Finally, Paul gets to another controversy that the Corinthians are involved in: whether the dead are raised or not. Apparently this is another disagreement that the Corinthians have, and Paul meets it head on, and ends up with one of the most beautiful (and oft-quoted) chapters in the New Testament.
It appears that the Corinthians do believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, because one of the arguments he uses is that, if you aren't raised from the dead, that means that Jesus wasn't raised either. He also appeals to the witnesses to the resurrection: Cephas (Peter), the Twelve, 500 disciples, James, and then, finally, to Paul. (Note that when he sees Jesus on the road to Damascus, it is more like a vision, but it is still proof to him that Jesus has been raised.)
Here's what I don't like about Paul: he doesn't mention Mary Magdalene, or any of the other women. Nothing. Is it because women are considered to be unreliable witnesses? Still, all of the gospels put the women first....
He's pretty blunt: if you don't believe in some sort of resurrection, for yourself and for Jesus, then your faith is in vain, and you are dead in your sins. In other words, the resurrections means victory over sin, the possibility of new living, and victory over death itself.
He tries to describe resurrected bodies (with limited success); they will be very different than the physical bodies we have now, just as a tree is different than the seed that is planted. They will be real, but spiritual bodies, designed to live in a new realm, a new reign. And this new reign is the purpose and end of our faith.
Chapter 16 brings greetings and a recommendation to for them to care for Timothy, as well as final words of encouragement and exhortation. This is a congregation that Paul has corrected, warned and yelled at. But he ends by saying, "My love is with all of you in Christ Jesus."
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Day 57: Spiritual Gifts, Love, Spiritual Gifts
If you want to know something about what the church as "the body of Christ" means, you want to read first Corinthians 12. There Paul uses a metaphor for the body politic for the Christian community. It was common to talk about the community, the city, the state as a "body," where there were many members, and where each member had a part. So Paul wants the Corinthians to consider that they are united in one common purpose, even though they are diverse in gifts. Paul, of course (as always) tweaks the metaphor so that the weaker members have greater honor.
And then he puts all of the talk about the body in the context of spiritual gifts, gifts given to the Corinthians, but for the common good. That seems to be a growing edge for the Corinthians, who love spiritual gifts, the glitz and glamour of them, but don't seem to get the idea that the purpose of gifts is to share and to build up the body, rather than to divide and sow contention.
Chapter 14 is an entire chapter devoted mostly to one of the spiritual gifts: speaking in tongues. Although Paul is careful to note that tongues is one of the gifts of God, and he also boasts that he "speaks in tongues more than you all", he gives careful guidelines to the use of this gifts, and also seems to disparage it. (I'll just come right out and say that I don't understand what Paul means when he says that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Especially since he contradicts himself afterwards by saying that if unbelievers come into your church and hear you speaking in tongues, they will think you are crazy.)
Speaking in tongues still seems to be controversial even today. Some churches deny that the phenomenon exists (it was supposed to have died out after the apostolic era.) Others make tongues the sign of a more mature faith. Where are you at?
Then, in the middle, is Chapter 13. Often read at weddings (although there is no word about marriage here), this beautiful chapter seems sometimes out of place. In fact, you can take chapter 13 out and read chapter 12 and go directly to 14 and it won't seem like anything is missing. Where does chapter 13 come from? and why is it here?
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
As for tongues, they will cease.
Maybe in the middle of all the arguing and the glitziness of spiritual gifts, Paul wants to set down the most important things, remind them of what it worth seeking, of what they have already been given.
And then he puts all of the talk about the body in the context of spiritual gifts, gifts given to the Corinthians, but for the common good. That seems to be a growing edge for the Corinthians, who love spiritual gifts, the glitz and glamour of them, but don't seem to get the idea that the purpose of gifts is to share and to build up the body, rather than to divide and sow contention.
Chapter 14 is an entire chapter devoted mostly to one of the spiritual gifts: speaking in tongues. Although Paul is careful to note that tongues is one of the gifts of God, and he also boasts that he "speaks in tongues more than you all", he gives careful guidelines to the use of this gifts, and also seems to disparage it. (I'll just come right out and say that I don't understand what Paul means when he says that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Especially since he contradicts himself afterwards by saying that if unbelievers come into your church and hear you speaking in tongues, they will think you are crazy.)
Speaking in tongues still seems to be controversial even today. Some churches deny that the phenomenon exists (it was supposed to have died out after the apostolic era.) Others make tongues the sign of a more mature faith. Where are you at?
