These are lessons in progress that we work on each week in a class. They will change some as we go but the core is here. Thanks, Lane

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


I. The Standard Greeting

A. Paul was a called Apostle and Sosthenes (see below and Galatians chapter one for Paul's calling)

B. He wrote to the church at Corinth (see introduction HERE)

Sosthenes (Greek, "safe in strength") was the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, who, according to the New Testament, was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence of Gallio, the Roman governor, when he refused to proceed against Paul at the instigation of the Jews (Acts 18:12-17). The motives of this assault against Sosthenes, nor whether it was made by Greeks or Romans, are not recorded.

Some identify him with one whom Paul calls "Sosthenes our brother," a convert to the faith and co-author of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:1). It is not clear whether this identification is tenable. It has also been alleged that Sosthenes is a later name of Crispus, who is mentioned in Acts 18:8 and 1 Corinthians 1:14. [1]

This article incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

II. Those at the church at Corinth were:

A. Sanctified (defined in blocks later on this page)

B. That means they were saints by the calling (they were called by the gospel, 2nd Thess. 2:14)

C. Congregations everywhere call on the name (use the authority of) the Lord Jesus Christ and not John the Baptist or some other such name. 

III. Some components of the Greeting

     A.  V. 3___grace

χάρις (charis 5485)
1. grace
a kind, affectionate, pleasing nature and inclining disposition, either in person or thing. Objectively it denotes, personal gracefulness, a pleasing work, beauty of speech, etc. Subjectively it means an inclining towards, courteous or gracious disposition, friendly willingness; on the part of the giver of a favour, kindness, favour; on the part of the receiver, thanks.
[The word denotes specially, God's grace and favour manifested towards mankind or to any individual, which, as a free act is no more hindered by sin than it is conditional upon works. It is the grace of God, because it denotes the relation assumed and maintained by God towards sinful man. It is joined with Christ, because it is manifested in and through Him.]

     B.  V.3___Peace

εἰρήνη (eirēnē 1515)
1. peace
peace, rest; in contrast with strife, and denoting the absence or end of strife. As influenced by the Hebrew שלום, a state of health or well-being, it denotes a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. The Peace which is the result of forgiveness enjoyed, must not be confounded with the Peace Christ has “made” by the blood of His cross.
[(a) “The Peace of God”, in Phil 4:7, is the Peace which God has, as being free from all anxiety and care, and arising from His perfectly knowing the future. In proportion, therefore, as we “make our requests” unto Him, a measure of the peace which He has will “keep” us from being “careful” (= full of care), see Isa 26:3,4.]

VV. 4 and FF.

4I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.


I. The Purpose of Apostolic gifts was to confirm the Word of God and help secure their salvation. 1: 1-9

A. Paul is thankful that God's grace was given to brethren at Corinth.

B. It was because of God's grace that they had everything given to them that was needed to insure their salvation.

C. They were enriched in:

1. All Speech

2. All knowledge

3. The Word was confirmed in them

4. They lacked nothing

5. They were waiting for the return of the Lord and they were held blameless to the end because Jesus confirmed them to the father.

Question for thought

If as commonly accepted that this letter was written around 55 A.D. how is it that this congregation had "all knowledge" before there was a New Testament?


II. There was an apostle in the congregation distributing miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. (see 1 Cor. 12:11)

A. But one in the Same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11)

B. The purpose of Apostolic miracles and gifts was to confirm the Word (Hebrews 2:3-4).

C. The congregation to whom the letter of Hebrews was addressed was also enlightened. (Heb. 6: 4-5)

VV 10-17

10Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. 12Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."

13Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. 16Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.


1)Question for thought

How did Paul hear of the troubles in Corinth? (See Chloe's people above). Do you think it was by a letter sent to Paul or a messenger? In either case, what does that make the letter of 1 Corinthians? (It is a reply to questions asked).

2) Question for thought
Do you think Paul putting emphasis on baptism in this section (13-17) indicates that these people were saved by going forward and praying the sinner's prayer?

3) Question for thought
Smooth talking people who speak of something other than that found in the gospel of Christ do what to the cross? (V. 17) [smooth talking people make the cross void]

III. But it Seems that you have forgotten the purpose of gifts and this is causing divisions.

A. A general warning to them as well as to us. There should not be any doctrinal difference in our teaching.

a. We should be of the same mind

b. We should be of the same judgment

B. It was Chloe's people who spilled the beans

a. These people have chosen each their own preacher.

