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1 Corinthians 1:1. Paul, called by the will of God to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and Sosthenes brother "Paul, called an Apostle of Jesus Christ". And the very beginning shows the intention to condemn, for it admonishes them not to boldly rely on themselves, but to think much more highly about God who saved them. Therefore, Paul mentioned both apostleship and calling, as if saying: “You borrow names from men, but I call myself from him who called me and made me an apostle, Jesus Christ.” "By the will of God". And this also accuses us of discord; - for it shows the agreement of the Father and the Son. At the same time, the Apostle lets us know how indifferently he uses prepositions. For here the expression “by whom” (δί ού), which those of like mind with Arius and Eunomius separate from the Son, was used when speaking about the Father, which he would not have done if he had believed that the expression “by whom” meant something less than the expression “from whom” (εξ ού). "And Sosthenes the brother". I believe that he was a Corinthian; The book of Acts also mentions him; Blessed Luke informs us that the Greeks, having captured him at Gallion, severely beat him (Acts 18:17). 1 Corinthians 1:2. Church of God, which is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, with them and with us “To the Church of God which is in Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, called holy, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, the same and ours.” Everything that has been said contains a cure for the disease, because it connects that in which, unfortunately, separation has occurred. And, firstly, the Apostle calls the Corinthians the one Church of God and adds: “about Christ Jesus,” and not about this or that. He calls them both called and saints and connects them with those who have believed in the whole universe, teaching that it is necessary not only for them to remain in one mind, but also for all who believed the saving sermon to have one way of thinking, as leaving the one body of the Lord Christ. The words “the same and ours” are placed in connection with the word “Lord,” that is, both we, the writers, and you, the readers, have one Lord, Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:3. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle wished them grace and peace in good time, as they were divided and at odds with each other; He presented not only the Father, but also the Son as the giver of grace and peace, thereby proving the equality of the Father and the Son. 1 Corinthians 1:4. I thank my God continually for you, because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus. The apostle, intending to denounce, first sweetens the ear in order to make him capable of receiving medicine; Meanwhile, what he said was not false, because he thanked God for the gifts that had actually been given to him. This is expressed with greater clarity. 1 Corinthians 1:5. For in Him you have been enriched in all things, in all words and in all knowledge. 1 Corinthians 1:6. For the testimony of Christ is established in you. “For you have been enriched in everything through Him, in every word and in every mind,” “as the testimony of Christ has been hung in you.” These are particular types of spiritual gifts, for it is said: “To one... the word of wisdom is given by the Spirit, and to another the word of understanding, about the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:8). Often the Apostle leaves out the name of Christ, the Son, the Lord, teaching this that one should be named not from anyone else, but from the One who gave salvation. And he calls the preaching of Christ “witness,” because those who preach seem to testify, as they did to Timothy, writing: “I testify before God, who gives life to the dead” (2 Tim. 4:1 and 1 Tim. 6:13). So the Lord said in the Holy Gospel: “This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, in every tongue, as a testimony to them” (Matthew 24:14). The performance of miraculous signs is called “notification” of the Gospel, because they proved the truth of the sermon. 1 Corinthians 1:7. So you are not lacking in any gift, waiting for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. “For you will not be deprived of a single gift.” For they also participated in prophetic grace, speaking in different tongues, which the Apostle later shows more clearly. “To those who wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You have received these gifts in order to await the Second Coming of the Savior. 1 Corinthians 1:8. Who will also establish you to the end, so that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Who will also strengthen you even to the end, even though you are innocent, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He wished them both confirmation and blamelessness, and with the word “innocent” he showed that they would remain guilty for the time being. 1 Corinthians 1:9. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. He who also gave you the gift of sonship will do this, for the Apostle called sonship “the fellowship of the Son.” It is said “faithful” in the sense: not false and true. And here also the expression “Imzhe” (δί ού) was used about the Father, thus stopping the shameless lips of heretics and teaching that it does not mean smallness. So, having previously softened the hearing with praises and blessings, he begins the accusation, not openly stating it, but adding an admonition. 