous cape was to risk your life. The Greeks had two sayings which showed what they thought of it: "Let him who sails round Melea forget his home," and, "Let him who sails round Malea first make his will."
In consequence, mariners followed one of two courses: small ships were sailed up the Saronic Gulf, hauled across the isthmus on rollers and then relaunched. Larger ships were unloaded at the isthmus and the cargo was carried across the isthmus and reloaded on another ship at the other side. This four mile journey across the isthmus saved a journey of two hundred miles around Cape Melea, the most dangerous cape in the Mediterranean.
The Corinthians controlled the east-west trade across the isthmus as well as trade between Peloponnesus and the area of Greece to the north. Corinth must have been a great center of commerce.
Although the city of Paul's day was a Roman city, the inhabitants continued to worship Greek gods. The city had a temple of Apollo, and a shrine to Apollo. In the city were shrines also to Hermes, Heracles, Athena, and Poseidon. Corinth had a famous temple dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing, and his daughter Hygieia. Several buildings were constructed around the temple to house the sick who came for healing. The patients left replicas of body parts that had been healed at the temple. Some of these replicas have been found in the ruins.
The most significant pagan cult in Corinth was the cult of Aphrodite. The worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, flourished in Corinth. A temple for Aphrodite which had one thousand sacred prostitutes/priestesses was located on the top of the Acropolis. In the evenings, the prostitutes descended from the Acropolis and plied their trade upon the streets of Corinth.
The religious life of the city also included Jewish worship. Paul began his Corinthian ministry in the synagogue in Corinth, as we shall see.
The city of Corinth as Paul found it was probably the wealthiest city in Greece. It was a cosmopolitan city composed of people from varying cultural backgrounds: Corinth was the home of Italians, Egyptians, Syrians, Jews and Orientals. One of the highlights in Corinth was the Isthmian Games. These games were second in importance only to the Olympic Games and were conducted every two years in the spring. The Corinthians enjoyed both the pleasures of these games and the wealth that the visitors brought to the city. While their ships were being carried across the isthmus, sailors came to the city to spend their money on the pleasures of Corinth. Even in an age of sexual immorality, Corinth was known for its licentious life-style. The very word korinthiazesthai, to live like a Corinthian, had become a part of the Greek language, and meant to live with drunken and immoral debauchery. Aelian, the late Greek writer, tells us that whenever a Corinthian was portrayed upon the stage he was drunk.
It was to this hotbed of vice that the Apostle Paul brought the gospel of Jesus Christ. From such a cultural hub, the gospel witness might well be heard all over the world. The city was a strategic target for the gospel. Paul first came to Corinth on his second missionary journey. He had left Macedonia with his life in peril and had crossed over to Athens. He had little success in Athens and so he had gone to Corinth. Paul stayed longer in Corinth than in any other city, with the exception of Ephesus. The account of Paul's founding the Church of Corinth is recorded by Luke in Acts 18:1-17:
Acts 18:1-4 (KJV) "After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
This was Paul's pattern: he made the synagogue his first base of operations. He argued that the Messiah was Jesus in accordance with the OT scripture.
Paul's pattern should teach us something about evangelism. He went to the place where people have an obvious interest in God and attempted to teach them the truth. He didn't chase people in the street who were not interested in the gospel to corner them and force the gospel down their throats. What can we learn about evangelism from Paul? His pattern demonstrates that we should present the gospel to those who want to hear it; we should not force the truth upon people who don't want to hear it. A believer needs to first be salt; by his godly life he creates an opportunity for people to ask him questions. He becomes light as he answers their questions. We shouldn't be trying to force the gospel upon people who aren't thirsty. Revelation 22:17 says, " And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (NKJV).
Look at what Paul did when he came across people who weren't interested in God's message:
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. (Acts 18:5-8, NKJV)
Verse 5 in the NIV reads "When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." The coming of Silas and Timothy to Corinth altered the situation for Paul because they brought a gift of money from the saints at Philippi (2 Corinthians 11:9 & Philippians 4:14-15) which allowed Paul to give up his tent making and devote himself to preaching.
