Paul the Apostle wrote this Book, the Road to Damascus event – about 33/34 A.D.
- After the death of Judas, the church (totaling about 120 believers) met in Jerusalem to decide who among them would be uniquely qualified to replace him (Acts 1).
- Act 1:23 “And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and [their 2nd choice] Matthias”.
- The 12th foundation in the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14) will have 12 names.
- Paul’s Old Testament training – Acts 22:3 (Gamaliel – Acts 5:38-39)
- There was no scroll/Bible of the New Testament at this time [33/34 B.C.E.] Believers depended upon the Old Testament for the salvation message. Mostly their study was in Isaiah.
- Christianity was only about 18 years in existence at the time of Corinthians
- To be called an Apostle, one had to be: [*Matthias – Acts 1:12-26]
- personally called by Christ,
- taught by him directly for several years, as Paul would be for 3 years in the wilderness. (Galatians 1:17-18),
- have seen Jesus or had been with him after his resurrection (Acts 1:17, 22, 25).
*Matthias is never mentioned again by name in the New Testament.
Twice in 1 Corinthians Paul identifies as an Apostle. 1 Corinthians 15 deals more with Apostleship. There a many more times he calls himself an “Apostle” when introducing another Book of the Bible he authored.
The Apostle Paul’s calling is like every Christian’s call. It is the effectual call by God Himself. For Paul, it was Jesus Christ’s very appearance that struck him down and humbled him enough to believe in Christ. It was while “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to The Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2) but “suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus
Corinthians: Their internal divisions included a lack of church discipline, lawsuits amongst themselves, abuse of Christian liberty, and over-emphasis on the gift of tongues, all illustrate the root problems of the Church in Corinth, AND, in many denominations in today’s modern church.
After Paul began work at Corinth, Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, was converted. He was replaced by *Sosthenes. *Is he the same Sosthenes of Acts 18:16? He had a similar job as Paul before Paul’s Road to Damascus experience. This might be why Paul mentions him.
What is the difference between being a Disciple (learner/student) and being an Apostle? Being a disciple means being a follower (student) of Jesus. Being an apostle means being a messenger; one who is sent. Apostle: plenipotentiary/ambassador of a master. [See #2 above]
Are believers saved or in the process of being saved?
1 Corinthians 1:18 – [NASB] For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
KJV: but unto us which are saved
NKJV: are being saved
YLT: those being saved
ESV: are being saved
HCSB: us who are being saved
50 A.D. is when Paul left Athens and went to Corinth (Acts 18)
Paul’s visit to Corinth coincided with Emperor Claudius’ order for all Jews to leave Rome
Paul reveals to the church their spiritual immaturity. This caused him to teach (3rd chapter) them only basic “milk of the word” principles of Christianity.
The church was originally a secular term referring to “the gatherings of the citizenry in a city-state to discuss and decide on matters of public interest” [William de la Mare], Paul calls the gathering of Christians in Corinth the church of God. This isn’t the gathering of the world, but of God, a gathering place.
The term Korinthiazomai was well known in the Roman Empire and meant “to live like a Corinthian.”
Paul’s major concern: Is the Church of God influencing Corinth or is the city influencing the Church of God? We could easily debate this TODAY as concerns America.
1Co 1:14 I thank God that I have baptized none of you, unless it is Crispus and Gaius. (WHY?)
That Paul did not regard baptism as essential to salvation. We see this in the fact that he did not keep careful track of whom he had baptized. Baptism is a testimony, not the path to salvation. Baptism after salvation is part of the Mark of Christ within a person.
(1Co_1:18) The central point: How the world sees the cross, and how the saved see the cross.
[world] A crucified man or [believer] the son of God crucified.
Deduction from 1 Corinthians: Satan wants man to dispute every principle offered in the Bible. He wants man to solve all problems through human reasoning.
CHURCH: The Greek word “ecclesia,” from which we get the terms “ecclesial” and “ecclesiastical.” The word was in use centuries before the Christian church appeared on the scene. It referred to a socio-political gathering of citizens, who were called together to attend to the concerns of their city. Ecclesia, Greek Ekklēsia, (“gathering of those summoned”) Homer’s agora: The place and those assembling
| A church that upholds doctrinal purity at the expense of showing love is just as flawed as a church that upholds congregational harmony at the expense of truthful teachings |
Charles Spurgeon: A blind man is certainly no judge of colors, a deaf man is no judge of sound, and a man who is not quickened into spiritual life can have no judgment as to spiritual things”.
AHA Bible Moments 