You Can Read the Bible Guided Podcast

In Chapter 9, in what feels like the personal center of the letter, Paul tries to connect his own decisions with his instructions to the Corinthians.  As you read it, remember what has led up to this: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price… Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him…” and “…If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 

The line “All things are lawful for me” from chapter 6 is repeated in the middle of chapter 10.  In many English Bibles this is found in quotes, as though Paul is repeating a favored argument of a group which he opposes, and it is followed again by Paul’s retort: “But not all things are helpful.”  Yesterday it was in reference to sexual liberty, and today it refers to the practice of eating meat that has been offered to idols. 

His logic is thus: “The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof” frees Paul to eat whatever he likes, because, as he argued yesterday, “Food will not condemn us to God.  We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.”  However, as he closes this section today, he seems to counter himself: “But if someone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it…”  Is Paul equivocating?  Or does the context of the offering party matter?  Listen closely, and discern for yourself. 

Chapter 11 opens a new set of instructions regarding head coverings and the Lord’s Supper.  In the section about head coverings, Paul makes arguments from creation and nature to commend men’s and women’s attire while praying.  It’s not readily clear from the text whether this reflects first century Christian practice or a situation specific to the Corinthians, but it may be instructive that this follows directly after the “Give no offense” conversation in chapter 10.

In the final passage, Paul confronts the Corinthian church about their gluttonous approach to breaking bread: “When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk... What shall I say to you?”  Consider his readers when listening to Paul’s basic approach, from the outline of what he “received from the Lord,” to his most elementary reprimand: “So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another…”  

Our verse for this week is Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

1 Corinthians 9 through 11.  Now let’s read it!

If Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthian church surprised you yesterday, be warned: the fare is even heavier today.  The first chapter focuses on a case of sexual immorality, with a charge to “Purge the evil person from among you.”  The first half of chapter 6 takes on the issue of believers taking one another to court, before returning to sexual concerns in the second half and carrying that through for another chapter.  Notice Paul’s personal concern, in the middle of chapter 7, that “I want you to be free from anxieties.”  Our reading ends with a concern about making others stumble by eating meat that has been offered to idols, which we’ll address more tomorrow. 

The Corinthian letters are not mere case studies; they deal with real events taking place in a real church.  Place yourself in the room when the Corinthian church reads this letter, not as a mere intellectual exercise, but because that’s what Paul himself would have to do.  Undoubtedly some would be upset that Paul had come after them personally.  Perhaps some would take up their cause that Paul has no business questioning their freedom.  Others would be delighted that Paul had weighed in on what they perceived as corruption within their midst.  And still others might just wish the whole thing would go away. 

Today’s accusations are even more disturbing and personal than yesterday’s: “Chloe’s people,” and perhaps others, have given Paul some heavy details.  What impact would calling people out so boldly and publicly have on this fragile foothold?  Paul apparently thought confrontation necessary; consider the history of the Christian church through chapter 18 of Acts – where this letter and the Acts story intersect – as appropriate background to Paul’s response. 

Perhaps telling is his accusation that opens chapter 5: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among the pagans…” as well as his rhetorical challenge in chapter 6: “Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers…?  These hint that Paul is as disappointed in the church itself as he is concerned by the offenses.  

Our verse for this week is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 Corinthians 5 through 8.  Now let’s read it!

If Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthian church surprised you yesterday, be warned: the fare is even heavier today.  The first chapter focuses on a case of sexual immorality, with a charge to “Purge the evil person from among you.”  The first half of chapter 6 takes on the issue of believers taking one another to court, before returning to sexual concerns in the second half and carrying that through for another chapter.  Notice Paul’s personal concern, in the middle of chapter 7, that “I want you to be free from anxieties.”  Our reading ends with a concern about making others stumble by eating meat that has been offered to idols, which we’ll address more tomorrow. 

The Corinthian letters are not mere case studies; they deal with real events taking place in a real church.  Place yourself in the room when the Corinthian church reads this letter, not as a mere intellectual exercise, but because that’s what Paul himself would have to do.  Undoubtedly some would be upset that Paul had come after them personally.  Perhaps some would take up their cause that Paul has no business questioning their freedom.  Others would be delighted that Paul had weighed in on what they perceived as corruption within their midst.  And still others might just wish the whole thing would go away. 

Today’s accusations are even more disturbing and personal than yesterday’s: “Chloe’s people,” and perhaps others, have given Paul some heavy details.  What impact would calling people out so boldly and publicly have on this fragile foothold?  Paul apparently thought confrontation necessary; consider the history of the Christian church through chapter 18 of Acts – where this letter and the Acts story intersect – as appropriate background to Paul’s response. 

