An In-depth Study of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians
Rev. Richard A. Bolland
Unit # 9: "Headship & Head-coverings”, I Corinthians 11:2-6
While beginning with praise for the Corinthian congregation for honoring the Gospel delivered to them. These traditions encompass not only worship practices, the Lord’s Supper in particular (11:23-26), but also the basic and essential teachings of the Gospel itself. While generally grateful for this faithfulness, Paul must also call them to account for deviating from these same traditions in a number of areas: an attitude toward men’s and women’s head-coverings that may have been influenced by the pagan religious environment (11:3-16), a lax attitude toward the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34); an unbalanced attitude toward spiritual gifts (12:1-14:33); the role of women in worship (14:34-40); and a failure to understand the implications of Christ’s resurrection (15:1-58).
I. THE ISSUE OF WOMEN’S HEAD-COVERINGS.
A. Our lack of precise understanding of the customs in the first-century Mediterranean world make interpreting this section difficult to understand.
1. However, there may well be a direct parallel in the practices of modern Islam which spring from the very same culture of the time.
a. Even moderate Muslim women will cover their hair in public.
b. It would be unthinkable for a woman to enter a mosque and remove her head-covering.
2. Let us make one thing very clear: Paul does not wish to set in concrete a rule about specific practices for all times and all places regarding head-coverings.
a. When the apostle does state a universal and permanent principle, he does so in a very specific way.
b. Paul issues universal and permanent principles using the following terms:
1.) He refers to them as a “direct command of God.” (I Cor. 14:37)
2.) Or Paul refers to a command as being, “in every church” or “in all the churches” (I Cor. 4:17; 7:17; 14:33)
B. Paul is establishing the universal and permanent principle that men and women at worship should conduct themselves modestly and sensibly (I Tim. 2:9; I Pet. 3:1-6), in keeping with whatever happens to be the customs of the time and culture.
1. This passage has been badly misused by those espousing the ordination of women. Their reasoning goes like this:
a. “If we determine that the custom of women wearing head-coverings is no longer binding in our day and culture, then we cannot turn around and claim that the custom of women not speaking (as a public teacher) in the church is binding today.”
b. Completely ignored in this reasoning is Paul’s clear distinction between a “custom/tradition” and a universal command, as in I Cor. 14:34-35.
II. THE CUSTOMS OF THE DAY AND CULTURE OF THE CORINTHIANS:
A. In Paul’s day, the custom in the Corinthian culture was for men to show respect for God in public worship by uncovering the head.
1. This lack of head-covering showed submission to God.
2. If a man prayed with a head-covering, then he failed to show the proper attitude toward the worship of the Lord.
B. Conversely, a woman not wearing a head-covering in public (worship or not), was seen as a woman of loose moral values generally engaged in sexual promiscuity.
1. Therefore, Paul makes the connection, “If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.”
2. What kind of messages, then, would an uncovered woman give to the Corinthian community that observes such behavior in Christian worship?
III. THE PROBLEM AT CORINTH:
A. Apparently some of the more “liberated” women in the congregation were abandoning the head-covering that both Jewish women and most Greco-Roman women traditionally wore in public in the first century.
1. By appearing in a manner that blurred the distinction between the sexes, these women were conducting themselves as if the new age had not only been inaugurated in Christ (which was true) but also was already consummated (I Cor. 4:8), so that there were no more distinct gender roles, as there will not be in heaven. (Lk. 20:34-36)
a. These women thought they could lay aside the markings of their womanhood and dress like men.
b. They were not going to be bound by conventions accepted as proper for the respective sexes, but Paul believes they have gone beyond the bounds of propriety and are acting immodestly.
2. So the question arises as to the proper conduct of a wife over against her husband.
B. In the same way, we today often are dismayed by the seemingly extreme dress of some of our teenagers.
1. What some teenagers see as “self-expression” and “being cool”, parents view as flaunting of social convention and rebellion against standards of decency.
