St. Paul's Epistles to the Corinthians

CONTENTS.

First Epistle.

PART I. (CHAPS. I. - IV.)

THE DISSENSIONS OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH.

Church,

SECTION I. (Chap. I. 1-31.) Introduction. -Divisions in the
no legitimate Place for them in a Religion which

was neither a Philosophy, nor a System of Doctrines, nor a

Law, but a Spirit of Life, God alone being the Giver, and

Christ alone the Channel of the Gift.

SECTION II. (Chap. II. 1-16.) Dissensions from Speculative

Sources. Unity cannot be broken in Things that are only

spiritually discerned, — with which the Speculative Faculties

are not vitally concerned.

SECTION III. (Chap. III. 1-23.) Dissensions, arising from the

Pretensions and Vulgar Passions of Individuals.

SECTION IV. (Chap. IV. 1-21.) An Apostle's Way of applying

Apostolic Authority to the Strifes of a Church.

PART II. (CHAPS. V. - XI.)

THE IMMORALITIES AND PERPLEXITIES OF THE CORIN-

THIAN CHURCH.

SECTION I. (Chaps. V.-VII.) Speculative Pretensions and Moral

Laxity. Incest.-Litigations.-Domestic Relations between

Believers and Unbelievers.

SECTION II. (Chaps. VIII., IX.) Perplexities and Perils to the

recent Converts to Christianity, from the Connection of Gen-

tile Manners with Idolatrous Observances. - Knowledge with-

out Love no Principle of Christian Action. - Paul's Appeal

to his own Example of Forbearance from Lawful Things for

the Sake of others.

SECTION III. (Chaps. X. 1-XI. 1.) A Caution against Self-Con-

fidence; lest an unscrupulous Familiarity with Polytheis-

tic Habits might lead to a Relapse into Heathenism. - The

Parallel Case of the Jews of old.-Fellowship with Christ

excludes all trifling with Idolatry.-Love should control Lib-

erty in Things indifferent.

SECTION IV. (Chap. XI. 2-34.) Irregularities from some Abuse

by Woman of her Spiritual Equality, and from a heathenish

Abuse of the Lord's Supper.

PART III. (CHAPS. XII.-XIV.)

101

120

137

THE OFFICE OF LOVE IN DRAWING INDIVIDUALS INTO A

COMMUNITY; ENRICHING THE WHOLE BODY WITH THE

GIFTS OF EACH OF ITS MEMBERS.

SECTION I. (Chap. XII. 1-30.) Unity amid Diversity. The

Church and its Members, as the Body with its Organs and

Limbs.-The Gifts and Graces of each, the Wealth and Adorn-

ment of all.

SECTION II. (Chaps. XII. 31-XIII. 1–13.) Love: its Charac-

teristics. Above Faith and above Hope, as common to us

and to God himself.

159

178

SECTION III. (Chap. XIV. 1-40.) Love gives Precedence to the

Gifts that edify; and obtrudes not on the Church the Peculiar-

ities of Individuals. - Prophecy.—Tongues.-Rules of Order. 196

PART IV. (CHAPS. XV., XVI.)

CORINTHIAN AND PAULINE VIEWS OF THE RESURRECTION.

CORINTH AND JERUSALEM ONE CHURCH OF CHRIST,

ONE FAMILY OF GOD. CONCLUSION.

SECTION I. (Chap. XV. 1-58.) State of Opinion on the Doc-

. 217

trine of a Resurrection. St. Paul's Arguments. · Christ's
Resurrection a Pattern and a Pledge. - The Case of the Apos-
tles, on the Supposition of no Resurrection. - Analogies of
Nature. · Celestial Bodies. - The New Births of Death.

SECTION II. (Chap. XVI. 1-24.) Sympathy of the Corinthian

Church for the Distressed Brethren of Jerusalem. - Paul's

Views of Duty in Matters of Money. - His proposed Visit to

Corinth. Timothy.—Apollos.—Exhortation.—Conclusion. 236

Second Epistle.

PART I. (CHAPS. I.-VII.)

ADMONITIONS, AND EXPLANATIONS OF SPIRITUAL CHRIS-

TIANITY, ADDRESSED CHIEFLY TO THAT PORTION OF THE

CORINTHIAN CHURCH WHOSE AFFECTIONS, BY HIS FIRST

EPISTLE, WERE REGAINED TO PAUL.

SECTION I. (Chaps. I. 1-24 — II. 1-4.) St. Paul's Thankful-
ness for an Experience which qualified him for the Ministry
of Consolation. Fellowship in Suffering for a Holy Cause
should protect from Misconstruction. - Explanation of his de-
ferred Visit.
. 257

SECTION II. (Chaps. II. 5-17 - III. 1-18.) Paul's Restoration

of the Penitent.-The Salvation of Forgiveness. -His Thank-

fulness that the Light had healed, and not aggravated, Sin. —

Truthfulness his whole Competency as an Apostle of Truth.

Letter and Spirit.

SECTION III. (Chap. IV. 1-18.) Sensibility to Human Opinion.
Paul's Reliance on combined Truthfulness and Love.-

Christ the Truth. - The Power of Faith in him to sustain the

Inner Man.