Whew! We have done a lot of reading this last week. So, as usual here are some thoughts from what we have read. One of the things Paul was intentional about was making sure the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem and the gentile Christians in Asia were connected as one in the body of Christ. He did this not only by his teaching but by receiving an offering from the gentile churches to take to the believers in Jerusalem who were suffering from extreme poverty. Paul taught about the importance of giving in 2 Corinthians. First he spoke of the spiritual gifts God had given to the believers and one of the gifts we receive as believers is the gift of giving. Some people give because they know they are supposed to. Some give because they know there are needs and some of us give because we are happy to return to the Lord a portion of what He has blessed us with. Bountiful giving is a mark of true grace. The thing is…we GET to give. We see the grace in the Lord who by His poverty He made us wealthy and became one with us. We receive His unmerited gift in our salvation and so we give sacrificially in response to His gift to us. Paul’s teaching on giving tells us that our giving should spring from a willing heart and mind. He reminds us that true giving is a joy, in contrast with grudging gifts. There is joy in sowing seed, like a farmer who anticipates crops. There is joy in sharing with others in need. Christian giving is marked by generosity and it might entail sacrifice like it did for the Macedonians.
The key issues for the church in Galatia were: how do people become acceptable to God? What do people need to do to earn God’s favor? How do people become members of God’s family? For Paul the answer was fairly simple. There is nothing we can or need to do. Only Jesus Christ can do, and has done, what must be done to make people acceptable to God. Because of that we should simply receive His gift, gratefully thank Him for what He has done, and trust in Him. For Jewish Christians in the first century it was hard to accept this answer. From the time of Abraham, their relationship to God had been defined by circumcision. Every male who was part of God’s family had to be circumcised. Those who neglected to do so were cut off from God’s people. Those who had received circumcision were also expected to keep the laws regarding the sabbath, what foods could and couldn’t be eaten, and keep the rest of the laws. When the Christian faith moved from the Jewish to the Gentile world, it was natural for questions to arise. Do Christian need to be circumcised and keep God’s law in general to be accepted as part of God’s family? Or, does God accept people purely on the basis of their faith in Christ’s work on the cross? As Paul mission to the Gentiles advanced, these questions became more and more pressing. Peter understood from his vision in Joppa and his experience in Caesarea that God accepted Gentiles as Gentiles on the basis of their faith in Christ’s finished work. They did not have to become Jewish first by observing circumcision, for Christ provided them open access to God by faith. Peter and the Jerusalem church then welcomed gentile believers into the fellowship. However, later Peter temporarily withdrew from fellowship with Gentiles when some Jewish Christians criticized him. In response Paul rebuked Peter for communicating that Gentiles must become Jews in order to be accepted by God. Galatians 2:11-31. No one is accepted by God and made righteous before Him on the basis of keeping the law. Even Abraham was accounted as righteous and accepted by God because of his faith, and not because he was circumcised. That came later for Abraham. Both Jews and Gentiles are accepted by God and made righteous before Him on the basis of faith alone. One of the enduring questions of the Christian faith is; do Christians need to keep the Old Testament law in order to become mature followers of Christ? Does following God’s law provide sanctification? When Christians in Galatia had received the Good News of salvation through faith in Christ, they had also received the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of their status as believers. Not only had God given His Spirit to them, but He had also worked miracles among them. They knew from experience that the Holy Spirit has the power to make them new people. Paul taught them to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them. Shortly after Paul left Galatia, Jewish Christian teachers arrived who taught the need to observe God’s law, both to be accepted by God and to be sanctified and become mature. They argued that Paul’s approach to sanctification by the Spirit would lead to lawlessness and sin. Paul responded that just as God accounts us as righteous by faith, so also He makes us righteous by faith by the working of the Spirit. Those who rely on the Spirit and follow His leading will not sin. God’s Spirit will never lead people to sin. The real problem is not a lack of understanding regarding right and wrong. Our God given conscience tells us when we are doing wrong, and God’s law makes the requirements of His righteousness even clearer. The real problem is that by nature, our hearts are hard and sinful, and we lack the wisdom to know the right thing in a given situation. By nature, we are unable to apply God’s Word in a way that is consistent with faith in His love. The law cannot ameliorate (make something bad or unsatisfactory better) our condition. But, when the Holy Spirit guides and controls us, He changes our hearts and guides us to do the things that please God. God’s Spirit guides His people to fulfill His law in its truest sense and intent. But fulfillment of the law is not the goal or focus. The law is just our guardian. It cannot save us. It only convicts us and hopefully drives us to repentance and a renewed relationship to the Lord. The focus is on trusting God, relying on the Spirit, and loving others. God’s Spirit gives us the will and the power to do these things and please God. Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both the north-south and east-west trade routes. The city was also known as the guardian of the temple of Artemis. The city was founded by Greeks about 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea. The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and that made her the most important city of the Roman province of Asia. The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis was one of the keys to wealth and commerce in Ephesus. The worship brought thousands of pilgrims to the city and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services. When Paul arrived there on his third missionary journey in 53 AD, Ephesus had been a city for over 1,000 years continuously and she was deeply devoted to her patron goddess and temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more followers, Christianity threatened that pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot nearly cost Paul his life. See Acts 19:24-31. The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus. Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers. The apostle John is thought to have settled there in approximately 70AD and from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the Book of Revelation in the early 90’s. At that time the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned. After the apostle John’s exile on Patmos, church father Irenaeus records that the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the reign of the emperor Trajan, who ruled from 98-117 AD. According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care. The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in 262 AD, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held there in 431 AD. This was a perfect illustration of Paul’s message that hand made gods like Artemis are not gods at all. The Book of Ephesians highlights the role of the church in God’s eternal plan. The church is the one body of Christ. In Jesus Christ God has revealed His desire to unite Gentiles with Jews in a new group of people, the church. What is the church? The church is the community of those who recognize the lordship of Christ and submit to Him. In the Greek world the word church is translated “ekklesia” and designated an assembly of people. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint, this term referred to the assembly of Israel. In the New Testament ekklesia is used to refer to the entire body of Christ in the world, all the believers in a given locale, or to an individual local congregation that gathers regularly for worship, instruction, fellowship, and prayer. The church is part of God’s plan to bring everything in heaven and on earth under the authority of Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has called people from both Judaism and the Gentile world to be one new people of God who are empowered by His Spirit to be present in the world, to worship Him, and to share the Good News of His unconditional love. The church is both grounded in Judaism and is the fulfillment of God’s intention in calling Israel to become light to the Gentiles who will bring His salvation to the ends of the earth. In this new Jewish-gentile community, the traditional barriers that divided people from one another and categorized them into inferior and superior classes; barriers of race, social standing, and gender; are shattered. Those who are united with Christ are members of His body. Paul expressed the reality of the intimate connection between Christ and His people as the organic unity and integration of the physical body. To be “in Christ” is therefore to be “baptized into one body by one Spirit”. As a result, all of you together are Christ’s body and each of you is a part of it. Believers do not relate to God in isolation but as part of this new family. To be “in Christ” is at the same time to be in the church. To be a Christian is to be incorporated into a community of people that is growing toward expressing the reality of Christ in its life together. Because the church is one body, unity is called for. So Paul repeatedly urged the Christian community to be united and not to let their differences divide them from one another. Because the church included people of different ethnic groups, it is to be a community of harmony and peace as believers live together in love, bound together by the shared experience of the Spirit. God’s goal for the church is that it will achieve the fullest possible experience of unity, faith, spiritual understanding, and Christian maturity…to the full perfection of Christ, the likeness of God Himself. Like every part of the human body, every member of the church had their function. God has provided people in the church with many diverse gifts to build up the body and bring it to perfection. God’s intention is that the church should be a showcase of His forgiving grace, a community in which God’s glory can be seen, and one devoted to the praise of that glory. And last, we look at the divine nature of Christ. Philippians 2:6-11, often called the Christ hymn, reveals early Christian beliefs about the nature of Jesus Christ. This hymn affirms that the early Christians believed in the Preexistence and divine nature of Christ. Christ is not simply another human prophet, he was present with God the Father from the very beginning, and He is the one through whom the universe was created. As the Son of God, He shares the nature of God Himself. The hymn also affirms that Jesus Christ came to earth in an act of immense humility, the infinite God became human. Jesus Christ the glorious creator of the universe, died as a sacrificial offering for the sins of human beings so that we might be forgiven and be reconciled to God, just as the scriptures foretold. This hymn also affirms that God raised Jesus from the dead, has given Him the place of highest honor in heaven, and conferred on Him the title Lord. One day all created beings will bow down before Him and acknowledge that He is Lord of the entire universe, deserving of the worship that God alone is worthy to receive. In His Grip Pastor Matt W The Thessalonian church Paul wrote to was full of recent converts to the faith, they lacked full understanding of the faith and they were suffering severe persecution. Could these new believers withstand the antagonistic social climate? This book isa reminder that good and faithful leadership, good teachers, and overall obedience is a huge help in helping believers remain firm in their faith. Thessalonica was a major military and commercial port and she had a population of about 200,000 making it the largest city in Macedonia. After Paul planted the church in Thessalonica he was abruptly forced out of the city. Thisaccount can be found in Acts 17:1-10. This left the new Christians with very little teaching in Christian doctrine. As you read this short book note Paul’s repeated references to God’s faithfulness and list the truths from this letter regarding the end times and Christ’s second coming. Watch too for practical advice on living the Christian life within the context of an immoral culture that is hostile to Christian values. Here are three themes to look for as well. First, persecution. Paul applauded the Thessalonians for their progress in the faith and encouraged them to stay the course. He maintained that the trials believers endure because of their faith are not just chance happenings. On the contrary, suffering for the faith is to be expected. Second, Christ’s return. Paul assured the Thessalonians that believers who have already died will be raised first when Christ returns. No one knows the date or the time. It will come like a thief in the night or the birth of a baby. Third, Christian living. While believers wait for the second coming they are to live quiet, respectful, holy and productive lives. They are called to encourage and help each other, and be patient and kind to one another. While a moral lifestyle is not a precondition for acceptance by God, an immoral lifestyle is irreconcilable with the Christian life.
