1 Corintians

Paul writes to the church in Corinth—a gifted but troubled community facing division, sin, and confusion. Despite their issues, he begins by thanking God for His grace and reminding them they’ve been made holy in Christ. This sets the tone for the whole letter: Because God made us holy, we’re called to live holy lives. Key Themes Introduced: God’s grace and spiritual gifts (v.5–7) Hope in Christ’s return (v.7) God’s faithfulness to sustain believers (v.8) Core Idea: Made holy to live holy.

Paul addresses a major problem in the Corinthian church: disunity caused by pride and loyalty to different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Peter). His solution is a return to the Gospel—Christ crucified—which may seem foolish to the world, but is God's true wisdom and power. The message of the cross leaves no room for boasting or comparison. True unity comes from humility and focusing on Christ alone. Core Message: Boast only in the Lord.

In this chapter, Paul highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. While chapter 1 focused on Christ’s work on the cross, chapter 2 emphasizes how the Spirit unifies and empowers all Christians, regardless of spiritual maturity. Paul contrasts those without the Spirit—unable to understand spiritual truths—with those who have the Spirit and can discern God’s wisdom. Through the Spirit, believers are given the mind of Christ, which should shape their unity, perspective, and relationships.

Although the Corinthian believers have the Holy Spirit, their ongoing disunity shows they are living more by the flesh than by the Spirit (v. 3). Paul addresses their divisions, especially over loyalty to leaders like himself and Apollos, using analogies to explain: Verses 6–9: A planting analogy—God gives the growth, not the workers. Verses 10–15: A building analogy—each person’s work will be tested by God. Paul reminds them that what truly matters is what’s done for Christ. Instead of dividing over leaders, believers should focus on building God's church together, knowing that God will evaluate their contributions.

Paul continues addressing the divisions in the Corinthian church by highlighting the humility required of spiritual leaders. He describes himself and Apollos as: Servants ("under rowers") Stewards (managers of God’s household) Paul contrasts the Corinthians’ pride with his own suffering and lowly position, even expecting death for his ministry (vv. 8–13). His message: Christian leaders are not to be idolized, and believers should not compete but live in unity and humility.

In chapter 5, Paul addresses a case of serious sexual immorality within the Corinthian church. More than just correcting one person, Paul emphasizes the church’s responsibility to uphold holiness within the community. He instructs them to remove the unrepentant man—described as being “handed over to Satan”—for both his eventual salvation and the church’s purity. Paul uses two key images: Yeast (vv. 6–7): A little sin affects the whole community. Passover (vv. 7–8): Christ is our sacrifice, so we must live in sincerity and truth. He warns against close association with anyone who claims to follow Christ but openly ignores God’s commands. Key Point: The church must take sin seriously—for the good of the sinner and the health of the body.

Summary: The first half of 1 Corinthians 6 addresses another very specific threat to the stability of the Corinthian church: lawsuits among believers. Like material before and after this, the specific topic gives fuel for deeper understanding for the Corinthians and all believers regarding how they should relate to each other in general.

In the second half of chapter 6, Paul returns to the subject of sexual immorality. Since the new community of believers in Corinth comes from a background with very different sexual norms than the Christian vision, he further clarifies how they and all believers should see sexual morality.

In most contexts, it is hard to imagine what it would be like for a church community made up of entirely new believers. But in Corinth, that was the case. So understandably, there were still very practical issues to understand from a Christian perspective.

Chapter 8 introduces a running theme that will continue through chapter 14, love should be seen as the guiding principle for the use of knowledge and freedom.

Flowing out of his argument in 1 Corinthians 8 that knowledge and rights should be utilized in consideration of others, Paul uses his ministry as an example in 1 Corinthians 9.

Paul uses the narrative of the Israelites in the wilderness after leaving Egypt as a framework to talk about the new covenant people of God.

Paul addresses gender roles and head coverings in worship, urging believers to honor God's design in creating men and women as distinct image-bearers. While head coverings were a cultural symbol of femininity in Corinth, discarding them caused confusion and distraction. Paul calls for respectful presentation in worship to reflect God’s order and keep the focus on the Gospel.

The Corinthians had turned Communion into a selfish, individual act, losing its meaning as a shared remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. Paul reminded them that the Lord’s Supper is a sacred, communal practice meant to reflect unity in the body of Christ. Believers should examine themselves and honor others as they proclaim Jesus’ death and anticipate His return.

Spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit and are meant to serve others, not ourselves. Just as a body has many parts with different roles, the church is made up of diverse members, each with a unique contribution. No gift is more important than another, and all should be used in love to build up the body of Christ.

Paul highlights love as the greatest virtue, essential to all Christian life and practice. Unlike spiritual gifts or even faith and hope, love is eternal and central. This emphasis would have challenged the Greek mindset focused on wisdom and virtue, reminding believers that love is the true mark of spiritual maturity.

God wants peace among his people, not disorder. The gathering of believers should build up the group rather than draw attention to individuals or divide the group and God’ s intentions for having diversity in the church.

Paul stresses that the resurrection of Jesus is central to the Gospel and essential to the Christian faith. Some in Corinth doubted resurrection, likely influenced by Greek thinking that devalued the body. Paul insists that without Christ’s resurrection, there’s no victory over sin or hope beyond death. But because He lives, believers have assurance of eternal life.

Jesus’ resurrection points to the future bodily resurrection of all believers. At Christ’s return, the dead will be raised with new, indestructible bodies, and the living will be transformed. Jesus, as the new Adam, has conquered death, the final enemy. This hope gives meaning to our struggles and strength to remain faithful in serving God.

Paul closes his letter with personal plans and encouragement, reminding readers that deep theology is meant to be lived out in everyday life. He urges generosity to support believers in Jerusalem and emphasizes the global unity of the Church. Giving should be joyful and thoughtful, not forced. He ends with a call to stand firm, be strong, and act in love.