1 Corinthians 1:10. I beseech you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same spirit and in the same thoughts. “I pray you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, and that there be no strife among you.” It was excellent that he added the name of the Lord to his petition, for it was this that was rejected by them; from this name they should have been called, but they borrowed their nicknames from their leaders. “Let you be established in the same understanding and in the same thought.” He reproaches them not for the difference in dogmas, but for disputes and rivalry about the leaders: the meaning of the sermon, says the Apostle, is one (this is expressed by the words: “in the same understanding),” but the disposition is no longer one (this is meant by the words: “in the same thought).” Therefore, he begs them, keeping one thing in mind and understanding the same, not to create discord and not to argue in vain about those who are present. 1 Corinthians 1:11. For from the household of Chloe it became known to me about you, my brethren, that there are disputes among you. “I will tell you about you, my brethren, from Chlois.” So, perhaps, some house was called; The apostle did not name those who informed him by name, so as not to create enmity between them. “As zeal is in you.” It shows what kind of competition there was. 1 Corinthians 1:12. I mean what you say: “I am Pavlov”; “I am Apollosov”; “I am Kifin”; “And I am Christ’s.” “I say, as every one of you says: I am Pavlov, I am Apollos, I am Cephas, I am Christ.” The Corinthians called themselves by the names of other teachers, but Paul put forward his and Apollos' name; He also added the name of the supreme Apostle, teaching that it is unfair even to make such a use of these names; We understand this more clearly from the following. But he acted very wisely, adding the name of Christ to other names, showing the incongruity of the matter, namely, that the Corinthians placed both the Master and the slaves on the same line. 1 Corinthians 1:13. Was Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? “Is Christ divided into food?” Others read this not as a question, but as a positive speech, asserting that the Church is here called Christ, and interpreting it this way: you acted badly by dividing the body of Christ. But I think this is said interrogatively; This is also shown by what is added. “Are Paul going to be crucified for you, or are you being baptized in Paul’s name?” And this means: does Christ really have those who share dominion and power with Him, and therefore you are divided, and some are called by His name, and others by the names of this or that? Wasn't it One who died for you all? Have you not received the grace of baptism in His name? Has calling on human names granted you remission of sins? 1 Corinthians 1:14. I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 1 Corinthians 1:15. So that no one says that I baptized in my name. 1 Corinthians 1:16. I also baptized Stephen's house; I don’t know if I baptized anyone else. “I thank God, for not one of you has baptized, except Crispus and Gaia, and no one says that I have baptized in my name. I baptized Stefanin’s house too: we don’t know anything else, unless I baptized anyone else.” The apostle strengthens the accusation with every added word, but does not seriously strike the accused, putting forward his own face instead of the Corinthian teachers. It makes it clear that they called themselves by the names not only of teachers, but also of those who baptized. He also represents the reason why he did not baptize many. 1 Corinthians 1:17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” Although he commanded both, for he said: “Go on... teach all tongues, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), however, preaching is more honorable than baptizing, because baptizing is convenient for everyone who has been awarded the priesthood, and preaching is the work of the few who have received the gift from God. After this, the Apostle now humbles the arrogance of those who boast of eloquence and says: “It is not in the wisdom of speech, lest the Cross of Christ be vain.” If I had used sweet speech and the power of words, then the power of the Crucified One would not have been visible. Anyone would assume that those who believed were caught by the ability to speak. But the ignorance of those who preach, which prevails over those who pride themselves on eloquence, clearly demonstrates the power of the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18. For the word about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:19. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the understanding of the prudent (Isa. 29:14). By “the word of the cross” the Apostle means the word about the Cross; He calls non-believers “perishing”, and believers “saved”, giving the name according to the end that has been achieved. He added the testimony of Scripture, teaching that from ancient times the God of all things foretold this. Then he shows the falsity of the prediction. 1 Corinthians 1:20. Where is the sage? where is the scribe? where is the questioner of this century? Has not God turned the wisdom of this world into foolishness? “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the questioner of this age?” The sermon on the cross defeated them all. He calls the wise one who is adorned with Hellenic eloquence, the scribe - the Jewish teacher who boasts of knowledge of the law, and the co-questioner of the Jew and the Greek, who has long practiced the art of debate. Then he adds: “Has not God put on the wisdom of this world?” It is not eloquence that he calls the wisdom of this world, because the giver of this world is God: He divided the languages ​​and gave each a special, distinctive property. Therefore, He also gave expressiveness to the Hellenic language. But those who used it incorrectly turned it into a seductive bait and made probable a fable filled with delusions. Therefore, the Apostle accuses not for eloquence, but for the falsity hidden in it and says that it was exposed and turned out to be violence. 