TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
Complete Jewish Bible
From: Sha’ul, called by God’s will to be an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua; and from brother Sosthenes
Berean Standard Bible
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
American Standard Version
Paul, calledto bean apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
World English Bible Messianic
Paul, called to be an emissary of Yeshua the Messiah through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
Geneva Bible (1599)
Paul called to be an Apostle of Iesus Christ, through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
Young's Literal Translation
Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
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In the KJVVerse 28,365 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1 verses 1–9
1 ¶ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in 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 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
We have here the apostle's preface to his whole epistle, in which we may take notice,
I. Of the inscription, in which, according to the custom of writing letters then, the name of the person by whom it was written and the persons to whom it was written are both inserted. 1. It is an epistle from Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, to the church of Corinth, which he himself had planted, though there were some among them that now questioned his apostleship (Co1 9:1, Co1 9:2), and vilified his person and ministry, Co2 10:10. The most faithful and useful ministers are not secure from this contempt. He begins with challenging this character: Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God. He had not taken this honour to himself, but had a divine commission for it. It was proper at any time, but necessary at this time, to assert his character, and magnify his office, when false teachers made a merit of running him down, and their giddy and deluded followers were so apt to set them up in competition with him. It was not pride in Paul, but faithfulness to his trust, in this juncture, to maintain his apostolical character and authority. And, to make this more fully appear, he joins Sosthenes with him in writing, who was a minister of a lower rank. Paul, and Sosthenes his brother, not a fellow-apostle, but a fellow-minister, once a ruler of the Jewish synagogue, afterwards a convert to Christianity, a Corinthian by birth, as is most probable, and dear to this people, for which reason Paul, to ingratiate himself with them, joins them with himself in his first salutations. There is no reason to suppose he was made a partaker of the apostle's inspiration, for which reasons he speaks, through the rest of the epistle, in his own name, and in the singular number. Paul did not in any case lessen his apostolical authority, and yet he was ready upon all occasions to do a kind and condescending thing for their good to whom he ministered. The persons to whom this epistle was directed were the church of God that was at Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints. All Christians are thus far sanctified in Christ Jesus, that they are by baptism dedicated and devoted to him, they are under strict obligations to be holy, and they make profession of real sanctity. If they be not truly holy, it is their own fault and reproach. Note, It is the design of Christianity to sanctify us in Christ. He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. In conjunction with the church at Corinth, he directs the epistle to all that in every place call on the name of Christ Jesus our Lord, both theirs and ours. Hereby Christians are distinguished from the profane and atheistical, that they dare not live without prayer; and hereby they are distinguished from Jews and Pagans, that they call on the name of Christ. He is their common head and Lord. Observe, In every place in the Christian world there are some that call on the name of Christ. God hath a remnant in all places; and we should have a common concern for and hold communion with all that call on Christ's name.
II. Of the apostolical benediction. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. An apostle of the prince of peace must be a messenger and minister of peace. This blessing the gospel brings with it, and this blessing every preacher of the gospel should heartily wish and pray may be the lot of all among whom he ministers. Grace and peace - the favour of God, and reconciliation to him. It is indeed the summary of all blessings. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace, was the form of benediction under the Old Testament (Num 6:26), but this advantage we have by the gospel, 1. That we are directed how to obtain that peace from God: it is in and by Christ. Sinners can have no peace with God, nor any good from him, but through Christ. 2. We are told what must qualify us for this peace; namely, grace: first grace, then peace. God first reconciles sinners to himself, before he bestows his peace upon them.
