Tag: 1 Corinthians

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God’s Calling in 1 Corinthians 1

Calling on Jesus

Exciting discussion occurred around my breakfast table this morning–which is a relative term since I’m not that excitable early in the day. But my wife and I were talking about the different ways to translate the opening lines, and in particular, the way in which the word “call” or “called” is used.

In this week’s reading I counted four instances of the word and three of them fall in the first two verses. From the ESV here are verses with the words bolded:

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes.
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…

Ken Bailey translates this differently, keeping the calling as something God does throughout, which changes the last phrase to:

…Together with all those who are called by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This use of “called” is not quite the way someone is “called” Harry in the UK (ie. the way we use “named” in the US). But according to Bailey, it’s not so far off. Being called by the name of Jesus is an action that claims us as belonging not to ourselves, but to our Lord Jesus Christ, for “God’s name is called upon the things that belong to God, be they objects like temples, or people.”1

Either way, the calling is a meaningful action. It is God’s calling to himself a people, calling them to be his own in Jesus Christ. This is God’s action, graciously taking a divided, sinful people and making them into his church. This is God finding a villain to the early disciples, Saul, and calling him to now be an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul. It is God calling us to take part in the story of Jesus Christ.

Whether one translation is better than the other does not keep us from seeing that in these verses we find that our identity is founded in Jesus Christ and thanks be to God for such a call. Paul wants our attention turned to Jesus and his opening is all about Jesus–just take note of how often his name is repeated in this chapter. And now we are to be about him and our calling on him is all it takes to bind the church in Corinth with saints in every place. This introduction reminds us that it is less about us and more about the one who has called us, sanctifies us, and blesses us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

  1. Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 60. ↩

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To Whom Was Paul Writing?

The opening of 1 Corinthians sets the stage for what will follow in Paul’s letter. [1] This is not unique to this letter, but is often how Paul works. So it is good to spend this week making sure we’re on the same page before we digest any more.

One key question, which may sound obvious, is, “To whom is this letter addressed?” Is it simply to the “church of God in Corinth”? If so, is this letter very limited in its application to just the pastoral setting of that one church in that one city long ago?

Or is this letter to this church, and in response to its needs, as well as to “all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”? Is Paul addressing the Church (big C) as he addresses this Corinthian church (little C)? Because if he is, then his intent is larger and his teaching more dynamic as it applies even to us today, living centuries later.

Some scholars take the first view and see 1 Corinthians as an “occasional” letter very much written in response to the particulars of Corinth and its people. One commentary I’m using in studying this book is Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes by Ken Bailey and he offers an alternative. He doesn’t think Paul was quickly jumping from thought to thought as he addressed the particulars of Corinth–the issues he heard either by letter or word of mouth. Rather he sees a well-organized structure to 1 Corinthians and that the questions of Corinth are fit into Paul’s outline, and not that his outline is based first on their questions.[2]

Understanding a broader audience for Paul, we are now able to continue into the letter keeping our eyes open to what he wants this church, and all churches to understand and believe about our Lord Jesus Christ.

  1. This is why I’ve made the opening lines our memory verse. While others may pack more punch, the opening lines will benefit us throughout our reading. I posted this a week or so back, but this visualization may help you to memorize: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 ↩

  2. Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians., 23-26. ↩

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1 Corinthians in Focus

After taking some time to investigate what is next for Year in the Bible, I decided I wanted to slow things down a bit. Reading through the Bible with many of you last year was a fantastic experience, and I know that I learned a great deal. But how often did we wish we had more time to sit and pray over certain passages? We gained much by reading everything–we now have a great breadth of knowledge. But now we’ll change our approach. Our next reading plan will focus on depth.

Rather than read 20 plus chapters a week, we’ll be reading around 20 verses. From June through October you are invited to read 1 Corinthians.

We will slowly go through Paul’s letter to Corinth and its sixteen chapters that deal with the cross of Jesus Christ, the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts, sex, love, resurrection, and more. Given the slower pace and the ability to read such short passages quickly, we will try new ways to keep the Bible in front of us for these months. The website – YearInTheBible.com – will again provide tools, tips, and insights, and I hope to have memorization play a role this time. Also, given its short length, this reading plan can easily be added on to whatever current plan you may have.

In this last year I heard how helpful it is to have some plan to guide our reading, and I think this will be another enriching time to join others in the church and learn from God in his Word.

Teaser poster

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Finishing strong in Quarter Two

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Today I had the privilege to worship with a another congregation in Charleston, SC and for the second time in a row, I found another church doing some sort of Bible reading in a year plan. I was at another church in Georgia doing a year in the New Testament and this one was just beginning today a year in the Bible, based off a book called The Story. There must be something in the water that we southeastern pastors are drinking. But whatever the reason, it excites me to be around others who are diving into God’s Word because they see they exceeding value of meeting him there.

This week we will finish 1 Corinthians and the Minor Prophets. It is the last week of the summer quarter so keep with it and finish strong. I would also recommend flipping back through all you’ve read these last months. I think it will encouraging to see all that God has shown you in these books.

We will have our own review, as well, coming up Wednesday, September 26, at 6 pm. Love to have you come out for a free meal. Invite a friend even. I welcome the planning headache you’ll cause if lots people come (and RSVP!).

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To some, being a Christian will be like wearing a dunce cap

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We talked a great deal tonight in our Reading Group about 1 Corinthians 1. It is our focus passage for the week and in it Paul talks of the foolishness of the cross in the eyes of the world. Conversation went in all directions so we did not make it through all the prepared questions, so I had to ask one question as we parted. (By the way, that’s my favorite way for conversation to go).

The cross is foolishness to others, so how do we prepare ourselves to be seen as fools because of it? I know I try avoid appearing stupid, dumb, foolish (toss in your favorite synonym). But, if I serve a crucified Christ, I won’t be able to avoid being seen that way.

Do I care more about how I’m perceived? Do I want to look smart more than I want to look like a fool for Christ? I think in certain circles we Christians want to appear to have all the answers and be seen as wise. While we shouldn’t seek to be ignorant or unwise, that cannot be our greatest pursuit. The cross of Christ is utter foolishness to the world and no matter how we phrase it, the cross will be a stumbling block and folly to a great many.

We just need to find ourselves more comfortable resting in the wisdom and power of God than vainly struggling to muster strength and smarts of our own. How others see me is nothing compared to knowing and being known by God.

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If You Do Just One Thing Today

If you do only one thing today, make sure you are able to share with someone why Good Friday is Good.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1