Perhaps telling is his accusation that opens chapter 5: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among the pagans…” as well as his rhetorical challenge in chapter 6: “Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers…?  These hint that Paul is as disappointed in the church itself as he is concerned by the offenses.  

Our verse for this week is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 Corinthians 5 through 8.  Now let’s read it!

There is no apparent meaning to the arrangement of Paul’s letters to the churches of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi and Colossae.  Theme, chronology, and geography appear to have no rhythm among them, just as we saw with the minor prophets.  It is possible that they have been ordered according to length, with the longest books first: this is a simple answer to a fairly innocent question, whose true answer may be lost to history. 

While the order of the books may have little meaning, the letters themselves are significant reflections of the concerns of the early church.  Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthian church at some point in the 50’s A.D., some time after his visit there (which we read about in Acts 18).  Roughly three decades have passed since Jesus was raised from the dead.  Unlike the church at Rome, Paul had planted the church at Corinth and could write to it as a loving older brother.

After an introduction where Paul recounts the Gospel and the faithfulness of God, and gives thanks that because of the grace of God they “are not lacking in any gift,” Paul’s disappointment with the church is revealed: “For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.”  Factions have apparently formed around certain teachers, and Paul is both disappointed and embarrassed to be in the mix. 

This creates an opportunity, though, for Paul to instruct his readers about the true origin and foundation of wisdom.  He reminds them of whom they belong to – neither Paul, nor Apollos, nor Cephas, but Christ.  He reminds them of the nature of Apostles, who are: “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God,” required to be found faithful.  And he reminds them of their true standing: “We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute…I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”

Our verse for this week is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 Corinthians 1 through 4.  Now let’s read it!

There is no apparent meaning to the arrangement of Paul’s letters to the churches of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi and Colossae.  Theme, chronology, and geography appear to have no rhythm among them, just as we saw with the minor prophets.  It is possible that they have been ordered according to length, with the longest books first: this is a simple answer to a fairly innocent question, whose true answer may be lost to history. 

While the order of the books may have little meaning, the letters themselves are significant reflections of the concerns of the early church.  Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthian church at some point in the 50’s A.D., some time after his visit there (which we read about in Acts 18).  Roughly three decades have passed since Jesus was raised from the dead.  Unlike the church at Rome, Paul had planted the church at Corinth and could write to it as a loving older brother.

After an introduction where Paul recounts the Gospel and the faithfulness of God, and gives thanks that because of the grace of God they “are not lacking in any gift,” Paul’s disappointment with the church is revealed: “For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.”  Factions have apparently formed around certain teachers, and Paul is both disappointed and embarrassed to be in the mix. 

This creates an opportunity, though, for Paul to instruct his readers about the true origin and foundation of wisdom.  He reminds them of whom they belong to – neither Paul, nor Apollos, nor Cephas, but Christ.  He reminds them of the nature of Apostles, who are: “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God,” required to be found faithful.  And he reminds them of their true standing: “We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute…I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”

Our verse for this week is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 Corinthians 1 through 4.  Now let’s read it!

Paul has a few priorities for the last few chapters of his letter to the Romans.  First, he concludes the section on bearing with others with a prayer that “…the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with each other…that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  This is followed by another reminder that “Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.”

The letter turns toward a conclusion in the middle of chapter 15, as Paul affirms his satisfaction for the Roman church, though on some points he has written to them “…very boldly by way of reminder…”  He again affirms his desire to come to Rome, but cites his ambition “to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named” as a factor in his delay.  It is apparent that he is still on his way to Jerusalem, after which he expects to visit them on the way to Spain, assuming he is “delivered from the unbelievers in Judea.”  This fear is prescient, and we know from Acts that he does end up in Rome, though because of rather than in spite of those Judean unbelievers.

The final chapter is devoted primarily to greetings to and from fellow saints.  He opens by introducing a patron, Phoebe, who could well be the letter’s deliverer.  He then commends to them Prisca and Aquila, tentmakers who had fled Rome earlier and joined Paul in Corinth, taught Apollos in Ephesus, and were now apparently returning to their home.  Among the other names there could have been additional travelling companions or brethren from around the city of hundreds of thousands of people.  The greetings from Ephesus, including Paul’s scribe, host, and even the city treasurer, not only personalize the letter but place it squarely in history.

Pay attention to the final instructions and doxology.  Last words in these epistles often possess a specific warning or challenge that Paul wants to make sure he includes.  Today’s caution about those who cause divisions and create obstacles may be general, but connects with his instructions in the last half of this letter.  And in case they need encouragement, he is confident that “The God of Peace will soon crush Satan under [their] feet.” 

Our verse for this week is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Romans 15 and 16.  Now let’s read it!