Loving Like God: 1st Corinthians 13 Christians Lesson 1 Background

 

Loving Like God: 1st Corinthians 13 Christians

Lesson 1 Background

(taken from Jensen's Survey of the New Testament, Moody Press)

 

Time and Place Written

Paul wrote this letter on this third missionary journey, toward the end of his three-year ministry in the city of Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:8).  The year of writing was AD. 55.

Occasion

    Paul was a traveling evangelist who took to heart the follow-up work of nurturing the young converts whom he had led to Christ.  He learned of the Corinthians' problems thorough reports and inquiries originating with members and leaders of the church.  If he had already made a short visit since founding the church, he also knew of some of the problems first hand.

 

Purposes

    Among Paul's purposes in writing one of his longest letters were these:

   to identify the basic problems underlying the reports and inquiries;

   to offer solutions by way of doctrine and example

   to give extended teaching on related doctrines

   to give at least a short defense of his apostleship

   to exhort the believers in the ways of a full, mature Christian life.

Geography and Chronology of Paul's travels.

Paul's Travels to Corinth (from Logos Bible Atlas)

 

1  Paul makes Ephesus the base for his mission work for the next 3 years. Disciples of Apollos receive the Holy Spirit and a church is founded (Acts 19:1-7). The gospel spreads in Asia (Acts 19:8-20).

2  Paul plans to go to Macedonia. He sends Timothy and Erastus ahead (Acts 19:21-22). They may also visit Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:10-11). Paul is worried about immorality at the church there.

3  Three members of the Corinthian church bring a letter to Paul (1 Corinthians 16:17-18). It is full of questions that reveal the problems to be far greater than Paul had thought.

4  Paul writes and sends 1 Corinthians, tackling the problems.

5  Paul hears bad news about the church in Corinth, possibly from Timothy.

6  He hurries to Corinth (implied by the intended third visit of (2 Corinthians 12:14). The visit is extremely painful for everyone. Paul has to be severe.

7  He returns to Ephesus. Here he writes a 'painful letter' to them (2 Corinthians 2:4). Titus takes the letter to Corinth. Paul arranges to meet Titus again at Troas urgently, to get news of the situation.

8  Paul is the center of a riot in Ephesus. His message threatens the sale of statues of the Ephesian goddess (Acts 19:23-41).

9  Paul goes to Troas. The work goes well, but Paul is worried about his 'painful letter.' Was it too harsh? Titus does not appear as arranged (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).

10 Paul enters Macedonia in search of Titus. By doing this he breaks an arrangement he made with the Corinthians—he was going to go to them by sea before visiting Macedonia. He apologizes in 2 Corinthians 1:15– He didn't want another painful visit.

11 He encourages the churches (Acts 20:1-2) and collects money for the Jerusalem church (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

12 Paul and Titus finally meet. Titus brings good news—the 'painful letter' has been taken as Paul intended (2 Corinthians 7:5-16).

13 Paul writes 2 Corinthians—full of joy. He encourages them to complete their promised giving for the Jerusalem church (2 Corinthians 8:10-15).

14 Titus takes the letter ahead of Paul to prepare the church for Paul's third visit (2 Corinthians 8:16-24).

15 Paul stays in Achaia 3 months, probably in Corinth. Here he writes the letter to the Romans.

16 He plans to travel to Jerusalem by sea via Syria. A plot by his enemies forces him to return through Macedonia (Acts 20:2-6).

 

Introduction to 13th Chapter of Corinthians

    With all the problems faced by the Paul in the Corinthian church, it may seem contradictory to find the most beautiful chapter ever written describing the true Christian life.  Yet this is exactly what the Corinthians needed.  In the depth of their divisions and sin they needed "a more excellent way."  Paul says this is love, a love unlike any other know to the Gentiles.  This love is of God and can be found in no other source than God.  In fact so different was this love, than that which the world was used to, that a new word was coined by the Christians to distinguish it from human love.

 

Before the New Testament times two words were commonly used for love, Eros and Phileo. 

     Eros was the name of a Greek god, the son of Apaphrodite the goddess of love and beauty.  Eros was also called Cupid by the Romans.  The love of Eros was often passionate lust, it was animalistic and sexual in its fervor but it could also be the emotion  one feels when looking at a beautiful sunset or a magnificent work of art.  Eros was a physical love based purely upon the selfish needs or wants of the one "in love."  Eros love always takes, whether it is a pleasure of a kiss or the pleasure of a new car, the benefit is a selfish one.  Josh McDowell in his book, "Givers, Takers and Other Kinds of Lovers" defines eros love as "Love, if."   In other words eros love is conditional.  It always depends upon something or someone outside of itself to bring it pleasure.  If the outside source of pleasure ceases, so does this type of love.

    Read 1 John 2:15-16 How does John describe the love of the world?

    The second word for love was the word phileo, it meant a mutual shared love.  It was the love of friendship and the love of family.  This type of love was based not upon a physical, selfish desire but upon something found within the object loved.  This might be a noble quality or a bond of family or shared experiences of life.  McDowell calls this love, "Love, Because."  This is a love which has a deeper reason for its existence.  It shares, respects and cherishes it's object of love.  Yet this word was not strong enough for New Testament believers for even it could cease.  Though much stronger than eros, it nevertheless was a love based upon mutual benefit, if the benefit should cease so does the love.  Husbands and wives quit loving each other and friends become enemies because something changes and "phileo" love is not strong enough to survive.

 

    The love which Paul writes of and the word which is used in the New Testament to describe it was used in classic Greek for sacrifice, it was the word agape.  The writers of the New Testament took it up as their own for it described the love they experienced from God through Jesus' death for them.  He had sacrificed himself and told them to "love one another even as I have loved you."  What other word could possibly be adequate except a word for sacrifice.  McDowell describes this love as "Love, Period."  This love is not based on something external, but internal, for it is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts.  Once I become a child of God, washed from my sin by the shed blood of the lamb, this love abides within me.  I cannot manufacture or fake it, for it is as much a part of my new nature as eternal life itself.

 

    This is the love Paul describes in the 13th chapter of Corinthians, it was the love they needed to heal their church and bring them to maturity.  Agape is the love we also need to be Christians who can love others as God loved us.

Read the following verses, what type of love do you think is being described?  Why?

Matthew 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (agape)

 Matthew 22:39  And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (agape)

Matthew 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,  (phileo)

Luke 20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;  (phileo)

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (agape)

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (agape)

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  (phileo)

Romans 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  (phileo)

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (agape)

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.  (phileo)

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. (agape)