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© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 2
16:19), and Sosthenes, the head of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:17). He also
converted many Greek Gentiles, like Justus (Acts 18:7) and Crispus (Acts 18:8; 1
Corinthians 1:14).
ii) After departing Corinth, Paul went to Ephesus with Aquila and Priscilla. He left them
there and continued on to Jerusalem and then back through Asia Minor.
(1) [SLIDE 4] While Aquila and Priscilla were in Ephesus, a Jewish Christian named
Apollos came, preaching a gospel based on John the Baptist. They corrected his
teachings and sent him on to Corinth with a letter of recommendation. [4.1] He
greatly strengthened the Corinthian church. (Acts 18:24–28.)
iii) Paul himself then came to Ephesus, where he stayed for more than two years (Acts
19:10; see Acts 19:1–20:1).4 [4.2] While he was residing there he wrote 1 Corinthians
(1 Corinthians 16:8), somewhere around A.D. 54 or 55.5
(1) During this time there was much communication between Paul and the
Corinthian saints. Paul had written them a previous letter (1 Corinthians 5:9),
and the Corinthians had responded (1 Corinthians 7:1). There were also members
of the Corinthian church who had come to Ephesus, bringing news.6
iv) Paul indicated that he intended to send Timothy to Corinth as his personal emissary
(1 Corinthians 16:10–11). Timothy returned with news that a group of Jewish-
Christian missionaries had come to Corinth and were undermining Paul’s authority.7
(1) Paul then made his second visit to the Corinthians, where he stayed six months
(Acts 20:2–3). Things went very badly this time—he called it his “painful visit”
(NRSV 2 Corinthians 2:1). After he left, he wrote them a difficult letter “with
many tears” (2 Corinthians 2:4; 7:8); this letter may be lost.8
(2) [4.3] 2 Corinthians is not a single letter, but a compilation of perhaps three
letters written by Paul after his painful visit to Corinth. In these letters he
discusses taking up an offering for the saints in Jerusalem (chapters 8–9),9
attacks the false teachers who had caused him so much trouble (chapters 10–13),
and tries to reconcile with the Corinthian saints (chapters 1–7).
f) Unfortunately the large amount of material we’re dealing with in this lesson means that
we’ll need to move quickly and limit ourselves to just an overview of Paul’s material.
2) 1 Corinthians 1:11–4:21. Divisions among the Corinthians saints.
a) Paul is concerned that the saints in Corinth aren’t united as a single body under Christ,
but rather have divided into factions.
4
See lesson 14, pages 1–2; http://scr.bi/LDSARCNT14n
5
The letter would have been written in the spring, since Pentecost was near (1 Corinthians 16:8).
6
Sosthenes himself had come to Ephesus, and co-wrote 1 Corinthians with Paul (1 Corinthians 1:1). Members of the house
or family of Chloe brought news of divisions among the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:11). Stephanas, Fortunatus, and
Achaicus also came to visit Paul (1 Corinthians 16:17).
7
Paul sarcastically calls these individuals “the very chiefest apostles” (or “super-apostles”; 2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:11), “false
apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:13), and ministers of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:15).
8
Some scholars have concluded that the “tearful letter” is 2 Corinthians 10–13, in which Paul attacks those who have
sullied his reputation and defends his own apostolic authority.
9
These chapters may have been written before Paul came to Corinth for his second, painful visit. He speaks of his intent to
take up a collection for Jerusalem in 1 Corinthians 16:1–12, and 2 Corinthians 8–9 may have been a follow-up letter to prepare
the Corinthians for his arrival as he traveled through Macedonia.
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 3
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 4
24
But unto them which are called, both Jews 24
but to those who are the called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the
wisdom of God. wisdom of God.
25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than 25
For God’s foolishness is wiser than human
men; and the weakness of God is stronger wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than
than men. human strength.
i) The world’s wisdom is foolishness to God (1:20), and God’s wisdom (“Christ
crucified”—1:23) is foolishness to the world. Neither understands the other. Only
when we have the Spirit of God do we understand the wisdom of God.
c) In 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 Paul constructs a metaphor: He is a skilled “master builder”
who established the church at Corinth, laying the foundation (which is Jesus Christ) for
others to build on. This foundation is a temple:
KJV 1 Corinthians 3:16–23 NRSV 1 Corinthians 3:16–23
16Know ye not that ye are the temple of 16 Do you not know that you are God’s
God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
you?
17If any man defile the temple of God, him 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is destroy that person. For God’s temple is
holy, which temple ye are. holy, and you are that temple.
