I. INTRODUCTION

This epistle transports us back to a church of the first century and to the difficulties that it encountered. 

There are a number of reasons why the book should be of interest to us. 

1. Historical. By it we may visit an Apostolic church and examine its worship and learn from its practices and, above all, avoid its errors.

2. Ethical. The heart of the Corinthian is our heart today! There is no change with man. Here is the reason for the continuing relevance of the Bible. It treats of that which has not and will not change—man’s heart and his need of a Saviour. The ethos of the city of Corinth was that of a Greek city. The Greek was inclined to approach the subject of religion from an intellectual viewpoint. The contrast between the Greek and the Jew is set forth by Paul in 1:22. While the Jews wished for a visible manifestation of God’s power accompanying the messenger of God the Greek desired an intellectual presentation, a philosophising. This characteristic was seen in Athens in Acts 17:17-21. In the case of the Jew, supernatural occurrences were the rule of faith. In the case of the Greek, the human intellect was the arbiter of truth. Both are in error for the Word of God is the only rule of faith and practice. The devil can perform supernatural deeds and the human mind is corrupted by our fall in Adam therefore neither is a dependable guide. 

Do we not see something of the Greek attitude in the modern method of Bible interpretation? Today, there is a testing of God’s Word by the mind and knowledge of man. Another word for Modernism  is Rationalism. It is so called because the modernist theologians seek to rationalise everything within the Bible. They wish to subject God’s Word to their understanding. That which is contrary to their minds is rejected as untrue. The Greeks showed this spirit when Paul preached upon the resurrection of Christ, Acts 17:32. This makes this epistle of interest to us today. 

3. Practical. Paul deals with the difficulties in Corinth not by simply speaking with the authority of an apostle and giving his verdict, but by bringing them to the Word of God and setting before them the divine principle that settles the matter. At all times he is the great Bible teacher. It is for this reason that the epistle is of particular interest to us nearly 2000 years after the events referred to took place. Here are matters settled not by a rule applicable to the first century only, but by an eternal law. Again, the variety of subject matter should make the epistle of great interest to us all. It cannot be but something of importance to us individually is dealt with in this book. It will thus become YOUR epistle. The subjects dealt with are divisions and strife among believers, moral scandals, believers taking fellow believers to law, the question of who should marry, eating meats offered in pagan sacrifices, the behaviour of woman in public worship, communion feasts and the resurrection. There surely must be something for us all in such a variety of subject matter.

II. THE WRITING OF THE EPISTLE.

The date. Most likely it was in the year AD 57.

The place of writing. It appears that the epistle was written from Ephesus. This is reasonable clear from a comparison of Acts 18:18-19 and I Cor 16:8, 19. He wrote from Asia and from the city where Aquila and Priscilla lived. 

The occasion. It was occasioned by reports reaching him of difficulties and sins breaking out in the church, 1:10. He also had received a letter from the church with various questions for him to answer, 7:1. The sin in the church was a thing  widely known, 5:1, 11:18. False doctrine will break out and be seen in sinful practices. There will be a leaving of the old paths of truth and holiness, I John 2:19. It should be noticed that the matters the church wrote to Paul about were not the main causes of concern for the apostle. The terrible scandals were not mentioned by them when they wrote to Paul. Indeed, far from being troubled about the sins they gloried in them, 5:2. 

The spirit of the writer. Paul’s heart and the spirit in which he wrote is seen in this epistle, II Cor 2:4, 9. In tenderness he rebukes sin most severely. He was seeking repentance among them and was successful, II Cor 7:8-11.

III. THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CHURCH AT CORINTH

Paul has crossed from Asia to Europe at the command of the Holy Ghost, Acts 16:10. He commences his work in Philippi and then moves to Thessalonica and on to Berea. From there he proceeds to Athens and on to Corinth. In that city he was joined by Silas and Timothy who had remained for a time in Berea. 

1. It is important to notice the spirit in which Paul came to Corinth. In chapter 2:1 he describes the frame of mind that he was in when he came to Corinth. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified, I Cor 2:2.

2. He says that he determined . It refers to a setting of the mind upon something. It may well be that his experiences in Athens caused him to feel that he had conceded something to the status of those listening and had altered his usual preaching style. Little was accomplished at Athens. Perhaps for this reason he  determined on coming to Corinth not to make that mistake again. 

We must not allow the face of man to deter us or distract us from preaching Christ in all His fullness.