It appears that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were the founders of the church of the Thessalonians. After Paul thanked God for the faith, hope, and love of the Thessalonian believers he recalled how the Good News was proclaimed to them, and how they accepted the message. Paul had much to thank God for: their faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope and confidence. God called the Thessalonians through hearing the Good News,and the Holy Spirit convinced the hearers that the message was true. But their acceptance had resulted in severe persecution. They followed the example set for them by Jesus and even in their suffering they received joy from the Holy Spirit. This was made known throughout Macedonia and Achaia. Among the Gentiles the message of the apostles was an exhortation to turn from false gods and idols to serve the one true living God who created all things. Jesus resurrection from the dead was at the core of the apostles preaching and teaching. It was also the foundation of their confidence in Jesus’s return. The body of this letter begins by discussing Paul’s and his associates’ character and the way the Thessalonians received the Good News. Paul spoke of his visit. The word visit here often refers to one’s entrance into a city. Ancient orators were known for their grand entrances into a city. Paul’s entrance into Thessalonica should be judged by its credible results rather than its lack of pomp or ceremony. Despite the struggles Paul had there, they showed great courage by preaching confidently there. In the ancient world those entrusted with a public office had to be tested and approved. The Thessalonians and God served as two witnesses to the purity of Paul’s motives. In Paul’s day flattery was a common means of getting financial gain from others. He denied that he flattered the Thessalonians in order to be given money. Paul and his associates did not wield their apostolic authority to make demands. Instead they worked for everything they had received as an example to the new believers. Both God and the Thessalonians were witnesses that Paul’s conduct was was devout and honest. These were terms used in the ancient world that indicated obedience to both divine and human laws. In the ancient world the moral teaching of children was a fundamental obligation of the fathers. Some were harsh and others loving. Paul reminded the Thessalonians that he was a loving father. Paul taught that the things God would consider worthy would be a life lived in harmony with the high standards He expected of those called to share his kingdom and glory. And then Paul gave thanks again because the Thessalonians accepted the message of the apostles, not just as human philosophy but as the very word of God. Paul also reminded the Thessalonians that he was not anti Jewish because he loved his own people but he also knew that some Jews had played a role in the deaths of God’s messengers including Jesus. And now they were persecuting the apostles. The mission to the Gentiles was one of the most important issues in the earlychurch. And, Paul complained that their forced early departure had deprived the new believers of their spiritual parents. Their absence was not neglect however. Paul and company tried repeatedly to return to the Thessalonians but the evil one would not allow them. Paul viewed them as not his own accomplishment but as his pride and joy. After preaching in Berea, Paul left Macedonia and went to Athens. Timothy returned to the Thessalonians because Paul was overly stressed about the new church. Timothy reminded them that suffering for the faith is often a part of the Christians life. Paul was concerned that the evil one had undermined their faith and rendered their work there futile. Paul wrote this book from Corinth just after Timothy had returned from Thessalonica. His report provided good news about the Thessalonians faith, hope, love and steadfastness. They were standing strong in their faith despite their challenges. Paul prayed to both the Father and to Jesus, signaling His divinity as well. One of the characteristics of the Thessalonian church was their love for one another as members of God’s family and Paul prayed that their love would continue to grow and grow, and then overflow out into the community. The final part of Paul’s prayer was for their hearts; that they would be strong, blameless and holy. The second part of the letter contains Timothy’s news about the church and the questions the believers had for Paul. Paul’s exhortation in the name of the Lord Jesus emphasized the authority of his teachings. He reminded them that the foundation of Christian ethics is not philosophical speculation about virtue but doing God’s will. Holiness embraces all of a persons life and Paul singles out the importance of staying away from sexual sin. This was tolerated across the Mediterranean world. Paul taught that rejecting his teaching on these matters was the same as rejecting God, and that it is the Holy Spirit who empowers Christians to live in accord with God’s will. In chapter 4:9-5:11 Paul answered a series of questions from the Thessalonians concerning love for one another, the destiny of deceased believers, and when the day of the Lord would come. Paul reminded the believers that God Himself has taught us all to love through the teachings of Jesus, the cross, and the Holy Spirit. One of the ways the Thessalonians showed love was by helping other believers through financial aid. Living a quiet life meant being respectable, not causing problems in the community, and working with their hands at an honest trade. Believers who have already died, or fallen asleep, await the resurrection. Those who didn’t believe grieved hard because they had no hope but believers, though they grieve, know there is more to come. The central Christian creed was that Jesus died and was raised to life again and that there will come a day when we will all be resurrected to spend eternity with Him. Paul is teaching them directly from what the Lord had given him. He wanted the Thessalonians to know that when the Lord returns the dead will not be at a disadvantage but will participate equally in the resurrection. The Greek Paul used here is “parousia” which is the word commonly used to describe the coming of the emperor to a city with great pomp and celebration. God’s trumpet will herald the resurrection, just as it previously announced the rescue of Israel. In the future it will announce the gathering of God’s chosen people from the farthest ends of the earth. Both those alive at the time and those believers who have died will meet the Lord in the air and be caught up. Paul is teaching about the end so that the believers will encourage one another in the face of death. He is not prompting speculation about the end times. Many people, both then and now, have questions about how and when all this will happen. Paul tells all of us that we do not know the time or day when the Lord will return. It will happen like a thief in the night or the birth of a baby. One minute there will be peace and the next, there won’t. The day of the Lord will not surprise believers, not because they will know It is happening but because they will be ready spiritually. The Thessalonian believers were saved from the darkness of the world. They belong to God’s new order and live in the light of day. We are called to stay alert and be clear headed, in other words morally prepared. Sleep here refers to moral indifference and drunk is a metaphor for those who do not exercise self control. These people will be very surprised when the Lord returns. And then it will be too late. The armament here is the moral life, the Christian soldier is equipped with the virtues of faith, love, and confidence. God’s anger represents Him pouring out His judgement against evil but God destined believers for salvation, not wrath and believers will escape the terrors of the day of the Lord. The promise that believers will live forever is based on Christ’s resurrection. Paul ends this section by calling on the Thessalonians to encourage and build one another up, not to fuel speculation about when the Lord might return. As he winds up this book Paul has some final exhortations. The first is either a call to honor their leaders or to give them a look at what valued leaders look like. They work hard and provide spiritual guidance. They are to be respected and loved because of their work. But, the responsibility for the moral progress of the congregation does not rest solely with the leaders. The Thessalonians are to warn those who are lazy. They are instructed to care for those who are weak or those who have no social or economic power. Instead of being irritable, they are called to be patient. And Paul told them there was no point in retaliation or revenge. Paul calls believers to do good to everyone, even those who hate us. And never stop praying.Always be thankful and don’t try to put out the Holy Spirit’s fireby prohibiting prophecy in the church. Prophecy was meant for building up the church but they needed to test the prophecies to discern their origin and check their agreement with the apostlesteachings. The Thessalonians were to reject every kind of evil, especially false prophecies. Greek and Roman letters usually ended with a wish for good health for the recipient. Jewish letters ended with a wish for peace, or shalom. Paul closed with a Christian variation on those practices. God enables Christians to live a holy life and His sanctifying work extends to the spirit, body, and soul…the totality of human life. God will make this happen.Paul bases his confidence on the character of God. Paul commanded them to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters, in other words to the entire congregation. And he ended the letter with a blessing of grace. In His Grip Pastor Matt W The letter to the Colossians combines some of the deepest and most sublime teaching about Christ with very basic instruction for life. As strongly as any other book in the New Testament,Colossians reminds us that Christ must always be preeminent in a Christian’s affections and worship. Colosse was located about 120 miles east of Ephesus, in the province of Asia. Paul mentions Epaphras as the one who first brought the Good News to the Colossians. He was probably converted during Paul’s three year ministry in Ephesus. Ephesus was the commercial and governmental center for the whole province, which included Colosse. When Colossians was written, Epaphras was visiting Paul in prison. He had told Paul about some of the difficulties the young church was going through. He was especially concerned about some false teachers in Colosse who were emphasizing the importance of “spiritual rulers and authorities” and “spiritual powers of this world”. These were detracting from the preeminence of Christ.Paul wrote to address these issues. The false teaching could have been from a number of things: false doctrine, an amalgamation or errors, superstitions, or misunderstandings. Elements included taboos about food and holy days, devotion to angelic beings, and a pseudo-sophisticated theology that may have bordered in gnostic heresies. As you read, look for an eloquent passage on the supremacy of Christ, note the basic standards for Christian living and family interactions, and take to heart Paul’s warning about mixing elements from various religious traditions. Here are a couple of themes to watch for. First, a warning against heresy. Paul labeled the Colossians heresy a vain deceit based on human tradition and the basic traditions of the world. It denied Christ’s sufficiency and belittles Christian hope in His finished work on the cross. Second, the supremacy of Christ. Paul affirmed that: Christ is God, He is the creator of all things, all the fullness of God dwell as in Him, Christ is superior to the angels, Christ is the head of the church, through Him believers have fullness, in Christ all the requirements of the law have been met, asceticism has no value, a life hidden in Christ brings glory, Christ Himself is the “mystery of God”, and there is no other secret knowledge necessary. Third, Christian living. Paul insisted that the believers union with Christ trusts in holy living. He outlined clear standards that prescribe attitudes that are to govern relationships within family and church. Leadership is to be exercised, but domination is unacceptable.
The opening section of Colossians begins with a thanksgiving, typical of New Testament letters. Paul gives thanks for the Colossians progress in the faith and prays that they might understand it even better. With this prayer, Paul hints at his concern about the influence of false teachers. In the New Testament all Christians are Saints, people who have been specifically set apart by God as His own holy people. The Colossians confident hope gives them a secure foundation for their faith and love. What God has reserved for believers had not yet been fully revealed, but it already exists in heaven. TheGood News is effective to change lives and bring about spiritual growth. Epaphras was probably converted when Paul ministered in Ephesus and then he brought the Good News back to his hometown. Paul prayed that God would grant his readers deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives. Spiritual growth yields a clearer and deeper comprehension of Christian truth and conduct that pleases the Lord, through which a believer will have the endurance and patience to stand firm against evil. Paul not only prays for the Colossians but he encourages them to pray . Humble gratitude to God for salvation is a powerful antidote to the lure of false teaching. And the inheritance that Paul speaks of is that which God has promised His people. In the New Testament the inheritance consists of salvation and final deliverance. Paul presented Jesus as the supreme creator and redeemer. The series of short statements, the exalted conceptions of Christ, and the parallelism in language and thought strongly suggest that these verses quote an early Christian hymn about Jesus that Paulapplied to the situation of the Colossians Christians. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, the word for image refers to humans who have been created in the image of God. They also use the word to refer to wisdom. New Testament writers speak about Christ as God’s wisdom to help explain His significance. Paul explained that Jesus Christ existed before anything was ever created and that He reigns supreme over all creation. That is why he could stand up in a storm tossed boat on The Sea of Galilee, speak be still, and the sea went completely calm. Jesus is the master of creation and even the wind and the waves obey His voice. When Paul says Jesus was the first born he is not saying Jesus was created. It is a title, drawn from the Old Testament that indicates superiority of rank and priority in time. Continuing on Paul reminds the Colossians that Jesus made everything; both the things we can see and those we can’t. Here Paul is referring to thrones, kingdoms, rulers , and authorities in the unseen world. This probably refers to various spiritual powers. What Paul is doing here is saying that Jesus has supreme power over those beings that were getting way too much attention from the false teachers. Not only is Jesus the creator of everything, that is everything was created through Him, but Jesus is also the goal of creation. The Greek word for head usually had the connotation of a sense of authority. And the metaphor of the church as Christ’s body expresses the essential unity of Christ and the church. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Jesus raised a handful of people back to life during His earthly ministry but they all died again. Jesus died and was raised from the dead to eternal life. When Paul spoke of God in all His fulness he was emphasizing that God had chosen to reveal Himself fully in Jesus Christ. So, when we see Jesus and understand Him, we are also seeing God the Father and understanding Him. But the false teachers were indicating that if people wanted to truly know God they needed to look towards other spiritual beings. Paul reminded the Colossians that Christ is way past sufficient for all our knowledge of God. And it is through Christ that God has reconciled everything to Himself. As people who have been reconciled to God, the Colossians enjoyed a new spiritual status. But that also meant they needed to stand firm in the truth they had been taught. These Colossians, many of whom had been Gentiles were reminded that at one time they had been very far away from God, but because of Jesus Christ and their belief in Him they were now holy and blameless in His sight. Paul finished out the first chapter by considering his role in the spreading of the Good News. He told the Colossians that even though the redemptive suffering of Christ is unique and totally finished, He still suffers through His people in the world, like Paul because the world is hostile to believers. Just like today. This will continue until Christ returns in glory. Paul spoke of a secret, hidden at one time and then revealed. Jewish thinkers conceived of God’s entire plan as already existing in heaven until God draws back a curtain and reveals His plan. The Good News, especially for the Gentiles had been kept secret until it was revealed in Jesus Christ. Christ Himselfpersonifies this mysterious plan. Verses 6-15 contain Paul’s exhortations about standing steadfast in the face of the false teachers. He encouraged the Colossians to keep putting their roots down deeper and deeper into Jesus Christ. At first glance it might seem that Paul is condemning philosophy but he only condemns empty philosophy that stands over and against the Good News. In interesting language Paul announced that when the Gentiles came to Jesus they were circumcised spiritually in Christ. What Jesus cut away was their sinful nature instead of flesh. He also reminded the Colossians that Believers were buried with Christ when we were baptized. Paul taught that in God’s sight we really were with Christ when He was buried and raised, so we experience the benefits of what Christ did for us. Paul can link that identification with Christ to baptism because water baptism was so closely related to conversion in the early church. And in another picture Paul spoke of the record of charges against us. The Greek suggests an IOU that each of us has signed. Since we are unable to pay what we owe it stands against us. The law of God required obedience that people are unable to give. But God has forgiven our debt through the work of Christ on the cross. Verses 16-23 find Paul pushing back against the false teachersand their demands. He taught that these folks teaching came from human teachings and had no basis in Christ. There were religious teachings that prohibited certain kinds of food and drink. And he focused for a bit on religious feasts and holy days. Paul maintained that it was wrong for anyone to insist on a sabbath observance as a necessary expression of Christian piety. The people of the first century were fascinated with spiritual beings. Some Jews believed that angels were present during their times of worship, and some might even have worshiped the angels. The false teachers were saying they had, had visions that established certain rituals as requirements for the community. Again Paul states this is not valid or right, or from Christ. With His victory on the cross Christ over became any spiritual power. These “rules” of the false teachers were of no help in conquering a persons evil desires. Chapter three is all about living the new life in Jesus Christ. He begins by reminding the Colossians that even though they live on earth they have been raised with Christ and their true home is in heaven with Him. The false teachers focused on things of the earth, where the prince of darkness reigns. When people come to Christ everything changes. We know more awaits us but we cannot see it at this time. But the day will come when what is hidden will be revealed. For now we walk by faith, not by sight. The false teachers believed and taught the opposite. Everything will change when Christ comes in all His glory. We put to death our old sinful life but Paul warns that the anger of the Lord is coming. And Paul lists a number of things to take off or get rid of out of our lives. All of these things interfere with our walk with the Lord. He contrasts the old and new; the old sinful nature and the new life in Christ. Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live. Greeks mocked people from other cultures and nations because they didn’t speak Greek well, claiming they could only speak bar-bar. This is where the word barbarian comes from. Paul also describes the nature of the new life of people who have been raised with Christ. Their virtues and activities contribute to the peace and strength of the community. Just as Christ is one, so there can only be one body of Christ. Allegiance to Himneeds to transcend differences so that all believers can live in peace. Paul urges the Colossians to sing, praise and worship the Lord…together. Being a representative of the Lord means that one acts like the one they are representing. So, if we are representing Jesus then we need to act like Jesus would. Paulfinished out the chapter with similar instruction regarding the relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, and slaves and masters. To submit is to recognize ones place in the social order but this sort of submission always implies that God is at the top and His will is paramount. Paul calls believers to devote themselves to prayer, and top pray with an alert mind. This means praying and being watchful for Christ’s return. He asks for prayers that God will open doors so that more people will hear the Good News. Paul’s dedication to preaching the Good News is forever getting him in trouble with all sorts of people but Paul is glad to be able to continue preaching the Good News. He calls believers to make the most of every opportunity they are given to share Jesus with people. Like people who buy up a product offered at a good price, Christians are to buy up every opportunity to share the Good News. Conversations are to be attractive and gracious. The Greek here can be translated literally as conversations seasoned with salt. This is encouragement to speak with well chosen words and words that also winsome. Rabbis occasionally referred to wisdom as salt, so Paul might also be exhorting Christians to speak wisely. Paul ends with a very long section of greetings here. Perhaps it is because Paul is unable to travel and he wants to make sure that the Colossians are well connected to his coworkers. This would help keep them safe from the false teachers. Tychicus probably carried the letter to the Colossians as well as the ones to Ephesus and Philemon. Onesimus was the run away slave Paul was sending back to his master Philemon. We also encounter Aristarchus, Barnabas, Mark, Epaphras, and Luke. Epaphras prayed hard for the Colossians as well as those believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis. This probably means he was the pioneering evangelist for all three communities. Nothing is known about Nympha except there was a house church that met in her house. Like most ancient letters, Colossians was probably dictated by Paul to a scribe who would have been trained to write neatly and compactly. As a way of making this letter authentic, Paul added his own handwritten greeting at the very end. In His Grip Pastor Matt W How do you live as a Christian in a non Christian world? How do you respond when those around you are hostile to your faith? Paul wrote this letter to encourage the persecuted Christians of the church in Philippi and to strengthen them in the difficulties they faced. Paul wrote while in prison; he too was suffering for his faith; but he demonstrated that a Christian can have joy in Christ regardless of the circumstances. Philippi was a small Roman colony in the province of Macedonia, located about ten miles from the Aegean Sea. Philippi was an important city because of its strategic position on the Via Egnatia, the major east-west Roman route through Macedonia. Philippi heard the Good News of Christ from Paul on his second missionary journey about 50 AD. From the beginning there was opposition to Paul’s preaching. During his brief stay there he was thrown in prison and then asked to leave town; but not before a group of new believers had been established. Six years or so later Paul visited as part of his third missionary journey. After that it is possible he never saw the Philippian Christians again. Epaphroditus had brought a money gift to Paul from the Philippians and was returning to Philippi, so Paul sent this warm letter of encouragement. He was aware that the Philippians were being persecuted and he wanted to support and strengthen them in part by sharing with them his experience as a prisoner for Christ’s sake. As you read watch for the repeated use of the words joy and rejoice throughout the letter. Note Paul’s ability to find joy and contentment in any circumstance. Look for clues to the source of his joy. Notice that Paul held up Christ as the model for Christians to follow and included a beautiful psalm of praise to Jesus. Here are a couple themes to look for as well. First, joy. Paul modeled joy in the midst of suffering and he guided the Philippians in their situation of persecution. His joy came from his union with Christ, his communion with other Christians, and the promise of the resurrection. Second, humility. Believers are called to imitate Christ, who modeled humility, by emptying Himself in order to obey God and serve others, even to the point of death on the cross. Both Timothy and Epaphroditus exemplified the selfless attitude Paul wanted the community to emulate. In contrast, Euodia and Syntyche were at odds with each other. Third, thanksgiving. Paul commended Epaphroditus for his life endangering service to the apostle. He also acknowledged and thanked the Philippians for their missionary partnership and gift to himself. Paul had served them sacrificially and they had responded in kind. He commended them for their Christian maturity, affirmed that they had never received spiritual benefits from giving and assured them of God’s reward.
