From Jim McGuiggan... Characters Behind And Below The Text

Characters Behind And Below The Text

New Testament scholar, Carl Holloday, insists that Paul works out his theology in the heat of the day, works it out as a missionary facing all kinds of challenges and that this truth is especially clear in 2 Corinthians. This works out to mean that Paul calls on familiar truths to make his case; it means that old truths take on new meaning and that the Spirit brings him new insights in light of the situation before him. Triggered by his painful experiences and superintended by the Spirit Paul produced this incredibly rich letter that was probably never more needed than it is today.

Paul's reputation and gospel are under attack. Wouldn't you think that a genuine apostle wouldn't experience that kind of treatment? Some Corinthians might take that criticism as proof that there was something suspect about Paul. How does Paul handle that? In various ways. One of them is to bring in characters that put up with sustained criticism but were truly God's witnesses. Moses is a prime example. Expressly mentioned but often imbedded below the surface of the text, Moses is a clear case of God's man under attack; God's man who should have been respected in light of what he had done for Israel. This has the advantage of putting Paul in a better light since he becomes linked with the majestic Moses but it also has the advantage of placing his critics at Corinth in the role of rebels against God's commissioned apostle when they oppose him.

Not as prominent or as pervasive as Moses but still there in the text is Jeremiah, another true messenger of God whose authority, commission and message was constantly called in question. The prophet with a mighty commission (see Jeremiah 1) denounced the boasting and bullying of arrogant leaders but seemed at times not to be forceful enough. Nevertheless, he was truly God's messenger and Paul attaches himself to the spirit and word of the prophet (see 2 Corinthians 10:8;13:10).

Complaint psalms are called in by Paul to show that true servants of God have often been subjected to distress and hurt so it should be no surprise that he (or the Corinthians!) would experience this also. In fact, one psalmist (116:10,16) finds his assurance that he is indeed God's servant as a result of enemies and trouble when God brings him through it all. See 2 Corinthians 4:7-15. In addition to using the psalmists and their experiences as a backdrop to his own Paul repeatedly uses Isaiah to illuminate the nature and timing of his own ministry.

Above all, of course, Paul attaches himself to Jesus Christ and insists that his experience of weakness, abuse and loss is the life and death and resurrection (in short, the gospel) rehearsed before the world. Paul brings, in Luther's terms, a gospel of the cross rather than a gospel of glory.

When Paul links up with apparent failures: Moses (who didn't enter the land), Jeremiah (who couldn't prevent Israel's exile and himself died away from home) and Jesus (who was rejected by his own), the Corinthians have a chance to look at Paul differently. (It's also significant that these three were not the gung-ho, Rambo type leaders who sang their own praises. They experienced pain and loss as part of their faithfulness to God. But, and this is where Paul's own experience bears so much fruit, in being able to see Paul in a different light they are able to see the gospel in a new light.

This Pauline approach to the defence of his gospel and apostleship--that is, making use of persons and structures--is brought out particularly well by Ford and Young in their book 

Meaning And Truth in 2 Corinthians.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com

From Mark Copeland... Beware Of Pretentious Scribes

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                Beware Of Pretentious Scribes (12:38-40)

INTRODUCTION

1. Teaching in the temple on Tuesday of the Last Week, Jesus has
   countered the doctrines of various religious and political leaders...
   a. The Pharisees and Herodians
   b. The Sadducees and scribes

2. Toward the end, He then addressed the practices of some of them...
   a. Especially the scribes - Mk 12:38-40
   b. But also the Pharisees - cf. Mt 23:1-39

[Mark’s gospel limits Jesus’ censure to pretentious (self-important and
affected, made to look or sound important) scribes, which we shall also
do in this lesson.  Let’s begin with what is said about the...]

I. PRETENTIOUS SCRIBES IN JESUS’ DAY

   A. DESIRED TO WEAR THEIR LONG ROBES...
      1. Their "flowing robes" were full-length prayer shawls with
         tassels attached to the four corners, in contrast to the
         colorful common Jewish dress. - J.R. Edwards (PNTC)
      2. Made of wool or linen, these blanket-like mantles, known as
         tallits, distinguished rabbis and scholars as men of wealth and
         eminence. - ibid.
      -- They relished the distinction of their robes and the attention
         it gave them

