PHILIPPIANS: Joy

It has always been hard for me to believe Paul didn’t have favorites because of his letter to the church in Philippi. Compared to some of his other letters, the epistle to the Philippians reads like a gushing love letter to a group of his best friends. Paul has shown us his tough sides in some of his other correspondences. To the Galatians, he was astonished, perplexed, and furious. To the Corinthians, he was confrontational and prophetic, demanding his voice be heard as a voice amongst the apostles. But to the Philippians, Paul has nothing but joy in his heart.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul seems to go in and out of praise and encouraging exhortation; Paul will let his joy spill over into a charge for the Philippians to keep being all God called them to be.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Again, before the chapter is out, we find another round of praise and encouragement:

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

More joy, followed by:

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

This exhortation flows into chapter 2, one of the better known passages of Philippians. Paul encourages them to have the mind and humility of Christ, who did not consider divinity something to be held onto, but was willing to become a servant. Paul encourages them to live lives that are worthy of such a master and imitate their teacher and Lord. He tells them to work out their salvation in fear and trembling and to do everything without grumbling and conceit. In a similar call to the one given to the Ephesians, Paul seems to be reminding them that if they don’t have love for each other, they will have very little to say to the world around them.

Paul then calls the church in Philippi to imitate him, as he’s asked so many of the other churches to do. He invites them to join him in rejoicing, no matter their circumstances. 

As far as the context to the church in Philippi, I am not aware of too many scholars who see the Philippian church as a huge and powerful body of believers. In fact, the Text would seem to suggest the opposite. This might not surprise us if we read about the church’s humble beginnings in the book of Acts. But it would appear that the body of believers here is small and possibly quite poor.

However, this does not mean they are a weak people. Consider Paul’s words in the last chapter:

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

More joy from the Apostle! Paul speaks to them about having little and finding contentment, and he seems to hint at their current position and his amazement at their willingness to help — even when they lack. He recalls how other churches struggled to support his work. Even wealthy churches like the one in Corinth (you might remember we got to hear the other side of that coin [no pun intended]) seemed to be unwilling to give. But this body of believers has shared out of their own provision more than once. Paul brims with appreciation and healthy pride in the way they understand the Kingdom. He prays God will pour out His blessing on them for how they have been willing to bless others.

In the midst of all the harsh words and tough exhortations in Paul’s letters, I have always found the letter to the Philippians encouraging. My prayer has often been that I would do my part and belong to a body of believers who stands on their shoulders well. As we read about in Hebrews, may we remember that “only with us will their work be made perfect.”

EPHESIANS: Family Membership

The book of Ephesians is going to bring up topics that will run consistently in line with previous discussions we’ve had with Paul. The letter will open with more references to predestination, and Paul will speak in chapter three of his special revelation that he preaches in his gospel. You might remember the conversation within the book of Galatians where Paul was adamant that he did not receive his gospel from the teachings of men, but he received it directly from Jesus. Listen to his similar words to the Ephesians:

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Paul says he has received a “mystery made known to [him] by revelation, … that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” This not only finds itself to be completely consistent with Paul’s message, but as we’ve pointed out before, continues the main thrust behind so much of the New Testament (even outside Pauline literature).

It also serves as a good transition to talk about the unique message and flavor of the letter to the Ephesians. These Gentiles have become full members of one body and fellow heirs with Israel. This will be Paul’s primary argument through the first half of Ephesians. If we pay close attention to the pronouns of Ephesians 1–3, we’ll begin to notice what Paul is saying to the Ephesian church. Look at how Paul opens his letter:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Paul starts his letter by — as usual — recognizing the origins of the story of God that lie within the Jewish people. This one narrative God has been telling began with God choosing a partner in Abraham, shaping a nation in the desert, and calling them to live at the crossroads of the earth as a kingdom of priests. As we mentioned in Romans, this is their story to tell.

This will become even more clear in the next statement:

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Who were “the first to put [their] hope in Christ”? The Jews. But after making this observation about his Jewish brethren, Paul will shift his use of pronouns. Watch:

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

This will become the theme of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians — a theme of family membership. His message is simple, but profound, and hard for many in his day to accept. In Christ, these Gentiles now have a place to belong — not as outsiders, but as insiders. Look at what Paul will say later at the beginning of chapter two and notice his use of pronouns and their implications:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It sounds as if Paul has taken a page right out of Romans. “Where, then, is boasting?” he had asked. He also uses the same argument about all of us having given in to the “cravings of our flesh” (sarx) and, just like in Romans, if this is true for all of us, then this gift of salvation comes as a free gift of grace and no one will find themselves able to boast.

