Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1: 1-9
Today, we are beginning a new series on the book of 1 Corinthians. As we already discussed various introductory issues, I won’t repeat them, but we will see how some of those issues are raised, even in the few verses that we’re looking at today. So today, we are going to look at 1 Corinthians 1:1-9.
The verses that we’re discussing today constitute Paul’s Salutation and Thanksgiving. Verses 1-3 are the salutation and they follow the typical format of the day. Paul introduces himself, identifies the recipient, and gives greetings. We see that throughout Paul’s letters, he follows this format. But if we compare this salutation in 1 Corinthians with some others of Paul’s letters, we can notice a difference. For example:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1: 1-2
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1: 1-2
Col. 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sistersin Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Colossians 1: 1-2
Now this is just a sampling, but it represents Paul’s typical salutation. But what we see in the verses today is that Paul expands this greeting significantly (which he also does in other letters to various degrees). In our verses, we read:
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1: 1-3
In short, Paul expands this greeting, seeming to touch on some of the issues (or topics) that he will address in the letter. We see this also especially in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Galatians, and also Titus. We could probably say that Paul, even in the salutation, has things on his mind. Therefore, let’s unpack this a little bit.
Last week, we noted that one of the issues about which Paul is writing has to do with division in the church. In the very next verse (after our passage), Paul says, “let there be no divisions among you” (para). And later, “One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
Now there’s some nuance to this, but Gordon Fee argues (while acknowledging the traditional “divisions”) that Paul’s main concern is division between the congregation and himself. We’ll get into this more later on, but Paul is arguing for the validity and authority of his own apostleship in light of a congregation (or members of the congregation) who are minimizing or ignoring Paul’s message, and following a different gospel. Now we will get to the reasons for this, but for now, suffice it to say that Paul is arguing that his apostleship – his message and ministry – are from God and that, therefore, the church in Corinth must return to a true gospel. In light of all this, his opening words, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,” are highly significant.
Now it’s worth taking a moment to think about the term “apostle.” It is readily apparent that early on in the life of the Church, “apostle” took on a technical meaning. That is, “apostle” in the Christian community meant something specific and special compared to its original meaning.
Apostle (Gr. ApostoloV) in the Greek means “delegate,” “envoy,” or messenger” with the root meaning, “to send.” So we might understand “apostle” to mean, “the sent one.” It can be used both for an ordinary messenger or for those with special status or authority. It’s this second usage which New Testament writers employed – that is, special messengers from God, or of God’s message. So while it’s not clear when this happened, in Christian parlance, “apostle” quickly took on the connotation of an office or position.
For Paul, this distinction is very fluid. That is, there is a sense in which he understands his role as an apostle of Christ to be a position – a particular calling. He frequently asserts authority “as an apostle.” However, for Paul, the authority lies not in the position but in the fact that he is sent.
In somewhat recent years, there has been a movement in Christian circles which might be referred to as the New Apostolic. Now I have to be honest here and say that I have very little knowledge or exposure to this movement. But in the little I have encountered, it seems that members of this movement are choosing to call themselves “apostles” instead of “pastors” or “missionaries,” for example. And it seems to me – again, in my extremely limited understanding – that this is an effort to establish for themselves a greater authority than that of merely being “pastors” – Apostles obviously have greater authority than Pastors. By choosing a “better” title, they are claiming a higher office, and asserting a greater authority. (And again, this is simply my own flawed and limited perspective). Nevertheless…
Here, Paul is doing precisely the opposite. According to Anthony Thistelton, apostleship “points away from the self to Christ, to whom apostles bear witness.”[1] Paul is asserting authority not because of his office, but because he is sent. Paul’s authority comes not from the position he holds, but from the authority of Him who sent him. Therefore, Paul says here:
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…
1 Corinthians 1: 1
As distinct from his more typical greeting:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
(2 Cor., Eph., Phil., Col., etc.)
Here, Paul is emphasizing that he is called, and that by the will of God (which he always acknowledges). It is not something that he has achieved or accomplished. It is not something that he even desires for himself. Rather, he is called and sent. That is where Paul’s authority lies – not in himself, but from the one who sent him.
And in the same breath, Paul notes that the Corinthians are likewise called. And not only are they called, they are called along with everyone else who have also been called. Paul says:
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
1 Corinthians 1: 2
Now presupposing a little about the content of the epistle, this part of the greeting has a couple of effects: Firstly, it highlights that the Corinthians status (i.e. as “the church of God,” as God’s “holy people”) is because of God’s calling and Jesus’ work – again, not because of anything that they have achieved or accomplished, but because of Christ’s call; and secondly, it establishes the Corinthians as part of something greater than themselves (together with all those everywhere…). They are not, in a sense, special or unique. Specifically, they are not especially spiritual or enlightened. Rather, they are part of the same grace that God extends to all those who call on His name. In short, Paul seems to be speaking against what we may see as spiritual pride or elitism in the Corinthians.
