II Corinthians 3, The New Covenant

As Paul defends his ministry, he moves on to describe in more detail the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

2 Corinthians 3: 1-5, You are our recommendation letter!
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Paul is aware that he has been defensive.  Here he says, "So you -- your lives -- are my defense!" It has been Christ, working through Paul, that has created this good work in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 3: 6-11, The New Covenant 
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

The New Covenant writes on our hearts (Jeremiah 31: 31-34) and is more powerful than even the bright Old Testament law given by Moses.

2 Corinthians 3: 12-15, The Veil
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

Here Paul pulls up imagery from Moses's encounter with God in Exodus 34 (Exodus 34: 33-35.) The veil prevents direct communication with God and prevents understanding of spiritual things. Some Jewish resistance to the Messiah is the result, says Paul, of a "veil" between them and God.

2 Corinthians 3: 16-18, The Spirit removes the veil
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

The "veil" separating us from God is removed by the Holy Spirit, which Paul identifies as coming from God and identifies as being God.

II Corinthians 2, The Sweet Aroma of Forgiveness

Paul continues to describe his concerns for the Corinthians, along with defending his recent travels. Instead of a intermediate visit, Paul apparently wrote a strong letter instead, concerned about their progress. (This "strong letter" has presumably been lost.)

2 Corinthians 2: 1-4, I don't want to grieve you!
So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. 

I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Paul was concerned that a visit might be harmful but wants them to know that he has confidence and pride in them.

2 Corinthians 2: 5-8, After confrontation comes forgiveness
If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent--not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

They have now punished the individual who was causing the most grief.  Paul encourages them to complete the reconciliation by opening their arms in love to the culprit.

2 Corinthians 2: 9-11, Forgiveness wins!
The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

They have stood up to Satan. Bitterness, continued anger, refusal to forgive -- those are all tools of Satan and Paul seeks a much better way.

2 Corinthians 2: 12-13, To Troas and Macedonia
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.

Paul's travels from Troas back to Macedonia (northern Greece) bypassed Corinth, most likely taking a northern sea route.  This was due to concerns about Titus, who was supposed to meet Paul in Troas.

2 Corinthians 2: 14-17, The aroma of Christ
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

The Christian is an ambassador for God, bringing a "sweet aroma" of forgiveness and reconciliation.

One commentator describes a Roman emperor's victorious procession into Rome with incense burners being carried by captured prisoners. Here the incense leads to life for those who follow the True Emperor.

In the next chapter Paul describes in more detail the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

II Corinthians 1, My Hardships for You

Most of this letter is a defense of Paul's ministry which has apparently been under attack. Paul is very concerned about the continued growth of the Corinthians; they have disciplined a member and have done what Paul has asked, but apparently doubts remain.

In this letter Paul details the suffering he has experienced and his deep love for the Corinthians. As the NIV Student Bible says, "it reads ... like a personal letter and [not] a public document." Paul's emotional intensity comes through clearly.

In this first chapter Paul discusses suffering and explains why he did not visit the Corinthians recently

II Corinthians 1:1-2,  Greeting
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a standard greeting for a letter, identifying the writer and his audience.  The audience is the "saints" (ie., believers, followers of the Savior Messiah) who live in the Achean region around Corinth.

II Corinthians 1: 3-7, Suffering leads to comfort of others
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Out of suffering often comes ministry of comfort since empathy is an important part of ministry. But we still deeply need Gods comforting during that time.

II Corinthians 1: 8-11, We suffered greatly
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul and his party suffered greatly in their missionary journeys, enduring stonings and physical beatings. Now that that is in the past, Paul is proud of their suffering for Christ and for the Corinthians.

II Corinthians 1: 12-14, We have acted correctly, with clear conscience
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul is proud of his conduct regarding the Corinthians and wishes to continue in good relations with them (despite some conflict over his recent letter.)

II Corinthians 1: 15-17, I did plan to visit you
Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"? But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."

Paul apparently had said he would visit the Corinthians but did not. This was not because his words were casual, without thought, but because events forced otherwise. Implicit in this paragraph is a statement about the importance of honest commitment.

The Greek word translated here as "Silas" is apparently Silvanus, a variant of Silas.

II Corinthians 1: 20-22, God's promises are "Yes"
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Paul is convinced that God had a plan in preventing his trip to Corinth and that the Holy Spirit is continuing to work in both him and the people of the Corinthian churches.

