1 Corinthians 1-2

1 Corinthians 1-2

            Paul’s opening is polite. His openings usually are. (Galatians might be an exception.) But even in a very polite beginning, he is setting up the themes and topics that he will discuss very bluntly in the coming pages. First, he identifies himself as an apostle. No surprise there—he makes the same point in Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, and 1^st and 2^nd Timothy. However, in Corinth Paul’s apostolic credentials are a matter of debate. Some of have called them into question; he asserts them. It’s a theme through 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians. Second, he names the Corinthians as holy, “together with all those everywhere who call on the name of Jesus.” Since elements of the Corinthian congregations think they’re better than others, Paul’s address serves as a reminder of the unity that Christians have in being recipients of God’s grace. Third, Paul gives thanks that God has enriched the Corinthians in every way. Again, there are deep divisions in the Corinthian churches—divisions along the usual line of social and economic status, divisions because some seem more gifted than other, divisions because some claim greater insight. Paul’s tongue is firmly in his cheek when he says that they do not lack ‘any spiritual gift,’ since that is exactly what one party has been saying over against other parties.

            A polite opening should not blind us to Paul’s conviction that there is work to do, and Paul gets right to it, appealing for unity among them. The chapters proceed along these lines: the Corinthians ‘rank’ themselves according to which ‘school’ of Christianity they follow—Paul or Peter (Cephas) or Apollos. Paul, who founded the Corinthian church, comes under particular scrutiny because, apparently, Apollos was more eloquent and polished than he was. That leads to a discussion about what’s really valuable—eloquence as the world judges it or faithfulness in preaching the cross. (You can imagine where Paul comes down on that debate.)

            Style or substance? It’s a debate that keeps on raging. You can’t deny that a polished speaker is easy to listen to. But the big question is, “What is the speaker saying?” I’ve heard very conservative people praise the oratory of very liberal people and I’ve found myself having to remind them, “You disagree with everything that person just said. You just like the way he said it.”

            If we take nothing more from this reading, let it be these two things: a congregation can’t afford to be divided, but its unity needs to come from the one thing that matters, the one thing of substance—the Gospel of Jesus Christ.