1 Corinthians

Monday, 26 May 2014

…being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. 1 Corinthians 4:13

In the previous verse, Paul began a list of things which demonstrated the lowly and unappreciated state of the apostles. He continues that list in this verse to show the difficult circumstances they faced and yet how they handled them. He begins with “being defamed, we entreat.”

In essence, they are cursed or held in great contempt by those they encounter. However, they turn the proverbial cheek and “entreat.” Rather than biting back, they plead for grace between themselves and the offending party. Instead of cursing them and wishing their destruction, they look to reconciliation and hopes of their salvation.

Paul then notes how they are actually considered in the eyes of their persecutors by saying, “We have been made as the filth of the world.” The word translated as “filth” carries a technical sense to it. In essence, it concerns men who are set apart for death in order to provide expiation. A comparable concept, although death is not mandated in this instance, is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus which reads –

“Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’  He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” Leviticus 13:45, 46

The unclean person is cast outside the camp in order to carry away the infection from it. This is the kind of thing that Paul is intimating in how he is treated. In addition to this he says he and the other apostles are considered “the offscouring of all things until now.” The word here finds its roots in a verb which indicates rubbing, scraping, or shaving and so carries a similar idea to what he said about being filth. In order to be cleansed, they look at Paul and the others as something which needs to be first removed. If one were to think of cutting away hair which was full of chewing gum, the picture would be appropriate.

Life application: The apostles were willing to endure great verbal and even physical abuse for the sake of the gospel. A time is probably coming, and it may be prior to the rapture, where all who call on Christ will be faced with similar persecution. Be ready to follow Paul’s example when the time comes.

Lord God, the world is quickly degrading into perversion, wretchedness, and immense ungodliness. It’s hard, very hard, to stand against these things without losing composure. Help me Lord to be strong in my moral convictions while still being graceful towards those who revile me. It’s a tough stand to take, but if hearts can be changed by this, then it will be worth it. Be with me and guide me each step of the road. Amen.

Sunday, 25 May 2014

And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 1 Corinthians 4:12

Paul continues to relay the plight of the apostles as they set forth to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Not only did they hunger and thirst, wear poor clothes, and receive ill treatment, they also didn’t impose upon others who may have recognized their plight. Instead, he says they “labor, working with our own hands.”

In Act 18, it is noted that Paul was a tent-maker and worked in that job while travelling in order to pay his way. In Acts 20, he even notes to those in Ephesus that he “provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me” (Acts 20:34). In other words, he not only worked to pay his own way, he paid for those he travelled with as well.

In similar words, he wrote in both his epistles to those in Thessalonica concerning his personal labors and the reason for it. From his first letter, we read this –

“So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 9

Despite this, and maybe partly because of it, he notes to the Corinthians that they were “reviled.” As common laborers, they would have been looked down on by many whom they encountered. All they would see is a poorly dressed, smelly person who claimed to have a message of salvation and freedom. What a paradox! What a contradiction! They would have been the brunt of jokes and taunting. And yet, despite being reviled, they in turn would “bless.”

Following the words of the Lord to those He instructed, they showed that this was the way to win true and sincere converts to the message they preached. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus gave this admonition to His followers –

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

This blessing of those who came against them was from the wisest Counselor of all and proved to be the true door to opening hearts and minds. But not only did they bless when reviled, Paul continues by saying that “being persecuted, we endure.” The blessings were given and regardless of whether the persecutions continued or not, they endured. They kept blessing, they kept praising God, and they continued to proclaim their message.

In their persecution a greater reward was promised. Again from Matthew 5, we learn of the blessing for those who are so treated –

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11, 12

Although these words were spoken by Jesus, under the law to those under the law, they are confirmed in the apostle’s actions and by the words of Peter to those he addressed in his first epistle –

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 1 Peter :14-16

Though there are no apostles today, there are missionaries who carry on this type of work in areas which have never before heard the good news. They have the words of the Lord, the examples of the apostles, and the history of many generations of missionaries who have gone before them to be assured that this is the right approach to evangelizing those who have never heard the good news before. It is an awesome and blessed life that far too few consider in this world of ease and luxury.

Life application: Take time to pray for those who are in the mission field. They are doing a task which has continued on for 2000 years and which is the only hope of life and blessing for those they encounter.

Lord, as I sit at my desk, enjoying the morning and surrounded by the familiar sounds and smells of life, I know that there are some who have given up on these things for a great and awesome cause. They may be lonely, hungry, dirty, or in peril, but they are sharing Your word to a world which so desperately needs it. Today, I pray for those faithful souls who have given up so much for the wondrous gospel message. Please be an ever-present comfort in their lives as they serve You. Amen.

