November 26, 2025
Truth in Love and Love in Truth
1 Corinthians 12-16
Preston Risser
Big Book Idea
The Church of Corinth was marked by dysfunction.
Key Verse | 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 12-16
Chapter 12
Spiritual Gifts
1 Now concerning 1 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1 spiritual gifts, 2 12:1 Or spiritual persons brothers, 3 12:1 Or brothers and sisters I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
One Body with Many Members
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves 4 12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, 5 12:20 Or members; also verse 22 yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
Chapter 13
The Way of Love
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, 6 13:3 Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 7 13:5 Greek irritable and does not count up wrongdoing 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Chapter 14
Prophecy and Tongues
1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
6 Now, brothers, 8 14:6 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 26, 39 if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider 9 14:16 Or of him that is without gifts say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign 10 14:22 Greek lacks a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
Orderly Worship
26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.
Chapter 15
The Resurrection of Christ
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, 11 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58 of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope 12 15:19 Or we have hoped in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God 13 15:27 Greek he has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 14 15:33 Probably from Menander's comedy Thais 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; 15 15:45 Greek a living soul the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall 16 15:49 Some manuscripts let us also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Chapter 16
The Collection for the Saints
1 Now concerning 17 16:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1; also verse 12 the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
Plans for Travel
5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
Final Instructions
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will 18 16:12 Or God's will for him to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.
15 Now I urge you, brothers 19 16:15 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 20 —you know that the household 20 16:15 Greek house of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.
Greetings
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 21 16:22 Greek Maranatha (a transliteration of Aramaic) 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Footnotes
[1] 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1[2] 12:1 Or spiritual persons
[3] 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
[4] 12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
[5] 12:20 Or members; also verse 22
[6] 13:3 Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast
[7] 13:5 Greek irritable and does not count up wrongdoing
[8] 14:6 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 26, 39
[9] 14:16 Or of him that is without gifts
[10] 14:22 Greek lacks a sign
[11] 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58
[12] 15:19 Or we have hoped
[13] 15:27 Greek he
[14] 15:33 Probably from Menander's comedy Thais
[15] 15:45 Greek a living soul
[16] 15:49 Some manuscripts let us
[17] 16:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1; also verse 12
[18] 16:12 Or God's will for him
[19] 16:15 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 20
[20] 16:15 Greek house
[21] 16:22 Greek Maranatha (a transliteration of Aramaic)
Table of Contents
Introduction to 1 Corinthians
Timeline
Author, Date, and Recipients
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian church in the spring of A.D. 53, 54, or 55. This was near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus. Altogether Paul wrote four letters to this church: (1) the previous letter mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9; (2) 1 Corinthians; (3) the tearful, severe letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:3–4; and (4) 2 Corinthians. Only 1 and 2 Corinthians have survived.
Theme
The Corinthian church, divided because of the arrogance of its more powerful members, should work together for the advancement of the gospel. They should repent of their rivalries, build up the faith of those who are weak, and witness effectively to unbelievers.
Purpose
Paul received an oral report and a letter from the Corinthian church. These revealed a church struggling with division, immorality, idolatry, and theological confusion. He wrote them this letter so that they would become a true dwelling place for God’s Spirit (3:12, 16), stay faithful to the gospel, and be “guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:8).
Key Themes
- The church is the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. Thus, the people who make up the church should work for unity by building each other up (1:10–4:21, especially 3:10–16; 14:12).
- Christians should build up the church in four practical ways:
a. they should be sensitive to those with fragile faith (8:1–9:18; 10:28, 33).
b. they should win unbelievers to the faith (9:19–23; 10:27, 32–33).
c. they should conduct worship services in such a way that unbelievers might come to faith (14:16, 23–25).
d. their corporate worship should use spiritual gifts not out of personal pride, or for evaluating who has the better gift, but to build up the church (11:2–16; 12:12–30; 14:1–35).
- Sexual relations form a union between man and woman as deep as the union of the believer with Christ. Therefore sexual activity should be confined to marriage (5:1–13; 6:12–20; 7:5, 9, 36).
- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are important. Yet both are less important than personal trust in the gospel and living in the way God commands (1:14–17; 10:1–5; 11:17–34; 15:29–34).
- The bodily resurrection of Jesus (and of his followers) from the dead is a key truth of the Christian faith (6:14; 15:1–58).
Outline
- Introduction to the Letter’s Main Themes (1:1–9)
- Divisions over Christian Preachers (1:10–4:21)
- A Report of Sexual Immorality and Lawsuits (5:1–6:20)
- Three Issues from the Corinthians’ Letter (7:1–11:1)
- Divisions over Corporate Worship (11:2–14:40)
- The Futility of Faith If the Dead Are Not Raised (15:1–58)
- The Collection for the Saints and Travel Plans (16:1–12)
- Closing Admonitions and Greetings (16:13–24)
The Setting of 1 Corinthians
c. A.D. 53–55
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians during his third missionary journey, near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:21–22). Both Corinth and Ephesus were wealthy port cities steeped in pagan idolatry and philosophy. Corinth benefited both militarily and economically from its strategic location at one end of the isthmus that connected the southern Greek peninsula to the mainland.
Fact: I, Paul
I, Paul. Paul typically used a scribe or secretary to write down his letters as he dictated them. However, in order to remove any doubt that the letter reflected his actual thoughts and words, Paul would often sign his own name at the end (16:21).
Fact: pastoral letter
First Corinthians is a pastoral letter to a spiritually troubled church. Paul deeply loved the church at Corinth, but he was distressed by some of the behavior prevalent among its members. He wrote to the Corinthians to address such issues as the relationship between Christians and the surrounding culture, divisions within the church, and matters of personal morality.
Fact: Resurrection
Jesus’ resurrection is a crucial part of the gospel message. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are still in our sins (1 Cor. 15:17). Yet the Jewish leaders chose to make up the story that it never happened (Matt. 28:13–14).
Fact: Resurrected as real people!
Resurrected as real people! After his resurrection, Jesus had a real physical body. He was not just a disembodied spirit. He could eat and be touched (24:39–43). Christians will also experience real, physical resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
Fact: The greatest is love
The greatest is love. Jesus said that Christians should be famous for their love for each other (John 13:34–35), but the Corinthian church was becoming known for its divisions and arguments (see 1 Cor. 3:3; 6:1; 11:18). Paul tells them what Christian love should look like (ch. 13).
Fact: “build up” the church
When the church meets, it should be to worship the Lord and to build up the church (14:12, 17). “Building up” includes using words and actions to edify and instruct others, or to make others stronger and more mature in Christ.
Fact: Speaking the truth in an understandable way
Speaking the truth in an understandable way. When Paul said, “Bad company ruins good morals” (15:33), he was probably quoting the words of a famous Athenian playwright. This is similar to Paul’s sermon in Athens (Acts 17:22–31), where he quotes from non-Christian writers. Christians can often share God’s truth with nonbelievers by relating it to ideas with which they are familiar.
The Setting of 2 Corinthians
c. A.D. 55–56
Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia a year or so after writing 1 Corinthians, during his third missionary journey. He had just finished his three-year ministry in Ephesus and was visiting the churches in Macedonia as he made his way to Corinth. In Macedonia he met Titus, who had returned from Corinth with news about the church there.
The Setting of 1 Corinthians
c. A.D. 53–55
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians during his third missionary journey, near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:21–22). Both Corinth and Ephesus were wealthy port cities steeped in pagan idolatry and philosophy. Corinth benefited both militarily and economically from its strategic location at one end of the isthmus that connected the southern Greek peninsula to the mainland.
New Testament Timeline
The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.
