Learn the contents of 1 Corinthians. This will be achieved through the lectures and your own reading of the commentary by Thieselton. Being familiar with the Letter will enable you to read its passages in light of the whole. You will demonstrate your knowledge of the Letter by
the breadth and accuracy of the comments you make during class discussions.

• Become familiar with the culture and history of the first century A.D. You will achieve this by listening to the lectures and through your reading of the introductory chapters in Thieselton’s commentary. The aim is to enable you to read 1 Corinthians through the eyes of
the original reader—their cultural, economic, and socio-political concerns. This will not only make you an informed interpreter of 1 Corinthians but help you make powerful applications of its teachings to modern contexts.

• Learn about issues associated with 1 Corinthians. Christian and Jewish exegetes have studied and written on 1 Corinthians for centuries. In the process, they have raised many important questions concerning the Letter, which have not all been fully resolved. For example, there is no agreement in Christianity about women’s role in the church (cf. 14:34-35). You will learn about such issues by listening to the lectures, writing your paper, and reading Thieselton’s commentary. These learning activities, it is hoped, will enable you to deal effectively with issues that often divide the Church, such as divorce, and allow you to function as a respected spiritual leader in your congregation.

• Learn basic methods of exegesis. You will hone your exegetical skills by participating in class discussions and writing your paper. Moreover, there will be sections of lectures specifically devoted to explaining the exegetical methods used in class. You will also learn about the exegetical methods from my examples. Becoming proficient in exegesis offers many advantages. For example, you will gain great confidence as a preacher if you can efficiently generate sermonic ideas that are exegetically sound.