An Alternative Outline for 1 Corinthians

I found an outline and notes for 1 Corinthinas 12-14 that I wrote back in 2001. Now I have also been working with Gordon Fee’s commentary on 1 Corinthians, and he uses an outline based on the questions that Paul received in the letter to him from the Corinthians. I think his is a valid approach, but I also think that Paul’s logic leads toward a conclusion. I’m going to leave this outline as I first wrote it, though I would now add a note to chapter 15, that in that chapter Paul finally states what is truly spiritual–we will be truly spiritual when we are resurrected.

1 Corinthians Outline

1. Salutation (1:1-9)
2. Divisions (1:10-3:23)
   Paul discusses the divisions in the Church based on knowledge, spirituality, origin and loyalty to particular leaders. This section is marked in the discourse by 1:10 “united in the same mind and purpose” and by 3:23 “you belong to Christ.”
3. Judgment (4:1-11:34)
   Paul explains the ministry and rights of apostleship, apparently against a background of criticism which has suggested that the Corinthian believers have gone beyond their own leaders and the message that was passed on to them. Paul illustrates through a number of specific problems in the church. This section is marked by 4:1 “servants” and “stewards” and by 10:33 “not seeking my own advantage.” I have included chapter 11 in this block even though it appears to me that the rhetorical marker for the end appears at the end of chapter 10 because it continues the same type of topic, and a clear marker for a new topic appears in 12:1.
4. Evaluating Spirituality (12:1-14:39)
   Paul tells the Corinthian believers how to examine and evaluate their own spirituality and spiritual practices. This section is marked by 12:1 “spiritual things (pneumatika)” and by 14:40 “prophesy”, “speak in tongues”, and “order.”
5. Hope (15:1-58)
   The final hope and final spiritual standing. Marked at the start by 15:2 “believe in vain” and ended by 15:58 “not in vain.”
6. Concluding Messages and Comments (16:1-24)

In addition there are several key phrases and concepts which are used to link the various blocks together.

1. Hope (elpis, elpizo) – links especially 13:7, 13 (IV) and 15:19 (V)
2. Gift (charisma) – 1:7 (I), 7:7 (III), and 12:4,9,28,30,21 (IV)
3. Spiritual matters or spirituality (pneumatika/pneuma) – 2:13 and 15 (II), 10:3 & 4 (III) 12:1 & 14:1 (IV), 15:44 & 46 (V)
4. Baby or infant (nepios/nepiazo) 3:1 (II), 13:11 (IV)

These lists are not exhaustive on the usage of the words. I will post my notes on chapters 12-14 and on some key Greek terms over the next couple of weeks.