Recap

So far in 1 Corinthians we've started the section where Paul addresses the reports he's heard about the Corinthians. Written by Paul to the church in Corinth, we mentioned how 1 Corinthians, is likely Paul’s second letter to them. Paul wrote this letter in response to reports of bad behaviour in the church, and addressing issues that came up in the previous letter.

One key issue was the influence of Greek thinking, which led the Corinthians to believe that the spirit was more important than the body. As a result, they either neglected their physical actions or justified sinful behaviours, thinking the body didn’t matter. This mindset affected their views on sexuality, food, and the resurrection.

Paul greeted the Corinthians, reminding them that they had been made holy by Jesus. He pointed out that their incredible spiritual gifts were from God, not achievements. Then Paul started to address some of the issue amongst them. The Corinthians were chasing after wisdom and eloquence from various teachers, leading to infighting. Paul countered this by saying that Jesus, not the teachers, was the source of their freedom, and they should be united in him.

Paul also emphasised that God's wisdom is different from the world’s. A crucified Messiah doesn’t make sense to the world’s understanding of wisdom or power, but God intentionally subverts human wisdom. He reminded the Corinthians of their humble beginnings, pointing out that their influence and standing were gifts from Jesus, not from worldly wisdom. Paul himself preached with simplicity, relying on the Spirit’s power. He urged the Corinthians to do the same, focusing on the Spirit rather than worldly wisdom.

1 Corinthians 3-4

Paul then returns to the issue of divisions among them, linking it to their misunderstanding of true wisdom and their reliance on human leaders. He challenges the Corinthians, describing them as like infants, not ready for solid foods yet. He says they are like the flesh. This would have been a huge insult to a people so marked by Greek thought, which said the spirit is good but the flesh is bad.

Paul argues how could they be like anything else when they’re so easily controlled by their own desire, falling into jealousy and quarrelling. When they fight over which teacher is better, they’re not being wise or spiritual. They’re being very, very human.

He then looks at the teachers themselves. He and Apollo. Using the metaphor of planting, Paul points out that their different teachers have played different roles. Some have planted, others have watered, but any growth that has happened amongst them is because of God.

In other words, the teachers should not be getting the glory and the praise. God should be getting the glory and the praise. The teachers are merely servants, tending God’s fields. His building.

At this, Paul switches metaphors, describing the Corinthians as a building. Paul laid down the initial foundations when he planted the church, but others have come along and built upon those foundations. In reality, the true foundation that Paul brought them was Jesus himself.

With that said, not all teachers are created equal. Some build with gold and silver, while others build with hay and straw. But God will be the ultimate test to see if what they built was good. Paul draws on the Old Testament imagery of fire that God uses to burn away the dross and test to see what survives and is good (Malachi 3:2-3, Isaiah 1:25, Zechariah 13:9). Fire here symbolises testing and purification, showing how God refines and purifies, leaving only what is truly valuable.

The Corinthians might be tempted to say that one teacher is wise and eloquent, but it may be that when ultimately tested, their work burns away in the fire. Similarly, there might be other teachers that don’t seem attractive to the Corinthians but, when tested, their work stands strong.

In other words, what’s important isn’t whether someone is wise or eloquent, but how they build God’s church, and God will be the one who tests and decides that.

So the Corinthians are not wise because of their leaders and are not wise to boast in their leaders. They do not belong to their leaders, as they go around saying ‘I belong to Apollos’. Their leaders belong to them, to help them and serve them. Instead, they belong to Jesus.

This causes Paul to unpack how the Corinthians should think about their leaders and teachers. They should be seen as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Paul uses mysteries to describe what has now been revealed to Jesus on the cross. He’s not referring to some secret special knowledge that only he and a few others have.

Picking up on his previous point, Paul notes that the Corinthians can’t judge him or their other leaders. They don’t fully understand what it is their leaders are doing. They don’t appreciate the cost involved or the subtleties of everything that is being done. That is why only God can judge and test them.

Paul then sarcastically points out that the Corinthians clearly have all they could want, highlighting their sense of self-sufficiency and arrogance. He wants them to see how misguided their confidence is when compared to the sacrifices made by their leaders. 

They’re so rich they’re basically kings, and they did it all without Paul’s help. In contrast, Paul and his colleagues are clearly fools. While the Corinthians are highly honoured, Paul is hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, beaten, homeless and tired.

Here, Paul is attacking the Corinthians’ sense of their own importance. He’s making the point that while the Corinthians might seem like they have it all together, they really don’t because the ones that introduced them to the faith are living in a completely different way.

The tone then becomes tender again. Paul points out he’s saying all this not to mock them or shame them. He wants to challenge them with love. They have lots of people who will teach them ‘wise’ things and tell them what they want to hear, but they don’t have many who act like fathers who tell them what they need to hear.

That was always Paul’s desire, to serve as a father that taught them what they needed to hear, even when it was difficult. Even if it meant disciplining them at times. And when he had to leave, he left them with Timothy, who would continue to do the same.

Unfortunately, some now think Paul will never return, so they can do what they want because he’s not there to tell them otherwise. So Paul warns them. He can come with love and gentleness to make slight corrections and encourage them, or he can come in ready to lay down the law again. It’s their choice.

Psalm 140

The psalm is attributed to king David and falls into the category of lament psalms.

Psalm 140:1-5 - Deliver me from the wicked

Psalm 140:6-8 - Trust in the Lord, my strong deliverer

Psalm 140:9-11 - The punishment of the wicked

Psalm 140:12-13 - Confidence in the Lord’s righteousness and justice

The psalmist starts with the request, may the Lord deliver them from evildoers and protect them from the violent. It seems that the psalmist is surrounded by people who plan them evil and stir up trouble. Their words are like poison from a snake. So the psalmist again asks the Lord to guar them from the wicked who have set a trap for them.

But then the psalmist turns to trust. They ask the Lord to listen to them, for he is their strong deliver. He is the one that protects the psalmist in difficult times. The psalmist asks the Lord to cause the plans of these wicked people to fail. May they be overwhelmed but their own mischief. May coals fall on their heads and they be flung into pits they can’t get out of. Don’t let these people succeed, Lord, but let their own wickedness hunt them out.

And so the psalmist ends on trust. They know that the Lord is just; caring for the poor and needy. He is also righteous and will cause those who live right to stand strong. While the psalmist is going through a difficult time and is being persecuted, they recognise that their deliverance is based in the truth of who God is. He is a protector and deliverer. He is righteous and justice.