18Let no man deceive himself. If any man 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think
among you seemeth to be wise in this world, that you are wise in this age, you should
let him become a fool, that he may be wise. become fools so that you may become wise.
19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God. For it is written, He taketh the with God. For it is written,
wise in their own craftiness. “He catches the wise in their
craftiness,”10
20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts 20and again,
of the wise, that they are vain. “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile.”11
21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all 21So let no one boast about human leaders.
things are yours; For all things are yours,
22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the
the world, or life, or death, or things world or life or death or the present or the
present, or things to come; all are yours; future—all belong to you,
23And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ
belongs to God.
i) 3:16. Although we often read this verse in the sense of taking care of our physical
bodies (“my body is a temple”), in context “ye” is plural, and more likely refers to the
church as a group. If so, it means that the church is the temple of God, and the Holy
Spirit dwells within or among the church.12
(1) This reading would make more sense, because Paul is speaking of divisions
within the church over wisdom. Only when we are united can the Spirit dwell
among the church.
ii) His point here is disunity over issues of class and status are defiling the church. “The
wisdom of this world is foolishness [to] God” (3:19), so we should not boast about
10
A quote from Job 5:13.
11
A quote from Psalm 94:11.
12
Compare footnote c in the LDS edition of the Bible at Luke 17:21, which indicates that “within” could be translated
“among” because the pronoun “you” is plural in Greek.
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 5
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 6
(b) His basic belief is that it’s best to be unmarried and chaste (7:7–8), but he
makes concessions for certain people based on their circumstances.
(2) Case #1: To married persons (7:1–7). Paul indicates that because sexual
immorality (KJV “fornication”—7:2) is such a problem, each man should have his
own wife, and each woman her own husband. They should fulfill their sexual
obligations to each other (KJV “render…due benevolence”—7:3), and not deprive
each other physically for long periods of time (7:5). This, he says, is not a
commandment, but a concession (7:6).
(3) Case #2: Unmarried persons and widows (7:8–9). It’s better for them to remain
unmarried, but if they can’t exercise self-control, they should marry.
(4) Case #3: Regarding divorce (7:10–16). Paul recommends against divorce, but if
a woman does separate from her husband, she should remain chaste (7:10–11).
To those in mixed marriages, where only one spouse is a Christian, he
recommends against divorce, saying that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by
the believing spouse, and their children are holy (7:12–14; see also D&C 74:1–7).
(5) Paul’s general rule (7:17–24): In the middle of this section, Paul states that his
general rule that he has given all the churches is that people lead the lives God
has assigned to them, and not seek to change their conditions. If they’re
circumcised or uncircumcised, stay that way; if they’re slaves or free men, don’t
seek to change that. “In whatever condition you were called…there remain with
God” (NRSV 7:24).
(6) Case #4: To young virgins and those engaged to be married (7:25–40). His final
counsel is to those who are young and of marriageable age. He says he has no
commandment from the Lord to them, so he gives them his opinion (7:25) that “it
is well to remain as you are” (NRSV 7:26). If you’re single, remain so; if you’re
married, stay that way (7:27). Marriage is not a sin, but it adds additional
pressures that could be avoided during the “impending crisis.”
c) So how do we reconcile Paul’s teachings with modern revelation?
i) Some parts of what he has written conform very well to how Latter-day Saints
understand things: Abstinence outside of marriage and complete fidelity within
marriage are the rule; other practices are immoral and forbidden, and those who
engage in them are subject to church discipline.
ii) His general view that it is better to be unmarried and chaste than it is to be married
is not compatible with modern revelation on the subject, which clearly states that the
highest level of exaltation is only available to couples who are sealed for eternity by
one having authority (D&C 131:1–4; 132:4–33).
(1) It’s possible that this had not been revealed to Paul in its fulness, or that he
believed it shouldn’t be practiced due to the (unexplained) “impending crisis”
(7:26). We simply don’t know.
(2) In any event modern revelation supersedes ancient revelation, so the
commandment that we Latter-day Saints operate under overrides anything Paul
wrote to the contrary.
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 7
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 8
we think to be less honourable, upon these think less honorable we clothe with greater
we bestow more abundant honour; and our honor, and our less respectable members
uncomely parts have more abundant are treated with greater respect.
comeliness.
(1) There is, all too often, a concern among individuals in the church that they don’t
contribute very much and are therefore not of much benefit. It’s easy to look at a
stake president or a Relief Society president or a wonderful Gospel Doctrine class
teacher and think, “I wish I could be like that. I don’t feel like I’m important.”