   B. LOVED GREETINGS IN THE MARKETPLACES...
      1. "the formal salutations in the market-places, and to have the
         people address them as ‘rabbi.’ " - Hendriksen (NTC); cf. Mt 23:6
      2. What the men who are here rebuked were always longing for was
         not a mere token of friendliness but rather a demonstration of
         respect, a public recognition of their prominence. - ibid.
      -- They wanted to be addressed by titles that distinguished and
         elevated them

   C. BEST SEATS IN THE SYNAGOGUES...
      1. Refers to the benches along the walls of the synagogues, and
         especially to the dais at the front of the synagogue, which
         faced the congregation seated on the floor in the middle of the
         synagogue. - Edwards (PNTC)
      2. These "first seats," as they were called in Greek, were
         reserved for teachers and persons of rank, and afforded the
         best position from which to address the congregation. - ibid.
      -- They loved the honor and attention such seats gave them

   D. BEST PLACES AT FEASTS...
      1. Seating at banquets was either according to age or according to
         importance. - C.A. Evans (WBC)
      2. Jesus had warned against seeking out the best places at a feast
         - Lk 14:7-11
      -- They wanted privileges they felt due their position and stature

   E. DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES...
      1. By embezzling funds set up for the care of widows - Evans (WBC)
      2. By freeloading on the hospitality of widows - ibid.
      3. By mismanaging estates or wills of widows entrusted to them
         - ibid.
      -- They took advantage of widows who trusted them

   F. FOR SHOW OFFER LONG PRAYERS...
      1. The scribes were capable of lengthy, eloquent prayers - Evans
         (WBC)
      2. But this they did in pretense, consistent with their
         ostentation in dress and pursuit of honors and recognition
         - ibid.
      -- They paraded their religious knowledge and supposed piety

[Human nature being what it is, it should not surprise us that there can
also be...]

II. PRETENTIOUS ‘SCRIBES’ IN OUR DAY

   A. MINISTERS ARE OFTEN ELEVATED...
      1. Distinctive clerical garb, without NT authority
      2. Religious titles (Reverend, Father, Pastor, Preacher) - contra
         Mt 23:8-10
         a. Apostle, prophet, pastor, elder, evangelist, teacher are
            descriptive terms in the NT
         b. They are never used as religious titles in the NT
      3. Reserved seating in worship
      4. Preferred treatment at social gatherings
      5. Unaccountable control of financial resources
      6. Always being asked to lead public prayers
      -- Even well-intentioned respect can easily lead to
         pretentiousness

   B. MINISTERS OFTEN ELEVATE THEMSELVES...
      1. Preferring to wear distinctive clothing to stand out, gain
         respect
      2. Expecting others to address them by religious titles
      3. Demanding special seating in worship
      4. Assuming preferred treatment in social settings
      5. Embezzling church funds, taking advantage of widows
      6. Praying long, showy prayers by rote
      -- Ministers of Christ are called to be humble servants - Mt 23:11-12

CONCLUSION

1. The words of Jesus should serve as a warning...
   a. Not just to those who might be led astray by the pretentiousness
      of religious leaders
   b. But by religious leaders themselves, lest they no longer serve as
      true ministers of Christ

2. It is not just religious leaders who can have problems with
   pretentiousness...
   a. The average Christian can easily be ostentatious in their conduct
      and clothing
   b. Thus we should give careful thought to these words of Jesus:

   And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
   himself will be exalted. - Mt 23:12

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Of kids, Chrome and the future

Yesterday, I watched an episode of Morgan Freeman's "Through the wormhole" which addressed the topic of human intelligence.  Are we progressing as a species?  Good question!  Children today grow up knowing far more than I ever did at their age.  The cute little picture at the top testifies to this fact.  But, WHAT do they know: technical matters?  What about God; is HE in their future?  Our society is gradually attempting to remove God and put in HIS place a world dominated by one atheistic world government.  Like Rome of the past, there undoubtedly will be some advancements, but at the cost of how many unregenerated souls?  Yet, for all the advancement of mankind, God is of an entirely different order.  He, and only HE knows who will listen to HIS WORD and be saved.  And the blessings of those who will listen are beyond imagining...

2 Corinthians, Chapter 2

  1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  2 For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  5 that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  6 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.  7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,  8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.  9 But as it is written, 

“Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear,

which didn’t enter into the heart of man,

these God has prepared for those who love him.”

"Grandma" may not know how to use a computer as well as a toddler, but she probably knows the creator of the universe.  Ask yourself: which knowledge will be most useful to me in one hundred and fifty years?  I think you already know my answer!!!