1. Some love Paul

2. Others love Apollos

3. Some love Peter

4. Once in a while we find some that love Christ.

Question for thought:

Do you think that this situation has any contemporary application?

b. Is it even Possible that Christ is divided?

1. Who actually died on the cross?

a. A common problem today. The old timers called it "preacheritis."

b. These are examples of following the preacher instead of Jesus.

2. It was not Paul was it?

C. I am so thankful that I am not in this mess but:

a. The inference here is that baptism is necessary for salvation.

b. Paul only baptized two people and the household of Stephanas.

c. None of these people were baptized in the name of Paul!

e. The cross of Christ is made void by their activities and attitudes.

18 For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God's power. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts.20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?

Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. (Here)24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God's power and God's wisdom, 25 because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

I. The Difference between God's Wisdom and Human Wisdom! (See Proverbs chapter 8 & 9 for Jesus as Wisdom). 

A. The Wisdom of God (this could be a reference to Jesus) is not like the Wisdom of the world.

B. How is it possible to think of the Wisdom of God in terms of earthly men (Scholars, Philosophers)

C. Yes, it is true that some of these humans will not accept (they will see God's Wisdom as foolishness) God's Wisdom.

II. God did not choose to save humans through human Wisdom!

A. This foolishness (according to scholars and philosophers) is the power of God to save us through preaching!

B. Christ became a stumbling block to the Jews (they believed the OT and the idea of YHWH, but they rejected Christ as the Messiah).

C. The Gentiles thought the entire thing was foolishness. (See Acts 17) They did not believe "In the beginning."

D. Yet, some did believe because they recognized the "power of God."


26 Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen the world's foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world's weak things to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen the world's insignificant and despised things —the things viewed as nothing—so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But from Him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.


I. My brothers you have forgotten what this is all about.

A. There is no reason for anyone to boast.

B. Any gifts and powers you have are from the Lord and not of yourselves.

C. Jesus Christ is the one and only true Wisdom and for that reason, we only boast in the Lord.

D.  Jesus was not ONLY the Widsom of God but He was also:

D. D

1)δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē 1343)
righteousness
the doing or being what is just and right; the character and acts of a man commanded by and approved of God, in virtue of which the man corresponds with Him and His will as His ideal and His standard; it signifies the sum total of all that God commands and approves. As such it is not only what God demands, but what He gives to man, and which is appropriated by faith; and hence it is a state called forth by God's act of justification, viz. by judicial deliverance from all that stands in the way of being δίκαιος (dikaios 1342)

2.ἁγιασμὸς (hagiasmos 38)

1. holiness

sanctification, essential purity; the accomplishment of what is expressed in ?????? (hagiaz? 37) (see "Holy (be)") and the result of this action, in that it is contemplated as effected. (Elsewhere Sanctification.)Reference(s)

2. sanctification

sanctification, essential purity; the accomplishment of what is expressed in ?????? (agiaz? 37) and the result of this action, in that it is contemplated as effected. (El

3)ἀπολύτρωσις (apolutrōsis 629)
1. redemption
(λύτρωσις (lutrōsis 3085) with ἀπό (apo 575) from, away from, prefixed) releasing on receipt of a ransom; redemption as the result of expiation; deliverance from the guilt and punishment of sin, and, applying to the whole being, deliverance of the soul from sin, and the body from the grave (this specific meaning occurs only in Heb 11:35).Reference(s)

2. deliverance
a ransoming; deliverance on account of a ransom paid.



Chapter Two



Chapter Two

1And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

I. You should use my life as your model!

A. Notice how you were approached by me.

a. Not by superior speech.

b. Not by wisdom.

B. I only preached to you the crucifixion of Christ.

a. I stayed with you in your weakness and fear.

b. My message was not in words of Wisdom.

c. I also had the use of the Holy Spirit and that was to show the message was from God.



6Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 None of the rulers of this age knew it, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, and what has never come into a man's heart, is what God has prepared for those who love Him.10 Now God has revealed them to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.  13which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.

Question:

Why do you think that most translators oscillate between the capital "S" for Holy Spirit and the lower case "s" in this section. Is there a rule that tells us when it should be capitalized?

