In the first part of chapter 1 Paul uses arguement after arguement to illustrate the truth that the dead must be raised. All of our doctrine and our salvation is based on the resurrection of the dead. If the dead are not raised, neither is Christ. If Christ isn’t raised, then God didn’t accept his sacrifice, and we are still in our sins. But Christ has been raised, Paul said. Now we get into the action physical questions that people had of the resurrection of the dead.
Read vs. 35. What is the natural question people have?
AnswerPaul has an imaginary speaker raise these questions as a way of introducing a problem for which he is able to provide an answer. Why would someone ask this question?
AnswerPaul answers this question. Read vs. 36-37.
What does Paul compare the resurrection to?
AnswerHow do they compare?
AnswerSo how can we take comfort every time we plant a garden?
AnswerRead 38. What determines how our resurrected bodies will be?
AnswerRead 39-41. What else proves that we will be bodily resurrected?
AnswerIs Paul teaching that the saints will differ from each other in glory at the resurrection?
AnswerRead 42-49. A or D: The “spiritual” body that we will have will be like an angel’s body - without real physical substance to it.
AnswerThis is the way Luther described it: The term “natural body” comes from the Hebrew nephesh and means not merely a part of man, but means the entire man as he lives in his five senses and must sustain himself by eating, drinking, house and home, wife and child.” The body, weak and devoid of all strength and power though it may be now when it lies in the grave, will be so strong that with one finger it will be able to carry this church . . . and play with a mountain as children play with a ball. Nothing that it decides to do will be impossible for it. It will become so light and nimble that it will soar both down here on earth and up above in the heavens in a moment.”
You might compare our bodies to Christ’s after the resurrection. The term “glorious” is further explained in Phil. 3:21: “Fashioned like unto His glorious body,” and Matt. 13:43: “The righteous shall shine forth as the sun.” How was Jesus’ body after he rose?
AnswerRead 50-53. What did Paul mean that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God?”
AnswerWhat has to happen first?
AnswerWhat does this tell us about the time period of Judgment Day?
AnswerRead 54-57. Paul says, “he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Therefore, sin, death, and the law no longer have power over us. How did Christ conquer sin?
AnswerHow did Christ conquer the law?
AnswerHow did Christ conquer death?
AnswerRead 58 for the conclusion of this - how will this effect us?
AnswerToppe: Although this closing chapter deals chiefly with matters of a local and personal nature, it also communicates the spirit of the gospel: love for the brethren and, above all, love for the Lord Jesus Christ and service to him.
Read 16:1-4. Paul’s first concern was with a relief collection the Corinthians were taking for the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea who were indistress because their country may have suffered periods of famine. Here we can learn a lot about stewardship, how to give - from Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians. For instance -
When were they to give?
AnswerWhat does this tell us about how our offerings should be?
AnswerWho was to give?
AnswerHow much were they to give?
AnswerWhat does this tell us?
AnswerIf they were to “save it up,” what might they have also done beforehand?
AnswerA or D: Your givings should always increase year after year.
AnswerEvaluate: Jim said, “I will be able to give money once I get my car paid off. Right now it wouldn’t be good stewardship to give to church while I have interest building on my car. (That might be true, but God deserves the firstfruits. If you commit to buying a car you shoudl think about your offerings before you do so.)
Why do you imagine that Paul didn’t want to deliver the money alone?
AnswerRead 5-8. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus. He had already gone to Corinth once and returned to Ephesus. Now he planned on coming again - once again - to do more mission work!
Read 10-12. Back in 4:17 Paul had promised to send Timothy to Corinth to set things in order there. Apollos was a pastor popular with many of the Corinthians, so Paul explained why he hadn’t come yet. We don’t know what Apollos was preoccupied with.
Read 13-14. How can you “stand firm in the faith,” and yet do it “in love?”
AnswerThese three men were probably the ones who delivered the letter to Paul from the Corinthians. Paul had praise of them and said, “they supplied what was lacking from you.” In an earlier letter the Corinthians had questioned Paul’s authority and showed him a lack of love. So these men supplied that which was lacking from the Corinthians - the love on their part. Paul could talk with them, ask them about the Corinthians, and hear all they had to communicate.
What do these verses show us about Paul as a person?
AnswerIs there anything wrong with such recognition being given in church?
AnswerRead 19-24. Do you remember who Aquila and Priscilla were?
AnswerWhat does vs. 21 remind us about Paul?
AnswerThe word for “love” in vs. 22" is a liking, affection, and personal attachment - just a surface kind of love. Whoever lacked even this lowest, cheapest type of love is hopeless. If we lack even this affectrion tward Christ, our hearts are cold and dead indeed. Paul turns all those who have not even affection for the Lord or the lowest form of love for him over to the judgment of God.
Toppe: As he began his letter by commending the Corinthians to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, so he closes it by committing them to the same grace of the Lord Jesus. As he wrote his letter in love and as he showed them the ways of love, so he closes his letter with the words, “My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (165)
Lenski: The apostle’s great heart swells once more. Whatever other emotions he has shown in writing this letter, love is the deepest, richest of them all. And it embraces all the Corinthians, those who distress his heart as well as those who delight his heart. Back of every one of his admonitions to them stands his heart of love. The last word is and must be “Christ Jesus.” He and he alone is the sphere in whichp’s love lives, moves, and has its being. Into that sphere of love Paul, like a magnet, draws all who come into contact with him. (790)
Any questions? Email Pastor at bslc@birch.net