UNIT 12 1st 2nd Corinthians and Galatians Dr Jonathan Denton Survey of New Testament Background Info Author Paul is the author of 1 and 2 Corinthians Paul s name is in the text of both letters These letters bear all of the features of a genuinely Pauline letter justification by faith the Pauline style the mention of the collection for the believers in Jerusalem etc No one debates this anymore not even the most skeptical of scholars Date Most Likely sequence The timeline of the Corinthian epistles is challenging but possible with some certainty Paul wrote at least four letters to the Corinthians and visited them at least three times Paul on his second missionary journey plants the church in Corinth Greece in AD 50 52 see Acts 18 Paul probably on the third missionary journey writes the Corinthians a short letter about sexual immorality in the church see 1 Cor 5 Scholars call this letter Corinthians A That letter is now lost though the contents are clearly explained in 1 Corinthians Paul writes 1 Corinthians on the third missionary journey from Ephesus in 1 Corinthians is a follow up to and expansion of Corinthians A Paul gets word that the churches in Corinth were ignoring his teachings in 1 Corinthians so he writes them a third letter Paul calls this the severe letter and so do scholars see 2 Cor 2 and 7 This letter is now lost to us A brief summary of its contents are in 2 Corinthians Paul visits Corinth to confront the churches on the problems there see 2 Cor 2 Some scholars think this painful visit happens before the severe letter is sent Paul writes 2 Corinthians as an attempt to reconcile with the churches after his serious scolding of them He is on his third missionary journey probably in Macedonia around Third Visit Paul visits Corinth for a third time see Acts 20 Recipients The church in Corinth composed mostly of Gentiles Corinth the city Refounded in 44BC by Julius Ceasar as a Roman colony Strategic location for commerce both north south and east west By the time of Paul it was one of the largest cities in Roman Greece Attracted people from all over the Roman Empire Diverse in Religions Immoral city in many ways Believers in Corinth Diverse socio economically slave and free Gentile and Jew Lots of baggage Recipients Occasion 1 Corinthians Paul responds to a letter from the church 7 1 and to reports he has received 1 11 5 1 Opposition to Paul is not from an outside source but from the church The churches were a mess divided and theologically weak Paul had a long and difficult relationship with the churches in Corinth At the heart of all their problems An issue of The churches had become accepting of a man who was hooking up with his step mother All of the other problems the divisions the bad doctrine and the antagonism developed as Paul tried to get the churches to deal with the issue The problem is mostly solved and the churches are coming around to accepting of Paul s authority again Written as a result of Titus s return from a recent visit 7 5 7 and Paul s anticipated 2 Corinthians third visit to the church 13 1 Written for two issues Remind the church of their need to have the collection ready before Paul gets there Address their readiness to embrace false prophets who claim to be apostles Emphases 1 Corinthians The crucified Messiah is the central message of the gospel The cross displays God s wisdom and power Christian behavior should conform to the Gospel A theology of worship and the Spirit The bodily Resurrection of Believers 2 Corinthians Servanthood as modeled by Christ Greater glory of the new covenant Gospel is displayed in our weakness Divisions in the Church Disorders in the Church Remarriage Outline of 1 Corinthians Chapters 1 4 Chapters 5 6 Chapter 7 Chapters 8 11 Christian Liberty Paganism and Worship Chapters 12 14 Spiritual Gifts and Christian Liberty Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Resurrection Collection for the Poor Conclusion Chapter by Chapter Chapter 1 Greeting and Thanksgiving Chapter 2 The difference between the spiritual person and the carnal person Chapter 3 God s prescription for a divided church Chapter 4 Faithfulness and humility in Christ s church Chapter 5 Sexual immorality in the church Chapter 6 Lawsuits in the church Chapter 7 Divorce and remarriage in the church Chapter 8 9 How to handle matters of conscience in the church Chapter 10 Idolatry in the church Chapter 11 The Lord s Supper in the church Chapter 12 Spiritual gifts in the church Chapter 13 Genuine Gospel love Chapter 14 Spiritual gifts in the church service Chapter 15 The resurrection of Christ Chapter 16 Conclusion Outline of 2 Corinthians Chapters 1 2 Chapters 2 7 Chapters 8 9 Chapters 10 13 Defense of Paul s Ministry against False Apostles Praise to God and explanation of change of Plans Paul as a minister of the New Covenant Have the Collection Ready when Paul Comes The Thread The Gospel in Corinthians Corinthians shows us how we as the church are to function appropriately during times of conflict By living lives God has reconciled believers to himself through the work of Christ and then gives us the ministry of The resurrected body will have with the body that is buried in some ways and also be different in other ways