| 5 B.C.* | Jesus is born in Bethlehem. |
| 4 B.C. | Jesus’ family flees to Egypt to escape from Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13–18); Herod dies; Judas (of Sepphoris) and others rebel, requiring the Syrian Governor Varus to intervene throughout Palestine; Sepphoris, a city four miles from Nazareth, is destroyed by Roman soldiers; Judea, Samaria, and Idumea are given to Herod’s son, Archelaus; Galilee and Perea are given to his son Antipas; Jesus’ family, after returning from Egypt, resides in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23), a small village in southern Galilee. |
| A.D. 6 | Archelaus is exiled for incompetence; Judea becomes a Roman province; Judas the Galilean (of Gamla) leads a revolt against the tax census; the governor of Syria, Quirinius (A.D. 6–7), appoints Annas high priest (6–15). |
| 8* | Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41–50). |
| 8*–28/30 | Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt. |
| 28–29* | John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River (John 1:19). |
| 28–30* | Jesus begins his ministry in Judea, but soon focuses his efforts in Galilee. In Jerusalem, Pharisees (like Gamaliel) train disciples (like Paul) in their tradition. They send a delegation to Galilee, but the delegation rejects Jesus’ teaching. In Alexandria, Philo (20 B.C.–A.D. 50) attempts to unify Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture. |
| 33 (or 30) | Jesus returns to Judea, is crucified, and resurrected. James the brother of Jesus becomes a believer after witnessing the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7; Acts 12:17). Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1). Jesus’ first followers receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and begin to proclaim the gospel (Acts 2). |
| 33/34* | Paul witnesses the resurrected Lord on the way to Damascus and is commissioned as an apostle to the nations (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15–16). |
| 34–37 | Paul ministers in Damascus and Arabia (Acts 9:19–22; 26:20; Gal. 1:16–18). |
| 36 | Pilate loses his position for incompetence. |
| 36/37* | Paul meets with Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18). |
| 37–45 | Paul ministers in Syria, Tarsus, and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21). |
| 38* | Peter witnesses to Cornelius (Acts 10). |
| 39 | Antipas is exiled. |
| 40–45* | James writes his letter to believers outside Palestine (see James 1:1). |
| 41–44 | Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, rules Palestine; he kills James the brother of John (Acts 12:2) and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:3). |
| 42–44 | Paul receives his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7). |
| 44 | Peter leaves Jerusalem; Agrippa is killed by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 12:23). |
| 44–46 | Theudas persuades many Jews to sell their possessions and follow him into the wilderness where he claimed he would miraculously divide the Jordan River; Roman procurator Fadus dispatches his cavalry and beheads the would-be messiah. |
| 44–47* | Paul’s Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10). |
| 46–47 | Paul’s First Missionary Journey (with Barnabas) from Antioch to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13:4–14:26). |
| 46–48 | Roman procurator Tiberius Alexander crucifies two sons (Jacob and Simon) of Judas the Galilean. |
| 48* | Paul writes Galatians, perhaps from Antioch (see Acts 14:26–28). |
| 48–49* | Paul and Peter return to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, which, with the assistance of James, frees Gentile believers from the requirement of circumcision in opposition to Pharisaic believers (Acts 15:1–29); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30) but split over a dispute about John Mark (Acts 15:36–40). |
| 48/49–51* | Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas) from Antioch to Syria, Cilicia, southern Galatia, Macedonia, notably Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea; and then on to Achaia, notably Athens and Corinth (Acts 15:36–18:22). |
| 49 | Claudius expels Jews from Rome because of conflicts about Jesus (Acts 18:2); Paul befriends two refugees, Priscilla and Aquila, in Corinth (Acts 18:2–3). |
| 49–51* | Paul writes 1–2 Thessalonians from Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11; also compare Acts 18:5 with 1 Thess. 1:8). |
| 51 | Paul appears before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12–17). |
| 50–54* | Peter comes to Rome. |
| 52–57* | Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts 18:23–21:17). |
| 52–55 | Paul ministers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20). |
| 53–55* | Mark writes his Gospel, containing Peter’s memories of Jesus; perhaps within a decade, Matthew publishes his Gospel, which relies on Mark and other sources. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Acts 19:10). |
| 54 | Claudius dies (edict exiling Jews repealed); Priscilla and Aquila return to Rome and host a church in their home (see Rom. 16:3–5). |
| 54–68 | Nero reigns. |
| 55–56* | Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 3; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; 7:5; 8:1; 9:2, 4; see 1 Cor. 16:5). |
| 57* | Paul winters in Corinth and writes Romans (Acts 20:3; see Rom. 16:1–2; also see Rom. 16:23 with 1 Cor. 1:14); travels to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1–16), visits with James the brother of Jesus (Acts 21:17–26), and is arrested (Acts 21:27–36; 22:22–29). |
| 57–59 | Paul is imprisoned and transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23–24, 33–34). |
| 60 | Paul begins voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–2); he is shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 27:39–28:10). |
| 60–70* | Letter to the Hebrews is written. |
| 62 | James the brother of the Lord is executed by the Sadducean high priest Ananus. |
| 62–63* | Peter writes his first letter (1 Peter) from Rome (1 Pet. 5:13). |
| 62* | Paul arrives in Rome and remains under house arrest (Acts 28:16–31); he writes Ephesians (see verses for Colossians), Philippians (Phil. 1:7, 13, 17; 4:22), Colossians (Col. 4:3, 10, 18; see Acts 27:2 with Col. 4:10), Philemon (see Philem. 23 with Col. 1:7; Philem. 2 with Col. 4:17; Philem. 24 with Col. 4:10; also see Col. 4:9). Luke, Paul’s physician and companion (see Col. 4:14), writes Luke and Acts. |
| 62–64 | Paul is released, extends his mission (probably reaching Spain), writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia (see 1 Tim. 1:3) and Titus from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12); he is rearrested in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16–17). |
| 63–64 | Work on the temple complex is completed. |
| 64 (July 19) | Fire in Rome; Nero blames and kills many Christians. |
| 64–67* | Peter writes his second letter ( 2 Peter). Jude writes his letter. Paul writes 2 Timothy (see 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul and Peter are martyred in Rome. |
| 66 | First Jewish-Roman War begins with a riot between Greeks and Jews at Caesarea; Roman procurator Gesius Florus (A.D. 64–66) is murdered and a Roman garrison wiped out; Menahem, son or grandson of Judas the Galilean, murders the high priest Ananias and seizes control of the temple; Nero dispatches Vespasian with three legions. |
| 67* | Romans destroy the Qumran community, who beforehand hid the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves; the church in Jerusalem flees to Pella (Matt. 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–22); John migrates to Ephesus with Mary, Jesus’ mother. |
| 68 | Nero commits suicide; year of the three emperors. |
| 69 | Rebellion quelled in Galilee and Samaria; Vespasian summoned back to Rome to become emperor. |
| 70 (Aug. 30) | Titus, Vespasian’s son, after a five-month siege of Jerusalem, destroys the temple after desecrating it; the temple’s menorah, Torah, and veil are removed and later put on display in a victory parade in Rome; the influence of the Sadducees ends; the Pharisee Johanan ben Zakkai escapes and convinces the Romans to allow him and others to settle in Jamnia, where they found a school. |
| 73 (May 2)* | Before Roman general Silva breaches the fortress atop Masada following a two-year siege, 936 Jewish rebels commit suicide. |
| 75 | Titus has an affair with the Jewish princess Berenice, sister of Agrippa II (Acts 25:13, 23), whom he later abandons because of the scandal. |
| 77 | Pliny the Elder writes Natural History. |
| 77–78 | Josephus publishes Jewish War in Rome. |
| 79 | Pompeii and Herculaneum are destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius; Pliny the Elder dies attempting to investigate. |
| 81 | The Arch of Titus, celebrating his destruction of the temple, is erected in Rome. |
| 81–96 | Domitian, Titus’s brother, persecutes Christians among the Roman nobility, including his own relatives Clemens and Domitilla. |
| 85–95* | John writes his letters (1–3 John), probably in Ephesus. |
| 89–95* | John writes his Gospel, probably in Ephesus. |
| 93–94 | Josephus publishes Jewish Antiquities in Rome. |
| 94 | Domitian exiles philosophers from Rome. |
| 95* | Amidst persecution, Clement, a leader in the Roman church, writes his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) appealing for peace between the young men and elders. |
| 95–96* | Exiled by Domitian to Patmos, John writes Revelation (Rev. 1:9). |
| 96–98 | Nerva, the first of five “good” emperors, ends official persecution. |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
Major Events in the Life of the Apostle Paul
| A.D. 5–10? | Born in Tarsus, an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin and a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 28; Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5); raised in either Jerusalem (Acts 22:3?) or Tarsus |
| 15–20? | Trained as a Pharisee by Gamaliel I (Acts 22:3; 26:5; Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:5–6) |
| 30/33? | Death, resurrection of Christ |
| 31–34 | Present at Stephen’s stoning; persecuted Christians (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 22:4a; 26:9–11; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6) |
| 33/34* | Converted, called, and commissioned on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:1–19; 22:6–11; 26:12–18; Gal. 1:15–16) |
| 33/34–36/37 | Stays in Damascus a short time (Acts 9:19b); leaves for Arabia (2 Cor. 11:32; Gal. 1:17); returns to Damascus (Gal. 1:17; Acts 9:20–22?); escapes through city wall to avoid arrest (Acts 9:23–24; 2 Cor. 11:32–33) |
| 36/37* | Meets with Peter, sees James, in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18) Hellenists seek to kill him; flees to Tarsus (Acts 9:28–30; Gal. 1:21) |
| 37–45 | Ministers in Syria/Cilicia (2 Cor. 11:22–27?) |
| 44–47* | Ministers with Barnabas in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26) Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10) |
| 46–47 | First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4–14:26): 1.5 years? |
| 48* | With Barnabas, spends “no little time” in Antioch (Acts 14:28; Gal. 2:11–14); writes Galatians |
| 48–49* | Returns to Jerusalem for the apostolic council (Acts 15); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30–33), but dispute over John Mark causes them to part ways (Acts 15:36–41) |
| 48/49–51* | Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36–18:22): 2.5 years? |
| 49 | Paul and Silas travel to southern Galatia through Asia Minor, on to Macedonia (Philippi [1 Thess. 2:2]); Thessalonica [1 Thess. 2:2; Phil. 4:15–16]; and Berea [Acts 17:10–15]), and then to Achaia (Athens [1 Thess. 3:1] and Corinth [2 Cor. 11:7–9]) |
| 49–51* | Spends 1.5 years in Corinth (Acts 18:11); appears before Gallio (Acts 18:12–17); writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians |
| 51 | Returns to Jerusalem? (Acts 18:22) |
| 52–57* | Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23–21:17): 5 years? |
| 52 | Travels to Antioch, spends “some time”; travels through Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23) |
| 52–55 | Arrives in Ephesus (Acts 19:1; 1 Cor. 16:8); ministers for three years (Acts 20:31) and writes 1 Corinthians; makes brief, “painful visit” to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1), then returns to Ephesus and writes “severe letter” (now lost) to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:3–4; 7:8–16) |
| 55–56* | Travels north to Macedonia, meets Titus (Acts 20:1; 2 Cor. 2:12–13); writes 2 Corinthians |
| 57* | Winters in Corinth (Acts 20:2–3; 2 Cor. 9:4), writes to the Romans from Corinth; travels to Jerusalem; is arrested (Acts 21:27–36) |
| 57–59 | Transferred as prisoner to Caesarea, stays for two years (Acts 24:27) |
| 60* | Voyage to Rome; shipwrecked, spends three months on Malta (Acts 28:11); finally arrives in Rome |
| 62* | Under house-arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30–31), writes Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon |
| 62–67 | Released from house-arrest in Rome, travels to Spain (?), writes 1 Timothy (from Macedonia?) and Titus (from Nicopolis); is rearrested, writes 2 Timothy from Rome, is martyred |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
Paul Collects an Offering for Judea
| Activity | Text | Date |
|---|---|---|
| The church in Antioch sends Barnabas and Paul to Judea with relief funds. | Acts 11:29–30; 12:25 | c. A.D. 44–47 |
| James, Cephas, and John encourage Paul to remember the poor, which he is eager to do. | Gal. 2:10 | c. 44–47 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Ephesus. | 1 Cor. 16:1–4 (see note on Acts 20:4) | c. 53–55 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Macedonia. | 2 Corinthians 8–9 | c. 55–56 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Achaia. | Rom. 15:25–33 (see note on Acts 20:3) | Spring of 57 |
| Paul is arrested when he arrives in Jerusalem to deliver the gift. | Acts 24:17 (see Acts 21:17–33) | Pentecost, 57 |
The Authentication of Paul’s Letters
In 2:2 Paul warns against letters that claim to come from him but do not. In 11 places in his letters Paul either identifies himself or gives his signature. This supports the conclusion that all of the NT letters attributed to Paul are in fact authentic, rather than having been written by someone else in Paul’s name.
