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1
Corinthians Chapter One
1 Corinthians 1
I will now turn back to take up the thread of the
contents of this epistle from the beginning. Paul was an apostle by the will of
God. That was his authority, however it might be with others. Moreover the same
call that made those of Corinth Christians had made him an apostle. He
addresses the assembly of God at Corinth, adding a character (the application
of which is evident when we consider the contents of the
epistle)-"sanctified in Christ Jesus." Afterwards the universality of
the application of the doctrine and instructions of the epistle, and of its
authority over all Christians, wherever they might be, is brought forward in
this address. Happily, whatever sorrow he felt at the state of the Corinthians,
the apostle could fall back upon the grace of God, and thus recognise all the
grace which He had bestowed on them. But the placing them thus in relationship
to God brought all the effects of His holiness to bear upon their consciences,
while giving the apostle's heart the encouragement of the perfect grace of God
towards them. And this grace itself became a powerful lever for the word in the
hearts of the Corinthians. In the presence of such grace they ought to be
ashamed of sin. Nor can there be a more remarkable testimony than is here found
of reckoning on the faithfulness of God towards His people. The relationship
does claim holiness: in holiness alone it is enjoyed; but it reposes on the
faithfulness of God. The Corinthians were walking, as we know, badly. The
apostle lets none of the evil pass; but still he declares that God was faithful
and would confirm them to the end that they might be-not safe, but-blameless in
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then proceeds to blame them. what a
wonderful testimony!
Paul (the Spirit Himself) thus linked the Corinthians with God; and
that which He was in this connection with them had all its force upon their
hearts and consciences. At the same time the use of this weapon opened their
heart to all that the apostle had to say. One must be very near the Lord to be
able in practice thus to look at Christians who are walking badly. It is not to
spare their sins-the apostle is very far from doing that; but it is grace which
brings their own consciences to be occupied with it, as having a relationship
with God that was too precious to allow them to continue in sin or to permit
it.
The Epistle to the Galatians supplies us with a
remarkable instance of the confidence thus inspired; compare chapters 4:20;
5:10.
The Corinthians were enriched by God with His gifts, and
His testimony was thus confirmed among them, so that they came behind in no
gift, waiting for the revelation of the Lord, the fulfilment of all things.
Solemn day! for which God, who had called them, confirmed them in His
faithfulness, that they might be without reproach in that day, called as they
were to the fellowship and communion of His Son Jesus Christ. Short but
precious exposition of the grace and faithfulness of God, serving as a basis
(if their condition did not allow the apostle to develop it as he did to the
Ephesians) to all the exhortations and instructions which he addressed to the
Corinthians in order to strengthen them and direct their wavering steps.
The apostle first takes up the folly of the Corinthians
in making the chief christian ministers and Christ Himself heads of schools.
Christ was not divided. They had not been baptised unto the name of Paul. He
had indeed, on occasion, baptised a few; but his mission was to preach, not to
baptise. [1] It was
in virtue of, and according to, Acts 26:17, and 13:2 to 4, and not Matthew
28:19. Moreover, all this human wisdom was but foolishness, which God brought
to nothing: the preaching of the cross was the power of God; and God had chosen
the weak things, the things of nought, foolish things according to the world,
to annihilate the wisdom and strength of the world, in order that the gospel
should be evidently the power of God. The Jews asked for a sign, the Greeks
sought for wisdom; but God caused Christ crucified to be preached, a scandal to
the Jews, foolishness to the Greeks, but to them which are called the power of
God. By things that are not He brought to nought things that are, because His
weakness is stronger than the strength of the world; His foolishness wiser than
the wisdom of the age. The flesh shall not glory in His presence. God dealt
with conscience, though in grace, according to the true position of responsible
man, and did not subject Himself to the judgment and reasonings of man's mind,
wholly incompetent thereto, and which put him out of his place as if he could
judge of God. But, besides this, the Christian was more even than the object of
God's instruction; he was himself of God in Christ Jesus; of God he had his
life, his being, his position as a Christian. And Christ was unto him, from
God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption-all in contrast with
the pretensions of the human mind, with the false righteousness of the Jew
under the law, with the means and the measure of the sanctification it
supplied, and with the weakness of man, the last trace of which God will remove
in the deliverance He will accomplish by His power in Christ when He shall
complete the work of His grace. Thus we are of God, and Christ is everything
for us on God's part, in order that he who glories may glory in the Lord: a
brief but mighty testimony to what Christianity is in its elements.
