Brief contextPaul first arrived in Corinth in 49-50 AD The city was still relatively young due to the Romans destroying ancient Corinth in 146 BC The city had no not even a century when Paul first entered it and it was not until 44 BCE that Julius Caesar re-established Corinth as a Roman colony. Corinth at the time was about five times larger than Athens and was the capital of the nearby province called Achaia. The city was strategically located near the narrow isthmus that connected the Peloponnese to the mainland and consequently constituted a powerful trading area. During the restoration of Corinth under Caesar's regime the population was made up of various ethnic groups making the city very multicultural and diverse. The city was very young, not tied to any kind of tradition or culture and so there was a whole mix of people who came to Corinth to make a big name for themselves and be successful. A good thing to know is that during 49 AD many Jews expelled from Rome immigrated to Corinth to start over. 1 Corinthians 3:5 This entire chapter was written to rebuke the Corinthian church for its immaturity and pride had towards himself. wisdom. Paul emphasized the fact that the gospel was in no way dependent on their vain wisdom and played a role in some of the issues and controversies that arose in the church. Paul begins the chapter by telling them that he taught them only the principles of the gospel because they were not ready to receive the complete instructions. He goes on to blame the Corinthians for their carnality and their lack of spiritual strength. This was evident in the fact that they were distracted by silly controversies due to their worldly needs....... middle of paper ......d April 10, 2014). Henry, Matthew. “1 Corinthians 3.” Bible study tools. http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-corinthians/3.html (accessed 10 April 2014). Krell, Keith. "Bible.Org." https://bible.org/seriespage/it's-harvest-time-1-corinthians-35-9 (accessed April 10, 2014). Rev. Archibald Robertson and Rev. Alfred Plummer. A critical and exegetical commentary on the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. Great Britain: Morrison and Genn Limited, 1914. http://www.archive.org/stream/criticalexegetic33robeuoftWallace, David. "1 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline." Bible.Org. https://bible.org/seriespage/1-corinthians-introduction-argument-and-outlineWomen, United Methodist. "Conflict and community in the Corinthian Church". http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/city.stm (accessed April 10, 2014).