Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians by the Holy Apostle Paul

Bulgarian Theophylact

Content

Preface to 1 Corinthians

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Preface to 1 Corinthians

Corinth, famous for its great wealth and wisdom, although it believed in Christ, but having believed, it was in danger of falling away from Christ. For the rich formed their parties, and the wise men theirs, and having chosen their own teachers, they reproached Paul as a poor and uneducated man. In addition, one of them mixed with his stepmother; some, out of gluttony, ate things sacrificed to idols; others were sued before Hellenic judges in pecuniary disputes; further, men grew their hair, ate in churches, and did not give to the needy; they were exalted with spiritual gifts; Regarding the doctrine of the resurrection, they hesitated. The cause of all these disorders was external wisdom; for she is the mother of all evil to those who believe in all things. Therefore, Paul writes an epistle to Corinth with the aim of correcting all this. Since, most importantly, there were divisions in the Church, and this was due to arrogance; then he first of all tries to exterminate arrogance. Those infected with arrogance thought that they were teaching something higher. That is why Paul begins as follows [1].

CHAPTER ONE

Paul, by the will of God called an apostle of Jesus Christ.

This is the beginning, which directly denounces false teachers. I, he says, have been called, and have not invented it myself, have not comprehended it by my own wisdom, and have been sent by Christ, and have not ordained myself, as your teachers did. Jesus Christ. Teacher Christ: How then do you appoint people for your teachers? By the will (δια θελήματος) of God. He saved and called us, not because we were worthy of it, but because it pleased Him. That is why even now He wants me to be your apostle. How do you wish for other teachers? Are you not opponents of God? Note the preposition δια (through), which here refers to the Father.

And Sosthenes is a brother.

Out of modesty, he places along with himself a man who was much smaller than himself; but he does so in order to shame the high-minded Corinthians, who despised everyone.