BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
1 Corinthians
16 chapters
In a Corinthian church torn by division, sin, and confusion, Paul centers everything on Christ and Him crucified, rebuilding the community's unity, holiness, and love.
1 Corinthians
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Why this book was written
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church from Ephesus during his third missionary journey. Reports and a letter from Corinth had revealed factions, moral disorders, misuse of the Lord's Supper, confusion over spiritual gifts, and doubts about the resurrection. His aim was to correct error, answer their questions, restore a Christ-centered unity, and strengthen the believers' faith and hope.
Structure
- 1–4The Cross and the Unity of the Church
- 5–7Holiness of Life and the Sanctification of Marriage
- 8–11Freedom, Love, and the Christian Conscience
- 12–14Spiritual Gifts and Love
- 15–16The Certainty of the Resurrection and Practical Exhortations
Major themes
Unity and Division in the Church
Paul exhorts the Corinthian church against factions and insists that everything be done for the edification of the church (1 Cor 1:10-17; 3:1-9; 12:12-27).
The Wisdom and Foolishness of the Cross
The message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but the power of God to those being saved; God's weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:18-25; 2:1-5).
Holiness and Spiritual Gifts
Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, to be kept holy and free from sexual immorality; spiritual gifts are given for building up the body (1 Cor 6:12-20; 12:1–14:40).
Love as the Supreme Way
Chapter 13 presents love as surpassing all gifts and knowledge, an everlasting way that never ends (1 Cor 13:1-13).
The Hope of Resurrection
If Christ has not been raised, faith is futile; but believers will be raised with Christ into glorified bodies (1 Cor 15:1-58).
Gospel and Daily Ethical Order
Paul addresses marriage, food, worship, money, and the Lord's Day gathering, doing all things for the glory of God (1 Cor 7:1-40; 10:23–11:34; 16:1-4).
How it points to Christ
1 Corinthians exalts Christ and Him crucified (1:23; 2:2), presenting Jesus as God's power and wisdom. He is the Passover lamb sacrificed for us (5:7), the firstfruits of the resurrection (15:20-23), and through His Spirit He indwells the church as His body and temple (3:16; 6:19), uniting believers to Himself and to one another.
Key verses
- 1:18The message of the cross is the power of God, overturning all human reliance on wisdom and strength.
- 6:19–20Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, calling them to glorify God in holiness.
- 10:31Whatever we do, do all to the glory of God—the supreme principle of the Christian life.
- 13:13Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
- 15:3–4Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised the third day—the heart of the gospel.
- 15:58Because of the resurrection, believers are urged to be steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord.
- 3:11No other foundation can be laid than Jesus Christ already laid.
- 12:27The church is the body of Christ, with believers as its members, revealing the truth of unity.
Reflections on 1 Corinthians
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When I am tempted to elevate certain leaders or gifts above others, how do I return to the simplicity of the cross and the fact that Christ alone is the foundation?
- ·Chapter 13 describes love as patient and all-trusting—does my love still carry pride and self-righteousness?
- ·If Christ truly rose from the dead, how does this change the way I face suffering, death, and daily pressures?
- ·Is my body treated as a temple of the Holy Spirit—what areas of speech, desire, or habit need repentance?
- ·In exercising spiritual gifts, am I seeking self-display or the edification of the church and the manifestation of Christ's body?
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Chapter 9
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?
2If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3My defence to them that examine me is this.
4Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?
7What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?
9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth,
10or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking.
11If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
12If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
13Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
14Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.
15But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorifying void.
16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.
17For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.
18What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
19For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
22To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
24Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
25And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:
27but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.