[1] This
statement is the more remarkable, as he had a special revelation as to the
Lord's supper. But that ordinance has reference to the unity of the body, which
was specially the testimony of the apostle. The twelve were sent to baptise the
nations (Matt. 28).
── John Darby《Synopsis of 1 Corinthians》
1 Corinthians 1
Chapter Contents
A salutation and thanksgiving. (1-9) Exhortation to
brotherly love, and reproof for divisions. (10-16) The doctrine of a crucified
Saviour, as advancing the glory of God, (17-25) and humbling the creature
before him. (26-31)
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
(Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
All Christians are by baptism dedicated and devoted to
Christ, and are under strict obligations to be holy. But in the true church of
God are all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, and who
call upon him as God manifest in the flesh, for all the blessings of salvation;
who acknowledge and obey him as their Lord, and as Lord of all; it includes no
other persons. Christians are distinguished from the profane and atheists, that
they dare not live without prayer; and they are distinguished from Jews and
pagans, that they call on the name of Christ. Observe how often in these verses
the apostle repeats the words, Our Lord Jesus Christ. He feared not to make too
frequent or too honourable mention of him. To all who called upon Christ, the
apostle gave his usual salutation, desiring, in their behalf, the pardoning
mercy, sanctifying grace, and comforting peace of God, through Jesus Christ.
Sinners can have no peace with God, nor any from him, but through Christ. He
gives thanks for their conversion to the faith of Christ; that grace was given
them by Jesus Christ. They had been enriched by him with all spiritual gifts.
He speaks of utterance and knowledge. And where God has given these two gifts,
he has given great power for usefulness. These were gifts of the Holy Ghost, by
which God bore witness to the apostles. Those that wait for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, will be kept by him to the end; and those that are so, will
be blameless in the day of Christ, made so by rich and free grace. How glorious
are the hopes of such a privilege; to be kept by the power of Christ, from the
power of our corruptions and Satan's temptations!
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:10-16
(Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-16)
In the great things of religion be of one mind; and where
there is not unity of sentiment, still let there be union of affection.
Agreement in the greater things should extinguish divisions about the lesser.
There will be perfect union in heaven, and the nearer we approach it on earth,
the nearer we come to perfection. Paul and Apollos both were faithful ministers
of Jesus Christ, and helpers of their faith and joy; but those disposed to be
contentious, broke into parties. So liable are the best things to be corrupted,
and the gospel and its institutions made engines of discord and contention.
Satan has always endeavoured to stir up strife among Christians, as one of his
chief devices against the gospel. The apostle left it to other ministers to
baptize, while he preached the gospel, as a more useful work.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:17-25
(Read 1 Corinthians 1:17-25)
Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain
preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and
philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel.
Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our
joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by
the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully
applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual,
the covetous, the proud, and ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their
favourite pursuits. But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by
the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ
crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to
follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event has shown that human
wisdom is folly, and is unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the
Creator. It pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that
believe. By the foolishness of preaching; not by what could justly be called
foolish preaching. But the thing preached was foolishness to wordly-wise men.
The gospel ever was, and ever will be, foolishness to all in the road to
destruction. The message of Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure
touchstone by which men may learn what road they are travelling. But the
despised doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Saviour, God in human
nature, purchasing the church with his own blood, to save multitudes, even all
that believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice, has been blessed in every
age. And the weakest instruments God uses, are stronger in their effects, than
the strongest men can use. Not that there is foolishness or weakness in God,
but what men consider as such, overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
(Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor
statesmen, nor men of wealth, and power, and interest in the world, to publish
the gospel of grace and peace. He best judges what men and what measures serve
the purposes of his glory. Though not many noble are usually called by Divine
grace, there have been some such in every age, who have not been ashamed of the
gospel of Christ; and persons of every rank stand in need of pardoning grace.
