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The second letter to the Church at Corinth may be a composite which includes fragments from several pieces of correspondence between Paul and the church he founded, but had a difficult relationship with.
My two favourite NT books are Mark and 2 Coreinthians, and over the next few weeks the RCL puts them togather in its readings. 2 Corinthians is a gem. The pearl is produced by the irritations of Pau's passion for the Gospel, his physical weakness, and the emotionally draining difficulties he had with a church which had a very different view of ministry from his own. This leads him to leave us with the Pearl of understanding the costs of ministry, and seeing it asthe Gospel treasure carried by human vessels who are never more than 'Bog standard kitchen pots'. (Ch 4:7)
Many church members at Corinth wanted a super apostle, physically strong, with great skills of oratory, and who was willing to charge for their services, thus perhaps putting themselves under Corinthian patronage.
Paul however makes a virtue of his physical weakness, poor speaking skills and financial independence.
Paul however makes a virtue of his physical weakness, poor speaking skills and financial independence.
Corinth was an important but sleezy sea port, infamous for its imorality rather than famous for its culture. The church congregation included slaves and wealthy business people. Corinth contained few notable philosophers or famous citizens, and yet the richer, more powerful members of the church wanted an apostle who was big on the Christian preaching circuit, a worthy orator and something of a philosopher. Therefore Paul disappointed them. He insisted that the weak and poor had equal status with the strong and powerful in the Kingdom of God. Paul takes his stand in a famous passage in which he 'boasts.' But his boasting in ironical, what Andre Resner Jr. calls a
Reverse rhetoric. Paul rejects Corinthian love of power and prestige, but rejoices in weakness. In doing so he gives us a timeless lesson in true Christian character and living.
Reverse rhetoric. Paul rejects Corinthian love of power and prestige, but rejoices in weakness. In doing so he gives us a timeless lesson in true Christian character and living.
JUNE 7th 2 Cor 43: 13 - 5: 1
Paul with his body scourged battered and beaten in Christian service is indeed a 'Bog standard kitchen pot'. (Ch 4: 7) But now he looks forward to a future when he will have 'a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens' (Ch 5:1)
Paul with his body scourged battered and beaten in Christian service is indeed a 'Bog standard kitchen pot'. (Ch 4: 7) But now he looks forward to a future when he will have 'a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens' (Ch 5:1)
Bishop Tom Wright in 'Surprised by Hope' argues that we must not let the hope of heaven immediately after death detract from the NT doctrine of a New Heaven and a New Earth at the end of time. It is true that there remaains a confusion in the Christian mind between Greek philosophical ideas of the immortality of the soul, and the Christian hope of resurrection and a new creation. Prof Nigel Watson reckons that the opening verses of 2 Cor.5 are among the most difficult of all Paul's writings for Bible scholars to understand and explain. I confess to being confused by all this and seem to find different strands of thought in the New Testament. Perhaps what we all can agree is that we all believe with the Scripture that 'In the beginning GOD, and in the end GOD'.
JUNE 14th 2 Cor. 5: 6-10
This is a passage of hope. 'We are always in good heart.' Paul is well aware of the problems of life in a frail abused body, but he kept his eye on the 'Future glory' of resurrection life with God. Far from making him 'too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use', his hope shone light into life here and now.
PREACHING POINT. Have we got right the balance between Christian living here and now, and future hope?'
This is a passage of hope. 'We are always in good heart.' Paul is well aware of the problems of life in a frail abused body, but he kept his eye on the 'Future glory' of resurrection life with God. Far from making him 'too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use', his hope shone light into life here and now.
PREACHING POINT. Have we got right the balance between Christian living here and now, and future hope?'
JUNE 21st
2 Cor. 6 1-13
Paul now 'boaasts', but his boasting is not in his powers of speech, his physique or his wealth. Instead Paul flags up what he has suffered and how hard he has worked for the Corinthians as a true apostle. He hopes that by reminding his critics of how much his work for the gospel has cost him he will be able to heal the broken relationship between them.
QUESTION What do WE glory in? Are we happy to be Bog standard kitchen pots in God's service? How far are Western Christians willing to bear the cost of service to the Lord?
JUNE 28th
2 Cor. 8: 7-15
The Church in Jerusalem was having a hard time. A Love Gift was being collected among the newer churches in the Gentile lands, but at Corinth things had gone wrong. Had the Corinthians begun their collection well but failed to complete it? (10-11) Were some Corinthians accusing Paul of extortion, and trying to bleed them dry? (13-15). Did some in the church who held Paul in contempt even suspecting him of using the money for his own ends?
