First Corinthians

724 Pages·1999·23.248 MB·English

by  Raymond F. Collins

R ymon . Colli
FIRST CORINTHIANS

Sacra Pagina Series
Volume 7
First
Corinthians
Raymond F. Collins
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J.
Editor
IA Micbael GLazieR Book
THE LITURGICAL PRESS
Collegeville, Minnesota
Cover design by Don Bruno.
A Michael Glazier Book published by The Liturgical Press.
© 1999 by The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights re
served. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any re
trieval system, without the written permission of The Liturgical Press, Col
legeville, MN 56321. Printed in the United States of America.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Collins, Raymond F., 1935-
First Corinthians I Raymond F. Collins ; Daniel J. Harrington,
editor.
p. em. - (Sacra pagina series ; vol. 7)
"A Michael Glazier book."
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-8146-5809-1 (alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Corinthians, 1st-Commentaries. I. Harrington,
Daniel J. II. Title. III. Series: Sacra pagina series 7.
BS2675.3.C645 1999
227' .2077--dc21 98-51063
CIP
In Memory of
Raymond E. Brown, S.S.
Priest, Scholar, Friend

CONTENTS
Editor's Preface xi
Author's Preface Xlll
Note on References xvii
Abbreviations xix
Introduction
1. A Real Letter 1
2. A Hellenistic Letter 6
3. A Long Letter 8
4. A Single Letter? 10
5. A Stylistic Feature 14
6. Problems at Corinth 16
7. Paul's Rhetoric 17
8. The Issues 20
9. Corinth 21
10. A Theological Perspective 25
11. Outline of the Structure of the Letter 29
General Bibliography 31
Translation, Interpretation, Notes
INTRODUCTION (1:1-9)
A. EPISTOLARY OPENING (1:1-3) 41
B. THANKSGIVING (1:4-9) 55
vii
viii First Corinthians
BODY OF THE LETTER (1:10-15:58)
A. THEME AND OCCASION (1:10-17) 67
B. FIRST RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (1:1~:21) 86
1. Wisdom and Power (1:18-31) 89
2. Paul's Mission (2:1-5) 115
3. God's Wisdom (2:6-16) 121
4. Mother and Farmer (3:1-9) 139
5. The Construction (3:10-17) 148
6. Slogans Reversed (3:18-23) 162
7. The Ultimate Tribunal (4:1-5) 167
8. The Lesson of Paul and Apollos (4:6-7) 175
9. Filled and Hungry (4:8-13) 182
10. A Letter of Admonition (4:14-16) 192
11. Recommendation of Timothy (4:17-21) 195
C. SECOND RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (5:1-7:40) 203
1. A Purified Community (5:1-8) 205
2. Shunning Evil (5:9-13) 216
3. Use of the Courts (6:1-11) 224
4. Embodied Existence (6:12-20) 239
5. Sex Within Marriage (7:1-7) 251
6. Special Situations (7:8-16) 262
7. Remain As You Were Called (7:17-24) 273
8. Advice for the Unmarried (7:25-35) 287
9. To Marry or Not to Marry (7:36-40) 298
D. THIRD RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (8:1-11:1) 304
1. Food Offered to Idols (8:1-3) 308
2. The Monotheistic Confession of Faith (8:4-6) 313
3. Eating and Freedom (8:7-13) 321
4. Apostolic Rights (9:1-14) 327
5. Christ's Slave (9:15-18) 343
6. For the Sake of the Gospel (9:19-23) 349
Contents ix
7. The Games (9:24-27) 357
8. Learning from Scripture (10:1-13) 363
9. Avoid Idolatry (10:14-22) 375
10. Summing Up (10:23-11:1) 382
E. THE FOURTH RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (11:2-34) 392
1. Let Men Be Men and Women Be Women (11:2-16) 393
2. The Lord's Supper? (11:17-22) 416
3. The Lord's Supper (11:23-26) 425
4. Judgment (11:27-34) 435
F. FIFTH RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (12:1-14:40) 441
1. A Matter of Principle (12:1-3) 445
2. Allotment of Gifts (12:4-11) 448
3. The Body (12:12-26) 457
4. Christ's Body (12:27-31a) 466
5. Not to Have Love (12:31b-13:3) 471
6. Love's Rhythm (13:4-7) 478
7. A Unique Gift (13:8-14:1a) 483
8. The Greater Gift of Prophecy (14:1b-5) 489
9. A Trilogy of Cultural Analogies (14:6-12) 494
10. Praying with Full Participation (14:13-19) 500
11. Outsiders and Unbelievers (14:20-25) 504
12. Order in the Assembly (14:26-40) 511
G. SIXTH RHETORICAL DEMONSTRATION (15:1-58) 525
1. The Creed (15:1-11) 528
2. If Christ Has Not Been Raised (15:12-19) 540
3. Ultimate Victory (15:20-28) 546
4. An Exhortation (15:29-34) 556
5. How Can the Dead Be Raised? (15:35-44a) 562
6. The Last Adam (15:44b-49) 568
7. Victory over Death (15:50-58) 573