Often, a humble Christian, though poor as to this world, has more true
knowledge of the gospel, than those who have made the letter of Scripture the
study of their lives, but who have studied it rather as the witness of men,
than as the word of God. And even young children have gained such knowledge of
Divine truth as to silence infidels. The reason is, they are taught of God; the
design is, that no flesh should glory in his presence. That distinction, in
which alone they might glory, was not of themselves. It was by the sovereign
choice and regenerating grace of God, that they were in Jesus Christ by faith.
He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;
all we need, or can desire. And he is made wisdom to us, that by his word and
Spirit, and from his fulness and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may
receive all that will make us wise unto salvation, and fit for every service to
which we are called. We are guilty, liable to just punishment; and he is made
righteousness, our great atonement and sacrifice. We are depraved and corrupt,
and he is made sanctification, that he may in the end be made complete
redemption; may free the soul from the being of sin, and loose the body from
the bonds of the grave. And this is, that all flesh, according to the prophecy
by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 9:23-24, may glory in the special
favour, all-sufficient grace, and precious salvation of Jehovah.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians》
1 Corinthians 1
Verse 1
[1]
Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and
Sosthenes our brother,
Paul, called to be an apostle — There is great propriety in every clause of the salutation, particularly
in this, as there were some in the church of Corinth who called the authority
of his mission in question.
Through the will of God — Called "the commandment of God," 1 Timothy 1:1 This was to the churches the
ground of his authority; to Paul himself, of an humble and ready mind. By the
mention of God, the authority of man is excluded, Galatians 1:1; by the mention of the will of
God, the merit of Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:8, etc.
And Sosthenes — A
Corinthian, St. Paul's companion in travel. It was both humility and prudence
in the apostle, thus to join his name with his own, in an epistle wherein he
was to reprove so many irregularities.
Sosthenes the brother — Probably this word is emphatical; as if he had said, Who, from a Jewish
opposer of the gospel, became a faithful brother.
Verse 2
[2] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
To the church of God which is in Corinth — St. Paul, writing in a familiar manner to the Corinthians, as also to
the Thessalonians and Galatians, uses this plain appellation. To the other
churches he uses a more solemn address.
Sanctified through Jesus Christ — And so undoubtedly they were in general, notwithstanding some
exceptions.
Called — Of
Jesus Christ, Romans 1:6 And - As the fruit of that calling
made holy.
With all that in every place — Nothing could better suit that catholic love which St. Paul labours to
promote in this epistle, than such a declaration of his good wishes for every
true Christian upon earth.
Call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — This plainly implies that all Christians pray to Christ, as well as to
the Father through him.
Verse 4
[4] I
thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by
Jesus Christ;
Always —
Whenever I mention you to God in prayer.
Verse 5
[5] That
in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
In all utterance and knowledge — Of divine things. These gifts the Corinthians particularly admired.
Therefore this congratulation naturally tended to soften their spirits, and I
make way for the reproofs which follow.
Verse 6
[6] Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
The testimony of Christ — The gospel.
Was confirmed among you — By these gifts attending it. They knew they had received these by the
hand of Paul: and this consideration was highly proper, to revive in them their
former reverence and affection for their spiritual father.
Verse 7
[7] So
that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
Waiting —
With earnest desire. For the glorious revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ - A
sure mark of a true or false Christian, to long for, or dread, this revelation.
Verse 8
[8] Who
shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Who will also — if
you faithfully apply to him.
Confirm you to the end. In the day of Christ — Now it is our day, wherein we are to work out our salvation; then it
will be eminently the day of Christ, and of his glory in the saints.
Verse 9
[9] God
is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord.
God is faithful — To
all his promises; and therefore "to him that hath shall be given." By
whom ye are called - A pledge of his willingness to save you unto the
uttermost.