The Methodist Church in Britain has a current focus on Generous Life. That emphasis is Scriptural. Some surveys claim that Christians in the UK give a greater proportion of their income to charities than the population at large.
POSSIBLE PREACHING QUESTIONS
How generous are WE?
Does our generosity lead us to work for Global and National economic justice?
Do we value genorosity of time and service (not just money) highly enough?
JULY 5th
2 Cor. 12: 2-10
Now we come to the heart of this wonderful letter as Paul uncovers wounds he has received from his criticism by some conceited Corinthians. We are given Pauls credentials as an apostle. They are a boasting in his pains and weakness. His willingness to be content to be a 'Bog standard kitchen pot', and, what makes all that worthwhile, the realisation that in that pot is contained the treasure of the gospel.
I shall never forget the unhappy time I had when asked to discuss with a certain church the possibility of becoming their next Minister. The whole process seemed far from satisfactory. The low point came, at the end of a long tiring day, in a room of over 60 people 'interviewing' me, someone asked. 'Will you now 'Blow your own trumpet - sell yourself.' On reflection I felt I ought to have replied, 'Have you never read Paul's second letter to the Church at Corinth? I now understand that modern selection techniques require candidates to 'Big up' their powers and gifts. In the church however , may God help us if we ever forget that all who engage in Christian service are nomore than 'Bog standard kitchen pots.'
Barrie Morley June 2015
RESOURCES USED
The Second Epistle to theCorinthians Nigel Watson Epworth Commentaries
'Surprised by Hope'. A.T. Wright.
The Letters to the Corinthians W. Barclay
'Preacher and Cross'. Andre Resner Jr.
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'New Light on 1 Corinthians' Prof. Ahtony Thiselton. (Lecture to Nottingham Theological Society).
2 Cor. 6 1-13
Paul now 'boaasts', but his boasting is not in his powers of speech, his physique or his wealth. Instead Paul flags up what he has suffered and how hard he has worked for the Corinthians as a true apostle. He hopes that by reminding his critics of how much his work for the gospel has cost him he will be able to heal the broken relationship between them.
QUESTION What do WE glory in? Are we happy to be Bog standard kitchen pots in God's service? How far are Western Christians willing to bear the cost of service to the Lord?
JUNE 28th
2 Cor. 8: 7-15
The Church in Jerusalem was having a hard time. A Love Gift was being collected among the newer churches in the Gentile lands, but at Corinth things had gone wrong. Had the Corinthians begun their collection well but failed to complete it? (10-11) Were some Corinthians accusing Paul of extortion, and trying to bleed them dry? (13-15). Did some in the church who held Paul in contempt even suspecting him of using the money for his own ends?
The Methodist Church in Britain has a current focus on Generous Life. That emphasis is Scriptural. Some surveys claim that Christians in the UK give a greater proportion of their income to charities than the population at large.
POSSIBLE PREACHING QUESTIONS
How generous are WE?
Does our generosity lead us to work for Global and National economic justice?
Do we value genorosity of time and service (not just money) highly enough?
JULY 5th
2 Cor. 12: 2-10
Now we come to the heart of this wonderful letter as Paul uncovers wounds he has received from his criticism by some conceited Corinthians. We are given Pauls credentials as an apostle. They are a boasting in his pains and weakness. His willingness to be content to be a 'Bog standard kitchen pot', and, what makes all that worthwhile, the realisation that in that pot is contained the treasure of the gospel.
I shall never forget the unhappy time I had when asked to discuss with a certain church the possibility of becoming their next Minister. The whole process seemed far from satisfactory. The low point came, at the end of a long tiring day, in a room of over 60 people 'interviewing' me, someone asked. 'Will you now 'Blow your own trumpet - sell yourself.' On reflection I felt I ought to have replied, 'Have you never read Paul's second letter to the Church at Corinth? I now understand that modern selection techniques require candidates to 'Big up' their powers and gifts. In the church however , may God help us if we ever forget that all who engage in Christian service are nomore than 'Bog standard kitchen pots.'
Barrie Morley June 2015
RESOURCES USED
The Second Epistle to theCorinthians Nigel Watson Epworth Commentaries
'Surprised by Hope'. A.T. Wright.
The Letters to the Corinthians W. Barclay
'Preacher and Cross'. Andre Resner Jr.
****************************
'New Light on 1 Corinthians' Prof. Ahtony Thiselton. (Lecture to Nottingham Theological Society).
