Paul's First Letter to the Church at Corinth, or 1 Corinthians. I am thinking there is something to be said for my approach to reading through the Bible (RTTB) in alphabetical order. Hopping around a bit helps me look more keenly at each book and view it in an out-of-context way that's been enlightening.
There are parts of 1 Corinthians that are some of my favorite passages in the Bible. Chapter 13, the "Love Chapter," comes to mind of course. Recently, we used verses 4 through 8 with our Young Lives girls. We figured they would see themselves and their babies in the description of agape, Christ-like love. We also hoped they would evaluate their other "love" relationships by these holy standards.
I guess this time as I read the book I was struck by the pastoral advice, directed to some very specific and difficult problems in the church that gathered in ancient Corinth. We know that the church was very diverse--a mix of ethnic and religious backgrounds as well as a mix of social strata.
The church apparently had problems with factions, i.e., different groups following after certain leaders. There was a problem with gross sexual immorality. People were suing each other in civil courts.
They were also struggling to figure out what was proper in a worship gathering. How were they to commemorate the Lord's Supper? What was proper dress and decorum, especially for women? Did people who spoke in tongues have a superior form of spirituality?
Then there were the difficult theological issues: What could they expect regarding Christ's return, or the resurrection of the dead, or their own resurrection bodies?
A very interesting section discusses the issue of eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. And Paul ended the letter with a reminder to save up and give to the church's collection.
As you read the letter, you can tell that Paul was writing very specifically to people he knew well about problems on which he had been thoroughly briefed. This specificity raises some questions that challenge the Christian church to this very day. How much of what Paul wrote applied strictly to the people in that church at that time and how much applies to believers anywhere, any time?
Some of the problems he addresses are clearly timeless. "I appeal to you brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you..." (1:10). Or 6:5-6: "Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers!" "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (10:13) "Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it." (12:27)
A few of the problems don't seem to be very relevant any longer: "Some people are so accustomed to idols that when they eat [meat sacrificed at idols' temples] they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled." (8:7)
But what about his instructions to people about marriage in chapter 7? He seems to discourage people from tying the knot because of the "present crisis" (7:26) unless they just can't control their passions.
Or what about his instructions for worship services: "Two or three prophets should speak and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop." (14:29-30). If this describes the norm for worship, there are a lot of churches that should completely revise their eleven o'clock services! And how should churches handle the command, "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (16:20)?
The reason I spent so much time thinking about the timelessness of Paul's words is that parts of 1 Corinthians have been used as proof texts for 2000 years to keep women out of leadership positions in the church. "As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak but must be in submission as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." (14:33-35) (There's more like this in 1 Timothy 3.)
Some church types cling to a tight, literal interpretation of those verses. But why are they not so adamant about pronouncements such as: "Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head....Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace to him?" (11:3,14) I have to wonder what church personnel committees did back in the long-haired 1970s! Now that I think of it, maybe this is the reason that there are so many bald pastors at my church.
I certainly don't have a definitive answer to the dilemma of how Paul's words to an ancient Greek church should be applied to modern churches. I think the answer must be that Christians are to carefully consider the biblical text, understand as much about its context as possible, and pray earnestly for wisdom and guidance when they choose to apply it to present-day issues.
Most of all, Christians should take to heart the Love Chapter, including 13:1-2: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have a gift of prophcy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing."
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