First Corinthians is a very practical treatise on the application of Christian principles to a wide variety of personal and corporate issues, including the need for unity rather than divisiveness in the body of believers, church discipline for sexual immorality, the problem of litigation between believers, counsel concerning marriage, liberty regarding doubtful things, public worship and the use of spiritual gifts, and the nature of the resurrection.
Corinth was a thriving center of commerce with two seaports strategically located on a narrow isthmus between the Aegean and Adriatic seas. This city was also a center of idolatry and immorality where pleasure seekers would come to be entertained. During his second missionary journey, Paul established a church in this corrupt city and taught the Scriptures there for 18 months in AD 51–52. In AD 56 Paul wrote this epistle to the church at Corinth (verse 5:9 indicates that he had written at least one previous letter to them) on his third missionary journey near the end of his years of ministry in the city of Ephesus (16:5–8).
From Handbook to Scripture
Chapter 1
Paul’s first concern in this letter is the problem of false pride and divisiveness caused by focusing on people rather than the Lord (1:1–17). Human wisdom is totally inadequate; only the power and wisdom of God can bring salvation (1:18–31).
Chapter 2
In chapter 2 Paul argues that the gospel transcends human wisdom and must be spiritually discerned, since it cannot be grasped by the natural mind.