Then, in the middle, is Chapter 13. Often read at weddings (although there is no word about marriage here), this beautiful chapter seems sometimes out of place. In fact, you can take chapter 13 out and read chapter 12 and go directly to 14 and it won't seem like anything is missing. Where does chapter 13 come from? and why is it here?
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
As for tongues, they will cease.
Maybe in the middle of all the arguing and the glitziness of spiritual gifts, Paul wants to set down the most important things, remind them of what it worth seeking, of what they have already been given.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Day 56: Eating and Drinking and Appropriate Dress, in Worship and Out
Paul continues speaking about the issue of eating and drinking, circling back first to remind his readers of the unfaithfulness of some of the Israelites back when they were wandering in the wilderness. Don't grumble or complain or wander away! He warns them. Be vigilant! he says. Everyone in the wilderness had come through the Red Sea, but that didn't stop them from losing their way later on, forgetting their freedom, and focussing on idols instead.
Eating and drinking is connected with relationships, right relationships, and with our neighbors. So Paul says, it's not that eating meat sacrificed to idols is either good or bad, but it's the effect it has on our dinner companions that makes a difference, and reveals our own hearts. If you eat meat sacrificed to idols it won't harm you. But if someone tells you, "Hey, this is meat that was sacrificed to idols," then maybe you shouldn't, because that might cause your dinner companions to stumble. It's all about what is harmful or good for your neighbor, and for your neighbor's faith.
Perhaps that's what is going on in Paul's convoluted arguments about women praying with their heads covered. Paul says women should pray with their heads covered because "a woman has authority over head head." I'll just come right out and tell you I don't know what that means. And though Paul says that a woman should keep her head covered because "man was created first, and then woman" and that "man is the image of God and woman the image of man", later on he admits that now "men come from women" (biology). (by the way, in Genesis 1, both men AND women are made in the image of God. Wish I had Paul right here with me so we could have a talk about that.)
Then Paul returns to the subject of eating and drinking, but this time he is talking about the fellowship of Christians, and the Lord's supper. In the early church, oftentimes the community would share a meal as well as the Lord's supper, and it appears that in Corinth, the community meal has become the occasion for some to be gluttons and other to go hungry. There is no sharing going on, and this is part of what bothers Paul. So, later on, when he talks about eating and drinking worthily, and discerning the body, I don't think he is just talking about the "Real Presence," but he is talking about discerning the Body of Christ in the community, and eating and drinking honoring one another as bearers of Christ.
Again, for Paul, it's all about relationships, about how we treat one another, and how we treat one another reveals the condition of our own soul.
Eating and drinking is connected with relationships, right relationships, and with our neighbors. So Paul says, it's not that eating meat sacrificed to idols is either good or bad, but it's the effect it has on our dinner companions that makes a difference, and reveals our own hearts. If you eat meat sacrificed to idols it won't harm you. But if someone tells you, "Hey, this is meat that was sacrificed to idols," then maybe you shouldn't, because that might cause your dinner companions to stumble. It's all about what is harmful or good for your neighbor, and for your neighbor's faith.
Perhaps that's what is going on in Paul's convoluted arguments about women praying with their heads covered. Paul says women should pray with their heads covered because "a woman has authority over head head." I'll just come right out and tell you I don't know what that means. And though Paul says that a woman should keep her head covered because "man was created first, and then woman" and that "man is the image of God and woman the image of man", later on he admits that now "men come from women" (biology). (by the way, in Genesis 1, both men AND women are made in the image of God. Wish I had Paul right here with me so we could have a talk about that.)
Then Paul returns to the subject of eating and drinking, but this time he is talking about the fellowship of Christians, and the Lord's supper. In the early church, oftentimes the community would share a meal as well as the Lord's supper, and it appears that in Corinth, the community meal has become the occasion for some to be gluttons and other to go hungry. There is no sharing going on, and this is part of what bothers Paul. So, later on, when he talks about eating and drinking worthily, and discerning the body, I don't think he is just talking about the "Real Presence," but he is talking about discerning the Body of Christ in the community, and eating and drinking honoring one another as bearers of Christ.
Again, for Paul, it's all about relationships, about how we treat one another, and how we treat one another reveals the condition of our own soul.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Day 55: What to Do, What Not to Do
In this section of the letter, Paul gives marriage advice to the Corinthians. It's fair to say that it might be confusing advice. Don't get married, unless you are having a hard time controlling yourself, in which case, get married. If you are widowed, stay single. If you are already married, don't get a divorce. Single is best, except if being single is too hard for you. If you are single, you can be single-mindedly devoted to the Lord. (Theoretically.) But you possibly might find yourself too tempted to sin if you are single. In that case, get married. But, marriage is hard. I want to warn you about that. (vs. 28). I have not ever heard this verse quoted in a wedding sermon. (Another note: Paul uncharacteristically calls much of this chapter his opinion. Perhaps he would be shocked to find out that it got into the Bible.)