II Corinthians 1:23-24, Why we did not return to Corinth as planned
I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

Paul's concern is ever with the growth of the church.

In the next chapter Paul continues to describe his concerns for the Corinthians, along with defending his travels.

I Corinthians 16, Some final things

Paul begins to close up his letter to Corinth, first discussing a collection being raised for the church in Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16: 1-4, The gift for Jerusalem
Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Verse 2 describes meetings that occur on the first day of the week.  It is likely that the first day of the week, what we now call Sunday, was the special day the church met as a group.  This tradition, separate from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) would spread throughout the region, eventually becoming the traditional day of worship for Christians.

1 Corinthians 16: 5-7, Paul's plans
After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you--for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.  I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

Paul hopes for another trip, one with a lengthy stay.

1 Corinthians 16: 8-9, Remaining in Ephesus
But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Meanwhile Paul remains in Ephesus, as apparently recorded by Luke in Acts 19.

1 Corinthians 16: 10-12, Timothy and Apollos

If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers. 

Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

The "brother", Apollos, already has strong influence in Corinth; see chapter 1 of this letter.  Apollos was recognized as a mature and accomplished Christian leader.  Luke introduces him in Acts 18:24-28.

1 Corinthians 16: 13-14, Be courageous; do all in Love
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

Do all in Love!  (See chapter 13!)  But acting in love does require courage.

1 Corinthians 16: 15-18, Value Stephanas and his family
You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.

I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

I find these casual remarks fascinating -- we see a variety of committed disciples, living out their lives in places like Corinth and Ephesus, members of the Kingdom of Heaven who seem to have no desire to be famous or achieve some type of spiritual fame.

1 Corinthians 16: 19-24, Final greetings
The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.

If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Like the letter to Galatia, Paul adds a line written in his own hand, distinct from the general script written out by his secretary (amenuensis).

The NIV footnotes tell us that the Greek word translated "Priscilla" in verse 19 is really "Prisca", a variant of the name.  In many cultures, such a shortening of a name is a sign of affection.

The NIV footnotes also point out that the phrase is verse 22 translated "Come, O Lord" is the Aramaic phrase, "Maranatha".  It could also be translated, "Our Lord has come!"  This is the only place in the New Testament where this Aramaic phrase occurs.

Tomorrow we will continue on to Paul's "second" letter to Corinth.

I Corinthians 15: 29-58, The Final Trumpet

Chapter 15 of this letter began with Paul's testimony on the resurrected Jesus and then moved on to a discussion of death and resurrection in general.  Here we have an extraordinary teaching on the upcoming resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15: 29-32, If there is no resurrection
Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?

I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

One can make too much of this strange phrase about "baptism for the dead".  This may have been a strange practice in pagan Corinth (not necessarily endorsed here but part of the Corinthian culture.) But I wonder if this is simply poor phrasing; that one might rephrase this as "baptism in preparation for death."

The Old Testament quote in verse 32 is from Isaiah 22:13.

1 Corinthians 15: 33-34, Come back to God!
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."  Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.

Back to first priorities -- "Get back on course and tell you pagan friends about the Messiah!" says Paul. This theme occurs throughout this letter.

1 Corinthians 15: 35-44, The eternal body
But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 

How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Our current body is apparently "just a seed" to a future one!  Our resurrected body is no more like our current one than a seed is like the later plant!  (Having recently turned 60, I can be grateful for that!  I hope -- quoting a friend -- to explore the universe after the Resurrection, maybe a little bit like the character Q from StarTrek...)

1 Corinthians 15: 45-49, The second Adam
 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 

The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

Paul repeats a concept occurring in Romans 5:12-21, that Jesus brings life and a new creation, replacing the death and spiritual separation created by the first Adam.

The Old Testament quote in verse 45 is from Genesis 2:7.

1 Corinthians 15: 50-58, The final trumpet
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." [49]

 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" [50]

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

The Old Testament quote in verse 54 is from Isaiah 25:8; the quote in verse 55 is from Hosea 13:14.

I look forward to the defeat of death!

I Corinthians 15: 1-28, Resurrection & Death

Paul begins to wrap up his letter by describing his own witness of the Jewish Messiah.

1 Corinthians 15: 1-2, The centrality of the gospel
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

The "gospel" message of Christ's death and resurrection is central to everything in this letter. (Added later: see this post by Scot McKnight on "the gospel" and I Corinthians 15.)

