November 30

First Letter to the Corinthians [Or should we call it the First Recorded Letter to the Corinthians?] -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-31, 2:1-16, 3:1-23, 4:1-21

I really, really, really like 1 Corinthians.  Ok, I admit it.  It speaks to a bias I have.  I am decidedly anti-scholar, anti-intellectual and anti-the-mind-is-the-seat-of-the soul [Oh, we say we know that but have you ever looked at our approach to Jesus and God's word?  It seems to be all about what you know, not who  you know.]  I do not equate I.Q. with inspiration or scholarship with discipleship. 

Paul, who given his pedigree could have argued his own learning and intellectual status, turns away from it to write in today's reading:

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel -- not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." [1 Corinthians 1:17]

"Where is the wise man?  Where is the scholar?  Where is the philosopher of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world.  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."  [1 Corinthians 1:20-21]

Paul lumps the wisdom of the religious leaders of his day into this catch-all "wisdom of the world" because in the next sentence he will decry both Jew and Greek.  I think we place too much emphasis on scholarship instead of the leading of the Spirit and God's wisdom.  This emphasis on scholarship tends to drive us to a rage for correctness that our fellowship has long been noted for.

Simple lives of love and service are the greatest of sermons and express the true knowledge of Christ and His Kingdom.

Paul points out to the Corinthians:  "Brothers, think of what you were when  you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." [1 Corinthians 1:26-27]

I don't know if we hold the same beliefs.  

Even of his learned self, Paul writes.  "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,  so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." [1 Corinthians 2:2-5]

I like it.  I believe  you can read the Bible and it will speak to you in this day and time where you are.  Yes, you can learn the Greek and Hebrew and that will bring  you closer to the precise meaning of the words.  Nothing wrong with that.  But you can know Jesus without knowing Greek and Hebrew.  They are still translations of God's words.  God's word, His son is the original text that we follow.  

As Paul writes, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." [1 Corinthians 4:20]