The First Epistle to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul from Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:5-85Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia. 6And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. 7For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 8But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. (1 Corinthians 16:5‑8)). He had proposed to visit them from thence (2 Cor. 1:15, 1615And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea. (2 Corinthians 1:15‑16)), but evidently had heard of their bad state, which caused him to change his mind, and write them a letter (2 Cor. 1:2323Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. (2 Corinthians 1:23)). This letter was most likely sent by Titus (2 Cor. 2:1313I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:13)), who brought back to Paul the news of their obedience, and comforted his spirit, which was cast down (2 Cor. 7:5-75For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 6Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. (2 Corinthians 7:5‑7)). The Second Epistle was written from Macedonia on the reception of the good news. The contents of it differ greatly from that of the Epistle to the Romans. It gives to us the picture of the internal condition of an Assembly of God of that time, and shows how sadly saints of God may depart from even decent morality if not walking according to the light. Thus it is most practically blessed to us who live in a day when many of the evils mentioned here are grown into enormous proportions, as giving the corrective power, apart from all question of official rule, there being apparently no elders, or deacons, in the Church at Corinth.
Thus the cross of Christ, Christ Himself, and the Holy Ghost, are brought in as the correctives to human philosophy and wisdom in the first and second chapters. These three points are the great fundamental truths, on which corporate Christianity rests, with the word of God as its rule. The evils of disunion are taken up in the third chapter, and the presence of the Holy Ghost in the temple of God brought in as a corrective power. In the fourth chapter we find the saints puffed up for one servant of God against the other, self-satisfaction and pride manifest among them. The love of the family of God is alluded to to correct the evil. In the fifth chapter we find open sin amongst them, viz., fornication. In the sixth chapter they are going to law one against the other, before the world. The corrective power against fornication is exhibited at the end of the chapter. The seventh chapter is occupied with regulations about marriage and the various callings of life. The eighth chapter about things offered to idols. The ninth chapter about Paul’s apostleship, ending up with a warning to preachers, and to the professing saints in general (ch. 10:1-15) from the example of Israel. All this part of the Epistle may take a wide range as to the house of God, showing at the same time into what sins saints may fall. The Lord’s table is then taken up, and put in the very center of Christian worship, saints there expressing their membership of the body. In the eleventh chapter the true order of the creation is taken up, now Christ has come into it. This, with regulations about men and women praying and prophesying take up the first part; the Lord’s Supper, as the Assembly meeting, the latter part. The truth of the Church of God as the Body of Christ follows, in the twelfth chapter, showing its action in the members, and by its special gifts. The bond of love which binds all together follows in the thirteenth chapter, and the correctives to confusion in the Assembly are treated of in the fourteenth chapter, but without introducing official rule. In the fifteenth chapter, the question of the resurrection of the dead is taken up, some having even denied it as God’s truth. The sixteenth chapter closes the Epistle.
Thus the two aspects of the Assembly of God are brought out in this Epistle. First, as the house of God, which is rather exhibited in the former part of the Epistle (comp. ch. 3 with ch. 10, beginning). Secondly, the Body of Christ (see chaps. 10:17, and 12). The doctrine of the church in these two aspects, with the place the Lord’s table holds in connection with it, in chaps. 5, 10, and 11, and, I may add baptism in chaps. 1 and 10, and the doctrine of the resurrection and the coming of the Lord in ch. 15, make this Epistle a most important one for the saints in these last days. But now let us look at the Epistle a little more closely, and may the Lord give eyes to see and understanding hearts to understand.