1.- At the end of the year 50, Paul founds the community of Corinth. The experience of faith blossoms in it, but – five years later – it presents several problems. Paul confronts them in his letters. Let us see which of the lessons are useful for to day’s groups and communities.
2.- Coming from Athens, Paul arrives to Corinth, capital of the roman province of Achaia. He announces them the experience of faith: I came weak, fearful and trembling; my words and preaching were not brilliant or clever to win listeners. It was, rather, a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that you might believe, not by human wisdom, but by the power of God. (1Co 2, 3-5)
3.- In Corinth Paul meets a jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who have just arrived from Italy, following a decree of the Emperor Claudius which ordered all Jews to leave Rome: “He expulsed the jews from Rome due to the fact that pushed by Crestus (¿Christ?), they assiduously provoked tumults” (Vita Claudii 25,4). The decree was published in the year 49. Since they share the same trade of tent making, Paul stays with them. At the beginning, he goes to the synagogue, trying every Sabbath to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia, Paul was able to give himself wholly to preaching and proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. (Acts 18, 3-5).
4.- In the face of the Jewish opposition, Paul leaves the synagogue and goes to hold the meetings in a home: He went into the house of a God fearing man named Titus Justus (Acts 18,7). One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Paul: Do not be afraid, but continue speaking and do not be silent; for I will have a harvest of many people in this city. Since I am with you, no one will harm you. So Paul stayed a year and a half in that place, teaching the word of God among them (18, 9-11)
5.- The adversaries accuse Paul before governor Gallio: This man tries to persuade us to worship God in ways that are against the Law. The governor said to them: If it were a matter of a misdeed or vicious crime, I would consider your complaint. But since it is a quarrel about teaching your own law, see to it yourselves (Acts 18, 13-15). An inscription discovered in Delphos contains a decree of Claudius, in which Gallio is mentioned like Achaia’s governor. The decree was promulgated at the beginning of the year 52. This data allows to establish approximately Paul´s chronology.
6.- Like everywhere, the Gospel strikes against Jewish’s and Greek’s mentality: The Jews ask for miracles and the Greeks for a higher knowledge, while we preach a crucified Messiah. For the Jews, what a great scandal!, and for the Greeks, what a nonsense!; but he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God for those called by God among both Jews and Greeks. (1Co 1, 22-24)
7.- The community of Corinth is a small group, humanly unmeaning, among a great city: Brothers and sisters look and see whom God has called. Few among you can be said to be cultured or wealthy, and few belong to noble families. Yet God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. God has chosen common and unimportant people, making use of what is nothing to nullify the things that are (1 Co 26 –28).
8.- Four years have elapsed. In the spring of the year 56, Paul writes the first letter to the community of Corinth. He does it from Ephesus (1 Co 16, 8-9). Those of Cloe have carried him bad news (1,11). Besides, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, who are at community’s service, have visited him and consulted several matters. They must continue and appreciate these men (16,15-18)
9.- Above all, the thanksgiving, because the faith experience rested in them: I constantly give thanks to my God for you and for the grace of God given to you in Jesus Christ. For you have been fully enriched in him with words as well as with knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you (1 Co 1, 4-6)
10.- Paul´s preoccupation comes out at once: For I heard from people of Cloe´s house about your rivalries. That is what I understand, because some say, “I am for Paul”, “I am for Apollo” or “I am for Peter” “I am for Christ”. Is Christ divided? (1 Co 1,11-12). It is necessary to build upon the only foundation, which is Christ: Let each one be careful how he works upon it! No one could lay a foundation other than the one that is already laid, Jesus Christ. (3,10-11)
11.- The prostitution of the city of Corinth also affects to the community. For some people it is something natural, like to eat. The food for the stomach and the stomach for the food. (1 Co 6,13). There is besides something that is not in the pagans: One of you has taken like wife his own stepmother. And you feel proud¡ (5,1-2). Not everything is valid. One thing is the freedom and another one is the licentiousness: Everything is lawful for me, but not everything is to my profit (6,12), the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord (6,13). We can ascertain that a letter has been lost: In my last letter I instructed you not to associate with immoral people… (5,9). The Christians, certainly, cannot avoid having relations with the immoral people of this world: You would have to leave this world (5,10), let God judge those outside (5,12). But wickedness cannot ferment, like yeast, inside the community: What I really meant was to avoid and not to mingle with those who, calling themselves brothers, become immoral, exploiters or idolaters, gossips, drunkards or embezzlers. With those, not even to eat¡ (5,11). There are, besides, suits between the brothers and they turn to pagan tribunals, when the brothers are called to judge the world: Are you not able to judge such small problems? (6,3)
12.- Talking about marriage, Paul summarizes what the Lord orders: that the woman should not separate from her husband. If she separates from him, let her not to marry again, or let her make peace with her husband. Similarly the husband should not divorce his wife (1 Co 7, 10-11). This said, Paul advises to the believer not to take the initiative about the separation: besides, are you sure, wife, that you could save your husband, and you, husband, that you could save your wife? (7,16). Aside from this, although he manifests which is his personal position and his preference, Paul says: With regard to those who remain virgins, I have no special commandment from the Lord (7,25).
