I Corinthians 7:1-16 Paul, on giving instructions… The Corinthians have apparently asked Paul some questions that he answers, often beginning with the phrase, “Now concerning…”. That phrase occurs six times in this letter (I Cor. 7:1,25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1,25). In today’s reading he gives his advice in three different manners. In verses 6 and 8 …
Author Archives: Fred
April 25 / I Cor. 6:12-20
I Corinthians 6:12-20 All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (v. 12b) I like that ESV translation of this verse – dominated! We could easily translate the concept of addiction to these few words, but we all too often think of addiction in terms of “bad” things – …
April 24 / I Cor. 6:1-11
I Corinthians 6:1-11 RTB 2020!! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (v. 11) Here’s a triad that I love – not just a “three things” item, but three words that flow nicely together (consecutively even): washed …
April 23 / I Cor. 5:1-13
I Corinthians 5:1-13 To me this is one of the stranger chapters in all of Scripture, that “…a man has his father’s wife.” At first it brings questions. Paul writes “father’s wife”, not “mother”. So we presume that it must be his stepmother. But then, a second question – is the father still alive? If …
April 22 / I Cor. 4:14-21
I Corinthians 4:14-21 Just a couple of small items… I had mentioned before that there are a number of occasions where Paul urges his followers to imitate him. We see another “imitate me” today in verse 16. Paul may be reflecting back to the Corinthians’ divisiveness (“of Paul”, “of Apollos”, etc.), but I doubt that …
April 21 / I Cor. 4:1-13
I Corinthians 4:1-13 Today we have an eye-awakening verse: For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. (v. 4) We have a time of confession every Sunday, whether it’s Morning Prayer (as it has been most often recently) or a Eucharistic …
April 20 / I Cor. 3:16-23
I Corinthians 3:16-23 I was confused a bit with verse 16: Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? At first glance it seems clear enough with no further explanation. That verse harkened me forward to another verse from a few years back (as I recall someone …
April 19 / I Cor. 3:1-15
I Corinthians 3:1-15 Paul says in verse 6: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. Paul was the person who introduced the Corinthians to Jesus. Apollos came later, after he had been at Ephesus, then came across the Aegean sea to minister at Corinth. He was building on Paul’s work, not disputing it. …
April 18 / I Cor. 2:1-16
I Corinthians 2:1-16 Paul is pretty hard on himself as to his testimonies to the Corinthians: …in weakness and in fear and much trembling… (v. 3b). I’m guessing that he is recalling his early testimonies to them, when he had just come from Athens, where skilled oration and elocution were the standard among the learned …
April 17 / I Cor. 1:18-31
I Corinthians 1:18-31 Paul is full of triads in today’s reading. See verse 20: Where is… Where is… Where is…? See verse 26: Not many… Not many… Not many… And verses 27 and 28: But God chose… God chose… God chose… Fun! It is interesting that Paul decries the wise, the wisdom of the world …