1 Corinthians

2022: from my notes from my seminary class:

- letter to the church founded by Paul in Corinth in the early 50s
- This letter was probably written in the mid-50s
- We know he's already written at least one letter prior to 1 Corinthians because it is referenced in 1 Cor.
- 1 Cor is a highly rhetorical letter. Paul is arguing A LOT in this letter. It is the most rhetorical of all the letters
- The book of Acts is historically unreliable when it comes to Paul so we don't want to read Paul through Acts. Acts has a different agenda. It is telling the story through a very specific theologically oriented goal.
- 1 Cor. is most famous for its disputes. It was a church in crisis, in conflict.
- Most arguments for a long time depicted the Corinthians as heathens but recent scholarship has shifted to seeing Corinthians who were Jesus followers who disagreed with Paul about how to be the church/how to live in community with each other and navigate the Empire they were living in/under.
- Much of the letter is in response to a previous letter and you can see this because Paul keeps saying “now concerning” — responding to something specific they had written in their letter

Two important questions to keep in mind:
1) When is Paul referencing the Corinthians' own words about themselves and when are his own interests, language, and agenda coming through?
2) Where do we see the Corinthians' questions and where do we see Paul emphasizing something that is his own concern?