Living in Christ: First and Second Corinthians

Transcription

1 Living in Christ: First and Second Corinthians Diocese of West Texas Fall 2012 SESSION ONE Divisions and Quarrels in Corinth: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO FIRST CORINTHIANS 1. This is not just any city, but Corinth! In the ancient Mediterranean world, Corinth was no ordinary city; it stood out uniquely as the only city to become the namesake of a Greek verb. To become Corinthianized was to be thoroughly immoral and materialistic. 1 As with many port cities, then and now, Corinth had a lively sex trade, associated with practices at temples of the many gods forming the religious plurality of Corinth; this may have contributed to their reputation for immorality. 2. So why did Paul choose Corinth? Corinth offered a strategic location for the spread of the Gospel. After being destroyed by the Romans in 146 BCE, Corinth was resettled by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony in 44 BCE. Corinth became the leading city of Achaia, the southern province in Roman Greece. The city was ideally located on the isthmus that connected mainland Greece with the southern Peloponnesian peninsula. According to the Greek geographer Strabo, Corinth controlled the trade and communication routes between Asia Minor and Italy because it had two harbors. Cenchreae: southeast, leading east from the Saronic Gulf to the Aegean Sea; Lechaion: northwest, leading west through the Gulf of Corinth to the Adriatic Sea, and to Rome beyond; A road allowed transport of goods between the two harbors, and there was a sophisticated overland system for moving boats between the two ports. 1 See Michael J. Gorman, Apostle of the Crucified Lord (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), p. 228.

2 2 Artisans flourished in Corinth, especially during the biannual Isthmian Games. The games honored Poseidon, god of the sea, attracting thousands of people; They were second only in size and stature to the Olympiad games; They required vast temporary housing and support for contestants and visitors; They helped ensure Paul could support himself by working with his hands. Corinth s population was upwardly mobile; people eagerly sought to climb the social and economic ladder. 2 This reflected a competitive, stratified, hierarchical society; The city was filled with hard-working people who took advantage of their location in Corinth to seek to improve their social and economic status Corinth reflected an ethos where people pursued an ancient version of what some might call the American dream. Paul probably chose Corinth for a combination of these factors: good roads, ports, lines of communication, availability of work, upward social and economic mobility, with the opportunity to respond to the challenges associated with a city recognized for idolatry, immorality, and competition. 3. Photos of the ruins of ancient Corinth 2 Ibid.

3 Above and Below: shops and homes situated around a small, local marketplace 3

4 Above and Below: remains of the Temple of Apollo 4

5 5 Above: Gazing at the bēma, the tribunal where Paul appeared before the proconsul Gallio according to Acts 18:12-17; in the distance is the Acrocorinth, a rocky mountain overlooking the entire city of Corinth, with a view in both directions of its two harbors. 4. Paul s letters to the church in Corinth According to Acts 18:11, Paul spent 18 months building up the church in Corinth. After leaving, he set up a base of operations for ministry in Ephesus (see 1 Corinthians 16:8), which lies east across the Aegean Sea on the southwest corner of modern day Turkey. From there, he stayed in contact with the church in Corinth through written letters, often delivered by one or more of Paul s colleagues in ministry. What we call First Corinthians is not Paul s first letter to the church in Corinth, but only the earliest surviving letter he wrote to them. In 1 Corinthians 5:9 Paul says I wrote to you in my letter... Most scholars think he is referring to an earlier letter that is now lost. B. ENGAGING THE ISSUES, DIVISIONS, AND QUARRELS IN CORINTH 1. Why did Paul write this letter we call First Corinthians? Paul heard from several different sources about the many challenges facing the church at Corinth. First Corinthians provides clues that some members of the church wrote to Paul asking his advice on some specific matters of daily life:

6 6 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: It is well for a man not to touch a woman (7:1); Now concerning virgins... (7:25); Now concerning food sacrificed to idols... (8:1); Now concerning the spiritual things [Greek pneumatika] (12:1); not spiritual gifts [Greek: charismata] as in many translations); Now concerning the collection for the saints... (16:1). Paul also heard firsthand account about things from Chloe s people (see 1:11). Through eyewitness reports he learns about quarrels, divisions, and problems; The letter offers bold responses to the troubling firsthand stories. As the founder of the church in Corinth and an ongoing leader, Paul had to interpret the disparate views from different voices about what was happening there, and shape his answers and responses accordingly. Paul answers the inquiries from the Corinthians, and gives his pastoral response to the factionalism highlighted by Chloe s people. 2. What were these quarrels and divisions about? Our first clues come from 1 Corinthians 1: Paul, Peter, and Apollos are all leaders who baptized and taught in Corinth. It would appear from 1:12 that many church members were exclusively aligning themselves with the teaching and leadership authority of just one leader in the church: I belong to Paul...I belong to Apollos...I belong to Cephas [Peter]... ; They seem to be submitting to the teacher who baptized them (see 1:13-17). These commitments might have been ethnic in origin; e.g. Jewish Christians aligning with Peter, an apostolic leader committed to teaching Jewish Law; Or based on socioeconomic status, with the more affluent, educated members responding to the brilliant eloquence of Apollos (see Acts 18:24). We later learn in the letter that Paul s teaching and authority are being eroded. Paul began the church s ministry in Corinth, and only later did Peter and Apollos arrived to baptize and teach there (see 3:1-15; 4:15); By belonging to a leader other than Paul, some of these groups were not following the ways of Christ that Paul originally taught and modeled for them when he was first with them in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 4:14-17; 11:1). 3. In future sessions we will see how Paul crafted specific answers to these questions and responded to the situations of conflict, always emphasizing that living the cross of Christ is the pathway to more abundant life. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION Questions for an individual doing the study: Paul was selective in deciding where to start his mission churches, with Corinth being a good example of that strategy that was likely to lead to effective opportunities for mission. Where is your church located physically? What kinds of people are drawn to your church? What kinds of mission are suggested for your church by its particular physical and social location?

