Page 53 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

3. Love does not envy
4. Love does not boast
5. Love is not arrogant
6. Love is not rude
7. Love does not insist on its own way
8. Love is not irritable
9. Love is not resentful
10. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
11. Love bears all things
12. Love believes all things
13. Love hopes all things
14. Love endures all things

1 Cor. 15:58 – Here we should feel encouraged and praise God that because of the hope of the
resurrection, our work in this life has lasting value.

1 Cor. 16:1-3 – This passage reminds us that the Lord blesses us with material wealth for a reason, that
is, that believers should use their resources to take care of brothers and sisters in economic hardship. It
is my sincere prayer that the Lord will always put it to our hearts to remember the weak and the poor
when He blesses us with material wealth.

Atmosphere:

Paul planted the Church at Corinth during his second missionary journey. After he left, issues arose at
the Church. Therefore, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to respond to the problems that characterized the
Church. The letter seems to suggests that Paul had three sources for his received information: (1)
Chloe's people, 1 Cor. 1:11, (2) a letter from the church asking questions, 1 Cor. 7:1,25; 8:1; 12:1;
16:1,12 (3) a personal visit from Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, 1 Cor. 16:17.
Scholars suggest that the oral report from members of Chloe's household resulted in Paul writing
chapters 1 Cor. 1-4. The oral reports from the Church representatives (Stephanus, Fortunatus, and
Achaicus) resulted in Paul writing chapters 1 Cor. 5-6. The written questions from the Church resulted in
chapters 1 Cor. 7-16.
Some of the main problems that characterized the Church at Corinth were that the church had become
factious, advocating different leaders: Paul, Apollos, Peter, and possibly a Christ group (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12).
Not only was the church divided over leadership types, but also over several moral issues and the use of
spiritual gifts. A main point of contention was Paul's Apostolic authority (especially 2 Corinthians).

Key passages

A. Reported problems at Corinth, 1 Cor. 1:10-6:20
I. Factions within the church because of the misunderstanding of Christian leadership's (Paul,
Apollos, Peter) motives and message, 1 Cor. 1:10-4:12
II. Shocking immorality, 1 Cor. 5:1-13
III. Christian lawsuits, 1 Cor. 6:1-11
IV. Christian freedom limited by responsibility, 1 Cor. 6:12-20
B. A letter from Corinth asking the nagging questions, 1 Cor. 7:1-1-16:4

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