The Scriptures —Study 9 — 1 Corinthians 12

Study 9 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 12

1.      List the different kinds of gift and of service which Paul mentions in this chapter. On what principle are they given, and for what purpose? What responsibility does the possession of such a gift put upon the person who has it?

2.      Consider how the character of the human body illustrates both the unity and the diversity of the Church.  What other lessons does the apostle draw from this illustration?   

Note.  Verse 1-3.  The necessary and decisive test of the presence of the Spirit of God in those exercising spiritual gifts is loyalty to Jesus as Lord. Cf. I Jn. 4:1-3.

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The Scriptures —Study 8 — 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

Study 8 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

This chapter deals with tow irregularities in public worship.  The first concerns the proper way for women to dress when they take part in public worship.  The second concerns unchristian behaviour at the social meal, which was the occasion of the observance of the Lord Supper.

1.      What were the arguments that Paul brought forward to insist that in Corinth women should be veiled in public worship? How far are these arguments of permanent validity? May their application vary where prevailing social customs differ from those of Paul’s day? 

2.      What (according to verses 23-26) is the central significance of the Lord’s Supper?  What were the causes of some receiving it unworthily?  See verses 17-22 and 27-32.  How can we make our reception more worthy?

Notes

1.      Verse 10. ‘Because of the angels’: Christian worship was probably regarded as conducted in their presence and open to their view.

2.      Verse 10. The veil was both a symbol of authority, reminding the woman that her husband was her head, and also a sign of her modesty and chastity, for no respectable woman was seen without one in Corinth at that time.                            

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The Scriptures —Study 7— 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:1

Study 7 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:1

1.      10:1-13. The people of Israel, who came out of Egypt, enjoyed similar privileges to those of Christians.  What lessons then can we learn from their failures?   Why is the inevitability of temptation no occasion for despair? 

2.      Paul distinguishes between eating in an idol temple (verse 14:22), and eating meats bought in the market, which had been offered before an idol (verses 23-30). Why does he condemns the former, but permit the latter, except in the circumstances of verses 28, 29?  What principles does he lay down, in conclusions, to guide Christians in all such matters?

    

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Search The Scriptures —Study 6— 1 Corinthians 8 and 9

Study 6 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is:1 Corinthians 8 and 9

The Church in Corinth had asked about the eating of food which had been offered before an idol. Picture yourself as a Christian in Corinth, invited to a social banquet in a temple, or seated as a guest in the house of a non-Christian friend, and offered food which had been resented in sacrifice to an idol. 

1.      8:1-13. Using the knowledge of truth as their sole guide (such truth as is stated in verses 4-6), what decision did the Corinthians come to about eating food offered to Idols? Did Paul agree?  List the reasons why he also says that in certain circumstances he would abstain from such eating.

2.      9:1-27. What basic principles which should govern Christian action does Paul here illustrate from his own conduct? In particular what rights does he show Christian workers to have, and what are his reasons for not using them?

Notes

1.      8:12 ‘Wounding… when it is weak’: note the contrast. What requires tender handling is brutally treated.  Cf. 9:22.  ‘The weak’: i.e, those whose grasp of Christian truth is feeble and who are timid in exercising their liberty in Christ. Cf. Rom. 14:1-3.

2.      8:13. This declaration is conditional and personal, not absolute and general. The significance of this should not be overlooked. Cf. 10:27-30.

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The Scriptures —Study 5— 1 Corinthians 7

Study 5 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 7

In this chapter Paul is answering specific questions about marriage. These questions had been sent to him by the church at Corinth. His instructions are strict in view of the moral laxity of pagan Corinth and the ‘distress’ etc. referred to in verses 26-35. He shows that marriage and the single life are equally permissible and that each person must find out in which state God intents him to live (see verse 7).

1.      Why did Paul remain single (verses 7, 8)? See verses 25-35. Are his reasons relevant for us today?

2.      In verses 17-24 Paul is dealing with the wider question of the Christian’s position in the society of his day.  What rule is laid down for the Christian three times in these verses?  How does this apply to us? 

3.      Gather out Paul’s practical teaching about married life (2-5, 10-16) and compare his more theological treatment in Eph. 5:22-33.

Notes

1.      Verse 14.  These seems to have been a fear in some minds that continued union with an unbeliever after conversion to Christ might be defiling to the Christian partner. Paul says the opposite can happen.

2.      Verses 17-24.  Being ‘called’ in this section refers not to a person’s place and function in human society, but to God’s call through Christ to sinners.

3.      Verses 26, 28, 29, 31-35. The trying and transitory character of this present world, the added anxieties of married life, and desire to give undivided devotion to the Lord may provide reasons for abstaining from unnecessary change or involvement.

4.      Verses 36-38. A difficult section. Paul was probably advising a young man about his fiancée. But he could have been advising a father or guardian about a girl under his care.          

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The Scriptures —Study 4— 1 Corinthians 5 and 6

Study 4 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 5 and 6

1.      Notice in chapter 5 the distinction in the attitudes enjoined towards sinning Christians and sinning non-Christians.  What special actions are here demanded of the local church, and why are such actions necessary?

2.      6:12-20.   These verses stress the permanent significance of the Christian’s body. List the points here mentioned.  What does it mean to glorify God in your body? What kind of actions are (a) appropriate, and (b) undesirable or even unthinkable?

