The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (116 page)

Although some interpretive questions remain, the primary point of the passage is abundantly clear: baptism and the Lord's Supper do not guarantee salvation or authorize believers to live in a sinful manner, so no one should presume that the ordinances will protect them from divine wrath.
⁷⁶
If one follows the basic hermeneutical principle of interpreting more obscure texts in light of clearer ones, 1 Corinthians 10 serves as a guide for interpreting more difficult texts related to baptism and the Lord's Supper and precludes sacramental interpretations of texts such as Rom 6:1—4 or Acts 2:38.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE CANON

• Dealing with division and spiritual immaturity in the church (1 Corinthians 1-4)
  
• Church discipline (1 Corinthians 5; 2 Cor 2:5-11)
  
• The respective advantages of singleness and marriage (1 Corinthians 7)
  
• Principles for NT giving (1 Corinthians 9; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9)
  
• Spiritual gifts and the supremacy of love (1 Corinthians 12—14)
  
• The resurrection of Christ and believers and the nature of the resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15)
  
• The redemptive grace of suffering and the revelation of God's power in human weakness (2 Cor 1:3-11; 4:7-18; 12:1-10)
  
• Paul's defense of his apostolic ministry (2 Corinthians, esp. chaps. 10—13)
  

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Why are the Corinthian letters especially practical for the modern church?
   
2. Why is the authorship of the Corinthian letters not seriously contested in modern scholarship?
   
3. How many letters did Paul write to the Corinthian church? How are they designated in this chapter? How do the letters coincide with Paul's visits. List the letters and the visits together in chronological order.
   
4. From where did Paul receive information about the church's condition?
   
5. What are the three major theories concerning Paul's opponents in 2 Corinthians?
   
6. What is the dual purpose of 1 Corinthians, and what is the main purpose of 2 Corinthians?
   
7. What is the basic literary plan of 1 Corinthians?
   
8. Why is it so difficult to understand the literary plan of 2 Corinthians?
   
9. What will be the nature of the believers’ resurrection body?
   
10. What is the relationship between the new and old covenants in 2 Corinthians?
    
11. What is the relationship between the Christian ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper) and salvation?
    
12. What are the major contributions of the Corinthian letters to the canon?
    

FOR FURTHER STUDY

1 Corinthians

Barrett, C. K.
A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians.
Harper New Testament Commentary. New York: Harper, 1968.

Blomberg, C.
1 Corinthians.
NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.

Clarke, A. D.
Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1—6.
Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums 18. Leiden: Brill, 1993.

Fee, G. D.
The First Epistle to the Corinthians.
New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.

Garland, D. E.
1 Corinthians.
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003.

Hays, R. B.
1 Corinthians.
Interpretation. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1997.

Litfin, D.
St Paul's Theology of Proclamation: 1 Cor 1—4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric.
Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 79. Cambridge: University Press, 1994.

Mihaila, C.
The Paul-Apollos Relationship and Paul's Stance toward Greco-Roman Rhetoric: An Exegetical and Socio-Historical Study of 1 Corinthians 1—4.
Library of New Testament Studies 402. Edinburgh: T&T Clark,

2009

Morris, L.
The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary.
2d ed. Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.

Thiselton, A. C.
The First Epistle to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek Text.
New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

Winter, B. W.
Philo and Paul Among the Sophists.
Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 96. Cambridge: University Press, 1997.

2 Corinthians

Barnett, P.
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997.

Belleville, L.
2 Corinthians.
IVP New Testament Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996.

Carson, D. A.
From Triumphalism to Maturity: An Exposition of 2 Corinthians10—13.
Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984.

Furnish, V. P.
II Corinthians.
Anchor Bible. Garden City: Doubleday, 1984.

Garland, D. E.
2 Corinthians.
New American Commentary. Nashville: B&H, 1999.

Hafemann, S. J.
2 Corinthians.
NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

Harris, M. J. Pages 415—545 in
The Expositor's Bible Commentary.
Rev. ed. Vol. 11:
Romans—Galatians.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

___________.
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.

Hughes, P.
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962.

Kruse, C.
2 Corinthians.
Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.

Martin, R. P.
2 Corinthians.
Word Biblical Commentary 40. Dallas: Word, 1986.

Tasker, R. V. G.
The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary.
Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1958.

Witherington, B., III.
Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.

¹
See R. V. G. Tasker,
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians: Introduction and Commentary
, TNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1958), 9.

²
Ibid., 12-13.

³
C. K. Barrett,
A Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians
, HNTC (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), vii.

⁴
See L. Morris,
The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians
, TNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), 9; P. Hughes,
Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians
, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962), xi.

⁵
E.g., G. D. Fee,
The First Epistle to the Corinthians
, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987); D. E. Garland,
1 Corinthians
, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003); and C. K. Barrett,
The First Epistle to the Corinthians
, HNTC (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1968), 11.

⁸
1 Clement 47:1—
3 alludes to the discussion of factions in 1 Cor 1:10—17 and in chap. 3;
1 Clement
49 contains a hymn about love based on 1 Corinthians 13.

⁷
To the Ephesians
16:1; 18:1;
To the Romans
4:3; 5:1; 9:2; and
To the Philadelphians
3:3.

⁸
J. Weiss,
Der erste Korintherbrief
, KEK (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1910), 4.

⁹
One of the most detailed discussions appears in Fee (
1 Corinthians
, 699—708), who challenged the authenticity of the text largely because (1) some ancient manuscripts place the verses at the end of the chapter, which suggests to Fee that the text was originally a marginal note later incorporated into the text; (2) the text does not appear to fit with Paul's present topic; and (3) the text seems to contradict Paul's statement that women may pray and prophesy in 1 Cor 11:2—16. For a convincing reply to Fee that supports the authenticity of the text, see Garland,
1 Corinthians
, 664—77, esp. 675—77.

