I think chapters 1-4 of 1 Corinthians is a showdown between that which is θεοῦ and that which is ἀνθρώπου:
The cross and human wisdom
1:10-12: Let there be unity rather than competitive division 1:13-17: The apostolic task is not baptism but proclamation of the gospel – not in words of human wisdom 1:18-25: Human wisdom fails before God – whose power is revealed in the cross 1:26-31: One should not boast in human status but, through Christ, in God 2:1-5: The basis for faith must not be human wisdom, but God’s power, revealed in Christ crucifiedThe Spirit and human capability
2:6-10: Human rulers fail to perceive the things of God; but God has revealed them to his own people by his Spirit 2:10-16: Those who lack God’s Spirit lack understanding; but those who have God’s Spirit have the mind of Christ 3:1-4: The Corinthians are not acting as Spritual people, but as those who are proudly humanDivine work and human authority
3:5-9: Paul and Apollos are co-workers of God 3:10-17: Those who build other than on the divinely-provided foundation will receive rejection by God 3:21-23: Boasting in humans has no place for those who are possessed by God 4:1-5: Human judgements about leaders are inconsequential; what matters is praise from GodDivinely ordained death and human boasting
4:6-7: Those who receive from God are in no position to compete and boast 4:8-13: The Corinthians are mistakenly acting as those who reign; the apostles are acting as those who die 4:14-21: The Corinthians are to imitate Paul: The kingdom of God is not a matter of speech, but of power
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Thanks for the outlines. My girlfriend and I are working on memorizing this epistle (3 chapters in so far!) and outlines like this will be helpful for seeing the bigger picture.
Hey great stuff – I started memorising 1 Corinthians, but gave up after 10 verses!!
I originally started doing it as part of a bible quiz league, which helped with initial motivation. Plus I’ve asked my girlfriend to nag me if I don’t keep up with it
Matt, you’re right: I see the sub-theme there as well. I say sub-theme. You might want to challenge that.
Fine, though I wouldn’t take 1 Cor 1-4 as a unit. Chapter 5 is very closely related to chapter 4. Too often 1-4 are looked at in isolation. Perhaps we should be looking at 1 Cor 1-5 or 1 Cor 1-6.
TC: I think I could agree with you: These things are not consistently on the surface – in fact I think they only really properly come to the surface in chapter 4, where Paul finally comes clean and says (I paraphrase), “The reason I’ve been saying all this is so that you will learn not to become puffed up – what do you have that you didn’t receive from God?? So stop boasting already!”
Richard: True, chapter 5 is also about how the congregation is “puffed up”. My own view is that chapters 5-14 represent an extended application of the “showdown” of chapters 1-4: The Corinthian congregation is summoned to kill their pride and inhabit the cross, in relation to a range of concrete issues in Corinth.