1 Corinthians 1:1

Contextual Overview

¹Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ Hey, fellas. This is Paul, chosen by God to ride for the brand of Jesus Christ. My amigo Sosthenes is with me, too. ¹ Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,¹Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ¹ Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, and Sosthenes the brother, ¹ Paul, [a] called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God's will, and Sosthenes the brother, ¹ Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Sosthenes our brother: ¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, ¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

called: Romans 1:1, Galatians 2:7, Galatians 2:8

an: 1 Corinthians 3:9, 1 Corinthians 9:1, 1 Corinthians 9:2, 1 Corinthians 15:9, Luke 6:13, John 20:21, Acts 1:2, Acts 1:25, Acts 1:26, Acts 22:21, Romans 1:5, 2 Corinthians 11:5, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Timothy 2:7

through: 1 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Corinthians 6:17, John 15:16, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:1

Sosthenes: Acts 18:17

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 7:21 - according John 3:27 - A man Acts 15:2 - the apostles 1 Corinthians 4:10 - are fools Ephesians 1:5 - according Philippians 1:1 - Paul

Cross-References

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God sawe the lyght that it was good: and God deuided the lyght from the darknes.

Genesis 1:4
He saw the light, and he knew that it was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God seiy the liyt, that it was good, and he departide the liyt fro derknessis; and he clepide the liyt,

Genesis 1:4
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God diuided the light from the darkenesse.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ,.... The author, or rather the writer of the following epistle; for the Holy Ghost was the author and dictator of it, and which was never doubted: he is described by his, name Paul, though his Jewish name was Saul; and very probably he being a Jew by birth, and yet born in a Roman city, might have two names, the one Jewish, the other Gentile; and by the one he went when among the Jews, and by the other when concerned with the Gentiles: and also by his office, "an apostle of Jesus Christ"; immediately called, and sent forth by him; had the Gospel from him by immediate revelation, and a commission to preach it; and which high office was confirmed by signs and wonders, and mighty deeds; by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost conferred on him, and on others under his ministry; and by the eminent success which attended the preaching of the Gospel by him. This his character he the rather mentions, because some in this church, through the insinuations of the false apostles, demurred upon it; whereas this was not a mere name given him by men, and by which he was only commonly called by them, but was an office he was "called" to by Christ; he did not rush into it, or assume it of himself, but had a divine warrant for it; for he was invested with it,

through the will of God: both by the secret will and purpose of God, by which he was a chosen vessel, to bear the name of Christ among the Gentiles, Acts 9:15; and by the revealed will of God, signified by the Spirit of God, who said, "separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have called them", Acts 13:2, and shows, that it was not owing to any worth or merit in him, but purely to the free grace and sovereign will and pleasure of God, that he was made an apostle of Christ:

and Sosthenes our brother. This seems to be the same man, who was the chief ruler of the synagogue of the Jews at Corinth; and was converted to the Christian faith by the Apostle Paul whilst there, as appears from his favouring the cause of the apostle, for which the Jews beat him before the judgment seat, and yet Gallio the Roman deputy took no notice of it, Acts 18:17: in the Syriac dictionary a mention is made of one Sosthenes, governor of a city, one of the seventy disciples, who was educated at Pontus, and cast into the sea by the order of Nouna; and is also said to be bishop of Colophon in Ionia, Acts 18:17- :; but without any reason. This person the apostle joins with him, not as in equal office with him, but as a brother in Christ, and very probably a ministering brother, and a companion of his; and the rather, because he might be well known to the Corinthians, and respected by them; wherefore he chose to join him with him, to show their agreement in doctrine and discipline, and in advice to them, which might have the greater weight with them; see Acts 18:17.

a Bar Bahluli apud Castel. Lex. Polyglott. col. 2444. Vid. Euseb, Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 12.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Paul, called to be an apostle - See the notes at Romans 1:1.

Through the will of God - Not by human appointment, or authority, but in accordance with the will of God, and His command. That will was made known to him by the special revelation granted to him at his conversion, and call to the apostleship; Acts 9:0. Paul often refers to the fact that he had received a direct commission from God, and that he did not act on his own authority; compare Galatians 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 9:1-6; 2Co 11:22-33; 2 Corinthians 12:1-12. There was a special reason why he commenced this Epistle by referring to the fact that he was divinely called to the apostleship. It arose from the fact that his apostolic authority had been called in question by the false teachers at Corinth. That this was the case is apparent from the general strain of the Epistle, from some particular expressions 2 Corinthians 10:8-10; and from the fact that he is at so much pains throughout the two epistles to establish his divine commission.

