Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare
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There are 13 letters, or epistles (from the Greek word for letter) attributed to the Apostle Paul in our New Testament. These letters are arranged in order of length, from Romans to Philemon, in our canon. Luke Johnson, in his commentary, “The Writings of the New Testament” (Fortress Press, 1986), notes several broad sub-categories among the letters: Travel Letters, written during Paul’s active ministry (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, 1 Timothy and Titus); Captivity Letters, written from prison (Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, and 2 Timothy); and Pastoral Letters (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). Raymond E. Brown, Catholic scripture scholar, sums up critical scholarly consensus that seven of the letters are authentically Pauline (1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, and Romans). Of the remaining letters, there is broad consensus that the Pastoral Letters and Ephesians are pseudonymous, probably arising from a Pauline school after Paul’s death. There is less consensus regarding the authenticity of Colossians and 2 Thessalonians. One of the primary reasons fueling this debate about authenticity is the theme of the letters. The pseudonymous letters focus on ecclesiology – concern with the church as the body of Christ – where the letters agreed to be authentically the work of Paul focus on Christology – the theology of Jesus Christ. Certainly the seven scholars attribute to Paul are among the earliest in the New Testament, dating from 48-55, less than a generation after Christ’s death and resurrection, and pre-dating the Gospels. Paul’s Corinthian correspondence gives us a window into an early Christian community living out its identity among competing cultural and philosophical claims. The friction caused by this competition challenged Paul’s authority as an apostle and the integrity of a community composed of people on different places in their journey of faith (sound familiar?). Unlike his relationship to the church in Rome, Paul founded the church in Corinth, converting Crispus, the leader of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:8 and 1 Corinthians 1:14). Paul stayed in Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila, who had been expelled from Rome by the Emperor Claudius for their faith, for 18 months (Acts 18:11). Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian Church attempts to breach factions that had developed within the community, due to spiritual enthusiasm and elitism. His second letter has less internal coherence, and may be a collection of parts of subsequent letters. One theme that emerges, articulated by Luke Johnson, is the issue of a breach between the Corinthian church and himself. Johnson sees in the section contained in 2:14-7:4 an argument that defines apostleship as a new covenant ministry – contrasting the glory of God’s message with the inadequacy of the messengers. Paul’s message in chapter 5 concerns the newness of life from God, through Christ’s reconciling work on the cross, which enables us both to see Christ, ourselves, and other people in an entirely new way. Christ has reconciled the world to God – exchanging his life for our sins – and has given all who follow him the task of reconciling people to God. In verse 17, Paul celebrates that we become new persons when we become Christians – the old life is gone – a new life begins. This shared new life is the only letter of recommendation Paul needs (see 2 Corinthians 3:1-6). Nothing else matters but the wonderful message Christ pleads through us to tell others: God has brought us back to himself through what Christ did: be reconciled to God! Questions for Reflection 1-How does your relationship with Jesus Christ enable you to see other people in a completely new way (see 2 Corinthians 5:16). How do you see yourself in a new way? 2-Listen to these verses: “God has given us the task of reconciling people to him”; “This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others”; “We are Christ's ambassadors”. Why do you think God has given us the task of telling others this message of reconciliation? How do you tell others? 3-This week, the News Journal published the pictures and names of priests who have sexually abused children in their care. Like so many church leaders with clay feet, they symbolize a common human failure to live out the new life that begins when we follow Christ. How does verse 5:19 speak to this inconsistency in your own life? Do your sins invalidate God’s message? How does this verse call you to live today? 4-How did the Holy Spirit speak to you in worship today? |
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Key verse: 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)
We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you,
as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!"