Paul continues:

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Paul says these Gentiles used to find themselves separated from the people of God. They were excluded from citizenship in Israel and were strangers to the covenant. But Jesus has changed all that and brought them near. In Jesus, God tore down any sense of division that resided between the groups and allowed the Gentiles to enter. From this new truth, God has created a “new humanity” (which is a great translation from the Greek) that is able to put on display the reconciliation of God.

But Paul isn’t done talking about family membership:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

What fantastic news for all of Paul’s Gentile readers in Ephesus!

Paul will spend the last half of the letter applying what this means to the believers in Ephesus. If this gospel is true — this announcement of a new King (Jesus) and a new Kingdom (the new humanity) — then there is a new way the believers in Ephesus should live. In chapters 4–6, you will see Paul draw this out by calling the people of God in Ephesus to walk in the light and love others in a way that the world will see this gospel displayed. He will talk about a practical and more literal family membership in the ways people treat their spouses, their children, their parents, and everyone else in their households (that is, master and slave relationships). All of this will take into account the brilliant context of Ephesus.

Speaking of context, one should keep in mind as they read the passages about husbands and wives that Ephesus served as the neochorus for Artemis — the Roman goddess of sexual fertility (and the reader might be familiar with the riot in Ephesus [Acts 19] and the people shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”). As we saw in Corinth, this is going to play into the way Paul tells the men and women of Ephesus to conduct themselves. He says they are to live counter to the culture. In a world where women like to disrespect their husbands and flaunt their mythology and goddess worship, Paul tells them to submit to each other. In the context of Ephesus, it makes sense that Paul would make special mention of the wives, not because it is the “wifely role” to submit to the husband, but because in Ephesus it’s more important than ever.

One of my favorite passages comes in the middle of this conversation and is built around the context of the annual Artemisian festival held in Ephesus. Every year, at the festival of Artemis, the people would parade the statue from the Artemisan temple (one of the ‘Eight Wonders of the World’) down to the harbor. Once at the harbor, the Artemisian priests would wash the statue with water and begin the slow ascent back to the temple of Artemis. This procession would inaugurate a festival of sexual frivolity and debauchery that was rivaled by few festivals in the empire.

Consider this context as you read Paul’s words from chapter 5:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

If this “family of God” in Ephesus is going to tell the world what God is like, they are going to need to love and submit to each other in a unique way. In the same way, if we wish to have anything to say to the world around us, we are going to have to find it within ourselves to pursue this “new humanity” that shows unity and love and service to those who were once far off.

It will be a battle. May Paul’s prayer be ours:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

2 CORINTHIANS: Apostleship

A brief overview of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians will cover a few odds and ends and try to give us a hook to hang our understanding of the letter on. First, I have a couple of fun observations about the Corinthian letters.

This isn’t actually “Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.” It is at the very least his third, as you might see by examining the statement in 1 Corinthians 5:9, which references an earlier letter already written. So what we have is (probably) 2 Corinthians and 3 Corinthians. Don’t you wish we had the first letter? I find it fun to think about the fact that somewhere out there was a letter from Paul that was never preserved. Are there others? Who knows! I have a teacher who loves to joke that the letter we are missing must have been where Paul talked about all of the controversial issues of our day. I have always chuckled at the thought.

But perhaps there was another. Look at this passage from 2 Corinthians 7:

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged.

Was this a reference to the missing letter? Was it a reference to what we know as 1 Corinthians? It certainly could be — 1 Corinthians was a tough letter of confrontation. Or could it be something else? At any rate, it appears that the people of Corinth are growing, changing, and repenting. This passage has always given me great hope when I feel like the church world around me is doomed. Things can change — even in Corinth.

Another fun conversations in 2 Corinthians is about Paul’s famous “thorn in the flesh.” There are many different theories on what this thorn could be. One scholar has suggested that Paul’s thorn was blindness. He did tell the Galatians (4:15) about how they would have torn out their eyes and given them to him. Paul does seem to struggle with blindness in his story. Is that his thorn in the flesh?

My teacher suggested it was a wife who had deserted him. While this theory is often discredited on the cursory reading of some proof texts, I think there might be more credence to this theory once we look closer at those statements from a Jewish perspective. Many have said it is clear Paul is single, but his statements aren’t quite as direct as they appear, and we would assume any student of Gamaliel would have to be married (which is basically a prerequisite in any portion of the rabbinical world). Did his wife desert him when he started following Jesus? Has Paul prayed God would release him from his marriage and doesn’t feel like God has? Interesting options.

