.Sparta

.Chenchreae

.Corinth

. Athens.Delphi

.Thessalonica

.Philippi

. Troy

.Ephesus

Model of Roman Corinth

North

Brief History of Corinth• Prosperous city of ancient Greece

• Destroyed by Romans in 146 BCE

• Re-founded as a Roman colony in 44 BCE– Settled by libertini from Italy– Exempt from taxes– Roman law– Roman citizenship

A atrium (formal entrance hall)Al ala ("wings" opening from atrium)C cubiculum (small room; bedroom)Cu culina (kitchen) E exedra (garden room)P peristylium (colonnaded garden)T taberna (shop)Ta tablinum (office; study)Tri triclinium (dining room) V vestibulum (entrance hall) Taken from the VRoma Project.

Roman Atrium House

Vestibulum

Taberna

Atrium

Cubiculum

Tablinum

Culina

Triclinium

lectus

Peristylium

Exedra

Floor Mosaic

Wall Painting

Lararium

Genius with two lares

Bronze statuette oflar

Important Events for Paul and Corinth

1. Paul visits Corinth (Acts 18:18)

2. Receives new from Corinthians

3. Writes letter (Letter A) - mentioned in 1 Cor 5:9

4. Apollos and Peter visit Corinth (Acts 19:1)

5. Gets oral report from Chloe (1:11) and others (16:17)

6. Corinthians write to Paul (7:1, 25, etc)

7. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Letter B)

Outline of 1 Corinthians

1–4 Oral report from Chloe’s people about divisions

5–6 Oral report from others about sexuality and lawsuits

7–16 Answers to their questions

7 male/female relationships

8–10 food sacrificed to idols

11 Men and Women/The Lord’s Supper

12–14 Spiritual gifts

15 Resurrection

16 Collection

Divisions in the Church• 1:10–17• Meaning of Baptism• Paul proclaimed Jesus• Developed little cliques• Paul baptized

– Crispus - synagogue leader - Acts 18:8

– Gaius - host to Paul and church - Romans 16:23

– Stephanas - firstfruits and leader - 1 Cor 16:15–17

Wisdom and Foolishness1 Cor 1:18–31

• Wisdom

– human understanding

– for the elite

– demonstrated rhetorically

– attracted a great following

• Why is the cross foolish?

– Curse

– Terrorist

– Shameful

• The system of the world is overturned in the message of theologia crucis

Sexuality• Problems in the congregation

– Man with stepmother (ch. 5)

– prostitution (6:15–20)

– vice list (6:9-11)• malakoi - effeminate• arsenokoiteis - bed with men

• marriage

– 7:1 - Paul or the Corinthians?

– 7:2, 9 - Their unique situation in Corinth?

– 7:29 - eschatological

– 7:7 - appreciate singleness

– 7:2–4 - equality between men and women

Women• 1 Cor 11:5 vs 14:34–35????

• How do we know what is cultural?

Tongues• 1 Cor 2:12-13 - Paul teaches with spiritual

words

• Paul reminds them that the Spirit gives many different gifts (12)

• The perfect has not yet come 13:10

• 14:12–19– Don’t despise tongues (14:18)– Do it for the edification of the church 14:27–33

Resurrection

• no resurrection of the dead 15:12

• then the gospel is false 15:16–19

• Resurrection body - 15:42–44– pneumaticos soma

• 15:50–57

Paul and the Corinthians• Paul makes a “painful visit” to Corinth (2 Cor 2:1)

– someone insults him

– Corinthians do not defend him

• Writes a “tearful letter” (2 Cor 2:4)

• Titus brings news of the community (2 Cor 7:5–10)

• Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1)

• Paul visits Corinth on third missionary journey (2 Cor 12:14; 13:1–2; Acts 20)

Paul’s EschatologyDoes it disagree with Jesus?

• 2 Cor 5:1–5

• Paul is being afflicted (4:17; 1:3–7)– We groan in this life

• God prepares for us eternal life

• Paul prefers to be with the Lord

• He keeps living to please God (2 Cor 5:9)

The Collection2 Corinthians 8–9

• Others are giving (8:2–3)

• They have started to give (8:10–11)

• Jesus is the example (8:9; Phil 2)

• Principles– readiness– what a person has– not under compulsion (9:7)– for equality – for thanksgiving to God (9:12)

Super Apostles• Early hints about them

– 2:17 - trade on the word of God– 3:1 - require letters of commendation– 5:12 - boast in appearance

• Features– accept patronage– says Paul is weak in appearance (2 Cor 10:10–

11)

Super Apostles• Content

– Preach another Jesus (11:2–3)– Satan’s ministers (11:13–15)

• Background– Jewish?

• Moses (3:7)

• Jewish background (11:21–22)

– Hellenist Spiritualists?

• More about form than content

Third Heaven• 12:1-7

• Common view in Judaism that heaven has levels

• Bodily or non-bodily?

• All leads to his weakness

• Thorn– From God– Can’t know what it is– Sometimes God says no