We shall
continue the study of First Corinthians of the New Testament.
Theme: Watch your freedom
Presumably, some of the Corinthians still participated (out of habit or for business reasons) in meals inside the pagan temples. Paul, likely in response to their letter, deals with this issue in a more total fashion.
Vv. 14-22—Eating of an idol-worship meal
(1) Paul’s admonition is not just “thou shalt not…” but "flee" (from idolatry). Why is that?
(2) In support of his admonition, Paul compares the participation (the original Greek word is koinoia, i.e. fellowship) in the idol-worship meal to that of the Lord’s Supper and the Jewish temple-worship meal of Deuteronomy 14:22-27.
a. What is the meaning, according to Paul, of participating in the cup and the bread at the Lord’s Supper?
b. What is the effect of such participation, according to v. 17?
c. What is the effect of those who eat of the sacrifice together in Deuteronomy 14?
d. Although idols are nothing, the worship of idols is in fact the worship of demons. Then in what way is the eating of the sacrifice to idols similar to that of the Lord’s Supper and the Deuteronomy meal of sacrifice?
e. What if we participate in both the Lord’s Supper and that of the meal of idol worship?
Vv. 23-33—Eating of meat sacrificed to idols (bought from the market, but not participating in the feast or meal itself)
(3) Paul states the over-riding principle in vv. 23-24 and then repeats it again as he ends this section in v. 33. What is this principle?
(4) Why is the eating of meat sacrificed to idol (bought from the market) permissible, versus eating at the feast or meal itself within the setting of idol-worship?
(5) Why would anyone raise any question or objection since it was not eaten at the idol temple?
(6) Paul raised a very good question in vv. 29-30 in that “why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience…why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?”.
a. Paul then answers his own rhetorical question in v. 31. What is his answer?
b. By refraining from eating such meat, does it really mean our freedom is being judged? Or, is this an expression of what true freedom is?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: Traditions honored
Although we are not too sure if this section is also Paul’s response to a specific question raised in the Corinthian’s letter, it is certainly a response to disturbances caused in their gathering, beginning with the way women pray or prophesy, followed by inappropriate behavior at the Lord’s Supper (latter part of this chapter), and the undisciplined use of tongues speaking (in chapter 14).
Vv. 1-2—Traditions
(1) Paul seldom praises this church, but he does so here, commending them to hold on to the “traditions” (the original word in Greek) that he has passed on to them, one of which he now defends. Therefore, traditions have its place, but when should it be followed, and when should it not be? (Remember that Jesus attacked many of the traditions of the Pharisees.)
(It is also important to bear in mind the ad-hoc situation in Corinth: In chapter 7, Paul had just addressed the refusal of the believing wives to continue to submit to their husbands with their bodies and some wives tried to leave them. From the context of this section, it appears that, hearing of Paul’s preaching of equality of men and women in Christ, some wives have made use of this new found equality to abolish even the distinction between men and women in appearance, which as far as we know, was not even seen as acceptable by the culture of the time.)
Vv. 3-6—Praying and prophesying (in public worship)
(2) As one leads in praying or prophesying (i.e. preaching) in public, one should be doing it as led by the Holy Spirit. One prays and preaches, therefore, with the assumed authority of God.
a. If men only cover their heads in shame or hoping not to be recognized (see Fee, 507), while women normally cover their hair in public (as a sign of modesty), what then would it signify if a man preached with head covered, while a woman preached with head uncovered? How would be it perceived especially by the non-believing world?
b. Paul’s argument in v. 3 is based on a relational analogy between MAN/CHRIST, WOMAN/MAN, CHRIST/GOD: Metaphorically, head could mean one of the following:
- Authority over
- Source of life
What is the meaning of “head” in this relational analogy that can be applied to all three relationships?
Vv. 7-12—Argument based on creation
(3) In v.7, Paul uses the word, “ought not”. What does it indicate—an obligation or truth that cannot be disobeyed?
(4) In what way is man the glory of God? In what way is woman the glory of man, especially based on vv. 8-9? What has all this to do with covering or not covering heads? (Remember, God could have created Adam and Eve at the same time, but He did not obviously for a reason.)
(5) Paul “however’ states the reality “in the Lord” in vv. 11-12. Why does Paul feel obliged to say so and why does he say, “however”?
Vv. 13-16—Argument based on nature
(6) But, Paul is appealing in vv. 13-15 to “the very nature of things” as he sees it. What might be the difference between “biblical principle” and the “nature of things” as we see it?
(7) The fact was there were women in the church that broke with what was acceptable in the society and in the church, especially while praying or preaching in the church. That would naturally cause no small controversy.
a. How should we approach customs that might hurt the image of the church?
b. How should we approach traditions that might cause divisions in the church?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: The Lord’s Supper—Why Another Ritual?
It appears that having the Lord’s Supper is a central part of the meeting together of the first church and it takes place as part of a communal love-meal:
Paul is rebuking the church in Corinth about their divisions. How have their divisions played out in their observance of the Lord’s Supper. What kind of division is being reflected in their observance of the Lord’s Supper?
(1) Why does Paul remind them that Jesus set up this Supper “on the night He was betrayed”?
(2) How could Jesus give thanks for the body which was to be broken and the blood He was to shed?
(3) Both the bread and the cup are meant to be used “in remembrance” of Him:
a. What then should we remember as we eat of the bread?
b. What then should we remember as we drink of the cup?
c. Should we remember Christ’s merit or Christ Himself, or both? Is there any difference between the two?
d. Why would Jesus institute this remembrance during the setting of a communal meal? If we observe the Lord’s Supper only by ourselves, what significance would we miss?
e. Why is the Lord’s Supper also a “proclamation”? What does it mean?