2. Some psychologists suggest that such behavior should be permitted and perhaps encouraged so that our youth will “discover” themselves in the process.
a. To a certain extent, virtually all of us when through some form of “fashion” rebellion.
b. The question is not if such strange clothing will be tolerated, but to what extent it will be tolerated.
c. Of course, parents are expected to foot the bill to purchase the very clothing they dislike!
d. But now, since the Columbine shootings, certain types of rebellious dress is not considered “healthy”, (i.e., black trenchcoats are still not permitted at Columbine High School.)
3. To teenagers: “What are you trying to accomplish by wearing extreme clothing?
4. To parents: “Is it beneficial in the long run to give in on the little things and win on the big ones?”
a. Parents are the ones who must decide on what constitutes too extreme.
b. Teens can work and earn their own money for clothing which passes the “not too extreme” test, but which parents dislike.
IV. PAUL’S RESPONSE OF HEADSHIP:
A. What headship is NOT: There is absolutely no justification in the Scriptures for a view of headship and submission of a wife to a husband that would embrace any notion of a harsh subjugation of the woman to his will.
1. Paul is not at all granting men authority to wield autocratic power, but the responsibility for loving, self-sacrificing service to his wife.
a. Ephesians 5:21-33 gives strong testimony to the pervasive view of authority throughout the Scriptures which views authority as a venue of service to the needs of others.
1.) Christ loves the Church and gave Himself up for her. (Eph. 5:25)
2.) Unlike the Gentiles, in the Church we are not to lord it over one another but be servants. (Lk. 22:24-27)
3.) Pastors are given authority not to lord it over the flock, but be examples. (I Pet. 5:3)
b. Authority in the Bible, is always given for the purpose of service.
2. Notice the three parallel clauses with which Paul describes headship:
a. The head of every man is God.
b. The head of the woman is the man.
c. ...and the head of Christ is God.
3. If we are to interpret these clauses rightly, they must be treated precisely the same.
a. Is there anything demeaning for Christ to have God (the Father) as His head?
1.) Do not the Scriptures teach that there is full equality between all the persons of the Godhead? (Remember the Athanasian Creed?)
2.) Can there be in any sense any notion of “rank” between the Father and the Son?
3.) There is no subordinationism in this statement in that the Father and the Son are equal, but different in respect to their roles regarding salvation for humankind.
4.) For any team to function effectively, there must be a leader and those who willingly follow that lead.
b. To be consistent in our interpretation, then, we must also conclude that there is nothing demeaning or “ranking” that would reflect on the headship relationship between a wife and her husband.
1.) Again, husband and wife, (like the Father and the Son), are equal but not of the same order as the other.
B. The Order of Creation and the resulting orders of husband and wife.
1. What is the Order of Creation?
a. It is the Scriptural teaching that man was first created as the direct image and glory of God. (I Cor. 11:7)
b. Sequentially, then, woman was taken out of man and also bears the image of God, but it is derived from the man, not directly from God as was the case with Adam. (More about this in the next unit.)
2. When the woman does not cover her head, she assumes the mantle of the man and thus violates the order of creation assuming a kind of glory that is due the man.
a. Therefore, Paul argues, that if a woman wishes to usurp the man’s position, then go ahead and shave her head bald so that her intentions are absolutely clear. (I Cor. 11:6)
b. Rather, Paul asserts, the woman should accept and glory in her femininity, (I Cor. 11:7), and wear a head-covering.
“WE ARE NOT OUR OWN”
An In-depth Study of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians
Rev. Richard A. Bolland
UNIT # 10: Spiritual Gifts – I Corinthians 12-14
So much in the last few decades has been said about spiritual gifts that the theological waters have become rather muddy. Various church bodies have attempted to develop one “instrument” after another so that those utilizing them can “know” what their spiritual gifts are. This is done despite the fact that never in Scripture is such a notion even mentioned. As always, our goal in the study of Scripture is to say no more and no less than the Scripture says and above all, to let the Scriptures interpret Scripture. (This is the first and foremost principle for interpreting God’s Word and removes the notion that if anyone says the Bible says anything, it is only a matter of “interpretation”. Words contain meaning and meaning can be known.
