Structure and Theme of 1 Corinthians

Over the last century there has been a large number of new proposals concerning the structure of 1 Corinthians, including a flurry of contributions in the last few years. These include suggestions of compilation (Weiss 1910, Schmithals 1973), deliberative rhetoric (Mitchell 1991), ring composition (Bailey 2011, Milinovich 2013), Jewish argumentation (Ciampa and Rosner 2006, 2010), and kerygmatic argumentation (Malcolm 2013), among others. Many proposals bring associated claims of a central theme for the letter, whether “unity,” “holiness,” or something else. It seems timely to review these contributions, consider areas of emerging consensus, and reflect upon the significance of these issues for the current study of the letter and Paul.