Brief Summary:
The Corinthian church was plagued by divisions. The believers in Corinth were dividing into groups loyal to certain spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:1-6). Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers to be united because of devotion to Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Many in the church were essentially approving of an immoral relationship (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul commanded them to expel the wicked man from the church (1 Corinthians 5:13). The Corinthian believers were taking each other to court (1 Corinthians 6:1-2). Paul taught the Corinthians that it would be better to be taken advantage of than to damage their Christian testimony (1 Corinthians 6:3-8).
Paul gave the Corinthian church instructions on marriage and celibacy (chapter 7), food sacrificed to idols (chapters 8 and 10), Christian freedom (chapter 9), the veiling of women (1 Corinthians 11:1-16), the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14), and the resurrection (chapter 15). Paul organized the book of 1 Corinthians by answering questions the Corinthian believers had asked him and by responding to improper conduct and erroneous beliefs they had accepted.
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The Book of 1 Corinthians Summary
Summary of the Book of 1 Corinthians – Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org
Context Summary
First Corinthians 1:10–17 is about Christian unity. After giving thanks to God for the Corinthians and their sure place with Him in eternity, Paul addresses the way they have divided themselves into factions based on which Christian teacher they follow. Paul urges them to stop and be unified in and around Christ. After all, Christ is not divided. They were not baptized in the name of Paul, though he baptized a few of them. Christ did not send Paul to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Paul will not risk emptying the cross of its power by preaching with eloquent words.
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“1 Corinthians 1:10” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 1:10 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 1:10
10 Now I beg you, brothers,[a] through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 1:18–31 describes the foolishness of the gospel in the world’s eyes. Both Jews and Greeks rejected the idea of Christ crucified. Any god who would die on a Roman cross, especially as a sacrifice for human sinfulness, would be seen by worldly eyes as a weak and foolish deity. God, though, will shame the wise and strong by giving the ability to believe in the cross of Christ mostly to the weak and foolish of the world, in human terms. In the end, nobody will boast before him of their own strength and wisdom.
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“1 Corinthians 1:18” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 1:18 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 1:18
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 1:18–31 describes the foolishness of the gospel in the world’s eyes. Both Jews and Greeks rejected the idea of Christ crucified. Any god who would die on a Roman cross, especially as a sacrifice for human sinfulness, would be seen by worldly eyes as a weak and foolish deity. God, though, will shame the wise and strong by giving the ability to believe in the cross of Christ mostly to the weak and foolish of the world, in human terms. In the end, nobody will boast before him of their own strength and wisdom.
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“1 Corinthians 1:27” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 1:27 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 1:27
27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 2:6–16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man’s mind can achieve and what God’s Spirit can reveal. God’s wisdom, including His plan to offer salvation through Christ’s crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God’s Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God’s Holy Spirit with us.
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“1 Corinthians 2:9” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 2:9 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”
Context Summary
First Corinthians 2:6–16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man’s mind can achieve and what God’s Spirit can reveal. God’s wisdom, including His plan to offer salvation through Christ’s crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God’s Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God’s Holy Spirit with us.
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“1 Corinthians 2:15” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 2:15 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 2:15
15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 3:16–23 is the third metaphor Paul uses to explain the relationship between works, spiritual growth, and God’s judgment of our efforts. An emphasis here is on the superiority of God’s wisdom compared to the fallible knowledge of man, echoing statements from chapters 1 and 2. Paul’s main point here, again, is that we ought to focus on allegiance to Christ and His will, rather than being divided over loyalty to different human teachers.
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“1 Corinthians 3:16” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 3:16 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Context Summary
First Corinthians 4:14–21 focuses on Paul’s role as spiritual father to the Corinthians, since he is the one who led them to Christ. He urges them to change their attitudes and behaviors and to imitate his example in living out the gospel. He sent Timothy to show them what that looks like, and he hopes to come himself to confront their arrogant talk with the power of God. Do they want him to come with the rod of correction or in love with the spirit of gentleness?
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“1 Corinthians 4:20” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 4:20 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 4:20
20 For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.
Context Summary
First Corinthians 5:1–8 contains Paul’s primary example of how the Corinthian’s pride and self-sufficiency is hurting their community. He has just asked if they would prefer he come in gentleness, or ”with a rod,” symbolic of harsh judgment. Here, Paul details a grievous sin: the believers in Corinth have failed to rebuke a member who is committing incest with his father’s wife. They must remove him from the church and turn him over to Satan in hopes of his ultimate salvation. This is also crucial for the health of the church—just as tiny bits of leaven eventually spread to an entire batch of dough, sin left unconfronted can poison an entire church.
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“1 Corinthians 5:5” Bibleref.com
What does 1 Corinthians 5:5 mean? | BibleRef.com
1 Corinthians 5:5
5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