I have looked to the Text and noticed a consistent theme of “thorn in the side” being connected to the Gentiles and pagan nations. Examples of this might be Numbers 33:55, Joshua 23:13, and a handful of others. Has Paul asked God to release him from his call to the Gentiles? I consider this highly unlikely, based on the way Paul talks about his call elsewhere.

But it’s always fun to consider.

The “big idea” of 2 Corinthians, though, at least for me as I teach my students, is Paul’s apostleship. One of the things he seems to struggle with in Corinth is their respect of his authority as an apostle. This isn’t the first time Paul has had to address it, but it comes up again:

By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

And Paul will say later in the next chapter:

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

And finally, Paul closes chapter by saying his resume and credentials of apostleship have been solidified in suffering. He has all the pedigree and Jewish background a teacher could want, and yet he will not boast in these things, only in the fact that he has followed Jesus in the way of self-sacrifice. As he begged them in the last letter, he asks them to quit propping themselves up on the wrong credentials. Look for the things that matter and follow Jesus; as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4, he invites them to imitate him as he imitates Jesus.

This is what I always find to be the challenging thing for our culture to meditate on and let marinate. In a post-modern and protestant world that rejects spiritual authority of all kinds, I think there are interesting words to consider. Yet again, I wonder if we have much in common with the Corinthian church. And while I rarely teach on this because I do find myself in a position of spiritual authority (and it always feels like a conflict of interest), I do know, as a person who sits on the edge of the millennial generation, how much I bristle against the idea of spiritual authority.

We have all seen the ways in which spiritual authority has been abused and corrupted. We’ve heard the horror stories and have been appalled at the headlines. Such leadership should never be submitted to and will find their representation of God judged by the One they claim to represent. Such abuse — abuse of people, abuse of authority, and abuse of God’s call — is something God takes very seriously and Jesus denounced very adamantly.

But I also find myself challenged by Scripture like 2 Corinthians. I find myself with bathwater in hand, needing to stop and make sure the proverbial baby is not being thrown out with it. I pray God might give us all spiritual leaders who look like Jesus. People — flawed and sinful as they may be — who help us see Jesus and the love of God more clearly. People who live life with a passion and surrender to God’s counter-intuitive Kingdom way. I pray they would be humble, merciful, patient, kind, and good sufferers. And when God grants us that kind of leadership, I pray we would follow. I pray we would respect.

At the end of Paul’s lament, he gives a final plea. It may be one to consider, at least for a few of us (and I know I’m included).

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All God’s people here send their greetings.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

1 CORINTHIANS: Broken Body (part three)

If this is the context of the first letter to the Corinthians — if they are struggling with selfish division on one hand and rampant cultural compromise on the other — how will they move forward? Paul suggests the way to conquer the perils of their situation is love.

Surprised? I hope not. We shouldn’t be.

In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul moves into an interesting argument. He begins dealing with the unique giftedness of the the Corinthian church — namely, the miraculous gifts God has bestowed on them. Note that this is not written to address rightness and wrongness, or to give my personal opinions about the miraculous gifts. Clearly something unique is taking place in Corinth that isn’t taking place in Philippi or Colossae or Rome. God gets to do whatever God wants, so I’m the last person in the world who’s going to have the audacity to claim such gifts aren’t in use in the church today (albeit in conjunction with some pretty helpful instructions about how to use them properly).

But what does become relevant to our discussion here is that even the spiritual gifts have become an issue of contention and division for the people of God in Corinth. Their desire for selfish identity and glorification seems to know no bounds. They are using their own giftedness to promote their place within the Body of Christ. And couched in the middle of this three-chapter discussion is what we’ve often called “The Love Chapter.”

What many people have often noticed is that 1 Corinthians 12–14 (and maybe beyond) is a chiasm. While I have seen the chiasm identified and described in different ways, it appears Paul has intentionally placed this conversation about love in the center of a larger conversation about unity. Paul seems to be convinced that the way for them to deal with their divisions and find a place of orderly worship is to lay down their own desires and offer themselves to others in love.

This has actually been a thread for Paul throughout the letter. Look at Paul’s argument from chapter 6:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?

Or this very similar argument four chapters later:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Apparently, Paul thinks that considering others before ourselves is the way to rid our faith community and our worship from the struggles of selfishness and idolatry. Paul says it isn’t enough to make sure that “it’s OK” to do something or to be something. It’s more important to consider the impact on others. Not is my behavior permissible, but is my behavior beneficial for others. Not is my behavior allowed, but is my behavior constructive for the larger community of faith.

