Week 41, October 5–11: 1 Corinthians 12–16; 2 Corinthians 1–13; Psalms 107–111

• Sun      Oct 5   1 Cor. 12–14  
• Mon     Oct 6   1 Cor. 15–16  
• Tue      Oct 7   2 Cor. 1–2       Ps. 107
• Wed     Oct 8   2 Cor. 3–5       Ps. 108
• Thu      Oct 9   2 Cor. 6–8       Ps. 109
• Fri        Oct 10 2 Cor. 9–11     Ps. 110
• Sat       Oct 11 2 Cor. 12–13   Ps. 111

As we said last week, 1 Corinthians deals with many practical matters the church was experiencing. Paul was addressing specific issues and particular questions. Verse one of chapter 7 opened with, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote.” This suggests he was responding to questions they had posed to him in an earlier correspondence. 2 Corinthians will continue this sequence of letters between Paul and the Corinthian church that had already been going on before either of the two letters in our Bibles. Paul referred to another letter he had written, apparently before 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9), and another letter most agree came between 1 and 2 Corinthians (2 Cor. 2:9).

The phrase, “Now concerning” continues through 1 Corinthians, apparently as a shorthand way of referring to those earlier questions. We do not have access to any earlier letter, or the other non-canonical letter written later, but we can read 1–2 Corinthians with confidence that whatever those other letters said, it is not necessary to understand what we are reading here in the letters we do have.

We have seen the real-life questions and issues addressed in 1 Corinthians, and Paul’s message is deeply theological too. In chapter 13, we read the famous and beautiful poem that defines Christian love. Within the context of 1 Corinthians, this passage functions to capture the heart behind Paul’s appeal for unity in in Christ. Then, chapter 15 contains one of the Bible’s clearest synthesis statements defining the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1–4), as well as the most comprehensive treatment of the theology of the resurrection in all of Scripture (1 Cor. 15:12–58).

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

     “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

     “O death, where is your victory?

          O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:53–58)

As we read through the letters, or epistles, of the NT, it will be helpful to keep in mind a couple principles about these written correspondences between the apostles and the churches and individuals to whom they wrote. The NT epistles were all written either to individual churches or groups of churches or to individuals. Because of this, we should keep in mind their audiences and remember that they were written to address particular situations the recipients were experiencing. However, on the other hand, they were written for us too.

Second Corinthians begins with a fairly typical greeting. In keeping with his typical pattern and the standard practice of letter writing in the first century, Paul identifies himself (similar to how we do at the end of our letters). He also mentions his travel companion and fellow minister in the gospel, Timothy. He then identifies his readers, the recipients of this letter. “To the church of God that is at Corinth.” Then he broadens the audience beyond just the one church, also including “all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia” (2 Cor. 1:1). In 1 Corinthians, he expanded the audience even further, saying that he was writing to the church in Corinth, “together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2). In both letters, he then gives this greeting to the Corinthian Christians and to us: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2)

While we read through the rest of the NT, we will do well to keep in mind that the NT epistles were written to certain Christians and churches; those first readers were the direct audiences in mind. And perhaps equally important, we should read them as if they were meant for us. For, as believers today, we too are certainly included in “all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” These are not just historical documents written to ancient people to address their issues. They are God’s word to us today too.

First and Second Corinthians address several issues of church life and Christian practice. Although they were both written to the same church, and 2 Corinthians was probably written sometime shortly after 1 Corinthians, the two letters differ in emphasis and tone. Whereas 1 Corinthians is more corrective, addressing divisions and some of the problems with the church, 2 Corinthians is more positive and encouraging. Paul is less concerned with correcting them and more concerned with defending his own ministry, a self-defense Paul says he indulged in so the church would be edified and strengthened against sin (12:19–21; 13:8–10)).

In 1 Corinthians Paul opened by thanking God and proclaiming his faithfulness, then he jumped right into an appeal to the church in Corinth to stop their divisive ways. In fact, much of that earlier letter dealt with different aspects of divisiveness in the church. Other areas of sin were addressed too, and Paul leveled strong rebuke both against those who are engaged in sin and against those who tolerated it in the church. On the other hand, 2 Corinthians reads as a more personal correspondence, meant to encourage and build up the church he had rebuked earlier.

This second canonical letter to the Corinthians church and to us includes some profound and moving sections on the gospel and its implications for us. As Christians throughout history have read 2 Corinthians, we cannot help but be stirred in our sense of purpose as witnesses to what Christ has done for us and what he is doing in and through us.

Paul gives praise and thanks to God who “in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Cor. 2:14)

Though we are not sufficient for the task to bear witness to Christ on our own, we have a confidence that comes through Christ toward God. Through him we have been made sufficient to be minsters of the new covenant (3:4–6).

There is freedom in the Lord through the Spirit (3:16); and we all are being transformed into the image of Christ “from one degree of glory to another.” (3:18).

We are encouraged not to lose heart in this ministry of God’s mercy. We proclaim Christ, serving each other for the sake of Jesus, because God has “shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.” (4:1–6)

This gospel ministry is a treasure we hold, though we who hold it are fragile and sometimes persecuted, though not forsaken by our mighty God (4:7–9). We bear Christ’s death, and we will bear his life (4:10), confident he will raise us up and bring us into his presence (4:14–15).

So we are encouraged not to lose heart, to be of good courage. He is renewing us and we can trust him for the eternal hope of glory he promises (4:16–18). One day we will be home with the Lord, and we aim to please him as we walk by faith until that time (5:6–9).

And as we wait, we also aim to persuade others of this hope and of the good news of Christ. Christ’s love controls and compels us. His death was for all, that those who live might live for the one who died and was raised for them. (5:14–15)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:17–21)