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Problem: Paul seems to allegorize the OT in this passage. However, when we allegorize the OT, this misrepresents the message of the original author. Was Paul reading themes into the OT that were not in the mind of the original author?

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Problem: Does Paul accurately handle this OT passage, or does he quote it out of context?

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Problem: Paul writes, “He who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.” Both Gordon Fee and David Garland argue that “ruined” (apollytai) refers to “eternal loss”[1] or “eternal, final destruction… perishing.”[2] They argue this on the basis that (1) the eating of known idol-meat is a form of apostatizing into idol worship in 1 Corinthians and (2) the term apollytai always refer to utter destruction. Is this the case?

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How many Gods are there, one or many?  The Bible speaks of both one and many.  There is only one God in actuality, but there are many false gods that idolators believe in.

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Problem: Paul affirms here that “an idol is nothing in the world.” Yet the Bible repeatedly condemns idolatry (cf. Ex. 20:4), and even Paul said there are demons behind idols (1 Cor. 10:19). Is he then claiming that demons are nothing?

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Problem: Paul writes, “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies” (1 Cor. 8:1). Should Christians pursue knowledge, or is this an “arrogant” thing to do?

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Problem: In two places in 1 Corinthians (7:12, 40), the Apostle Paul seems to imply that he is writing on his own authority, not the Lord’s. First, in 7:12 Paul says, “But to the rest I, not the Lord.” And in 7:40 he says “and I think I also have the Spirit of God” which seems to imply that Paul is not sure if he has the Holy Spirit. How can these verses be harmonized with the divine authority claimed by Paul in his epistles (cf. Gal 1:11–17; 2 Tim. 3:16–17)?

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Problem: This passage from 1 Corinthians talks about a Christian who has an unbelieving mate. At one point, Paul says, “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases” (v. 15). Jesus said in Matthew 5:32 and 19:8–9 that one can divorce a spouse only in the case of marital unfaithfulness. Does Paul advocate divorce or abandonment?

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Problem: Paul says that “all Scripture is God breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16). However, Paul says that this particular teaching on marriage is from him –not God (“I say, not the Lord…” v.12). Later, he says that he was giving his “opinion,” rather than God’s command (v.25). Are these portions of Scripture inspired or not?

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(7:10) “But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband.” Paul may have had a copy of one of the gospels (1 Cor. 11:23-25), because he quotes from “the Lord” Jesus, who was against divorce (Mt. 19; Mk. 10).

(7:11) “But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband…” Some understand this to refer to separation—not divorce. During a time of separation, a spouse can choose to move out. But Paul only gives two options: celibacy (“remain unmarried”) or reconciliation (“be reconciled”).

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Problem: Paul writes, “It is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Cor. 7:9). This seems to imply that we should just marry to handle our sexual desires. Isn’t this a low view of marriage? Continue reading →