(4) According to vv. 28-32, why should we have to “examine” ourselves before we take part in the Lord’s Supper? How should we examine ourselves?
(5) What should you do when you prepare yourself to partake of the Lord’s Supper the next time?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: The Body of Christ
(1) What spiritual reality is being explained by Paul in vv. 1-3?
(2) In beginning his famous teaching on the Body of Christ, Paul opens with pointing out that each of us (within this Body of Christ) has these three things: Gifts, services (opportunities to serve in various capacities), and function (working as brought about by the Spirit).
a. Does it mean that if we have gifts, we will immediately have opportunities to serve using them? Why or why not?
b. Does it mean that if we are given the opportunities to serve, we will be able to yield our function? Why or why not?
(3) Who gives us gifts? Who gives us the opportunity to serve? Who works through us to make us yield our proper function? And what is the ultimate purpose of all these?
(4) So, what should our attitude be toward our gifts?
a. Do we all have some kinds of gifts?
b. How can we find out?
c. What attitude should we have in using our gifts?
(5) So, what should our attitude be toward our “service” or opportunities to serve?
a. What if we have gifts and the church does not give us the opportunities to serve?
b. What should our attitude be when the opportunity arises?
c. What should we do, if the opportunity does not appear to fit our desired gift(s)? What is the ultimate question should we ask? (see v. 7)
(6) From the list of gifts that Paul has given in vv.8-10, ask yourself honestly, which one do you desire most and why?
(7) According to v.11, do you think we can “ask” God to give us certain gifts that we prefer?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: Can we grow on our own?
(1) The Biblical writers often use the literary tool called “inclusio”, to begin and end a certain idea with the same or similar phrase or statement. Can you find such a usage in v. 12, v. 14, v. 20 and v. 27? With the “inclusio” in mind, the subdivisions are quite clear:
(2) Vv. 12-14—In likening the church as a body of Christ,
a. What does Paul say about how we are born again?
b. What does Paul say about how this new life is to function?
c. What title can you give to this subdivision?
(3) Vv. 15-20—As Paul talks about the inseparability of each part of the body, he uses the analogy of foot against hand, ear against eye. Let’s apply this to the body of Christ:
a. Why would a member, upon comparing with another member, say or feel that he or she does not belong or does not want to belong to the same body (or church)?
b. What kind of mistake is being made by such a member of the body?
c. What title can you give to this division?
(Note: The answer to (a) can be out of inferiority or dislike; and the answer to (b) can be that we fail to look from the perspective of the body as a whole—we never realize that apart from being part of the body, we are nothing!)
d. What is meant by “just as He (God) wanted” (v.18)? What does this entail?
(4) Vv. 19-27—As Paul reinforces his emphasis on the corporate entity of believers, he continues with his analogy of the eye against hand, head against feet:
a. Why, in this case, would a member, upon comparing with another member, feel that the other member is not needed?
b. Paul seems to agree that certain members of the body might truly be “weaker”, or “less honorable”. Then, why waste time and effort to treat it with “special modesty” from your perspective? What is the answer given by Paul in v. 25?
c. How can we put it into practice?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: Living Out What a Church Is
(1) Compare the list of gifts in v. 28 to the earlier list given in vv. 8-10. What has been added to this latter list?
(2) While we may agree that most gifts on the list are called spiritual gifts, how would you classify the gifts of administration and helping, given that they are also from God?
(3) Which of the above gifts do you think you have been given? If yours do not fall into the above list, what might they be? Are you satisfied with the gifts that God has given you?
(4) But Paul urges us not to desire these gifts as much as those “greater gifts” (v.31). What are these greater gifts and of them which is the greatest? (See 13:13)
(5) Chapter 13 is a familiar chapter, let’s briefly consider the following within the context of serving in the church:
a. Paul is highlighting the futility of the visible gifts that are normally greatly admired by believers—tongues, preaching, biblical knowledge, faith and sacrificial giving of oneself. What if you really possess one of these gifts, but without love. Apart from being nothing, what kind of a person or Christian would you become?
b. From vv. 4-8a, Paul lists in detail many ways one can measure love. How different is this love from that of the world?
c. Christ obviously exemplifies agape love. See if you can categorize these measures into sub-groups that reflect Christ’s kind of love for us.
(6) Given what you have considered in the last two chapters of 1 Corinthians, what is the most important mark of a church?
(7) Try to paraphrase v.7 in your own words.
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Theme: The Greatest Gift
(1) What kind of love would fail and why?
(2) What kind of love would never fail?
(3) Why does Paul, from among all gifts, single out prophecies, tongue-speaking and knowledge to compare their temporariness (impermanence) with love?
(4) While the Corinthians appeared to take pride in these three gifts, what are you proud of in your service to the Lord?
(5) Why would prophesying cease one day?
(6) Why would tongues cease and be still one day?
(7) When shall we know fully and why?
(8) What does “when perfection comes” mean? When will it be?
(9) What two analogies does Paul use to describe our imperfection? How appropriate is each?
(10) Look up Job 19:25-27 and 1 John 3:2 as a reminder of that day that Job and John looked forward to. What will that day mean to you?
(11) How then will you compare the gifts of prophecies, tongue-speaking and knowledge to faith, hope and love?
(12) Paul urges us to desire these greater gifts (12:31). How can you pursue them?
(13) Why is love still the greatest of the three?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?