When was 1 Corinthians written?

The statement at the close of the Epistle, printed in some editions of the Bible "written from Philippi," is incorrect. In chapter 16:8 we read the writer's statement, "But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost." The Apostle Paul was therefore in Ephesus and intended to leave about Pentecost. The Book of Acts shows that he left that city about the time of Pentecost in the year 57. It is quite certain that this first Epistle to the Corinthians was written during the first part of the year 57, probably around the time of Easter. (See 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

57.-(Spring) First Epistle to the Corinthians written. The tumult at Ephesus-Paul leaves for Macedonia (Acts 19:23; 20:1). [Autumn.] Second Epistle to the Corinthians written (2 Cor. 1:8 2:13-14, 7:5, 8:1, 9:1). Paul visits Illyricum-goes to Corinth-winters there (Rom. 15:19; 1 Cor. 16:6).

58.-[Spring.] The Epistle to the Romans written (Rom. 15:25-28; 16:21-23; Acts 20:4). Paul leaves Corinth-passes through Macedonia-sails from Philippi-preaches at Troas-addresses the elders at Miletus-visits Tyre and Caesarea (Acts 20; 21:1-14).

Paul started his third mission journey shortly after (around 54 – 58 AD; compare Acts 18:23 – 19:14). He came to Ephesus via Galatia and Phrygia in Asia Minor. This is where he remained for three years (Acts 20:31). He probably wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians towards the end of his stay there, which was in spring 57 AD. This epistle might have been handed over by Timothy (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10) but it is equally possible that Timothy went there later only (Acts 19:22). – There is a possibility that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians from Ephesus, too. Actually the Apostle Paul had intended to travel to Corinth himself as soon as possible (1 Cor. 16:5-6; 2 Cor. 1:15). But he probably refrained from it because of the sad situation in Corinth (2 Cor. 1:15; 2:1) and sent Titus instead.

But then Paul left Ephesus (maybe because of the revolt described in Acts 19:22-41). He first preached the gospel in Troas (2 Cor. 2:12) but had no inner peace and proceeded to Macedonia (Acts 20:1; 2 Cor. 2:13). There he met Titus who was on his way back from Corinth (2 Cor. 7:5-6). From Macedonia Paul wrote the Second Epistle to the Corinthians in the year 57 AD (2 Cor. 9:2-4) which he probably had delivered by Titus (2 Cor. 8:16-18). In Acts we read of one journey to Macedonia and Greece only (Acts 20:1-3) during which Paul obviously had been to Corinth and from where he wrote the Epistle to the Romans (57/58 AD). For in this epistle he mentions the fact that contributions had been made in Macedonia and Achaia for the saints in Judea which he now wanted to bring to Jerusalem (Rom. 15:25-28). These statements go hand in hand with the ones in the Epistles to the Corinthians. The mention of Phebe (Romans 16:1-2) from Cenchrea (which was the harbour of Corinth) and of Gaius (Rom. 16:23; compare 1 Cor. 1:14) would indicate that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans shortly before leaving for Jerusalem when still at Corinth. His journey from Greece to Jerusalem is described in detail in Acts 20 to 21.

By the end of his three-year-stay in Ephesus (while on his third missionary journey – 1 Cor. 16:8) around 57 AC the Apostle, guided by the Spirit of God, reluctantly started to write a very serious and extremely important epistle to the assembly in Corinth. First and Second Corinthians are the only two epistles in the NT directed to “the assembly of God” as such. Not only is the assembly addressed but also “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2). This would stress the overall importance of this epistle for all Christians professing to belong to the Lord Jesus. This is probably why the title “Lord” appears much more in First Corinthians than in any other epistle of the NT (nearly 70 times). The uniformity and general validity of the Apostle's teachings are stressed in 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17 and 14:33.

Towards the end of this stay in Ephesus, Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:8), in which he probably alludes to the difficulties with the Jews in Ephesus, when he speaks of a fight with wild animals (1 Cor. 15:32; cf. 2 Cor 1:8). Finally, Paul left Ephesus after the tumult of the silversmiths and souvenir sellers.

It is evident from verse 8 that the apostle was in Ephesus when he wrote to Corinth this first epistle. The spurious postscript in the common text, followed in the Authorised Version, says "from Philippi," but it was really from Ephesus, as in the Vatican and some other copies; and therefore salutations are given from "the assemblies of Asia." (Ver. 19.) His purpose was to pass through Macedonia: this is the force of Μακ. γάρ διέρχομαι, a journey then before him as a settled thing, but not actually in progress. He might, perhaps, then stay, or even winter, with them, adding an expression of loving confidence that they might send him on wherever he might go. For he declined seeing them then, for reasons explained in 2 Corinthians 1, hoping to remain some time with them, under the Lord's permission, instead of merely passing through. He should remain at Ephesus, where he then was, till Pentecost. That the Lord was there working was a sufficient reason, and none the less because there were adversaries many. He trusted to carry on the work, and help souls against Satan.

