The Key of the Bible, Biblical commentary · Part 2 · Section 2 · Subsection 2
I Corinth:
THe first Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the CORINTHIANS.
So denominated from the Penman thereof, Paul (of whom in Epistle to the Romanes) and from the object to whom he wrote it, viz. The Corinthians; or the Church of God at Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.1, 2. CORINTH was an eminent City of Achaia (which Achaia by an Isthmus was annexed to Greece, neer to Athens) seated in an Isthmus, or a little tract of Land betwixt two Seas, the Aegean and Ionian Sea, A most famous Mart, very populous, and flowing with wealth, it was Lumen & decus totius Graeciae. Cic. pro leg. Manil. i. e. The Light and glory of all Greece: yet very infamous for luxury and multitudes of vices. Once utterly destroyed by L. Mummius the Roman Consul; but after for the opportunity of situation restored to its ancient splendour by Augustus. D. Pareus in prolegom. in I ad Corinth. Paul coming from Athens to Corinth, laid the first foundation of a Church there, 1 Cor. 3.10. He was the…r Spirituall Father that begot them, 1 Cor. 4.15. Converting, by his preaching, Crispus and Sosthenes chiefe Rulers of the Jewish Synagogue there; and many other Corinthians; among whom Paul continued preaching, a yeare and six Moneths; God assuring him by night in a Vision, that he had much people in that City. Act. 18.1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17. And this Church of Corinth grew one of the most eminen… Churches for all manner of spirituall gifts, 1 Cor. 1.5, 6, 7.
When and where this Epistle was written, See in the Table before Epistle to Romanes. As the Epistle to Romanes is set first for Doctrine of Faith: So this is set second for Doctrine of Church-government, excellently handled therein.
Occasion of writing this Epistle, seemes to be twofold. 1. The information that Paul had from them of the House of Cloe, of the many and wofull distempers that infested the Church of Corinth after Paul's departure, as 1 Schismes and Divisions 1 Cor. 1.11. &c. 2 Many notorious scandals, as Lusts, Incest, Covetousnesse, Law-suits, &c. 1 Cor. 5. & 6. 3 Idolatrous Communion with Infidels in their Idoll-feasts, 1 Cor. 8. & 10. 4 Vncomely habits in publique Assemblies, 1 Cor. 11.3, to 17. 5 Prophanations of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11.17. to the end. 6 Barbarous confusion in their publique Church-Assemblies, 1 Cor. 14. And 7 finally such Epicure-like profanesse, as to deny the Resurrection and eternall life, 1 Cor. 15.12, &c. 2. The writing of some of the Corinthians unto the Apostle for satisfaction in some particular cases, as 1 about Marriage. 2 About Things sacrificed to Idols. 3 About Spirituall gifts. 4 About Prophesying. And 5 about charitable Collections for the Saints in Iudea. 1 Cor. 7.1.
Scope. The Apostle therefore in this Epistle principally endeavours, To apply healing medicines speedily to all the evils and maladies that began to grow in that Church; and to give them satisfactory Resolutions in all the particulars, wherein they craved his advise from the Lord.
Generall parts. In this I. Epistle to Corinthians, consider
I. The exordium or Preface to the whole Epistle, c. 1. v. 1. to 10.
II. A Treatise of severall subjects, according as the present state and necessity of the Church required, in respect of their present corruptions abounding; and Paul's Resolution in some doubts propounded. Herein therefore the Apostle,
1. Sharply taxeth their Schismes and divisions about their Ministers, and their diversity of gifts, as eloquence, &c. for which some factiously admired one, some another, c. 1, 10. to c. 5. Herein note 1. An emphaticall exhortation to unity, c. 1.10. to 14. 2. Paul's tacit clearing himselfe from being any cause of these divisions among them, either 1 By His Baptism, he baptizing very few, and none in his own name, v. 14. to 17. or 2 By his Preaching amongst them, for he preached Christ crucified, not with wisedome of words to entice them, but in demonstration of the spirit and power to save them, yet his doctrine was farre above the reach of carnall men c. 1, 17. to the end and, c. 2. 3. He shows why he preached to thē so plainly, because they were carnal, c. 3, 1. to 5. 4. That their Teachers should be no such cause of divisions; They are but Ministers, can do nothing without God, and therefore he warnes their Teachers to take heed that they build upon Christ the foundation; and people not to admire mens persons, c. 3, 5. to the end. 5. He directs them what account to have of him and his Ministry, and how little cause they have to prefer their other eloquent teachers before him, c. 4.
2. He severely reproveth divers notorious scandals amongst them. As 1. Their suffering of the incestuous person among them, who should have been delivered to Sathan by their Church-Governours, c. 5. 2. Their covetous and quarrelsome law-suits even before Infidels, c. 6, 1. to 12. 3. Their fornications, which they counted as indifferent things, c. 6.12. to the end.
3. He resolveth their doubts or questions propounded to him, touching
1. Marriage, and therein concerning
1. Conjugall benevolence, c. 7.1. to. 8.
2. The unmarried and widowes, v. 8, 9.
3. Divorce, v. 10. to 25.
4. Virgins, v▪ 25. to the end.
2. Idolothytes, or things sacrificed to Idols, shewing that they ought not (under pretence of Christian liberty,) eat to the scandal of their brethren, c. 8: as he preached without wages (which yet were due to him) that he might avoid the calumny of his Antagonists; and became all things to all men to gaine them. c. 9. By other arguments he condems eating things sacrificed to Idols, as being idolatry, or communion with devils, and inconsistent with communion with Christ in his supper, c. 10. & c. 11.1.
4. He directs and endeavours to reforme their practice in divers particulars. 1. How men and women are to behave themselves in point of their outward Habits, in publique Assemblies, c. 11, 2. to 17. 2. How the Lords Saints ought to be managed and received c. 11. v. 17. to the end. 3. How all spirituall gifts are to be employed for promoting the Churches profit and preserving the unity of the mysticall body, c. 12. beyond all which gifts, grace, as love, &c, is much to be preferred; yea gifts without grace are as nothing, c. 13. 4. How they should prophecy, (the woman still keeping silence in their Churches) c. 14.
5. He condemnes and confutes the prophane errour of them that denied the Resurrection, c. 15.
6. He instructs them about the Collections for the Saints at Jerusalem, …c. 16, 1.2, 3, 4.
III, The Conclusion of the whole Epistle, with certain advertisements about more private affairs, exhortations to certain duties, and salutations, c. 16.5. to the end