Martin Luther gives a concise summary of the theological purpose of 1 Corinthians: “In this epistle St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to be one in faith and love, and to see to it that they learn well the chief thing, namely, that Christ is our salvation, the thing over which all reason and wisdom stumbles.”1 Thus Luther sees the promotion of unity in Christ-centered faith, a faith that is active in love (cf. 1 Corinthians 13), as the great constructive2 purpose of