1 Corinthians 1:1-17

PART FIRST. PAUL’S ANALYSIS

OF HIS APOSTOLIC RELATIONS, AND ASSERTION OF HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, 1 Corinthians 1:10 to 1 Corinthians 4:21.

I. AS A FOUNDER OR ORIGINATOR IN PHILOSOPHY HE IS NOTHING, 1 Corinthians 1:10 to 1 Corinthians 2:5.

1. He starts from their partisan preferences preparatory to this disclaimer of philosophic leadership, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17.

As Corinth was now the proudest, wealthiest, and most dissolute city of Greece, so part of her pride was exercised in philosophy, philosophical lecturing and debate, and the parting into sects or schools under different leaders, as Aristotle, Plato, Zeno, Epicurus, and later philosophs. In olden time, it was proudly remembered, one of the seven sophoi or sages of Greece was Periander of Corinth. Influenced, or, as the apostle expresses it, inflated, ( puffed up, 1 Corinthians 4:6) with much of this Corinthian spirit, the Church had divided itself as partisans of Christian leaders, among whom Paul finds himself nominated as one.