Lesson 1
I.
Background of the book
A.
Author – Paul (1 Corinthians 1:1)
B.
Church planted by Paul around 50-52 AD on 2nd
missionary journey (Acts 18:1ff)
C.
Date -- 53 – 57AD
more towards the last 3 years of this span
D.
Origin – Paul was in
Ephesus
on 3rd missionary journey
E.
Recipients – The
church
of
God
in
Corinth
(1:2 NIV)
i.
Those sanctified in Christ Jesus
ii.
Those called to be holy
iii.
Contrast those descriptions to the
problems evidenced in the book
1.
Struggling Christians
2.
Most social backgrounds involved.
(
1:26
& 7:21-24)
3.
Most problems imaginable
F.
City Background – Destroyed by Romans in 146 BC –
reestablished by Julius Caesar in 44 BC
i.
Original
Corinth
known as “sin city” because of reputation for idolatry and sexual deviance
ii.
Regained that reputation by the time of
Paul
iii.
Cultural and commercial crossroads for
East-West sea travel and North-South travel overland
iv.
Location of temple to Aphrodite and one to
Apollo – source of many of the problems Paul addresses
1.
Idol worship
2.
Prostitution
II.
Purpose – To correct problems within the church (problems
related to Paul through Chloe’s household (
1:11
) and questions from the church(7:1))
A.
Divisions within the church
B.
Sexual immorality
C.
Lawsuits between Christians
D.
Food sacrificed to idols
E.
Lord’s Supper
F.
Worship
G.
Spiritual gifts
H.
Resurrection of the dead
III.
Theme – “Stand Firm… always give yourselves fully to the
work of the Lord…” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
1 Corinthians Chapter 1
Lesson 2
1)
How does Paul describe those to whom he is
writing? ______________________
__________________________________________________________________
2)
For what was Paul Thankful?
_________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3)
What was confirmed in the Corinthians? ________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4)
What is the gift Paul speaks of in 1:7?
__________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5)
How will those be found who are confirmed by Christ?
____________________
_________________________________________________________________
6)
What is the first problem addressed by Paul?
_____________________________
7)
What is Paul’s desire for them regarding this problem?
_____________________
_________________________________________________________________
8)
What was the basis for these divisions?
_________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9)
Why does Paul say he is glad he baptized only a few? _____________________
_________________________________________________________________
10)
Who were those few?
________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
11)
What was Paul sent by Christ to do?
____________________________________
12)
Does that mean no
one else was baptized? ______________________________
13)
The message of the cross is _________________ to those who are
perishing, but
it is the ________________________________ to those who are being saved.
14)
How else are those who consider the message to be foolishness
described?
__________________________________________________________________
15)
What did God choose to shame the wise? (explain)
________________________
_________________________________________________________________
16)
What did Christ become on their (our) behalf?
____________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Lesson 3
1)
How did Paul declare the gospel to those at
Corinth
?
__________
________________________________________________________
2)
What was Paul determined to know? (explain) ________________
________________________________________________________
3)
What three terms does Paul use to describe his presence in
Corinth
?________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4)
What was Paul’s preaching not?
___________________________
________________________________________________________
5)
Paul’s preaching was a demonstration of: ____________________
________________________________________________________
6)
Their faith was to be not in the wisdom of men, but: ___________
________________________________________________________
7)
Who does Paul say he speaks his message of wisdom to? (explain)
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
8)
How is this a hidden wisdom?
_____________________________
_______________________________________________________
9)
How is God’s wisdom revealed?
___________________________
_______________________________________________________
10) Based on
2:11
-13, how would you describe the
Spirit’s role?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
11) Who
accepts the things of God? ___________________________
_______________________________________________________
I Corinthians 3
Lesson 4
1)
How does Paul address the Christians in this chapter? __________
______________________________________________________
2)
Why does he describe them in this way? _____________________
______________________________________________________
3)
What were the Corinthians not ready for? ____________________
______________________________________________________
4)
What must take place for one to receive solid food? ___________
______________________________________________________
5)
How were they acting and how (or like whom) does Paul believe
they should be acting? ___________________________________
______________________________________________________
6)
What did Paul consider himself to be? (explain) ______________
______________________________________________________
7)
What is the one purpose of the one who plants or waters? _______
______________________________________________________
8)
How will each one be rewarded?
__________________________
______________________________________________________
9)
What foundation did Paul lay?
____________________________
______________________________________________________
10)
Who is building upon that foundation? ______________________
______________________________________________________
11)
(Personal question) Who laid your spiritual foundation and what
is that foundation?
12)
What can be used for building upon the foundation? ___________
______________________________________________________
13)
Is it possible to build with the wrong material and be saved?
(explain your answer) ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________
14)
What is God’s temple? How can it be destroyed? And what is the
consequence of destroying it? _____________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
15)
The wisdom of this world is ____________ in God’s sight.
16)
Explain “… all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ
is of God.” 3:22-23
Lesson 5
1)
How were the Corinthians to regard Paul, Peter, and Apollos? (explain
what this means)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2)
What is required of those given a trust? ____________________
3)
What is this trust and who has received it? __________________
____________________________________________________
4)
Why does Paul say he does not judge himself? ______________
____________________________________________________
5)
What is the context or scope of this judgment (does Paul make no
judgments of right or wrong; what does he mean)? ___________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
6)
When is the proper time for the type of
judgment Paul is referring
to? __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7)
What will be exposed at that time? ________________________
8)
What did Paul do for the benefit of the Corinthians (and us)?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
9)
What does Paul identify as part of the problem in verse 6?
______
10)
Share your answers to Paul’s questions in verse 7. ____________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
11)
Re-read verses 8-13. Summarize
Paul’s statements in these verses
(keep them in context of the entire chapter).