¹⁰
See esp. J. C. Hurd (
The Origin of 1 Corinthians
, 2d ed. [Macon: Mercer Univ. Press, 1983]), who introduced some of the major proposals and offered compelling arguments for the integrity of the letters. Other important defenses of the integrity of the letter include H. Merklein, “Die Einheitlichkeit des ersten Korintherbriefes,”
ZNW 75
(1984): 153—83; and M. M. Mitchell,
Paul and the Rhetoric of Reconciliation: An Exegetical Investigation of the Language and Composition of 1 Corinthians
(Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1992).

¹¹
Barrett,
1 Corinthians
, 11; M. C. de Boer, “The Composition of 1 Corinthians,”
NTS
40 (1994): 229-45.

¹²
See Ignatius,
To the Ephesians
15:3 (2 Cor 6:16);
To the Trallians
9:2 (2 Cor 4:14);
To the Philadelphians
6:3 (2 Cor 1:12; 2:5; 11:9-10; 12:16);
To Barnabas
4:11-13 (2 Cor 5:10); 6:11-12 (2 Cor 5:17).

¹³
V. P. Furnish, II
Corinthians
, AB (Garden City: Doubleday, 1984), 29-30.

¹⁴
Polycarp (
Phil.
4:1) may have quoted 2 Cor 6:7 (“weapons of righteousness”) and Phil 2:2, and he probably alluded to 2 Cor 4:14. M. J. Harris (
Second Epistle to the Corinthians
, NIGTC [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005], 3) sees “three or four clearer allusions” to 2 Corinthians in Polycarp's letter.

¹⁵
See the discussion in M. W. Holmes,
The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations
, 3d ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), 170, 276.

¹⁶
H. Koester,
History and Literature of Early Christianity
, vol. 2 of
Introduction to the New Testamen.
(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1982), 306.

¹⁷
A. Plummer,
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians
, ICC (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1915), xxvii—xxxvi; R. Bultmann,
The Second Letter to the Corinthians
(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1985), 18.

¹⁸
This theory was first proposed by J. S. Semler in 1776.

¹⁹
F. F. Bruce,
1 and 2 Corinthians
(London: Oliphants, 1971), 166—70; Furnish,
II Corinthians
, 30—41; R. P. Martin,
2 Corinthians
, WBC 40 (Waco: Word, 1986), xl; C. G. Kruse,
The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians
TNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 29-35.

²⁰
L. L. Belleville,
2 Corinthians
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996), 32.

²¹
The construction
peri men gar
in 2 Cor 9:1 is not to be confused with
peri de
that Paul used frequently as an introductory formula in 1 Corinthians (7:1,25,37; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1,12).

²²
S. K. Stowers,
“Peri men gar and
the Integrity of 2 Cor. 8 and 9,”
NovT 32
(1990): 340-48.

²³
See Martin,
2 Corinthians
, xliv.

²⁴
Martin
(2 Corinthians
, xliv) listed Stephenson, Bates, Bruce, Guthrie, Tasker, Hughes, and Kümmel.

²⁵
See Martin,
2 Corinthians
, xliii.

²⁶
For similar views on the dating of 1 Corinthians, see Barrett,
First Epistle to the Corinthians
, 5; Fee,
First Epistle to the Corinthians
, 4—5; R. F. Collins,
First Corinthians
, SacPag 7 (Collegeville: Glazier/Liturgical Press, 1999), 24; and B. Witherington,
Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 73.

²⁷
Many commentators date 2 Corinthians one year later, in the year 56; see the discussion in Harris,
Second Epistle to the Corinthians
, 67. Those accepting this later date typically assume a later date for 1 Corinthians than we think possible. This later date for 2 Corinthians also conflicts with the numismatic evidence that Felix succeeded Festus in the year 56. The late date does appear to allow sufficient time for Paul's travel to Jerusalem, his arrest, and his Caesarean imprisonment.

²⁸
W. J. Larkin Jr.,
Acts
, IVPNTC 5 (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1995), 262. Some scholars estimate the population to have been significantly higher. See W.
McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament
(Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), 312.

²⁹
D.
Bock, Acts
, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), 577.

³⁰
The road was excavated in the late 50s by N. M. Verdelis of the Greek Archaeological Service; see McRay,
Archaeology and the New Testament
, 312.

³¹
Thucydides,
History of the Peloponnesian War
8.7—8; Polybius,
Histories
5.101.4.

³²
Strabo,
Geography
8.4; Plutarch,
Quaestiones conviviales
5.3.1—3; 8.4.1; Pausanias,
Description of Greece
2.2.

³³
Strabo,
Geography
8.6.2.

³⁴
J. Murphy-O'Connor,
St Paul's Corinth: Texts and Archaeology
(Wilmington, DE: Glazier, 1983), 56.

³⁵
Strabo,
Geography
8.6.20.

³⁶
McRay,
Archaeology and the New Testament
, 315—17.

³⁷
C. E. Fant and M. G. Reddish,
A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey
(Oxford: University Press, 2003), 54.

³⁸
McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament
, 322—24.

³⁹
See Garland,
1 Corinthians
, BECNT, 9.

⁴⁰
McRay,
Archaeology and the New Testament
, 331—33.

⁴¹
For an excellent summary of the history of Corinth and its religious and cultural background, see Garland,
1 Corinthians
, 1—14. For an almost exhaustive treatment of Corinth, see Murphy-O'Connor,
St Paul's Corinth: Texts and Archaeology.