Timothy was one of Paul’s most trusted co workers and messengers. He is listed as co sender in five other letters as well. Both of these men called themselves slaves for Christ meaning they were completely devoted to Christ and His service. Paul called the Philippians God’s holy people and they have been made so by the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. In the early church, church leaders provided spiritual leadership while deacons attended to practical matters. Paul took the next eight verses to thank God for the recipients of his letter and he prayed for them. His joy came from how the Philippians had partnered with him in spreading the Good News, and from the confidence that they would continue his good work in them. They were also partners financially, with the Philippians supporting him monetarily. God began the good work in the Philippians. He takes the initiative to work His salvation in His people. Paul was joyful because he and the Philippians suffered and witnessed together. The Philippians knew love because of the Spirit’s work in and through them and Paul prayed that this would continue and grow, touching others. Righteous character cannot be produced by human effort but comes only through the Spirit of Christ working in people’s hearts. Glory and praise to God is the ultimate purpose for which God’s people live. And, Paul rejoiced that his imprisonment had resulted in the spread of the Good News. It is clear that even being imprisoned, Paul had been sharing the Good News because the whole palace guard knew he was there because he was preaching Jesus Christ. Because Paul was fearless in sharing the Good News, even while in prison, it gave strength and courage to other believers to proclaim the Good News as well. It seems that there were some believers who were critical of Paul but even so, the message about Christ was being preached. So, Paul rejoiced. He also knew that as the Philippians prayed for him, he would soon be released from prison. Paul lets it be known that living means doing everything for the glory of Jesus Christ and he knew he would bring honor to Jesus by the way he lived. He longed to die to be with Jesus but he also knew God was still using him in mighty ways. For believers death holds no fear, for death leads directly into the presence of Christ. Paul encouraged the Philippian Christians to live in such a way that their lives are worthy of the Good News, particularly by standing strong in the face of persecution. As foreigners in this world, the Philippian believers are to live as citizens of heaven. And Paul reminded them that what the world considers dishonorable, Christians consider an honor because it is for Him, it honors Christ. Paul also mentioned that he and the Philippians are in this struggle together. They both faced opposition and persecution. So far only Paul was imprisoned. In the midst of their persecution, Paul encourages the Philippians to be united and to live a humble life like Christ. Paul’s rhetorical questions expect positive answers. Those who have a real experience of Christ should live together in harmony and love. He encouraged them to not be selfish because self- centeredness is antithetical to genuine care for others. Verses 6-11 is an early Christian hymn about Christ’s Pre existence and divine nature, incarnation, and death, exaltation, and lordship. Jesus gave up divine privileges, literally emptied Himself of His divinity, and he took on the position of a slave. Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father and it was in obedience to Him that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. In the Roman world, crucifixion was meant for the worst of the worst criminals. As a result of Jesus’ obedience God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name that is higher than any other name. Jesus has supreme power and authority. Because of this, the entire creation, including spiritual powers and angels, humans on earth, and those who have died, will one day acknowledge the authority of Jesus Christ as Lord. Every tongue will confess BUT this does not imply universal salvation because not all will confess Him as Lord freely out of love and devotion. Lord, which is a divine title representing the Old Testament name of Yahweh, is frequently applied to Jesus in the New Testament. Paul encouraged believers to remain in their faith and to live faithful, obedient, and pure lives modeled after Christ. Obeying God means believers must reckon with God’s judgement like everyone else. So believers are called to live before Him obediently, with deep reverence and fear. God continues to work in and through believers and if we stay focused on Him then there will be no complaining and arguing, which is a sign of self centeredness. Instead, we are called to sacrificial love, shining like bright lights which will draw people to us. Paul also told the Philippians that as believers they must maintain their faith in Christ’s life giving Good News. God is faithful but believers must also remain faithful. Paul often uses athletic language as a metaphor for the Christian life. Here it is not a sprint but more of a marathon. He will rejoice even if he loses his life, pouring it out as a drink offering. Both Jews and pagans often poured out a libation of wine either on a sacrifice or at the base of the altar in honor of the deity. Paul’s entire life was an offering to God. Faithful service is a cause for rejoicing, because nothing done for God is done in vain. Here Paul commended Timothy who he hoped to send to the Philippians in the near future. Timothy had accompanied Paul on his first trip to Philippi. Timothy stood out as a person whose whole life was sacrificially devoted to what matters to Jesus Christ and to the welfare of His people. Paul is confident he will soon be set free and can then come to Philippi. Paul also commended Epaphroditus, a messenger from the church in Philippi. He describes him as a fellow soldier, suggesting there are difficulties, opposition, and dangers encountered in doing Christ’s work. Epaphroditus’s recovery from a nearly fatal illness is attributed to God’s mercy, on both Paul who was already in prison, and Epaphroditus. He deserved their honor because he risked his life for Christ in their behalf. Chapter three opens with Paul warning the believers against being influenced by Jewish Christians who argued that circumcision is necessary for salvation. And then he spoke of his own conversion from Judaism to Christ. Paul speaks an insult on the traditional Jewish practice of calling Gentiles dogs. He also warned about those requiring circumcision which the Jews understood as identifying a true man of God. But, those who put their trust in Jesus Christ are the ones who are truly circumcised in heart. If anyone could rely on Jewish credentials Paul could. He practiced the strict obedience to the Jewish law and was extremely zealous for the Jewish religion. He was circumcised at eight days old. Paul was a Pharisee, the Jewish sect known for their strict observance of the law. He persecuted the church. Now Paul considered all of these things worthless because they pale in comparison to what Christ has done. A believers relationship with God is defined by knowing Christ and nothing else. Gaining Christ means we also gain the gift of eternal salvation. Everything else is meaningless. Believers become one with Christ by trusting Him for salvation and sharing His life. We become righteous, not by observing the law of Moses, but through faith in Christ. This is God’s way of making us right with Himself. Salvation cannot be earned put only received as a free gift. In knowing Christ, believers know and are accepted by God. And believers experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead, both now and in eternity. To experience the resurrection from the dead is to be saved from judgement and receive eternal life. Paul was aware of God’s holiness and the severity of the final judgement and he knew he must persevere in his pursuit of Christ and salvation. Using himself as an example Paul encouraged the Philippians to pursue Christ and the hope of heaven with determination and strength. He was even willing to give up everything else for the ultimate goal, the heavenly prize of eternal life. Those who are spiritually mature will share Paul’s perspective that eternal things are most important in life. Believers cannot backslide because as believers our conduct must be consistent with our spiritual understanding. The identity of the enemies is not known and there are several possibilities. They could have been Jews or Jewish Christians proud of their circumcision, whose emphasis on observant Judaism contradicted the cross of Christ. They might have been pseudo believers living a worldly, immoral life. Or, they may have been professing believers who had rejected Paul’s cross centered view of the Good News. Christ’s crucifixion as a criminal was scandalous and offensive to many. These enemies have their appetite as their god, referring to their greed, sensuality, and self interest. They brag about shameful things, referring to immorality. And their eternal destruction is the ultimate judgement of God for those who reject Christ and live self centered, sinful lives. They cannot see beyond this life, the here and now. By contrast, believers know their real home is in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. We wait for Him to return and when that happens He will change these earthly bodies into glorious resurrected bodies. Paul begins to wrap things up, asking the Philippians to stay true to the Lord. Their continuing faithfulness to Christ was a deep source of joy to Paul. It was the victors crown for all his hard work. It seems that there was a small dispute in the church and Paul encouraged the two women to work things out. God’s people are called to live in harmony together. Nowhere do we find out the cause of the dispute between Euodia and Syntyche. Paul references his true partner Syzygus, but this can either be a name or a description. Nothing more is known here and nothing more is known about Clement either. Those whose names are written in the book of life are true believers, destined to receive eternal life. Paul called for rejoicing, praying, and thanking. Joy and rejoicing are responses to the Good News. Joy is not dependent on circumstances because joy can be found in anything. Believers need not worry about anything because the Heavenly Father loves His children and cares about their needs. He has invited believers to pray about any and everything. The life of trusting God will bring peace. Paul urged the Philippians to focus on God’s good gifts so that even during suffering and persecution, their lives will be exemplary and their minds and hearts will be filled with peace. Paul taught them everything by word or example about the kind of life God desires. In closing Paul thanked them for their financial support but as a slave for Christ, Paul has learned to be content no matter what. He has been hungry and he has been full. He has been hot and cold. His life was filled with the joy that comes from doing the will of God no matter the cost. And because Paul has made Christ the center of everything he does, he can do anything in the strength of Jesus Christ. Paul relied on Christ’s strength who lived in and worked through him. In fact, the Philippians were the only church that provided Paul any financial support. He was not asking for help. In fact Paul preferred to support himself. Then he was not beholden to anyone but Christ. The gifts that the Philippians had sent by way of Epaphroditus was like a sweet smelling sacrifice. Paul concluded with an expression of praise to God. (Verse 20). Those in Caesar’s household were believers employed in the service of the Roman government, perhaps even those Paul evangelized in prison. They might have been especially close to Paul and concerned for his welfare. Again Paul ended his letter the same way he began, invoking the grace of the lord Jesus Christ in those to whom he writes. Believers depend on God’s Grace to sustain them. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Paul wrote Ephesians sometime between 60-62 AD while he was in prison in Rome. Tychicus delivered the letter. It is quite probable that a number of churches in Asia read this letter, including Ephesus. During Paul’s day Ephesus was a thriving urban center and capital of the province of Asia. She rivaled Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Corinth in importance and her strategic location at the center of trade routes attracted people from all over the known world. In Paul’s day thousands of people from all over the world traveled there to worship in the temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the world. Activities in three gymnasiums, public baths, and a theatre that seated 25,000 people provided some of the local entertainment and recreation. Watch for Paul’s frequent use of the phrase “in Christ” to explain the believers new relationship to the Lord. Note Paul’s systematic enumeration of the many blessings Christians possess in Christ. Look for the clear statement of God’s ultimate purpose for the universe and His plan for the church. Finally notice the word pictures Paul used to describe the church and the importance of unity. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians focuses on two aspects of unity. First, the basis of unity. God’s eternal purpose is evidenced in and accomplished through the church. Christians are chosen to be holy and blameless before God, were created in Christ Jesus to do good works, and have been called to be members of a united household. By His death Christ destroyed every barrier that separated human beings so that believers can have true unity as members of one body. Through the church, the mystery that all believers share a common identity as the one family of God is revealed and fulfilled. Second is the maintaining of unity. Church unity is more than just an ideal. It is a reality to be experienced. Paul gave practical instructions for realizing and maintaining this unity. Old patterns of thinking and behavior, which were characterized by futility, darkness, and sensuality had to be put off. Instead believers were to live in a manner consistent with their salvation in Christ.
