Tag: the church at Corinth

1 Corinthians: “We Have Become A Spectacle”

The Corinthians thought the apostles and prophets must be living the good life due to converting all those people and having so much respect within the brotherhood.  In reality, they lived a hard life of toil and were considered to be on the same level as “scum” (perikatharmata, pond scum, slime) and “refuse” (peripsema, dirt or filth you would wipe away, garbage)…and yet they responded to such persecution exactly as Jesus directed them (cf. Lk. 6:28; 1 Pet. 2:23; 3:9; Rom. 12:17).… Read More 1 Corinthians: “We Have Become A Spectacle”

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1 Corinthians: Do Not Go Beyond What Is Written

Nothing written in God’s Word has ever commanded or promoted the decision to give allegiance to mere men instead of the Lord; indeed, the exact opposite is recorded in Scripture (Matt. 23:5-12).  By glorifying Paul, Apollos, and others instead of Christ, the Corinthian Christians had indeed “go(ne) beyond what is written.” To go beyond the authority of God’s Word is sinful (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Josh 1:7; Prov. 30:6; Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 1:6-10; Rev. 22:18-19).… Read More 1 Corinthians: Do Not Go Beyond What Is Written

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1 Corinthians: Introductory Thoughts

Notice that Paul starts his letter to Corinth by…not immediately rebuking them for all their shortcomings…but instead by greeting them as “the church of God” (1:2a), ekklesia theos, theos being the Greek term that is used for God and is used here as a genitive noun, i.e., a noun which shows possession.  In other words, the first thing Paul says about the church at Corinth is that they are a church which, despite their faults, still belongs to God.… Read More 1 Corinthians: Introductory Thoughts

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