Verse 10
[10] Now
I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Now I exhort you — Ye
have faith and hope; secure love also.
By the endearing name of our Lord Jesus
Christ — lnfinitely preferable to all the human
names in which ye glory.
That ye all speak the same thing — They now spoke different things, 1 Corinthians 1:12 And that there be no schisms
among you - No alienation of affection from each other. Is this word ever taken
in any other sense in scripture? But that ye be joined in the same mind -
Affections, desires.
And judgment —
Touching all the grand truths of the gospel.
Verse 11
[11] For
it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the
house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
It hath been declared to me by them of the
family of Chloe — Whom some suppose to have been the wife of
Stephanas, and the mother of Fortunatus and Achaicus. By these three the
Corinthians had sent their letter to St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 16:17.
That there are contentions — A word equivalent with schisms in the preceding verse.
Verse 12
[12] Now
this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I
of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Now this I say —
That is, what I mean is this: there are various parties among you, who set
themselves, one against an other, in behalf of the several teachers they
admire.
And I of Christ —
They spoke well, if they had not on this pretence despised their teachers, 1 Corinthians 4:8 Perhaps they valued themselves
on having heard Christ preach in his own person.
Verse 13
[13] Is
Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of
Paul?
Is Christ divided —
Are not all the members still under one head? Was not he alone crucified for
you all; and were ye not all baptized in his name? The glory of Christ then is
not to be divided between him and his servants; neither is the unity of the
body to be torn asunder, seeing Christ is one still.
Verse 14
[14] I
thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
I thank God — (A
pious phrase for the common one, "I rejoice,") that, in the course of
his providence, I baptized none of you, but Crispus, once the ruler of the
synagogue, and Caius.
Verse 15
[15] Lest
any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
Lest any should say that I had baptized in my
own name — In order to attach them to myself.
Verse 16
[16] And
I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I
baptized any other.
I know not —
That is, it does not at present occur to my memory, that I baptized any other.
Verse 17
[17] For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For God did not send me to baptize — That was not my chief errand: those of inferior rank and abilities could
do it: though all the apostles were sent to baptize also, Matthew 28:19 But to preach the gospel - So the
apostle slides into his general proposition: but not with wisdom of speech -
With the artificial ornaments of discourse, invented by human wisdom.
Lest the cross of Christ should be made of
none effect — The whole effect of St. Paul's preaching
was owing to the power of God accompanying the plain declaration of that great
truth, "Christ bore our sins upon the cross." But this effect might
have been imputed to another cause, had he come with that wisdom of speech
which they admired.
Verse 18
[18] For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us
which are saved it is the power of God.
To them that perish — By
obstinately rejecting the only name whereby they can be saved.
But to us who are saved — Now saved from our sins, and in the way to everlasting salvation, it is
the great instrument of the power of God.
Verse 19
[19] For
it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing
the understanding of the prudent.
For it is written —
And the words are remarkably applicable to this great event. Isaiah 29:14
Verse 20
[20]
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?
hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
Where is the wise? etc.-The deliverance of
Judea from Sennacherib is what Isaiah refers to in these words; in a bold and
beautiful allusion to which, the apostle in the clause that follows triumphs
over all the opposition of human wisdom to the victorious gospel of Christ.
What could the wise men of the gentiles do against this? or the Jewish scribes?
or the disputers of this world? - Those among both, who, proud of their
acuteness, were fond of controversy, and thought they could confute all
opponents.
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this
world — That is, shown it to be very foolishness. Isaiah 33:18
Verse 21
[21] For
after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For since in the wisdom of God — According to his wise disposals, leaving them to make the trial.
The world —
Whether Jewish or gentile, by all its boasted wisdom knew not God - Though the
whole creation declared its Creator, and though he declared himself by all the
prophets; it pleased God, by a way which those who perish count mere
foolishness, to save them that believe.
Verse 22
[22] For
the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
For whereas the Jews demand of the apostles,
as they did of their Lord, more signs still, after all they have seen already;
and the Greeks, or gentiles, seek wisdom - The depths of philosophy, and the
charms of eloquence.