1 Corinthians 15: 3-8, Five hundred witnesses
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

This is an extraordinary passage.  Although some "have fallen asleep", most of the witnesses of Christ's resurrection are still alive and Paul himself personally saw the resurrected Messiah.  The implication here is that if one were doubtful, they would have witnesses to interview!

1 Corinthians 15: 9-11, Least of the apostles
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Paul originally helped kill followers of this Messiah! But he now has a very different mission.

1 Corinthians 15: 12-19, Everything hangs on the validity of the resurrection
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Apparently some in Corinth did not believe in a resurrection of anyone.  That contradicts the central message of the gospel, that Jesus himself rose from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15: 20-28, The second Adam overturns the first
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

The Old Testament quote in verse 27 is from Psalm 8:6.  As Adam brought sin and death of humankind, Jesus reverses the process.

Note the emphasis throughout this chapter on a physical, bodily resurrection.  There is no place in Paul's theology for ghostly angelic souls hanging around in the clouds (playing harps!) and looking down on humanity.  The resurrection will be physical in some sense, as part of a new universe (see Revelation 21.)

In the second half of this long chapter, Paul continues his discussion of death including a brief mention of the final event in human history, the "last trumpet."

Divisions in the Church

On Sundays I deviate from our chapter studies to look at special topics stimulated by recent texts. Given that I Corinthians was written to confront divisions occurring in the church in Corinth, it is appropriate that we look at divisions within "the Church", that is, within Christianity.

The first division in the church occurred fairly early, as the young church welcomed Gentiles into their Messianic branch of Judaism.

In Acts 6:1-7, we see that the Jerusalem church is mistreating the new "Greek" believers. In Acts 10, Peter learns that God accepts the Gentiles and this epiphany culminates in a meeting in Jerusalem described in Acts 15.  This welcoming of the Gentiles is fleshed out in Paul's letter to the Galatians and the Romans, but it is a significant issue during the first three decades of the young church. Claims that Paul is abandoning Judaism eventually lead to his arrest in Jerusalem and his transfer to Rome, described in the last quarter of the book of Acts.

This division, the acceptance of Gentiles and the rejection of Judaizers, eventually leads, over a century, to the Gentiles dominating this Jewish sect and so (sadly) Christianity and Judaism move apart.

In Corinth it was petty divisions about who to follow.  In other places, there would, of course, have been more cultural conflicts, just as there are today.  Those trained in Greek philosophy wished to impose Platonic views on the church, while those with more Judaic or eastern view world view often had a different perspective.  Some of the early disputes in the first few centuries dealt with the influence and eventual rejection of gnosticism.  There were persistent questions about the deity of Jesus and its meaning.  (If, as the Jews firmly believe, there is only one God, what does it mean for Jesus to be God?)

Some of these early controversies are even visible in the New Testament writings.  In the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus is described (in Hebrews 1:3) as the "exact representation" of God.  (As a mathematician who studies representation theory, I find this an impressive phrasing!)  The first letter of John (I John) is likely written to confront gnostic claims (see docetism) that Jesus was just spiritual, not physical.

Once Christianity became entwined within the politics and power of the Roman empire (ca 380 CE, with Constantine's conversion), religious beliefs and accompanying disputes were much trickier, as they often reflected political machinations instead of spiritual concerns.  I have little to say here regarding the politico-religious machinations of medieval Europe -- or of modern America....

Spiritual divisions, when the occurred, were often driven (originally) by one group's belief that the other group was not truly Christian.  It was one thing to suggest a division within the Church; it is quite another to suggest renewal (reform) away from those perceived to no longer be in the Church. This explains (partially) the Protestant Reformation and even earlier divisions.  It explains, partially, the various divisions within Protestant Christianity today.

However, today, there are a variety of divisive Protestant groups, proud of their separation from other believers.  These divisions, done with arrogance and human pride, are excessive and contrary to the unity of Christ.  I have been a member and leader in a variety of churches, Disciples of Christ, Baptist, Evangelical Free and Presbyterian.  I was confirmed in the Episcopalian Church and I have devout family members who are Catholic.  It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit is at work in believers and disciples in all of these churches and I will be happy to hug, support and pray with anyone who says, in sincerity, "I seek to follow Jesus."  In that manner, I think I can say (with Paul) "I have the mind of Christ."

Tomorrow we return to our study in First Corinthians.