“WE ARE NOT OUR OWN”
An In-depth Study of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians
Rev. Richard A. Bolland
UNIT 11: “The Resurrection of the Dead – Foundation of the Gospel”
There is no greater claim of the Christian faith than that of the bodily, physical resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus Christ. Correspondingly, Jesus’ resurrection has been the epicenter of attacks on the faith. From the very moment of the discovery of the empty tomb, human reason, private agendas and political expediency has sought to explain away this central truth of the faith and make it more palatable to human understanding. But human reason cannot comprehend the reality of this foundational understanding of Christ. Paul directly confronts the Corinthian’s lack of knowledge regarding the import of Christ’s resurrection in the 15th chapter of this epistle.
I. HOW EASILY WE FORGET WHAT IS THE HEART AND CORE OF OUR FAITH.
A. We get so “caught up” in all the activity and the political life of a parish that we succumb to the temptations to fail to remember what we are all about as the Church.
1. Who Christ is and what He has accomplished are sometimes treated with apathy because we heard the Gospel so often.
a. How is it possible to “get used to” the Good News of Christ crucified and risen?
b. What is it that the Gospel finds renewed interest among us at Christmas and Easter?
2. It seems that in the Corinthian congregation they too had become less enthusiastic with respect to the impact the resurrection of Christ has on them and the Church at large.
a. Notice the “chiding” of Paul:
“Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (I Cor. 15:1-2)
b. ILLUS: So often as a pastor I am asked to play down the Gospel in my sermons with rationale as follows:
1.) “We want you give us more Law!”
2.) “Just tell us how to live...that’s what I want to hear.”
3.) “Our kids just need to know about what to do about sex, drugs and rock and roll.”
c. What is the common thread in each of the above requests?
B. What is it that makes us behave better, Law or Gospel?
1. Remember the three uses of the Law:
a. Curb: Limits the crass outbursts of sin in the world because the Law is written on the hearts of all men – believer and unbeliever alike. (Rom. 2:14-15)
b. Mirror: Holds our lives up to the holiness of God to show us our sin. (Rom. 7:7)
c. Guide: The Law shows Christians which works please God. (Psalm 119:105)
2. Is there any power of the Law to make us want to obey other than fear?
II. PAUL RESTATES THE OBVIOUS BY OUTLINING THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOSPEL FOR THE CORINTHIANS.
A. What Paul issues is a foundation of the Apostles’ Creed:
1. “...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,...”
2. “...that he was buried,...”
3. “...that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...”
4. “...That he appeared...”
B. These creedal statements of the Christian faith became incorporated into early Baptismal creeds that were spoken at the time of an adult’s baptism as a result of the baptismal instruction given to them.
1. It was frequently these baptismal creeds that were required to be recited when a Christian moved from one area of the Roman Empire to another to ascertain whether or not the individual should be admitted to the fellowship of the then outlawed Church.
2. The exact time and formulation of the Apostle’s Creed is not known, but they clearly express the faith taught by the Apostles and hence became known as the Apostles’ Creed.
C. It is the power of the Gospel which energizes, motivates and moves us to do good works based on the only motivation acceptable to God: Love for Him.
1. The power of the Law is fear.
2. The power of the Gospel is love...and it is the Gospel that changes our hearts and produces truly good works.
III. CHRIST’S DEATH SETS THE STAGE FOR HIS RESURRECTION.
A. In order for the resurrection of Christ to have its full meaning and impact on the Church it is, of course, necessary that He be truly dead.
1. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are both that into which we are baptized. (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3-5)
2. Great stress in placed in all the Gospel accounts about the reality of Jesus’ physical death.
a. He breathed his last. (Mt. 27:50; Mk. 15:37; Lk. 23:46; Jn. 19:30)
b. Evidence of separation of Christ’s blood into its component parts which appear to be “water” and “blood” – which is only possible after physical death. (Jn. 19:34)
c. The soldier’s spear thrust into Christ’s side was intended to inflict a mortal wound in and of itself. (Jn. 19:34)
d. The remark and witness of a Roman Centurian affirming that Jesus was dead. (Mt. 27:54; Mk. 15:44-45)
e. The burial of the dead corpse in a tomb. (Mt. 27:59-60; Mk. 15:46-47; 23:55; Jn. 19:41)
f. The embalming of Jesus’ body with spices and perfume, and the preparation of the women to complete the embalming process. (Lk. 23:56; Jn. 19:40.)
3. All this is to set the stage for what is about to happen!
B. Just as Christ was truly dead (having made full payment for our sins), when He rises to life, it is a true physical resurrection from the dead!
1. Imagine the unimaginable: What would the meaning be if Jesus Christ had done all that the Scriptures recorded Him doing and then failed to raise from the dead? What would be the theological ramifications of His continuing death?
a. What would it mean for our situation with our condemning sins?
b. What would it mean for our death and burial?
c. What would it mean for our hope for a life after death?
2. Is it any wonder then that St. Paul writes: “Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (I Cor. 15:2b)
C. Paul cites two fields of evidence for Christ’s resurrection from the dead:
1. The predictions in the Scriptures (Old Testament) about the resurrection.
a. Psalm 16:8-11
b. Psalm 110:1
c. Is. 53:11
d. Jonah 1:17
e. Hosea 6:2
2. Next Paul sites the eye witnesses to the physical resurrection of our Lord:
a. Old Testament law stipulated that legal evidence should be corroborated by the testimony of two or three witnesses, (Deut. 17:6; 19:15), and so Paul provides more than sufficient “legal” evidence for the Corinthian skeptics.
b. Christ appears to Peter. (Mt. 10:2; Lk 24:34)
c. Christ appears to the Twelve. (Lk. 24:33-36; Jn. 20:19; Jn. 22:32; Jn. 20:24-29))
d. Christ appears to the 500. (Mt. 28:16-20)
e. Christ appears to James. (Mt. 13:55)
f. Christ again appears to all the apostles. (Acts 14:4; Rom. 16:7)
g. Christ finally appears to Paul. (Acts 9:1-9)
3. The resurrection is so entirely central to the faith that God supplied not merely sufficient witnesses to its reality, but an abundance of eye witnesses so as to make the matter legally and theologically “iron clad”.
IV. HOW CAN SOME SAY THERE IS NO RESURRECTION?
A. This predominantly Greek congregation was heavily influenced by Greek culture and Greek philosophy.
1. Traditionally Greek philosophers denied any sort of credence to any kind of bodily resurrection.
a. Aeschylus: “When the dust hath drained the blood of man, once he is slain, there is no resurrection.”
b. Plutarch: “...that only the soul could attain to the realm of the gods, through freeing itself of attachment to the senses and becoming ‘pure fleshless, and undefiled.’”
2. What had happened is that the Greeks had attempted to weave their philosophical culture in with the Christian faith. This is called syncretism.
a. Syncretism is a temptation today as well, especially on the mission field.
b. Time an again missionaries with the best of intentions have attempted to use elements of the pagan faiths they encounter to “bridge the gap” between false religion and the Christian faith.
c. The result of this syncretism was a watering down of the truth and the conveyance of misinformation.
d. ILLUS: Voodoo is a very syncretistic faith in that it mixes elements of African animism and Christianity as does its near cousin Santeria.
3. Syncretism is also a negative influence in our pluralistic culture.
a. People in our culture tend to minimize the important theological differences between various religious bodies and end up watering down the faith.
b. Whenever we hear people say something like, “Forget about all these denominational differences, let’s just worship Jesus together.”, syncretism is happening.
c. Let us remember that God only reveals one truth, and there is only one true interpretation (God’s) and that He never minimizes or discounts His revealed truth...There is NO VIRTUE in syncretism!
B. Paul argues that if the Corinthians would only pay attention to the essential message of Christianity, they would realize that their denial of the resurrection is completely untenable.