Now the next several verses (4-9) constitute the Thanksgiving, and it follows the usual format: Paul (1) gives thanks, (2) to God, (3) always, (4) for the recipients, and (5) for certain reasons, which are then elaborated. Now these verses are sometimes interpreted as sarcastic, and this depending on one’s understanding of the bulk of the letter. And what I want to say is that it doesn’t seem to me that Paul is being passive-aggressive or facetious (if he is indeed specifically addressing spiritual pride in the previous verses, for example). Rather, it seems more likely that he is laying a theological groundwork for dealing with these issues later. Therefore, in vv. 1-3, by focussing on calling and communion, Paul is not calling out the Corinthians for their spiritual pride – rather, he is beginning his correspondence with a theology of grace.
In like fashion, in vv. 4-9, Paul is beginning with an attitude of thanksgiving for God’s grace and providence. Therefore, Paul says:
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1: 4-9
Now several of the items that Paul highlights are indeed issues about which he will contend with the Corinthians: “all kinds of speech and with all knowledge” may be alluding to a tendency to a kind of proto-Gnostic or Hellenistic wisdom. “You do not lack any spiritual gift,” is likely pointing to the Corinthians desire for particular kinds of spiritual gifts or experiences. “He will keep you…blameless…” may be a reference to the various ethical shortcomings that Paul will address. So Paul’s “giving thanks” for these things has been interpreted as sarcasm or at least irony – because these are clearly the Corinthians’ very shortcomings.
But again following Gordon Fee, I agree (with Fee) that this isn’t sarcasm but genuinely Paul’s thanksgivings to God on behalf of, or for, the Corinthians.
That is, Paul acknowledges that the Corinthians have been gifted with all kinds of speech and knowledge. Perhaps this is a benefit of living in a city like Corinth, where they are exposed to philosophies and learning from all over the world. And perhaps they have been given (or some of them have) spiritual insight and truth. But this is not a matter of pride, it is a gift from God.
By the same token, the prevalence of spiritual gifts in Corinth seems clear (in the text). For whatever reason, spiritual gifts of all kinds are abundant in this community (though there’s no real reason, in my opinion, to think that spiritual gifts were more abundant here than in any other community). But this isn’t because they are more spiritual, or proof that some are more spiritual than others. Rather, this is evidence of the generosity and kindness of God.
And though there may be disturbing instances of moral failures in the church, made all the worse by faulty theology (deliberate or otherwise), Paul gives thanks. Not because of the Corinthians’ ability to sort out or correct that theology by their aforementioned wisdom and knowledge, but because it is God’s grace and mercy who works in them. Perhaps Paul is saying, though human beings may falter, God will forever be faithful.
Therefore, it isn’t that Paul is being sarcastic or ironic in thanking God for things which are actually cause for concern. Rather, Paul seems to be thanking God for His work in the Corinthians’ lives, even while Paul (by God’s Spirit) will work to correct their misunderstandings. So, for example, the problem is not the gifts – it is the Corinthians’ misunderstanding and misuse of the gifts. The problem is, among other things, that they think such gifts are an indication of (o proof of) their spirituality rather than the abundant grace of God.
So here, Paul is again laying a foundation for the letter of the grace and providence of God. Paul is beginning with God, even as he goes on to address the errors in the Corinthians’ lives. Paul knows that correction and discipline are necessary to bring the church back in line with his message. But he thanks God that His work is evident in their lives, nonetheless.
To put it another way, people may frequently be inclined to use God’s blessings wrongly or poorly. But God this does not negate God’s generosity and grace. And so, we give thanks for what God has done.
Now before we wrap up, I want to draw your attention to one more thing. And that is how often, in this entire passage, Paul uses the phrase, “Jesus Christ,” “Lord Jesus Christ,” or some variation. Throughout this entire section, Paul uses the phrase 9 times:
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1: 1-9
And this deserves more attention, but we might simply note how central Jesus is in Paul’s thinking. For Paul, all of this – salvation, blessings, giftings, life in community, future hope – has its source and promise in Jesus Christ. And any concerns, any questions and discussions about behaviour, theology, syncretism, pride, or division have their final answer, their ultimate truth, the last word in Jesus Christ alone.
If you were here for last week’s message, wherein we looked at some of the background of this letter to the Corinthians, you will undoubtedly have recognized many similarities in the Corinthians’ context with our own. And one of the things I suggested we do is to think about our own contexts. One of the things we’ll see about the Corinthian church is how much their understanding of the faith is influenced by their cultural context. And it’s really easy to point the finger at others and accuse others of cultural syncretism (or whatever else). But it’s often extremely difficult to examine ourselves and see how our Christian lives reveal a cultural worldview rather than a biblical worldview.
And of course there is an extent to which this is unavoidable. And Paul will of course have much to say about all of this in the many weeks to come. But at the beginning of the letter, we can at least be reminded that, in the life of faith, in the community of God, Jesus is the foundation of everything. Jesus is the beginning, the end, the source, and the substance.
So, as we continue on with the message of 1 Corinthians, let us also begin with God. Let us find our final word in Christ alone. Let us thankful for all God’s blessings, for all His good work, and seek to live out of what He is already doing in us. Undoubtedly, we will often get it wrong. We will frequently focus on the wrong things. But we will do our best to keep our eyes focussed on Jesus. We will do our best to pay attention to what He is doing in our midst (and not on what we are doing in His name). And we will do our best to take hold of the life for which we have been saved.
[1] Anthony C. Thiselton, First Corinthians: A Shorter Exegetical and Pastoral Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006), 29.