Recap

So far in 1 Corinthians we've read the section where Paul addresses the reports he's heard about the Corinthians, and started the section where he addresses things they raised in their previous letter. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians likely as his second letter to the church in Corinth. It was written in response to reports of bad behaviour in the church, and addressing issues that came up in the previous letter.

One key issue in Corinth was the influence of Greek thinking, which led them to believe 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 affected their views on sexuality, food, and resurrection.

Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were made holy by Jesus and that their spiritual gifts came from God, not their own efforts. Addressing their divisions, he emphasised that Jesus, not their teachers, was the source of their freedom and unity. He explained that God’s wisdom, seen in a crucified Messiah, subverts human wisdom. Using the metaphor of a building, he said that while different teachers played different roles, it’s God who tests the work, so they shouldn’t boast in leaders.

Paul then addressed immorality in the church, particularly a man sleeping with his father’s wife. He urged the church to expel him, hoping he would repent after experiencing life outside God’s protection. Using the metaphor of yeast, he warned that sin spreads and must be addressed to keep the church pure. He also rebuked the Corinthians for taking disputes to public courts and reminded them they were capable of judging themselves.

Paul cautioned that while believers were free from the law, not everything was beneficial. Their bodies, as temples of the Holy Spirit, should be kept pure from sexual immorality. He addressed the Corinthians' belief that avoiding sex made them more spiritual, clarifying that husbands and wives should meet each other’s sexual needs through mutual submission. He advised against withholding sex, except in specific cases, to prevent temptation.

Paul recommended remaining single, especially with the expectation of Jesus’ return. But he acknowledged that marriage was better for those unable to remain celibate. He also encouraged believers to stay in their current life circumstances, trusting God to work through them.

Paul acknowledged that idols were insignificant but emphasised that love should guide actions. He urged the Corinthians to avoid eating food sacrificed to idols if it might cause weaker believers to stumble.

He used his own example as an apostle to show how he willingly gave up his rights, such as receiving support, to avoid hindering the gospel. Paul explained how he adapted his behaviour to different groups to reach them, comparing it to an athlete training for a prize.

He warned against overconfidence, pointing to the Israelites' failures despite their blessings. Believers should limit their freedoms for the good of others, acting in ways that glorify God and prevent others from stumbling.

1 Corinthians 11-12

Paul now moves on to addressing issues with the order when it comes to their gatherings. The first up is head coverings in the church. This passage is another that has been highly contentious as we try to wrestle with its implications.

He starts by saying that as Christ is the head of every man, husbands are the heads of their wife. There has been a lot of debate over what it means to be head of someone. Some argue that to be head over someone means to have authority over them. Others argue that it should be interpreted as source, that as leaders of the household, men take the life of Jesus and share it with their wives and family.

That debate is too large to unpack here, but I want to approach this passage in a similar way to how I’ve approached over passages. That is to say, this passage is descriptive, not prescriptive. Paul is speaking into a context where men were the heads of the household, and so was drawing on that imagery and ideas.

The idea I suggest Paul is trying to draw on is that there is a clear order to this flow, from God to Jesus to man to wife, and that there is a distinction between men and women. In the same way, there should be order in how the church behaves when they are gathered together, and that can be different between men and women.

The issue is with people should cover their head when they pray or prophesy in church. For men Paul says no, but for women Paul says yes. We then get a complicated argument that appeals to Genesis 2 and the creation of men and women, the spiritual world and angels, and then nature itself.

For example, Paul makes the claim that nature itself tells us that it is shameful for a man to have long hair, but good for a woman to have long hair. Why on earth would that be?

First of all, it’s worth remembering the culture of the New Testament is one that is completely different to our culture today. There are cultural ideas that were taken for granted for them that would seem completely foreign to us.

This includes ideas around health and medicine. They did not have the same understanding of how the bodies work as we do today. For example, there is evidence that the Greco-Roman world believed that babies came from the mixing together of two fluids. A man’s semen and a woman’s semen.

The man would put his semen in a woman, and then the idea is that semen was then drawn through the woman’s body to mix with her semen. The further the man’s semen could be drawn through the women’s body, the more likely the two would mix and produce a child.

One of the ways it was believed the body did this was through hair. It was believed hair was like a sponge that sucked semen up through the woman’s body, so it benefited a woman to have long hair. At the same time, because a man wanted to rid his body of semen so he could give it to the woman, his hair should be short.

