A Coptic Orthodox Journey through the Bible

Starting with this chapter, St. Paul changes subjects. He has been dealing with social issues, including divisions in the church, sexual immorality, and eating food that had been dedicated to idols. Now he shifts to questions regarding worship. In this chapter, the apostle deals with certain spiritual church regulations. He specifically discusses 1) head covering for women during prayer: and 2) believer’s behavior and attitude in the church due to the divisions that existed in the church at that time, which impacted them when they came to together to celebrate communion (vv17-34)

Chapter 10 is the last chapter of a 3-chapter arc discussing food dedicated to idols. Building on the previous chapters, St. Paul answers three questions concerning the same issue:

• How does a believer respond when invited to banquets in a pagan temple? (vv1-22)
• May a believer eat meat sold in the market that was probably came from a sacrifice made to idols? (vv23-26)
• May a believer accept an invitation to eat in the house of a pagan worshipper? (27-33)

As people living in the world today, much of St. Paul's discussion still applies with how we interact with others in the world while maintaining our faith.

Chapters 8-10 are a discussion about eating food dedicated to idols and living out Christian love by putting the needs of others before our own.

In chapter 8, he begins the discussion of food dedicated to idols. In lessons that apply to us today, St. Paul develops the argument that our behavior should be determined by our love for others, and not just our knowledge. This means that we will need to make concessions regarding things we may want to do. We will see that St. Paul was not concerned with just laying down rules. He wanted the Corinthians to see the underlying issues and principles so they would understand how to live as followers of Christ in the world.

In chapter 9, St. Paul continues his argument from the previous chapter by using himself as an example of letting his love for others and their salvation be the guide for his actions; instead of relying on any rights he may have as an apostle.

Over the next few chapters St. Paul responds to social problems that the congregation sent to him.

In this chapter he deals with questions concerning marriage, virginity, and physical relationships among married couples. The church in Corinth suffered controversies because of concepts of sex, physical relationships, and marriage because of being raised in a pagan society.

Living in the world today, presents believers with many of the same challenges.

In the first 4 chapters, St. Paul dealt with unity in the church.

In chapter 5, he begins discussing sexual immorality among Christians.

In chapter 6, he tells people to not file lawsuits against other believers. He builds on ideas from previous chapters including the Church has authority over believers, and that spiritual people should bring their problems before spiritual people.

In the first 4 chapters of this epistle, St. Paul deals with the problem of unity in the church.

In this chapter, he builds on his arguments from the previous chapters regarding the importance of unity. We will see that he pushes them further, in an effort to convict them so they recognize their error. In every step of his argument, St. Paul reinforces that their focus should be on the crucified Christ

In this chapter St. Paul continues to deal with the problem of divisions in the church. Here he diagnoses the problem and gets more personal by telling the people of Corinth that they are carnal people. St. Paul describes people in 3 groups: spiritual, natural and carnal. In the last chapter he discussed spiritual and natural. To resolve this problem, they must grow in their spiritual maturity. These issues continue to trouble the church today, and the resolution remains the same.

In this chapter, St. Paul builds on that idea that we are all united in Christ. He points out that he does not depend on persuasive words. Instead he relies on heavenly wisdom which comes from the Holy Spirit when we build our relationship with God. He also introduces the natural man while in the next chapter he discusses the carnal man. Here, he explains that the natural person cannot understand heavenly wisdom, because they only rely on their own wisdom and that of the world.

This episode offers a general introduction to St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians and a review of chapter 1.

In this Chapter, we see St. Paul writing to a church he loved, he feels they are family. He begins with a joyful introduction that brings to them the spirit of hope. He sets forth with them to the cross of the Lord of glory Jesus Christ to find in it a solution for all their problems, whether concerning their behavior, families, church, or doctrines; He brings them over to the cross, to see in it the secret of hope and unity.