CORINTHIANS, EPISTLES TO THE (ante). From a passage in what is now named the first epistle—" I wrote to you in the epistle"—many have inferred that an earlier letter had been sent by the apostle to the church of Corinth. The weight of evidence, however, is against that opinion. The genuineness of the first epistle has never been doubted, and it is attested by the earliest and most abundant proof. The most probable date assigned to it is A.D. 54. It was occasioned by the divisions, immoralities, and dis orders which, the apostle had heard, were existing in the church; and by the request of the church for instruction and advice. The epistle, therefore, naturally consists of two parts: the first applying remedies, and the second answering questions.
In the first part, the apostle expresses pleasure and thankfulness. in view of the abundant spiritual gifts which the Corinthian Christians had received. (1.) Ile then pro ceeds to rebuke their divisions, and to give the reasons why they and all Christians should be united in Christ and among themselves. (2.) Ile condemns sharply the immo rality which some of them practiced, and the indifference to it N% hich many of them showed. Both the crime and the insensibility to its guilt had their origin in the corrup tion universal among the Gentiles, and so developed at Corinth that "to Corinthianize" was a synonym for licentiousness, and that all who had any remnant of prudence or of shame felt that Corinth was no place for them. Hence it followed that even true con verts began their new life in an atmosphere of which we can have only the faintest idea, now that the Gospel has been waging war against corruption for 1800 years.
In the second part, the questions submitted by the church are answered. They had reference (1) to marriage and celibacy; (2) to the lawfulness of eating meats sacrificed to idols; (3) to the decorum of manner proper for both men and women in religious assemblies; (4) to the impropriety in their observance of the Lord's supper, which, like the immorality already spoken of, was the effect of their birth and training amidst the disgraceful practices of idolatrous festivity; (5) to unbelief in the resurrection of the dead; and (6) to the estimate in which spiritual gifts should be held. On all these points., principles are announced and arguments enforced which, while meeting the difficulties and errors then prevalent, have also a general application. At the close of the epistle,
directions are given for contributions, and salutations are sent to the members of the church.
The genuineness of the second epistle has been as generally admitted as that of the first; and it is equally well attested by both external and internal proofs. It was writ ten soon after the first, as a sequel to it, and probably from Philippi. Having. been informed by Titus of the effects produced by his reproofs and instructions, Paul was comforted and encouraged, yet saw that the reformation had been only partial. Many of the Corinthians had amended their lives; many were deeply penitent; a grievously offending member of the church had been expelled, and renewed respect for the apostle had been shown. Some, however, still under the influence of false teachers, denied the divine authority of the apostle's ministry, and endeavored to turn his letter against him self. They charged him with vacillation of purpose, with severity, with vainglory, and even urged against him personal infirmity as an offset to official power. The second epistle was written to meet these circumstances of the church. In it the apostle (1) answers the charge of vacillation, affirming that his delay in visiting them had been caused by the persecution to which be had been subjected, and by his desire to afford them longer time for perfecting the reformation which they had begun. (2) He assures them that, so far from having been tyrannical or severe in his discipline, he earnestly desired the welfare both of the church and of the particular offender, and that as the good effect of the sentence of excommunication had been manifested, he hoped that it would no longer be enforced. (3) He ascribes the great success of his ministry alto, gether to the power and grace of God. He acknowledges his own personal unworthi ness and weakness, but appeals confidently to the abundant testimony which God had given to his work in preaching the gospel and establishing the church. Nowhere had this divine support been more triumphantly displayed than among the Corinthians themselves; and it would continue to be given, however contumacious any of them might be. (4) He renews his affectionate exhortations to a holy and beneficent life.