The Application of Critical Thinking in 1 Corinthians: A Study of Judgment and Discernment

1. The Application of Judgment To 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

2. 1 Corinthians and Critical thinking • “Critical Thinking Vocabulary in 1 Corinthians” • Ανακρίνω 1 Cor 2:14, 14; 4:3,4; 9:3; 10:25, 27; 14:24 • Διακρίνω 1 Cor 4:7; 6:5; 11:29, 31; 14:29 • Κατακρίνω 1 Cor 11:32 • Κρίνω 1 Cor 2:2; 4:5; 5:3, 12, 13; 6:1, 2, 3; 7:37; 10:15, 29; 1:13, 31, 32 • Συγκρίνω 1 Cor 2:13 • Examples • “The spiritual one discerns all things, but is himself judged by no one.” (ἀνακρίνω 1 Cor 2:15) • The saints will judge the world and the angels. Shouldn’t they be able to judge trivial (ἐλάχιστα), mundane (βιωτικά) things? (κρίνω, 1 Cor 6:2-3) • 1 Cor 7:37 refers to one who has made a firm decision (κέκριδεν) in his heart. • “Judge for yourselves:“ ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς κρίνατε (1 Cor 11:13)

3. The Text-Critical Problem

4. Interpolation Happens Notice the page number at the top MA The last line of Romans—but without the familiar doxology from Rom 16:25-27 (which is found at the end of Rom 15 in P46.) At the end of the second line the word HMWN (‘our’) inserted above the word PATRASIN (‘fathers) A corrector believes the word was left out. The next scribe who copies this manuscript will insert the word at its proper place, making a minor (perhaps correct) ‘interpolation’ from a marginal note.

5. An Amusing ‘Non-interpolation’ • “You rotten idiot, leave the old reading alone and don’t alter it.” • This marginal note was not copied by subsequent scribes and never became an interpolation. • FYI, the scribe being scolded was probably right! The reading φέρων, “bearing,” is much better supported than the reading it replaced φανέρων, “revealing.”

6. External Evidence

7. Internal Evidence

8. The Context in 1 Cor 14

9. The Theological Context • 1 Corinthians 9