Paul’s First Letter to Corinth.

Having summarized the work of Paul in Ephesus during these three years we shall now give consideration to some experiences of his which, while they are not recorded in Acts, are of great significance. These experiences were concerned with his interest in the church at Corinth, not far distant, which he had established on his second campaign. Serious difficulties had beset this church during these three or four year's since he had been with them. Members of the church naturally knew of Paul's presence in Ephesus, so messengers, official and unofficial, brought news of these difficulties to Paul.

Early in Paul's stay in Ephesus he had written a letter to the Corinthian church concerning a case of gross immorality among this letter either has been lost or is incorporated in the two letters (I & II Cor.). After this the household of Chloe had reported to Paul the division existing in the church. A committee of Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus had come to him with a letter from the Corinthian church concerning various problems which existed in the church. Even before this Paul had sent Timothy to set things in order, but seemingly this was not accomplished. So in the spring of A.D. 56 or 57 Paul wrote the letter which we now call 1 Corinthians, to this church. There were serious problems that needed immediate and vigorous attention.

1. There were four factions among them. There was a Paul party, an Apollos party, a group who claimed Peter (who had not been there) as their ideal, and another group who called themselves the Christ party.
2. In this prosperous and wicked city gross immorality had invaded the church.
3. Certain groups at variance with each other were going to civil courts to get their differences arbitrated.
4. There were many other questions which troubled them: marriage, eating meats that had been sacrificed to idols, and some serious ques¬tions about Paul's right to claim apostleship like Peter, headdress for women, the real meaning of the Lord's supper, the matter of spiritual gills and finally, the question of the resurrection of believers.
Certainly never a church was in difficulties this one was. Most of these questions were stirred up by the Judaizers whose motive was to discredit Paul and destroy his works. With rare insight, with great power and sincere love Paul wrote this letter to help his church.

The scope of this book will not permit any attempt to analyze or xpiiiind this remarkable letter. It is very practical in nature and yet ont.iins some of the greatest passages in the New Testament. The famous treatise on Christian love ever written is chapter 13 of illis letter. Chapter 15 is a masterful argument for the resurrection of !he believer in Christ.

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