Paul is taken up with the overwhelming goodness that God in Christ has showered on believers, and with His amazing plan to unite Gentiles with Jews in a new community, the church, the body of Christ. Though Paul wrote from prison this letter is full of joy, praise, and thanksgiving. It is a fitting reply to the wonder of God’s amazing grace in Christ, poured out in abundance on those chosen to know His love…Gentiles as well as Jews. Paul’s frequent emphasis on the will of God underscores God’s sovereignty in fulfilling His plan. He usually invokes God’s Grace and peace on those to whom he is writing. Grace is undeserved blessing that comes from God’s kindness and peace is a sense of well being and contentedness rooted in the Good News and brought about by the Holy Spirit. Both are gifts from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians is divided into two sections. Chapters 1-3 praise God for his amazing Grace and chapters 4-6 instruct believers on how to live in grateful response. Verses 3-14 finds Paul praising God for all the spiritual blessings He has graciously provided through Jesus Christ for both Gentiles and Jews. This entire section in the Greek is one long complicated sentence; one of the longest in Paul’s letters full of other long sentences. When Paul speaks of spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm he is speaking of what God has done for His people through Jesus Christ to bring people into a saving relationship with Himself. By God’s sovereign initiative God embraces and blesses as His children all those who trust in Christ and they become heirs to all the promises God has made to His people. Believers who once were prisoners of sin are now free from bondage to sin because of Christ’s sacrificial death. When Paul writes about mystery or mysterious will he is referring to a divine truth formerly hidden but now revealed in the Good News. Here it refers to how God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ so that He may be universally recognized and respected as Lord. Ephesians focuses specifically on the inclusion of Gentiles as well as Jews in God’s redeemed people. God will work everything out according to His plan and He has identified you with a seal. Just as a seal in business signifies ownership, the Holy Spirit in a believers life signifies God’s ownership. The Spirit is both God’s guarantee of future blessings and a foretaste of eternal life and power. Paul prayed that his readers might have the spiritual understanding to grasp the full significance of God’s gifts. Confident hope for believers is the anticipation of Christ’s return and His future blessings that they will share. Joined with Christ, believers become joint heirs with Him of all God’s promised blessings. Verse 23 can be a bit tricky. This difficult phrase most likely means that the church, which is the body of Christ, is the full expression of Christ in the world. His presence, which fills the entire universe is reflected in and works through His body. Paul begins chapter two reflecting on the terrible situation of the believers before they believed in Christ and the grace of God that has spared them. We were once dead in our sins because we were under the influence of the evil one and those yet to be converted are still under the control of their sinful natures. And because they still sin they are subject to God’s anger because God hates sin. It is by Gods loving mercy, kindness, and love that those connected to Jesus are saved from the consequences of their sin and they enjoy the benefits of Christ’s resurrection. Verses 8-9 are a concise summary about how a person is saved. It is a cardinal tenet of the Good News that people are made righteous through trust in Christ rather than through their own merit. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. It is for those who trust Christ alone to save them. And as a result, none of us have anything to boast about. Good works are the result, not the cause of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart produces a good life. Paul also focuses on the grace that God has given to the Gentiles, bringing them into the family as well. Paul’s emphasis here on the Gentiles indicates that they may have been experiencing some discrimination from the Jewish Christians. Before their conversion they had no part in God’s people or the covenant promises. Now being united with Christ opens the door for the Gentiles for all the good things of the Lord. And Christ brought them peace. Christ’s death on the cross reconciled humans to God and the Jews to the Gentiles and both are now fully members of God’s family. Apostles are missionary evangelists commissioned by God. Here prophets appear to be New Testament prophets. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets; that is their faithful witness to the saving message of Christ. He is the cornerstone, the most important stone in the building. The first thirteen verses of chapter three involve Paul describing his role in God’s eternal plan: to proclaim God’s Grace to the Gentiles. Paul wrote to the Gentiles while he was in prison for witnessing to the Gentiles! Paul’s understanding of God’s mysterious plan came as God Himself revealed it to him. And God’s plan that has now been revealed to Paul is that the Gentiles are now included in God’s family, the body of Christ, just as the Jews are. They share equally in God’s blessings. Paul speaks of himself as a servant of the Good News, of God, of Christ, of the church, and of the new covenant. But Paul considered himself the least deserving of all God’s people because he was once a persecutor of believers. We can come boldly and confidently into God’s presence, not because of good deeds that we have done but because of Christ’s all sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Paul knows that suffering, as he is, is to be expected and that it works for good in a believers life. As Paul thinks about everything he falls to his knees to pray. He acknowledges that God is the Creator of everything, including every family, angelic or human, gentile or Jew. He is also the source of glorious, unlimited resources that he gladly gives His children. Having Christ make His home in our hearts is the source of spiritual power for life and ministry. The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s Grace and love in Jesus Christ. But this is way too much to fully understand. Paul ends chapter three with a prayer and a doxology. He gives all the glory to God because He deserves nothing less. The mighty power at work in us is the power of the living God that raised Christ from the dead. By that power He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might think or ask because God is at work in the lives of his children. Now we focus on the implications for Christian living. What we will see is that Paul believes that believers lives should be a response of gratitude for God’s Grace. For the Jews and Gentiles, that will play out on how they treat one another in the church. They are called to accept each other just as the Lord accepted them. Salvation can never be earned but believers are to live in a manner worthy of their calling to salvation. Believers are to be Christlike in how they treat others. Verses 4-6 almost sound like they are part of a creed that was a confessed by the early church. All believers, regardless of their background share one Lord and one faith. This means they are to live together in unity. Christ’s one body is the church, and God is present in believers lives. Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. Leading a crowd of captives may refer to Christ’s victory over spiritual powers or to His capture of disobedient sinners and making them believers through the power of the Good News message. The descending probably refers to Christ coming to earth as a baby, leaving heaven and becoming human. In his letters, Paul has four different lists of God’s gifts and none of them is comprehensive. (See also Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28). Here the list is focused on gifts of leadership needed for the growth of the church. Apostles are divinely commissioned missionary evangelists. Prophets speak messages from God for His people. Evangelists proclaim the Good News. Pastors, literally shepherds, care for God’s people. Teachers expound on scripture and God’s truth to the church. God’s gifts are given so that believers will build up the church. It isn’t any different today. We have gifts to help build up the church and make Jesus’s name known too. The goal of ministry is for the whole Christian community to understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply and gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Son. In this way believers will mature in their faith. Once we reach a level of mature faith we won’t be tossed around in the storms of life as much and we will be better able to discern and resist false teachers. But, it is only together that the body will be healthy and growing. Love is the most important factor in Christian growth. Paul gave believers specific guidelines for living a new life in Christ. God’s people are called to a way of life that is different from that of the rest of the world. People in the world are full of darkness. They have no sense of shame. But believers have a new nature. God’s Spirit expresses His life within the believer. The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation. Paul cautions to not let sin and anger control us because anger gives the evil one a foothold. God’s people are to be gentle and gracious, not harsh or angry. And anger must be quickly resolved, not allowed to stew. Believers are called to learn new patterns of speech including how to encourage one another. Forgiving fellow believers is a natural and good response to experiencing God’s forgiving grace in Christ. We are called to imitate God in everything we do. This occurs primarily by expressing love and just as children follow the example of their parents, believers should follow God’s example. God’s people are called to have a holy lifestyle, avoiding the immorality of the world around us. And the speech of God’s people is to be characterized by thankfulness to God. Here we see another of Paul’s lists of things not to engage in. Darkness is ignorance of God and His ways and being dominated by sin. We are called to do what is good, right, and true. The point is to obey God’s will, not just understand it. The light of Christ will illuminate all things; good, bad, or otherwise. Paul also calls all of us to live our lives filled with the Holy Spirit. This will lead to lives filled with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Joyful praise, worship, and giving thanks are fitting responses to God’s saving grace. Singing together builds up the body of Christ and the Lord hears music in our hearts. From 5:21-6:9 Paul gives specific instructions on how believers are to relate to one another in a Christian home. Love and respect are to characterize all relationships in the body of Christ as an expression of believers commitment to the Lord Himself and further submit to one another. This general instruction applies to all three relationships Paul discusses: husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and slaves. For believers, submission is not expressed out of fear or desire for personal gain BUT out of reverence for Christ. Paul states Christian wives are to submit to their husbands showing respect. But just as important Christian husbands are to love their wives. This is not a license to enslave ones wife. Christian marriages become a reflection of the union between the Lord and the church. The husband is to be the head of his wife, treating her like Christ who is the head of the church. Husbands are called to love their wives like Christ loves the church; that is sacrificially for Christ gave up His life for her. The churches sins have been forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice and her life is purified by the Holy Spirit. As a result the church stands holy and without fault before God. Husbands should prize and cherish their wives, for in marriage the two have become one. This unity should motivate the husband to care for his wife. Christian marriages should be marked with love and respect. The relationship between parents and children is to be a reflection of their devotion to the Lord. Christian children are to obey their parents and Christian parents are to discipline their children gently. Children who honor and respect their parents also honor and respect God Himself, and blessings follow. Being unjust often provokes people to anger so discipline should not be excessive but loving and gentle so that children are not turned from the Lord but are drawn to Him. The relationship between slaves and masters is to be shaped by their commit to the Lord and their desire to build one another up in Christ. Christian slaves are to obey their masters and Christian masters are to treat their slaves kindly. Paul isn’t promoting slavery but teaching Christians to live with it as a fact of life. And a reminder that both master and slave have the same master in heaven. Paul’s final words here are to remind the believers of the opposition of the evil one and he urges them to protect themselves with all of God’s armor. It is only by the Lord’s protection that a believer can stand firm against all the strategies of the evil one. Most of our opposition comes from the unseen world of spiritual evil and Christ has authority over that realm. God’s armor gives believers the ability to resist the attacks of the evil one in the time of evil, when evil seems to prevail, and those keep standing firm. Paul used the physical armor worn by Roman soldiers as imagery for the spiritual armor used by believers. Paul’s focus is not on the precise functions of each piece of armor but on God’s gifts. Grounding in Christ and scripture provides protection and the ability to stand your ground. Either the righteousness God credits to those who believe in Christ, or the righteous way of life brought about by the transforming work of the Spirit of God in believers lives we find truth. For shoes put on the peace that comes from the Good News. The focus is letting ones life be governed by the peace that the Good News gives. Faith is trust in Christ as savior or trust in God to meet ones needs in evil times. Paul graphically pictures the nature of temptation to sin as flaming arrows. Protect the mind with the assurance that God had indeed saved and given eternal life to those who believe in Christ. The sword of the Spirit pictures using the Word of God to respond to an attack, either with the Good News or with the spoken or written word of God more generally. He urges the believers to pray at all times in the Spirit. Believers are called to make prayer a way of life. Why? Because the evil one is an ever present danger. Paul closes with some personal words and a benediction that repeats the desires expressed at the beginning of the letter…peace, love, faithfulness , and grace. These qualities highlighted at the beginning of the letter are what Paul most desired for believers..then and now. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Is a person saved by faith alone, or by a combination of faith plus works? Paul’s letter to the Galatians proclaims that salvation is through faith alone. It also emphasizes freedom in the Spirit, knowing that our relationship with God is not based on our performance but in the finished work of Jesus Christ. So we are truly free, not to serve our sinful nature, but to love and serve our Lord and others. There is debate as to when the Book of Galatians was written but many agree that Paul wrote between 48-50 AD. Here are some things to watch out for. Judaizers were Jewish Christians who believed that a number of ceremonial practices of the Old Testament were still binding in the New Testament church. This thorny issue, in various forms, dogged Paul throughout his ministry. And some themes. First, Paul’s apostleship. He vigorously defended his apostolic calling and his gospel. Paul was not trying to protect his wounded reputation as an apostle but he was defending the truth of the gospel as it had been revealed to him by Christ. Next there is salvation by faith alone. Paul’s definition of the truth of the gospel affirms God’s universal grace for all people. In Christ there is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female because all are one in Christ. Justification by faith, a doctrine central to this letter, creates a harmonious community. Third there is legalism versus freedom. Believers do not need to be under the law to lead ethical lives. The Spirit, whom they receive when they believe, empowers them to live the way God wants. The law can neither produce the fruit of the Spirit or restrain people from sinning. It’s function is to identify sin and pronounce God’s judgement. It is through the believers Union with Christ that they are truly set free. This liberation is not freedom to sin, but freedom to serve one another in love. Last, a Spirit empowered life. Believers are not to rely on their own power to live the Christian life. The Spirit led Christian does not live for self but allows the fruit of the Spirit to shine through their everyday activities.