And Sosthenes - Sosthenes is mentioned in Acts 18:17, as “the chief ruler of the synagogue” at Corinth. He is there said to have been beaten by the Greeks before the judgment-seat of Gallio because he was a Jew, and because he had joined with the other Jews in arraigning Paul, and had thus produced disturbance in the city; see the note on this place. It is evident that at that time he was not a Christian. When he was converted, or why he left Corinth and was now with Paul at Ephesus, is unknown. Why Paul associated him with himself in writing this Epistle is not known. It is evident that Sosthenes was not an apostle, nor is there any reason to think that he was inspired. Some circumstances are known to have existed respecting Paul’s manner of writing to the churches, which may explain it:

(1) He was accustomed to employ an amanuensis (scribe) in writing his epistles, and the copyist frequently expressed his concurrence or approbation in what the apostle had indicted; see the note at Romans 16:22; compare Colossians 4:18. “The salutation by the hand of Paul,” 2 Thessalonians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 16:21. It is possible that Sosthenes might have been employed by Paul for this purpose.

(2) Paul not unfrequently associated others with himself in writing his letters to the churches, himself claiming authority as an apostle; and the others expressing their concurrence; 2 Corinthians 1:1. Thus, in Galatians 1:1, “all the brethren” which were with him, are mentioned as united with him in addressing the churches of Galatia; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1.

(3) Sosthenes was well known at Corinth. He had been the chief ruler of the synagogue there. His conversion would, therefore, excite a deep interest, and it is not improbable that he had been conspicuous as a preacher. All these circumstances would render it proper that Paul should associate him with himself in writing this letter. It would be bringing in the testimony of one well known as concurring with the views of the apostle, and tend much to conciliate those who were disaffected toward him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle.

-Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, as used by the emperors of the east in their diplomata, c., and thence also called the "civil era of the Greeks," 5564

-Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, or Greek ecclesiastical epocha, 5558.

-Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5548.

-Year of the Eusebian epocha of the creation, or that used in the Chronicon of Eusebius, and the Roman Martyrology, 4284.

-Year of the Julian period, 4764.

-Year of the Usherian era of the world, or that used in the English Bibles, 4060.

-Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, 3816.

-Year of the greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4415.

-Year since the Deluge, according to Archbishop Usher and the English Bible, 2404.

-Year of the Cali Yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge, 3158.

-Year of the Iphitus, or since the first commencement of the Olympic games, 996.

-Year of the two hundred and eighth Olympiad, 4.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, who flourished in the time of the first Punic war, and who is styled by Dionysius of Halicarnassus an accurate writer, 803. (This epoch is used by Diodorus Siculus.)

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Polybius, 807.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Cato and the Fasti Consulares and adopted by Solinus, Eusebius, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, c., 808.

-Year from the building of Rome according to Varro, which was that adopted by the Roman emperors in their proclamations, by Plutarch, Tacitus, Dio Cassius, Gellius, Censorinus, Onuphrius, Baronius, and by most modern chronologers, 809. N. B. Livy, Cicero, Pliny, and Vellcius Paterculus, fluctuate between the Varronian and Catonian computations.

-Year of the epocha of Nabonassar, king of Babylon, or that used by Hipparchus, by Ptolemy in his astronomical observations, by Censorinus and others, 803. (The years of this era constantly contained 365 days, so that 1460 Julian were equal to 1461 Nabonassarean years. This epoch began on Feb. 26th, B. C. 747 and consequently, the commencement of the 803d year of the era of Nabonassar corresponded to the IVth of the Ides of August, A. D. 55.)

-Year of the era of the Seleucidae, or since Seleucus, one of the generals of Alexander's army, took Babylon, and ascended the Asiatic throne; sometimes called the Grecian era, and the era of Principalities, in reference to the division of Alexander's empire, 368.

-Year of the Caesarean era of Antioch, 104.

-Year of the Julian era, or since the calendar of Numa Pompilius was reformed by Julius Caesar, 101.

-Year of the Spanish era, or since the second division of the Roman provinces among the Triumviri, 94. (This epoch continued in use among the Spaniards till A. D. 1383, and among the Portuguese till about A. D. 1422.)

-Year since the defeat of Pompey, by Julius Caesar, at Pharsalia in Thessaly, called by Catrou and Rouille, the commencement of the Roman empire, 104.

-Year of the Actiac, or Actian era, or proper epocha of the Roman empire, commencing with the defeat of Antony by Augustus at Actium, 80.

-Year from the birth of Jesus Christ, 60.

-Year of the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 56.

