Corinthians

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Light iron-age reading
The Bible
Icon bible.svg
Gabbin' with God
Analysis
Woo
Figures

One and Two[1] First and Second Corinthians are epistles from Paul of Tarsus to the Greek church of Corinth. Unlike some of the epistles attributed to Paul, the consensus is that he really did write both, even though the second one may be edited out of more than one original letter or document.[2][3] One exception to this is the famous 1 Corinthians 13 which is in a notably different literary register, and William O. Walker proposed that it might been written by a different author, although others point to typically Pauline features in vocabulary and theology in support of authorship by Paul.[4]

First Corinthians[edit]

First Corinthians was likely written some 20 years after the death of Jesus, when Paul was in Ephesus. This would date the letter between 53 and 57 CE.[note 1] Like most of the epistles, Corinthians 1 was written to address what Paul saw as theological problems in the Church of Corinth, focusing on divisions of the leaders of the church. He asks them to seek church unity and to step away from the divisive Pagan ideas that threaten the Church with God's punishment.

Feminism[edit]

The epistle is a breakthrough for the rights of women. For the first time, St. Paul relented and allowed women to learn how to avoid eternal damnation too. Just as long as they asked their questions the hell away from him.

1 Corinthians 14:35
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Five hundred[edit]

This is the source of the frequent apologist statement that there were five hundred witnesses to the resurrected Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

Famous Quotes[edit]

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Corinthians 13:1-2
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:11-13
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Second Corinthians[edit]

This is also an authentic letter of Paul's, written after the 1st letter (and a missing letter, called the "letter of tears") failed to have effect on the Church. There is discussion that the epistle included in the canon is actually 2 letters joined, and that the harsh rebukes are separate from the letter that asks to visit.

Famous quotes[edit]

2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. Yes, Andy, I do use the proper citation of "CE" on Biblical citations. Blow it out your ear.

References[edit]

  1. https://www.npr.org/2016/01/18/463528847/citing-two-corinthians-trump-struggles-to-make-the-sale-to-evangelicals
  2. See the Wikipedia article on First Epistle to the Corinthians.
  3. See the Wikipedia article on Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
  4. "The Pauline Authorship of 1 Corinthians 13", Jeremy Corley, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 66, No. 2 (April 2004), pp. 256-274, via JSTOR