Acts 18:7 speaks of "one that worshipped God." That is a technical phrase for a Gentile who had become a proselyte of the gate. Justus was a Roman who had converted to Judaism and his house was right next to the synagogue. The chief ruler of the synagogue came to Christ with all his house. Some use this to support infant baptism, but that is more eisogesis than exegesis. What is the explanation of with all his house?' We have become so infatuated with individualism that we find this hard to understand, but in the ancient world, when the head of the family acted, he did so for the whole family. All through the Bible we see God dealing with families based on the belief or unbelief of the head of the family. Joshua 24:15 gives us an example of this.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (KJV)
Joshua states that not only will he serve the Lord but so will his family. Acts 16:30-34 gives yet another example of the father's influence:
"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." (KJV)
The father responded in faith and so did his whole house. Fathers, we have a great responsibility as the head of our households. Our actions and words greatly influence those in our house. Acts 18:9-10 records a vision of encouragement the Lord gave to Paul as he was founding the church at Corinth. 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. (NKJV)
Some threatening circumstances must have prompted this vision from the Lord. The phrase "I have much people in this city" reassured Paul that God had many of His elect in Corinth who needed to hear the Word of Truth so that they could be saved. Interestingly, the word used for people is laos, often used of God's people Israel. Salvation is of the Lord, but in His sovereign plan He uses men to proclaim the gospel. He is telling Paul to persevere because there are many elect in the city who will believe on Christ.
Paul did persevere:
11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word
of God among them. 12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews
made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the
judgment seat, 13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God
contrary to the law. 14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth,
Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked
lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15 But if
it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I
will be no judge of such matters. 16 And he drave them from the judgment
seat. 17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for
none of those things." (Acts 18:11-17, NKJV).
Jewish opposition became so strong that Paul was brought before a Roman tribunal. Since the charges were purely religious, the proconsul, Gallio, refused to hear the case. Paul stayed a while longer, then he left Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila and went to Ephesus.
Paul had much involvement with the Corinthian church subsequent to going to Ephesus. After Paul planted the church at Corinth, he wrote the church a letter, referred to in 1 Corinthians 5:9. Paul says "I wrote" which is past tense. Paul's letter instructed them not to fellowship with fornicators. Apparently the first letter was misunderstood. Paul also heard about divisions at Corinth and received some questions from the church. He is attempting to correct their thinking in 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:10-11) as well as answering questions. The first misunderstood letter has been lost; scholars call that letter The Previous Letter.
The letter that we call 1 Corinthians didn't solve the problems so Paul made a very short visit to Corinth from Ephesus, (2 Cor. 2:1; 12:14) Now, if there was a third time, there must have been a second time, (2 Cor. 13:1-2). It was a painful visit because he had to come to correct them. This visit was not effective so he wrote a third letter to the Corinthians which was a scorcher, a real rebuke (2 Cor. 2:4). Scholars call this The Severe Letter and it, along with the Previous letter has been lost. Titus carried the Severe Letter to Corinth. Paul was anxious to hear their response so he left Ephesus and met Titus in Macedonia. The news was good: the Corinthians had accepted the letter, acknowledged Paul's apostleship and repented. Paul joyously wrote his fourth letter to the Corinthians which we know as 2 Corinthians. This is a letter of thanksgiving.
Paul followed this letter with his last recorded visit. He spent the winter in Corinth on his way to Jerusalem with the collection for the poor (Acts 20:1-4). The author of 1 Corinthians is unquestionably Paul (1 Cor. 1:1). He wrote from Ephesus (1Cor. 16:8) at the end of his three year visit to Ephesus, somewhere between the years 55-57A.D.
Two occasions warranted the writing of 1 Corinthians. First of all, Paul received a report of divisions (1Cor. 1:11). Notice Paul's method of dealing with this report: he did not say, "I heard from a lot of people that there are divisions among you." We often do that to try to support our case. Paul named names; he says, "I heard this from those in Chloe's household." This wasn't gossip--they told Paul of the divisions so he could correct them. The second occasion was a visit from three men who brought a letter with questions from the Corinthians (1Cor. 7:1 & 16:17). So Paul also wrote to answer their questions.
Paul hoped to accomplish five things in this letter. He wanted to bring unity to the church. He attempted to do this in the first six chapters by dealing with several things: divisions, immorality, believers suing each other. These were all symptoms of their carnality, and he strongly rebuked them for their carnality. Secondly, Paul answered their questions (1Cor. 7:1). Paul deals with marriage and virgins (1Cor. 7:25), Christian liberty (1Cor. 8:1), spiritual gifts (1Cor. 12:1), and giving (1Cor. 16:1). Thirdly, he wanted to correct the doctrine of the resurrection that was being denied by some of them; he did this in chapter 15. He also wrote to urge their participation in the collection for the poor in Jerusalem (1Cor. 16:1-3). Finally, he wrote to inform them of his immediate plans.