| 1 Cor. 16:21 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 2 Cor. 10:1 | I, Paul, myself entreat you |
| Gal. 5:2 | Look: I, Paul, say to you |
| Gal. 6:11 | See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand |
| Eph. 3:1 | I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus |
| Col. 1:23 | of which I, Paul, became a minister |
| Col. 4:18 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 1 Thess. 2:18 | we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again |
| 2 Thess. 2:2 | not to be . . . alarmed . . . by . . . a letter seeming to be from us |
| 2 Thess. 3:17 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write |
| Philem. 19 | I, Paul, write this with my own hand |
The Twelve Apostles*
| Matthew 10:2–4 | Mark 3:16–19 | Luke 6:14–16 | John (various verses) | Acts 1:13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simon, who is called Peter | 1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter) | 1. Simon, whom he named Peter | Simon Peter (1:40–42) | 1. Peter |
| 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | 4. Andrew | 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (1:40) | 4. Andrew |
| 3. James the son of Zebedee | 2. James the son of Zebedee | 3. James | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 3. James |
| 4. John his [James’s] brother | 3. John the brother of James | 4. John | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 2. John |
| 5. Philip | 5. Philip | 5. Philip | Philip of Bethsaida (1:43–44) | 5. Philip |
| 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | Nathanael of Cana (1:45–49; 21:2)** | 7. Bartholomew |
| 7. Thomas | 8. Thomas | 8. Thomas | Thomas called the Twin (11:16) | 6. Thomas |
| 8. Matthew the tax collector | 7. Matthew (Levi, son of Alphaeus, a tax collector, 2:14) | 7. Matthew (Levi, tax collector, 5:27) | 8. Matthew | |
| 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | |
| 10. Thaddaeus | 10. Thaddaeus | 11. Judas the son of James | Judas (not Iscariot) (14:22) | 11. Judas the son of James |
| 11. Simon the Zealot | 11. Simon the Zealot | 10. Simon who was called the Zealot | 10. Simon the Zealot | |
| 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | Judas the son of Simon Iscariot (6:71) | 12. Matthias replaces Judas [who had died] (Acts 1:26) |
*Others in the NT are regarded as apostles besides the Twelve, notably James the brother of Jesus (Acts 15:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19), Paul (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8–9), and Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14).
**Nathanael is probably Bartholomew, since he is closely associated with Philip. He is certainly not Levi/Matthew, who already has two names and who was from Capernaum. It is possible but unlikely that he is Thaddeus/Judas or Simon the Zealot.
The Epistles
| Book | Author | Date | Recipients | Place of Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | James | 40–45 | Jewish Christians in or near Palestine | Jerusalem? |
| Galatians | Paul | 48 | South Galatian churches | Syrian Antioch |
| 1 Thessalonians | Paul | 49–51 | Church in Thessalonica | Corinth |
| 2 Thessalonians | Paul | 49–51 | Church in Thessalonica | Corinth |
| 1 Corinthians | Paul | 53–55 | Church in Corinth | Ephesus |
| 2 Corinthians | Paul | 55–56 | Church in Corinth | Macedonia |
| Romans | Paul | 57 | Church in Rome | Corinth |
| Philippians | Paul | 62 | Church in Philippi | Rome |
| Colossians | Paul | 62 | Church in Colossae | Rome |
| Philemon | Paul | 62 | Philemon | Rome |
| Ephesians | Paul | 62 | Churches in Asia Minor (circular letter?) | Rome |
| 1 Timothy | Paul | 62–64 | Timothy | Macedonia? |
| Titus | Paul | 62–64 | Titus | Nicopolis |
| 1 Peter | Peter | 62–63 | Churches in Roman provinces in Asia Minor | Rome |
| 2 Peter | Peter | 64–67 | Churches in Roman provinces in Asia Minor? | Rome |
| 2 Timothy | Paul | 64–67 | Timothy | Rome |
| Jude | Jude | Mid–60s | Jewish Christians in Egypt? Asia Minor? Antioch? | Unknown |
| Hebrews | Unknown | 60–70 | Jewish Christians in Rome or in or near Palestine | Unknown |
| 1 John | John | 85–95 | Churches near Ephesus? | Ephesus |
| 2 John | John | 85–95 | Church or churches near Ephesus | Ephesus |
| 3 John | John | 85–95 | Gaius | Ephesus |
Spiritual Gifts in Paul’s Letters
| Romans 12:6–8 | 1 Corinthians 12:7–10 | 1 Corinthians 12:28 | Ephesians 4:11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us | To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good | God has appointed in the church | And he gave |
| apostles | the apostles | ||
| prophecy | prophecy | prophets | the prophets |
| the evangelists | |||
| ability to distinguish between spirits | |||
| utterance of wisdom | |||
| teaching | utterance of knowledge | teachers | the shepherds and teachers |
| exhorting | |||
| working of miracles | miracles | ||
| gifts of healing | gifts of healing | ||
| service | helping | ||
| leading | administrating | ||
| various kinds of tongues | various kinds of tongues | ||
| interpretation of tongues | |||
| giving | |||
| faith | |||
| mercy |
Earthly Bodies and Resurrection Bodies (1 Corinthians 15)
| Verse | Earthly Bodies | Resurrection Bodies |
|---|---|---|
| v. 42 | perishable | imperishable |
| v. 43a | exist in dishonor | raised in glory |
| v. 43b | exist in weakness | raised in power |
| v. 44 | natural | spiritual |
| vv. 45, 47 | first Adam a living being, from the earth | last Adam (Christ) a life-giving spirit, from heaven |
| vv. 48–49 | those who are of earth bear the image of the man of dust | those who are of heaven shall bear the image of the man of heaven |
| vv. 53–54 | mortal | immortal |
Weakness and Power (or Strength) in 1–2 Corinthians
| Verse | Weakness | Power (or Strength) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor. 1:25 | the weakness of God | is stronger than men |
| 1 Cor. 1:27 | God chose what is weak | to shame the strong |
| 1 Cor. 2:3, 5 | in weakness and in fear | but in the power of God |
| 1 Cor. 15:43 | sown in weakness | raised in power |
| 2 Cor. 12:9 | I will boast . . . of my weaknesses | so that the power of Christ may rest upon me |
| 2 Cor. 13:3 | not weak in dealing with you | but . . . powerful among you |
| 2 Cor. 13:4 | he was crucified in weakness | but lives by the power of God |
| 2 Cor. 13:4 | we also are weak in him | but . . . live with him by the power of God |
| 2 Cor. 13:9 | we are glad when we are weak | and you are strong |
Adam
Adam, whose name means “man,” was the first human being. Created out of dust, he was made in the image of God. Adam was given dominion over the rest of creation and was placed in the garden of Eden to care for it. God created Eve as a helper for Adam, and together they enjoyed perfect fellowship with their Creator. But Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, which brought sin and death into the world. Because of their sin, all humans are now born sinners and will someday die. The Bible tells the story of how God redeems his creation from the curse of Adam’s sin. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). (Genesis 2:7)
1 Cor. 12:1 Now concerning. See note on 7:1.
1 Cor. 12:2 pagans. Literally, “Gentiles” or non-Jews. The Corinthians, although not ethnic Jews, are now part of God’s people. They are connected to OT Israel. See v. 13; 10:1, 32.
1 Cor. 12:3 Because of their pre-Christian experience of pagan worship services (v. 2), some Corinthians may have had concerns about speaking in tongues (see discussion of tongues in note on v. 10). Paul first assures them that they should not worry that Christians who speak in tongues might be saying things against God. He also states that all who genuinely profess faith in Christ have the Holy Spirit within them. All have valuable gifts for the benefit of the church.
1 Cor. 12:4–6 Spirit . . . Lord . . . God. A Trinitarian reference to the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus, and God the Father (compare 2 Cor. 13:14).
1 Cor. 12:8 utterance of wisdom . . . utterance of knowledge. Some understand these to be miraculous gifts; God gives a person supernatural “wisdom” or “knowledge” to share in a particular situation. Others take these to be more “natural” gifts—the ability to speak wisely or intelligently in a particular situation. Since Paul already has a different, broader term for speech based on something God suddenly brings to mind (“prophecy”; see note on v. 10), the second view seems preferable.
1 Cor. 12:9 faith. Probably a special gift of faith for accomplishing a particular task (see 13:2; Acts 14:9; James 5:15). gifts of healing. Both terms are plural (“gifts of healings”), suggesting that different people may be gifted regarding different kinds of healing.
1 Cor. 12:10 miracles. Probably including but not limited to healing (see Acts 8:13; 14:8–10; 19:11–12; Rom. 15:19; Gal. 3:5; Heb. 2:4). Prophecy, as used by Paul in 1 Corinthians, generally refers to something God reveals to an individual in a particular situation, which must be evaluated by other believers (see 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:19–21). An alternative view is that this gift involves speaking the very words of God, with authority equal to Scripture. A third view is that it is similar to the gifts of preaching or teaching. The gift of prophecy occurred widely in NT churches (see Acts 2:17–18; 11:27–28; 19:6; 21:9–11; Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 11:2–5; 12:28–29; 13:2, 8–9; 14:1–40; 1 Thess. 5:19–21; 1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14; 1 John 4:1). distinguish between spirits. A special ability to distinguish between the influence of the Holy Spirit and the influence of demonic spirits (1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:20–21; 1 John 4:1–3). tongues. Speech in a language the speaker does not know, and that sometimes does not follow the patterns of any known human language (1 Cor. 13:1). Paul sees this gift as a way of expressing prayer or praise to God (14:2, 14–17, 28; see Acts 10:46). The speaker’s human spirit prays even though the speaker does not understand the meaning (see 1 Cor. 14:2, 11, 13–19, 23). The nature of tongues makes their interpretation necessary if the church is to be strengthened by them (14:1–25). Paul probably listed these two gifts last because an overemphasis on tongues had led the Corinthians to neglect those with other gifts (12:14–26). See also vv. 28 and 30 and the note on 13:8.
1 Cor. 12:13 in one Spirit we were all baptized. Like the other “baptism in the Holy Spirit” passages in the NT (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16), this one seems to refer to the cleansing and empowering work the Holy Spirit does at conversion. Baptism is used metaphorically here. It refers to the Spirit’s work within believers to unite them to the larger body of believers. Water baptism is an outward symbol of this reality (see Rom. 6:4). made to drink. Probably a reference to the outpouring of God’s Spirit on his people (see John 7:37–39; Rom. 5:5).