-Year of the Dionysian period, or Easter Cycle, 57.

-Common Golden Number, or year of the Grecian or Metonic Cycle of 19 years, 19, or the seventh Embolismic.

-Jewish Golden Number, or year of the Rabbinical Cycle of 19 years, 16, or the second after the fifth Embolismic.

-Year of the Solar Cycle, 9.

-Dominical Letters, it being Bissextile or Leap-year, DC; D standing till the 24th of February, or the sixth of the Calends of March, (the two following days after Feb. 23rd, or the seventh of the Calends of March, being named the sixth of the same month,) and the other letter for the remainder of the year.

-Jewish passover, (15th of Nisan,) Saturday, April 17th, or the XVth of the Calends of May.

-Number of Direction, or number of days on which Easter Sunday happens after the 21st of March, 28.

-Mean time of the Paschal Full Moon at Corinth, (its longitude being twenty-three degrees to the east of London,) according to Ferguson's Tables, April 19th, or the XIIIth of the Calends of May, at fifteen minutes and fifty-eight seconds past eleven at night. (The reason of the discrepance of the fifteenth of Nisan, with the day of the mean Paschal Full Moon arises from the inaccuracy of the Metonic Cycle, which reckoned 235 mean lunations to be precisely equal to nineteen solar years, these lunations being actually performed in one hour and a half less time. The correspondence of the Passover with the mean Full Moon, according to the Julian account, was in A. D. 325.)

-True time of the Paschal Full Moon at Corinth, according to Ferguson's Tables, the XIIth of the Calends of May, (April 20th,) at fifty-seven minutes and forty-one seconds past five in the morning.

-Easter Sunday, April 18th, or the XIVth of the Calends of May.

-Epact, or moon's age on the twenty-second of March, or the XIth of the Calends of April, 18.

-Year of the reign of Nero Caesar, the Roman emperor, and fifth Caesar, 3.

-Year of Claudius Felix, the Jewish Governor, 4.

-Year of the reign of Vologesus, king of the Parthians, of the family of the Arsacidae, 7.

-Year of Caius Numidius Quadratus, governor of Syria, 6.

-Year of Ishmael, high priest of the Jews, 2.

-Year of the reign of Corbred I., king of the Scots, brother to the celebrated Caractacus, who was carried prisoner to Rome, but afterwards released by the emperor, 2.

-According to Struyk's catalogue of eclipses, which he collected from the Chinese chronology, the sun was eclipsed at Canton in China, on the 25th of December of this year, or on the VIIIth of the Calends of January, A. D. 57. The middle of the eclipse was at twenty-eight minutes past twelve at noon; the quantity eclipsed at this time being nine digits and twenty minutes. The day of this eclipse was the 19th of Tybi, in the 804th year of the Nabonassarean era, and on the 24th of Cisleu, of the minor Rabbinical or Jewish era of the world, 3817, or 4416 of their greater era.

-Roman Consuls, Q. Volusius Saturninus, and P. Cornelius Scipio.

CHAPTER I.

The salutation of Paul and Sosthenes, 1, 2.

The apostolical benediction, 3.

Thanksgiving for the prosperity of the Church at Corinth, 4.

In what that prosperity consisted, 5-9.

The apostle reproves their dissensions, and vindicates himself

from being any cause of them, 10-17.

States the simple means which God uses to convert sinners and

confound the wisdom of the wise, c., 18-21.

Why the Jews and Greeks did not believe, 22.

The matter of the apostle's preaching, and the reasons why that

preaching was effectual to the salvation of men, 23-29.

All should glory in God, because all blessings are dispensed by

Him through Christ Jesus, 30, 31.

NOTES ON CHAP. I.

Verse 1 Corinthians 1:1. Paul, called to be an apostle — Bishop Pearce contends that a comma should be placed after κλητος, called, which should not be joined to αποστολος, apostle: the first signifies being called to, the other sent from. He reads it, therefore, Paul the called the apostle of Jesus Christ. The word κλητος, called, may be here used, as in some other places, for constituted. For this, and the meaning of the word apostle, Romans 1:1.

As the apostle had many irregularities to reprehend in the Corinthian Church, it was necessary that he should be explicit in stating his authority. He was called-invited to the Gospel feast; had partaken of it, and, by the grace he received, was qualified to proclaim salvation to others: Jesus Christ therefore made him an apostle, that is, gave him a Divine commission to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Through the will of God — By a particular appointment from God alone; for, being an extraordinary messenger, he derived no part of his authority from man.

Sosthenes our brother] Probably the same person mentioned Acts 18:17, where see the note.