III. Of the apostle's thanksgiving to God on their behalf. Paul begins most of his epistles with thanksgiving to God for his friends and prayer for them. Note, The best way of manifesting our affection to our friends is by praying and giving thanks for them. It is one branch of the communion of saints to give thanks to God mutually for our gifts, graces, and comforts. He gives thanks, 1. For their conversion to the faith of Christ: For the grace which was given you through Jesus Christ, Co1 1:4. He is the great procurer and disposer of the favours of God. Those who are united to him by faith, and made to partake of his Spirit and merits, are the objects of divine favour. God loves them, bears them hearty good-will, and bestows on them his fatherly smiles and blessings. 2. For the abundance of their spiritual gifts. This the church of Corinth was famous for. They did not come behind any of the churches in any gift, Co1 1:7. He specifies utterance and knowledge, Co1 1:5. Where God has given these two gifts, he has given great capacity for usefulness. Many have the flower of utterance that have not the root of knowledge, and their converse is barren. Many have the treasure of knowledge, and want utterance to employ it for the good of others, and then it is in a manner wrapped up in a napkin. But, where God gives both, a man is qualified for eminent usefulness. When the church of Corinth was enriched with all utterance and all knowledge, it was fit that a large tribute of praise should be rendered to God, especially when these gifts were a testimony to the truth of the Christian doctrine, a confirmation of the testimony of Christ among them, Co1 1:6. They were signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost, by which God did bear witness to the apostles, both to their mission and doctrine (Heb 2:4), so that the more plentifully they were poured forth on any church the more full attestation was given to that doctrine which was delivered by the apostles, the more confirming evidence they had of their divine mission. And it is no wonder that when they had such a foundation for their faith they should live in expectation of the coming of their Lord Jesus Christ, Co1 1:7. It is the character of Christians that they wait for Christ's second coming; all our religion has regard to this: we believe it, and hope for it, and it is the business of our lives to prepare for it, if we are Christians indeed. And the more confirmed we are in the Christian faith the more firm is our belief of our Lord's second coming, and the more earnest our expectation of it.
IV. Of the encouraging hopes the apostle had of them for the time to come, founded on the power and love of Christ, and the faithfulness of God, Co1 1:8, Co1 1:9. He who had begun a good work in them, and carried it on thus far, would not leave it unfinished. Those that wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be kept by him, and confirmed to the end; and those that are so will be blameless in the day of Christ: not upon the principle of strict justice, but gracious absolution; not in rigour of law, but from rich and free grace. How desirable is it to be confirmed and kept of Christ for such a purpose as this! How glorious are the hopes of such a privilege, whether for ourselves or others! To be kept by the power of Christ from the power of our own corruption and Satan's temptation, that we may appear without blame in the great day! O glorious expectation, especially when the faithfulness of God comes in to support our hopes! He who hath called us into the fellowship of his Son is faithful, and will do it, Th1 5:24. He who hath brought us into near and dear relation to Christ, into sweet and intimate communion with Christ, is faithful; he may be trusted with our dearest concerns. Those that come at his call shall never be disappointed in their hopes in him. If we approve ourselves faithful to God, we shall never find him unfaithful to us. He will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, Psa 89:33.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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AmbrosiasterAD 384
COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES
Paul begins this epistle differently, because his subject matter is different. He writes that he is an apostle by the will of God, alluding to those false apostles who had not been sent by Christ and whose teaching was not true. There were many sects which had emerged and which preached Christ according to their own whims. They broke up churches, and some of their dried-up branches are still with us today. For this reason, Paul sets out everything which is opposed to the heresies and asserts that he is a true preacher because he has been sent by Christ, according to God’s will.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Corinthians 1
See how immediately, from the very beginning, he casts down their pride, and dashes to the ground all their fond imagination, in that he speaks of himself as "called." For what I have learnt, saith he, I discovered not myself, nor acquired by my own wisdom, but while I was persecuting and laying waste the Church I was called. Now here of Him that calleth is everything: of him that is called, nothing, (so to speak,) but only to obey.
"Of Jesus Christ." Your teacher is Christ; and do you register the names of men, as patrons of your doctrine?
"Through the will of God." For it was God who willed that you should be saved in this way. We ourselves have wrought no good thing, but by the will of God we have attained to this salvation; and because it seemed good to him, we were called, not because we were worthy.
"And Sosthenes our brother." Another instance of his modesty; he puts in the same rank with himself one inferior to Apollos; for great was the interval between Paul and Sosthenes. Now if where the interval was so wide he stations with himself one far beneath him, what can they have to say who despise their equals?