1 Cor. 12:14 body . . . member. See Rom. 12:4–5; Eph. 1:22–23; 4:11–16.
1 Cor. 12:28 On apostles, see notes on Matt. 10:2; Rom. 1:1. prophets. See note on 1 Cor. 12:10. First . . . second . . . third . . . then seems to be a ranking of importance or benefit to the church. Teachers, helping, and administrating do not appear in the list in vv. 8–10. Helping and administrating are not in the rhetorical questions in vv. 29–30. Thus, the lists do not include all possible gifts.
Spiritual Gifts in Paul’s Letters
| Romans 12:6–8 | 1 Corinthians 12:7–10 | 1 Corinthians 12:28 | Ephesians 4:11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us | To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good | God has appointed in the church | And he gave |
| apostles | the apostles | ||
| prophecy | prophecy | prophets | the prophets |
| the evangelists | |||
| ability to distinguish between spirits | |||
| utterance of wisdom | |||
| teaching | utterance of knowledge | teachers | the shepherds and teachers |
| exhorting | |||
| working of miracles | miracles | ||
| gifts of healing | gifts of healing | ||
| service | helping | ||
| leading | administrating | ||
| various kinds of tongues | various kinds of tongues | ||
| interpretation of tongues | |||
| giving | |||
| faith | |||
| mercy |
1 Cor. 12:29–30 Are all apostles? The answer is obviously no. Paul also expects the reader to answer no to all of the following questions.
1 Cor. 12:31 Earnestly desire implies that Christians can and should want additional spiritual gifts (see 14:1, 13; James 1:5). The higher gifts means those that do more to build up the church (see 1 Cor. 14:5, 12, 17, 26). A still more excellent way than merely seeking the higher gifts is to use the gifts in love (ch. 13) so that others are built up (ch. 14).
1 Cor. 13:1 tongues . . . angels. See note on 12:10. Tongues is probably mentioned first because the Corinthians have used and emphasized it without love (12:21). On love, see note on John 13:34–35.
1 Cor. 13:7 The terms believes and hopes are sandwiched between bears and endures and, like them, probably refer to relationships between people. Love believes the best of others and hopes the best for them.
1 Cor. 13:8 Interpreters differ over the time when Paul expects prophecies to pass away and tongues to cease (along with other gifts represented by these examples). Some think gifts such as prophecy, healing, tongues, interpretation, and miracles were given to validate the apostles’ ministries in the early years of the church but then ceased once the entire NT was written and the apostles died (c. A.D. 100). Others think that Paul expected these gifts to continue until Christ returns, which will be the time when “the perfect” (v. 10) ways of speaking and knowing in the age to come replace the “in part” (v. 9) gifts of this age. Support for the second position is found in v. 12, which suggests that “then” (the time when these gifts will cease) is the time of Christ’s return.
1 Cor. 13:12 mirror dimly. Ancient mirrors were made from polished metal. Thus one’s reflection was more “dim” than in modern mirrors. Face to face seems to refer to Christ’s second coming. The spiritual gifts of this age will no longer be needed then.
1 Cor. 13:13 faith, hope, and love. The relationship of these three Christian qualities is a frequent theme in Paul’s letters. See Rom. 5:1–5; Gal. 5:5–6; Eph. 4:2–5; Col. 1:4–5; 1 Thess. 1:3.
Fact: The greatest is love
The greatest is love. Jesus said that Christians should be famous for their love for each other (John 13:34–35), but the Corinthian church was becoming known for its divisions and arguments (see 1 Cor. 3:3; 6:1; 11:18). Paul tells them what Christian love should look like (ch. 13).
1 Cor. 14:1 earnestly desire. God gives spiritual gifts for the good of the church (see v. 12; 12:31). that you may prophesy. See note on 12:10.
1 Cor. 14:2 Speaks not to men but to God indicates that Paul views tongues as a form of prayer and praise in a language the speaker does not understand (contrast Acts 2:1–13). On tongues and prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10.
1 Cor. 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself because his spirit prays to God even though he does not understand what is said (see vv. 2, 14, 28).
1 Cor. 14:5 I want you all to speak in tongues. Paul’s desire to set boundaries on speaking in tongues does not mean he thinks the Corinthians should abandon this gift. It builds up the individual who has it (v. 4) and, if interpreted, it builds up the church. (See also vv. 13, 18, 27, 39.) Still, prophecy is greater because it needs no interpretation. It is more directly useful to the church. Unless someone interprets implies that, when there is an interpreter, prophecy and tongues have equal value.
1 Cor. 14:14 The comparison between my spirit and my mind shows that Paul is not speaking here of the Holy Spirit but of his own human spirit. “Spirit” in reference to human beings means an inner, invisible faculty that can be especially open to the things of God (see 2:10–15; 5:3–5; Rom. 1:9; 8:16).
1 Cor. 14:16–17 with your spirit. That is, with your spirit only (in tongues) but not understanding with your mind (see note on v. 2). outsider. An interested inquirer into Christianity (see vv. 23–24).
1 Cor. 14:18 tongues. See note on 12:10.
1 Cor. 14:6–19 Paul uses several illustrations to show that speaking in tongues without interpretation does not strengthen the faith of anyone other than the speaker; such edification requires understanding.
1 Cor. 14:20 Paul tells them not to speak in tongues in church without interpretation, for that would be acting like children and not caring for the needs of others. Compare 3:1–3.
1 Cor. 14:21 Paul refers to Isa. 28:11. There, God’s word of judgment against Israel is spoken in a foreign language.
1 Cor. 14:22–25 Thus tongues are a sign . . . for unbelievers. As in Isa. 28:11, quoted in 1 Cor. 14:21, uninterpreted tongues are a negative sign of God’s judgment on the unbelieving: unbelievers may conclude from hearing uninterpreted tongues that Christians are out of their minds and may therefore leave the church, never to return. prophecy is a sign . . . for believers. Prophecy primarily benefits believers. It also convicts the unbeliever. It exposes the secrets of his heart and causes him to worship God. This, in turn, shows the believers that God is at work among them.
1 Cor. 14:26 When you come together. Worship in the early church included a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. The goal of building up is like the building of the temple (see 3:16; compare Ex. 25:8).
1 Cor. 14:27 Each in turn implies that those speaking in tongues could control themselves and take turns. And let someone interpret could include either the person speaking in tongues (see v. 13) or someone else.
1 Cor. 14:28 And speak to himself and to God means the speaker would use the gift of tongues privately in prayer.
1 Cor. 14:29 let the others weigh what is said. “The others” means the whole church, not just those with gifts of prophecy or discernment (see 1 Thess. 5:20–21; 1 John 4:1–3). Those who claimed to speak under the Spirit’s prompting could be mistaken. It was important for the assembly to decide whether the prophecies were really from the Lord.
1 Cor. 14:32 the spirits of prophets. The Holy Spirit’s work through the prophets (see Rev. 3:1; 4:5 for similar usage).
1 Cor. 14:33b As in all the churches of the saints is connected to v. 34.
1 Cor. 14:34–35 the women should keep silent in the churches. Since Paul seems to permit wives to pray and prophesy as long as they do not dishonor their husbands by the way they dress (11:5, 13), it is difficult to see this as an absolute prohibition of their speaking in church meetings (compare Acts 2:17; 21:8–9). Paul is likely forbidding women to speak up and judge prophecies (this is the activity in the immediate context; see 1 Cor. 14:29), since such an activity would undermine male headship. Law also says. Paul is probably thinking of the woman’s creation “from” and “for” the man (see 11:8–9; Gen. 2:20–24), as well as a general pattern of male leadership among the people of Israel in the OT.
1 Cor. 14:37 a command of the Lord. When he wrote to the churches, Paul’s words as an apostle had authority equal to the OT Scriptures (see also 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:15–16).
1 Cor. 11:2–14:40 Divisions over Corporate Worship. Paul addresses issues related to the Corinthians’ behavior in worship.
1 Cor. 12:1–14:40 Some Corinthian Christians seem to have been creating divisions over spiritual gifts. Paul’s use of the body analogy in 12:12–27 implies that they have placed so much emphasis on one gift that those without that gift feel that they are not part of the body (12:16–17). Considering its prominence in the discussion, that one gift is probably speaking in tongues.
Fact: “build up” the church
When the church meets, it should be to worship the Lord and to build up the church (14:12, 17). “Building up” includes using words and actions to edify and instruct others, or to make others stronger and more mature in Christ.
1 Cor. 15:1–4 in accordance with the Scriptures. Compare Luke 24:27; Acts 17:2–3; Rom. 1:2–4. Paul may be thinking especially of Isa. 53:3–12. For the resurrection, compare Hos. 6:2 and Jonah 1:17; 2:1; Matt. 12:40. For the OT in general pointing to Christ, see Luke 24:27 and Overview of the Bible.
Overview of the Bible
How does the Bible as a whole fit together? The events recorded in the Bible took place over a span of thousands of years and in several different cultural settings. What is their unifying thread?
One unifying thread in the Bible is its divine authorship. Every book of the Bible is God’s word. The events recorded in the Bible are there because God wanted them to be recorded, and he had them recorded with his people and their instruction in mind: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
God’s Plan for History
God also has a unified plan for history (Eph. 1:10, 12). The work of Christ on earth, especially his crucifixion and resurrection, is the climax of history. It is the great turning point. The present era looks back on Christ’s completed work but also forward to the consummation of his work when he will come again in the new heavens and earth.
God’s Promises and Predictions
The Old Testament directly points forward to Christ through promises of God’s salvation. God gave some specific promises in the Old Testament relating to the coming of Christ as the Messiah, the Savior in the line of David. But God often gives more general promises concerning a future great day of salvation, without spelling out all the details of how he will accomplish it. Sometimes the promises take explicit form (e.g., the coming of the Messiah), and sometimes they take symbolic form (e.g., the animal sacrifices). All of the Old Testament promises find their “yes” in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20).
God’s Warnings and Curses
God’s relation to people also includes warnings, threatenings, and cursings, which anticipate and point forward to Christ in two distinct ways. First, Christ is the Lamb of God who bore the curse of sin on the cross (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24). Every instance of the wrath of God against sin, and his punishment of sin, looks forward to the wrath that was poured out on Christ on the cross. Second, Christ will wage war against sin and exterminate it at his second coming. All earlier judgments against sin anticipate the final judgment.
God’s Covenant Commitment and Instruction
The promises of God in the Old Testament come in the context not only of God’s commitment to his people but also of instruction about the people’s commitment and obligations to God. When God makes a covenant with man, God is the sovereign, so he specifies the obligations on both sides. “I will be their God” is the fundamental obligation on God’s side, while “they shall be my people” is the fundamental obligation on the human side.