13.- Free from any binding, Paul lives a permanent risky situation: in constant danger (1 Co 15,30), danger of rivers, bandits, because of my fellow Jews or the gentiles; in danger in the city, in the open country, at sea, in danger from false brothers (2 Co 11,26).
14.- Another matter is the participation in the pagan banquets consecrated to the idols. The idol, certainly, is nothing and there is only one God. But not everybody has that knowledge: we are free, of course, but let not your freedom cause others, who are less prepared, to fall. What if this person with and unformed conscience sees you, a person of knowledge, sitting at the table in the temple of idols? Will not his weak conscience, because of your example move him to eat also?. Then with your knowledge you would have caused your weak brother or sister to perish. (1 Co 8, 9-11). What is sacrificed to the idols is nothing, but it is sacrificed to the devils and not to God: You cannot drink at the same time from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons. (10,21)
15.- Paul knows it: The Lord ordered, likewise, that those announcing the Gospel live from the Gospel (1 Co 9,14), the worker deserves his living (Mt 10,10), the day of the judgement will be strict with the city that rejects the apostle (10,15). Nevertheless, Paul renounces to the right conferred by the Gospel (1 Co 9,18) to facilitate its announcement: Look I have no merit in announcing the Gospel, for I am bound to do it. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! (9, 16). He becomes a jew with the jews, with the pagans, not subject to the law, he became one of them, although by being under the law of Christ, I also have a law with respect to God. He makes everything because of the Gospel to participate from it (9, 20-23).
16.- Another matter is the good order in the gathering of the community. The disposition of the use of the veil for the women to pray and prophesise (1 Co 11,3) is entailed to the social context of the time. And the disposition of shutting up (14,34) strikes with the other one. It could be a later addition (1 Tim 2,11-14). Very important: Your gatherings are no longer the Supper of the Lord, for each one eats at once his own food and while one is hungry, the other is getting drunk. Paul has received a tradition that comes from the Lord: The Lord Jesus, on the night that he was delivered up, took bread and, after giving thanks, broke it, saying, “This is my body which is broken for you; do this in memory of me. In the same manner, taking the cup after the supper, he said,” This cup is the new Covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do it in memory of me The discernment is personal: Let each one, then, examine himself before eating of the bread and drinking from the cup. Otherwise, he eats and drinks his own condemnation. The reason is to discern the presence, the body of the Lord crucified: Whenever you eat of this bread and drink from this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord until he comes. So, when you gather for a meal, wait for one another (1 Co 11, 23-33)
17.- As far as the gifts or charismas are concerned there are several criteria to take into account. In first place, the central declaration: Nobody may say: Jesus is the Lord!, if it is not in the Holy Spirit. God´s actions do not strike between them; it is a gift of the spirit to conjugate unity and diversity: There is diversity of gifts, but the Spirit is the same; there is diversity of ministries, but the Lord is the same; there is diversity of works, but the same God works in all. The gifts are for common profit. The spirit impulse the diverse members of the community to form only one body: You are the body of Christ, and each of you individually is a member of it (1 Co 12, 1-31). The greatest of all the gifts is love: The love never ends (13,8).
