1 Corinthians
St. Paul, having planted the faithful in Corinth, where he had preached a year and a half and converted a great many, went to Ephesus. After being there three years, he wrote this first Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it by the same persons, Stephanus, Fortunatus and Achaicus, who had brought their letter to him. It was written about twenty-four years after our Lord's Ascension and contains several matters appertaining to faith and morals and also to ecclesiastical discipline.
He reproveth their dissensions about their teachers. The world was to be saved by preaching of the cross, and not by human wisdom or eloquence.
His preaching was not in loftiness of words, but in spirit and power. And the wisdom he taught was not to be understood by the worldly wise or sensual man, but only by the spiritual man.
They must not contend about their teachers, who are but God's ministers and accountable to him. Their works shall be tried by fire.
God's ministers are not to be judged. He reprehends their boasting of their preachers and describes the treatment the apostles every where met with.
He excommunicates the incestuous adulterer and admonishes them to purge out the old leaven.
He blames them for going to law before unbelievers. Of sins that exclude from the kingdom of heaven. The evil of fornication.
Lessons relating to marriage and celibacy. Virginity is preferable to a married state.
Though an idol be nothing, yet things offered up to idols are not to be eaten, for fear of scandal.
The apostle did not make use of his power of being maintained at the charges of those to whom he preached, that he might give no hindrance to the gospel. Of running in the race and striving for the mastery.
By the example of the Israelites, he shews that we are not to build too much upon favours received but to avoid their sins and fly from the service of idols and from things offered to idols.
Women must have a covering over their heads. He blameth the abuses of their love feasts and upon that occasion treats of the Blessed Sacrament.
Of the diversity of spiritual gifts. The members of the mystical body, like those of the natural body, must mutually cherish one another.
Charity is to be preferred before all gifts.
The gift of prophesying is to be preferred before that of speaking strange tongues.
Christ's resurrection and ours. The manner of our resurrection.
Of collection of alms. Admonitions and salutations.