For example, in the first call of Abram (Gen. 12:1–2) God’s commitment takes the form of promises, blessings, and curses. The promises and blessings point forward to Christ, who is the fulfillment of the promises and the source of final blessings. The curses point forward to Christ both in his bearing the curse and in his execution of judgment and curse against sin, especially at the second coming.
Christ fulfilled the obligations of God’s covenants through perfect obedience (Heb. 5:8), receiving the reward of obedience in his resurrection and ascension (Phil. 2:9–10). By dealing with God’s wrath against sin, Christ reconciled believers to God, bringing about the intimacy with God that all of the Old Testament covenants anticipated.
Christ Is the Offspring of Abraham and the Last Adam
God’s promises to Abraham were the foundation for the nation of Israel. Abraham was obligated to walk blamelessly before God (Gen. 17:1). But only Christ is without sin (Heb. 4:15), making him the ultimate offspring to whom the other offspring all point (Gal. 3:16). Through Christ, believers are united to him and thereby themselves become “Abraham’s offspring” (Gal. 3:29). Believers, Jews and Gentiles alike, become heirs to the promises of God made to Abraham and his offspring (Gal. 3:28–29).
Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham, but—reaching back farther in time to an earlier promise of God—the offspring of the woman: “I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). The conquest over the serpent, and therefore the conquest of evil and the reversal of its effects, is to take place through the offspring of the woman. One can trace this offspring down from Eve through Seth and his godly descendants, through Noah, and down to Abraham, where God’s promise takes the specific form of offspring for Abraham. Thus Christ is not only the offspring of Abraham but the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45–49). Like Adam, he represents all who belong to him. And he reverses the effects of Adam’s fall.
Shadows, Prefigures, and “Types” of Christ
The Old Testament anticipates Christ the Savior by “shadows” and “types”—examples, symbols, pictures—of the things that were to come (see 1 Cor. 10:6, 11; Heb. 8:5). Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament prefigure the final sacrifice of Christ. The temple, as a dwelling place for God, prefigured Christ, who is the final “dwelling place” of God, and through whom God is with his people (Matt. 1:23; John 2:21). The Old Testament priests were types of Christ, the final high priest (Heb. 7:11–8:7).
The fulfillment of all these Old Testament shadows and types takes place preeminently in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20; Eph. 1:10). But in the New Testament those people who are “in Christ,” who place their trust in him and experience fellowship with his person and his blessings, receive the benefits of what he has accomplished. Therefore one can also find anticipations or “types” in the Old Testament that point forward to the New Testament church, the people in the New Testament who belong to Christ.
Some Old Testament symbols also may point forward especially to the consummation of salvation that takes place in the new heaven and the new earth yet to come (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1–22:5). Old Testament Jerusalem prefigured the new Jerusalem that will come “down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2).
Christ Is the Mediator
Sinful man needs a mediator who will approach God on his behalf. Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, and who is innocent of sin, is the only one who can mediate (1 Tim. 2:5–6) and the only one who can save (Acts 4:12).
All the instances of salvation and mediation in the Old Testament prefigure Christ. Prophets bring God’s word to his people. Godly kings bring God’s rule to bear on the people. Priests represent the people in coming before God’s presence. Christ is the prophet, king, and priest who fulfills all three functions in a final way (Heb. 1:1–3).
We can also look at wise men, who bring God’s wisdom to others; warriors, who bring God’s deliverance from enemies; and singers, who bring praise to God on behalf of the people and speak of God to the people. Covenants bring God’s word to the people. The temple brings God’s presence to the people. Animal sacrifices bring God’s forgiveness to the people. In reading the Bible, we should look for ways in which God brings his word and his presence to people through the means he establishes. All these means perform a mediatorial role, and because there is only one mediator, clearly they all point to Christ.
1 Cor. 15:6 though some have fallen asleep. Paul is careful not to exaggerate (compare 7:10, 12). This shows the great care that early Christians took in preserving historically accurate details about Jesus.
1 Cor. 15:7 James. See note on 9:4–5. all the apostles. The full group of apostles is larger than “the Twelve.” It included, among others, James and Paul (15:8). One of the qualifications for apostleship was seeing the risen Lord (9:1).
New Testament Timeline
The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.
| 5 B.C.* | Jesus is born in Bethlehem. |
| 4 B.C. | Jesus’ family flees to Egypt to escape from Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13–18); Herod dies; Judas (of Sepphoris) and others rebel, requiring the Syrian Governor Varus to intervene throughout Palestine; Sepphoris, a city four miles from Nazareth, is destroyed by Roman soldiers; Judea, Samaria, and Idumea are given to Herod’s son, Archelaus; Galilee and Perea are given to his son Antipas; Jesus’ family, after returning from Egypt, resides in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23), a small village in southern Galilee. |
| A.D. 6 | Archelaus is exiled for incompetence; Judea becomes a Roman province; Judas the Galilean (of Gamla) leads a revolt against the tax census; the governor of Syria, Quirinius (A.D. 6–7), appoints Annas high priest (6–15). |
| 8* | Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41–50). |
| 8*–28/30 | Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt. |
| 28–29* | John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River (John 1:19). |
| 28–30* | Jesus begins his ministry in Judea, but soon focuses his efforts in Galilee. In Jerusalem, Pharisees (like Gamaliel) train disciples (like Paul) in their tradition. They send a delegation to Galilee, but the delegation rejects Jesus’ teaching. In Alexandria, Philo (20 B.C.–A.D. 50) attempts to unify Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture. |
| 33 (or 30) | Jesus returns to Judea, is crucified, and resurrected. James the brother of Jesus becomes a believer after witnessing the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7; Acts 12:17). Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1). Jesus’ first followers receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and begin to proclaim the gospel (Acts 2). |
| 33/34* | Paul witnesses the resurrected Lord on the way to Damascus and is commissioned as an apostle to the nations (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15–16). |
| 34–37 | Paul ministers in Damascus and Arabia (Acts 9:19–22; 26:20; Gal. 1:16–18). |
| 36 | Pilate loses his position for incompetence. |
| 36/37* | Paul meets with Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18). |
| 37–45 | Paul ministers in Syria, Tarsus, and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21). |
| 38* | Peter witnesses to Cornelius (Acts 10). |
| 39 | Antipas is exiled. |
| 40–45* | James writes his letter to believers outside Palestine (see James 1:1). |
| 41–44 | Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, rules Palestine; he kills James the brother of John (Acts 12:2) and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:3). |
| 42–44 | Paul receives his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7). |
| 44 | Peter leaves Jerusalem; Agrippa is killed by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 12:23). |
| 44–46 | Theudas persuades many Jews to sell their possessions and follow him into the wilderness where he claimed he would miraculously divide the Jordan River; Roman procurator Fadus dispatches his cavalry and beheads the would-be messiah. |
| 44–47* | Paul’s Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10). |
| 46–47 | Paul’s First Missionary Journey (with Barnabas) from Antioch to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13:4–14:26). |
| 46–48 | Roman procurator Tiberius Alexander crucifies two sons (Jacob and Simon) of Judas the Galilean. |
| 48* | Paul writes Galatians, perhaps from Antioch (see Acts 14:26–28). |
| 48–49* | Paul and Peter return to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, which, with the assistance of James, frees Gentile believers from the requirement of circumcision in opposition to Pharisaic believers (Acts 15:1–29); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30) but split over a dispute about John Mark (Acts 15:36–40). |
| 48/49–51* | Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas) from Antioch to Syria, Cilicia, southern Galatia, Macedonia, notably Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea; and then on to Achaia, notably Athens and Corinth (Acts 15:36–18:22). |
| 49 | Claudius expels Jews from Rome because of conflicts about Jesus (Acts 18:2); Paul befriends two refugees, Priscilla and Aquila, in Corinth (Acts 18:2–3). |
| 49–51* | Paul writes 1–2 Thessalonians from Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11; also compare Acts 18:5 with 1 Thess. 1:8). |
| 51 | Paul appears before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12–17). |
| 50–54* | Peter comes to Rome. |
| 52–57* | Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts 18:23–21:17). |
| 52–55 | Paul ministers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20). |
| 53–55* | Mark writes his Gospel, containing Peter’s memories of Jesus; perhaps within a decade, Matthew publishes his Gospel, which relies on Mark and other sources. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Acts 19:10). |
| 54 | Claudius dies (edict exiling Jews repealed); Priscilla and Aquila return to Rome and host a church in their home (see Rom. 16:3–5). |
| 54–68 | Nero reigns. |
| 55–56* | Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 3; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; 7:5; 8:1; 9:2, 4; see 1 Cor. 16:5). |
| 57* | Paul winters in Corinth and writes Romans (Acts 20:3; see Rom. 16:1–2; also see Rom. 16:23 with 1 Cor. 1:14); travels to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1–16), visits with James the brother of Jesus (Acts 21:17–26), and is arrested (Acts 21:27–36; 22:22–29). |
| 57–59 | Paul is imprisoned and transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23–24, 33–34). |
| 60 | Paul begins voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–2); he is shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 27:39–28:10). |
| 60–70* | Letter to the Hebrews is written. |
| 62 | James the brother of the Lord is executed by the Sadducean high priest Ananus. |
| 62–63* | Peter writes his first letter (1 Peter) from Rome (1 Pet. 5:13). |
| 62* | Paul arrives in Rome and remains under house arrest (Acts 28:16–31); he writes Ephesians (see verses for Colossians), Philippians (Phil. 1:7, 13, 17; 4:22), Colossians (Col. 4:3, 10, 18; see Acts 27:2 with Col. 4:10), Philemon (see Philem. 23 with Col. 1:7; Philem. 2 with Col. 4:17; Philem. 24 with Col. 4:10; also see Col. 4:9). Luke, Paul’s physician and companion (see Col. 4:14), writes Luke and Acts. |
| 62–64 | Paul is released, extends his mission (probably reaching Spain), writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia (see 1 Tim. 1:3) and Titus from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12); he is rearrested in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16–17). |
| 63–64 | Work on the temple complex is completed. |
| 64 (July 19) | Fire in Rome; Nero blames and kills many Christians. |
| 64–67* | Peter writes his second letter ( 2 Peter). Jude writes his letter. Paul writes 2 Timothy (see 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul and Peter are martyred in Rome. |
| 66 | First Jewish-Roman War begins with a riot between Greeks and Jews at Caesarea; Roman procurator Gesius Florus (A.D. 64–66) is murdered and a Roman garrison wiped out; Menahem, son or grandson of Judas the Galilean, murders the high priest Ananias and seizes control of the temple; Nero dispatches Vespasian with three legions. |
| 67* | Romans destroy the Qumran community, who beforehand hid the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves; the church in Jerusalem flees to Pella (Matt. 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–22); John migrates to Ephesus with Mary, Jesus’ mother. |
| 68 | Nero commits suicide; year of the three emperors. |
| 69 | Rebellion quelled in Galilee and Samaria; Vespasian summoned back to Rome to become emperor. |
| 70 (Aug. 30) | Titus, Vespasian’s son, after a five-month siege of Jerusalem, destroys the temple after desecrating it; the temple’s menorah, Torah, and veil are removed and later put on display in a victory parade in Rome; the influence of the Sadducees ends; the Pharisee Johanan ben Zakkai escapes and convinces the Romans to allow him and others to settle in Jamnia, where they found a school. |
| 73 (May 2)* | Before Roman general Silva breaches the fortress atop Masada following a two-year siege, 936 Jewish rebels commit suicide. |
| 75 | Titus has an affair with the Jewish princess Berenice, sister of Agrippa II (Acts 25:13, 23), whom he later abandons because of the scandal. |
| 77 | Pliny the Elder writes Natural History. |
| 77–78 | Josephus publishes Jewish War in Rome. |
| 79 | Pompeii and Herculaneum are destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius; Pliny the Elder dies attempting to investigate. |
| 81 | The Arch of Titus, celebrating his destruction of the temple, is erected in Rome. |
| 81–96 | Domitian, Titus’s brother, persecutes Christians among the Roman nobility, including his own relatives Clemens and Domitilla. |
| 85–95* | John writes his letters (1–3 John), probably in Ephesus. |
| 89–95* | John writes his Gospel, probably in Ephesus. |
| 93–94 | Josephus publishes Jewish Antiquities in Rome. |
| 94 | Domitian exiles philosophers from Rome. |
| 95* | Amidst persecution, Clement, a leader in the Roman church, writes his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) appealing for peace between the young men and elders. |
| 95–96* | Exiled by Domitian to Patmos, John writes Revelation (Rev. 1:9). |
| 96–98 | Nerva, the first of five “good” emperors, ends official persecution. |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