There seems to be an abrupt shift again, while Paul gives advice regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols, one of the many controversies of the Corinthian church. Again, there is a difference between theory and practice. In theory, they are free to eat meat sacrificed to idols, because they realize that the idol is not real, and the meat is "just meat"; there is nothing especially holy or unholy about it.
BUT, Paul writes, if there are people for whom eating meat causes them to doubt, who wonder if they are sinning when they eat it, or it their consciences bother then, then we should be willing to abstain so that we don't shake their faith. Again, what is important is how our actions affect our neighbor.
Finally, Paul addresses the issue of compensation for apostles. He seems to be arguing that he has a right to make a living by the gospel (good for pastors to know!). After all, the priests got to eat the food that was in the temple (to use one example). Paul seems to feel that he and Barnabas have been singled out for special criticism in this regard. Even so, Paul says that even though he could be compensated for his work, he is voluntarily choosing not to be paid, because he wants to do everything possible to be blameless in their eyes.
Well, maybe not exactly blameless, but he wants to work in a way that will make his witness there credible, that will make his witness take root. So he says that he tries to be all things to all people, to those under the Law, he is under the Law, to those outside the Law he is outside the Lord.
All things to all people. Who can really pull it off? Paul is willing to do anything to make Christ real. And he's intense. Reading his letters makes me wonder what it would have been like to meet him....
There seems to be an abrupt shift again, while Paul gives advice regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols, one of the many controversies of the Corinthian church. Again, there is a difference between theory and practice. In theory, they are free to eat meat sacrificed to idols, because they realize that the idol is not real, and the meat is "just meat"; there is nothing especially holy or unholy about it.
BUT, Paul writes, if there are people for whom eating meat causes them to doubt, who wonder if they are sinning when they eat it, or it their consciences bother then, then we should be willing to abstain so that we don't shake their faith. Again, what is important is how our actions affect our neighbor.
Finally, Paul addresses the issue of compensation for apostles. He seems to be arguing that he has a right to make a living by the gospel (good for pastors to know!). After all, the priests got to eat the food that was in the temple (to use one example). Paul seems to feel that he and Barnabas have been singled out for special criticism in this regard. Even so, Paul says that even though he could be compensated for his work, he is voluntarily choosing not to be paid, because he wants to do everything possible to be blameless in their eyes.
Well, maybe not exactly blameless, but he wants to work in a way that will make his witness there credible, that will make his witness take root. So he says that he tries to be all things to all people, to those under the Law, he is under the Law, to those outside the Law he is outside the Lord.
All things to all people. Who can really pull it off? Paul is willing to do anything to make Christ real. And he's intense. Reading his letters makes me wonder what it would have been like to meet him....
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Day 54: Corinth is sort of like a Soap Opera
Or, at least that's what it seems like, reading Paul's next three chapters. They've been staying up late in Corinth, and engaging in some actions that some people won't do. And even if they aren't all behaving immorally, they are not calling into account one of their own who is (ahem) sleeping with his father's wife, for example.
The Corinthians brag that they are free -- they are free, right? That means they can do whatever they want, right? Paul is all for freedom, but thinks that the Corinthians might have misunderstood him.
Of course, that's not all of it. Paul begins by calling the Corinthians on their arrogance. They are acting as if they "know-it-all". They don't need a teacher; they don't need instruction. Paul sarcastically says, "We are fools for Christ, but you are wise for Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored.!" The Corinthians have let some success in spiritual matters go to their heads, and it has affected their vision with regard to their behavior toward one another as well.
(This reminds me a little of the arrogance of the Enron executives right before its fall. They were so drunk with their financial success they lost their moral compass.)
The Corinthians are wayward not only in sexual matters, but also in matters of how they treat one another. They accuse each other and bring lawsuits against each other. They are contentious. They treat each other (and themselves) with disrespect.
Yes, you're free, Paul tells them, but free for what? That's the question.
In Corinthians, Paul's ethics is defined by this axiom: "Don't you know that your body is temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Do't you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don't belong to yourselves?"
Honor your body. Respect your body as given by God and a dwelling for the Holy Spirit. And respect and honor your neighbor's body too.
It's not just your spirit that is important. It is your beautiful, breathing body, created by God.
The Corinthians brag that they are free -- they are free, right? That means they can do whatever they want, right? Paul is all for freedom, but thinks that the Corinthians might have misunderstood him.
