Paul's Letter to the Corinthian Church 1 Corinthians 1:1

The carnal city of Corinth was the center of sin during the Roman Empire. It was “located about forty miles west of Athens on a narrow isthmus between Peloponnesus and the mainland” and was “labeled Vanity Fair”. Because there were “three harbors” within proximity to Corinth of which “Lechaeum” and “Cenchreae” were the most important, “it was the great commercial center of the Roman Empire”. “The temple of Aphrodite, built on the Acrocorinthus and was attended by 1,000 priestesses of vice who were actually nothing more than prostitutes. The city was given over to licentiousness and pleasure, and the Isth-mian games were conducted here. Against this corrupt background, Paul preached the gospel in Corinth, founded the church, and wrote two letters to the church at Corinth: 1 and 2 Corinthians.” (Read Acts 18:1-18 for the account of Paul’s visit to Corinth.) The book was written between fifty-five – fifty seven A.D. from the city of Ephesus. The subject of this letter is “The Lordship of Jesus”. In chapter one and verse one of First Corinthians Paul the apostle began his greeting, “called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ” where we read:

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

The verse begins, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,...”. Paul began with his name, “Paul” which means “small or little” and was “the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the New Testament which are known as the fourteen Pauline epistles”, “called to be” or “invited by God in the proclamation of the gospel to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom through Christ” “an apostle” which means “a delegate, messenger and one sent forth with orders” “of Jesus” which means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” which means “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God” “through the will” or “by reason and account of what one wishes or has determined shall be done” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Paul began this letter in the normal manner of his day by naming himself first, then his position or title, afterwards whom he was called unto and by whose desire – “God”.

The verse goes on to say, “and Sosthenes our brother,...”. The writer continued with the words, “and Sosthenes” which means “savior of his nation” and was “a Jew at Corinth who was seized and beaten in the presence of Gallio” “our brother” which means “fellow believers who are united to others by the bond of affection”. Paul included “Sosthenes” whom he consider a “fellow believer” as his companion as he wrote this letter.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see the relationship he had according to his “call to be an apostle” by God Himself. He did not write this letter while being alone as he shared concerning “Sosthenes” whom he considered a “brother” in Christ, and he had a purpose to address Corinth as “an apostle” which means he had authority to write to these people. Paul was given this delegation by “Jesus Christ” whom he served according to his “call” from God, and as we discover what he shares with the people at Corinth, we may apply these directives to our own lives. For now, let us consider, what has Jesus called us to be “through the will of God”, and are we fulfilling all He has commissioned us to be?

Next time Paul declares to whom this letter is written, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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