INTRODUCTION TO THE MARCH LESSONS: The church at Corinth had problems, as most churches do . . . even those that are vibrant and growing. Life was not easy in the pagan Roman culture. Life in the church was not much different. The Corinthian church had problems with unity, leaders, morality, marriage, freedoms, idolatry, spiritual gifts, love, the resurrection, and the collection for the saints. But the church of today can learn to be united from a divided church like Corinth. In this study, we highlight what constitutes unity, the nature of servant leadership, the constraints of freedom, the unifying significance of Communion, and the functioning of the body of Christ.
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Unit: 1 Corinthians (Part 1)
Theme: The Living Church
Lesson Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 12:12-20
Supplemental Texts: John 17:20-23; Romans 12:3-5; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:1-6; Philippians 2:1-3
Aim: Strive for unity in the body of Christ.
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Download a PDF of this week’s lesson material (the study by Mark Scott, the Application by David Faust, and Discovery Questions): LOOKOUT_Mar3_2024
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By Mark Scott
A non-unified church misrepresents the triune God. Jesus prayed for his followers, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). To say that the church in Roman Corinth had trouble with unity would be a gross understatement. They were divided over leaders, the nature of the gospel, the use of Christian freedom, gender propriety in worship, the practice of the Lord’s Supper, the use of spiritual gifts, the reality of resurrection, and the collection for the saints—to name only a few.
The first letter to the Corinthians—if indeed it really is the first letter (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:5-9)—can be divided into three parts. Paul first addressed their “divisions” over leaders (chapters 1–4). Evidently Paul learned of these from Chloe’s people (1:11). Second, Paul addressed issues related to “debaucheries” (chapters 5–6). The immorality of Corinth had crept into the church. A man was sleeping with his stepmother and the church failed to confront him. Christians were going to court against fellow Christians to stand before a pagan judge. And there was as much sexual and gender confusion then as there is today. Finally, Paul addressed several “disorders” (chapters 7–16). Evidently the church had written to Paul and asked for his help concerning issues that included marriage, freedom, spiritual gifts, the resurrection, and the collection for the saints.
United Leaders
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
The leaders actually were united, but the church was divided in their following of those leaders. So, Paul made his appeal (urge or beseech) based on the authority (name) of Jesus that they agree with one another. This phrase does not call for uniformity in all matters. Diversity can be good for the church (as the next section of our lesson text will show). But it does mean the church will “speak the same thing”; in other words, the church speaks with one voice concerning their desire for unity. Church divisions (schisms) give a perverted view of God.
Paul fleshed out how “speaking the same” was compromised by people of the church lining up behind various leaders. The game of “follow the leader” was really “follow my leader.” The church had quarrels; in its original Greek, that word means “strife,” and it is the root word for selfish erotic love. The church was quarreling over whose leadership carried the most clout. The people were rallying around their elevated leader by saying, “I am of” or “I follow . . .” Was it Paul (who brought the Word to Corinth)? Was it Apollos (the eloquent teacher whose incomplete doctrine was corrected by Priscilla and Aquila; Acts 18:24-28)? Was it Cephas (also known as Simon Peter; John 1:42)? Or was it Christ? (This may have been the most arrogant group in the church who claimed with an air of spiritual superiority, “O, we just follow Jesus.”)
Paul asked three questions to get the church’s attention. The obvious answer to each question was “no.” Christ was not divided. Paul was not crucified for them. And the people were not baptized in Paul’s name. Paul then gave a brief excursus about baptisms. Paul confessed to baptismal amnesia. His recordkeeping was lacking. He remembered baptizing only Crispus (Acts 18:8), Gaius, and the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, Paul’s memory failed him. Paul was not denigrating the importance of baptism (Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12); rather, he was putting a higher priority on preaching the cross. He kept first things first.
United Parts
1 Corinthians 12:12-20
The leaders around whom the church had polarized were as united as the individual parts of the human body. So, Paul stressed unity again in this three-chapter section (12–14) that deals with the use of spiritual gifts. Paul compared the church with the body of Christ—it is a metaphor, at the least, though it may be more. The human body has many parts (toes, knees, hips, arms, etc.), but they all work together to make one human body.
Unity in the church is based on our common incorporation. We all are baptized by one Spirit into one body. This is true ethnically (Jews or Gentiles) and sociologically (slave or free). Paul later would address feelings of superiority (e.g., the eye saying to the hand, “I have no need of you”). But first he addressed feelings of inferiority via imagined dialogue of the foot comparing itself to the hand and the ear comparing itself to the eye. None can say they have no need of the other. Two silly questions brought it home, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?” There are many parts and only one body. God arranged it so. The church should be united—like the human body.
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