Love God. Love others.

When you love others, God says you are loving Him.

I’ll close with some thoughts about the Eucharist — the Lord’s Supper. It seems that in the quest to find what is considered sacred by the Corinthians, even the Lord’s Supper didn’t escape their selfishness and division. Consider this from chapter 11:

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Eucharist resembled a guild feast before it did the broken body of Christ.

A broken body, indeed. This body of believers is broken beyond recognition. Yet Paul will invite them to a table that can remind them of the solidarity they share will all those bothers and sisters who worship alongside them. At the table, we are reminded of the fact that no matter who we are, we come — needy, beaten, battled — to the table of God. We find a reminder of the last night Jesus spent with his disciples and the way he served them selflessly. We are reminded of the thing that brings us together and makes us members of the same family.

We have wrestled in the previous two conversations about how much our day and culture shares in common with that of Corinth.

There is encouragement in the fact that now — 2,000 years later — we are still celebrating the same Eucharist and partaking in the same reminder of all that brings us together. I pray those regular moments will remind us of love incarnate; that we would remember the life and ministry of Jesus and how he loved; that we would be able to examine our own broken body (the Church!) and be invited to a table of grace and solidarity with our fellow brothers and sisters.

A broken body, repaired by the broken body of Christ.

1 CORINTHIANS: Broken Body (part two)

We previously discussed the context of Corinth and its impact on the setting for Paul’s Corinthian letters, and while we made mention of the cultural diversity that drove deep divisions into the people of God, we hinted at another problem glaring at us from the pages of 1 Corinthians. With Corinth being a centerpiece of goddess worship, particularly with the worship of goddesses like Aphrodite and Artemis, sexual immorality ran rampant in Corinth in a way that was unique to most of the rest of the empire.

Consider the following passages:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. (5:1–3) 

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (6:15–20)

Paul then goes on to quite a teaching about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7. I know that for me, as a young person, this was one of the most confusing passages in the Text. Did God not want us to get married? Was married a “second-best” plan for God’s people? It certainly can read that way, but knowing more about the context of Corinth has helped me put everything in its appropriate place (at least within my mind). You might remember when we talked about the Narrative as a whole, we said that Paul’s letters need to be read in context, because he was trying to help each of those churches live out the message of Jesus within their own unique setting. In the context of Corinth, Paul is inviting them to tell a different story with their lives. In a world obsessed with sex, Paul invites the people of God to consider a testimony of abstinence. Paul is not making a declaration of biblical morality, which explains why there are so many qualifying statements [“I give this command (not I, but the Lord)…”, etc.] and suggestions, as opposed to imperative commands (which Paul loves to use elsewhere).

But this isn’t the only issue of compromise the church in Corinth is struggling with. We also mentioned that Corinth brought an incredible amount of vocational diversity. In the Roman Empire, vocations were tied to a system of “guilds.” To understand an ancient Roman guild, I always picture the brotherhood of a fraternity combined with the commitment of a labor union. These guilds were vocational factions that provided a system of brotherhood and camaraderie. They looked out for each other.

The problem with this system, besides the fact that it only fostered more division, is that each guild also worshipped one of the Roman gods. The “guild feasts” of the first century were, almost without exception, filled with drunken debauchery and sexual immorality. These events, held regularly, revolved around intense amounts of drinking and feasting around ceremonial (pagan) foods. With this in mind, we can hear these words:

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?(10:14–22)

These same feasts also created quite the ethical dilemma. They would often have leftover meat from the celebration. This meat would be sold at a discount meat market within the agora. Could these earlier believers buy this discounted meat? It had been sacrificed to idols! Into this, Paul speaks many words of wisdom:

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. (8:4–9)

A proper understanding of the context of Corinth helps us interpret this book more accurately. It’s safe to say that these Corinthians had a very hard task living in the midst of the culture of Corinth. They had many challenges that may speak into our own culture (just like our previous conversation).

But how is this body supposed to move forward? How can they deal with this division and idolatry that seeks to tear the mission of God apart?

It is to this end that Paul closes his letter.

1 CORINTHIANS: Broken Body (part one)

It was necessary to go verse by verse through Galatians (since I believe it is crucial to understanding the world of the New Testament), Romans (since everyone who will argue with my theology will do so from Romans), and eventually Hebrews (since it will help us understand atonement). I wanted to present my perspectives on those books without dodging passages or leaving anything out. But now, I’d like to pick up the pace as I survey the rest of Paul’s letters. Again, ignoring chronology, I’ll turn my sights next to the letters to the Corinthians.

