Direct Answer
It should make modern readers cautious about overconfidence, because the Corinthians possessed background information that we do not. The transcript argues that they understood Paul better because they had prior letters, oral teaching, personal experience, reports, and the possibility of follow-up clarification.
Support from Transcript
- Bercot notes that Paul "had written them a letter that preceded what we call 1 Corinthians." - He adds, "In a sense, what we call 1 Corinthians is actually 2 Corinthians." - That previous letter is unavailable to us: "The Corinthians had read a previous letter from Paul that we do not have access to." - Some of 1 Corinthians was "a follow-up of things he had previously written them." - The Corinthians had also "previously written a letter to Paul," so "part of his letter to them is a reply to their previous letter." - Bercot says if something was unclear, Paul expected to return and could clarify: "The remaining matters I shall arrange when I come."
Discussion Follow-ups
The transcript does not say certainty is impossible. It says the original readers had advantages we lack, which should make us careful and historically attentive.