1 Cor. 15:9 On Paul as persecutor of the church, see Acts 7:58; 8:1–3; 9:1–2; Gal. 1:13; 1 Tim. 1:13.
The Twelve Apostles*
| Matthew 10:2–4 | Mark 3:16–19 | Luke 6:14–16 | John (various verses) | Acts 1:13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simon, who is called Peter | 1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter) | 1. Simon, whom he named Peter | Simon Peter (1:40–42) | 1. Peter |
| 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | 4. Andrew | 2. Andrew his [Simon Peter’s] brother | Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (1:40) | 4. Andrew |
| 3. James the son of Zebedee | 2. James the son of Zebedee | 3. James | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 3. James |
| 4. John his [James’s] brother | 3. John the brother of James | 4. John | unnamed son of Zebedee (21:2) | 2. John |
| 5. Philip | 5. Philip | 5. Philip | Philip of Bethsaida (1:43–44) | 5. Philip |
| 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | 6. Bartholomew | Nathanael of Cana (1:45–49; 21:2)** | 7. Bartholomew |
| 7. Thomas | 8. Thomas | 8. Thomas | Thomas called the Twin (11:16) | 6. Thomas |
| 8. Matthew the tax collector | 7. Matthew (Levi, son of Alphaeus, a tax collector, 2:14) | 7. Matthew (Levi, tax collector, 5:27) | 8. Matthew | |
| 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | 9. James the son of Alphaeus | |
| 10. Thaddaeus | 10. Thaddaeus | 11. Judas the son of James | Judas (not Iscariot) (14:22) | 11. Judas the son of James |
| 11. Simon the Zealot | 11. Simon the Zealot | 10. Simon who was called the Zealot | 10. Simon the Zealot | |
| 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | 12. Judas Iscariot | Judas the son of Simon Iscariot (6:71) | 12. Matthias replaces Judas [who had died] (Acts 1:26) |
*Others in the NT are regarded as apostles besides the Twelve, notably James the brother of Jesus (Acts 15:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19), Paul (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8–9), and Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14).
**Nathanael is probably Bartholomew, since he is closely associated with Philip. He is certainly not Levi/Matthew, who already has two names and who was from Capernaum. It is possible but unlikely that he is Thaddeus/Judas or Simon the Zealot.
1 Cor. 15:1–11 Paul first establishes the historical reliability of Jesus’ resurrection. This lays a firm foundation for his argument that it was only the first step in the resurrection of all deceased believers.
1 Cor. 15:12 raised from the dead. Some of the Corinthians denied that believers would be raised. Paul emphasizes four times in vv. 12–19 that those who deny the bodily resurrection of believers also deny the bodily resurrection of Christ.
1 Cor. 15:17 still in your sins. Jesus’ resurrection is proof that his death was an effective substitutionary sacrifice for sin.
Fact: Resurrection
Jesus’ resurrection is a crucial part of the gospel message. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are still in our sins (1 Cor. 15:17). Yet the Jewish leaders chose to make up the story that it never happened (Matt. 28:13–14).
1 Cor. 15:20 Firstfruits is the first sample of an agricultural crop, which indicates the nature and quality of the rest of the crop. Christ’s resurrection body indicates what the bodies of resurrected believers will be like (see also Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:23; Col. 1:18).
1 Cor. 15:22 in Adam all die. See Rom. 5:12, 14–15, 17; Eph. 2:1, 5. in Christ shall all be made alive. See Rom. 5:17, 21; 6:4; Eph. 2:5–6. Adam represented the whole human race. His sin therefore affected all human beings. Similarly, Christ represented all who would belong to him. His obedience therefore affected all believers.
Adam
Adam, whose name means “man,” was the first human being. Created out of dust, he was made in the image of God. Adam was given dominion over the rest of creation and was placed in the garden of Eden to care for it. God created Eve as a helper for Adam, and together they enjoyed perfect fellowship with their Creator. But Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, which brought sin and death into the world. Because of their sin, all humans are now born sinners and will someday die. The Bible tells the story of how God redeems his creation from the curse of Adam’s sin. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). (Genesis 2:7)
1 Cor. 15:23 at his coming. When Christ returns, all his people from all time will receive resurrection bodies. Until that time, those who have died exist in heaven as spirits without bodies (see 2 Cor. 5:8; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 6:9). The phrase those who belong to Christ shows that the “all” in 1 Cor. 15:22 does not mean that all people will be saved.
1 Cor. 15:24–27 On the reign of Christ and his control of all things (under his feet), see Ps. 8:6; 110:1; Eph. 1:20–21; Heb. 2:5–9. death. When believers are finally resurrected from the dead, the destruction of death will be complete. See 1 Cor. 15:54–55; Heb. 2:14–15; Rev. 20:13–14; 21:4.
1 Cor. 15:28 the Son . . . will also be subjected. Jesus is one with God the Father and equal to the Father in deity (8:6; John 10:30; 14:9; Heb. 1:8). Yet he also submits to God the Father (Mark 14:36; John 5:19, 26–27, 30; 17:4). God will be all in all, in the sense that God’s supreme authority over everything will be eternally established, never to be challenged again.
1 Cor. 15:29 baptized on behalf of the dead. Some interpreters believe this refers to baptism on behalf of deceased people, probably those who had believed in Christ but had not been baptized before they died (see Luke 23:43). Whatever the practice is, Paul reports it without necessarily approving it. He clearly does not command it. The Bible gives no support to the idea that anyone can be saved apart from personal faith in Christ (see notes on John 3:18; 14:6).
Fact: Speaking the truth in an understandable way
Speaking the truth in an understandable way. When Paul said, “Bad company ruins good morals” (15:33), he was probably quoting the words of a famous Athenian playwright. This is similar to Paul’s sermon in Athens (Acts 17:22–31), where he quotes from non-Christian writers. Christians can often share God’s truth with nonbelievers by relating it to ideas with which they are familiar.
1 Cor. 15:30–34 Taking risks to proclaim the gospel makes no sense if there is no resurrection.
1 Cor. 15:42 imperishable. No longer subject to physical decay or aging.
1 Cor. 15:35–43 How are the dead raised? Using illustrations from the natural world, Paul explains that God will change the bodies of the deceased to make them appropriate for their new, imperishable existence.
1 Cor. 15:43 The terms dishonor and glory refer here to outward physical appearance.
Weakness and Power (or Strength) in 1–2 Corinthians
| Verse | Weakness | Power (or Strength) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor. 1:25 | the weakness of God | is stronger than men |
| 1 Cor. 1:27 | God chose what is weak | to shame the strong |
| 1 Cor. 2:3, 5 | in weakness and in fear | but in the power of God |
| 1 Cor. 15:43 | sown in weakness | raised in power |
| 2 Cor. 12:9 | I will boast . . . of my weaknesses | so that the power of Christ may rest upon me |
| 2 Cor. 13:3 | not weak in dealing with you | but . . . powerful among you |
| 2 Cor. 13:4 | he was crucified in weakness | but lives by the power of God |
| 2 Cor. 13:4 | we also are weak in him | but . . . live with him by the power of God |
| 2 Cor. 13:9 | we are glad when we are weak | and you are strong |
1 Cor. 15:44–47 Paul’s contrast between natural and spiritual is a contrast between that which is temporally alive and that which is eternal (compare 2:14–3:3). Starting from Gen. 2:7, Paul explains that God created Adam from the dust and animated him with breath. Christ, however, is the last Adam. His resurrection gave him a “spiritual” and therefore imperishable body (compare Phil. 3:21). spiritual body. Not a ghostly, immaterial body but a body animated and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor. 15:51–53 mystery. See notes on 4:1 and 1 Thess. 4:13–18.
