An Expository Survey of 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

 1 Corinthians 1:1 – 3

[1] Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, [2] to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: [3] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.[1]

The elements of a salutation within the Greco-Roman culture consisted of three things: the author’s name, the recipient(s), and greetings[2]. The apostle however, uses his salutation in a more calculated and distinct manner, establishing clear positions of salvation, office, authority, and in a more subtle manner, purpose.

Paul – Luke the historian is the first to reference the apostle by his Greco-Roman name, Paul (Acts 13:9). Originally identified as Saul (Acts 7:58), prior to his conversion experience (Acts 9:3-9), Paul had been a persecutor of the early church (Acts 8:3). The change or pre-dominant use, of his Greek name Paul, versus his Hebrew name Saul, is directly associated with, and best understood as, the resulting course of his calling by Christian experience. The meaning of his name is “little”, and his perpetuated use of it is not only in keeping with Paul’s self diminishing view, evident throughout the Pauline corpus[3], but it is also an expression of his own perspective of his function, place, and role within the context of the work of Jesus the Christ, despite his voluminous contribution to the New Testament portion of the Biblical canon. The apostles further use of his Greco-Roman name aided in the advancement of his ministry throughout Asia Minor, and thus ultimately the gospel, which was paramount in the thinking of Paul (Rom. 1:9a, 15-17; 1 Cor. 2:2).

The reference to being called is deliberate, and as we will see later it is a preliminary and foundational remark to questions surrounding the legitimacy of Paul’s ministry. Aware and undeterred by the skeptical and suspicious Corinthian factions who expressed doubt about his claim to apostleship, Paul immediately asserts and affirms his calling as an apostle, implicitly as a result of his encounter with the resurrected Jesus Christ, and by the will of God.

It has been accepted over the course of the 2,000 plus years of the church, by Christian historians and theologians alike, that the definitive qualifications for an apostle met the following three criteria: (1) he was one who had been chosen by the Lord Jesus himself (Matt. 10:2-4; Acts 9:1-9). (2) He was one who witnessed the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus (Acts 1:21-22). And (3) he is one who was entrusted with the organization of the early church (Acts 2:42-43, 4:33-35, 6:2-4, 15:6). While acknowledging the tardiness of his rather unusual, as well as unexpected calling by the Christ to serve as an apostle

(1 Cor. 15:8), Paul’s conversion, calling, life and ministry, meet all three criteria, and it is on this basis that he finds his office and authority. In other passages, Paul will further assert his position, as one who is a steward of the gospel and the mysteries of God (Rom. 1:15; 1 Cor. 4:1).

Throughout the Pauline corpus, the apostle opens every letter with an adjectival[4] reference to his position. In Romans 1:1 and in Titus 1:1 he identifies himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ. In Philemon 1:1 he identifies himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. In all of the other epistles attributed to Paul, to the exclusion of the Thessalonians letters, he is referenced as an apostle of Jesus Christ[5].

The name Jesus Christ combines the twofold designation of His personal name, ‘Jesus’, which is the greek transliteration of ‘Joshua’, and title, ‘the Christ’, meaning ‘anointed’ or ‘Messiah’. The significance of this title became clear during the scope of His life, ministry, and resurrection.[6] For Paul however, the resurrected Jesus was both God, and God’s promise, revealed in the frailty of flesh; the mediator above all between the Lord God and a fallen humanity. This truth is essential to Pauline theology (Romans 1:1-6), and confirmed for the apostle by the Word of the Old Testament prophets, and for Paul, the witness of Jesus himself on the Damascus road, which resulted in his simultaneous conversion and calling.

From Damascus forward (Acts 9:1-9), and with much consideration given to Paul’s persecution of the church prior too, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11), and in his own epistles (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13,23; Phil. 3:6), Paul explains his calling purely as a result of the will of God. Paul will later respond more forcibly to this matter, but here, in the salutation, he lays the ground work by situating that both his call and the authority therein associated with, is the byproduct of God’s will. As a result, God is the absolute appraiser of his life and ministry, and thus he is not beholden to no one particular congregation.  

