Paul's odd Mash-up
How many letters did Paul write to the Corinthians? - 2? 3? 4? >4? - we don’t know? What we find in the New Testament are glimpses into the relationship between Paul and some churches and glimpses into the life of the church in the first century. To understand the Corinthian correspondence, one needs to read Acts and both of the letters that we have to the Corinthians. Paul’s relationship with this community straddles several years of visits and letters, and it is a two-way conversation. The first letter refers to a previous letter - suggesting that our “1st Corinthians” is actually “2nd Corinthians”. Paul also refers to questions they had asked him in a letter so we know they also wrote to him. His initial relationship with this church started during an 18-month visit to the city. Later in the relationship there is a “painful visit” and also a “painful letter” which we no longer have (possibly 3rd Corinthians) and the letter which we call 2 Corinthians is probably at least 4th Corinthians and some scholars even think this letter is a mashup of a few letters.
Imagine going through the correspondence of one of your ancestors but you realise some letters are missing and there are references to events for which you have no record and you are trying to piece together the background - this is our task with these letters. Here, mixed in with relationships, people and events, are glimpses of first-century worship and theology.
The focus of this section we read today is the “collection for the poor in Jerusalem” -it is not clear what was happening in Jerusalem, why this collection was needed. Historians recorded a famine - but it doesn’t seem to have been confined to Jerusalem. They were rioting for grain in Rome too. In this era in Israel, the temple was the economic heart of the nation and some commentators suggested that as the rift between Jews and Christians grew the Christians were being excluded economically. Perhaps Jerusalem’s status as the “mother church” inspired them.
Whatever the reasons, this situation touched the hearts of Christians and Paul in particular - he was very passionate about the collection and we find references to it in Acts and in his letters.
At the end of 1st Corinthians Paul got quite specific in his advice - suggesting they set aside money weekly - this idea of taking up an offering in church was a very early worship practice. If anyone thinks the Bible is not topical - we have here a first-century example of someone setting up a “give-a-little” to help others in need! There is nothing new under the sun including fundraising.
The Corinthians had started their fundraising enthusiastically but were running out of steam and here, Paul is looking to inspire them to finish the collection.
Paul’s letters also contain what theologians call Christology - the understanding of who Christ is. Sometimes Paul waxes lyrical in hymns and poems about the wonder of Christ. Such as the hymn from Philippians which concludes “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” - wow! I’ve sung those words many times in that well-known chorus “He is Lord”.
There’s a musical phenomenon that became popular this century called “the mash-up” - it’s when 2 or more songs are overlaid together - sometimes the songs are contrasting like “All I want for Christmas and “Creep”. Other times they make a little more sense. I found one performed by the cast of Glee where they mashed up “happy days are here again” with Judy Garland’s “come on get happy”. (happy days)
Paul here has done a surprising mashup of theology and practical Christian ministry. In the midst of a discussion on the practicalities of taking up a collection is a glorious piece about Jesus becoming poor for our sake so that “by his poverty, we might become rich”. Then, before you can even think what that means, he flips a switch back to “come on then - finish the collection”. He finishes up with an Old Testament quote referencing exodus.
Paul’s fundraising technique is interesting, to say the least - today we would have photos or videos showing the poor desperate Christians in Jerusalem and how they were suffering, tugging at the heartstrings. Not for Paul - what inspires him is the grace of God. This little flash of Christology Paul dangles in front of us is reminiscent of what he wrote in Philippians - before going on to the “Jesus is Lord” bit
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited, …
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend, …
It is this marvellous grace that takes Paul’s breath away and of which he reminds the Corinthians.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Paul does his mashup of theology and practical life - maybe that is what is supposed to happen all the time. We can’t just put God and worship and church in nice tidy boxes - they spill out into the rest of life because they are supposed to. Perhaps the best theology is done in “real life”.
Here Paul’s Christology is spelt out in wealth and poverty. “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” - What does Paul mean by us becoming rich here? It does not imply (as those who follow prosperity doctrines would have us believe) that God plans for us to be materially wealthy and successful.
What are the riches that have come into your life through Christ? How about joy and meaning? what about fellowship and relationship and a big, big extended family. I never had grandparents in my life - they had all died before I was born. I remember as a young medical student attending a church in Auckland where, in my heart, I adopted Stan and Myrle as grandparents; they were a lovely, caring, elderly couple in my church that had taken an interest in me. I got married from that church and it was quite a distance from where I had grown up and so I changed into my wedding gown at the home of Lottie, another wonderful elderly woman from that church that I had grown close to (an honorary great-aunt).
My son needs to have a photo ID signed, he has been living with me for the past 3 years but is a bit of a recluse. We realised that there were people in church here who knew him and whom we could ask, even though he has never attended church here - you are part of my extended family. I am currently studying to complete a B Theol and the riches of learning and wisdom I am delighting in are some of the riches I know because of Christ. How are you enriched?
What inspires and motivates us in our giving? Is it the pictures of suffering children or does that give us all compassion fatigue? What about looking at the stupendous generosity of our God in Christ - how could that impact our giving?
When I was a young medical student one of my fellow students came to the conclusion that “to love my neighbour as myself” for him meant that he would give away as much as he spent on himself - I’ve never forgotten that and it continues to challenge me.
Paul, that old pharisee, finishes with an Old Testament quote from Exodus 16 where we read about God’s provision for the Israelites of Manna in the wilderness. Each person would need a measure of manna an “omer” and although some gathered more and some gathered less - when they measured it everyone had enough and no one had too much. Paul reminds his readers and us that our generous God provides enough for everyone. As we participate in the life of God, it is God’s generosity and God’s simple sharing which are the principles that guide us as we make all our decisions in life including how we give. Let us meditate together on how our Christology, our understanding of the identity of Christ influences our decisions, as we pray in the words of this carol written by Anglican Bishop, Frank Houghton.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Comments
Post a Comment