Saturday, 24 May 2014

To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 1 Corinthians 4:11

In his words in this verse, Paul now contrasts the ironical statements made from verses 8-10 concerning how the Corinthians perceived themselves with the reality of how the apostles actually lived. The contrast is all the more striking when considering that the apostles were the schooled; they were the leaders; they were those who saw Jesus, were instructed by Him, and were granted His personal commission.

He notes their sad state and says that it persists “to the present hour.” This means that the poor living conditions of the apostles didn’t end with the establishment of churches, as if there were a sudden influx of power, prestige, and money flowing to them. Instead, despite what we today consider the exalted status of those early men of God, they lived in a state of deprivation. Paul says “we,” indicating the general lot of the apostles, were:

1) In “both hunger and thirst” – Those at Corinth went to church at someone’s home or elsewhere, they ate bread together, fellowshipped, and then returned to their homes for their regular life of food and drink, along with all the other benefits of a home. At the same time, the apostles were generally moving from place to place to spread the news of Christ. There were no guarantees of lodging and a meal and so hunger and thirst were a normal and expected part of their travels.

2) “Poorly clothed” – Some translations here say “naked.” The idea is one of clothing which is worn out from continual use, even to the point of being ragged. As travelers, they wouldn’t carry along a suitcase with changes of clothing, but would simply wear the same clothes continuously. In this state, they would enter a synagogue or congregation and speak to those who were wearing their normal clothes or even a set of clothes set apart for special occasions. Instead of being the height of fashion when attending, they would be the poorest dressers of all. This state wouldn’t be unknown to the Corinthians and they couldn’t claim Paul was making this up. They had seen him and Peter already and knew his words were so. As it was true with him, there is no reason to believe any other apostles were dressed any better.

3) “Beaten” – This is a customary theme of the book of Acts. It seems everywhere Paul went, someone was pulling at him, whipping him, slapping him, stoning him, or otherwise attacking him in some other physically offensive way. Even the high priest of Israel had him so abused –

“And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.” Acts 23:2

4) “Homeless” – The apostles were persecuted to the point where they would have to leave home and family. And the very concept of having a stable home was contrary to the type of ministry they conducted. They wandered about at the direction of the Spirit to whatever place was selected to hear the good news of the Gospel. The thought of a regular job and home probably never crossed their minds as they set their faces to the task ahead of them each day.

But Paul understood that these things had nothing to do with a right relationship with God. If anything, they strengthened it. Paul’s words of Romans 8:35 show that none of these things have any bearing on their intimate fellowship with Christ –

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Romans 8:35

In his follow up to this, in Romans 8:39, Paul says that none of these things, nor any other thing in heaven or on earth would be effective to “to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He will continue with his sobering words to those in Corinth, and thus to us, of the conditions they suffered for Christ. Let us not worry if the latte machine is broken at church Sunday. It is of little consequence.

Life application: Are you timid to go to church because you don’t have clothing which is as good as the others who attend? Or, do you wish the dirty person in the pew next to you would take a shower and put on better clothes when coming to church? It is with certainty that either perspective is wrong. The apostles themselves were surely in far worse clothing. Would they be accepted into your church today?

Old clothes and raggedy shoes on his feet
Who let this person into our church today?
When we shake hands and when we greet
To that dirty fellow, I’ve nothing to say

But didn’t Christ die for Him too?
Weren’t the apostles dressed worse than he?
Lord forgive my heart for making such a to-do
I’m sorry for such thoughts Lord, please forgive me

Lord God, help me to look past the externals of those around me – their clothes, their possessions, even their culture, color, shape, or smell. Whatever keeps me from seeing them as a person created in Your image, take that away and replace it with eyes that see them as You see them. And then give me the words to say which will lead them to You. Thank You Lord, Amen.

Friday, 23 May 2014

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 1 Corinthians 4:10

Paul again introduces irony into his thoughts as he did in verse 8. He is showing the folly of their boasting and divisions within the church. He, and the other apostles, have done nothing but proclaim Christ, and they have done it with complete and undivided loyalty. But among those in this world (and even among those in the faith) they have been taken as fools, men of weakness, and those who are dishonored. His words are confirmed throughout Acts and the other epistles.