The First Epistle to the Corinthians may have been written from Ephesus somewhere in the time taken up between Acts 19:21 and Acts 20:1, for the following reasons: Paul, in his first European journey, comes from Philippi through the country to Thessalonica, thence (by sea?) to Athens, and thence to Corinth (Acts 18:1) for the first time, and in that chapter we find also mention of Sosthenes, the same person who is joined with him (unless good reasons be shown to the contrary) in the first letter. Paul continued there eighteen months (Acts 18:11), Silas and Timotheus being with him. (Ver. 5. Compare 2 Cor. 1:19.) Thence he went to Ephesus and Syria, but Apollos came to Corinth. (Acts 19:1.) Now, as in his first epistle, continued mention is made of this brother (who was with him at the time, 1 Cor. 16:12), it is evident it could not have been written before Acts 19, when Paul was at Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:8), for at that time "he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season." (Acts 19:22.) Now as in 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 Timothy is mentioned as likely to come, it is probable that he was to go there from Macedonia, but, although probable, there is no strict necessity for supposing that he bore the letter, which could hardly have been written until after the uproar about Diana the goddess of the Ephesians. (1 Cor. 15:32; Acts 19:23.) Notice particularly 1 Corinthians 16:5, "Now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia, for I do pass through Macedonia," compared with Acts 19:21, his anxiety in both instances being about a collection for Jerusalem, which he was to carry. This occupation of the apostle's mind about the poor Jews is not a bad mark for showing us that they could not have been written before he had determined to go to Jerusalem with a collection, and that hardly more than a year could have elapsed between the two epistles.

Some three years after Paul's first visit to Corinth he heard that there were divisions among them, 1 Cor. 1:11-12; that there was allowed evil in their midst, 1 Cor. 1:1; and that there were some among them who said that there was no resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:12. These things, and the fact that he had received a letter of inquiry from them (1 Cor. 7:1) called forth the First Epistle. Its contents may in short be said to be the internal ordering of the church, with collateral subjects.

To work in Corinth was evidently in Paul's eyes no ordinary task. It was highly civilized, noted for its wealth and commerce, and, as may be the case where civilization and wealth abound without the restraining power of the grace of God, it had earned a most unenviable reputation for licentiousness and all that ministers to the natural man. Into that city the apostle, led by the Holy Ghost, and knowing the character of the people, had determined from the outset, surely guided of God, as to the spirit in which he should there labour. Anything which would have pleased the natural man, and thus attracted people to hear him, he carefully avoided. We quote his own account of himself: "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Cor. 2:1-5.) The results were great, and a special feature of God's work in the assembly there formed, was the rich endowment of spiritual gifts enjoyed by the converts. "In everything," writes Paul, "ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of the Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 1:6-8.)

After he had left that city, endeared to him by so many ties formed between himself and his converts, for households embraced the truth (Acts 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:16), it was no wonder that communications were kept up between them and him; and when questions arose in their midst which they did not seem able to solve, it was not unnatural that they should write to Paul respecting them. (1 Cor. 7:1.) Private friendships had been formed, which bore fruit, as evidenced by the visit to him of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (1 Cor. 16:17), who personally ministered to his need. But they were not the only people who visited him, or brought him news about the assembly at Corinth. There were those of the house of Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), whom he mentions, from whom he had heard of the sad state of the assembly. That moved him to write this letter to them whilst he was at Ephesus. (1 Cor. 16:8.) It is a letter dealing with the state of things among them, and divides itself into two great parts. From 1 Cor. 1 to 1 Cor. 6 we have certain disorders of which he had heard, exposed, and corrected. From 1 Cor. 7 to 1 Cor. 16 Paul is chiefly occupied in answering questions which they had put to him in writing.

Besides, Paul wrote 1st Corinthians during the early part of his stay at Ephesus, and sent it by Titus. (Compare Acts 19:22, with 1 Cor. 16:8-10, 2 Cor. 7:6.) In it he taught the doctrine of the church as "one body" (see chap, 12). He also wrote the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth during his ministration there (see Rom. 16:1), where he commends Phoebe, who served the assembly at Cenchrea near to Corinth; in it he speaks of the practical relationship of Christ's members as "one body" in chap. 12.