94+ articles · Verse by verse
Articles.
Long-form study. Plain English.
Every article does the hard work — what the words meant to the first readers, the historical context, the first-century background — then hands it to you in words you already know.
94 articles · page 1 of 4
How the Church in Corinth Got Started: Apostle Paul's Missionary Journey 1 Cor. 1:1-3
Paul planted the Corinthian church around 50 AD in a wealthy port city built on trade. Knowing what Corinth was like explains almost everything that follows.
Modern-Day Apostles: Fact or Fiction? You decide. 1 Cor. 1:1-3
Paul called himself an apostle, and plenty of people claim the title today. Here is what the New Testament actually attaches to that word, and what it does not.
From the Early Church to Modern Denominations: The Legacy of "The Church of God" 1 Cor. 1:2
One phrase, “the church of God,” ended up on a hundred denominational signs. What Paul meant by it in the Greek, and how far it travelled from there.
The Heart of an Apostle: Paul's Deep Affection for the Churches 1 Co 1:4–9
Paul is about to spend sixteen chapters correcting this church. He opens by thanking God for them, and that order is not an accident.
Confirmation: Embracing Transformation 1 Co 1:4–9
Many traditions mark faith with a rite called confirmation. Paul uses the same idea for something God does, and keeps doing, right to the end.
The Paul, Peter, and Apollos Dilemma: Uniting Under Christ's Teachings 1 Co 1:10–13
I am of Paul. I am of Apollos. The Corinthians had picked teams, and Paul answers with a question that still lands: is Christ divided?
Holy Drama: Church Splits and Feuds - Jesus Facepalms! 1 Co 1:10–13
Church splits and personal feuds are not a modern invention. Corinth had them first, and Paul's response to the drama is blunter than you would expect.
Paul's Dodgy Baptism Dance and Forgetful Moments 1 Co 1:14–17
Paul thanks God he baptised almost nobody, then keeps remembering more people he baptised. Behind the comedy is a serious point about who your loyalty belongs to.
Faith Meets Intellect: The Surprising Union of Wisdom and Discernment -1 Co 1:17–25
The cross looks like foolishness to a clever world. Paul is not being anti-intellectual here; he is telling us where real wisdom actually comes from.
Beyond Signs and Philosophy: Discovering the Power of the Cross 1 Co 1:20–25
Jews wanted a sign, Greeks wanted an argument, and God gave them a crucifixion. Why the least impressive option turned out to be the powerful one.
Unleashing Divine Surprises: The Power of Unlikely Candidates - 1 Co 1:26–31
Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble. Paul tells the Corinthians to look around at who God actually chose, and explains why that is the whole point.
From Tents to Testimony: How Paul Balanced Work and Ministry 1 Co 2:1–5
Paul spent eighteen months in Corinth making tents and preaching the gospel. How he carried a trade and a ministry at the same time without dropping either.
Breaking the Preacher's Trap: Beyond Homiletics and Elocution
Young preachers learn delivery, polish, and stage presence. Paul came to Corinth in weakness and trembling, and says that was entirely deliberate.
The Hit Single: Christ and He Crucified - Paul's One-Sermon Wonder 1 Co 2:2
Paul determined to know nothing among them except Christ and Him crucified. One message, preached everywhere, and he never once apologised for repeating it.
Wisdom Beyond the Ages: Exploring Paul's Radical View on Divine Knowledge 1 Co 2:6–8
There is a wisdom God settled on before the ages began, and the rulers of this age missed it completely. Had they seen it, Paul says, they would never have crucified Him.
From Religious Leaders to Demonic Beings: Unveiling the Recognition of Jesus -1 Co 2:8-9
Who are the rulers of this age who crucified the Lord of glory? Roman officials, Jewish leaders, or something standing behind both? Scholars are genuinely split.
Love vs. Fear: What Motivates Our Actions in God's Kingdom? 1 Co 2:9–10
Paul writes “as it is written,” then quotes a line you cannot quite find in the Old Testament. What he was drawing on, and what he wanted it to stir in us.
From Concealed to Revealed: The Astonishing Truths Unveiled by God -1 Co 2:10–12
The Greek word Paul chooses for revealed points to a single past event, not a slow drip. What God unveiled, He unveiled once, and it holds.
Unveiling the Holy Spirit: Insights from Corinthians
Paul names the Father and the Son constantly. Here he turns to the Spirit, and what he says about how God becomes known reshapes the whole letter.
Understanding the Spirit of Man
In three short verses Paul uses the word spirit in three different ways. Sorting out which is which is the difference between reading and skimming.
The Two Systems: Worldly Thinking and the Kingdom of God - 1 Co 2:12
English hands us one word, world. Greek handed Paul several, and the one he picks decides what he is actually warning us about.
Spiritual Discernment 1 Co 2:13–16
The natural man cannot receive the things of God, Paul says, because they are spiritually discerned. What that means, and just as importantly, what it does not.
Discernment, Judgment, and the Mind of Christ. 1 Co 2:15–16
“He who is spiritual judges all things.” That sentence has been badly misused. Four points that put it back where Paul actually had it.
Carnality and Immaturity 1 Co 3:1–4
Paul calls the Corinthians babies still on milk, and points at their envy and factions as the proof. Growth, it turns out, shows up in how we treat each other.