II. One needs spiritual maturity to grasp our message.

A. Our message is not of this age.

B. Even the rulers of this age don't understand.

C. But the things we speak of were predestined before this age.

D. If the rulers of this age had known, then they would not have killed Jesus.

F. These things were prophesied about and they were hidden from the people of other ages.

1. v.10, God revealed the secrets of the mystery to "Us" by the Holy Spirit. (Once again we are told that these people received the miraculous gifts of the Spirit).

2. These things came from the mind of God since the Spirit searches the mind of God

3. In the end, it is the mind of Christ that instructs us.

Chapter III.

1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 4For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men? 5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

I. I wish I could speak to you as spiritual adults, but I cannot vv. 1-2

A. Although you should not be, you are infants in Christ.

a. Still on milk.

b. can't take solid food.

B. The proof that you are still "carnal" is all the divisions.

a. Paul is nothing but a man.

b. Apollos is a man.

C. Men only plant and water but God causes things to grow.

D. The one who plants and the one who waters both work for God and God will justly reward them.

a. We all just work in God's field and on God's building v.9

b. I (Paul) laid the foundation.

c. Another is doing the building v.10

10According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

II. Building on Christ, the real foundation! VV10-17

A. In the end, everyone's building projects will be tested by fire VV. 12-13

B. If a man's work remains, he will receive a reward V.14

C. If a man's work is burned up, he will suffer a loss of time and money but his own soul is not in danger. V. 15

D. Who/what is it that is the Temple of God? V. 16

úμεíς (humeis 5210)
1. ye
(nominative plural ο (o 3588)f σú (su 4771) thou) ye, you. It is generally omitted, except where a special emphasis is required.
(a) In the edition of A.D. 1611, it was translated you in passages thus mirked.
When translated you, these cases are simply the result of government, or required by construction.
2. you (of)
(nominative plural ο (o 3588)f σú (su 4771) thou) you.

    a.  The word "You" is plural here. That is, the church is the Temple of God.

    b.  Since we have decided that the Temple of God is the church, now we have a stern warning for those men/women who hurt or split the church. 

    c.  For those who harm the church (destroy).

φθéíρω (phtheirō, 5351); fut. φθερ 1 aor. (akin to Germ. verderben); Sept. uses [fr. Hom. down]; to corrupt, to destroy: prop. (in the opinion of the Jews the temple was corrupted, or “destroyed”, when any one defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties; cf. Deyling, Observv. sacrae, vol. ii. p. 505 sqq.), dropping the fig., to lead away a Christian church from that state of knowledge and holiness in which it ought to abide, 1 Co. iii. 17a; τινά, to punish with death, 1 Co. iii. 17b; i. q. to bring to want or beggary (cf. our ruin [A. V. corrupt]).

E. For all of those preachers who split congregations, your end is destruction.

18 Let no man deceive himself If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS"; 20and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." 21So then let no one boast in men For all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23and )you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

A. V.18__Don't think you are wise based on human standards.

a. The really wise person does not depend on His/Her own wisdom

b. It is extremely important for us to always depend on the wisdom of Christ.

c. 21-23__Since all things belong to Christ, then any and all glory must go to Christ.

1Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

I. Here is how we are to think of those whom God has sent.

A. They are servants of the mysteries. (What is the mysteries?)

a. Being trustworthy is a requirement (v.2).

b. It is a small thing for us to be examined in the eyes of humans.

c. In the end, we are examined by the Lord and that is what makes a difference (v. 4).

d. It isn't for you or anyone else to pass judgment. We need to wait until the Lord comes and then those things that are hidden will be exposed.

6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. 7For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 8You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

B. The sum of the matter!

a. V.6___"I warn you not to think beyond that which is written."

b. Who are you to exalt your self and your own thinking!

c. The satirical section. VV.7-10. Here is the idea I think. Everything these people know came from Christ (through the Apostles). Yet, it seems that these people now think they are the "great ones." Paul is saying then, who are we? (the apostles).

d. They have become the scum of the earth for Christ.

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. 17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness . 1Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God

C. My Purpose isn't to shame you!

a. I am your father because I am your tutor.

b. Since that is the case you are to imitate me.

D. I want to remind you of these things

a. Timothy will set things correct

b. We teach the same thing in every church

E. A word to the arrogant!

a. You think I am not coming but you are wrong

b. When I come, we can have a real test of power with those who are arrogant.

c. V.21__How shall I come then, to punish or love in gentleness? V.22 We must remember who we are.