18.- Several elements can appear in the gathering of the community: When you gather, each of you can take part with a song, a teaching or a revelation, by speaking in tongues or interpreting what has been said in tongues. But let all this build the Church. In conclusion, set your hearts on the gift of prophecy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. However, everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (1 Co 14,26-39).
19.- There is a fundamental aspect, which some people question: How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the death? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And, if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is empty and our belief comes to nothing (1 Co 15, 12-14). But some will say: How do the dead resurrect? The question is placed in the manner of the resurrection: When buried it is a natural body, but it will be raised a spiritual body (15, 44).
20.- A letter brings alarming news. Some Paul´s adversaries undermine his authorities. Paul decides to make a quick visit to Corinth. Obliged to get out from Ephesus, he goes to Troas where he expects to meet with Titus. Since he did not find him and being besieged by enemies who menace to kill him, he moves to Philippi. He, then, writes the second letter, perhaps about the end of the year 57. The risk felt in Ephesus is recent (2 Co 1,9). Nevertheless he, as usual, overflows thanksgiving: God encourages us in all our trials (1,4), he leads us in the triumphant following of Christ and through us, he spreads the knowledge of him everywhere (2,14).
21.- Paul had thought of making a visit to Corinth (1 Co 16, 5-7), that he deferred. He was criticized by this decision: If I did not return to Corinth, it was because I wanted to spare you (2 Co 1,23). One man of the community had seriously offended him. Then Paul only writes a severe letter with great affliction and worried in my heart (2,4). He says now: The punishment that he received from the majority is enough for him (2,6), the one you forgive I also forgive (2,10).
22.- Paul´s adversaries accuse him of weakness and ambition. They are Jewish Christians that, regardless the council of Jerusalem defend their old ideas. Paul defends himself: Am I again commending myself? Or do I need to present to you letters of recommendation like some have done; or should I ask you for those letters? You are the letter. We bear it in our heart, yet all can read and understand it (3,1-3).
23.- Certainly, we are not like so many who make money out of the word of God (2Co 2,17). On the contrary, we refuse to stay with half-truths through fear; we do not behave with cunning or falsify the message of God, but, manifesting the truth, we deserve the respect of everyone before God. (4,2)
24.- Humanly speaking, the announcement of the Gospel goes through weakness, affliction, persecution, death: We carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen like ours but like God´s. Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged. We are left without answer, but do not despair, persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed. We carry everywhere in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us
(2 Co 4,7-10).
25.- We already live the transfiguration of our situation: Therefore we are not discouraged. On the contrary, while our outer being wastes away, the inner self is renewed from day to day. (2 Co 4, 16), we know that when our earthly dwelling, or rather our tent, is destroyed, we may count on a building from God, a heavenly dwelling that lasts for ever (5, 1-2)
26.- Paul requests to the community of Corinth generosity in favour of the community of Jerusalem: Let each one give what he decided upon personally, and not reluctantly like if obliged, since God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Co 9,7).
27.- Of course, Paul does not desire to be obliged to show severity in his next visit, but he will do so, if necessary (2 Co 10,2). He does not pretend to compare himself to some who commend themselves: It is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but he whom the Lord commends (10,18). They are false apostles (11,13), that presume of I don´t know what: Are they Hebrews? So do I. Are they Israelites? So do I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I begin to talk like a madman! I am better than they! (11,22-23)
28.- Paul wants to end the disagreements that destroy the community. It is not possible to follow indefinitely this path: Any charge must be decided upon by the declaration of two or three witnesses. I say to you who lived in sin as well as to the rest: when I return to you, I will not have pity (2 Co 13, 1-2). It is necessary to revise the fundamental experience: Can you assert that Christ Jesus is in you? If not, you have failed the test. (13,5).
* For personal and group reflection: Which lessons are useful for today´s groups and communities? Has the experience of faith been seized? Which are the problems?