Daily reading

Today’s reading is: 1 Cor. 11:2-16:24

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First Corinthians Chapter Eleven

  1. Chapter 11 begins a section of the Book where Paul addresses a number of local church practices designed to promote order with the congregation (1st Cor. 11-14).
  2. One such local church practice (“traditions” v.2, “practice” v.16) was head covering (1st Cor. 11:2-16).
    1. Local churches must examine whether their traditions & practices are consistent with the teachings of God’s Word—regardless of what other congregations are doing (vv.13,16).
    2. Husbands and wives in the Dispensation of the Church have the privilege of portraying the marriage of Christ and the Church.
    3. The Biblical roles of men and women are not just a feature for bios life, but for zoe life as well in the activities of a local church.
    4. Male apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers were forbidden any head covering in the course of their portrayal of Godly leadership.
    5. Prophetesses, however, were required to use a head covering in the course of their portrayal of Godly submission.
      Note: Prophetesses prayed and prophesied in settings outside the local church.  Within the local church, prophetesses were to remain silent in the presence of the prophets (1st Cor. 14:34-35).
  3. In addition to the contentiousness over head coverings, the Communion services at Corinth Bible Church✝︎ were another divisive matter (1st Cor. 11:17-34).
    1. Such divisions are not always bad, as the Lord uses them to demonstrate “those who are approved” (v.19). 
    2. The Corinthians had turned a solemn, reverent occasion into a drunken party (vv.20-22,33-34).
    3. The Lord’s table must be observed in a worthy manner, or Divine discipline will be administered (vv.23-32).

First Corinthians Chapter Twelve

  1. Paul answered another of the Corinthians’ inquiries, and continued his discourse on practices for orderliness within the local church, by teaching them about spiritual gifts (1st Cor. 12:1ff.).
  2. Unbelievers function according to the evil spirits behind all idolatry, but believers in the Dispensation of the Church function according to the ministry of God the Holy Spirit working in and through them (1st Cor. 12:2-3).
  3. The entire trinity is involved in providing a believer with a gift, a ministry, and their associated activities (1st Cor. 12:4-6).
    1. Gifts.  χάρισμα charisma #5486: grace bestowments, gifts.
    2. Ministries.  διακονία diakonia #1248: service, ministry.
    3. Effects.  ἐνέργημα energēma #1755: activity, experience.
  4. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed (1st Cor. 12:7-11,28).
    1. The Word of Wisdom (v.8).
    2. The Word of Knowledge (v.8).
    3. Faith (v.9).
    4. Healing (v.9).
    5. Miracles (v.10).
    6. Prophecy (v.10).
    7. Discerning Spirits (v.10).
    8. Tongues (v.10).
    9. Interpretation of Tongues (v.10).
    10. Apostle (v.28).
    11. Teacher (v.28).
    12. Helps (v.28).
    13. Administrations (v.28).
  5. Paul urged the Corinthians to “earnestly desire the greater gifts” (1st Cor. 12:31a).
  6. Paul showed them something more excellent than spiritual gifts (1st Cor. 12:31b).

First Corinthians Chapter Thirteen

  1. Paul follows his development on spiritual gifts, ministries and effects by highlighting how useless all of them are without the operational function of love (1st Cor. 13:1-3).
  2. ἀγάπη agapē love is described in 16 different dimensions (1st Cor. 13:4-8a).
  3. ἀγάπη agapē love is greater than the foundational gifts as they are designed to be temporary, but ἀγάπη agapē love is the operational function for the entire Dispensation of the Church (1st Cor. 13:8b-13).
    1. The foundational gifts of prophecy, tongues, & knowledge had a limited duration (v.8).
      1. Prophecy and knowledge will be done away.  καταργέω katargeō #2673: to make completely inoperative, to put out of use.  The age of knowing in part and prophesying in part is temporary (vv.9-10).
      2. Tongues will cease.  παύω pauō #3973: to cease, leave off.  Explanation for this comes in ch.14.
    2. The foundational gifts served until the perfect came (v.10), taking the Church from childhood to adulthood (v.11) & giving believers a face-to-face relationship with the Lord (v.12).
      1. τὸ τέλειον to teleion (neuter gender) the perfect thing refers to the completed canon of Scripture.  τέλειος teleios #5046: perfect, complete, adult, mature.
      2. τὸ τέλειον to teleion cannot grammatically be the perfect man and cannot eschatologically refer to the 2nd Advent of Jesus Christ.  When the perfect man comes, prophecy will not be done away with; prophecy will begin anew! (Joel 2:28).

First Corinthians Chapter Fourteen

  1. Paul follows the message of gifts (ch.12) and the priority of love (ch.13) by showing how love is applied in the use of the gifts (ch.14).
  2. For the Church, prophecy is greater than tongues because prophecy edifies the flock, and tongues do not (without interpretation) (1st Cor. 14:1-12).
  3. The gift of tongues provided for the Holy Spirit to communicate through the human spirit without actively engaging the human mind (1st Cor. 14:14-15).
    1. Foreign human languages could thus be utilized for (Jewish) evangelism (1st Cor. 14:10; Acts 2:6,8).  They were, in fact, a sign to the Jews of the coming destruction of Jerusalem (1st Cor. 14:21-22; Isa. 28:11-13).
    2. Even if the angelic language could be spoken (1st Cor. 13:1), as well as the groaning utterances of the Holy Spirit’s intercession (Rom. 8:26).
    3. None of this edified the local church and therefore the misuse of tongues produced only disorder (1st Cor. 14:20-25).
  4. Paul summarizes the issue with the emphasis of propriety and orderliness (1st Cor. 14:26-40).

First Corinthians Chapter Fifteen

  1. In Chapter 15, Paul addresses a Corinthian inquiry concerning the resurrection (v.12).
  2. Paul reviewed the core of the Gospel message according to the Scriptures (1st Cor. 15:1-4).
    1. Christ died for our sins.
    2. Christ was buried and raised on the third day.
  3. Christ appeared to His Apostles, and commissioned them to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel of the Resurrection (1st Cor. 15:5-11).
  4. Rejection of the doctrine of resurrection invalidates the entire Gospel, as the work of Jesus Christ serves to provide eternal life (1st Cor. 15:12-19).
  5. Paul taught the order of the resurrection (1st Cor. 15:20-24) up to the point when resurrection will no longer be needed because death itself will be abolished (1st Cor. 15:25-28).
  6. Rejection of the doctrine of resurrection invalidates the ministry of faithful witnesses for Christ (1st Cor. 15:29-34).
  7. Paul taught the nature of the resurrection (1st Cor. 15:35-50).
  8. Paul taught the mystery of the rapture as a unique event in the various resurrection experiences (1st Cor. 15:51-57).
  9. The doctrine of resurrection is a motivation to godliness and diligence (1st Cor. 15:58).

First Corinthians Chapter Sixteen

  1. In Chapter 16, Paul details his pending travel arrangements, and gives instructions for the Corinthians until his arrival.
  2. Their Christian benevolence is to be collected weekly as a normal course of their stewardship (1st Cor. 16:1-6).
  3. The arrivals of Paul, Timothy, & Apollos will happen according to the Lord’s plan (1st Cor. 16:7-12).
  4. Until Paul or his messengers arrive, the Christian Way of Life is summarized (1st Cor. 16:13-14).
  5. The Book closes with particular greetings (1st Cor. 16:14-24).

✝︎ Pastor Bob’s nickname for the local church founded in Corinth. They didn’t really call themselves that.