Paul opened his letter defending his apostleship. This was not uncommon unfortunately. He traced his commission to God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead. Because he received authority from Jesus, he had the same authority as all the other apostles. The brothers and sisters are most likely from the church in Antioch of Syria. This was the hub of Paul’s ministry and the earliest center of Gentile Christianity. The churches of Galatia were probably those formed during his first missionary journey, so we are talking about Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch. Verses 4-5 are a summary of the Good Newsand the basis for the rebuke that follows. It might be a creed or a confession of faith that Paul used to remind the Galatians of the message they had earlier embraced. Usually Paul followed his greetings with giving gratitude for his readers…but not here. He found nothing to praise in the Galatian church. They were turning away from the Good News Paul had preached and were instead looking towards the law. Gods had in fact called the Galatians but false teachers were calling them to be circumcised in order to become part of God’s family. This distortion was not the Good News at all; not even close. The Judaizers were twisting the truth concerning Jesus Christ, but Paul reminded them that no one could change the Good News. It is clear Paul is not trying to win the approval of the people. But being Christ’s servant requires fidelity to Christ, regardless of how people respond. These Judaizers were questioning everything Paul had said and done and Paul defended it all. Paul’s message was that people are made right with God by grace through faith, not by obeying the law. The law cannot save. What Paul preached no human taught him. Jewish scholars primarily depended on teachers. The Judaizers accused him of receiving his commission and message from other apostles and then Paul changed it. Paul insisted that he had received the message directly from Jesus Christ. His unique experience gave him distinctive authority and insight. But he learned about Jesus’ life from others who had known Him. To give this argument weight Paul described what his life was like before he encountered Christ. He was a highly successful Jew, and he persecuted the church named for Christ. But Paul was calledspecifically to proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. Again Paul shared that he was taught directly by Jesus Christ and he did not consult with any other human being. He was independent of the other apostles but was still in harmony with them. This is the only place that Paul speaks of his trip to Arabia and it appears his understanding of the Good News was formed at that time. Paul already knew the Old Testament scriptures. He just needed to know Christ. Peter and James had 15 days to speak with Paul about his message, which was in harmony with theirs. Fifteen days was much too short a time for Paul to become dependent on Peter as his mentor, but plenty of time for the content of each man’s preaching to be thoroughly discussed. He was not working under the supervision of the church in Jerusalem but they rejoiced with him because of what the Lord was doing among the Gentiles. During Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem, some 14 years later, the other apostles affirmed his message. The fact that Barnabas was familiar to the Galatians indicates they were evangelized during the first missionary visit. If 2:1-10 correlates with the visit in Acts 11:30 then God might have revealed His will through Agabus’s prophecy and the churches decision to send aid. If Paul had needed the endorsement of the leaders in Jerusalem he would have met with them publicly. Instead they met privatelymeaning no one thought Paul needed any public endorsement. Paul didn’t share his message in Jerusalem for endorsement but to make sure they were all in agreement. No one wanted the church to split into Jewish and Gentile factions. And the Jerusalem leaders didn’t see a need for the Gentile Titus to be circumcised. The false Christians had managed to sneak their way into the proceedings in Jerusalem, trying even there to subvert Paul’s message. By labeling them as false Paul denied that they were Christians at all. These false Jewish Christians had been brought in, indicating that there was an even larger group who were trying to subvert the gospel message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. No one gave into their demands.The Jerusalem apostles had reputations as great leaders, no doubt in part because of their connection to the physical Jesus. But what really mattered was their commission and in that Paul was no different. Paul reminded the Galatians that God didn’t have favorites because favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character. It must have been quite the day as Paul and Barnabas stood with Peter and James, shaking hands making them coworkers in the kingdom. Wow! The mention of helping the poor was already on Paul’s list. He was eager to have the Gentile churches receive offerings to take to Jerusalem to help with the brothers and sisters there. The poverty was crushing in Jerusalem. Eventually there were issues between Paul and Peter and Paul had no trouble calling Peter out. Peter’s actions were inconsistent with what he knew to be true; that God accepts Gentiles by faith, not by keeping the law. Paul opposed Peter to his face because he wanted to keep the Good News from being corrupted. Peter ate with Gentiles and that was consistent with what the Lord had shown him. But the friends of James wanted to reassert Jewish scruples and prevent the free communion between the Jews and Gentiles from continuing. Then he refused to eat with the Gentiles and when it came to the Lord’s Supper, Peter separated Jews and Gentilesand implied that the Jewish observances made them more acceptable to God. Evidently the friends of James intimidated Peter, which seems hard to imagine…Peter being intimidated by anyone. Peter’s actions were inexcusable and his hypocrisy drew other Jewish believers into error regarding the Good News. Paul reminded them that the law plays no role in defining a Christians position before God. Favoring one part of the body over another was a big deal and could not be tolerated or practiced. Some believed the Gentiles were sinners because they didn’t have the law and they couldn’t obey God’s commands. But Paul had told the church in Rome that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The false teachers were claiming that. Paul’s law free Good News would lead to lawlessness, the people would flaunt their sinfulness, and eventually Christ would be seen as leading people into sin. Remember that the law condemns us and the Good News through the power of the Holy Spirit saves us. Christianity does not teach that the body is evil or that we have to escape from this world to have fellowship with God. Instead, by trusting in the Son of God, we fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. Christ’s self giving love makes new life possible. From chapter 3:1-5:12 Paul defends the truth of his message; that a right relationship with God comes by faith in Christ alone; and he proves the fallacy of the message that Gentiles must keep the law in order to be acceptable to God. Paul compares the Galatians spiritual experience with Abraham’s, showing that they were made right with God in the same way…through faith and not the law. Their foolishness was both intellectual and spiritual as they turned away from Christ and put faith in the law. The Galatians were deceived by the false teachers evil spell which took the form of enticing arguments. Paul’s proclamation of the Good News clearly portrayed Christ’s death and explained its significance. The Galatians, like all Christians received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses. Paul questioned the Galatians good sense, asking why If they had received the gift of the Spirit, were they now trying to earn what had already been given to them. Over and over Paul hammers away at making sure the Galatians understood it was faith and not the law that brought salvation. Abraham’s experience showed that faith has always been the basis for a relationship with God and for receiving what God had promised. Gentile Christians, including the Galatians are among the real children of Abraham but only through faith. The scriptures looked forward…by faith Abraham saw the coming of the Messiah. Paul also reminded them that if they chose to follow the law, they would need to keep every bit of it, something none of us can do. Life under the law comes by obeying, not by believing and a right standing with God is impossible on that basis. In contrast with those who depend on the law, those who look to God through faith in Christ, freely receive God’s life and blessings. Christ paid a heavy price to ransom us from the law. And it is Christ, not the law, who has fulfilled the promise and covenant given to Abraham. The seed of Abraham that Paul is speaking of here refers to a single descendant, in this case Christ. And, the inheritance cannot come through keeping the law because that would nullify God’s promise to Abraham, which was by faith, given before the law. The law, given through angels and a mediator…Moses… required an agreement between God and the people. The law was conditional with blessings and curses attached to keeping it or not. In contrast God gave His promise directly to Abraham. He did not use a mediator. The false teachers in Galatia were trying to convince the Galatians that the law could do something it was never intended to do; give new life and make people right with God. There was a big difference between the condition of people under God’s law before Christ and their condition now with Christ. The law was like a guardian. In Greek culture a child’s guardian was like a tutor, often a faithful slave responsible for training and protecting the heir until he came of age. But now we have the way of faith. Those who are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus have come of age as heirs of His promises and have received the down payment of that inheritance. The Galatians were trying to do this through circumcision. But as God’s children by faith they already had the best access to God. We are united with Christ in baptism. Baptism represents death of an old life and birth into a new one and in the new life the law’s curse has no power over us. Everyone comes to Christ and receives God’s promises in exactly the same way. We are all equal and we are all one in the body of Christ. A child inheriting an estate might receive a large fortune but before coming of age the child must obey guardians and trustees until the time set by the father. And before Christ came, God’s people were under the guardianship of the law. God set the right time in history for Christ to come. Christ was fully human, born of a woman, and subject to the law. Christ fulfilled the law so now God’s children have freedom. Christ ransomed us so that He could adopt us. Those who have the Spirit of the Son are now able to address God as Father, just as Christ did. Paul reminded the Galatians of their former paganism, telling them practicing circumcision would be like returning to paganism. But now they know the Lord and why would they want to go backwards? They had also begun celebrating Jewish festivals thinking it would make them more acceptable to the Lord. If the Galatians turned completely, it would negate all the work Paul and Barnabas had accomplished there and the Good News would have done them no good. Paul invited them to live as he did, even when he had first come to them and he was sick. They did not turn him away. Now he feared they would. They had been joyful when Paul had preached to them the first time but now they were slowly fading away and Paul feared he would have to begin all over. The false teachers are eager to win the Galatians over, trying to shut them off from Paul. But they were Paul’s spiritual children and the process of bringing them to faith had been like giving birth, a hard labor but a joyful conclusion. If they continued to grow in Christ, they too would give birth to Christ’s image. But if they followed the false teachers, they would produce a stillbirth. Since Paul was not with the Galatians, but writing a letter, he didn’t know if the tone he was setting was helpful or effective. So he returned to scripture. Now he spoke of Sarah and Hagar. The son of the slave was born to Hagar. This was Ishmael. And the son of the free womanwas also the son of the promise, born of Sarah. This was Isaac. Paul connected Abraham’s human attempt to fulfill God’s promise with that of the Galatians attempting to find salvation in human attempts to keep true law. Both Hagar and Mount Sinai were symbols of Jerusalem which stood for Judaism in Paul’s day. Judaism continued to trust the law and in physical descent from Abraham for their status before God, they rejected Christ and continued to live in slavery to the law. Sarah represents freedom in the heavenly Jerusalem, the ideal city of God. Abraham’s true children by faith now live in the reality of God’s reign in Christ. For Paul, Isaac represents those who are born through God’s promise by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ishmael represents those who believe that human effort by keeping the law will make them acceptable to God. Ishmael persecuted Isaac, the child of the promise. And in Galatia, those who wanted the Christians to keep the law were persecuting those who trusted in God’s promise, the message of God’s grace through faith in Christ alone. At the beginning of chapter five Paul summarizes his message to the Galatians. Christ has truly set us free and we are free to walk by faith in Christ alone. He cautioned the Galatians to not take the yoke. In Judaism it was a duty and an honor to take up the yoke of the law. But God’s children in Christ are not called to bear this heavy burden. Instead they enjoy Christ’s yoke of freedom. The law leads to alienation from God while real righteousness comes to those who live in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The alternative to living by faith in the law is to live by complete reliance on the Spirit to make us pleasing to God. We receive God’s righteousness at our salvation, in an ongoing way through the Spirit’s sanctification, and fully at the resurrection when Christ returns. Faith in Jesus Christ provides access to all of God’s favor and grace, so no further benefit is available through human effort. Faith is expressed by exercising love towards others. The life of faith is like running a race and the law became a hindrance to the Galatians in this race rather than a help. God wasn’t calling the Galatians to slavery in the law but to freedom. Either Paul didn’t know who the false teachers were or by not naming them he gave them no importance. Having shown that justification comes by faith alone Paul now addresses the question of if we don’t keep the law what will guide our conduct? His answer is that righteousness comes from the Spirit. Freedom is not a license to sin because love guides Christians. The whole law can be easily summed up in these words: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The opposite of love is biting and devouring one another. And people who do not love are characterized by strife and bitterness. They will end up destroying each other but love gives life to others. A law free faith will not lead to moral ruin because having the Holy Spirit to guide people’s lives changes their hearts to follow the will of God and not sin. When we are finally resurrected we will finally be freed from sin. Paul likes lists and we have two of them here. The first list is works of the flesh. It is very clear that a basic understanding of right and wrong is universal. Many of the things on this list were connected to pagan worship and practices and they had no place in the life of a Christian, regardless if you started as a Gentile or a Jew. But when we let the Spirit guide us it produces a life pleasing to God. There are nine gifts of the Spirit. Paul is stating the obvious here but also making the point that those who are virtuous by the Spirit do not need the law to govern them. It also appears that the Galatian church was having an issue with factions instead of following the Spirit’s leading. In chapter six Paul outlined how to treat other other Christians with love when they sin. Some of the Galatians were proud of their obedience to the law, or their spiritual freedom and willpower. But those who are godly are not proud of their accomplishments. They humbly help others. All of us are susceptible to the temptation. Carrying one another’s burdens fulfills the law of Christ to love one another. Those with a proud attitude wrongly assume they are too important to help the weak. And if believers carry their own load they will have no occasion to treat anyone else with contempt. Paul reminds the Galatians that they cannot mock the justice of God. He will not be fooled by spiritual pretenses and everyone will harvest the consequences of their actions. Living to please the Spirit is possible only if we are in the Spirits power. Otherwise we are satisfying our own sinful nature. Paul admonishes the believers to not get tired of doing what is good because at just the right time..in other words, God’s time…we will, reap the harvest. This assurance is a source of strength for Christians to continue doing good work. And if we don’t give up God’s promises to believers require their steadfast perseverance in faith. So, our freedom in the Spirit compels us to do good to others in love. Paul took the pen from his secretary and added a postscript in his own handwriting to show that the letter was authentic and to make a final appeal. The false teachers motives were self serving and they were more concerned with their own reputations than serving or honoring God. Paul’s motivation on the other hand was to bring God glory.Paul would boast about the cross, some that was a scandal to the Greeks and Romans who did not believe. The Galatians had missed the point of the Good News, that a new creation had come in Christ by the Spirit, not by human effort. The Galatians were new people of God through Jesus Christ. Nobody had the right to trouble Paul or criticize his message because of his proven status as Christ’s servant. And Paul had the scars to prove it! Paul had many scars of suffering. He prayed at he end as at the beginning. More than the law, the Galatians needed the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with their spirit. In His Grip Pastor Matt W This last section of 2 Corinthians finds Paul defending his ministry as an apostle. And it is written in a different style. The first 9 chapters are full of joy because of the reconciliation of sinners with God and of the Corinthians with Paul. But now Paul is on the defensive. These last chapters are full of harsh words, bitter recriminations, passionate irony, and rebuke. Some see these chapters as a separate letter, maybe even the severe lettersent earlier. It could also be that while the majority of the church members were obedient to the appeal for reconciliation, there was still a rebellious minority to whom Paul addressed these four chapters. There is also a chance that a new situation had come up since Titus had brought back his glowing report of restored harmony. If this is the case it may well be because anti-Paul missionaries had arrived in Corinth and launched a virulent campaign against the apostolic message of Good News. These folks claimed that Paul was no real apostle or even a true Christian and he had no right to come to Corinth with the gospel message since it was territory that belonged to them. They brought an alien message and exercised a domineering spirit. In short, they were doing the evil ones work. Paul, concerned upon hearing of this new situation, reasserted his apostolic authority and engaged in a form of writing that is distasteful to him by boasting of his weakness and trials. Paul’s apostolic authority is real and powerful, but it is conditioned and controlled by the love exhibited by the crucified Jesus.
