II Corinthians 1:1-11

Affliction, suffering, burden, despair, peril, death… Deliverance, comfort, salvation!! There is really only one message in these few verses today. God is a God of deliverance, of comfort, of salvation! No matter our circumstances, He is there for us – and He wants us to be there for others. Whether we are up or down, we can be a comfort to others. It’s not always easy, but it’s what He wants from us! And in this more difficult time in which we now live, it’s more important than ever to comfort and encourage those around us. Make your life a “comfort zone” for others!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 19:23-20:1

So yes, it’s a strange reading schedule – one day’s reading of 20 verses in Acts between Paul’s two Corinthian letters. This is the pattern that they have in our Chronological Bible that I’ve been using the past two years and I have not seen fit to change it (much). However, this Acts reading really does fit here. All of Acts chapter 19 to this point has had Paul at Ephesus, from where he wrote I Corinthians. Now in today’s reading we see this “riot in Ephesus”, with the riot followed by that one verse (20:1) where Paul departs for Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, etc.). Although scholars differ on the makeup of II Corinthians, as to whether it is really one letter or a compilation of pieces from different letters, there is more general agreement that he wrote at least part of II Corinthians from Macedonia. So that’s why we have these 20 verses from Acts inserted here – Paul leaves Ephesus bound for Macedonia.

But even Paul’s trip to Macedonia is not without controversy, this time in Paul’s own mind. Sometime in the next few days we will read Paul telling the Corinthians that he had initially planned to visit them, then go to Macedonia, then return to them again (see II Corinthians 1:15-16). But evidently he changed his plans so that he could have one long visit with them (after Macedonia) instead of two shorter visits. So again, as Acts 20:1 tells us, Paul leaves Ephesus headed to Macedonia. The very next verse finds him in Greece (Athens, Corinth, etc.) after a short Macedonian visit. A small, intriguing item is found a few verses prior to today’s reading: Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem… (v. 21a) Paul “…resolved in the Spirit…” That is, in these few words we see Paul changing his mind (as noted above), but not just “changing his mind” – he was “Spirit-led” to do so!

There’s a lot going on in today’s reading about this riot. Paul wants to venture into this riotous crowd, but not only his disciples, but also some leading Gentile authorities convince him not to do so. Then a Jew named Alexander wants to speak to the crowd, but he is shouted down. So, one asks, why would this Jew want to speak to the crowd? Was he going to defend the Christians against this pagan crowd? Or was he wanting to further incite the crowd against these Christians? We’ll never know! But the Jews were also not followers of Artemis, so Alexander himself is fully rejected by the crowd. Finally, reason wins out in the voice of the town clerk and order is restored. Carol and I visited Ephesus in 2017 and tried to imagine the location of that riot, tried to imagine the crowd and Paul and his friends. Fun.

OK, now back to Corinthian letters…

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 16:13-24

Depending on your translation, verse 22b will say either “Maranatha” or “O Lord, come” or “Our Lord, come.” I had noted two days ago that many commentators felt that Paul was expecting Jesus’ imminent return. Now he closes with this greeting. My Study Bible noted Paul’s expectation in its comment on this verse.

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. (vv. 17-18a) It’s not really a comment on this verse, but something of a reality for the present moment. Paul was “refreshed” to have these three visitors. During our current pandemic, I suspect that there are many from our congregation who might also be “refreshed” by a phone call from someone in the church. Our Vestry and Staff are already making these calls, ideally to everyone in our congregation, but it would probably also be a blessing to anyone to also get a note from someone else. And, visits are not prohibited! Make a phone call – invite someone over or invite yourself over to their place; take some cookies; keep your distance; enjoy your time together! Just a thought…!

