1. These are the great epistles that Paul wrote. Each Book deals with doctrine.
2. Attestation and Authorship
a. Used by Clement of Rome (96AD). No one wrote earlier than he (I Corinthians).
b. Polycarp, Theophilus, the big three (Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Irenaeus) used II Corinthians, which is also early.
c. Author is Paul
3. Background and Date
a. Visits Corinth on second missionary journey.
b. Corinth was four miles across with water on two sides, very populated with people going in every direction through Greece (51AD - Paul is there, then to Ephesus)
c.Date of each book is 53AD or 54AD. Dr. Thiessen says 54AD or 55AD, which would have been the third missionary journey.
4. Purpose and Plan
a. Each chapter deals with a different subject (I Corinthians)
b. II Corinthians is harder to outline.
5. First ten verses of I Corinthians, Chapter One, is where Paul emphasizes the Lordship of Christ.
6. Two aspects of Christ (suffering and glory) was a stumblingblock to the Jews (I Corinthians, Chapter One)
7. Natural man does not receive the things of God (I Corinthians, Chapter Two)
Tom of Bethany "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
Lesson 24 - Paul's Soteriological Epistles: Galatians and Romans
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