Basically Paul's letter develops around three main points. In chapters 1-6 he deal with problems in the church that he has heard about. In chapters 7-14 he answers their questions. In chapter 15 he deals with the doctrine of the resurrection. Chapter 16 is a conclusion.
Why study this book? What is the value to us of studying a 2,000 year old book? With very few exceptions, Paul's letters were written to meet an immediate situation; they were not treatises which he sat down to write in the peace and silence of his study. He was not thinking of us when he wrote this letter, but solely of the Corinthians. So what value is it to us?
There are several reasons why it will benifit us. 1. It is Scripture:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
1 Corinthians is God's Word, therefore it is profitable to us. Paul's teaching on marriage, divorce, separation, virgins, widows, immorality, and unity touch everyone. It is almost shocking to discover that the problems of the church today are the same as they were in Corinth 2,000 years ago. All of the Bible is relevant for us.
"The Bible, banned, burned, beloved. More widely read, more frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations of intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet soldiers carry it into battle believing it more powerful than their weapons. Fragments of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless killers into gentle saints. Pieced-together scraps of Scripture have converted whole villages of pagan Indians.
Nothing has affected the rise and fall of civilization, the character of cultures, the structure of governments, and the lives of the inhabitants of this planet as profoundly as the words of the Bible." (Loving God, Charles W. Colson, Zondervan Publishing House, 1983).
1 Corinthians is part of the Bible and is therefor worthy of our most diligent study.
2. I Corinthians presents to us the life of the New Testament local church. No other epistle sheds more light on the organization and functioning of the local church. More practical, detailed and scriptural instructions about the affairs in the New Testament local church are found in 1 Corinthians than in all other epistles of the New Testament.
How do you choose a church? Many of you are either in the military or you are students and at some point you will find yourself looking for a new church home. How do you choose a church? Some answers are very distressing: "It's close to my house," "It's the right size," "They have a good children's ministry, or a good teen ministry," "They have a lot of programs," "They have great music." These might be nice to have in a church but they are not good reasons to choose a church.
The first concern in choosing a church should be its doctrinal soundness. Do they believe and teach the Bible? Many churches believe the Bible, but don't teach it. Anything other than verse by verse exposition is too shallow. Preaching through a book covers subjects that would never otherwise be dealt with.
The second concern is the ability of that church to meet spiritual needs for teaching, fellowship, service, and discipline. There are churches that teach the Bible in a strictly academic manner as if knowledge was an end in itself. A church must present opportunities for believers to serve and fellowship. It must also hold believers accountable with discipline.
The third thing to consider is whether that church fits the biblical pattern of a New Testament local church. Is the church led by a board of male elders? The New Testament church was. There is no precedent in the New Testament for a single pastor church, or a church run by the congregation. Does the church have an emphasis on the Lord's Supper? The New Testament church did:
Acts 20:7 (NKJV) "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."
The New Testament church came together to celebrate the Lord's Supper. The New Testament local church was also much more concerned with meeting the needs of its people than its building program.
3. 1 Corinthians is an exhortation to live a godly life. It was written to change the lives of the Corinthians. Practical Sanctification is one of its major themes. In the Corinthian church the sins of the culture had become the sins of the church. The believers at Corinth loved the world. This makes our study relevant to us because we have the same problems. The sins of our culture have become the sins of our church: materialism, rationalism, pragmatism. Many believers today don't care about the truth--they just want to know will it work, will it benefit them? This attitude leads to situational ethics, divorce, abortion, racial prejudice inside the church.
The book of 1 Corinthians calls us to live up to our identity as God's children. The purpose of the Christian life is to grow in our in practical sanctification and that is a major theme of this book.
I believe this book will be a very practical and very needed study for FBC. But you must understand that what you get out of this study will be directly proportionate to the time and effort you put into it. First of all, pray that God would prepare your heart and mine, read ahead, meditate on what we are going to study, and do further study yourself, and finally put what you learn into practice by living and sharing it.
|
|