A. Salutation (1:1–3)
1. Introduction (1:1–9)
A. Salutation (1:1–3)
1. Paul’s opening is the usual one in a first-century letter: first the name of the writer(s), then that of the addressee(s), and a prayer. But to each part Paul gives a characteristically Christian twist. Thus his name is followed by called to be an apostle, very appropriate in this letter where his apostolic authority is used so freely to put wrong matters right. Called (cf. Rom. 1:1) points to the divine origin of his apostolate (cf. Gal. 1:1), as does the insistence that it is by the will of God (cf. 2 Cor. 1:1). Our brother Sosthenes may be the Jewish ‘synagogue ruler’ (Acts 18:17), in which case he was subsequently converted. But the name is not uncommon and it may not be the same man.
2. The letter is addressed to the church of God in Corinth, ‘a great and joyful paradox’ (Bengel). Church (ekklēsia) is a term which in ordinary Greek could apply to any secular assembly (it is used of the rioting Ephesians in Acts 19:32, 41; cf. v. 39). The Christians by-passed the regular words for religious brotherhoods, and made this their usual self-designation. They were probably influenced by the fact that it is used in LXX of the people of Israel. The usage reflects their deep conviction that the church is not merely one religious group among many. It is unique. Ordinary religious words will not do. And it is not any ‘assembly’: it is the ekklēsia of God. This is further defined as those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy. Holy is from the same root as sanctified, where the basic idea is not that of high moral character as with us, but of being set apart for God (though, of course, the character implied in such separation is not out of mind).
It is possible that together with all those everywhere widens the salutation to include all Christians (Conzelmann sees a reference to ‘the idea of the universal church’), and this is the most natural interpretation of the Greek. T. W. Manson takes ‘every place’ (topos) to mean ‘every place of worship’, as in some Jewish synagogue inscriptions.1 But a strong objection to both is that the Epistle gives no sign of being a circular or a general manifesto. It sticks stubbornly to local issues. It is thus better to take the phrase closely with the preceding. The Corinthians are called to be holy, not as an isolated unit, but along with other people. It is unusual to have Christians described as those who call on the name of Christ (though it is readily intelligible). In the Old Testament people call on the name of Yahweh (Joel 2:32, etc.), so that in using the expression Paul is assigning the highest possible place to Christ.
3. Grace is one of the great Christian words. It resembles the usual Greek greeting, but there is a world of difference between ‘greeting’ (chairein) and ‘grace’ (charis). Grace speaks of God’s free gift to us, and more especially of his free gift in Christ. Peace is the usual Hebrew greeting. But the Hebrew šālôm means more than ‘peace’ does in English. It means not the absence of strife, but the presence of positive blessings. It is the prosperity of the whole person, especially his spiritual prosperity.
This is the typical greeting, found in almost every letter in the New Testament (sometimes with ‘mercy’ added). And not only are these two qualities mentioned, but God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are linked as joint-authors. No higher place could be given to Christ.