τη 3588 T-DSF εκκλησια 1577 N-DSF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM τη 3588 T-DSF ουση 5607 5752 V-PXP-DSF εν 1722 PREP κορινθω 2882 N-DSF ηγιασμενοις 37 5772 V-RPP-DPM εν 1722 PREP χριστω 5547 N-DSM ιησου 2424 N-DSM κλητοις 2822 A-DPM αγιοις 40 A-DPM συν 4862 PREP πασιν 3956 A-DPM τοις 3588 T-DPM επικαλουμενοις 1941 5734 V-PMP-DPM το 3588 T-ASN ονομα 3686 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM ημων 2257 P-1GP ιησου 2424 N-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM εν 1722 PREP παντι 3956 A-DSM τοπω 5117 N-DSM αυτων 846 P-GPM τε 5037 PRT και 2532 CONJ ημων 2257 P-1GP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Corinth. The Corinth of this period owed the beginning of its prosperity to Julius Caesar, who, a hundred years after its destruction by Mummius (B.C. 146), rebuilt and peopled it with a colony of veterans and freedmen. It was situated on the isthmus which divided Northern Greece from the Peloponnesus. It had three harbors, Cenchreae and Schoenus on the east, and Lechaeumn on the west. The isthmus, forming the only line of march for an invading or retreating army, was of the greatest military importance. It was known as "the eye of Greece." By Pindar it was called "the bridge of the sea;" by Xenophon, "the gate of the Peloponnesus;" and by Strabo, "the acropolis of Greece." In more modern times it was known as "the Gibraltar of Greece." Hence, at least as early as the march of Xerxes into Greece, it was crossed by a wall, which, in later times, became a massive and important fortification, especially in the decline of the Roman Empire. Justinian fortified it with an hundred and fifty towers. The citadel rose two thousand feet above the sea-level, on a rock with precipitous sides. In the days of the Achaean league it was called one of the "fetters" of Greece. "It runs out boldly from the surging mountain chains of the Peninsula, like an outpost or sentry, guarding the approach from the North. In days when news was transmitted by fire-signals, 76 we can imagine how all the southern country must have depended on the watch upon the rock of Corinth" (Mahaffy, "Rambles and Studies in Greece").At its narrowest part the isthmus was crossed by a level track called the diolcus, over which vessels were dragged on rollers from one port to the other. This was in constant use, because seamen were thus enabled to avoid sailing round the dangerous promontory of Malea, the southern extremity of the Peloponnesus. A canal was projected and by Nero, but was abandoned. The common title of the city in the poets was bimaris, "the city of the two seas."
The commercial position of Corinth was, therefore, most important, communicating with the eastern and the western world, with the north and the south. The isthmus was one of the four principal points for the celebration of the Grecian games; and in Paul's day great numbers flocked to these contests from all parts of the Mediterranean.
On the restoration of the city by Julius Caesar, both Greek and Jewish merchants settled in Corinth in such numbers as probably to outnumber the Romans. In Paul's time it was distinctively a commercial center, marked by wealth and luxury. "It was the 'Vanity Fair' of the Roman Empire, at once the London and the Paris of the first century after Christ" (Farrar). It was conspicuous for its immorality. To "corinthianize" was the term for reckless debauchery. Juvenal sarcastically alludes to it as "perfumed Corinth;" and Martial pictures an effeminate fellow boasting of being a Corinthian citizen. The temple of Aphrodite (Venus) employed a thousand ministers. Drunkenness rivaled licentiousness, and Corinthians, when introduced on the stage, were commonly represented as drunk.
Paul's impression of its profligacy may be seen in his description of heathenism in the first of Romans, and in his stern words concerning sensual sin in the two Corinthian Epistles. "Politically Roman, socially Greek, religiously it was Roman, Greek, Oriental, all in one. When, therefore, the apostle preached to the Corinthians, the Gospel spoke to the whole world and to the living present" (Edwards).
Called to be saints. See on Rom. i. 7.
Call upon the name (epikaloumenoiv to onoma). Compare Romans x. 12; Acts ii. 21. The formula is from the Septuagint. See Zech. xiii. 9; Gen. xii. 8; xiii. 4; Psalm cxv. 17. It is used of worship, and here implies prayer to Christ. The first christian prayer recorded as heard by Saul of Tarsus, was Stephen's prayer to Christ, Acts vii. 59. The name of Christ occurs nine times in the first nine verses of this epistle.
Theirs and ours. A.V. and Rev. connect with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Better with in every place. Every place in the province where Christians are is our place also. The expression emphasizes the position of Paul as the founder and apostolic head of Christianity in Corinth and in all Achaia.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:2 {The church of God} (tei ekklesiai tou qeou). Belonging to God, not to any individual or faction, as this genitive case shows. In #1Th 1:1 Paul wrote "the church of the Thessalonians in God" (en qewi), but "the churches of God" in #1Th 2:14. See same idiom in #1Co 10:32; 11:16,22; 15:9; 2Co 1:1; Ga 1:13, etc. {Which is in Corinth} (tei ousei en korinqwi). See on #Ac 13:1 for idiom. It is God's church even in Corinth, "_laetum et ingens paradoxon_" (Bengel). this city, destroyed by Mummius B.C. 146, had been restored by Julius Caesar a hundred years later, B.C. 44, and now after another hundred years has become very rich and very corrupt. The very word "to Corinthianize" meant to practise vile immoralities in the worship of Aphrodite (Venus). It was located on the narrow Isthmus of the Peloponnesus with two harbors (Lechaeum and Cenchreae). It had schools of rhetoric and philosophy and made a flashy imitation of the real culture of Athens. See #Ac 18 for the story of Paul's work here and now the later developments and divisions in this church will give Paul grave concern as is shown in detail in I and II Corinthians. All the problems of a modern city church come to the front in Corinth. They call for all the wisdom and statesmanship in Paul. {That are sanctified} (hegiasmenois). Perfect passive participle of hagiazw, late form for hagizw, so far found only in the Greek Bible and in ecclesiastical writers. It means to make or to declare hagion (from hagos, awe, reverence, and this from hazw, to venerate). It is significant that Paul uses this word concerning the {called saints} or {called to be saints} (kletois hagiois) in Corinth. Cf. kletos apostolos in #1:1. It is because they are sanctified {in Christ Jesus} (en Christ"i iesou). He is the sphere in which this act of consecration takes place. Note plural, construction according to sense, because ekklesia is a collective substantive. {With all that call upon} (sun pasin tois epikaloumenois). Associative instrumental case with sun rather than kai (and), making a close connection with "saints" just before and so giving the Corinthian Christians a picture of their close unity with the brotherhood everywhere through the common bond of faith. this phrase occurs in the LXX (#Ge 12:8; Zec 13:9) and is applied to Christ as to Jehovah (#2Th 1:7,9,12; Php 2:9,10). Paul heard Stephen pray to Christ as Lord (#Ac 7:59). Here "with a plain and direct reference to the Divinity of our Lord" (Ellicott). {Their Lord and ours} (autwn kai hemwn). this is the interpretation of the Greek commentators and is the correct one, an afterthought and expansion (epanorqwsis) of the previous "our," showing the universality of Christ.