Of course, that's not all of it. Paul begins by calling the Corinthians on their arrogance. They are acting as if they "know-it-all". They don't need a teacher; they don't need instruction. Paul sarcastically says, "We are fools for Christ, but you are wise for Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored.!" The Corinthians have let some success in spiritual matters go to their heads, and it has affected their vision with regard to their behavior toward one another as well.
(This reminds me a little of the arrogance of the Enron executives right before its fall. They were so drunk with their financial success they lost their moral compass.)
The Corinthians are wayward not only in sexual matters, but also in matters of how they treat one another. They accuse each other and bring lawsuits against each other. They are contentious. They treat each other (and themselves) with disrespect.
Yes, you're free, Paul tells them, but free for what? That's the question.
In Corinthians, Paul's ethics is defined by this axiom: "Don't you know that your body is temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Do't you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don't belong to yourselves?"
Honor your body. Respect your body as given by God and a dwelling for the Holy Spirit. And respect and honor your neighbor's body too.
It's not just your spirit that is important. It is your beautiful, breathing body, created by God.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Day 53: Wisdom and Foolishness, an Inside Look at a Real Congregation
I like the first letter to the Corinthians. I think one of the reasons that I like it is that it's very clear, in this letter, that Paul knows these people, that Paul knows this congregation, and that he is responding to very specific issues that have arisen in the community. Even though it's helpful to read background notes about the people in Corinth, you can figure out some of what is going on without doing any background reading, because you can just tell from the kinds of things Paul is talking about. It's like reading other people's mail, something of course no one should do, but something perhaps we are tempted to do on occasion, just out of curiosity.
So, what's going on in Corinth?
People are fighting, for one thing. People are playing favorites, jockeying for position, saying "I'm a better Christian than you are because such-and-such baptized me." There are factions based on leadership, and who is the best public speaker (possibly Apollos) or who is the best looking or who is the most "spiritual."
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
As the letter to the Corinthians goes on, we'll find out that the arguing and the factions and the one-upmanship is just the tip of the iceberg. There many other things going on in Corinth. It makes you wonder how Paul can keep his temper, because, one of the things people are questioning is whether Paul is such a great apostle after all. They've had some flashier preachers come in since Paul left, and they've been wowing the crowds and telling them some different things....
All right, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Just for now, we're dealing with the church conflicts, and the arguing.
And Paul uses the occasion to do some great preaching about foolishness and wisdom, about how sometimes the things that look the most foolish are really wise (like the death of Jesus on the cross) and how sometimes the things that look wise to us are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Now while I am attracted to Paul's paradox about wisdom and foolishness, I need to say that I don't think Paul is advocating a sort of "know-nothing-ism." I don't think that foolishness is the same as ignorance, or that he is advocating being stupid. I think the wisdom that he is speaking of is a sort of "wisdom of the world", the sort of "if you are rich it must be because you are the smartest person in the world", or "the people who speak fluently are the ones we ought to trust" -- that sort of wisdom that looks at the surface of things and makes judgments. If it is that sort of wisdom we are looking for, it certain is foolishness to follow Jesus, the one who was crucified, and everyone knows it. We also believe that he was raised, but NOT everyone knows that.
In particular, Paul is interested in reminding them that when he came among them, all he preached and all he wanted them to know was "Christ crucified." That was it. No fancy words. No secrets of the ages. Just "Christ crucified", (not even Christ resurrected!) equally confounding to Jews and Gentiles, but powerful and wise to those who heard.
It makes me wonder, in church conflicts today, what would be the results if we began and ended with "Christ crucified." If we decided to know nothing with each other but this: "Christ and him crucified", what would that mean? If we looked at each other and saw people for whom Christ died, people in whom (by grace) Christ lives, what would that mean?
Would it make any difference?
So, what's going on in Corinth?
People are fighting, for one thing. People are playing favorites, jockeying for position, saying "I'm a better Christian than you are because such-and-such baptized me." There are factions based on leadership, and who is the best public speaker (possibly Apollos) or who is the best looking or who is the most "spiritual."
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
As the letter to the Corinthians goes on, we'll find out that the arguing and the factions and the one-upmanship is just the tip of the iceberg. There many other things going on in Corinth. It makes you wonder how Paul can keep his temper, because, one of the things people are questioning is whether Paul is such a great apostle after all. They've had some flashier preachers come in since Paul left, and they've been wowing the crowds and telling them some different things....
All right, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Just for now, we're dealing with the church conflicts, and the arguing.
