1 Corinthians – Kathy L McFarland

The City of Corinth was a thriving metropolis filled with a pluralistic society and many cult religions. It also had a synagogue and a large contingency of Jews. The city’s moral depravity was legendary, and it was filed with every sin and immorality imaginable. In the midst of this cesspool, Christians assembled together in their faith and practice of following Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, these assembled Christians became divided over misconceptions regarding the nature of the body of Christ, the message of the gospel, and the nature of the ministry. Paul responded to their questioning letters and reports of dissent by writing the assembled at Corinth to put a stop to the division, and to instruct, correct, rebuke and edify where it was needed. Throughout 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks on the need for discipline and submission to the authority of Christ, as he uses words such as knowledge, wisdom, discern, love, holy and sanctify often in his epistle.

1 Corinthians 1

1:1-9 Introduction and greeting
1:10-12 The Corinthian problem: divisions
1:13-31 Paul speaks against divisions

1 Corinthians 2

2:1-16 Wisdom is God’s gift

1 Corinthians 3

3:1-4 Carnal minds hinder the growth of the spirit
3:5-10 Christians are co-laborers
3:11-15 Jesus Christ the only foundation
3:16-23 You are God’s temple

1 Corinthians 4

4:1-5 Real judgment
4:6-21 The authority of the apostles

1 Corinthians 5

5:1-13 Moral standards

1 Corinthians 6

6:1-8 Christians and the civil law
6:9-20 Purity among believers

1 Corinthians 7

7:1-40 Problems of the married and the unmarried

1 Corinthians 8

8:1-13 Christian freedom and brotherly obligations

1 Corinthians 9

9:1-6 Paul’s apostleship
9:7-18 Apostolic rights and obligations
9:19-27 All things to all men