BI 270:  I & II Corinthians Dr. Brian K. Peterson Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina

 Course Description

This course will seek

A. to aid in understanding the letters of Paul to the church at Corinth within the cultural, political, and religious context of the mid-first century.

B. to explore the various forces at work within the Corinthian congregation which raised the issues addressed by Paul, and how Paul sought to address these issues theologically and pastorally.

C. to foster an appreciation for how these letters can continue to inform the life of the church, pastoral practice, and preaching.

D. to give the student a basic familiarity with the commentaries and scholarship on the Corinthian letters.

E. to strengthen the student’s competence and confidence in N.T. exegesis.

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TEXTBOOKS

A. A reliable English Bible; NRSV is preferred.

B. A Greek New Testament, either Nestle-Aland 27th edition or UBS 4th edition (for those of you who know Greek).

C. Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians. Interpretation Commentaries. John Knox, 1997.

D. Bruce W. Winter, After Paul Left Corinth. The Influence of Secular Ethics and Social Change. Eerdmans, 2001.

E. Frank J. Matera, II Corinthians. The New Testament Library. Westminster John Knox, 2003.

F. On reserve at the library:   Francis Watson, "2 Cor 10-13 and Paul’s Painful Letter to the Corinthians." Journal of Theological Studies 35 (1984): 324-46.

In addition, the following commentaries are on reserve in the library:

1 Corinthians:
Ramond F. Collins. First Corinthians. Sacra Pagina. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1999.

Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.

Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

1 & 2 Corinthians:
Ben Witherington III. Conflict and Community in Corinth. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.

2 Corinthians:
Victor Paul Furnish, II Corinthians. The Anchor Bible. Garden City: Doubleday, 1984.

Jan Lambrecht, Second Corinthians. Sacra Pagina. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1999.

Ralph P. Martin, 2 Corinthians. Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books, 1986.

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REQUIREMENTS

A. Careful reading of the assigned NT texts, books & articles.

B. Class attendance & active participation in discussion.

C. Each day, you will bring in two written paragraphs (no more than 1/2 single-spaced page). Each of these paragraphs will raise a question or issue for discussion; they will focus either on a point about which you disagree with the assigned reading and your reasons why, or a point at which the assigned readings disagree with each other and why you think they arrive at differing interpretations. The paragraphs will also indicate why you think this is a significant issue for the interpretation of these letters and / or for the life and theology of the church. Bring enough copies for everyone in the class.

D. Short daily translations (for those who know Greek; if you don’t know Greek, compare 3 English translations); come to class ready to translate and to discus the grammar of the assigned passage.

E. Each student will write a final exegetical paper (15-20 pages; if taking this course as BI570, the final exegetical paper is expected to be more detailed and in-depth, with an anticipated length of 20-25 pages) using the guidelines supplied by the instructor, and concluding with a short (one single-spaced page) homily or devotional piece based on the text. This paper will include a bibliography of works consulted which includes at least 5 titles not on the required reading list. The text for this paper will be chosen by the student in consultation with and subject to the approval of the instructor. The text must be finalized before the last class meeting. The paper is due August 6.

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GRADING

1. Class attendance and participation     20

2. Preparation of translation sections     15

3. Preparation of written questions        15

4. Final paper                                       50

                                              total = 100

                                                            70 needed to pass

Final grade recorded with be either "Pass" or "Fail"

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SCHEDULE --SUMMER 2004

V. Course Schedule:

Class hours: Monday - Thursday
9:00-12:00         2:00-4:00

Assignments listed in the schedule below are to be completed BEFORE the date under which they appear:

Monday, May 24
The city of Corinth
Paul’s churches in first century culture
Acts 18 & the beginning of the church at Corinth
An overview of 1 Corinthians
1 Cor 1:1-17 & The social makeup of the Corinthian church
1 Cor 1:18-2:16, Wisdom & Rhetoric

    Assignment:
    Acts 18:1-17, 1 Cor 1-2
    Hays, 1-47
    Winter, 1-28
    Translate 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17
            Optional: See online "tours" of Corinth. Note especially the one produced by the United Methodist 
           Church.

Tuesday, May 25
1 Cor 3:1-4:21 & God’s servants in the church
Rhetoric and eloquence in Greco-Roman culture
1 Cor 5, Immorality and discipline in the church
1 Cor 6, The courts and sexual immorality

    Assignment:
    1 Cor 3-6
    Hays, 47-109
    Winter, 44-75, 110-120
    Translate 1 Cor 5:1-5

Wednesday, May 26
1 Cor 7, Marriage and staying single
1 Cor 8:1-11:1, Food, temples, & civic life
Pauline ethics

    Asssignment:
    1 Cor 7:1-11:1
    Hays, 110-181
    Winter, 269-286
    Translate 1 Cor 8:4-7
        Optional: See the online articles about house architecture and dining rooms, as well as the webpages
            about Isthmia.

Thursday, May 27
1 Cor 11:2-34, Worship, Women, and the Table
1 Cor 12-14, Spiritual Gifts

    Assignment:
    1 Cor 11:2-14:40
    Hays, 181-252
    Winter, 121-141, 164-183
    Translate 1 Cor 11:4-5, 10-12; 12:3
        Optional: See the online articles about women's headcoverings and hairstyles from the United
            Methodist Church.

Monday, May 31
1 Cor 15, Resurrection, immortality, and ancient physics
1 Cor 16, The collection and Paul's mission
What happens after 1 Corinthians?
The literary integrity of 2 Corinthians

    Assignment:
    1 Cor 15-16
    Hays, 252-296
    Winter, 184-205
    Matera, 1-32
    Francis Watson, "2 Cor 10-13 and Paul’s Painful Letter to the Corinthians." Journal of Theological Studies
        35 (1984): 324-46.
    Translate 1 Cor 15:42-49
 

Tuesday, June 1
2 Corinthians 10-13, Super Apostles and foolish boasting
   
    Assignment:
    2 Cor 10-13
    Matera, 213-314
    Winter, 31-43
    Translate 2 Cor 10:7-11; 11:5-6

Wednesday, June 2
2 Corinthians 1-2, Reconciliation!
2 Corinthians 3:1-5:10, Paul & Moses, & the ministry of glory
2 Corinthians 5:11-7:16, Ambassadors & reconciliation (again!)

    Assignment:
    2 Cor 1-7
    Matera, 35-178
    Translate 2 Cor 2:14-17

Thursday, June 3
2 Corinthians 8 & 9, The collection (again!)
Final thoughts on the Corinthian correspondence

    Assignment:
    2 Cor 8-9
    Matera, 179-211
    Translate 2 Cor 8:1, 4, 6, 9, 16; 9:8

FINAL PAPER IS DUE ON AUGUST 6. Papers may be faxed, mailed, or hand-delivered. However, e-mailed papers will not be accepted.

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