Verses 1-12
III. QUESTIONS ASKED OF PAUL 7:1-16:12
The remainder of the body of this epistle deals with questions the Corinthians had put to Paul in a letter. Paul introduced each of these with the phrase peri de ("now concerning," 1 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Corinthians 7:25; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 1 Corinthians 16:12), a phrase commonly used in antiquity. [Note: Keener, p. 62.]
"Rather than a friendly exchange, in which the new believers in Corinth are asking spiritual advice of their mentor in the Lord, their letter was probably a response to Paul’s Previous Letter mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9, in which they were taking exception to his position on point after point. In light of their own theology of spirit, with heavy emphasis on ’wisdom’ and ’knowledge,’ they have answered Paul with a kind of ’Why can’t we?’ attitude, in which they are looking for his response." [Note: Fee, The First . . ., pp. 266-67.]
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