This study guide was developed in preparation for teaching adult Bible classes.

Author:
The author of this epistle is Paul, the apostle (1:1; 16:21), accompanied by Sosthenes. Some scholars suggest that this Sosthenes could be the same person mentioned in Acts 18:17. Clement of Rome, writing in 95 A.D., attributes the authorship of this epistle to Paul.

Place of Writing:
The epistle was penned in the city of Ephesus (16:8).

Time of Writing:
It was likely written in the spring of 57 A.D., shortly before the Jewish feast of Pentecost (16:8), during Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 19:1-41).

Background of the City of Corinth:
Corinth was situated on the Isthmus of Greece, known as Achaia in the Bible, between the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea, above the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately 50 miles to the east lay the city of Athens.

The Corinth of Paul’s era was relatively new. The old Corinth, renowned and powerful during the Peloponnesian War, was destroyed in 146 B.C. by the Roman proconsul L. Mummius. Due to its dedication to various gods, a century passed before the city could be reconstructed. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar initiated its rebuilding, establishing a colony of veterans and freedmen, and renaming it Julia Corinthus. It swiftly evolved into a pivotal commercial hub.

With a populace of 400,000 and its status as a significant center of commerce in the Mediterranean, Corinth became a breeding ground for various vices. Notably, the temple of Venus (Aphrodite) housed 1000 priestesses devoted to prostitution under the guise of religious practice. The city’s proximity to Athens likely exacerbated its intellectual challenges. As evidenced in the epistle, this environment left its mark on the Corinthian church. It is remarkable that a church thrived amidst such circumstances.