1. Argument 1: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead (by the eyewitnesses who say Him), then, how could anyone claim there is no raising from the dead? (I Cor. 15:12)
a. Obviously, there has been one exception to the claim!
b. If there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then no such thing happened to Christ; He could not have been raised either.
2. Argument 2: If Christ is not raised, then there is no point to the apostles’ activities. (I Cor. 15:14)
a. It was precisely the fact that the apostles saw the risen Christ which caused them to do what they did.
b. All of Paul’s missionary journeys were devoted to preaching “...the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” (Acts 23:6; Acts 24:15; 26:6-8; 28:20)
3. Argument 3: If Christ is not raised, then your faith is completely in vain (empty). (I Cor. 15:14)
a. The entire Christian message would be a hoax.
b. The faith may as well be abandoned.
4. Argument 4: If the Corinthian skeptics are right and there is no resurrection of Christ, then not only is there no hope, but those who proclaim a resurrection are false prophets. (I Cor. 15:15)
a. God has been misrepresented and the apostles are lying.
b. Their very words about the resurrection from the dead would set them against God.
5. Argument 5: If there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not raised either. (I Cor. 15:13)
a. The One who was crucified, died and was buried for our sins is still dead.
b. The payment made on our behalf was not accepted by the Father.
6. Argument 6: If Christ is not raised, then we are consequently still in our sins. (I Cor. 15:16-17)
a. If Christ is not alive, then we are still dead, and Christ is condemned Himself, not justified for He too had to pay the wages of sin.
b. If Christ is not alive, then no payment for sin exists for us, and we cannot be in fellowship with the Father now or in the future.
7. Argument 7: If Christ is not raised, then our loved ones who have died are in hell. (I Cor. 15:18)
a. Their hope and ours is only for this life.
b. Nothing but pain and suffering await us all in the next life.
8. Argument 8: If Christ is not raised, we are to be pitied more than all men. (I Cor. 15:19)
a. We are nothing but fools who hope on a false promise.
b. We would be fools!
C. For Paul, Christ’s resurrection is inseparably connected to the future resurrection of Christians; they are two sides of the same coin.
1. Through baptism Christians have become members of Christ’s own body (I Cor. 12:13).
a. Consequently, the bodily resurrection of Jesus guarantees the resurrection of the believer’s bodies.
b. Additionally, it is our resurrection that will be the fulfillment of the gift of salvation accomplished through Christ’s death and inaugurated by Christ’s own resurrection.
c. Paul’s entire argument hinges on the unbreakable connection between Christ’s resurrection and the resurrection of believers on the Last Day.
2. Easter means that the victory has been won (past tense) by Christ!
a. At the same time, for God’s people, the full participation in that victory is yet to be experienced.
b. Easter, then, is an eschatological event with end-time implications that the Church must never forget if she is not to loose her hope.
3. Contemporary Christians sometimes forget that the final l Christian hope is not just for the soul to enter Christ’s presence after the death of the body, but our great hope towards which we all yearn is the final renewal of the whole creation and the resurrection of the body!
a. It is on that great and final day of this tired earth’s history that God will receive the full harvest of which Christ’s own bodily resurrection is the first fruits. (I Cor. 15:20)
b. Without the resurrection of Christ there is only death and despair, but since He has risen, there is joy, hope and life!
“WE ARE NOT OUR OWN”
An In-depth Study of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians
Rev. Richard A. Bolland
Unit 12: Baptism’s for the dead and Concluding Remarks
I Corinthians 15:29: “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?”
I. THE CONTEXT OF THIS PUZZLING PASSAGE:
A. Since the beginning of the chapter Paul has been preaching the bodily death and resurrection of Christ and what His victory over death means for all people.
1. St. Paul has been asking one question after another concerning the ramifications to the faith had Christ not been raised from the dead. (I Cor. 15:12-18)
2. V. 29 is yet another of these questions.
3. The practice Paul describes would make no sense if the dead are not raised.
B. Also included in the context of this single and unique passage must be the entire body of related passages that deal with baptism.