3.      6:1-11. What reasons does Paul give here for viewing the public washing by Christians of their dirty linen as a denial of the Church’s mission in the world?

Notes

1.      5: 2. ‘Arrogant’: or ‘puffed up’. Used often by Paul in this letter (4:18, 19; 5:2; 8: 1; 13:5).

2.      5:5 Paul implies that physical affliction may follow excommunication.

3.      5: 6-8. Paul enforces his point by referring to the Passover practice of searching out and destroying all the old leaven before (not after) the Passover Lamb is eaten.  See Ex. 12:14, 15, 19. 

            

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The Scriptures —Study 3— 1 Corinthians 3 and 4

Study 3 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 3 and 4

1.      3:1-4:2. Discover and summarize all that this section has to teach concerning the place and tasks of Christian workers.  What is, or should be, their relationship to (a) God, (b) each other, and (c) those among whom they work?

2.      4:1-21. What lessons are to be learnt from the earthly lot of the apostles?  Why are men’s judgements concerning the worth of Christian ministers’ work of such little value? How and when will the real worth of a man’s worth for God be made plain? Can the value of what he does affect his own salvation? Or what will it affect? See 3:13-15.

Notes

1.      3:12, 13.  The different materials here mentioned can be taken to represent the teachings of those who were ministering in the church; the gold, silver and precious stones being the doctrines of the Spirit, and the wood, hay and stubble the wisdom of the world.

2.      4:6. ‘To live according to scripture’: literally, ‘not beyond what is written’. This was probably a familiar catchword of the day.  AV supplies verb ‘to think’, which gives a more pointed sense in context than RSV ‘to live’.

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The Scriptures —Study 2— 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16

Study 2 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16

1.      List Paul’s reasons for preaching the word of the cross in the way he did.  See verses 1:17-2: 5.  

2.      See 2:6-3:2.  What does Paul teach here about (a) ‘human wisdom’, and (b) ‘a secret and hidden wisdom of God’? How is the latter to be possessed, and by whom alone is it understood?

3.      Looking back over the passage, pick out the work of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the human preacher respectively in man’s salvation. Is the Lord Jesus Christ to you all that Paul speaks of in 1:30, 31?

Notes

1.        2:6. There would appear to be three groups of people in Paul’s mind: (a) ‘the mature’ (cf. ‘spiritual men’, 3:1); (b) ‘men of the flesh’ (or ‘babes in Christ’ 3:1); (c) ‘the unspiritual’ (or ‘natural’) man of 2:14.

2.         2:12, 13. The wisdom of God can be understood by the preacher, interpreted and imparted to others and received by the hearers, only through the aid of the Holy Spirit.  Cf. 2:4, 5.

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The Scriptures —Study 1— 1 Corinthians 1:1-17

Study 1 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Is: 1 Corinthians 1:1-17

1.      Paul is setting out to deal with various divisive factors in the life of the church at Corinth.  What is significant, therefore, about his approach in verses 1-9? What may we learn from these verses about our privileges and prospects as Christian?

2.      What were the main causes of the dissensions in the church at Corinth? See verses 10-17; Cf. 3:3, 4, 21. How may similar dissensions arise in church life today? According to this passage why are they fundamentally wrong and what is the remedy for them?

Note.  Verse 12.  Apollos was a Jew from Alexandria, a centre of philosophy. He was a man of learning and eloquence, and very able in argument.  See Acts 18:24-28.  It seems probable that some at Corinth preferred him to Paul for these reasons.       

                                   

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The Scriptures —Study 0— 1 Corinthians Introduction

Study 0 From The Book of 1 Corinthians Introduction

 This Epistle was written by Paul from Ephesus (16:8, 9, 19) during his third missionary journey (Acts 19:1-10) about AD 56 or 57.  It is well to have in view, in reading the Epistle, the great Greek city of Corinth, with its pride of intellect, its idolatries and immoralities, and its busy commerce and thronging life.  The purpose of the Epistle was partly to answer questions sent to Paul by the Corinthians 7:1; 8:1; 12:1), partly to deal with distressing news which had come to him from Corinth about factions and other abuses in the church (1:11; 5:1; 6:1; 11:18, 20).  Paul had already written at least one letter to the Corinthians (5:9)

It will be seen from the Analysis that the Epistle is very largely concerned with questions of practical morality, and as such it has a deep interest for our own as for every age.  But, these questions are not dealt with on a basis of psychological analysis, but on the ground of the relation of the person to God.  For example, the factious spirit is wrong because a saving relationship with God is not obtained by intellectual brilliance but by humble faith, and because the ministers of God’s gospel are simply His servants responsible to Him.  Again, immorality is a defiling of the temple of the Holy Spirit, a misuse of the blood-brought property of the Redeemer, offered to Idols are first, that our liberty must not hurt the brother for whom Christ died, and second, that we cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  Thus in morals, as in doctrine, the great truth prevails that Christianity is Christ.  Also, abiding value.  They can and ought equally to inform and guide our own action, when we are confronted by problems which, however different in outward form, are the same in their fundamental spiritual issues.

The Epistle contains two of the grandest passages in the New Testament, the beautiful description of Christian love in chapter 13, and the defence and explanation of the doctrine of the resurrection in chapter 15.