(2) Paul’s message here is still important today. He taught that we are all members of
the body of Christ, and each one of us is important. Just because we can’t teach,
or counsel, or lead, or play the piano, or whatever doesn’t mean that we’re
unimportant. We all have at least one spiritual gift (D&C 46:11), and we all
contribute to the building up of the kingdom. As Paul teaches in 12:22–23:
22
On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, 23and those members of the body that we think less honorable
15
We covered gifts of the spirit in the lesson on D&C 46—see Doctrine and Covenants lesson 12, pages 1–5;
http://scr.bi/LDSARCDC12n
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 9
we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated
with greater respect. (NRSV)
(3) 12:31. But in this contention over which spiritual gifts are best, Paul tells them
that he will show them “a more excellent way”—love.
iii) 13:1–13. First Corinthians chapter 13 is one of the best known and most loved
passages in the New Testament. In this part of his epistle, Paul extols the virtues of
what the King James translators rendered “charity.”
(1) Unfortunately the meaning of “charity” has changed since the KJV was produced
in AD 1611. We typically think of charity as being charitable acts, such as giving
our old clothing to Deseret Industries or preparing a meal for a family whose
mother is sick. But although Paul’s teachings certainly include and encourage
such acts, that’s not what he’s getting at here.
(a) In modern Bible translations “charity” is usually rendered “love.” But this too
has its problems: Love is an imprecise word in English, one which can include
many feelings and behaviors, including passionate love and brotherly love—I
love both my father and my wife, and yet the love I have for my wife is
different than the love I have for my father.
(b) The type of love Paul is referring to here is αγαπε (agape / “uh-GAH-pay”).
This is the active love of the Father for his Son (John 10:17) and his people (1
John 3:1), and the active love his people are to have for God (Luke 10:27),
each other (John 13:34-35), those around them (Matthew 19:19), and even
their enemies (Matthew 5:44).
(i) The prophet Mormon called this kind of love “the pure love of Christ”
(Moroni 7:47).
(ii) Paul is talking about this last kind of love—agape—in 1 Corinthians.16
When we read “charity never faileth” (13:8)—the motto of the Relief
Society—we should render it “[the pure] love [of Christ] never ends.”
(2) 13:1–3. Paul’s point here is that we can have all the spiritual gifts in the world,
but if we don’t have love, then we have nothing.
(3) 13:4–7. He identifies the traits of pure love.
(4) 13:8–12. Love never ends, which makes it superior to spiritual gifts. Our growth
in spiritual understanding is hampered by our mortality; we are unable to see
what we will become, just as a man looks into a mirror (these are ancient bronze
mirrors) and sees an imperfect reflection of himself. Yet we are growing in grace
and one day will know all things—love is the key to that growth.
(5) 13:13. Of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love.
iv) 14:1–32, 36–40. Instructions on the use of the gift of tongues. One who speaks in an
unknown tongue should have someone else interpret, otherwise the church isn’t
edified (14:5, 13). The gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues.
16
The other two types of love in Greek are:
φιλεο (phileo) refers to affection or regard of a very high order, what we would commonly call “brotherly love.” This is the
kind of love had between family members and between good friends (Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9). It can also refer to
affection or desire for material or immaterial things, such as attention from others (Matthew 6:5; John 20:46) or money (1
Timothy 6:10). Sometimes Christ’s love for us is identified as phileo (Titus 3:4; Revelation 3:19).
ερος (eros), the root of the English word “erotic,” is sexual love, the kind we would call “lust.” This word does not appear
in the New Testament.
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.
Hurricane West Stake Adult Religion Class New Testament: 1 & 2 Corinthians Week 21, Page 10
(1) The passage in 14:33–35 appears in different places within chapter 14 in various
early manuscripts (although it is always there). These verses make no sense in the
context of the chapter’s message about the gift of tongues and prophecy, and they
contradict what Paul himself wrote in 11:5. They may be the work of a later scribe.
6) 15:1–58. The resurrection of Christ and the universal resurrection of all mankind.
a) 15:1–11. The proclamation of Christ’s death and resurrection by credible witnesses.
b) 15:12–34. A logical argument for the resurrection and against the Corinthians’ denial of
it.
c) 15:35–58. Types of bodies in the resurrection.
i) 15:40. Heavenly bodies vs. earthly bodies.
7) Next week we’ll continue our study of the writings of Paul by examining three more of his
letters.
a) Reading: Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon.
© 2011, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.