Paul’s first defense is against the insinuations that he is acting from human motives. They claimed that Paul could write bold letters from afar but in person he was more of a wimp. They mistook his personal kindness and gentleness and love for the people as a sign of weakness. But, they forgot that he carried the authority of Christ. Overlooking ancient Corinth was a hill 1,857 feet high. On top of it was a fortress. Paul used that imagery as an illustration of the spiritual warfare he waged. He destroyed strongholds, cast down towers, and took captives. The fortress,towers, and captives represent the arguments, thoughts, and plans that Paul was opposing. He cast down all of the rationalizations. He took captive to the obedience of Christ every perception and intention of the heart that was against God. Our actions reveal our thoughts. We shouldn’t cling to thoughts that do not conform to the life and teachings of Christ. Paul did not walk according to the flesh or his worldly desires. Instead he conquered the flesh. The rival teachers were evidently claimingto be Christ’s representatives in some superior way that excluded Paul because of his weakness. Here he defines having true authority as distinct from being a domineering authoritarian. His authority was to build up God’s people, not demolish them. But he intended to deal firmly with these rivals when he came to Corinth. Paul’s letters are sometimes difficult and demanding, as other Christians also found. Paul didn’t have a domineering presence, bulldozing people into submission. The earliest descriptions of Paul’s personal appearance depict him as a man of small height, almost bald, with crooked legs, but he had a good body and eyebrows meeting. His nose was hooked, full of Grace, for sometimes he appeared like a man and sometimes he had the face of an angel. Paul was not eloquent like Apollos or even a captivating orator when he came to Corinth. But his message was charged with a power no human rhetoric could command, because it was given in the Holy Spirit. With a bit of snark in his voice, Paul charged his enemies with a false set of values, since they attached such great importance to themselves. The thing about Paul and his fellow apostles is that they did not go outside of the limits God had given them for ministry. Within his boundaries was the church in Corinth. Paul went there because that is where God told him to go. Paul had already decided that he would not minister in a place where someone had already been. He would not enter someone else’s territory. He was the first to travel to Corinth with the Good News of Jesus Christ. His more recent opponents had visited the church much later, so their claim to Corinth as their territory was empty. Paul then quoted Jeremiah the prophet, 9:24, to the effect that all missionaries are directed by the Lord. That means boasting doesn’t count for anything. Only as the Lord praises us for our service can success have any significance. Paul even finds it necessary, though distasteful, to justify his actions because of the close link he claims with the church and because his enemies were enticing the Corinthian believers away from Christ. He takes on an ironic tone in saying, “I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness.” And he again asks with irony for them to please bear with him. Paul loved the Corinthians and was legitimately jealous because he was their spiritual father and he had betrothed them to Christ and wanted to present them as a chaste virgin. He did not want them corrupted by false teachers. The church is called to be a pure bride to one husband…Christ. This metaphor goes back to the Old Testament where Israel is the bride of the Lord. Paul saw himself as the best man who acted for the bridegroom. The false teachers were pulling the Corinthians believers away from pure and undivided devotion to Christ. In this then they are doing the work of the evil one, just as the serpent did in the garden of Eden. These false missionaries in Corinth evidently preached a different Jesus, a different kind of spirit, and a different kind of gospel than the one the Corinthians had believed. It is difficult to know exactly what these false teachers preached. But it is quite possible they were promoting a powerful, dominant Christ and they sidelined the suffering of the cross. They probably saw themselves as equally powerful preachers, exempt from hardship and trial. By contrast, Paul’s message centered in Christ crucified, and Paul’s own sufferings were a mark of true apostleship. The nature of this difference is the heart of Paul’s defense of his apostleship. These false teachers claimed authority as “super apostles” and they despised Paul’s lack of sophisticated eloquence. Paul was preaching God’s Good News without expecting anything in return. His policy as a church planter was to earn his living by his trade of tent making instead of being supported by the new churches. His enemies in Corinth criticized him for this. In Greek thought religious teachers could rightly claim financial support. Paul’s refusal provided his enemies with the argument that his apostleship was counterfeit. However, Paul had accepted contributions from Philippi and that made for inconsistencies in what he was claiming. This made the Corinthians suspicious of his motives and doubtful of his love toward them. Paul’s motive in refusing to accept support from the Corinthians was to show them what true christian service is like in contrast to the ministry of those who were looking for an opportunity to boast. He fiercely condemned the false teachers in Corinth. Although the false teachers wanted to claim their work was just like Paul’s, they were in fact false apostles and deceitful workers. Just as the evil one changed himself into an angel of light to deceive Eve, so his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. The evil one’s servants claim to be God’s servants but their deeds are wicked and their punishment is sure. Paul played the part of the boastful fool so that he may present his true credentials as a suffering apostle. The intruders’ arrogant spirit impels Paul to adopt a style of writing that matches their behavior, all in irony. The Corinthians were proud of their capacity to understand deep religious issues, and they valued teachers who made a pretense of learning. Paul came with a different agenda. The Corinthian church had welcomed the intruders even when they exploited and insulted them. They even saw Paul’s refusal to exploit them as too weak! Rather than boasting about his strengths and successes like the false teachers did, Paul boasts in weakness and defeat, pointing away from himself and toward God. Then comes Paul’s questions. Are they Hebrews? He is too. A Jewish heritage was seen by Paul’s opponents as a qualification for ministry. Are they Israelites? Paul is too. An Israelite was a member of the covenant community by circumcision. Paul had this badge also and was in fact a Pharisee, a most devoted follower of the Torah. Were they descendants of Abraham? So is Paul. This is yet another of Paul’s opponents claims to God’s favor based in ethnic identity. Elsewhere, Paul clarifies who can truly be called Israelites and descendants of Abraham. Here he ironically adopts the erroneous perspective of his opponents to beat them at their own game. However, Paul has served Christ way more than these false teachers. His serving included Christlike sufferings and toils. Some of the difficulties in this litany are recorded in Acts. Paul was also in prison more often. Clement of Rome, one of the early church fathers said that Paul was in prison seven times. Paul listed his punishments here indetail, and Wow. Five times Paul received the 40 lashes minus one. This is the same punishment Jesus received at the hands of the Romans. Three times he was beaten with rods, like we saw in Philippi even though Paul was a Roman citizen and supposedly exempt from this punishment. The web of scars on this man’s back must have been something else. But there was more. He was stoned and left for dead outside town. That happened at Lystra. The only shipwreck we have recorded is the one on the way to Rome but clearly there were three others. When Jesus told Ananias to go visit Saul right after his Damascus road experience remember He said he would show Paul just how much he would have to suffer for His name. Acts 9:16. The Jewish leaders punished Paul as a renegade Jew, and he faced death again and again. But there is more. Not only did Paul suffer physically, he suffered the burden of concern and anxiety for all of the churches he had founded. But no other church gave Paul as much cause for concern as the church in Corinth did. As a final boast of his weakness, Paul tells the story of his escape from Damascus a few years after his conversion. King Aretas IV of Nabataea controlled Damascus only after 37 AD following the death of emperor Tiberius. The mention of Aretas dates Paul’s escape between 37-39 AD at the end of Aretsas’ reign. Paul’s accusers at Corinth leveled the charge that Paul did not have ecstatic spiritual experiences. He was no mystic they said but only a plain person with no impressive gifts. So, even though Paul’s authority did not come from visions and revelations from the Lord, he reveals his secret that he did in fact have such experiences. He used the third person to speak of himself here. This happened some 14 years prior, probably while Paul was in Antioch, somewhere around 42 AD. Paul was caught up to the third heaven. It was common to speak of three heavens. The first heaven was the atmosphere where the birds fly. The second is the place of the sun, moon, and stars. The third heaven is where God dwells.This is the immediate presence of God. Heaven here is called paradise. This experience probably helped Paul endure suffering for the cause of Christ. Paul wasn’t sure whether he was in a trance oractually taken into heaven. But he is sure that he was caught up. He could boast about this but it was no source of confidence in his ministry. He never makes mystical experience a proof of his apostolic authority. His life and message had to be the proof. So he boasted about his weaknesses. There is much speculation about what the thorn in Paul’s flesh really was but no one knows for certain. What we do know is that he was given it to keep him from becoming proud. It was a messenger from the evil one, that is someone or something evil. Paul prayed to the Lord to take this thorn away. But the Lord answered each of Paul’s petitions the same way, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” Paul’s human weakness was an opportunity for the power of Christ to work through him by God’s Grace. Paul accepted his suffering because Christ’s strength showed itself through Paul’s weakness. Again Paul reviewed his apostolic credentials. He continued to play the role of a fool, making proud boasts because his detractors have forced him to do so. Paul too has a commission as an apostle, one sent by God Himself, with all of the signs to validate it. Included in his credentials was his ability to deal patiently with difficult people like the Corinthians. The only thing he failed to do was to take payment for his services. And he asked forgiveness for this wrong. The request is ironic and tongue in cheek. Paul would now come to Corinth for the third time. The first visit was the initial evangelism tour recorded in Acts 18:1-18. The second visit was the painful visit recorded in 2 Corinthians 2:1. Paul contemplates what he hopes will be a happier visit, but there is still, some suspicion and a need to clear the air. He did not want their money. What Paul really wanted was that they would accept his full apostolic authority. That is why he would gladly spend himself for them rather thanaccept payment from them. Some of the Corinthians still believed that Paul had somehow tricked them. Perhaps they were intimating that he was helping himself to the funds for the Jerusalem collection. Paul’s answer to this charge was to remind them of the integrity of Titus and the other brother. Their integrity, along with Paul’s, should debunk these false charges. But the evil one sows seeds of doubt that will make the strongest believer wonder sometimes. Paul is not simply offering a defense of his conduct and motives. He wants to assure his dear friends of his genuine love and Christian service for the well being of the church. He feared he would encounter new rebellion and resistance in his upcoming visit and that they had relapsed back into their old ways. Paul didn’t want to have to rebuke the Corinthians but he would if need be. He was also afraid that the Corinthians would rebuff and humiliate him againas they had on the painful visit. With the last chapter, Paul announced that he would be making a third visit. He found confirmation of his plan in the scriptures, quoting Deuteronomy 19:15. The reason for this quote isn’t entirely clear other than perhaps given the context, Paul wanted to warn the Corinthians that every transgression would be judged on his arrival. The two or three witnesses against the Corinthians offenders were Paul’s letters or visits and the promise of his coming the third time. He reminded them that Christ spoke through Paul. He represented Christ to the congregation and he would exercise God’s power when dealing with them. Paul’s weakness was patterned on the humiliation of Christ, who was crucified in weakness. And his judgement of the Corinthian sinners would be tempered by the constraint of Christ’s love. Paul was weak but he could always draw onChrist’s strength. The issue is clear cut. If the Corinthians cannot recognize that Jesus Christ is living among them, they are theones who have failed the test of genuine faith. They are literally disapproved. There is a play on words here. They were looking for proof of Paul’s apostolic authority but Paul urged them to test themselves, or prove themselves. The lack of Christ’s presence would disprove their authenticity as Christians. But Paul had proved that he has not failed the test. The bottom line here is that no matter what Paul faced, he wanted nothing but the highest good for them. He wanted for them to become matureand strong in their faith. He wanted them to ignore the false teachers, cast them out even. Paul’s motivation is not to be successful but faithful. He patterned his life on Jesus, who looked outwardly weak and an apparent failure, dying on the cross. But Jesus is now victorious and living by the mighty power of God. Paul did not want to have to deal severely with the Corinthians when he arrived. That is one of the reasons for the letter. He wanted to exercise his apostolic authority in a positive way. However, his ministry required him to both tear down and build up. To strengthen the believers was one of Paul’s favorite expressions for a stable Christian community. This is where the Lord lives in and among the believers. The letters conclusion includes Paul final appeal, greetings, and a blessing. One of the things Paul emphasizes is the need to encourage. He asked themto live in harmony, meaning being of the same mind. The sacred kiss was a common Jewish form of salutation, not only a sign of personal affection. It was common in the New Testament church, used in worship perhaps as a means of uniting fellow believers. The word for sacred is the same word translated God’s people, literally the Saints. God’s people here were the believers in Macedonia, where Paul was writing from. He closed his letter with a prayer and blessing. He invoked the triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And he began the blessing with the grace of Jesus Christ. This is because we are always relying on Christ’s sacrificial love which reconciles us to the Father and unites us through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with all fellow believers. The love of God provides for our needs and graciously restores us to His family. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit means our fellowship with the Spirit, who joins Christians together into a unity. In His Grip Pastor Matt W To many modern readers the New Testament seems to portray an extreme view of the Christian life. Believers are called to forfeit their rights, suffer, and even die for the sake of Christ. They are called to turn away from the things of the world that everybody else lives for, and even to despise their life in this world. Add to that, Paul encourages Christians to give up the normal desires for marriage and family and remain single for Christ if they have that spiritual gift. What lies behind such an apparently extreme view of life? For Paul, it is the awareness that believers are claimed by Christ and so belong to Him, body and soul. When Christ died, He bought them for Himself. They must no longer live simply for themselves and their own desires. Having died to their own personal interests, they are called to live entirely for their Lord. For true Christians, obedience to Christ is not an onerous burden, but a way to express their love and loyalty to the one who died for them. For the people of Christ, the whole of life is to be a joyful expression of thanks for the grace God has shown them in Jesus Christ. They gladly yield their lives to serve the one who gave up everything for them. By dying to themselves, they make it possible for Him to live in and through them.
