Archive for 2009
2nd Corinthians – The Holy Glory of God
The all-holy glory of our Triune God is weighty and substantial, never ”fluffy.” To illustrate this, one can look to Moses’ veiled, radiant face after having seen God’s glory. Paul takes up this image of veils and radiant glory in chapter three. He also contrasts the ”dispensation of death” with the ”dispensation of the Spirit”…
Read More2nd Corinthians – Covenant, Law, and Life in the Spirit
Paul discusses two main ideas in chapter three. First, he discusses the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Second, he explains the principle of living in the spirit. The dynamic church of Corinth contains bona fide Christians with numerous spiritual gifts, however troublesome they may be for Paul. Analyzing his interaction with…
Read More2nd Corinthians – Chapter Two
Paul transitions from the first to the second chapter of Second Corinthians by finalizing his account of the pastoral role he has as an apostle. Masterfully illustrated by his actions, the Godly pastor is one who ever acts with the mind, heart and soul of Christ Himself. Even while conducting administrative endeavors like payroll and…
Read More2nd Corinthians – Pastoring the Corinthians
Though the constitution of the Church cannot change, the Corinthian church is extraordinarily different than the average American parish. An community of converts founded by Paul himself, the factionalism among those Christians in this multicultural trade hub presented the apostle, Timothy, and Titus with a series of daunting pastoral challenges. The first chapter of Second…
Read More2nd Corinthians – Suffering and Christ’s Comforts
Paul establishes both his apostolic leadership and the Church’s universality in the first verse of his Second Epistle to the Corinthians. What he writes to Corinth will be read not only in that city, but also in the various churches throughout Achaia. The second item within the epistle is a prayer of thanksgiving and an…
Read More2nd Corinthians – Beginning the Second Corinthian Epistle
In order to properly understand Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthian Church, one must bear in mind a number of items. Chronologically, it is likely that the Second epistle was written just months after the First. An exceedingly intriguing epistle, it showcases Paul’s life and personality in a way unparalleled among his other works. One…
Read More1st Corinthians – Conclusion
Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians contains a number of key themes that a reader might overlook. The fact that so few lay Catholics in America deliberately choose celibacy is a sign of a worldly church. Marriage was, is, and will always be a wonderful vocation, but many early lay Christians chose celibacy as an…
Read More1st Corinthians – Reflections and Questions
Paul’s great pastoral epistle is especially instructive for the Church in modern America. Written to a Church often beset by infighting, immorality, and individualism, the timeless messages of forbearance, freedom from sin, and fellowship are a much-needed salve. These final inquiries into First Corinthians revisit the issues of how bad the Corinthian Church really was,…
Read More1st Corinthians – Closing the Letter
In chapter one, Paul introduces himself as an encouraging father. Chapter two shows a more corrective side, outlining the immaturity of the Corinthian community. He highlights their faults even more centrally throughout chapter three. By the end of the letter, he establishes himself as an honorable father who will ever speak honestly to his children,…
Read More1st Corinthians – Chapter 16 and Review
This chapter describes a wide-spread collection of funds for the Church in Jerusalem. Giving sacrificially for Christ – who gave Himself for the human race – was ever on the mind of these early Christians who always gave well beyond the 10% tithing requirement. Tithe money never paid for ecclesial luxuries, but for pressing needs…
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