“Be Perfectly Joined Together”
In chapters 1 through 7 of First Corinthians, Paul writes of the contrast between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, what it means to be a servant of Christ, and how believers are bought with a price. Although these chapters were directed to a specific situation, they are relevant still today.
Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians: A New Rendition
This is a free ebook available at Amazon and Deseret Book. The New Rendition of the book First Corinthians provides a modern English translation of the Greek text while remaining true to Paul’s intent.
This translation is excerpted from the full commentary Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, by Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes.
This new version clarifies many previously vague or misunderstood passages and enlightens the text for today’s readers. This epistle is particularly interesting and important to faithful Christians interested in the Apostle Paul’s testimonies of knowledge, revelation, purity, gifts of the spirit, the sacrament, charity, the resurrection, baptism for the dead, heavenly glory, and many other topics crucial to the life of righteousness.
What Does the Phrase “Wisdom of Words” Found in 1 Corinthians 1:17 Mean? By Richard D. Draper, at BYU New Testament Commentary
This new version clarifies many previously vague or misunderstood passages and enlightens the text for today’s readers. This epistle is particularly interesting and important to faithful Christians interested in the Apostle Paul’s testimonies of knowledge, revelation, purity, gifts of the spirit, the sacrament, charity, the resurrection, baptism for the dead, heavenly glory, and many other topics crucial to the life of righteousness.
“The Modern-day Relevance of Paul’s Letters to the Corinthians,” By Michael D. Rhodes, presented at the BYU New Testament Commentary Conference, May 15, 2013.
Although written nearly two millennia ago, Paul’s letters to the Saints in Corinth are still in many ways as relevant today as they were when he wrote them. The competitive, social-climbing, status-obsessed, morally decadent society of the Greco-Roman world of Paul’s time with its worldly philosophies has remarkable parallels with our own modern Western culture, and Paul gives valuable counsel on how to stay true to the gospel of Jesus Christ while living in such a world. A video of this presentation is also available.
“ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΟΝ (mystery) in the New Testament,” Michael D. Rhodes, presentation at the BYU New Testament Commentary conference, January 26, 2019
“Mystery” is a word that is found 28 times in the New Testament, and the overall general sense is “secret knowledge revealed by God.” The term mystērion occurs in a single significant setting in the synoptic Gospels: when Christ explains to his disciples why he taught in parables. The remaining 25 occurrences are in the book of Revelation and the writings of Paul. I will examine the various nuanced meanings found in all 28 cases. A video, transcript, and PDF of the Powerpoint presentation are available.
What do we know about the disunity that affected the Corinthian Christians? (1 Corinthians 1:10–17), by Richard D. Draper, at BYU New Testament Commentary
A number of the Corinthian Saints continued to hold to some of the attitudes of the secular, immoral, materialistic, status-loving culture in which they lived. Because they did not give these up, they caused a devaluation of the universalism, including key truths and growing traditions, that the Church was promoting.
According to Paul, how does one learn the things of God? (1 Corinthians 2:9–16), by Richard D. Draper, at BYU New Testament Commentary
Paul asked the question, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” Humans left to their own devices can never know God’s mind and will. The Spirit, however, being one with God and being able to fathom the mind of God, can reveal “the things of God” to the loving, righteous soul. Again, Paul’s words underscore the need for continuous revelation.