And Paul uses the occasion to do some great preaching about foolishness and wisdom, about how sometimes the things that look the most foolish are really wise (like the death of Jesus on the cross) and how sometimes the things that look wise to us are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Now while I am attracted to Paul's paradox about wisdom and foolishness, I need to say that I don't think Paul is advocating a sort of "know-nothing-ism." I don't think that foolishness is the same as ignorance, or that he is advocating being stupid. I think the wisdom that he is speaking of is a sort of "wisdom of the world", the sort of "if you are rich it must be because you are the smartest person in the world", or "the people who speak fluently are the ones we ought to trust" -- that sort of wisdom that looks at the surface of things and makes judgments. If it is that sort of wisdom we are looking for, it certain is foolishness to follow Jesus, the one who was crucified, and everyone knows it. We also believe that he was raised, but NOT everyone knows that.
In particular, Paul is interested in reminding them that when he came among them, all he preached and all he wanted them to know was "Christ crucified." That was it. No fancy words. No secrets of the ages. Just "Christ crucified", (not even Christ resurrected!) equally confounding to Jews and Gentiles, but powerful and wise to those who heard.
It makes me wonder, in church conflicts today, what would be the results if we began and ended with "Christ crucified." If we decided to know nothing with each other but this: "Christ and him crucified", what would that mean? If we looked at each other and saw people for whom Christ died, people in whom (by grace) Christ lives, what would that mean?
Would it make any difference?
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Day 52: The Weak and the Strong, Travel Plans, Greetings
The letter to the Romans ends with Paul weighing in on what seems to be a local controversy. There are some among the Christians in Rome who are careful about what they eat, who practice abstinence of certain foods, and feel that this is part of how they are faithful. There are others who feel that freedom in Christ means that they can eat anything they want to. Paul seems to agree, in theory anyway, with those who feel that they can eat anything. But "in theory" is a loaded phrase. Paul tells the Christian community in Rome that just because they are free to eat anything, doesn't mean it's a good idea, especially if it's going to be harmful to the faith of their brothers and sisters.
So, what kind of food is Paul talking about? Is he talking about people who keep kosher? Is he talking about people who eat food which has been sacrificed to idols? Or are there different dietary restrictions? I don't know.
But what is interesting to note is that Paul's instructions are based on doing what is good, not for you, but for someone else. It reminds me of someone who said that the question that always comes up at election tie, "Are you better off?" should really be this one, "Is your neighbor better off?" That is Christian ethics.
Paul winds down his letter by talking specifically about his plans to visit the church in Rome, after he delivers the offering he is collecting to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. He is passionate about this offering, and what it represents. It represents unity between Christians who are far away from one another. It represents a unity of mission, even where there has been disagreement about practice. Paul wants the Gentile Christians to be generous.
And then he sends greetings. He sends greetings to specific people he knows, to those he has heard about and hopes to meet. It might seem to be the least interesting part of the letter, except that there are probably fascinating stories (mostly that we don't know) behind every one of these names. For example, there is Junia the apostle. Junia is a woman's name. Apparently there were some women leaders in the early church. I would like to know more about Junia.
Paul closes his leader with a great and wonderful phrase about a secret -- the secret that has now been revealed. I love the idea that the gospel is a secret. It's been there, all along. It's not that it's a new thing It was just that it was a secret before, and now it has been spoken. The grace of God has been spoken in the person of Jesus.
So, what kind of food is Paul talking about? Is he talking about people who keep kosher? Is he talking about people who eat food which has been sacrificed to idols? Or are there different dietary restrictions? I don't know.
But what is interesting to note is that Paul's instructions are based on doing what is good, not for you, but for someone else. It reminds me of someone who said that the question that always comes up at election tie, "Are you better off?" should really be this one, "Is your neighbor better off?" That is Christian ethics.
Paul winds down his letter by talking specifically about his plans to visit the church in Rome, after he delivers the offering he is collecting to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. He is passionate about this offering, and what it represents. It represents unity between Christians who are far away from one another. It represents a unity of mission, even where there has been disagreement about practice. Paul wants the Gentile Christians to be generous.
And then he sends greetings. He sends greetings to specific people he knows, to those he has heard about and hopes to meet. It might seem to be the least interesting part of the letter, except that there are probably fascinating stories (mostly that we don't know) behind every one of these names. For example, there is Junia the apostle. Junia is a woman's name. Apparently there were some women leaders in the early church. I would like to know more about Junia.
Paul closes his leader with a great and wonderful phrase about a secret -- the secret that has now been revealed. I love the idea that the gospel is a secret. It's been there, all along. It's not that it's a new thing It was just that it was a secret before, and now it has been spoken. The grace of God has been spoken in the person of Jesus.
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