![]() ![]() Paul thought carefully about this letter.Ĭ. Even in his introduction, Paul thinks about the critical issues he needs to communicate to the Corinthian Christians. However, we learn something just from the meaning of the ancient Greek word “ apostolos,” which has the idea of “a special ambassador.” Paul was a “special ambassador” of Jesus Christ to the world and to the church. What is an apostle of Jesus Christ? In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul deals more fully with what makes a person an apostle. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, not the will of any man.” I am not an apostle through the appointment of the other apostles. That is of little importance to me, because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. It is as if he says, “You all may not recognize my apostolic credentials. An apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God: With this, Paul emphasizes his point and already begins contending with the Christians of Corinth. “Paul knows that he is not one of the twelve apostles, but he is on par with them because, like them, he is chosen by God.” (Robertson) Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, a called apostle. Called to be an apostle is literally a called apostle. As is evident from 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul’s standing and authority as an apostle were not appreciated among the Christians of Corinth. Called to be an apostle: At the outset of the letter – indeed, the very first few words – Paul fearlessly declares his apostolic credentials. But because of all the time Paul spent in Corinth, and all the letters he wrote them, we know more about the Christians at Corinth than we know about any other church in the New Testament.ī. Then Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to respond to these reports. Paul then received reports from people in Chloe’s household about disturbances in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11) and he may have received a delegation from Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:7) who brought him questions from the congregation (1 Corinthians 7:1). He wrote a letter to the Christians in Corinth from the city of Ephesus (Acts 19), which is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9. Paul had an extensive history of contact with the city of Corinth, beginning with when he established the church in Corinth, coming there after Athens and staying a year and a half (Acts 18). In the ancient culture of Paul, a letter began with writing who the letter is from, and then stating who the letter is to. We write a letter by saying who the letter is to first, and we conclude with writing who the letter is from. Paul: The apostle Paul follows the normal pattern for writing a letter in ancient times. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother.Ī. (1) Whom the letter is from: Paul, a called apostle.
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