Acts 18:17 records a synagogue ruler at Corinth at the time of Paul’s first visit, who’s name was Sosthenes [Sos-thuh-knees]. His name means “of safe strength.” According to the passage, this Sosthenes was seized by a crown of Jews and beaten before the judgment seat following the refusal of Gallio to manage their complaints against Paul. It is widely held that this Sosthenes mentioned by Paul is the same. Further, he is referred to as a “brother”. The point of his salvation is not mentioned and it is not need. The affirmation of the apostle, called by the will of God, in service to Jesus Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, is enough.   

(2) Paul addresses this letter to the only Christian congregation at Corinth. With his address to the church of God he clarifies who the recipients are. This sect is different and distinct from all other groups that are gathering throughout the highly secular and pagan metropolis of Corinth. The Corinthian congregation is distinguished as being the one that belonged to God (10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9) and confesses Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Further, with this singular use of the term, the apostle strikes a chord that will be repeated throughout the epistle.

From there, he proceeds to qualify those who have been sanctified.[7] This is the result of divine activity, as from the divine perspective throughout scripture, as God’s intention in saving His people involves holiness. In this context, Paul is, and will throughout the epistle, speak in terms of practiced behavior. The sanctification comes as a result of one’s confession in Jesus Christ.

           Saints by calling, redundancy of word use and meaning aside, Paul identifies that they are the people of God as a result of His involvement through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And in the same sense that the apostle is called, they are the called of God as believers and as a congregational community.

The inclusion of this line within and its wording speaks to the fact that the Corinthian congregation had been moving in a direction that was independent of the apostles teachings and the one body identity (4:17; 11:16; 14:33), which has unfortunately gone on to become global denominationalism within Christendom. With this remark, Paul is attempting to lovingly gesture them back into the right mindset and direction that they are a part of the one church established by Jesus Christ, as a result of the will of God the Father.

(3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – Augmenting the traditional Hellenistic salutation of the day, Paul deviates to Christianize the opening of the epistle. By employing grace and peace, Paul is expressing the sum total of the redemptive experience. The activity of the triune God’s is most easily understood through grace and peace. Grace is seen in God’s love toward humanity; unmerited, undeserved, unqualified mercy reveal in the Christ. The benefit this grace is realized in, and best expressed as, peace. It has been called many things: joy, blessing, favor, and while all are applicable, peace, it would appear, best summarizes the byproduct of grace. And all of this is the result of the collaborated work of the triune God, whose will is of the Father, realized and fulfilled through the Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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[1] (2009-03-19). Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible (NASB 1977 edition) (Kindle Locations 39046-39049). The Lockman Foundation. Kindle Edition.

[2] Example writings of the period can be found in F. X. J. Exler, The Form of the Ancient Greek Letter of the Expository Papyri (3^rd c. B.C. -3^rd c. A. D.) (Chicago, 1923), pp. 23-68.

[3] Within the context of literature, a corpus is a large collection of writings of a specific kind, by a specific person, or on a specific subject.

[4] A phrase wherein the head word is an adjective, e.g. glad about it, disappointed in the news, eager for the results; glad, disappointed, eager.

[5] (2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Php. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Tim. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1)

[6] Who was who in the Bible: the ultimate A to Z resource. Nashville:  Thomas Nelson, 1999. (p. 189)

[7] The verb ‘sanctified’ functions as an metaphor for the consecrate or convert of Christianity. Throughout the Pauline corpus it functions in a variety of ways, but coherently as describing a set apart purpose, as well as the ethics of the Christian (1 Thess. 5:23).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Z. M. D. McGregor is the senior pastor of The Relevant Church, in Dallas, Texas.

He Sat Down to Teach Them: A Reflection on Matthew 5:1-2

"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them.”

