1 CORINTHIANS

1 CORINTHIANS
Background to Corinthians

Paul’s challenge = CHRISTIAN UNITY

1. Cultural climate is very diverse:

a. East meets West; crossroads of the world

b. Jews, Gentiles, retired Roman soldiers all live in Corinth
c. religious diversity includes sacred prostitution common in fertility cults
1 CORINTHIANS
Background to Corinthians

Paul’s challenge = CHRISTIAN UNITY

2. Key problem: MORALITY - Gentiles lacked the MORAL LAW (Torah) of the Jews

3. GNOSTICISM = a major heresy to Paul:

a. dualism - soul locked in the body

b. total abstinence or total freedom
1 CORINTHIANS:
READING GUIDE

Salutation - 1:1-3

Thanksgiving - 1:4-9

Body - 1:10 - 16:4

Travel plans - 16:5-9

Exhortations - 16:10-18

Mutual greetings - 16:19-23

blessing - 16:22-23

PAUL’S PROBLEMS IN CORINTH
1. Christian factions - 1:1 - 4:20

4 groups form according to who baptized them:

a. the Paul party

b. the Apollos party

c. the Peter party

d. the Christ party

PAUL’S PROBLEMS IN CORINTH
2. Incest - 5:1-13; a man is living with his father’s wife

3. Lawsuits - 6:1-8; public courts, rather than the Church, are being used to settle Christian disputes

4. Prostitutes - 6:9-20; some Christians are continuing to visit cultic prostitutes

PAUL’S ANSWERS TO CORINTHIAN QUESTIONS

1. Marriage - 7:1-40

2. Food - 8:1 - 11:1

3. Conduct of worship - 11:2 - 14:40

4. Resurrection - 15:1-58

5. Collection - 16:1-4

2 CORINTHIANS
More Troubles in Corinth

2nd letter combines several letter fragments

Chapters 10-13 = The "severe" letter

Paul defends his apostolic authority
Paul argues for his interpretation of apostleship and the true nature of the Christian ministry

2 CORINTHIANS
More Troubles in Corinth

Chapters 1 - 9 = Letter of Reconciliation

Paul’s real credentials = the experience of the Holy Spirit

nurturing a spiritual body = spiritual transformation

GALATIANS & ROMANS

PAUL DEFINE’S CHRISTIANITY’S RELATIONSHIP TO JUDAISM:

Freedom from the Law

Justification by faith

GALATIANS

Paul uses the Hebrew Bible to demonstrate that FAITH was always God’s means of reconciling humanity to Himself.

God’s revelation through Jesus frees believers from the "bondage" of Torah (the Law) observance.

GALATIANS
Purpose and Content
Paul writes from Corinth or Ephesus around 56 c.e. in order to:

1. Prove he is the equal of the Jerusalem apostles

2. Prove the Christian faith replaces works of the Law

GALATIANS
Purpose and Content

CONTENTS:

1 - 2: 14 = Defense of his Apostleship

2:15 - 3:29 = Paul’s unique gospel; Justification through Faith

3:28-29 = notice the lack of ontological dualism

4: 1-31 = adoption of Christians as heirs of Abraham and children of God

GALATIANS
Purpose and Content

Content:

5:1 - 6:10 = obligations of freedom from the Mosaic law; high moral standards a must!

6:11-18 = Final summary

ROMANS

Paul’s longest, most systematic expression of his theology

resembles a theological essay or sermon rather than an ordinary letter

may have been a "circular letter" for congregations Paul had neither founded nor previously visited

sent from Corinth about 56-57 c.e.

ROMANS
Key Ideas
1. HUMAN ERROR = all humans are incapable of justifying their existence before God

2. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH = only faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ saves

3. CHRIST AND ADAM

Adam = suffering, corrupt humanity
Christ = redeemed, heavenly humanity

ROMANS
4. ORIGINAL SIN/PREDESTINATION

- "hamartia" = to miss the mark; separation or alienation from God

5. RENEWAL IN THE SPIRIT = sin dies with Christ on the cross; Christians have a new sinless life in Christ’s resurrected body

vicarious atonement

ROMANS
6. ISRAEL’S DISBELIEF = serves God’s ultimate purpose; Gentiles are "grafted" on the tree of Israel; Jews will eventually come around to belief in Jesus

7. BEHAVIOR IN THE CHURCH & WORLD = ethical instructions are closely tied to Paul’s apocalyptic urgency; cooperate with Roman authorities until the end