Earthly Bodies and Resurrection Bodies (1 Corinthians 15)
| Verse | Earthly Bodies | Resurrection Bodies |
|---|---|---|
| v. 42 | perishable | imperishable |
| v. 43a | exist in dishonor | raised in glory |
| v. 43b | exist in weakness | raised in power |
| v. 44 | natural | spiritual |
| vv. 45, 47 | first Adam a living being, from the earth | last Adam (Christ) a life-giving spirit, from heaven |
| vv. 48–49 | those who are of earth bear the image of the man of dust | those who are of heaven shall bear the image of the man of heaven |
| vv. 53–54 | mortal | immortal |
1 Cor. 15:54–55 Death is swallowed up. See v. 26.
1 Cor. 15:56 power of sin is the law. See Rom. 5:20–21; 7:5–25; 8:1–3.
Earthly Bodies and Resurrection Bodies (1 Corinthians 15)
| Verse | Earthly Bodies | Resurrection Bodies |
|---|---|---|
| v. 42 | perishable | imperishable |
| v. 43a | exist in dishonor | raised in glory |
| v. 43b | exist in weakness | raised in power |
| v. 44 | natural | spiritual |
| vv. 45, 47 | first Adam a living being, from the earth | last Adam (Christ) a life-giving spirit, from heaven |
| vv. 48–49 | those who are of earth bear the image of the man of dust | those who are of heaven shall bear the image of the man of heaven |
| vv. 53–54 | mortal | immortal |
15:1–58 The Futility of Faith If the Dead Are Not Raised. Many people in the ancient Greco-Roman world believed that death ended life completely or led to a permanent but shadowy existence in the underworld. The concept of having a physical body after death was known mainly from popular fables. Educated people thought the idea was ridiculous. Paul deals with the Corinthians’ denial of and confusion about the future, bodily resurrection of Christians (vv. 12, 35). These issues were probably raised in their letter to him (7:1).
1 Cor. 15:35–58 Apparently the Corinthians did not understand how material bodies, subject to sickness, death, and eventual decay, could live eternally. Paul explains that God will change the bodies of believers to make them immortal.
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore implies a practical application for the doctrine of the resurrection. The work Christians do for the kingdom of God will bring results that last forever.
Fact: Resurrected as real people!
Resurrected as real people! After his resurrection, Jesus had a real physical body. He was not just a disembodied spirit. He could eat and be touched (24:39–43). Christians will also experience real, physical resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
1 Cor. 16:1 Now concerning. See note on 7:1. collection. This is Paul’s collection of money for needy Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. (See Acts 24:17; Rom. 15:25–28, 31; 2 Corinthians 8–9.) Paul brought such offerings to the church in Judea more than once. (See Acts 11:27–30, to which Gal. 2:10 may refer.) On generosity among Christians, see 2 Cor. 8:9–15.
1 Cor. 16:2 first day of every week. A Jewish expression for Sunday. It is similar to the phrase used in the Gospels to describe the day when Jesus rose from the dead (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). Christians gathered for worship on Sunday, not Saturday (see Acts 20:7).
1 Cor. 16:3 Paul would send the money with several representatives chosen by the Corinthian church. He took care to prevent even an appearance of misuse of funds.
Paul Collects an Offering for Judea
| Activity | Text | Date |
|---|---|---|
| The church in Antioch sends Barnabas and Paul to Judea with relief funds. | Acts 11:29–30; 12:25 | c. A.D. 44–47 |
| James, Cephas, and John encourage Paul to remember the poor, which he is eager to do. | Gal. 2:10 | c. 44–47 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Ephesus. | 1 Cor. 16:1–4 (see note on Acts 20:4) | c. 53–55 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Macedonia. | 2 Corinthians 8–9 | c. 55–56 |
| Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Achaia. | Rom. 15:25–33 (see note on Acts 20:3) | Spring of 57 |
| Paul is arrested when he arrives in Jerusalem to deliver the gift. | Acts 24:17 (see Acts 21:17–33) | Pentecost, 57 |
New Testament Timeline
The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.
| 5 B.C.* | Jesus is born in Bethlehem. |
| 4 B.C. | Jesus’ family flees to Egypt to escape from Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13–18); Herod dies; Judas (of Sepphoris) and others rebel, requiring the Syrian Governor Varus to intervene throughout Palestine; Sepphoris, a city four miles from Nazareth, is destroyed by Roman soldiers; Judea, Samaria, and Idumea are given to Herod’s son, Archelaus; Galilee and Perea are given to his son Antipas; Jesus’ family, after returning from Egypt, resides in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23), a small village in southern Galilee. |
| A.D. 6 | Archelaus is exiled for incompetence; Judea becomes a Roman province; Judas the Galilean (of Gamla) leads a revolt against the tax census; the governor of Syria, Quirinius (A.D. 6–7), appoints Annas high priest (6–15). |
| 8* | Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41–50). |
| 8*–28/30 | Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt. |
| 28–29* | John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River (John 1:19). |
| 28–30* | Jesus begins his ministry in Judea, but soon focuses his efforts in Galilee. In Jerusalem, Pharisees (like Gamaliel) train disciples (like Paul) in their tradition. They send a delegation to Galilee, but the delegation rejects Jesus’ teaching. In Alexandria, Philo (20 B.C.–A.D. 50) attempts to unify Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture. |
| 33 (or 30) | Jesus returns to Judea, is crucified, and resurrected. James the brother of Jesus becomes a believer after witnessing the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7; Acts 12:17). Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1). Jesus’ first followers receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and begin to proclaim the gospel (Acts 2). |
| 33/34* | Paul witnesses the resurrected Lord on the way to Damascus and is commissioned as an apostle to the nations (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15–16). |
| 34–37 | Paul ministers in Damascus and Arabia (Acts 9:19–22; 26:20; Gal. 1:16–18). |
| 36 | Pilate loses his position for incompetence. |
| 36/37* | Paul meets with Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18). |
| 37–45 | Paul ministers in Syria, Tarsus, and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21). |
| 38* | Peter witnesses to Cornelius (Acts 10). |
| 39 | Antipas is exiled. |
| 40–45* | James writes his letter to believers outside Palestine (see James 1:1). |
| 41–44 | Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, rules Palestine; he kills James the brother of John (Acts 12:2) and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:3). |
| 42–44 | Paul receives his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7). |
| 44 | Peter leaves Jerusalem; Agrippa is killed by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 12:23). |
| 44–46 | Theudas persuades many Jews to sell their possessions and follow him into the wilderness where he claimed he would miraculously divide the Jordan River; Roman procurator Fadus dispatches his cavalry and beheads the would-be messiah. |
| 44–47* | Paul’s Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10). |
| 46–47 | Paul’s First Missionary Journey (with Barnabas) from Antioch to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13:4–14:26). |
| 46–48 | Roman procurator Tiberius Alexander crucifies two sons (Jacob and Simon) of Judas the Galilean. |
| 48* | Paul writes Galatians, perhaps from Antioch (see Acts 14:26–28). |
| 48–49* | Paul and Peter return to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, which, with the assistance of James, frees Gentile believers from the requirement of circumcision in opposition to Pharisaic believers (Acts 15:1–29); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30) but split over a dispute about John Mark (Acts 15:36–40). |
| 48/49–51* | Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas) from Antioch to Syria, Cilicia, southern Galatia, Macedonia, notably Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea; and then on to Achaia, notably Athens and Corinth (Acts 15:36–18:22). |
| 49 | Claudius expels Jews from Rome because of conflicts about Jesus (Acts 18:2); Paul befriends two refugees, Priscilla and Aquila, in Corinth (Acts 18:2–3). |
| 49–51* | Paul writes 1–2 Thessalonians from Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11; also compare Acts 18:5 with 1 Thess. 1:8). |
| 51 | Paul appears before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12–17). |
| 50–54* | Peter comes to Rome. |
| 52–57* | Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts 18:23–21:17). |
| 52–55 | Paul ministers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20). |
| 53–55* | Mark writes his Gospel, containing Peter’s memories of Jesus; perhaps within a decade, Matthew publishes his Gospel, which relies on Mark and other sources. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Acts 19:10). |
| 54 | Claudius dies (edict exiling Jews repealed); Priscilla and Aquila return to Rome and host a church in their home (see Rom. 16:3–5). |
| 54–68 | Nero reigns. |
| 55–56* | Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 3; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; 7:5; 8:1; 9:2, 4; see 1 Cor. 16:5). |
| 57* | Paul winters in Corinth and writes Romans (Acts 20:3; see Rom. 16:1–2; also see Rom. 16:23 with 1 Cor. 1:14); travels to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1–16), visits with James the brother of Jesus (Acts 21:17–26), and is arrested (Acts 21:27–36; 22:22–29). |
| 57–59 | Paul is imprisoned and transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23–24, 33–34). |
| 60 | Paul begins voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–2); he is shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 27:39–28:10). |
| 60–70* | Letter to the Hebrews is written. |
| 62 | James the brother of the Lord is executed by the Sadducean high priest Ananus. |
| 62–63* | Peter writes his first letter (1 Peter) from Rome (1 Pet. 5:13). |
| 62* | Paul arrives in Rome and remains under house arrest (Acts 28:16–31); he writes Ephesians (see verses for Colossians), Philippians (Phil. 1:7, 13, 17; 4:22), Colossians (Col. 4:3, 10, 18; see Acts 27:2 with Col. 4:10), Philemon (see Philem. 23 with Col. 1:7; Philem. 2 with Col. 4:17; Philem. 24 with Col. 4:10; also see Col. 4:9). Luke, Paul’s physician and companion (see Col. 4:14), writes Luke and Acts. |
| 62–64 | Paul is released, extends his mission (probably reaching Spain), writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia (see 1 Tim. 1:3) and Titus from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12); he is rearrested in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16–17). |
| 63–64 | Work on the temple complex is completed. |
| 64 (July 19) | Fire in Rome; Nero blames and kills many Christians. |
| 64–67* | Peter writes his second letter ( 2 Peter). Jude writes his letter. Paul writes 2 Timothy (see 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul and Peter are martyred in Rome. |
| 66 | First Jewish-Roman War begins with a riot between Greeks and Jews at Caesarea; Roman procurator Gesius Florus (A.D. 64–66) is murdered and a Roman garrison wiped out; Menahem, son or grandson of Judas the Galilean, murders the high priest Ananias and seizes control of the temple; Nero dispatches Vespasian with three legions. |
| 67* | Romans destroy the Qumran community, who beforehand hid the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves; the church in Jerusalem flees to Pella (Matt. 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–22); John migrates to Ephesus with Mary, Jesus’ mother. |
| 68 | Nero commits suicide; year of the three emperors. |
| 69 | Rebellion quelled in Galilee and Samaria; Vespasian summoned back to Rome to become emperor. |
| 70 (Aug. 30) | Titus, Vespasian’s son, after a five-month siege of Jerusalem, destroys the temple after desecrating it; the temple’s menorah, Torah, and veil are removed and later put on display in a victory parade in Rome; the influence of the Sadducees ends; the Pharisee Johanan ben Zakkai escapes and convinces the Romans to allow him and others to settle in Jamnia, where they found a school. |
| 73 (May 2)* | Before Roman general Silva breaches the fortress atop Masada following a two-year siege, 936 Jewish rebels commit suicide. |
| 75 | Titus has an affair with the Jewish princess Berenice, sister of Agrippa II (Acts 25:13, 23), whom he later abandons because of the scandal. |
| 77 | Pliny the Elder writes Natural History. |
| 77–78 | Josephus publishes Jewish War in Rome. |
| 79 | Pompeii and Herculaneum are destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius; Pliny the Elder dies attempting to investigate. |
| 81 | The Arch of Titus, celebrating his destruction of the temple, is erected in Rome. |
| 81–96 | Domitian, Titus’s brother, persecutes Christians among the Roman nobility, including his own relatives Clemens and Domitilla. |
| 85–95* | John writes his letters (1–3 John), probably in Ephesus. |
| 89–95* | John writes his Gospel, probably in Ephesus. |
| 93–94 | Josephus publishes Jewish Antiquities in Rome. |
| 94 | Domitian exiles philosophers from Rome. |
| 95* | Amidst persecution, Clement, a leader in the Roman church, writes his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) appealing for peace between the young men and elders. |
| 95–96* | Exiled by Domitian to Patmos, John writes Revelation (Rev. 1:9). |
| 96–98 | Nerva, the first of five “good” emperors, ends official persecution. |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
1 Cor. 16:8 Pentecost. The “Feast of Weeks,” described in Lev. 23:15–22. It was a grain harvest celebration that ended 50 days after Passover. This means Paul was probably writing in the spring, between Passover and this final day of Pentecost.