Verse 23
[23] But
we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness;
We go on to preach, in a plain and
historical, not rhetorical or philosophical, manner, Christ crucified, to the
Jews a stumblingblock - Just opposite to the "signs" they demand.
And to the Greeks foolishness — A silly tale, just opposite to the wisdom they seek.
Verse 24
[24] But
unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and
the wisdom of God.
But to them that are called — And obey the heavenly calling.
Christ —
With his cross, his death, his life, his kingdom. And they experience, first,
that he is the power, then, that he is the wisdom, of God.
Verse 25
[25]
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is
stronger than men.
Because the foolishness of God — The gospel scheme, which the world judge to be mere foolishness, is
wiser than the wisdom of men; and, weak as they account it, stronger than all
the strength of men.
Verse 26
[26] For
ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble, are called:
Behold your calling —
What manner of men they are whom God calls.
That not many wise men after the flesh — In the account of the world.
Not many mighty —
Men of power and authority.
Verse 28
[28] And
base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
Things that are not —
The Jews frequently called the gentiles, "Them that are not," 2
Esdras vi. 56, 57. In so supreme contempt did they hold them.
The things that are — In
high esteem.
Verse 29
[29] That
no flesh should glory in his presence.
That no flesh — A
fit appellation. Flesh is fair, but withering as grass.
May glory before God — In God we ought to glory.
Verse 30
[30] But
of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
Of him —
Out of his free grace and mercy. Are ye Engrafted into Christ Jesus, who is
made unto us that believe wisdom, who were before utterly foolish and ignorant.
Righteousness —
The sole ground of our justification, who were before under the wrath and curse
of God.
Sanctification — A
principle of universal holiness, whereas before we were altogether dead in sin.
And redemption —
That is, complete deliverance from all evil, and eternal bliss both of soul and
body.
Verse 31
[31]
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Let him glory in the Lord — Not in himself, not in the flesh, not in the world. Jeremiah 9:23,24
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1
Corinthians》
1 Cor. 1:23
The story is told of a small English
village that had a tiny chapel whose stone walls were covered by traditional
ivy. Over an arch was originally inscribed the words: We preach Christ crucified.
There had been a generation of godly men who did precisely that: they preached
Christ crucified.
But times changed. The ivy grew and
pretty soon covered the last word. The inscription now read: We Preach Christ.
Other men came and they did preach Christ: Christ the example, Christ the
humanitarian, Christ the ideal teacher.
As the years passed, the ivy continued
to grow until finally the inscription read: We preach. The generation that came
along then did just that: they preached economics, social gospel, book reviews,
just about anything.
The story probably isn’t literally
true, but it does illustrate how man’s philosophical detours affect how the
gospel is transmitted.
Chapter 1. Divisions
Those Who Are
Perishing
Those Who Are Saved
I. Relation
Between God and Believers
II. The Way of
Church Unity
III. The
Message of the Cross
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》
Chapter One General Review OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To understand how division is unacceptable is the Body of Christ 2) To see why our boasting should be only in the Lord SUMMARY
In his opening remarks Paul expresses gratitude that the Corinthians had been enriched by God, came behind in no gift, and were eagerly waiting for the revelation of the Lord (1-9). He immediately begins dealing with the first problem, that of division which manifested itself in what we might call "preacheritis" (10-17). Discerning that the underlying cause concerns the exaltation of human wisdom, Paul demonstrates the folly of boasting in such (18-31). OUTLINE
I. INTRODUCTION (1-9)
A. GREETINGS FROM PAUL AND SOSTHENES (1-3) 1. To the church at Corinth the name of Jesus (2) 2. Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus (3) B. THANKSGIVING FOR GOD'S GRACE TOWARDS THEM (4-9) 1. Enriching them in all knowledge, even as Christ's testimony was confirmed in them (5-6) 2. Coming short in no gift as they eagerly await the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ (7) 3. Who will confirm them so they may be blameless (8) 4. For God is faithful, who called them into the fellowship of His Son (9)