Having persuaded this church to recognize the facts that they have allowed distinctions and divisions to creep in and become established, with this critique extended to the entirety of the church, as all (whether perceived as being high or low within the church ) would have to tacitly agree to participate in such arrangements, Paul promptly dissuades them from any sense that this is appropriate by delivering the words “But you should be eager for the greater gifts” (12:31a). Greater gifts? This would have been intriguing, especially for those that were looking to maintain or extend the sense of honor accorded to them, or to those that were looking to elevate themselves from the shameful (or simply less honorable) end of the spectrum that had been established. Of course, some may have heard this as dissuasion from using the spiritual gifts as a means of stratification, whereas, yes, some might have heard it as an opportunity for even further distinction and honor within the church by pursuing these greater gifts. Regardless, all would have been attuned to what was to come next.
Before continuing on to what comes next, we must observe the reminder to keep ourselves in the proper mindset if we want to be able to properly discern Paul’s message and his intent. Yes, we are presuming and surmising, and hopefully making educated guesses in the process. Yes, we will fail to grasp details and perhaps even miss major points. However, by attempting to immerse ourselves in the culture, and by attempting to situate ourselves within a church community of first century hearers in the city of Corinth that is a part of and is shaped by the Greco-Roman world rather than private twenty-first century readers that occupy a world that is, for the most part, vastly different than the world occupied by Jesus, Paul, and the members of the Corinthian church, we give ourselves a greater chance of success in determining the problem, the message, and Paul’s intentions associated with the delivery of the message that his letter to this church communicates.
The same thing is to be said about the approach that is necessary to determine the message and intent of the letter to Laodicea. If we do not approach that letter in the same way that we approach the letter to Corinth, then we will inevitably miss the point, and find ourselves making leaps into all sorts of flights of fancy that have nothing to do with is being communicated to that church. In essence, the letter to Laodicea, if properly situated within its historical, social, geographical, and economic context, while also being properly situated within its early church community context, in which the teachings and example of Jesus were being circulated (in probably both oral and written form at that point) along with the writings of the Apostles, with all of it situated within the context of Jesus’ fulfillment of the Jewish messianic hopes (as there would be no other way to make sense of what Jesus said and did), becomes a microcosm of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This is true not only in style, but also in substance, as we shall soon see.
With that reminder weighing heavily on our consideration, and as we position ourselves to hear the coming words of Paul as part of a community in which there are Jews, Greeks, slaves, and free gathered together as a body that is continuing to observe social customs of honor and shame, we are primed to hear “And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison” (12:31b). We can only imagine what would have been running through the minds of the audience at this point, especially as they reflected on all that they had heard to this point.
What would Paul say? What were these greater gifts? Would they be able to walk on water? Would they be able to multiply food to feed thousands? Would they be able to raise the dead? Indeed, there were greater gifts, were there not? They had been short-sighted and foolish. Yes, establishing churches, prophesying, teaching, miracles, healings, leadership, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues were impressive spiritual gifts, but just imagine what could be accomplished for the Gospel of Jesus and for the growth of the church if they were able to exercise truly stupendous gifts. If they were able to do those things that drew such large crowds to Jesus, imagine the honor that could be gained! Imagine the social standing! Imagine the numbers that could be drawn into this church community! Imagine the impact we would be able to have on our city if we could walk around multiplying food, raising the dead, and walking on water. No, we’re not seeking individual honor and glory, though we agree that it will come. All will be done to the glory of our Lord, as evidence of His rule. So yes, Paul, tell us about these greater gifts! Tell us about the way that is beyond comparison! We want to know!
No comments:
Post a Comment