Many consider 2 Corinthians to be Paul’s most bewildering letter. Paul’s other letters challenge us because they are thick with theology. This letter challenges because it is thick with sarcasm and irony, as Paul puts forth a case to defend his apostleship before the proud, ear-plugged church of Corinth.
Key to understanding this confusing book is the presence of suffering in a Christian’s life and in the lives of Christian leaders. The Corinthians, with their victorious view of faith, believed suffering, humiliation, and rejection were signs of failure. Paul believed otherwise.
The American business community speak of success as “up and to the right,” illustrated by a graph charting revenue, sales or profit growth.
Jesus – through both his teaching and his example – calls us to something radically different.
The Corinthians dismissed Paul because he seemed down and out, an unsuccessful failure. