Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
1 CORINTHIANS 1
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
A Church Divided Over Leaders
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Application Notes
1:1 Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth while he was visiting Ephesus during his third missionary journey (Acts 19:1-20:1). Corinth and Ephesus faced each other across the Aegean Sea. Paul knew the Corinthian church well because he had spent 18 months in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-18). While in Ephesus, he had heard about problems in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11). Around the same time, a delegation from the Corinthian church had visited Paul to ask his advice about their conflicts (16:17). Paul's purpose for writing was to correct those problems and to answer questions church members had asked in a previous letter (7:1).
1:1 Paul was given a special calling from God to preach about Jesus Christ Each Christian has a job to do, a role to take, or a contribution to make. One assignment may seem more spectacular than another, but all are necessary to carry out God's greater plans for his church and for his world (12:12-27). Be available to God by placing your gifts at his service. Then, as you discover his purpose for you, be ready to do it.
1:1 Sosthenes may have been Paul's secretary who wrote down this letter as Paul dictated it. He was probably the Jewish synagogue leader in Corinth who had been beaten during an attack on Paul (Acts 18:17) and then later became a believer. Sosthenes was well known to the members of the Corinthian church, so Paul included his familiar name in the opening of the letter.
1:2 Corinth, a giant cultural melting pot with a great diversity of wealth, religions, and moral standards, had a reputation for being fiercely independent and as decadent as any city in the world. The Romans had destroyed Corinth in 146 BC after a rebellion. But in 46 BC, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar rebuilt it because of its strategic seaport. By Paul's day (AD 50), the Romans had made Corinth the capital of Achaia (presentday Greece). It was a large city, offering Rome great profits through trade as well as the military protection of its ports. But the city's prosperity made it ripe for all sorts of corruption. Idolatry flourished, and more than a dozen pagan temples employed at least a thousand prostitutes. Corinth's reputation was such that female prostitutes in other cities began to be called "Corinthian girls."
1:2 A personal invitation makes a person feel wanted and welcome. We are "called to be his holy people." God personally invites us to be citizens of his eternal kingdom. Only Jesus Christ, God's Son, can bring us into this glorious kingdom because only he can remove our sins. Sanctified means that we are chosen and set apart by Christ for his service. We accept God's invitation by accepting the truth that only His Son, Jesus Christ, can bring us into God's presence and by trusting that what Jesus did on the cross can forgive our sins.
1:2 By including a salutation to "all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," Paul makes it clear that this is not a private letter; it may have been circulated to other churches in nearby cities. Although the letter deals with specific issues facing the church in Corinth, all believers can learn from it. The Corinthian church included a great cross section of believers--wealthy merchants, common labourers, former temple prostitutes, and middle-class families. Because of the wide diversity of people and backgrounds, Paul takes great pains to stress the need for both spiritual unity and Christlike character.
1:3 How do we receive grace and peace from God? Grace--God's free gift of salvation--is freely offered, even though we don't deserve it. All we have to do is accept it. We do this by believing what God says--that he sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, taking the penalty for our sins upon himself so that we are free to enjoy eternal life with him. When we truly believe this, we will follow Jesus as our Lord because he is perfect and right in all he does. By accepting this greatest of gifts, we will have peace of mind and heart because we know our eternal future is secure and thatJesus cares for us and guides us here and now. With him by our side every day, we have nothing to fear.
1:4-6 Paul thanked God for the Corinthian believers. On certain occasions, we specifically focus on our blessings and express our gratitude to God for them. But thanks should be expressed every day. We can never say thank you enough to parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When Thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. Whom do you need to thank today?
1:7-9 Before tackling the problems, Paul described his hope for the Corinthians. He guaranteed these believers that God would keep them firm to the end and consider them blameless when Christ returns (also see Ephesians 1:7-10). This guarantee was not because of their great abilities, spiritual gifts, or shining performances but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for them through his death and resurrection. All who believe in the Lord Jesus are in partnership with him and will be considered blameless when he returns (also see 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Hebrews 9:28). Today's struggles, difficulties, and failures don't tell the whole story. Keep the big picture in mind. If you have faith in Jesus, even if it is weak, you are and will be saved.
1:7 The Corinthian church members had all the spiritual gifts they needed to live the Christian life, to witness for Jesus, and to stand against the paganism and immorality of Corinth. But instead of using what God had given them, they were arguing over which gifts were most important. Paul addresses this issue in depth in 1 Corinthians 12 through 14.
1:10-11 Like a frustrated coach watching his team bicker on the court, Paul called for a time-out. He saw the danger of divisions and arguments. The Corinthian believers' lack of unity was obvious. They may have been playing in the same "uniform," but they were doing as much as the opposition to bring about their own defeat. The problems weren't so much differences of opinion as divided allegiances. They were arguing over which position on the team was most important in a way that made them ineffective as a unit.
Harmony is beautiful--in families, in friendships, at work, at church. Harmony, however, does not require everyone to hold the same opinions about everything. There is a difference between having opposing viewpoints and being divisive. A group of people will not agree on every issue, but they can work together harmoniously if they agree on what truly matters--Jesus Christ as Lord of all. Focus on Jesus and the purpose he has for you. Speak and act in a way that will reduce arguments and increase harmony. Petty differences should never divide Christians.
1:10 Paul founded the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Eighteen months after he left, arguments and divisions arose, and some church members slipped back into an immoral lifestyle. Paul wrote this letter to address the problems and to clear up confusion about right and wrong so that the believers would remove the immorality from among them. The Corinthian people had a reputation for jumping from fad to fad; Paul wanted to keep Christianity from degenerating into just another fad.
1:10 By saying "brothers and sisters," Paul was emphasising that all Christians are part of God's family. Believers share a unity that runs even deeper than that of blood brothers and sisters.
1:12-13 In the large and diverse Corinthian church, the believers favoured different preachers. Because as yet they had no written New Testament, they depended heavily on preaching and teaching for spiritual insight into the meaning of the Old Testament. Some preferred Paul. who had founded their church; some who had heard Peter {Cephas) in Jerusalem followed him; others listened only to Apollos, an eloquent and popular preacher who had had a dynamic ministry in Corinth (Acts 18:24; 19:1). Although these three preachers were united in their message, their personalities attracted different people. At this time the church was in danger of dividing. By mentioning Jesus Christ ten times in the first ten verses, Paul makes it clear that all preachers and teachers should emphasise God's message, which is much more important than any human messenger.
1:12-13 Paul asks whether the Corinthians' quarrels had "divided" Christ. This is a graphic picture of what happens when the church (the body of Christ) divides into factions. With the many churches and styles of worship available today, we could get caught up in the same game of "My preacher is better than yours!" To do so would be like trying to divide Christ yet again. But Christ cannot be divided, and his true followers should not allow anything to divide them. Don't let your appreciation for any teacher, preacher, or author lead you into false pride or misplaced devotion. Maintain your allegiance to Christ and to the unity he desires.
1:17 When Paul said that Christ didn't send him to baptise, he wasn't minimising the importance of baptism. Baptism was commanded by Jesus himself (Matthew 28:19) and practised by the early church (Acts 2:41). Paul was emphasising that no one person should do everything. Paul's gift and calling was preaching, and that's what he did. Christian ministry should be a team effort; no preacher or teacher is a complete link between God and people, and no individual can do all that the apostles did collectively. We shouldn't compare ourselves with others, and we should be content with the contribution God has given us to make and carry it out wholeheartedly. (For more on different gifts. See 1 Corinthians 12-13.)
1:17 Some speakers use impressive words, but they are weak on content. Paul stressed solid content and practical help for his listeners. He wanted them to be impressed with his message. not his style (see 2:1-5). You don't need to be a great speaker with a large vocabulary to share the gospel effectively. The story, not the storyteller. has the persuasive power. Paul was not against those who carefully prepare what they say (see 2:6) but against those who try to impress others with their own knowledge or speaking ability.
1:19 Paul summarises Isaiah 29:14 to emphasise a point Jesus often made: God's way of thinking differs from the world's way (normal human wisdom). God also offers eternal life, which the world can never give. Someone can spend a lifetime accumulating human wisdom and yet never learn how to have a personal relationship with God. We must come to the crucified and risen Christ to receive eternal life and the joy of a personal relationship with our Saviour.
1:22-24 Many Jews considered the Good News of Jesus Christ to be foolish because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering king accompanied by signs and miracles. Jesus had not restored David's throne as they had expected. Besides, he was executed as a criminal, and how could a criminal be a saviour? Greeks, too, considered the gospel foolish: They did not believe in a bodily resurrection, they did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods, and they thought no reputable person would be crucified. To them, death was defeat, not victory.
The Good News of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence, and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and he offers entrance into his kingdom to those who humbly come to him in faith, not to those who are wise, mighty, powerful, influential, or who try to earn salvation through good deeds. The Christian faith looks foolish to the world, but knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anyone can have.
1:25 The message of Christ's death for sins sounds foolish to those who don't believe it. Death seems to be the end of the road, the ultimate weakness. But Jesus did not stay dead. His resurrection demonstrated his power over even death. And he will save us from eternal death and give us everlasting life if we trust him as Saviour and Lord. This sounds so simple that many people won't accept it. They try other ways to obtain eternal life, but all their attempts are futile. The people who may seem foolish for simply accepting Jesus' offer are actually the wisest of all because they alone will live eternally with God.
1:27 Does Christianity oppose rational thinking? Christians clearly do believe in using their minds to weigh the evidence and make wise choices (see 14:15-16). Here, Paul declares that no amount of human knowledge can replace or bypass Christ's work on the cross. If it could, Christ would be accessible only to the intellectually gifted and well-educated, and not to ordinary people or to children.
1:28-31 Paul continues to emphasise that the way to receive salvation is so simple that any person who wants to can understand it. Skill and wisdom do not get a person into God's kingdom--simple faith does. So no one can boast that personal achievements helped him or her secure eternal life. Salvation comes totally from God through Jesus' death and resurrection. We can do nothing to earn our salvation; we need only to accept what Jesus has already done for us.
1:30 God is our source and the reason for our personal relationships with Christ Jesus. Our union and identification with Christ result in our having God's wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), being in right standing with God (2 Corinthians 5:21), being pure (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7), and having the penalty for our sins paid by Jesus (Mark 10:45).
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)