1 Cor. 16:10 When Timothy comes. Timothy is apparently already on his way to Corinth. (See 4:17 and Acts 19:22.)
1 Cor. 16:1–12 The Collection for the Saints and Travel Plans. Paul explains how his future ministry will involve the Corinthians.
1 Cor. 16:12 Paul would not have urged Apollos to visit Corinth if he disagreed with his theology (see 1:12; 3:4; 4:6).
1 Cor. 16:13 act like men. Compare Josh. 1:6–7, 9; 10:25; 1 Chron. 28:20.
1 Cor. 16:17 Perhaps these were the men who brought the Corinthians’ letter to Paul (7:1).
1 Cor. 16:19 the church in their house. Early Christian churches usually met in homes (compare Rom. 16:3–5) since they were usually small and Christianity was not recognized as a legal religion (see Acts 18:7; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2).
1 Cor. 16:20 holy kiss. See note on 2 Cor. 13:12–13. Many practices with symbolic meanings change from culture to culture (such as footwashing, or head covering for wives; see note on 1 Cor. 11:5–6). A “holy kiss” would not mean the same thing today that it did in the first century. Such commands are best obeyed by substituting an action (such as a handshake or hug or bow) that would have the same meaning today.
1 Cor. 16:21 I, Paul. Paul typically dictated his letters to secretaries (Rom. 16:22), but sometimes he would sign the letter by hand to authenticate it (2 Thess. 3:17), to give a personal farewell greeting (Col. 4:18), or to emphasize a point (Gal. 6:11; Philem. 19). In light of 1 Cor. 16:22, Paul’s personal signature here probably falls into the third category.
The Authentication of Paul’s Letters
In 2:2 Paul warns against letters that claim to come from him but do not. In 11 places in his letters Paul either identifies himself or gives his signature. This supports the conclusion that all of the NT letters attributed to Paul are in fact authentic, rather than having been written by someone else in Paul’s name.
| 1 Cor. 16:21 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 2 Cor. 10:1 | I, Paul, myself entreat you |
| Gal. 5:2 | Look: I, Paul, say to you |
| Gal. 6:11 | See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand |
| Eph. 3:1 | I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus |
| Col. 1:23 | of which I, Paul, became a minister |
| Col. 4:18 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand |
| 1 Thess. 2:18 | we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again |
| 2 Thess. 2:2 | not to be . . . alarmed . . . by . . . a letter seeming to be from us |
| 2 Thess. 3:17 | I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write |
| Philem. 19 | I, Paul, write this with my own hand |
Fact: I, Paul
I, Paul. Paul typically used a scribe or secretary to write down his letters as he dictated them. However, in order to remove any doubt that the letter reflected his actual thoughts and words, Paul would often sign his own name at the end (16:21).
1 Cor. 16:22 Anyone who might say “Jesus is accursed” (12:3) is himself accursed. The phrase Our Lord, come! is Aramaic rather than Greek. It is probably an early Jewish Christian prayer for Jesus’ return (compare Rev. 22:20). It is additional evidence that early followers of Jesus gave him the same title they used for God the Father.
1 Cor. 16:13–24 Closing Admonitions and Greetings. Paul tells the Corinthians to persevere, love, and submit to good leaders. He then gives greetings from Christians in Asia.
The Setting of 1 Corinthians
c. A.D. 53–55
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians during his third missionary journey, near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:21–22). Both Corinth and Ephesus were wealthy port cities steeped in pagan idolatry and philosophy. Corinth benefited both militarily and economically from its strategic location at one end of the isthmus that connected the southern Greek peninsula to the mainland.
Introduction to 1 Corinthians
Timeline
Author, Date, and Recipients
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian church in the spring of A.D. 53, 54, or 55. This was near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus. Altogether Paul wrote four letters to this church: (1) the previous letter mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9; (2) 1 Corinthians; (3) the tearful, severe letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:3–4; and (4) 2 Corinthians. Only 1 and 2 Corinthians have survived.
Theme
The Corinthian church, divided because of the arrogance of its more powerful members, should work together for the advancement of the gospel. They should repent of their rivalries, build up the faith of those who are weak, and witness effectively to unbelievers.
Purpose
Paul received an oral report and a letter from the Corinthian church. These revealed a church struggling with division, immorality, idolatry, and theological confusion. He wrote them this letter so that they would become a true dwelling place for God’s Spirit (3:12, 16), stay faithful to the gospel, and be “guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:8).
Key Themes
- The church is the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. Thus, the people who make up the church should work for unity by building each other up (1:10–4:21, especially 3:10–16; 14:12).
- Christians should build up the church in four practical ways:
a. they should be sensitive to those with fragile faith (8:1–9:18; 10:28, 33).
b. they should win unbelievers to the faith (9:19–23; 10:27, 32–33).
c. they should conduct worship services in such a way that unbelievers might come to faith (14:16, 23–25).
d. their corporate worship should use spiritual gifts not out of personal pride, or for evaluating who has the better gift, but to build up the church (11:2–16; 12:12–30; 14:1–35).
- Sexual relations form a union between man and woman as deep as the union of the believer with Christ. Therefore sexual activity should be confined to marriage (5:1–13; 6:12–20; 7:5, 9, 36).
- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are important. Yet both are less important than personal trust in the gospel and living in the way God commands (1:14–17; 10:1–5; 11:17–34; 15:29–34).
- The bodily resurrection of Jesus (and of his followers) from the dead is a key truth of the Christian faith (6:14; 15:1–58).
Outline
- Introduction to the Letter’s Main Themes (1:1–9)
- Divisions over Christian Preachers (1:10–4:21)
- A Report of Sexual Immorality and Lawsuits (5:1–6:20)
- Three Issues from the Corinthians’ Letter (7:1–11:1)
- Divisions over Corporate Worship (11:2–14:40)
- The Futility of Faith If the Dead Are Not Raised (15:1–58)
- The Collection for the Saints and Travel Plans (16:1–12)
- Closing Admonitions and Greetings (16:13–24)
The Setting of 1 Corinthians
c. A.D. 53–55
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians during his third missionary journey, near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:21–22). Both Corinth and Ephesus were wealthy port cities steeped in pagan idolatry and philosophy. Corinth benefited both militarily and economically from its strategic location at one end of the isthmus that connected the southern Greek peninsula to the mainland.
Fact: pastoral letter
First Corinthians is a pastoral letter to a spiritually troubled church. Paul deeply loved the church at Corinth, but he was distressed by some of the behavior prevalent among its members. He wrote to the Corinthians to address such issues as the relationship between Christians and the surrounding culture, divisions within the church, and matters of personal morality.
S4:283 1 Corinthians 12-16
Listen NowDive Deeper | 1 Corinthians 12-16
Paul's letter to the Corinthians was to help identify problems, offer solutions, and encourage believers about how to live for Christ in a broken and corrupt world. LOVE is a central theme: a love for our brothers/sisters in Christ, as we are one body (1 Corinthians 12:12), God's definition of perfect love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), a love for the gospel and what it means for us as believers (1 Corinthians 15:1-2), and much more.
You'd think with a message this clear it would be easy to practice, so why is it so hard to live a life reflecting God's Word? SIN. Sin has separated us from God's way, and we live in a world in which sin runs rampant. We live in a world that's not so different from Corinth. We live in a world that promotes "self-love" and falsely teaches us to "live your truth," but Paul says love "rejoices with THE truth" (1 Corinthians 13:6, emphasis added)—absolute truth that comes from God's Word.
So how do we apply this to how we live? Paul David Tripp says, "Truth and love are inextricably bound together. Love that compromises truth simply isn't love. Truth without love ceases to be truth." I have a strong conviction to speak the truth; and most times, I fail to communicate it in a loving way (just ask my wife). As we meet with our community, speak the truth, even if it's unnatural; and listen to the truth, even when it's hard to hear. Do all of this in love! Proverbs 27 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:6a); and "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17).
Paul's final charge in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 is such an encouragement to me, and I pray it is for you as well! Only through Christ and his Spirit are we able to live in a broken world that's desperately in need of both truth and love. So, church, let us live our lives boldly standing for the truth of the gospel with a heart of love, and we'll watch God transform our individual lives, the Church, our country, and our world.
This month's memory verse
"There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
– Romans 3:22b-24
Discussion Questions
1. In what areas of your life (family, friends, community, coworkers, etc.) do you feel the Spirit leading you to speak more biblical truth?
2. In what areas of your life (family, friends, community, coworkers, etc.) do you feel the Spirit leading you to demonstrate Jesus' love?
3. Is there any hesitancy, or even lies that you may believe, that make it difficult to speak truth in love? Talk with your community about it!
4. What role does love play in keeping true to the faith, holding firm in convictions, and communicating hard truth?