_________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
12)
What is the significance of the term guardians in verse 15? _____
_____________________________________________________
13)
Who does Paul say they should imitate and why? _____________
_____________________________________________________
14)
Discuss Paul’s statements in verses 18-21.
Lesson 6
1)
What is the subject of this Chapter? ________________________
______________________________________________________
2)
How severe does Paul consider this sin? ____________________
3)
What response or attitude should have been displayed in this
situation? _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4)
Did Paul wait until he was present to make a judgment about this
person? (explain why) ___________________________________
5)
What does Paul mean by “deliver such a one to Satan?” (cf 2 Thes.
3:14-15) ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6)
What were the Corinthians glorying in? _____________________
_____________________________________________________
7)
How did this person affect their worship? ___________________
_____________________________________________________
8)
Is this the first letter (epistle) Paul has written to the
Corinthians?
(explain) ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9)
How does Paul describe the church’s relationship with the
world?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10)
Does that description affect how we interact with the world on
spiritual issues today (gay rights, abortion, sexual immorality,
etc.)? If so how? _______________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
11)
Who does Paul say he judges?
____________________________
12)
What is the extent of that judgment? ________________________
______________________________________________________
13)
Who will judge those outside the church? Inside? _____________
______________________________________________________
14)
What is Paul’s final judgment on the matter? _________________
______________________________________________________
15)
Does Paul apply this only to the sexually immoral? ____________
Lesson 7
1)
What is the first problem Paul addresses in this chapter? __________
________________________________________________________
2)
Who will judge the world? How? _____________________________
________________________________________________________
3)
Does Paul say that Christians should not or will not have
problems
with other Christians? _____________________________________
________________________________________________________
4)
If there is a problem how should it be handled?
__________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
5)
What is the problem with taking these problems to those outside
the
church? _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
6)
What does Paul say would be better to do than to take a fellow
Christian to court?
________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7)
Who will not inherit the
kingdom
of
God
? ______________________
________________________________________________________
8)
Who does Paul say were once those types of people? _____________
________________________________________________________
9)
What changed in their lives? _________________________________
________________________________________________________
10)
Explain Paul’s
statement in verse 12. _________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
11)
What is the
importance of food and the stomach? ________________
________________________________________________________
12)
What is our body
intended for? ______________________________
________________________________________________________
13)
Explain the
relationships Paul refers to in verses 15-20. ___________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Lesson 8
1)
What notable change takes place at the beginning of this chapter
separating it from the previous six? ___________________________
________________________________________________________
2)
What were the Corinthians saying on the new subject in this
chapter?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3)
How does Paul respond to their beliefs? _______________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4)
What is each spouse supposed to render to the other?
_____________
________________________________________________________
5)
Who has authority over our body? ____________________________
________________________________________________________
6)
Explain verses 5-6. ________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7)
Does Paul teach against marriage? (explain) ____________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
8)
What is God’s intention for the married? _______________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
9)
Discuss
Paul’s teaching in verses 12-16. ______________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
1 Corinthians 7:17-40
Lesson 9
1)
What has God distributed to each one? ______________________
______________________________________________________
2)
What does Paul mean by let each one walk as he is called and
what
are the limits (if any)?
(explain) ___________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3)
What matters most? _____________________________________
4)
On one hand Paul tells them not to be concerned if they are a
slave
and on the other he tells them not to become slaves of men, explain
these statements. _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
5)
What problem is the Corinthians dealing with beginning in verse
25? ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
6)
What is Paul’s advice on this problem? ____________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7)
Is it a sin to marry, and why would they think so? _____________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
8)
Explain verses 29-30. ___________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9)
Who does Paul say should not marry? Who should? ____________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10)
Explain why Paul teaches this. _____________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
11)
How should both the married and the unmarried be living? (what
should be their focus?) __________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Lesson
10
1)
What is the subject of this chapter? _________________________________
2)
How does knowledge puff up?
_____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3)
What counter-balances knowledge?
_________________________________
4)
What is the significance of idols or other gods to the
Christian? __________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5)
What does Paul say about their existence?
____________________________
______________________________________________________________
6)
“Yet for us there is ___________ God, the Father, of whom are
_________
things, and we for Him; and _________ Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are
_________ things, and through whom we __________.”
7)
If Paul says there is nothing wrong with eating the meat,
because an idol is
nothing, why is there a problem? __________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
8)
What does not commend us to God? What does?
_______________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
9)
How does Paul equate the ability to eat meat that has been
sacrificed to idols?
______________________________________________________________
10)
What can that my ability be for others?
_______________________________
_______________________________________________________________
11)
What is the principle expressed in verse 10 and how does that
apply in our
lives today? ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
12)
What is the result for the weaker brother?
____________________________
_____________________________________________________________
13)
Who is responsible for the sin of the weaker brother?
__________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
14)
Against whom are we sinning, if we are the stronger brother?
____________
_____________________________________________________________
15)
What was Paul willing to do to avoid the problem? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
16)
What are you willing to do?
Lesson 11
1)
Why does Paul open this chapter with this series of questions?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2)
How does this tie into the subject from chapter 8?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3)
What does Paul use as proof of his statements of apostleship?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
4)
What does he use for proof of his rights? _________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
5)
What is Paul’s explanation of God’s intent Deuteronomy 25:4?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
6)
How does Paul use his rights?
__________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
7)
How did Paul consider his ministry, a work or a job? ________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
8)
What is his reward? ___________________________________
___________________________________________________
9)
Why does Paul give up his freedoms or rights? _____________
___________________________________________________
10)
Explain becoming all things to all men? __________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
11)
How should we run the race? ___________________________
___________________________________________________
12)
What does Paul do to ensure he wins the prize? ____________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