And, nowhere does Paul tell believers that they should defend their rights . On the contrary, he emphasizes that believers must always be willing to give up their rights for the sake of others. Believers are free from the many rules that others feel bound by, but they must always be ready to give up their freedoms if their actions would cause someone else to sin. Defending one’s own personal right is of little value to Paul. Paul, like Jesus sees loving others as one of the most important principles in life. Real Christian love is always sacrificial, like Christ’s own love. Believers ought never to focus on what is best for themselves, but in what is best for others. The sacrificial death of Christ for sinners is the model that reveals the nature of true love. The whole of a believers life is to be an expression of Christ’s sacrificial love. This will never be easy, for it means people must consider themselves dead to their own desires. Different New Testament writers emphasized different aspects of the Holy Spirit’s work. John highlighted the Spirit’s role as teacher and revealer of God’s thoughts and ways. Luke focused on the Spirit’s guidance and power for evangelism, and the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit. But Paul provides a comprehensive view of the Spirit’s work. According to Paul, God gives the Spirit to all who come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The Spirit brings new life in Christ. He affirms believers salvation and their identity as children of God. The Holy Spirit gives Christians power over sin, power to live a fruitful life, and power for ministry. Believers are to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. And though they experience the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, they can please God by yielding to the Spirit’s guidance and power. The Holy Spirit enabled Christians to understand God’s thoughts and ways. He gives spiritual gifts to believers to help the church grow. The Spirit leads and empowers their worship as they use the gifts that the Spirit has given them. TheSpirit guarantees that believers will receive all the blessings that God had promised. The Spirit helps believers and prays for them in their human weakness. The goal of the Spirit’s work is to make them like Christ. Paul viewed the church as the living body of Christ, comprised of believers. Paul made no formal distinction between professional clergy and laity, with the ministry being done by the clergy. The community had leaders, but EVERY believer had a ministry in building up the body. When the early believers gathered together, usually in someone’s home, everyone brought something from God to share with the others. Paul understood God’s Spirit as gifting people for their specific ministries and leading them when they came together for worship. Guided by the Spirit, every believer was to use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church. Paul wanted believers to be sensitive to the empowering of the Spirit in all that they did. When believers meet together, every individual is important and each one has an active role to play. Believers must listen for God speaking His Word, and be prepared to speak it, in all of their relationships. Paul also calls for the others to evaluate what is said. Every believer is a crucial part of the body, called to be actively involved in its growth. Jesus spoke of loving one’s neighbor as the second most important of the Old Testament commandments. Love summarizes the entire Old Testament law. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their failure to show love. Love is the mark of a true follower of Jesus and of an authentic experience of God. For Paul, love is more important than any of the spiritual gifts and, the most important virtue. Love binds all things together in perfect harmony. Without love, ministry has a limited value. Paul summed up the whole of the Christian ethics as faith expressing itself in love. Love is the central ethical expression of the Christian faith, the primary fruit of the Spirit, and one of the most important motif patients for ministry. The most important thing for believers to value and seek is to become a faithfully loving person. And one last thing for today. Paul spent a lot of ministry time in Corinth. He first arrived there in the course of his second missionary journey. The city was ancient even in Paul’s day. It had developed into a strong, well populated economic and urban center from the 500’s BC. Under Roman occupation and influence since Julius Caesar reestablished it in 44 BC, it became a city of fine buildings, shops, theaters , and houses. It’s trade brought much wealth, and the city prospered. Artisans crafted bronze artifacts, pottery, and especially the terra cotta lamps that were well known throughout the ancient world. Agriculture was also key to Corinth’s prosperity. The religious life of Corinth is well attested to in contemporary writings. TheGreek goddess Aphrodite, whom the Romans called Venus, the goddess of beauty, life , and passion, was a popular deity. She had a vast temple up on a hill above the city as a center of prostitution. The moral climate of Corinth was infamously degraded and 2 Corinthians undeniably reflects Paul’s awareness of serious moral problems there. It was into this city that Paul brought the message of Jesus Christ. By God’s Grace and the ministry of his servant, a company of believers was establishedand the new church grew. Paul’s converts, whom he regarded as his children, were a mixed lot, a cross section of cosmopolitan society in this city that was made famous for its pretensions to wisdom and rhetoric, its popular culture, its trade, its two harbors, and its love of life. At the climax of his list of trials Paul wrote, “Then, besides also this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches”. No congregation brought Paulmore concern than the church in Corinth. In His Grip Pastor Matt W We have seen that Paul has some detractors in Corinth. In an effort to win over these disaffected believers at Corinth, Paul appeals to them to listen to him and Timothy as God’s servants and messengers. And he refers to them as God’s partners. Paul is literally saying as we work together. This could be the apostleship team working together or it may mean as they do the Lord’s bidding. Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 here and it serves to clinch the point that God’s offer of salvation could secure reconciliation between Paul and the Corinthians. Their reconciliation with Paul would follow naturally from their true acceptance of the Good News. What follows from Paul is a description of the hardships of his ministry. He lists nine trials, many of which have been recorded in the Book of Acts. Through their steadfast suffering for the Good News, Paul and Timothy showed that they were true ministers of God. He faced suffering with strength that could only come from the Holy Spirit within him. His character as an apostle was often attacked and he and his colleagues were even called imposters. But Paul was honest in spite of people’s attitudes. They must have thought that Paul was a nobody who could be safely ignored, a foolhardy person who ran unnecessary risks that made him as good as dead already. Paul rebuts each of their allegations with insight into spiritual reality.
Paul pleaded with the Corinthians to restore their relationships, and that Paul and company had great love for the Corinthians but this was not being reciprocated. Paul’s heart was open. Would the Corinthians open theirs. And then Paul changes directions! This discussion picks up, again at the beginning of chapter 7. But first there is the issue of the temple of the Living God. Some see this as a diversion while others see a progression and challenge to the Corinthians to forsake their opposition to Paul and his message. Paul was anxious to see relationships restored and he draws a picture of believers in Christ forming a holy temple. Believers’ identity as the temple of God motivates the need for harmony among them as well as separation from the impurity of unbelieving attitudes and behaviors. Paul draws the contrast between Christian and pagan morality with quotations from the Old Testament. Paul’s first warning here is that believers not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. This alludes to the Jewish prohibition of certain mixtures, like two different types of fabric, but Paul is really referring to how the Corinthians had been involving themselves in the idolatrous practices of the pagans. Today we speak of being unequally yoked if a believer marries a a non believer. His next warning is about the evil one whom he refers to as belial. This name means one who is evil, wicked and causes destruction. This is the only place in scripture this is used of the evil one. The word can also mean worthless, or good for nothing. Paul tells all of us that believers together are the temple of the living God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is a reminder of the believers relationship to the Lord and since the Holy Spirit was living in them, they were God’s new dwelling place. Make no mistake, Paul is not encouraging isolation or separation from unbelievers. What he is doing is discouraging any sort of compromise with unbelievers. He was encouraging them to maintain integrity. Paul wanted the church to be a holy people, filled with God’s presence. And because we fear the Lord we should be reverent in the presence of a holy God. He asks again that their relationship be restored, maintaining that he and his traveling companions have done nothing wrong nor have they taken advantage of anyone. Paul had a deep concern for all of the churches which was expressed by a close bond of fellowship. When he was misunderstood, he explained his actions just like he did here with the Corinthians. Even amid the struggles, Paul has confidence in the people, along with great pride. All of his troubles could refer to problems with just the Corinthians or it might refer to his many hardships in general. Either way, Paul is greatly encouraged and filled with joy because of the churches response. This joy leads Paul into a discussion about his recent meeting with Titus, whose presence was a joy when he and Paul met up in Macedonia. Initially Paul had no rest; also translated peace of mind; but only conflicts, battles, and fear. Paul was deeply discouraged, but he received encouragement from God, who encourages those who are discouraged. Titus arrived from Corinth with the News that Paul’s letter had done its work. This was the chief cause of Paul’s joy. Paul admitted that he was sorry at first for sending the letter but that had changed. Now he was not sorry, realizing that the pain had been worthwhile because the severe letter had brought the church in Corinth to repentance. They had rebuked the offending person, maybe even too strongly. Two kinds of sorrow are mentioned here. The first is worldly sorrow that lacks repentance which leads to spiritual death. The second is sorrow that leads us away from sin which leads to salvation as it did in the church in Corinth when they responded positively to Paul’s rebuke. The way the Corinthians had welcomed and obeyed Titus as Paul’s agent endeared the Corinthians to Titus and delighted Paul. The crisis at Corinth was over and Paul had complete confidence that all was well. All along Paul had been optimistic, despite his fears, about the outcome of Titus’s trip to Corinth. Chapters 8-9 revolve around the collection for the Jerusalem church. This relief fund was intended for the poverty stricken Saints in the holy city. Paul had earlier given instructions about this matter and now it was time to collect the funds. He hoped this gift from Gentile congregations to the Jewish church would cement relations between the two groups in the early Christian community. The churches in Macedonia included the church in Philippi, which we know from the Book of Acts and Philippians, was being tested by many troubles and was very poor. Yet they were generous in sending gifts to Paul and in supporting the collection. Titus would start taking up the collection when he returned to Corinth carrying this letter from Paul in Macedonia. Chapter 8:7 is the key verse in Paul’s exposition on Christian giving. The Corinthians had a reputation for spiritual gifts. Now they must be leaders in this gracious act of giving, which is a hallmark of true spirituality. God had been lavish in His goodness to the Corinthians, so they should also be generous to the Jewish believers in their need. This would be recognized as a sign of unity in Christ. The model for generous giving is Christ Himself, who was rich in the Father’s presence yet became poor by accepting a human existence and death on the cross. By that self giving sacrifice, He could make people rich with the blessings of salvation. Paul does not command the Corinthians to give but he is testing their generosity and whether or not they will keep their word. His letter is to be dated at least one year after 1 Corinthians since Paul is speaking about finishing what they had begun the year prior. He reminded then that had plenty and there were those brothers and sisters who had little or nothing. The quote in 8:15 comes from Exodus 16:18. Paul uses this quote to say that there is a mutual responsibility among Christians. Affluent believers like the Corinthians should help poor believers so that all might have enough. Paul was sending two other men back with Titus so that there would be no reason or cause for criticism over the handling of the relief funds they collected. Titus himself was a man of sterling character and one that all the churches praised. He and his companions would ensure that the money was properly handled. The identity of the two men is unknown. Chapter eight ends with Paul saying Titus and the other two bring honor to Christ. The Greek literally says they are the glory of Christ. They are examples of Christians who reflect the Lord’s splendor. There are two motives that reinforce the spirit of giving. Paul wanted them to emulate the Macedonians, who in their poverty had gone over and above what they could give. And, Paul didn’t want to be put to shame after bragging about the Corinthians generosity to the Macedonians. For us today, we are also called to give generously, perhaps even some sacrificially. The best part of all is that God has CHOSEN you and I to give. We get to give out of our thanksgiving for what God had done for us and given to us. We get to be a part of something that is way bigger than ourselves. And what we give is really just us returning to the Lord a portion of what is His anyway. To ensure they timely gathering of the collection at Corinth, Paul would send the delegates in advance to make sure the fight you promised is ready. Paul is holding them accountable for the pledge they had already made. He used the law of the harvest to illustrate his point. If you sow sparingly you will reap sparingly. If you sow bountifully then you will also reap bountifully. Giving is like sowing seed. The amount of the harvest is determined by the amount of seed sown. A farmer who expects a rich harvest must sow many seeds. If we want to effect the kingdom by what we give then we must give accordingly. And remember, EVERYBODY can give something. Otherwise we are telling the Lord we do not trust Him to provide for us in our needs. It is the spirit of giving that counts. Paul says God loves a cheerful giver, but He will take money from a grouch. Cheerfulness in giving is contrasted with giving reluctantly (out of sorrow) or in response to pressure. The quote from Psalm 112:9 reminds us that God, who provides for all human needs, will reward generosity. The Corinthians generosity would be matched by God’s generosity. It would also meet the needs of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. It would honor God, show the believers in Jerusalem that their Gentile brothers and sisters were genuine believers, and result in the Jewish believers intercessory prayer and affection for the Gentile believers. Paul envisioned a united, worldwide Christian church, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles who are all one in Christ Jesus. This would become a powerful witness to the Lord’s work of reconciliation. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Second Corinthians shows Paul taking on the role of a pastor. He desperately wants to win the Corinthians back to himself, convinced that the Good News is above all a message of reconciliation. Paul faced criticism and accusations from fellow Christians who doubted him as a leader. Forced to defend himself, he opened his heart to this congregation to a degree not found in other letters. Paul faced many dangers, including threats to his life, but being falsely accused by Christians he had won for Christ was one of his worst trials. Paul’s example, demonstrating how Christ loves His church is a great source of encouragement and hope to Christian leaders and to their congregation. Just like 1 Corinthians this letter was Paul’s response to diverse situations in the Corinthian church. On the one hand, they had heeded his rebukes in several areas and he wanted to share his relief and thanks. But on the other hand, he found it necessary to encourage the Corinthian believers to avoid being yoked with unbelievers. And he wanted to rebuke those who had submitted to the religious tyranny of the “super apostles”. He also wanted to teach these believers the true nature of Christian ministry, and encourage their generosity. In short, Paul was continuing the work of trying to bring his church to maturity and stability. In Paul’s day the term reconciliation was also a secular word, a diplomatic term actually. It referred to the harmony established between enemies by peace treaties. Here are three themes to watch for as you read. First, the ministry of reconciliation. Paul’s love for the Corinthians was evidenced by his joy at their repentance and renewed commitment to him, his pride in them, and his hope for their future. Paul’s desire and goal was was reconciliation; between himself and the Corinthians, among the Corinthian church members themselves, and most important, between God and human beings. Second he addressed generosity in giving. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to renew their commitment to the collection of the offering for the believers in Jerusalem. He taught that charity is an act of obedience, resulting in eternal reward and bringing glory to God. It seems that God often rewards magnanimity with material abundance to make additional generosity possible. Third, Paul spent some time defending his apostleship. Some in the Corinthian church had become alienated from Paul by the presence and influence of boastful rivals. Paul defended himself and his apostleship and made a fervent appeal for them to renew their commitment to him. The breach between Paul and some Corinthians was not simply over theological issues but had its roots in Corinthian cultural mores that clashed with Christian values. So, here we go!
