The Strand Study Bible

I CORINTHIANS

Author: Paul Theme: The Behavior of the Believer

About the Author: Paul, whose name means “little,” was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5), and a native of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia (Acts 21:39 & 22:3). Also called Saul, Paul inherited the rights of Roman citizenship (Acts 22:28) because his father was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). At the age of perhaps thirteen (Acts 26:4-5), Paul was sent to Jerusalem and there became a student of orthodox Judaism under Gamaliel, a teacher of the law (Acts 22:3). Paul is first mentioned in Acts 7:58 where we find him consenting to the death of Stephen. His fanatical devotion to Judaism and his extreme hatred for Christianity made him the acknowledged leader of the Christian persecution. The spread of Christianity forced Paul to travel far and wide for his victims. Armed with authority from the High Priest, Paul journeyed toward Damascus where he had heard there were many Christians. It was while he was approaching that city that his wonderful conversion took place (c. AD 37 - Acts 9:3-6). For the next thirty years (from c. AD 37 to 67), until his death, Paul would go on three missionary journeys and face two Roman imprisonments. He would write thirteen epistles (fourteen, if you count Hebrews) and become known as the preacher to the Gentiles. About the Book: Paul’s great desire for the Corinthian believers was that they “grow up” spiritually. Therefore, Paul addressed the following issues concerning their immaturity: * They whined about leadership (I Cor 1:10-13 & 3:1-6) * They lived in immorality, practiced idolatry, railed on authority, drank, and extorted money from others (I Cor 5) * They went to court against one another (I Cor 6) * They offended one another over personal preferences (I Cor 8) * They failed to see the importance of the LORD’S two ordinances (I Cor 11) * They misused their spiritual gifts (I Cor 12,14) I Corinthians was written from Ephesus in the spring of AD 57, during Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 19:22) Helpful Background: Paul first visited Corinth while on his Second Missionary Journey in AD 52 (Acts 18:1-18). Having left Silas and Timothy in Berea (Acts 17:14), Paul journeyed alone to Athens and then on to Corinth (Acts 18:1). Upon arrival, he met two Christians (Aquila and Priscilla), who helped him to establish a church there (Acts 18:2-11). For the next eighteen months, Paul (and the returning Silas and Timothy) built a thriving, soulwinning church (from 52-53 AD). Then, Paul returned to Antioch. Approximately one year later (AD 54), while on his Third Missionary Journey, Paul entered Ephesus for the second time (Acts 19:1). He spent three years there (Acts 19:8-10 & 20:31). During that three-year stay, he wrote two epistles: Galatians (AD 54); and I Corinthians (AD 57). Timothy and Erastus delivered the Corinthian epistle (Acts 19:22 and I Cor 4:17 & 16:10), along with Titus (II Cor 7:6-16 & 8:6,16-18). Notes of Interest: 1. I Corinthians quotes the OT 14 times. 1 of those 14 quotes deals directly with CHRIST . Note - 4 of the 14 OT quotations are referred directly to the Pentateuch. Note - Isaiah is the OT book most often quoted in the book of I Corinthians ( 4 quotations). 2. Prophecies are referred to 36 times in I Corinthians . 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 16 of those 36 times. 4. There are 3 different OT characters referred to in I Corinthians : Adam, Eve, and Moses Note - Adam is the OT character most often referred to in the book of I Corinthians ( 5 times). 5. There is 1 inset map used in the book of I Corinthians . It is numbered chronologically (#53).

Outline of I Corinthians :

1. Greetings from Paul to the Church at Corinth (I Cor 1) 2. Christians division rebuked (I Cor 2-4) 3. Christian fornication rebuked (I Cor 5, 6) 4. Marriage (I Cor 7) 5. Christian liberties (I Cor 8-10) 6. The order of relationships; Lord’s Supper (I Cor 11) 7. Spiritual Gifts; love; tongues (I Cor 12-14) 8. The importance of the resurrection (I Cor 15) 9. Collection for the poor saints (I Cor 16) I Corinthians 1

Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 5 Grace be unto you, and peace, fromGod our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

1. Acts 1:26 2. Acts 18:17

Greetings from Paul to the church at Corinth Date Written - Spring of AD 57 1 Paul, called to be an 1 apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and 2 Sos- thenes our brother, 2 Unto the church of God which is at 3 Corinth, to them that are 4 sanctified in

3. Acts 18:1-18 4. Heb 10:10,14 5. Joel 2:13

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