First Corinthians Overview  The first letter to the Corinthians was penned by Paul A.D. 55/56 in response to a letter that was written and hand-delivered by chruch members from Corinth to the apostle Paul in Ephesus, which is located in modern day Turkey (1 Corinthians 16:21, 16:17; 7:1, 1:11). Paul had planted the church in Corinth, and later visited Corinth twice after moving to Ephesus to begin his three-year ministry there (Acts 20:31; 2 Corinthians 12:14). The overarching issue of this letter is about what it means to be redeemed people of the Holy Spirit. While Paul agrees the Holy Spirit is key, he explains how the Corinthian community is denying the sanctifying dynamic of the indwelling Holy Spirit, wrong in their understanding of the corporate dynamic of the Holy Spirit and eschatology, and their attitude and behavior. By the Spirit they are in one body, Christ Jesus (12:12-26), and collectively form as God's temple in Corinth (3:16). This New Covenant Holy Spirit dynamic was actually declared by recognised prophets coming before first century Jesus (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:26-27), and ties the Genesis 3:15 declaration together with the "Mystery of Christ" and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (cf. Psalm 110:1-4; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 2:8, Romans 16:20, Genesis 3:15). However, many within the Corinthian community were missing the Gospel of the kingdom principles, purposes and responsibilities in partnership with their interceding High Priest-Yeshua. Instead, believers not only viewed themselves on spiritually superior terms, but having reached the ultimate spiritual existence as a result of their empowered giftedness. At the same time, they were not only permitting, but boasting about the sinful indulgences of certain members within their congregation. There was internal strife and factions. The emphasis on gifts/giftedness rather than emphasizing the gift Giver and His gracious activity, the overemphasis of one gift of the Spirit at the expense of the other gracious endowments eliminating diversity in a corporate setting, their sinful practices, and internal bickering on the pretence of deeper/hidden wisdom was nothing to be proud of according to Paul. In fact, it was carnal, destroying God's temple, and putting them in danger of God's wrath (3:17). It is important to note Paul does not instruct the Corinthians to all-together do away with the gift of tongues (glossalalia), and the gift has not ceased anymore than knowledge has ceased according to the letter itself (1 Cor 13:8; Cf. 1 Cor 14:5, 18-19, 26-28, 39-40; 1 Cor 12:30b). Rather, Paul contends we need all gifts in their proper perspective to be built up in the body (1 Cor 12), and so that "outsiders might be exposed before God and fall on their faces before him in repentance" (1 Cor 14:24-25). According to Paul, faith, hope, and especially love is not only the way to celebrate diversity of all the gifts without destroying unity within the body in union with Christ, but the mark of maturity in realizing perfection has not been fully realized. This seems to indicate many, not merely those who overemphasize a certain gift today (1 Cor 12:19, 23), are wearing pampers by going to the opposite extreme (1 Cor 14:39-40). And, even where balanced the emphasis is to be on the Giver, His glory, and His bringing to fruition the "mysteries of the gospel." Finally, Paul shows that our mortal bodies will indeed be resurrected and transformed into a glorified body by the same resurrection power that raised the Lord Jesus from the dead; This is "when perfection comes" by a less than selective analysis of this letter. In due course, Paul also reminds the Corinthians about the gospel he preached to them (1 Corinthians 15:1), and that was being taught by the other twelve apostles of Christ Jesus (1 Cor 15:11).   Click here, or select the icon located in the upper right for details about the gospel and this letter.

Second Corinthians Overview  Shortly after Paul had written First Corinthians from Ephesus, he traveled to Corinth for the second time to personally follow-up and visit the church there. It was not a pleasant visit (2 Cor 2:1-1 & 13:1-2). After returning to Ephesus from this second visit, and before his intended third trip to Corinth reports reached Paul that some were now trying to undermine Paul's apostolic authority and distort the gospel he received/passed down with this aim. In response, Paul changed his itinerary to visit Corinth for the third time later (2 Corinthians 12:14), and wrote Second Corinthians sending it in advance from Macedonia while on his third missionary journey during the fall of 55/56(Acts 18:23-21:16). In this letter Paul explains his original intentions were indeed to travel first to Corinth, and then on to Macedonia (2 Cor 1:15). However, perceiving another painful visit in lieu of the latest report, Paul explains that he chose to go to Macedonia first in order to give the community of believers there in Corinth time to use truth in love to subdue those rebelling, and resolve any unsettled sin issues in their lives that are inconsistent with the transforming power of the Holy Spirit inherently characteristic of the gospel among themselves before the apostle arrived (2 Cor 2:13-10; 1:23). Moreover, Paul makes it a point to show this delay was also intentional in proving he was partners with those persevering in the true gospel, his motives were not carnal, and that he preferred not to be heavy handed in the administration of his apostolic authority (2 Cor 1:13; 13:10). Paul insists he is compelled by the love of Christ "spending and being spent" in the gospel. In contrast, the tone of the letter seems to imply that the opposing minority within the church was calling Paul's authority, his use of authority and the basis of his authority into question out of resentment of his correction, his fund raiser for the struggling community of believers in Jerusalem, and for asserting the sacrificial claims the gospel makes upon those who embrace it by grace through faith. Spending is only one side of the same gospel partnership coin; being spent is the other. In either case, Paul explains there is a cost, or "personal cross" to carry as a follower of Jesus in which the vocal minority opposed. On the other hand, he commends the majority that previously rebelled against his authority, but who repented by addressing the issues Paul raised in First Corinthians. Therefore, this letter was written with the purpose of affirming the gospel as it relates to Paul's apostolic authority, providing answers for the usurping minority that favored power apart from the cross as a present and active paradigm in their lives(2 Cor 5:12), to prepare the church for another visit, and guard/protect the true Gospel and those embracing it. In due course, Paul clearly identifies the message and ministry of reconciliation with the gospel. Not only does he articulate the gospel, but he points out that in Christ we become partners with God in Christ in the ministry of reconciliation; not mere passive members of his body consisting of redeemed Jews and Gentiles in Christ. But, he warns that those who are "God's fellow workers" can receive this ministry in vain (6:1), and even be deceived into abandoning the faith through unbelief leading unto embracing another gospel (2 Cor 11:1-15). Even so, Paul explains there is a way to know if one is in the true faith, and challenges the community professing Christ to "examine themselves." In spite of the apostle's efforts, Paul is afraid he will still arrive finding, "many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin, and debauchery in which they indulged "(2 Cor 12:21). Click Here for more about Paul's challenge, the gospel and this epistle.

The links below will direct you to these sites, and images of this manuscript. I have also included the English Greek intilenear for 1-2 Corinthians, and concordance. These resources will show that modern English translations of this letter are subtantially the same, and has remained in tact. Combined with preserved writings of the early church leaders  citing passages that concurr with the same passages found in modern translations of the Holy Bible, we can have confidence in its itegrity. We should also seriously heed the message of this letter where the Apostle Paul states, "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain"(1 Corinthians 15:2). Click here for more.