Letters in the first century usually began by mentioning the writers name and that of the persons being addressed, followed by a greeting. Paul follows this pattern here. He highlights his calling as an apostle. His status as God’s appointed agent for establishing the church had been challenged at Corinth. Paul also added prayers for the Corinthians peace and an added measure of God’s Grace. The beginning here is almost worshipful as Paul breaks into a hymn of praise. He is glad that in spite of many troubles that have weighed upon him he has special comfort from God. And, he has been been rescued from death in the province of Asia. He continues by sharing that our purpose of suffering is to qualify Christ’s servants to enter sympathetically into the experience of others. Paul is not an aloof pastor, remote from the people to whom he ministers. His sharing in their troubles and offering encouragement promotes their spiritual well being. Brothers and sisters are terms of affection used to address members of the same family, here the family of faith. There is no sure and certain record of what Paul’s challenges in Asia were though there are several theories. There was a riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). Paul may have been tried in civil court and faced the prospect of execution. He may have suffered an acute life threatening illness. Whatever it was, the weight of it was unbelievably heavy and only by the Grace of God did he and his companions survive. Paul’s travel plans and his unfulfilled promise of a visit to Corinth were criticized. He was a charged with being fickle like people off the world who say yes but they really mean no. Because his plans changed Paul would not be able to bring a double blessing to the Corinthians. He would only make one visit. The criticism he received made him indignant. It was bad enough that Paul’s enemies at Corinth had attacked his character as unreliable and shifty. It was even worse when they charged that his entire message was just as uncertain. His preaching was not yes and no at the same time. It was not inconsistent or contradictory either. Paul’s preaching reflected the truthfulness and faithfulness of God because his teaching was based on the scriptures and the teachings of Christ. Paul’s ministry was literally commissioned by and endorsed by God, who equipped him for this work. And, calling God as his witness was the equivalent of a mild oath to show Paul was telling the truth. The real reason for the change in Paul’s travel plans was to spare them from a severe rebuke and not inflict another painful visit on them. Paul previous visit had been extremely painful and had caused him great distress. This visit is not recorded in Acts but it seemingly occurred during Paul’s three year ministry in Ephesus. During that visit Paul severely rebuked the church, but was insulted by an unnamed man. After that visit Paul wrote the Corinthians a letter with great anguish and many tears that was intended for the Corinthians good. That letter has evidently been lost. However, it was effective in bringing about the needed repentance and change. Verses 5-11 are the outcome of Paul’s earlier visit and the insult he received. Following Paul’s severe but tearful letter, the church condemned the behavior of the man who caused all of the trouble, and they disciplined him. He repented so now it was time to comfort and forgive him as Paul had already done. If we exercise forgiveness, as Paul did then the evil one will not outsmart us by making us either too lax over sin or too rigorous in punishing offenders. After the riots at Ephesus Paul went to the seaport of Troas. He was impatient to get news from Titus about the result of the severe but tearful letter, and he crossed over to Macedonia in northern Greece to find him. At 2:14 the story about finding Titus broke off and Paul went on to discuss his ministry as an apostle proclaiming the Good News. This lasts until 7:4. Like captives in a Roman generals celebration March, Paul was in Christ’s triumphal procession, carrying the willing marks of servitude. Incense was scattered along the parade route of a victorious Roman general, and it was received in one of two ways. For the captives who were on their way to death in the arena it was a dreadful smell of doom and death. For the victors it was a life giving perfume. So it is with the lives of those who proclaim the Good News, which either leads to eternal life or seals the fate of the person who rejects it. Paul contrasts his service with that of his opponents. They preach for personal profit and adulterate the truth, like merchants in Paul’s day who offered shoddy goods, or innkeepers who watered down the wine. By contrast Paul preached with sincerity and with Christ’s authority. Paul’s denial of mercenary motives re-emerges in 11:1-12:21. Paul’s ministry was validated by the lives of those who were changed by the Good News rather than by a letter of recommendation. Christ, the author of this transformation used Paul to lead believers to Him. The marks of genuineness are not in letters written with pen and ink on parchment, but the fruit of the Spirit in human lives and carved in human hearts. The old written covenant is the religion of Moses as interpreted by Jewish rabbis. It ends in death for adherents who see it as a way of salvation. The law is good but those who use it to gain merit fail. It leads either to pride or transgression but either way the law brings condemnation. The old covenant had its moments of glory, like when Moses’ face shown from his meeting with God. But the old way has been replaced by the new way, which is eternal. The old covenant represented by Moses’ veil, led to fear and did not remove spiritual blindness. But the believer who turns to the Lord had freedom in the Spirit. We receive something Moses never knew as we become more and more like Christ and reflect the glory of God. Divine glory in this present life leads to our being like Christ in the next life. This new way or ministry shows us God’s mercy. Paul felt privileged to have the ministry of sharing the message of the Good News. Paul’s ministry was marked by honesty, unlike some other preachers. The Good News divides people into two categories. There are those who remain in darkness, and those who are enlightened by God. God’s action in bringing people to Himself is a movement from a realm governed by darkness to the light of God’s presence. But, the god of this world otherwise known as the prince of darkness, fights against the change that the Good News brings to people’s hearts and minds. Paul doesn’t go around preaching about himself. He preaches only that Jesus Christ is Lord. The message of the Good News is like a great treasure but it is housed in fragile clay jars. So a couple of thoughts here. In the ancient world treasures and valuables were often concealed in clay jars. These jars had very little to no value or beauty in and of themselves and they did not attract attention. Here they represent Paul’s human frailty and unworthiness. Paul may also mean that the fragile clay jars are our weak bodies. All of this to remind us yet again that we have no power within ourselves. All power we have comes from the Lord. Believers often share the humiliation of the Lord with confidence that they will also share in His triumphant risen life. Through this life of danger and exposure to mortal peril, Paul was reinforcing the faith of the Christians in the churches that he founded. The secret of Paul’s resilience was in the same kind of faith the Psalmist had, which is centered in the living Lord. The call to endurance here is given with a reminder of what is in store in the future. The human body is in the process of dying in the normal course of growing old, and Paul was particularly worn away physically and emotionally. Yet, he was being renewed every day. His spirit’s life was being rejuvenated and revitalized by the power of God. Paul encouraged all of us that we do not look at the troubles we can see now but instead we fix our eyes on things which cannot be seen. Because the things we can actually see right now will not last but the things we cannot see will last forever. Looking at current troubles may well make us grow faint but when we see our lives in light of eternal reality, we know that our troubles will soon be gone. The prospect of eternal hope is bright with heavenly bodies replacing the dying bodies of this present life. The God of resurrection will also raise us and present us to Himself with all believers. The immediate stimulus for this statement of resurrection hope was what Paul had to face in Ephesus. The frailty of his body reminded him of what lies beyond death, when this earthly tent we live in, that is our earthly bodies, will be taken down in death and dissolution. Many long to put on their heavenly bodies. This isn’t a death wish. Paul was longing for the Lord’s return when he would give new bodies to His people. Our hope for future resurrection can only be known by faith. But we do have Jesus’ own resurrection and the presence of the Holy Spirit as evidence of what is to come. The goal of the present life is to please Him. This ambition will be tested when we stand before Christ to be judged. The judge is also our advocate, so we are confident of acquittal. However, actions done in this earthly body will be assessed and called to account. From 5:11-7:4 Paul explains the main theme of His message which is reconciliation. This is the turning of enemies into friends and the restoration of relationships. Paul’s thinking is rooted in what God has done through Christ to reconcile sinners to himself. This exposition is framed by a defense of his own ministry and an application of his message to the situation in Corinth. One motive of Paul’s ministry is fearful responsibility to the Lord. This isn’t a cringing dread but a healthy reverence. Paul’s opponents bragged about having a spectacular ministry outwardly but they didn’t have a sincere heart. He continued “if it seems like we are crazy…it is to bring glory to God”. This statement might imply a charge on Paul’s previous visit to Corinth that he was out of his mind when he proclaimed the simple Good News at Corinth. Paul’s doctrine of reconciliation arises from his conviction that Christ died for all believers, that in Christ believers also die to sin and self, and all believers should live for Christ. The new life in Christ leads to a fresh evaluation of other people and of Christ. Christ’s love controls us. This could refer to either believers love for Christ or more likely Christ’s love for us which urges believers on in making Christ known through their service. Paul admits that there was a time when they looked at Christ from a merely human point of view. Perhaps this comes from Paul reflecting on his belief at one time as a Pharisee that the Messiah would come to set the Jews from from political oppression. Now Paul and company know Jesus in a very different way. Christ rose from the dead, ushered in new creation, and was established as the redeemer from sin and Lord of the universe. God entrusts His servants the message and ministry of reconciliation through Christ. God has given us this task of reconciling people. Paul is speaking of his own ministry here but sharing the great news of Jesus Christ is the responsibility of all believers. Christ’s ambassadors call people to accept what God has done so they can be made right with God through Christ. Christ paid the penalty for people’s sins in order to take away all that stood between God and humans and to make us right with God. The great privilege of believers is to be Christ’s ambassadors. God is making His appeal through us and there is no plan B. Paul does not say he speaks for God but instead, God speaks His word through us. Christ’s redeeming work for sinners opens the way for them to come back to God and be reconciled to Him. Christian witness has this appeal at its heart. Paul was also appealing to the rebellious Corinthians to come over to his side. Christ became the offering for our sin on the cross when He took sin’s penalty on Himself and dies a criminals death. He did this, though He Himself never sinned. He did this so that we would be made right with God. Being in a right relationship with God means that we are accepted by God. And that is Good News! In His Grip Pastor Matt W |