A brief note on context would be wise. Corinth found itself as a major port city to the world of Greco-Asia. This centralized port location made Corinth a melting pot of culture. It was one of the most eclectic cities in the Roman empire. While this diversity makes it difficult to pin down absolute statements about Corinthian culture, we do know it was diverse in its people and its idolatry. While ancient Corinth appears to have chosen Poseidon as their god of choice, later Roman Corinth is much more complicated, which most would think was done to “meet the needs” of its diverse demographics.

We do know that Aphrodite rose to immense popularity in Corinth during the first century, along with many other goddesses (Hera, Athena, Artemis, and Demeter, to name a few). Corinth had quickly become one of the centers for goddess worship; with Aphrodite being chief among these, you can imagine how this led to rampant sexual immorality (picture the stereotype of Las Vegas, multiply that a few times over, and we’re getting close).

Needless to say, the main characteristic of the city of Corinth will be its diversity. This will show up all throughout the first letter to the Corinthians and it’s helpful to know where that’s rooted in historical context. Whether it’s the ethnic and racial diversity, the many different idolatrous practices and sexual immorality, or even just the immense variety of vocational pursuits, this will create a culture that is searching for identity and using their identity to be distinct. This will become a massive challenge to a group of believers who are trying to show the world a “blended family” built on unity and acceptance.

This is the first thing I would point out about the first letter to Corinth. They are struggling with unity; they want to define themselves by what makes them unique, not by what holds them together. Consider some of these passages, beginning in chapter 1:

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

This conversation continues for a couple more chapters, where Paul will write this in chapter 3:

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Consider then, if this is the theme of conversation, how this affects one of the very next things Paul says:

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

I can’t tell you how many times that passage has been used to hound the youth-group version of myself about the dangers of smoking, drinking, and sex. Didn’t I know that my body — Marty’s body — was a temple for the Holy Spirit? While the point may or may not be valid, let’s take time to correct this faulty exegesis. Paul says that they — and in this case, they is plural — are a temple for God’s Spirit. If they can’t find unity, they destroy the temple of God! They — plural — have to be unified so God can live in their community and work through them.

Imagine the scenario described in chapter 6 (I say “imagine” tongue-in-cheek):

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This disunity is ruining their body, their reputation, and the mission of God through them in Corinth. I find this message to be incredibly timely for our culture, as well, although when I read these words from Paul, I feel like the concept is so straightforward that if I try to elaborate on it, I ruin it. We ought to come to grips with the truth, but we just don’t want to follow these commands. This leads me to one other observation I will make about this disunity: it’s getting in the way of how they are able to receive instruction — even from the Apostles of Christ.

See chapter 4:

I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

In a theme that will come up again in 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses their arrogance and the disrespect they have for the work of the Apostles. They presume themselves to be teachers and apostles, and rather than receiving the instruction of Paul (and others), they go their own way.

Which is where this hits home for me. And not just for me, but for all of us.

It’s no secret to us that we have the “Corinthian Plague.” We find ourselves in a culture of immense diversity and we seek an identity of our own. This seeking of identity drives us to preserve that which makes us distinct from others, rather than drawing us together toward the same grace that should unite us. We have an immense disunity problem, whether it be in the form of trends, theological categories, denominational belief statements, genders, political parties…

We have a problem.

We cheat each other, take advantage of our brothers, and seek to hurt those who have hurt us — even within our own family of God! I have sat through far too many courtroom battles where both plaintiff and defendant claim to be a follower of Jesus. Even as I write that last statement, I have to read it again as I am incredulous to the fact that it would be true! And there are far too many times when we are shameless in this disheartening truth, plastering it on Facebook and announcing our self-righteous “identities” for all to see.

We’re ready to pick a fight with anybody who dares.

And for all of our love for Paul and all the ways we worship the parts of Pauline literature that fuel our systematic theologies, we sure don’t have a hard time kicking Paul’s imperative teachings to the curb on this one. And do we all know why? Because we are arrogant. We have no respect for the teachings of the Apostles except when it suits our doctrinal codes. We don’t actually want to love. We don’t actually want to listen to Paul. And we sure aren’t going to do what he says if we don’t like it — we’re Americans, after all. We don’t answer to anybody.

Which is something I can hear the Corinthians saying.