 

I remember the first time I sat down to teach. It was at a college Bible study in my hometown university. The normal teacher was away, and being one of the ministers on campus he asked me to fill in for him. I obliged, although it was during our college gospel choir’s rehearsal. After a day filled with work and study, I had to conduct rehearsal for about an hour, and then rush across campus to the science building where my friends were already sitting; waiting for things to get started. Exhausted and voice hoarse from frantic scurrying, something in me would not let me remain on my feet. As soon as I hit the door, I headed toward the first chair and stayed in it until my lesson was over.

Of all my professors that had the habit of sitting when they taught Dr. Eric Nisula comes to mind the most. Dr. E was the professor of music and director of choirs at Saginaw Valley State University. He was an older gentleman who always wore t-shirts. One most notable was a black t-shirt with the words “don’t dither, do” written in bright red across the chest.

Whether he was sitting at the piano hashing out our notes or sitting in front of us annotating the choir score with us, Dr. E was always sitting. He only stood to conduct what he was satisfied to call a finished product. The voice and conducting students hated it, not to mention the aspiring educators. He sat in the middle of the floor, in front of students who sat in risers elevated over him. Not only that, but he was known to slouch a little, which made him the lowest person in the room and set a horrible example for young musicians always trained to be mindful of posture.

However, it never ceased to amaze us how awesome we sounded. There was never a flat note that he couldn’t catch, nor was there ever a dissonant sound that he couldn’t fix. We sounded good: from Louis Armstrong’s jazz to the Beatles’ rock, from Bach’s oratorios to Mozart’s Requiem, we always sounded good. I think we sounded so good, because he was never too proud to sit, or even slouch a little. In sitting, he could treat the musical score like a blueprint and all of us like a design team. He explained every dynamic mark and was unashamedly particular about how everybody breathed. So, he sat down and, with pencils in hand, explained everything to us; leaving no stone unturned. The results were always amazing.

As for my college Bible study, I prepared to teach John 1 from a scattered outline. When I sat down, finding rest from a day filled with rushing, I took a deep breath and it was like everything I studied flowed naturally from my mind. Never before was I so comfortable nor had I felt so competent. Liberated from the formalities that make up effective homiletic practices, I was free to be in conversation with a community of believers; being formed right along with them as we studied the Word of God. That experience continues to shape the way I teach, preach and relate to people. It continues to form my concept of ministry and illuminate my imagination when it comes to pastoring. Instead of addressing God’s people with lofty monologues, I’d rather grow and be formed with His people in humble dialogue: so I sit when I teach.

Dr. E and I are in good company, because when Jesus began to give what would become the most influential speech in history, He “sat down and taught them”. In so doing He gives us a clue into who is best equipped to deliver the kind of profundity that lasts throughout the ages. Such profundity needs the intuition of the prophet, the mind of the genius, the eloquence of the poet and the vision of the statesman. But, all of the above are too lofty and distant; too deep and cerebral, too prolific to come to our street and descend to our level. It is when all of these together find themselves taking the posture of the teacher, who sits beside us as one on the journey toward wisdom with us, that the profound is chiefly delivered.

Therefore, when Jesus began to teach us about true blessedness, He sat down. He sat before us when summing up the Law with Himself. When He taught us how to pray, He was sitting down. He sat down while explaining to us the power of a turned cheek and the awesome witness of forgiveness. He was sitting when He called us salt and light, but He takes that same choice posture beside the Father as He intercedes for us in His glorious victory.

Perhaps you will never sit when you teach; I’m not trying to convince you to do so. I do, however, hope you see the importance of the humility that our Lord displayed in this informal posture; modeling it in your own way as a Christian teacher. If Christ’s example shows us anything, it should show us one whose ministry of revealing God to us was presented in humility and brotherly patience: so much so that he gave the most influential speech of history sitting down.

 

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Samuel J. Doyle is a teacher–preacher, and currently serves as the Executive Pastor at the Greater New Light Baptist Church of Waco, TX