7 7 Much like modern American society, the competitive culture in Corinth provided an opportunity for people to climb the economic and social ladder. What are some of the temptations and pitfalls associated with a competitive culture? How do you guard against such things that could adversely affect your relationships? Ancient culture was very hierarchical. Do you experience modern culture that way, whether in the church or wider society? What are the temptations and pitfalls associated with hierarchical culture? How do you guard against such things that could adversely affect your relationships? As a leader in the church, Paul had to listen to different voices, often with disparate views of the situation, before recommending what steps to take. As a member of your church, what steps do you take to make sure the leaders hear your voice? Do you seek to hear the voices of those who might disagree with you about a particular issue or situation? Why, or why not? Do you support the leaders when they do take action, even if they don t accept your views or recommendations? Why, or why not? Identify a particular leader or teacher in the church you have admired or followed during your life. What were the criteria you used that led you to put your trust in that leader or teacher? In your experience, what is the tipping point when your loyalty to a particular leader or teacher becomes divisive and destructive? Questions for a church or other group doing the study together: Paul was selective in deciding where to start his mission churches, with Corinth being a good example of that strategy. Where is your church located physically? What kinds of people are drawn to your church? What kinds of mission are suggested by your physical and social location? As a leader in the church, Paul had to listen to different voices, often with disparate views of the situation, before recommending what steps to take. As a member of a small group or church, what steps do you take to make sure you hear the variety of different voices on a particular issue facing your group or church? Do you seek out voices that differ from your own? Why, or why not? What does Paul s practice suggest for us today? Identify a particular leader or teacher in your group or church you have admired or followed during your life. In your experience, what were the criteria you used that led you to put your trust in that leader or teacher? What is the tipping point when your loyalty to a particular leader or teacher becomes divisive and destructive? Much like modern American society, the competitive culture in Corinth provided an opportunity for people to climb the economic and social ladder. What are some of the temptations and pitfalls of such a competitive culture that

8 8 can adversely affect your small group or church, and lead to broken relationships? How does your group or church guard against such things? Ancient culture was very hierarchical. Do you experience a particular hierarchy in your small group or church? If so, what are the temptations and pitfalls associated with such the hierarchical structure? How do you guard against such things in your small group or church? Is leadership in your group hierarchical? What good things come from hierarchical leadership? What harmful things emerge from it? Questions for a Vestry or Gathering of Church Leaders: Paul was selective in deciding where to start his mission churches, with Corinth being a good example of that strategy. Where is your church located physically? What kinds of people are drawn to your church? What kinds of mission are suggested by your physical and social location? Does your vestry or leadership group regularly assess these opportunities? Much like modern American society, the competitive culture in Corinth provided an opportunity for people to climb the economic and social ladder. What are some of the temptations and pitfalls associated with a competitive culture that can adversely affect church leadership, or lead to broken relationships in a church? How does your vestry or leadership group guard against such things? As a leader in the church, Paul had to listen to different voices, often with disparate views of the situation, before recommending what steps to take. As a member of your church s vestry or leadership group, what steps do you take to make sure you hear the variety of different voices on an issue before deciding what action to take? Do you seek to hear the voices of those who might disagree with you about a particular issue or situation? Why, or why not? Are there some voices you hear more loudly and accept more readily than others? What criteria do you use to decide which voices you hear more loudly? What steps do you take to balance your responses to different voices? Once a decision is made on an issue by your vestry or leadership group, do you support that decision, even if it doesn t reflect your views or recommendations? Why, or why not? Ancient culture was very hierarchical, as was leadership generally. Do you experience a particular hierarchy in your vestry or leadership group? What are the temptations and pitfalls associated with such a hierarchical leadership structure? What good things come from a hierarchical leadership structure? What harmful things emerge from it? How do you guard against such things? Identify a particular leader in your vestry or leadership group that you have admired or followed. What were the criteria you used that led you to put your trust in that leader? In your experience, what is the tipping point when your loyalty to a particular leader becomes divisive and destructive?