1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Ancient Lens

What's the historical context?

The Gospel in a Pagan World

Paul writes this letter to the Christians in the church at Corinth, which he founded during his second missionary journey described in Acts 18. The Corinthians lived in a pagan city that sat at the crossroads of trade routes across the Mediterranean, where they were exposed to many different religions. They were also first-generation believers, whose grasp on the gospel appears to be shaky, as they are easily swayed by infighting and external pagan influences. [1]

In this passage, Paul condenses the Christian message, reminding them of the “good news” he shared with them when they first turned to…