1 Corinthians 1:3
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace
The phrase "Grace and peace" is a common salutation in Paul's epistles, reflecting a deep theological significance. "Grace" (Greek: "charis") refers to the unmerited favor and love of God towards humanity. It is the foundation of the Christian faith, emphasizing that salvation and all spiritual blessings are gifts from God, not earned by human effort. "Peace" (Greek: "eirēnē") signifies not just the absence of conflict but a profound sense of well-being and wholeness that comes from being reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. This peace surpasses all understanding and guards the hearts and minds of believers (Philippians 4:7). Historically, this greeting would resonate with both Jewish and Gentile audiences, as "peace" (Hebrew: "shalom") was a traditional Jewish greeting, while "grace" was a common Greek salutation. Together, they encapsulate the essence of the Gospel message.

to you
The phrase "to you" personalizes the greeting, indicating that the grace and peace of God are not abstract concepts but are meant for the individual recipients of the letter. In the context of 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, a diverse and often troubled congregation. By using "to you," Paul emphasizes that each member of the church is a recipient of God's grace and peace, regardless of their background or current struggles. This personal touch underscores the relational aspect of the Christian faith, where God's love and blessings are directed towards each believer.

from God our Father
"From God our Father" establishes the source of grace and peace. It is not from human origin but from God Himself, who is described as "our Father." This familial term highlights the intimate relationship believers have with God through Jesus Christ. In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of a deity as a father was not uncommon, but the Christian understanding of God as a loving and personal Father was revolutionary. It speaks to the adoption of believers into God's family, where they are heirs with Christ and can approach God with confidence and trust.

and the Lord Jesus Christ
The inclusion of "and the Lord Jesus Christ" affirms the divine authority and role of Jesus in the dispensation of grace and peace. "Lord" (Greek: "Kyrios") is a title of respect and authority, acknowledging Jesus' sovereignty and divinity. By coupling Jesus with God the Father, Paul emphasizes the unity and co-equality of the Father and the Son in the Godhead. This reflects the early Christian confession of Jesus as Lord, a declaration that had profound implications in a polytheistic society where Caesar was often hailed as lord. The acknowledgment of Jesus as "Christ" (Greek: "Christos," meaning "Anointed One" or "Messiah") further affirms His role as the promised Savior and King, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies and bringing salvation to all who believe. This phrase encapsulates the core of Christian doctrine, affirming the centrality of Jesus in the believer's life and the source of all spiritual blessings.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul
The apostle who authored the letter to the Corinthians, addressing issues within the church and providing guidance.

2. Corinth
A major city in ancient Greece, known for its wealth and moral challenges, where the early Christian church faced various issues.

3. God the Father
The first person of the Trinity, the source of grace and peace.

4. Lord Jesus Christ
The second person of the Trinity, through whom believers receive grace and peace.

5. The Corinthian Church
The recipients of the letter, a diverse group of believers facing internal divisions and moral challenges.
Teaching Points
Understanding Grace and Peace
Grace ("charis" in Greek) is the unmerited favor of God, a foundational concept in Christian theology. It is through grace that believers are saved and sustained.

Peace ("eirene" in Greek) refers to the tranquility and wholeness that comes from a right relationship with God. It is both a present reality and a future promise for believers.

Source of Grace and Peace
Both grace and peace originate from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This underscores the divine nature of these gifts and the unity of the Father and the Son in the work of salvation.

Living in Grace and Peace
Believers are called to live in the grace and peace provided by God. This involves trusting in God's provision, resting in His promises, and extending grace and peace to others.

The Role of the Trinity
The greeting highlights the roles of the Father and the Son in the believer's life, encouraging a deeper understanding of the Trinity and its implications for daily living.

Application in Community
The greeting serves as a reminder to the church community to embody grace and peace in their interactions, promoting unity and love within the body of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the meaning of "grace" and "peace" in the original Greek enhance your comprehension of this verse?

2. In what ways can you actively seek to experience God's grace and peace in your daily life?

3. How does recognizing God as the source of grace and peace impact your relationship with Him?

4. What are some practical ways you can extend grace and peace to others in your community?

5. How do the roles of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in this verse inform your understanding of the Trinity and its significance in your faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 1:7
Paul uses a similar greeting, emphasizing the consistent message of grace and peace in his letters.

Philippians 4:7
Discusses the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, which is a gift to believers.

Ephesians 2:8
Highlights that grace is a gift from God, not earned by works, reinforcing the message in 1 Corinthians 1:3.