PelagiusAD 418
COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 1
By calling Sosthenes his brother, Paul is both demonstrating his own humility and pointing out that Sosthenes is a fellow worker in the gospel.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 165
Paul is saying in effect: “You Corinthians have been called by men, but I have been called by God.” I think that Sosthenes was a Corinthian. He is mentioned in Acts [18:17], where Luke says that in the time of Gallio the Greeks arrested him and beat him.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
First Corinthians opens with a foundational statement of apostolic authority and divine purpose, identifying the letter's primary author as Paul, unequivocally "called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God." This salutation immediately establishes the divine mandate behind Paul's ministry and the ensuing message, setting the authoritative tone for addressing the complex issues within the Corinthian church. The inclusion of Sosthenes, identified as "our brother," signifies communal partnership and solidarity in the gospel mission.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The opening of 1 Corinthians 1:1 employs several key literary devices. It begins with an Apostolic Salutation, a standard feature of Pauline epistles, immediately identifying the sender and establishing his authority. The phrase "called to be an apostle" is a form of Divine Passive, implying that God is the active agent in Paul's calling, even if not explicitly named as the subject of the verb "called." This subtly but powerfully emphasizes God's sovereignty. The repetition of the concept of divine origin ("called... through the will of God") serves as Emphasis, underscoring the non-human source of Paul's authority, which is critical for the letter's persuasive power. Finally, the inclusion of Sosthenes introduces an element of Partnership and Community, balancing the assertion of individual apostolic authority with the communal nature of Christian ministry.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Paul's assertion of his divinely ordained apostleship in 1 Corinthians 1:1 is not merely a formality but a theological declaration. It establishes that his authority to address the deep-seated problems in Corinth derives directly from God's sovereign will, not from human wisdom, charisma, or ecclesiastical appointment. This divine mandate elevates the letter's contents from mere human advice to authoritative divine instruction. It underscores the New Testament principle that genuine ministry flows from a divine call and purpose, empowering the messenger with God's authority to speak His truth. This foundation is crucial for the Corinthians, who were struggling with divisions based on human leaders and worldly wisdom, reminding them that the ultimate authority rests with God and His appointed messengers.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The opening verse of 1 Corinthians offers profound insights for contemporary believers. Paul's identity is wholly rooted in God's calling and purpose, not in his own accomplishments or the approval of others. For us, this means that our truest identity and purpose are found not in what we do or achieve, but in who God has called us to be in Christ. Whether in vocational ministry or daily life, our service is most effective and enduring when it flows from a clear understanding that we are "called" by God, operating "through His will." This perspective liberates us from the need for human validation and empowers us to pursue God's purposes with confidence and humility. Furthermore, the inclusion of Sosthenes reminds us that even those with unique callings operate within a community of faith. Christian life and ministry are not meant to be solitary endeavors but are enriched by partnership, mutual support, and shared brotherhood in Christ. We are called not just to individual service, but to participate in the collective mission of God's people.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Paul so frequently emphasize his apostleship "through the will of God" at the beginning of his letters?
Answer: Paul's consistent emphasis on his apostleship being "through the will of God" (e.g., 2 Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:1) served several crucial purposes. First, it asserted the divine origin and authority of his message, particularly vital when addressing churches (like Corinth) that were questioning his leadership or teachings. His apostleship was not self-proclaimed or humanly conferred, but a direct commission from God Himself. Second, it underscored the theological weight of his instructions, making it clear that his words were not mere human opinions but divine revelation. Third, it provided a strong foundation for the unity of the church, as it pointed believers to a common, divine authority rather than human factions.
Who was Sosthenes, and why is he included in the salutation?
Answer: Sosthenes is identified as "our brother" in this verse, indicating he was a fellow believer and partner in ministry with Paul. While the New Testament provides limited information about him, many scholars believe he is the same Sosthenes mentioned in Acts 18:17, who was the synagogue ruler in Corinth. In Acts, Sosthenes was beaten by the crowd in front of Gallio, the proconsul, after Gallio refused to intervene in a dispute between the Jews and Paul. If this is the same individual, his inclusion here would be highly significant, demonstrating a remarkable conversion and partnership with Paul, the very person he once opposed. His presence in the salutation could signify his role as Paul's amanuensis (secretary), a co-sender endorsing the letter's contents, or simply a prominent figure in the Christian community who was with Paul at the time of writing. His inclusion highlights the communal nature of the early church's ministry.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Paul's declaration of being "called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God" finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning in the person and work of Christ. Jesus Christ is the supreme Apostle, the one "sent" by God the Father to accomplish His will for humanity (as seen in Hebrews 3:1). Paul's apostleship is therefore a participation in Christ's own mission and authority, a delegated commission flowing from the ultimate divine sending. The "will of God" that called Paul is the same divine will that purposed Christ's incarnation, atoning death, and resurrection, which are the very core of the apostolic message (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Furthermore, Paul's role as an apostle is to build up the church, which is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), uniting believers under Christ as the head (Colossians 1:18). Thus, Paul's divinely appointed authority serves to magnify Christ, bring people into His kingdom, and establish churches that reflect His glory and embody His saving purpose in the world.