1. One, solitary passage cannot serve as a foundation for any doctrine.
2. To take a single, solitary passage that seemingly contradicts all other passages is a breach of the most egregious kind of accepted principles of Biblical interpretation.
II. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS CONCERNING THIS PASSAGE?
A. This apparently eccentric practice has been interpreted in many ways, but they fall into six different categories:
1. Some scholars think Paul is speaking of a vicarious form of baptism in which living Christians were baptized on behalf of persons who had already died.
a. This practice would most certainly be in conflict with virtually the universal practice of the Church at large during the first century A.D.
b. Neither in the historical writings nor the biblical writings of the era has any such reference to such a practice.
c. It is possible that, in error, the Corinthians may have been so concerned about relatives and friends who had died before receiving Christian baptism that they were having themselves baptized (or rebaptized?) on behalf of the dead.
d. Paul could be simply making an argument that this practice (even though it is in error), would make no sense if the dead are not raised.
2. Other scholars take the Greek term for “those being baptized” metaphorically.
a. Paul is not speaking about people who were receiving Christian baptism.
b. Instead, he is speaking about “those being destroyed (referring to the apostles.) (I Cor. 15:30-31)
3. Another related interpretation attempts to fit 15:29 into the epistle’s broader context that Paul is speaking about regular Christian baptism, but the “dead” refers not to deceased persons, but to the living apostles.
a. In other words it would read: “Otherwise what will those do who are being baptized on account of the dead (that is, the dead, figuratively speaking; that is, the apostles)?
b. (I Cor. 4:9)
4. Still others have said that the term “the dead” is not substantive and that “the dead” must be taken adjectivally: “those who are being baptized for their own dying bodies.”
a. Grammatically, this untenable by all but one ancient manuscript and assumes that all the others are incorrect.
b. Minuscle 69 from the 15th century is the manuscript in question and it late date speaks strongly against this interpretation.
5. Luther suggested that uper does not mean “on behalf of”, but rather “over” the dead. (This is one of the legitimate ways to translate this term.)
a. If this verse is translated: “...those who are baptized over the dead...”, it could well mean that some in the Corinthian congregation were performing baptisms over the graves of deceased Christians, to strengthen their faith in the reality of a bodily resurrection connected with their baptism.
b. This makes very good sense in the context of the discussion of the resurrection.
6. R.C.H. Lenski, (a renowned Lutheran linguist and commentator), considers the verse to be speaking about regular Christian baptism and understand “the dead” to be deceased Christians only, not deceased unbelievers.)
a. Similar to Luther, Lenski translates uper as “with a view to the dead”.
b. Lenski explains: “The preposition indicates the motive for the reception of baptism, a duty which uper frequently performs in classical and well as in the N.T. Greek.”
c. Lenski continues: “The dead” of whom Paul speaks are not just any persons who are dead but the baptized Christians who died as such Christians in the sure hope of a blessed resurrection. Their example, i.e., their baptism and their godly life and final death in this sure hope, furnishes the motive that prompts the living also to desire and to receive baptism for the same blessed purpose.”
B. Both the interpretation of Luther and Lenski recognize the connection between Christian baptism and the hope of the resurrection.
1. The Nicene Creed also makes that connection: “We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins” is followed immediately by “and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
2. It seems that the Corinthian congregation had received a good deal of apostolic instruction regarding baptism:
a. I Peter 3:21, “Baptism now saves us”
b. I Cor. 12:13, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body –whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were given the one Spirit to drink.”
c. I Cor. 1:13, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?”
d. Acts 2:38-39, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.”
C. Paul – for some inexplicable reason – does not explicitly censure the group that is practicing this kind of baptism, neither does he approve of it.
1. If Luther and Lenski are correct, then there is not need for censure.
2. If not, then Paul is using an incorrect practice to illustrate his primary point: “What would the point of these baptisms be if the dead are not raised?”
3. The new life in Christ begins at baptism and continues throughout the Christian’s present life (Rom. 6:6-23), but it will be fully realized only in the resurrection.