Good morning and welcome to the last chapter of Paul for a short while! What a great day yesterday. After a few hours of church work, it was outside to get some barn work done and fence mended. There always seems to be fence to be fixed and barn work to do!
Paul begins this final chapter with some very harsh words to the Corinthians! His first visit, when he planted the church, was about 18 months and very joy filled at his new creation. His second visit lasted only a short time and was full of anxiety, fear, mistrust, and pain. He is preparing for his third visit, and we have hear his apprehension throughout this entire letter! Paul uses strong words, "I will not be lenient" (v 2) as he talks about those that are doing wrong in Corinth; he also reminds them that they need at least two witnesses to "prove" the person was wrong (words from Deuteronomy 19:15). Some theologians believe that these "two witnesses" are referring to Paul's two prior visits. In essence, he is saying if the people that have done bad the last two times I have seen them are continuing this third time, I am going to be really angry! You want to see Christ speaking through me! OK then- just keep up the bad stuff and wait till I get there (vv 3-4). You think I am weak, you have no idea! Kind of like a mom saying to the kids, "Wait till your father comes home!"
Paul then asks the Corinthians to consider asking themselves sobering question, "Am I really a Christian?" Ask yourself that! It is a challenge to all of us, to examine who we are, what we are, how we act- and then ask ourselves the same question- Am I a Christian? We will gladly test others with that question- but will we test ourselves? That was one of the big problems at Corinth- they were ready to examine Paul, but not so willing to examine themselves! Some were "disqualified" or did not pass the test (v 5b), but he hopes that many of them "pass" and see also that Paul has "passed" the examination (v 6).
The point of these last few paragraphs was to have the Corinthians clean up their act before Paul comes back for a visit (v 10). Did they? Do we?
Paul closes the letter in his traditional fashion...words of joy, peace, encouragement, love. You can really feel Paul's love in his closings.
This whole letter has focused on Paul and his issues with he Corinthians (or the Corinthians and their issues with Paul). These words have shown a somewhat different side of Paul. He doesn't really defend or use the Hebrew scriptures as we have seen before, he is having them really look at who they are and what they really represent. The toughest words for me were when he asked them to ask themselves if they were really Christian. Those words still echo in my mind!
I wonder how the visit went? I wonder if they found love and peace. I will have to investigate more about this post-Paul Corinth.
Have a great day. Tomorrow we begin the letter of James. There is some great material in this short (5 chapters) letter. I will post an introduction to James later today.
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
Paul says he is coming to visit the when Corinthian chuch for a 3rd time He says there were problems when he visited the second time and he hopes that they are correcting those problems and becoming more mature in their faith before his visit as he doesn't want to reprimand them .Paul says do not refuse our corrections. He lets them know of his visit so things can be corrected before he goes there. This reminds me of a child when he has been told not to do something and the parent says i will be checking up and it better not be done again or there will be punishment for it.
ReplyDeletePaul does end his letter with his usual prayer for them.
Looking forward to reading James.
Jack so glad to hear that all went well with your surgery. my Hello also to Rhea. God bless you both.
You can sense Paul's apprehension for his upcoming visit. I think we have all experienced that type of nervousness when visiting some people
Delete“Am I really a Christian?” Is a great question. It seems to me it’s pretty hard to judge about yourself. I know that I try to live a Christian life but so often I fail. I can look back and remember times that I have greatly failed. But I keep trying hoping that I’ll get better at it as I go along.
ReplyDeleteRecently my daughter and I were trying to think of a nice gift for Pastor Joe Travis who is going to marry her. I suggested something with the Presbyterian symbol on it, like UMs have the cross and flame. My daughter said, no, Uncle Joe wouldn’t really like that. He says he may not REALLY be a Presbyterian; he thinks he’s just a Christian. I guess being just a Christian is something to aspire to.
The key is to keep trying- like you said. I think we all fail to some extent- but there is grace and growth!
DeleteI like your daughter's comment about Uncle Joe! I can identify with that- I am part of the UMC, but I hope I am aspiring to something greater!
Thanks Cathy!
Jack, so great to hear your good news and so glad that you are well on the road to total recovery. Also so nice to read your commentary again! Paul seem to be so tired and so discouraged! I really hope that Paul's third visit is so great. My take away from this chapter is v. 5 - "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Paul seemed to be saying - why are you always asking ME to prove that Christ is speaking through me, why don't YOU prove that Jesus Christ lives within you. Honestly, it's about time that he did switch the tables back to them. I am definitely not sure I could prove it - maybe through my words and actions. I have used Paul's Farewell and Benediction many times when I have been a guest speaker at different churches as the benediction because I love it so! Looking forward to James.
ReplyDeleteI think we have all experienced the tired and frustration that Paul experiences- but he keeps going. Do we?
DeleteGreat point- he put the ball back in their court- I didn't think of it that way!
Thanks Donna!
It appears that the "two or three collaborating witnesses" for a conviction must have been carried over from this chapter to our modern courts. I cam understand why the testimony of only one witness is insufficient to bring on a conviction.
ReplyDeleteDid Paul come to Corinth a third time, or was it only be this letter? This entire chapter is rather confusing in that it is not clear (to me, at least) that Paul actually did visit Corinth a third time, especially since his second visit went so poorly.
The "test" to see if one is really a Christian is a rather difficult test. There have been times in my life that I know I have failed. I failed because I had no desire to pass. These have been at the lowest periods of my life when I was caught in the throes of depression. I thank God every day that I finally found a doctor that knew what I needed to pull me out of the depths. Needless to say that I went through several doctors before finding this gentleman. Now, I am not sure that I pass the test all the time, but there are times that I know I am a Christian.
Regardless what Paul says to the Corinthians, you can feel his love in his closing. I guess the concept of tough love really applies here.
Two or three witnesses has been around for a long time! Good thing for that!!
ReplyDeleteI think he did visit a third time- but I will have to research that and see what the results were.
Jack- I think we all fail at times- but there is grace and mercy from God and a chance for improvement. Thanks for sharing your journey.