Colin Devlin

                                                                                                            March 14, 2006

                                                                                                            Dr. McGinn

Chapter 15: Unity, Freedom, and Christ’s Return

Key Themes

The eschaton is near: Paul expects to witness the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead in his lifetime.  Believers must not waste time speculating about the projected date of the Parousia.

            Paul’s letters to Corinth are aimed at healing serious divisions in the newly founded church in Corinth.  Paul urges members to work toward unity of belief and purpose.  Their cooperation is essential because the time remaining is so short.  The most important topics in his letter are:

1) Differences between human and divinely revealed wisdom

2) Christian ethics and responsibilities

3) Behavior at the communion meal, value of gifts of the spirit

4) The resurrection of the dead

2 Corinthians is a composite work of several letters or fragments and shows Paul defends his apostolic authority.  Chapters 1-9 was apparently written after 10-13 and describe his reconciliation with the Church of Corinth.

First Thessalonians

Author:  Paul, missionary Apostle to the Gentiles

Date:  About 50 CE

Place of Composition:  Most likely Corinth

Audience:  Mostly Gentile members of a newly founded congregation in Thessalonica, Greece

First Corinthians

Author:  Paul

Date:  Early 50s CE

Place of Composition:  Ephesus

Audience:  Members of the newly minted church of Corinth

Second Corinthians

Author:  Paul

Date:  Mid 50s CE

Place of Composition:  The more sever letter was probably sent from Ephesus, while the letter of reconciliation was likely from Macedonia

Audience:  Congregation at Corinth, Greece

Paul’s letters reveal that the first Christians held widely diverging opinions about the content and practice of their new religion.  In 1 Thessalonians, Paul struggles to correct misgivings about the fate of believers who die before the Parousia.   In 1 Corinthians, he urges the congregation to overcome rivalries and unite as a single body for the spiritual welfare of all believers.  The key to understanding the urgency of Paul’s plea for unity is belief in behavior is his assumption that his separation stands at the turning point between two ages.  The history of evil is nearly finished; Christ will return to establish the New Age, in which God rules all.