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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
1:1-9 Epistolary Introduction to the Letter's Main Themes. The opening verses can be divided into an initial greeting (vv. 1-3) and a report to the letter's recipients on how Paul prays for them (vv. 4-9). Both parts use language that anticipates some of the letter's key themes.
1:1-3 Greeting: Apostleship, Sanctity, and Unity. Paul's apostleship and the Corinthians' sanctity and unity are among the letter's most important themes.
1:1 On the meaning and background of apostle, see notes on Matt. 10:2; Rom. 1:1. The word occurs
1:2 On Corinth, see Introduction: The Ancient City of Corinth. sanctified . . . saints. These two words are closely related in Greek, one a verb (hagiazō) meaning "make holy" and the other an adjective (hagios) meaning "holy." Here the adjective is used as a noun and means "holy people." See note on 7:14. Something "holy" is set apart from evil and dedicated to God's service. In the OT, God set Israel apart from all other nations (Ex. 19:5-6). He also gave Israel his law so that they would reveal the holiness of the God who chose them by the way they lived (Lev. 11:44-45). Paul reminds the Corinthians that because they are in Christ Jesus God has set them apart as his holy people (see 1 Cor. 1:30; 6:11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1), and because they are God's people they should reflect his holiness (Ex. 19:6; Lev. 19:2). Because the Corinthians have a tendency toward self-centeredness and disunity, Paul reminds them that in Christ they are spiritually united to all Christians in every place (see also 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; 11:16; 14:33, 36).