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 16:1-12

…so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go… (v. 6b) and Help him on his way in peace… (v. 11b) These statements seem unusual for Paul to write. Typically he is telling his listeners that he is self-sufficient, that he is not a burden to the church, that he works alongside them. But now he is asking for their support for himself and for Timothy. Maybe it was earlier in his ministry that he was being more self-sufficient and he has found out over time that he is more useful to the Lord when he is preaching than when he is tent-making. Just wondering…

Years ago I was Assistant Treasurer for the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington when Bishop Sauls appointed me to a group that he called the Mission Funding Task Force. Our objective was to evaluate how the local congregations should fund the Diocese. We gathered data and worked through our findings and wrote it up. I don’t need to go into details about our work or our findings, but there was one thing that I learned during my time on that Task Force. There were two Episcopal priests on that committee and three or four other lay Episcopalians. As we looked for guidance from “outside”, essentially where to begin before we started looking at the data, different people (especially one of the priests) did their research and reported back. As I listened, no one talked about the “collection for the saints” (v. 1 in today’s reading). Paul talks about it in his Thessalonian letters and his Corinthian letters and Luke writes about it in Acts. When I brought up this “collection” as a model for the parishes supporting the Diocese, no one knew what I was talking about, not even the priests! I daresay that the priests that we have known in the Anglican Church would have been right there with me, quickly accessing chapter and verse for inclusion in our report. Bottom line: where our Anglican clergy are trained is important – Asbury, Pittsburgh, Nashotah House – when our Anglican priests are trained they come away Bible-literate. And as my wife is prone to say, “And that’s a good thing!”

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 15:50-58

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep… (v. 51a) Many commentators have written that Paul was expecting Jesus’ return to come in the near future, but clearly that didn’t happen. But I agree with the commentators. I think this verse is one of the strongest that he makes in support of that expectation.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (v. 56) It’s not immediately clear what Paul is saying in this verse. It helps to reverse the two statements connected by the conjunction “and”. It also helps to “invert” each statement. Paul has done this very thing for us when he wrote to the Romans. Here are two verses that re-state verse 56 above. For by works of the Law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20) And For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23a) I think these two verses together clarify verse 56.

A good closing thought: Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (v. 58)

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 15:35-49

What a delightful passage to read! Paul makes so many comparisons, mostly one-to-one but also men-beasts-birds-fish and sun-moon-stars. But what I really love are his pairings: perishable-imperishable; dishonor-honor; weakness-power; natural-spiritual; soul-spirit; earthly-heavenly. Very well written, St. Paul!!

You fool! (v. 36a) Paul is pretty hard on the Corinthians. I thought they had a reasonable question – what will we be like when we are raised from the dead? I am reminded of Paul’s earlier chastisement of the Galatians: O foolish Galatians…! (Galatians 3:1) But to the current point… I wonder how we will know people that we have known in our lifetime. For example, there are thousands of people that I have met in my lifetime, some of whom I haven’t seen for 30, 40, 50, 60 years. I wouldn’t even recognize them today. But if I see them in Heaven, I believe that I would know them – from when I knew them, back whenever! That is, even though my Army buddies had changed over the 50 years since I knew them when they were young, I believe that I would still see them as they were back then and they would see me as I was back then. At any rate, that’s what I think! Blessings, y’all!

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 15:20-34

I will venture where I don’t belong, theology over my head! …what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? (v. 29) “…baptized on behalf of the dead…” What’s this all about? My Study Bible says that the jury is still out among Bible scholars, that we’ll never know in our lifetime. I am not a scholar of world religions, but I understand that the Mormons regularly have themselves baptized on behalf of the dead. I presume they draw their theology and practice from this verse. Evidently Joseph Smith in 1840 read from I Corinthians 15 at a funeral service, focusing on verse 29 (https://mormonbeliefs.org/temples-and-prophets/mormon_temples/mormon-baptism-for-the-dead/). Also, in my Roman Catholic background we prayed regularly for the souls in Purgatory – a place between Earth and Heaven where souls are suffering while they are being more completely cleansed from their sins before their entrance into Heaven. The following citation offers Biblical support for this practice: https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/purgatory-in-the-bible/. So, what of verse 29? Here, as I have often in the past, I claim “blessed ignorance”.

