An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Overview
Hodge begins his commentary on 1 Corinthians with an introduction to the geographic and political significance of the city of Corinth. In particular, he shows how the history of Corinth, its relationship to the city to Athens, and the political climate of the Roman Empire contribute to the pastoral and theological controversies which Paul aims to address. Hodge also attends to the theological implications of Paul’s pastoral concerns for the church in Corinth—issues such as church divisions, sexual immorality, marriage and divorce, idolatry, worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection. More importantly, Hodge argues that 1 Corinthians has made its way into the New Testament canon because Paul’s words on these theological and pastoral issues are fit not only for his original readers, but also for the entire history of the church. This commentary on 1 Corinthians serves as an important first step toward hearing those words.
Top Highlights
“Praying and prophesying were the two principal exercises in the public worship of the early Christians. The latter term, as above stated, included all forms of address dictated by the Holy Spirit. It was Paul’s manner to attend to one thing at a time. He is here speaking of the propriety of women speaking in public unveiled, and therefore he says nothing about the propriety of their speaking in public in itself. When that subject comes up, he expresses his judgment in the clearest terms, 14:34. In here disapproving of the one, says Calvin, he does not approve of the other.” (Pages 208–209)
“The objection urged against him was, that he did not teach philosophy. His answer is, philosophy cannot save men. Whatever may be its value within its own sphere and for its own ends, it is worse than useless as a substitute for the gospel. He was not for banishing philosophy from the schools, but from the pulpit. Let the dead bury the dead; but do not let them pretend to impart life.” (Page 33)
“The slave of one master cannot be the slave of another. One who is redeemed by Christ, who feels that he belongs to him, that his will is the supreme rule of action, and who performs all his duties, not as a man-pleaser, but as doing service as to the Lord, and not to men, Eph. 6:6, 7, is inwardly free, whatever his external relations may be.” (Page 125)
“The true foundation of faith, or rather, the foundation of true faith, is the power of God. This is explained by what he had before called ‘the demonstration of the Spirit.’ That exercise of divine power, therefore, to which he refers as the ground of faith, is the powerful operation of the Spirit, bearing witness with and by the truth in our hearts. A faith which is founded on the authority of the church, or upon arguments addressed to the understanding, or even on the moral power of the truth as it affects the natural conscience, such as Felix had, is unstable and inoperative. But a faith founded on the demonstration of the Spirit is abiding, infallible, and works by love and purifies the heart.” (Page 32)
- Title: An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians
- Author: Charles Hodge
- Series: Charles Hodge Commentary
- Publisher: Robert Carter & Brothers
- Print Publication Date: 1857
- Logos Release Date: 2009
- Era: era:modern
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. 1 Corinthians › Commentaries
- Resource ID: LLS:HODGECM67CO1
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-09-06T16:30:24Z
Charles Hodge (1797–1898), an American Presbyterian theologian, was ordained in 1821, and taught at Princeton for almost his whole life. In 1825 he founded the Biblical Repository and Princeton Review, and during 40 years was its editor, and the principal contributor to its pages. He received the degree of D.D. from Rutgers College in 1834, and that of LL.D. from Washington College, Pennsylvania, in 1864. In 1840 Dr. Hodge was transferred to the chair of didactic theology, retaining still, however, the department of New Testament exegesis, the duties of which he continued to discharge until his death.