He begins with “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ.” In his statement, he speaks in an ironical tone in order to highlight his words. His message is one which proclaims only Christ; theirs is in divisions within the body. Later, in his second letter to the Corinthians, he will repeat this sentiment –

“I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.” 2 Corinthians 12:11

Two examples from Acts shows that this wasn’t limited to those at Corinth, but was a thought which permeated society at large as well –

1) “Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?'” 17:18

2) “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” 26:24

In opposition to how he is perceived, he ironically states that “you are wise in Christ.” In verse 8, he told them that they were already full, a way of saying they were full of knowledge when in fact they were mere babes in what they knew.

He then shows another irony about being mature in Christ when he says, “We are weak, but you are strong!” Again, in 2 Corinthians, he will explain very carefully how one who is truly weak in the ways of the world can actually be full of strength in Christ –

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

This statement came after his explanation that only when relying solely on the Lord can one be truly strong. The paradox is explained in Jesus’ words to Him which said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Because he had to rely on the grace of Christ, he possessed the greatest of all strengths. The Corinthians had failed to understand this and were busy in the art of division of Christ rather than total dependence on Him.

Finally, Paul again introduces a note of irony by stating “You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!” The natural result of division is to feel distinguished. When someone argues with another about their favorite pastor being better than the other person’s pastor, there is a smug feeling of self-confidence. “I follow Pastor Pillowfeathers and he is all I need. I cannot see why you even listen to Preacher Pointypants.”

The attempt is to be distinguished among a crowd, just as Paul noted about the divisions in chapter 1. And yet, it harmed rather than helped; it destroyed rather than developed. But instead of divisions and mis-directions, Paul kept his eyes on one Prize and held fast to one Hope. And that is to be found in Jesus Christ and Him alone. His previous words to the Corinthians show this singleness of mind and attitude –

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” 1 Corinthians 2:2-4

Life application: What the world sees as foolish, weak, and dishonorable is the only true Source of sanity, strength, and honor. Jesus Christ is the Source of wisdom. Reliance on Him is the position of highest power and might. And there is no more exalted place for any person in heaven or on earth than to be found in Him, covered with His garments of righteousness. Eyes on Jesus! Hearts on Jesus! Minds on Jesus! Rest in Christ alone!

Glorious and exalted Lord, the sweetest sound of the finest singing bird can’t compare to the beautiful music of Your precious word. The most delicious taste of the choicest pastry is nothing compared to waking up to the savor of You in my life. And the fantastic sensation of the most delightful bubble bath compares not-in-the-least to knowing Your guiding hand is upon me. How wonderfully precious it is to be called, fed, and covered by You, my precious Lord. Amen.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 1 Corinthians 4:9

“For” begins this verse and explains this statement made in the previous verse – “I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!” Paul was rebuking those in Corinth for their attitude of feeling full, rich, and reigning as kings when no such thing was the case. In those comments he added that he wished it was in fact true because if it were, then the apostles would also be right there with them. However, it was painfully apparent that this wasn’t the case.

Rather, Paul felt that they (meaning the apostles) had been on display by God in several notable ways –

1) last – the is a reference to the custom of the times where those who were to fight in the amphitheaters of the Roman Empire were brought in last, after all the other spectacles were finished, in order to fight to the death. They were the condemned about to die. Which is exactly what he then refers to.

2) as men condemned to death – those who first went into the amphitheaters may be orators or actors, and maybe animal shows as well. Only after their displays were finished would those who fought to the death be brought in. Those condemned to die had but one chance which would be to fight so well that they would be pardoned. In this they were made….

3) a spectacle to the whole world – the Roman Empire was the known world at the time. Amphitheaters were found throughout its borders and the condemned would be paraded through the streets to any and all of them as a sign of power of the empire and as a gory sport for those who watched.

Like these people, Paul found that the apostles were in a similar situation. In fact, all but John were actually killed for their faith and even John suffered greatly. For the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they lived their difficult lives as a “spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” In the sight of both those on earth and those in the heavenly realms, they went about their business of witnessing to the splendor of the gospel, unafraid of even death for the sake of Christ.

Life application: Far too many see Christianity as a means to wealth, prosperity, ease, and a fist-bumping relationship with the Creator. In this, they see their faults as easily dismissed and feel they possess a guarantee of protection and safety. But this is because of the prosperous circumstances which surround them. In most of the world and for most of history, Christians have been the brunt of hatred, torture, and death. Our pleasant surroundings are bound to end. How firm will we be in our faith at that time? Be prepared to serve the Lord through any and every trial.

Heavenly Father, I admit my life has been one of ease and prosperity. You have blessed me with so much in the time, place, and circumstance in which I find myself. But I know that those things may end someday. Should they not be found nearby, I would ask for nothing more than the strength to continue to praise You. If all else is taken from me, don’t take this desire and ability away. With this I will be pleased. Amen.