appear uncovered? Might women speak and teach in public ? 4. Spiritual gifts. Which was the more important, speaking with tongues or preaching? What should be done when sev- eral began to speak at once? 5. The resurrection. Some maintained that it was purely spiritual and that it was already past. 6. They also desired to hear something more about the collection for the poor in Judaea, and to have Apollos sent back.
The bearers of the letter, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achai- cus, together with those of the household of Chloe (1 Cor. i. 11), also brought tidings of the factions which had divided the church and the quarrels over the different preachers. Certain Judaic teachers had come, with commendatory letters from Jerusalem, claiming the authority of Peter and impugning that of Paul, declaring that Peter was the true head of the Christian Church and Paul an interloper. A fourth distinct party is supposed by some to be indicated by the words “I of Christ” (see on 1 Cor. i. 10). It also appeared that the assemblies of the church had become disorderly; that the agapae and the eucharist were scenes of gluttony, brawling, and drunk- enness; while the gatherings for worship were thrown into confusion by the simultaneous speaking of those who professed the gift of tongues. Women were speaking unveiled in these assemblies. One prominent church-member was living crim- inally with his stepmother.
On the receipt of this letter Paul abandoned his intended visit to Corinth, sent Titus to inform the church of his change of plan and to arrange for the collection, and dictated to Sos- thenes the first epistle to the Corinthians. Notwithstanding the subscription of the letter, “written from Philippi,” a mis- take which grew out of 1 Cor. xvi. 5, it was written at Ephesus, as appears from 1 Cor. xvi. 8, 19.
He begins by stating his complaints against the church (i. 10-vi. 20). He then answers the questions contained in their letter: Marriage (vii. 1-40) ; Sacrificial feasts (viii. 1-18). From this he diverges to the insinuations against his character and authority, noticing the charge based upon his refusal to receive pecuniary support, and asserting his unselfish devo-
xvi INTRODUCTION.
tion to the Gospel (ix.). He returns to the sacrificial feasts (x.). Then he passes to the regulation of the assemblies (xi.). The different spiritual gifts and their mutual relation are dis- cussed in ch. xii.,and Love is shown to be greater and more enduring than all gifts (xiii.). The subject of speaking with tongues is then taken up, and the superiority of prophecy to the gift of tongues is asserted (xiv. 1-40). Ch. xv. discusses the resurrection, and the epistle concludes with references to cer- tain personal and incidental matters, including the collection.
Authorities are generally agreed in placing the date of the epistle a.p. 57. Its authenticity is conceded on all hands.
The key-note of the epistle is struck in two correlated thoughts—the supreme headship of Christ, and the union of believers as one body in and with Him. The former thought finds expression in Paul’s humble disclaimer of all merely per- sonal authority, and of all right to a hearing save as Christ’s agent and mouthpiece. The power of preaching resides in its theme—Christ crucified—and not in its philosophic wisdom nor in the personal culture of its preachers. The gifts and graces of the Church are due to Christ alone. The other thought is the standing confutation and rebuke of all the errors and abuses which have invaded the Church. Faction, fornica- tion, litigation, fellowship with idolaters—all are sufficiently condemned by the fact that they break the sacred tie between the Church and Christ, and between individuals and the Church. Union in Christ implies divine order in the Church. The sexes fall into their true relation. The subordinations of the heavenly hierarchies are perpetuated in the Church. Con- fusion is banished from public worship, and the mystery of the eucharist is expounded in the mutual love and helpfulness of the participants. Diversities of spiritual gifts are harmonized and utilized through their relation to the one body and the informing power of one divine Spirit—the Spirit of love. Christian expediency, involving individual sacrifice for the com- mon welfare, becomes an authoritative principle. This unity finds its crowning exhibition in the resurrection, in which be- lievers share the resurrection of their Lord, and enter into final and perfect communion with His glorified life.