John 14:27
Jesus speaks of His peace, which He gives to His followers, connecting to the peace mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:3.
The Father and the LordR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 1:3
The Hebraic and the Christian SalutationsR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 1:3
Christian SalutationE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
The SalutationH. Bremne 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Divine BlessingsJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Grace and PeaceC. Hodge, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
No Peace Without ChristJ. Pulsford.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul's Claim to ApostleshipR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Sosthenes a BrotherA. Scott.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
St. Paul and the ApostleshipC. Lipscomb 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Apostolic SalutationsDean Stanley.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Approach to RebukeE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Authority of the Christian MinisterJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Call of God IsJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Church in CorinthM. Dods, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Peace of the Christian1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The SalutationThe Study1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The SalutationF. W. Robertson, M. A.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Three Notes of the ChurchPrincipal Edwards.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Threefold SanctificationProf. Godet., C. H. Spurgeon.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
People
Apollos, Cephas, Chloe, Corinthians, Crispus, Gaius, Paul, Peter, Sosthenes, Stephanas
Places
Corinth
Topics
Christ, Grace, Granted, Peace
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 1:3

     1512   Trinity, equality of
     6700   peace
     8136   knowing God, effects
     8638   benedictions

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

     5328   greeting

1 Corinthians 1:2-3

     6704   peace, divine NT

1 Corinthians 1:3-4

     6666   grace

Library
Father and Child
Eversley. 1861. 1 Cor. i. 4, 5, 7. "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. That in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge . . . So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." This text is a very important one. It ought to teach me how I should treat you. It
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity Treasure Christians have in the Gospel.
Text: 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9. 4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Second Day. God's Provision for Holiness.
To those that are made holy in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.'--1 Cor. i. 2. 'To all the holy ones in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. Salute every holy one in Christ Jesus.'[1]--Phil. i. 1, iv. 21. HOLY! IN CHRIST! In these two expressions we have perhaps the most wonderful words of all the Bible. HOLY! the word of unfathomable meaning, which the Seraphs utter with veiled faces. HOLY! the word in which all God's perfections centre, and of which His glory is but the streaming forth.
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Twenty-Second Day. In Christ Our Sanctification.
'Of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.'--1 Cor. i. 30, 31. These words lead us on now to the very centre of God's revelation of the way of holiness. We know the steps of the road leading hither. He is holy, and holiness is His. He makes holy by coming near. His presence is holiness. In Christ's life, the holiness that had only been revealed
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Perishing or Being Saved
For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.'--1 COR. i. 18. The starting-point of my remarks is the observation that a slight variation of rendering, which will be found in the Revised Version, brings out the true meaning of these words. Instead of reading 'them that perish' and 'us which are saved,' we ought to read 'them that are perishing,' and 'us which are being saved.' That is to say, the Apostle represents the
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Corinthians. Calling on the Name
'All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.'--1 COR. i. 2. There are some difficulties, with which I need not trouble you, about both the translation and the connection of these words. One thing is quite clear, that in them the Apostle associates the church at Corinth with the whole mass of Christian believers in the world. The question may arise whether he does so in the sense that he addresses his letter both to the church at Corinth and to the whole
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Wisdom of God in the Means Used to Propagate the Gospel.
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are." * * The two discourses on this text were originally one, and preached before Windham Association, at Thompson, October Session, 1798. Probably some of the ideas which they contain, may have been
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Christ Crucified
Wisdom had had its time, and time enough; it had done its all, and that was little enough; it had made the world worse than it was before it stepped upon it, and "now," says God, "Foolishness shall overcome wisdom; now ignorance, as ye call it, shall sweep away science; now, humble, child-like faith shall crumble to the dust all the colossal systems your hands have piled." He calls his armies. Christ puts his trumpet to his mouth, and up come the warriors, clad in fishermen's garb, with the brogue
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

The Fourfold Treasure
To-night we have before us a text which is extraordinarily comprehensive, and contains infinitely more of meaning than mind shall grasp, or tongue shall utter at this hour. Considering it carefully, let us observe, first, that the apostle here attributes the fact that we are in Christ Jesus to the Lord alone. He shows that there is a connection between our very being as Christians, and the love and grace of God in Christ. "Of him" (that is of God) "are ye in Christ Jesus." So we will first speak
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Christ --The Power and Wisdom of God
Now, this morning, we shall try to bring out these two thoughts of the gospel; and it may be that God shall bless what we shall say to the removing of the objection of either Jew or Greek; that the one requiring a sign may see it in the power of God in Christ, and that he who requireth wisdom may behold it in the wisdom of God in Christ. We shall understand our text in a threefold manner: Christ, that is, Christ personally, is "the power of God and the wisdom of God;" Christ, that is, Christ's gospel,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Firm to the End.
(Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 1 COR. i. 8. "Who also shall confirm you unto the end." Steadfastness is one of the most important characteristics of a Christian. Perhaps you will tell me that love, and self-denial, and patience, and faith are the chief marks of Christ's followers. And I answer that these things are useless without steadfastness. It will not avail us to be very loving, and self-sacrificing, and patient, and trustful for a little while, and then to fall away, and be selfish,
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

The National Preacher.
Go ... Teach all Nations.... Matt. xxviii. 19. VOL. II. NEW-YORK, DECEMBER, 1827. NO. 7. SERMON XXVI. By AARON W. LELAND, D.D. CHARLESTON, S. CAROLINA. THE PURE GOSPEL REJECTED BY THE PERISHING. 1 COR. I. 18.--For the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness. In the Christian revelation, there is an evident purpose of infinite wisdom, that in all the provisions for man's salvation, his moral agency should be left free and uncontrolled. Instead of accommodation to human
Aaron W. Leland—The National Preacher, Vol. 2 No. 7 Dec. 1827

