1Corinthians 1:1 comments: Paul's introduction to his first letter

1 ¶  Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

Paul’s letters directly to Christian churches start with his name. An apostle is someone ordained by Christ Himself to be given to the gospel of God. That’s his or her calling and purpose to spread and to confirm that message.

Luke 6:13  And when it was day, he [Jesus] called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Acts 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Acts 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [referring to Paul]  is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Romans 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Galatians 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Ephesians 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

1Timothy 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

2Timothy 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Sosthenes is mentioned in Acts 18 as a Jew at Corinth, the chief ruler of the synagogue there, who is beaten by the Greeks before the judgment seat of Gallio, the Roman deputy or proconsul of Corinth. This occurred during Paul’s visit there when he affirmed that he would expand his ministry to the Gentiles in Corinth. This seems to be a reference to his work in Corinth as he had been witnessing to Gentiles already (see his work in Athens in Acts 17) and did not stop witnessing to Jews. Now Sosthenes is an important helper of Paul.

Acts 18:1 ¶  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3  

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5  And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

    7 ¶  And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians

hearing believed, and were baptized. 9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

    12 ¶  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 16  And he drave them from the judgment seat. 17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

    18 ¶  And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria…

According to Romans 16:22 and the postscript traditionally inserted at the end of the letter to the Romans Paul dictated that letter to Tertius, whose name meaning ‘third’ indicates that he was a slave, from Corinth and sent it to Rome by Phebe, a servant of the church at Cenchrea, a port of Corinth.