Section 4

Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.  

1. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2a “I commend you because you remember me in everything ...” What does the context of 1 Corinthians 11:2 tell you about Paul’s meaning of everything?

2. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2 “I commend you because you ... maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” What is the significance of the word “traditions” being plural? 

3.  1 Corinthians 11:2 Paul begins a four-chapter section on ecclesiology. In 1 Corinthians 11-14 what traditions does Paul mention concerning church order that he wants the Corinthians to maintain?

4. In 1 Corinthians 11:2 Paul did not praise the Corinthians for maintaining his teachings, rather he praised them for maintaining his traditions.  Distinguish between the meanings of teaching (διδαχή, didaché) and tradition (παράδοσις, paradosis).

5. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2 “I commend you because you ... maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.”  In your view what did Paul mean by the phrase “even as”?

6. In the New Testament the word “traditions” is sometimes used with a negative connotation, and sometimes it is used with a positive connotation. Please explain the difference in usage.