Good Friday, 1860
(Good Friday, 1860.) 1 Corinthians i. 23-25. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. The foolishness of God? The weakness of God? These are strange words. But they are St. Paul's words, not mine. If he had not said them first, I should not
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons

The Introduction, with Some General Observations from the Cohesion.
Doubtless it is always useful, yea, necessary, for the children of God to know the right way of making use of Christ, who is made all things to them which they need, even "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. But it is never more necessary for believers to be clear and distinct in this matter, than when Satan, by all means, is seeking to pervert the right ways of the Lord, and, one way or other, to lead souls away, and draw them off Christ; knowing that, if he prevail
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, as the Way, for Sanctification in General.
Having shown how a poor soul, lying under the burden of sin and wrath, is to make use of Jesus Christ for righteousness and justification, and so to make use of him, go out to him, and apply him, as "he is made of God to us righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30, and that but briefly. This whole great business being more fully and satisfactorily handled, in that forementioned great, though small treatise, viz. "The Christian's Great Interest," we shall now come and show, how a believer or a justified soul
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

With How Great Reverence Christ must be Received
The Voice of the Disciple These are Thy words, O Christ, Eternal Truth; though not uttered at one time nor written together in one place of Scripture. Because therefore they are Thy words and true, I must gratefully and faithfully receive them all. They are Thine, and Thou hast uttered them; and they are mine also, because Thou didst speak them for my salvation. Gladly I receive them from Thy mouth, that they may be more deeply implanted in my heart. Words of such great grace arouse me, for they
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Of the Effects of those Prerogatives.
From these prerogatives there will arise to the elect in heaven, five notable effects:-- 1. They shall know God with a perfect knowledge (1 Cor. i. 10), so far as creatures can possibly comprehend the Creator. For there we shall see the Word, the Creator; and in the Word, all creatures that by the Word were created; so that we shall not need to learn (of the things which were made) the knowledge of him by whom all things were made. The most excellent creatures in this life, are but as a dark veil
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Sanctification.
"Of Him ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."--1 Cor. i. 30. Sanctification is one of the most glorious gifts which, by the Covenant of Grace, the Mediator bestows upon the saint. It covers his entire mental, spiritual, and physical nature. We should, therefore, thoroughly understand it, and learn how to obtain it, and every believer, whatever the measure of his faith, should be fully aware of his attitude toward it; for
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Christ Our Sanctification.
"Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us...sanctification."--1 Cor. i. 30. The redeemed soul possesses all things in Christ. He is a complete Savior. He lacks nothing. Having Him we are saved to the uttermost; without Him we are utterly lost and undone. We must earnestly maintain this point, especially with reference to sanctification; and repeat with increasing clearness that Christ is given us of God not only for wisdom and righteousness, but also for sanctification. It reads distinctly that Christ
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Joyful Sound
C. P. C. I Cor. i. 23, 24 O that Thy Name may be sounded Afar over earth and sea, Till the dead awaken and praise Thee, And the dumb lips sing to Thee! Sound forth as a song of triumph Wherever man's foot has trod, The despised, the derided message, The foolishness of God. Jesus, dishonoured and dying, A felon on either side-- Jesus, the song of the drunkards, Jesus the Crucified! Name of God's tender comfort, Name of His glorious power, Name that is song and sweetness, The strong everlasting tower.
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Christian Churches.
The large number of churches in Rome.--The six classes of the earliest of these.--I. Private oratories.--The houses of Pudens and Prisca.--The evolution of the church from the private house.--II. Scholae.--The memorial services and banquets of the pagans.--Two extant specimens of early Christian scholae.--That in the Cemetery of Callixtus.--III. Oratories and churches built over the tombs of martyrs and confessors.--How they came to be built.--These the originals of the greatest sanctuaries of modern
Rodolfo Lanciani—Pagan and Christian Rome

St. Augustine (Ad 354-430)
PART I The church in the north of Africa has hardly been mentioned since the time of St. Cyprian (Chapter VIII). But we must now look towards it again, since in the days of St. Chrysostom it produced a man who was perhaps the greatest of all the old Christian fathers--St. Augustine. Augustine was born at Thagaste, a city of Numidia, in the year 354. His mother, Monica, was a pious Christian, but his father, Patricius, was a heathen, and a man of no very good character. Monica was resolved to bring
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Additional Introduction.
Towards the close of 1875, at Constantinople, Philotheus Bryennius, Metropolitan of Serræ, published the first complete edition of the epistles ascribed to Clement. This he was enabled to do by the discovery of a ms. in the library of the Holy Sepulchre at Fanari in Constantinople. This ms., of vellum, consists of one hundred and twenty leaves in small octavo, nearly seven and a half inches in length and six in breadth. The ms. bears the date 1056, and was written by one Leo. Its contents
Rev. John Keith, D.D.—The Epistles of Clement

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