📖 Biblical Definition
Paul's first canonical letter to the church at Corinth, written from Ephesus around AD 55. The letter addresses a long list of practical and doctrinal issues at the wealthy, gifted, but immature Corinthian church: factionalism (1-4), sexual immorality (5-7), idol meat and Christian liberty (8-10), public worship and spiritual gifts (11-14), and the bodily resurrection (15). Chapter 13, the love chapter, is the heart of the letter; chapter 15 is one of the longest sustained New Testament arguments for the resurrection.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
1 CORINTHIANS, n.
expand to see more
A scriptural proper name; Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church.
📖 Key Scripture
1 Corinthians 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."
1 Corinthians 10:13 — "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man."
1 Corinthians 13:4 — "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not."
1 Corinthians 15:3 — "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity quotes 1 Corinthians 13 at weddings; the chapter belongs to the church.
expand to see more
1 Corinthians 13 has been almost entirely captured by the wedding industry. The chapter is read at weddings; the verses are printed on cards; love is patient, love is kind appears in calligraphy on living-room walls. The original audience was a fractious church — suing each other in pagan courts, exploiting the Lord's Supper, parading spiritual gifts — not a wedding congregation.
The chapter belongs to the church first. Read it that way. The patience, kindness, lack of envy, lack of pride, lack of self-seeking, slowness to anger, forgiveness, and endurance described are how members of a church should treat each other. If we did, weddings would not need to borrow the chapter; they would already be soaked in love-shaped congregations.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek roots below.
expand to see more
G2882 — Korinthos — Corinth
Usage
"Modern Christianity quotes 1 Corinthians 13 at weddings; the chapter belongs to the church."
"Read it as instruction for church members, not for newlyweds."
"If we lived it, weddings would not need to borrow the chapter."