So, another confusing verse… When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (v. 28) This verse says that the Son, Jesus, will be subjected to the Father. But doesn’t that go against our Trinitarian thinking? Are not the three persons of the Trinity co-equal and co-eternal? One online source explains it this way: “The second person of the Trinity (Jesus) is equal in nature to the Father but takes a different role by taking on human flesh, and subjects himself to the headship of the Father. The Father and the Son can be co-equal, while at the same time the Son submits to the headship of the Father; similar to the headship of the husband over the wife.” (https://biblicalworldviewacademy.org/loving-the-trinity-part-11/) Again, confusing, but we retain our belief in the three Persons of the Trinity being co-equal.

Blessings in spite of our lack of understanding! Some day we will be more fully informed!

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 15:1-19

And if Christ has not been raised, … we are of all people most to be pitied. (vv. 17a, 19b) For many years I was quoting this “verse”, except that it was not one verse, but the combination of two partial verses. So much for my Bible memory skills…!! But the reality of what I had been quoting (and still do) is absolutely relevant. If Jesus was not raised from the dead and we have been placing all our hope on this truth, then we are stupid. Stupid! Actually, no! Pitied by others, maybe. But stupid? NO! We are absolutely blessed in our belief that Jesus physically rose from the dead. We have joy, we have confidence, we have peace. We are not to be pitied. Others may think what they want, but we are COMPLETE in Christ and in the workings of His Holy Spirit in our lives. Live with that confidence, folks, and be blessed! GLORY!!

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 14:26-40

A couple of comments today… First, I was struck by a small phrase in the following verses: …let each of them keep silent in church (v. 28) and For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (v. 36) The two-word phrase, “in church…” Has Paul ever used that phrase thus far in any of our readings? “In church…” This is a new concept. Today’s reading begins with “When you come together…” or “When you assemble…” (v. 26), but he has not used the phrase “in church”. Previously I believe that Paul has spoken of “the church” or “the churches” and we see that today in verses 33 and 34. There Paul is referring to the larger body of believers, not to a particular assembly. But in verses 28 and 36, “in church” is when they are gathered together for worship. Interesting…

I noted a couple of days ago that the following verse was the summary verse for all of chapter 14: So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. (v. 12) Today we have a similar verse for today’s reading as to behavior “in church”: But all things should be done decently and in order. (v. 40) This verse jumped out at me today because of the decency and order that Carol and I did NOT see on our last visit to Czechia. In fact we saw absolute rebellion – shouting and quarrelling, mostly by one man directed to another, just as a church service was beginning. We were shocked – we have known this man for many years and have had four of his children in our English Camps. But there was a major controversy in this church and the man sought to air it out as the service began. I believe it was out of respect for Carol and me being there that the man settled down and the service went on unhindered. But he clearly showed us that …all things should be done decently and in order!

Finally, some of our best friends in Carol and my early years together came from Plymouth Brethren backgrounds. These denominations are, in some sense, almost leaderless. The people come together on Sunday mornings with no agenda, no script, no designated leader. They speak or sing or read whatever comes to their mind. In so doing, they very much reflect Paul’s description of “church” at the beginning of today’s reading: When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. (v. 26) Except, however, I doubt that these gatherings exhibit “tongues” at all! I don’t think we Anglicans could live in that world. We need structure!! ?

Slava Bohu!

I Corinthians 14:13-25

Given our church’s Anglican, liturgical, non-Charismatic orientation, I find it difficult to comment about Paul’s discussions on tongues and prophecy. They are not much a part of our character, even though they are gifts intended for the whole church.

Our former church back in Northern Virginia (then Episcopal, now Anglican), however, was more Charismatic. It would typically be after Communion that tongues or prophecy would appear. If tongues, it might be spoken or sung. If spoken, the Rector would typically ask for an interpretation, which may or may not be offered. As for singing in tongues, often if someone began singing in tongues other voices would join. Then if you had 5 or 10 or more singing in tongues, it was heavenly!! No requests for interpretation there – this singing was recognized as pure worship. Prophecy was less common and often might follow a chorus of people singing in tongues. When prophecy occurred, it would just be one person speaking a “word”, often beginning with “Thus saith the Lord…”. After the person finished, the Rector may or may not respond. Frankly, prophecy was typically more strange to me than tongues, just the opposite of what Paul is saying in verse 22.

So those are some of my recollections; Carol may remember differently.

Slava Bohu!