1 Corinth

Historical Context:

1)According to Act 18, Saint Paul establish a congregation in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22)

2)While at Ephesus, during the course of his third missionary journey, he writes letter to Corinthians(1 Corinth 5:9)

3)Some people writes to Saint Paul (1 Corinth 7:1) and some even visited him and apprise him of difficulties that faced by his young and immature congregation. Among the visitor were from Chloe’s family (1 Corinth 1:11) and delegation led by Stephanas (1 Corinth16:17-18)

4)Therefore in response to oral reports and letter he has received from Corinthians, Saint Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus

Literarily Context:

1)Saint Paul’s greeting to the church of Corinth (1:1-3)

2)Saint Paul’s thanksgiving for blessing God has bestowed on the church at Corinth (1:4-9)

3)Saint Paul’s discussion of the division in the church of Corinth (1:10-4:21). So from 1 Corinth 1:10-4:21, the purpose of Saint Paul’s letter is to prevent his immature converts from falling into factions by attaching themselves to any one of the apostles, be he Cephas, Apollos, or Paul himself.

4)From chapter 6-10, Saint Paul dealt with the questions concerning immorality in the church, marriage, and participation in cultic banquets at which the food had been sacrificed to idols.

5)From chapter 12-14, Saint Paul deals with the gifts of the Spirit

6)From chapter 15, Saint Paul present of the teaching of resurrection of the dead.