1 Corinthians 1:21. For when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. “Because in the wisdom of God, not in the understanding of the world, through the wisdom of God, God deigned to save the believers through the violence of preaching.” The apostle understands two, or, better to say, three wisdoms of God, for he proved that imaginary violence is wisdom, and even more excellent than others. One wisdom, he says, was given to people, according to which we are rational beings, we recognize what we should do, we have invented arts and sciences, we can know God. Another wisdom is seen in creation, for we see the greatness of the sky, the beauty of the sun, the host of stars, the breadth of the earth and sea, the difference between plants and animals, and other things that I will not list one by one. The third wisdom is indicated by the wisdom of our Savior, which unbelievers call violence. The Apostle also says that people who received natural knowledge from God had to be guided by creation and worship its Creator. But since they did not want to benefit from this, the Lover of Mankind arranged their salvation differently, and by what the foolish call violence, he delivered them from delusion. 1 Corinthians 1:22. For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:23. And we preach Christ crucified, a temptation for the Jews, and madness for the Greeks. “The Jews also ask for a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom. We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews it is a temptation, to the Greeks it is madness.” The Jews demanded miracles from the Lord; The evangelists inform us about this; and the apostles, probably (this is what the divine Apostle said), were commanded to show signs. And the Hellenes laughed at ignorance, just as they said in Athens: “Why does this vain talker want to talk” (Acts 17:18)? But we, says the Apostle, despising the foolishness of both, preach the Master’s suffering, although we clearly know that both will contradict us. And what is the use of preaching? 1 Corinthians 1:24. For those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ, God's power and God's wisdom. “But to those who were called Jew and Greek, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Wisdom and violence, strength and weakness are one and the same; violence and weakness to those who do not believe, but wisdom and strength to those who believe. For the sun is light to those who see, but darkness to those who are blind. But it is not it that brings darkness, but illness that delays the lightness of the ray. So the pus of unbelief prevents the light of knowledge of God from illuminating the soul. You must know that the divine Apostle did not call the Divinity of the Only Begotten wisdom and power, but the preaching of the Cross, and denounces the followers of Arius and Eunomius, who maliciously attempt to prove that here God the Word is called wisdom. For from here they borrowed blasphemy, which they confirm with words and parables. 1 Corinthians 1:25. Because the foolish things of God are wiser than men, and the weak things of God are stronger than men. “Before God, man is wiser; and the weak things of God are stronger than man.” The apostle calls the mystery of the Cross to the weak and weak of God, in the opinion of the foolish, and proves that it has overcome both the wise and the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:26. Look, brethren, who you are who are called: not many of you are wise according to the flesh, not many of you are strong, not many of you are noble. “You see, brethren, your calling is that you are not many wise according to the flesh, you are not many strong, you are not many noble.” He did not say: there is not one wise, not one strong, not one noble, because some of them believed, but he says: “Do not be many,” because the greater number of those who believed were from poor people. 1 Corinthians 1:27. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:28. And God chose the base things of the world and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are. “But God has chosen the weak world, that it may confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak world, that it may confound the strong. And the base thing of the world and the base thing is chosen by God, and the thing that is not, that He may bring to naught the thing that is.” The Apostle called them violent, weak and ill-born according to human opinion, for true violence is not inexperience in speech, but lack of faith; and weakness and wickedness are not poverty, but wickedness and depravity of morals. God conquered all kinds of unlearned scientists, the poor - the rich and the fishermen captured the universe. 1 Corinthians 1:29. So that no flesh should boast before God. “For let not all flesh boast before God.” For if at the very beginning, having chosen those distinguished by wealth and exalted in sophistic art, God had made them preachers, then not only those who dissented would have suffered harm, but also the preachers themselves, thinking that with their strength they had overcome error. 1 Corinthians 1:30. From Him you also are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:31. So that it may be as it is written: He who boasts, boast in the Lord. “Yes, as it is written, let him boast, let him boast in the Lord.” (Jer. 9, 24). The Apostle said: “from Him,” not in the reasoning of creation, but in the reasoning of salvation, for it is said: “The little ones... received Him, and gave them the realm to become children of God, who believe in His name. Who was not born of blood, nor of carnal lust, nor of manly lust, but was born of God” (John 1:12-13). And since the Apostle said that “out of the world, and the weak, and the weak, God has chosen,” he, of necessity, added: “You come from worthlessness,” explaining the nobility thus bestowed. He also showed the way of birth, saying: about “Christ Jesus,” for you were not named after one or the other, but through Christ you were made worthy of rebirth. He gave you true wisdom, He granted you remission of sins, He granted you justification, He made you saints, delivering you from the torment of the devil. Therefore you should not boast in any man, but in God who saved you. You might be interested in: