1 Corinthians Review Questions Chapters 1-4

1 Corinthians Scriptures and Review Questions
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1 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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1 Corinthians

Paul founded the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey as recorded in Acts Chapter 18. I Corinthians contains more details about the actual conditions within the Corinthian church than any other church in the New Testament. Even Apostolic churches were not perfect churches. Paul had to write the to correct disorders such as divisions, immorality, internal disputes, practices in worship and doctrinal faults. He also had to answer questions they had on topics such as marriage, eating things offered to idols, spiritual gifts, and offerings.

Chapter 1

1 Corinthians 1:1-17 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1. From what source did Paul claim his apostolic authority? (1)

2. To whom was I Corinthians written? (2,12:1)

3. For what did Paul thank God? (4-6)

4. What was Paul's three-fold desire for them? (7,8,10)

5. How did Paul know of their contentions? (11)

6. What appears to be the four factions in the Corinthian)? (12)

7. Who is the person that Paul declares? (1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10)

8. Why was Paul glad that he had not personally baptized many Corinthians? (13-16)

9. How does relying of human wisdom affect the message of the cross? (17)

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1 Corinthians 1:18-31 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

10. What reaction do different groups have toward the preaching of the cross? (18)

11. What has God chosen to save those who believe? (21)

12. What different reactions did the Jews, Greeks, and the called have to the preaching of Christ crucified? (22-24)

13. What is wiser than men? (25)

14. What is stronger than men? (25)

15. Not many of what categories of people are called? (26)

16. What has God chosen to confound the wise, the mighty, and the noble? (27,28)

17. What should not glory in God’s presence? (29)

18. In what should we glory? (30-31)

Discussion Questions

How can divisions occur around personalities?
What is meant by the “foolishness of preaching?’

Chapter 2

1 Corinthians 2:1-10 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1. How did Paul determine not to come to the church at Corinth? (1-3)

2. How did Paul come to them? (2-4)

3. Why did Paul come to them in humility and simplicity? (5)

4. What phrase shows that those who crucified the Lord did it in ignorance? (8)

5. What have not the natural senses perceived? (9-10)

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1 Corinthians 2:11-16 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

6. What does the Spirit of God do for us? (11-13)

7. Why cannot a natural mind understand the things of God? (14)

8. What kind of a mind does a spiritual Christian have? (16)

Chapter 3

1 Corinthians 3:1-10 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

1. Why could not Paul deal with them as mature Christians? (1-3)

2. What were three evidences of their carnality? (3)

3. What seemed to be the two major divisions in the church? (4)

4. How were the questions “Who is Paul?” and “Who is Apollos?’ answered? (5-8)

5. Who gave the increase? (6)

6. To what does Paul liken the church? (9)?

7. What was Paul's personal position in the Corinthian church? (6,10)

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1 Corinthians 3:11-23 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

8. What is the foundation of the church? (11)

9. What is meant by the various kinds of materials? (12-15)

10. What will the fire determine? (13)

11. What is the temple of God? (16-17)

12. What will happen to a person who defiles the temple of God? (17)

13. What is the wisdom of this world compared to God? (18-20)

14. What should we not glory in? (21-22)

Discussion Questions

In your opinion what kind of works are wood, hay, and stubble?
Will there be different rewards in heaven?

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Chapter 4

1 Corinthians 4:1-9 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

1. What additional two things does Paul consider himself to be? (1)

2. What is required of a steward? (2)

3. Whose judgment really matters? (3-4)

4. Why should we "judge nothing before the time"? (5)

5. What was the attitude of some of the Corinthians? (6, 18, 19, 5:2)

6. Why have we no right to glory in our appearance, abilities, knowledge, etc.? (7)

7. To what three categories were the apostles made a spectacle? (9)

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1 Corinthians 4:10-21 To listen as you read click the version, ESV or NIV, then the sound symbol & wait about 30 sec.

4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

8. What were some of the sacrifices that the apostles made? (10-13)

9. Why did Paul write these things? (14)

10. How did Paul wish them to consider him? (15-16)

11. Why did Paul send Timothy to them? (17)

12. What would Paul look for when he visited them? (19)

13. What choice did Paul give them? (21)

Discussion Questions

How do you deal with the problem of pride in your life?
What is the difference between an instructor and a father?

Answers to the study questions

Quiz on Chapters 1- 4

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