Overview of the Book of Corinthians
Introduction
The book of Corinthians is located in the New Testament section of the Bible. It comprises what we know as Paul’s first and second letters to the Church in Corinth.
However, despite Paul writing four letters to this church, only the two that survived were included in the New Testament as the First and Second Corinthians. This is because Paul wrote a letter preceding what we know and refer to as 1 Corinthians (5:9-11). And, thereafter, he wrote another tearful, severe letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:3-4. This severe letter is the letter that preceded what we know as 2 Corinthians.
Furthermore, some scholars opine that 2 Corinthians is made up of two different sections: chapters 1-9, which Paul wrote in a conciliatory tone, and chapters 10-13, which were part of the painful letter he had written before the former section. Thus, these scholars hold that a part of Paul’s third letter survived and was incorporated into what we know as 2 Corinthians.
First and Second Corinthians
Nevertheless, Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians are the seventh and eighth books of the New Testament respectively. They are also the forty-sixth and forty-seventh books of the Bible respectively.
Scholars opine that Paul’s correspondence with the Church in Corinth was the most extensive correspondence with the New Testament churches. This makes sense because Paul encountered more problems at the church in Corinth than in any of the other churches he ministered to.
Time (Date) of Writing
Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, during his third missionary journey from Ephesus in the mid-50s (1 Corinthians 16:8 and 19). He wrote this letter to respond to the issues that plagued the church and had been raised by its members well after he had departed from them. These issues included but were not limited to: coalescing around teachers, sexual immorality, improper conduct at fellowships, and the resurrection of the dead.
Thereafter, Paul wrote his second letter from Macedonia a year after writing his first as a result of a report from Titus. He defended his ministry, expressed his thanksgiving, and encouraged the Corinthians to complete the Jerusalem collection, among other issues.
Paul, therefore, aimed to restore the members of the church of Corinth to their foundation, Jesus Christ.
Background
The City
Corinth was a wealthy and influential Roman port city located between the Corinthian and Saronic Gulfs in southern Greece. As the capital of the province of Achaia, Corinth was a strategic hub for trade and culture, hosting a blend of Romans, Greeks, Jews, and others. It became a center for materialism, religious pluralism, and sexual immorality.
The city’s religious practices included idol worship and temple prostitution, which strongly influenced its moral and social norms. Idolatry was intertwined with everyday life. Sacrificial meat was common at markets and feasts, and temple worship included sexual rites.
The Church
Paul planted the Corinthian Church during his second missionary journey (Acts 18), staying there 18 months. However, the church, like its surrounding culture, struggled with division, immorality, and doctrinal confusion. Issues such as factionalism, lawsuits among believers, and misunderstandings of marriage, resurrection, and spiritual gifts became focal points in Paul’s correspondence.
The church reflected its surroundings (society)
Normally, a church reflects the society in which it exists, even if it is to some extent. This is because the believers who form it originate from the same. And this was no different with the church at Corinth.
Therefore, the numerous problems that the church in Corinth faced and reported to Paul had their origins in the life of the city of Corinth. For example, sexual looseness, which manifested as gross, unashamed immorality, was considered normal in the city life of the Corinthians. That is, strict morality was foreign (new) to the Gentiles in the city. To them, immorality was a virtue, not a sin.
Additionally, their idolatry was closely linked to their immorality. They worshipped many gods that were equal to the many temples that dotted Corinth, and their worship ceremonies involved the practice of sexual rites, which fueled sexual immorality.
Idols were significant in the economic and social lives of the people of Corinth. It is therefore no wonder that meat from the animals sacrificed to these idols was not only consumed by the priests but was also sold in markets and eaten during feasts in the temples.
Finally, some Christians instituted lawsuits against their fellow Christians. And their Grecian outlook affected their view of resurrection and the holiness of their bodies.
Paul’s ministry in Corinth
In spite of the numerous problems that were in the Corinthian church, Paul remained there for a year and a half and enjoyed a fruitful ministry while supporting himself through tentmaking. And when he left, he concluded his second missionary journey.
Summary
1 Corinthians: Addressing Division, Disorder, and Doctrine
Written from Ephesus during Paul’s third missionary journey (mid-50s AD), 1 Corinthians responds to reports and questions from the church. Paul addresses divisions based on loyalty to different leaders, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, confusion around marriage and singleness, and chaotic worship practices. He also provides extensive teaching on spiritual gifts and the resurrection of the dead.
Key messages:
- Christ as the foundation of the church (1 Cor. 3:11)
- Love is the highest expression of spiritual life (1 Cor. 13)
- The resurrection is essential to Christian hope (1 Cor. 15)
2 Corinthians: Defending Paul’s Ministry and Encouraging Generosity
Written from Macedonia a year later, 2 Corinthians is deeply personal. Paul defends his apostleship, expresses gratitude for the Corinthians’ repentance, and urges them to complete a collection for the Jerusalem church. He highlights the nature of Christian ministry—marked by suffering and strength in weakness—and warns against false apostles.
Key messages:
- God comforts us so we can comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-7)
- Ministry is by God’s power, not human strength (2 Cor. 4:7-12)
- God’s grace is sufficient in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9)
Thematic Layout
1. God
- Holy, just, and the source of all comfort
- Sovereign over ministry and trials
- Worthy of undivided worship
2. God’s Kingdom
- Centered on Christ, not human wisdom or power
- Advanced through sacrificial love, not status
- Expressed through unity and purity in the church
3. Man
- Prone to pride, division, and moral failure
- Capable of repentance, growth, and reconciliation
- Called to humility and faithfulness in suffering
4. God’s Purpose for Man (including Marriage and Family)
- Marriage and singleness are both gifts for serving the Lord (1 Cor. 7)
- Believers are temples of the Holy Spirit, called to holiness
- God’s people are to live by love, not liberty alone
5. Other Themes
- Resurrection and eternal hope
- Christian liberty and conscience
- Financial stewardship and generosity
- Spiritual gifts and orderly worship
