1 Corinthians

This letter was written from Paul and Sosthenes in Ephesus between 53 and 55AD to the church in Corinth.  The church had been started up in the last five years and was having problems with allowing their old worldviews to permeate, and really infect, their faith. 

The city of Corinth in the first century AD was a recently re-founded Roman colony that, in large part because of its location (which made it an ideal stop on many well-used trade routes) quickly rose to prominence as the third most important city in the Roman Empire.  Because of the inevitable mesh of cultures (as it was visited by every nation in the civilized world) and the sheer number of people who traveled through there, it quickly became a city directed toward wealth and prosperity.  For Paul, this city was seen as an opportunity to spread the gospel to places where it could be heard by people from places that he would never have the opportunity to go.  That is likely why he stayed in this city with an overwhelming mix of cultures and worldviews and languages with a distinct reputation for wealth and commerce as well as sexual immorality for so long (over a year and a half (Acts 18:11)).  Corinth’s reputation was known around the empire for it’s complete lack of morals in regards to drinking and debauchery and its widely accepted unrestrained sexual license.  It's culture was heavily influenced by Greek culture, which meant that there were philosophers who would travel around from city to city speaking eloquently to draw in followers and students who they would charge to teach.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."-1 Corinthians 1:17

OBSERVATION:

How did Paul preach the gospel?

Not with words of eloquent wisdom.

For what reason did he avoid words of eloquent wisdom?

If he had preached with eloquent wisdom, the cross would have been emptied of its power.

INTERPRETATION:

What is Paul implying about eloquent wisdom?

It can’t be trusted.  When one hears eloquence and fancy speech, that is all there is, there is nothing behind it, nothing to it.  In order for something to be powerful, the thing itself must be powerful.

What does this implication tell the Corinthians about their society?

Those who have put their faith in the philosophers-that come and sound educated and charge money to teach others to think big thoughts and speak well-have put their faith in nothing.

How does this prime Paul for the rest of this letter?

He spends much time trying to make the Corinthians aware of the way that the views they held in their pre-Christian lives are impacting the way they are living now.  If he can at least discredit the philosophers, a very valued and respected part of their society, they can begin to think about how they need to begin tearing down their old thinking and replacing it with wisdom from God and with the truth of the gospel, which has power in itself.

TIMELESS TRUTH:

As Christians, we need to be sure that the views that we hold and the way that we live are consistent with the gospel, and biblical truth, rather than what is valued in our society or the things we’ve learned from the world through our upbringing.