This could then be why it was good for men to have short hair and women to have long hair, and why women should cover their hair in church. The hair served as a sexual organ and so it was inappropriate to show it off in church.

I appreciate that this seems completely bonkers to us, and there’s still lots of debate about what the source of all these ideas was, but the point is Paul is speaking to the ideas of shame and honour within his culture. This is how the Corinthians should behave in church so as not to bring shame to the church.

One other note to make on this passage is that is assumes that women are praying and prophesying out loud in church. This is important to consider when it comes to other discussions about what women can and can’t do in church.

The next up is the Lord’s supper. Paul has heard that there is division amongst them when it comes to the meal. What it seemed like was happening was that the wealthier members of the church were getting there earlier because they had more free time and were eating and drinking their fill. Then, when the poorer members were arriving after long days of work, there was nothing left for them.

They had taken a meal that had been set by Jesus to be the place where all believers can stand as equals before him and had used it to accentuate the class divisions amongst them.

Paul argues that because of this, many had been bringing judgement on themselves, which had led to them getting and ill and even some dying. Instead, they should eat and drink at home and then when they come together wait for one another so they can share in the supper together, united.

Then Paul turns to spiritual gifts. As with the beginning of his letter, Paul wants to remind the Corinthians that all these gifts come from the Spirit. They had been using their spirituality to raise their own social status and claim it’s because they were special. The reality is even the ability to say ‘Jesus is Lord’ is a gift from the Spirit.

So while these spiritual gifts might differ amongst the Corinthians, they can’t claim it’s because they have earned some unique gift, or they got it from some special source. All gifts come from the one Spirit and the one God.

Paul lists out some of the examples of these gifts; utterances of wisdom, utterances of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophesying, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretations of tongues.

Many books have been written about these gifts unpacking what each one means, but for now we want to focus on the fact there are a range of gifts but that they all came from the same Spirit.

As one body, we are called to be united in the Spirit and in these gifts. It does not matter who you are or what you are background, you are included in this through the Spirit.

This means that each of us might bring different gifts. That doesn’t mean that one is more important than the other. Paul draws on the imagery of a physical body. If the whole body was just hands, it would cease to be a body. At the same time, the eye is just as important as the ear. You need both.

In the same way, the church will be varied in spiritual gifts, but all are needed and none is more important than the others. All believers are equal and should care for one another regardless of their gifts. And all should bring their gifts to benefit the whole. If one member suffers, the whole body suffers.

This doesn’t just apply to gifts, it also applies to roles. Not all will be apostles, or prophets, or teachers. Similarly, not everyone will perform miracles of healing or bring a word of tongues in a meeting. And that’s okay.

Psalm 144

This psalm is attributed to king David and falls into the category of royal psalm. It was likely a prayer by the king over military battles and for the flourishing of the nation.

Psalm 144:1-2 - The Lord my stronghold and deliver

Psalm 144:3-4 - O that you regard us Lord

Psalm 144:5-8 - Come down and defeat our enemies

Psalm 144:9-11 - I will sing of your rescue

Psalm 144:12-15 - May we flourish under your blessing

The psalmist starts with praise for the Lord. He is the one that prepares his people for battle. He is a rock, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, and shield. The Lord subdues the enemies of the king before him.

This causes the psalmist to marvel that the Lord pays them that much attention. What are humans in the grand scheme of things? They are a passing breath.

The psalmist then calls tot he Lord for military victory. They ask the Lord to come down from heaven and intervene in the battle by demonstrating his power. Cause volcanoes to erupt and lighting to flash so these enemies might see your power, O Lord. May they run in fear. Rescue me from my enemies who surround me. The psalmist looks forward to after the victory. They will sing praises to the Lord, as long as the Lord rescues and delivers them.

Next comes a prayer for the nation. May their children grow strong and be established well. May there be much food in the barns and the livestock multiply. The psalmist asks that there be no breach in the wall, no exile, and no cry of distress in our streets.

This prayer seems to be drawing on Deuteronomy 28. Deuteronomy 28:4 talks about the fruit of your womb (children) the fruit of your ground (food that goes into a barn) and the increase of your cattle and flock (livestock multiplying. Deuteronomy 28:36 talks about the people being exiled. The psalmist is praying, may we have all the blessings that come from obedience, and may we avoid the curses of disobedience. Because ‘Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall; happy are the people whose God is the Lord.’