When i became a man, i put the ways of childhood behind me. I put away childish things of my own accord, willingly, without trouble. Questions for reflection and discussion 2 corinthians. First, let me mention the problem of verse numbers. In the 1960 hollywood production, elmer gantry, the late burt lancaster received an oscar for his portrayal of a conman turned crusade evangelist. When i was a child, i spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. Apparently, some believed that those able to speak in tongues or prophesy were more spiritual than the others.
Paul regards it as a legitimate gift, but neither as the greatest gift nor as essential 1 corinthians. Upon this, one says, paul wrote the first epistle to the corinthians and then made the visit in heaviness 2 corinthians 2. There are over 60 textual variants listed throughout 1 corinthians 1214 in the na 26 bible, but apart from one difficult one, none of them seriously affects the meaning of the passage. The speaking of tongues of which paul speaks in 1 corinthians 1214 is ecstatic speech that hinders communication unless an interpreter is provided. The gift of tongues corresponds in the divine domain to the babbling of the child in its first joyous. When i was a child, i talked like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child. Jan 10, 2018 the meaning of the verses look so clear it seems to be a loaded question. These characteristics are not just signs of youth, but are signs of immaturity at any age. Enduring word bible commentary 1 corinthians chapter. For in our present state, we are mere infants in knowledge, in comparison of what we shall be hereafter. The first epistle to the corinthians ancient greek. Biblical studiesnew testament commentaries1 corinthians.
Read commentary on this popular bible verse and understand the real meaning behind gods word using john gills. Do christians still need the gifts of the holy spirit. Heaven will be a perfect place, but this chapter does not discuss heaven. Watch our overview video on the book of 1 corinthians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought.
When i was a child, i spoke like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child. When i was a child, i spake as a child, i understood as a. The church was in its infancy in the book of acts and covered a quarter of a century of church history. Together, these letters form a major part of the new testament the books that the first. The difference between our present and future conceptions of spiritual things may be illustrated by the knowledge of a child compared to that of a man. The church went through its infancy with many childhood diseases, for there were many problems with the church in acts. The book of 1 corinthians was written in approximately a. What does it mean that faith, hope, and love remain 1. While paul recognizes the importance of the spiritual gifts and their place in the christians life, he tells that there is something superior to these gifts. Sometime down the road, we need to start being an adult in the lord. When paul was in ephesus, he received news about troubles in the church at corinth. The church at corinth had been established on one of pauls missionary journeys.
The book of 1 corinthians is an early letter from the apostle paul. Paul is saying that youth children exhibit characteristics that define them as different from adults, and that those characteristics must be cast aside before one is really an adult. Jan 02, 2020 the book of 1 corinthians very well could have been written to the church today and we would do well to heed pauls warnings and apply them to ourselves. Thus one christian may receive one type of gift while another receives a. If you tear it apart too much, you lose the beauty. This long hair covering is the natural god given universal principle 1 corinthians 11. When i was a child, i used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. Paul was in corinth and founded the congregation there on his second journey around a. This news came from people who were living in chloes house 1 corinthians 1. Four years prior to writing the letter we know as 1 corinthians, the apostle had spent eighteen months in corinth, so he was intimately familiar with the church and many of its congregants. When i was a child this future state of blessedness is as far beyond the utmost perfection that can be attained in. This is just saying that we cannot always stay a baby in christ.
When i became a man, i put childish ways behind me. Excursus on the meaning of that which is perfect 1 corinthians. We are beginning one of the most important letters that paul wrote to the churches he had begun. When i was a child, i talked like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned. Useful bible studies 1 corinthians commentary study guide. Why love holds this highest place, has been already explained, 1 corinthians. It seems evident to me, as to most commentators, that by the three terms, to speak. Jun 15, 20 when i was a child, i talked like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child.
Paul is very explicit in chapter 6 that unrighteousness will not inherit the ki. In the previous chapter 1 cor 12, paul is talking about how god gives each of his. The preceding definitions for the word perfect plus the context show that jesus, heaven, and jesus second coming are not what paul meant. Read 1 corinthians commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. About the book of 1 corinthians its author, date and purpose. What does it mean that all things are lawful unto me 1 corinthians 6. The book of 1 corinthians is one of or 14 letters that paul wrote. A few years after leaving the church, the apostle paul heard some disturbing reports about the corinthian church. I n the middle of the apostle pauls exposition on spiritual gifts in 1 corinthians chapters 12 to 14 is the often quoted chapter on love.
What does it mean that faith, hope, and love remain 1 corinthians. The letter is quoted or mentioned by the earliest of sources, and is included in every ancient canon, including that of marcion of sinope. Campbell morgan wrote that examining this chapter is like dissecting a flower to understand it. Bible scholars who hold to varied ideologies about the status of women in marriage and in the church all agree that pauls meaning here is difficult to determine with a degree of certainty. The meaning of the verses look so clear it seems to be a loaded question. Much of 1 corinthians 12 corrected misunderstandings about spiritual gifts among the christians in corinth. What are the most commonly asked questions about the book of 1 corinthians.
Paul discussed jesus final coming in his epistles, but this topic is not found in 1 corinthians. Verses 8 here the apostle goes on to commend charity, and show how much it is preferable to the gifts on which the corinthians were so apt to pride themselves, to the utter neglect, and almost extinction, of charity. Book of first corinthians overview insight for living. Chapter 12 addresses individuals spiritual gifts and in chapter he hopes to drown out the corinthians high level of competition they hold with one another. For in our present state, we are mere infants in knowledge, in. Our text is pauls concluding exhortation to the members of the church in corinth in the early 50s ce to consider what it really means to be living with the power of god.
If i have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if i have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, i am nothing. Alan redpath said one could get a spiritual suntan from the. Therefore, it is pauls second letter to the corinthians that we know as 1 corinthiansthe first letter to the corinthians that god inspired. Nowhere in the nt do we find another mention of this visit. Study the bible online using commentary on 1 corinthians and more. In 1 corinthians, paul shows the new christians in corinth that. Oct 15, 2015 watch our overview video on the book of 1 corinthians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Redpath strictly speaking, agape cant be defined as gods love, because men are said to agape sin and the. The epistle is attributed to paul the apostle and a coauthor named sosthenes, and is addressed to the christian church in corinth. The argument of 1 corinthians 1214 textual issues in 1 corinthians 1214. Go to 1 corinthians index we are beginning one of the most important letters that paul wrote to the churches he had begun.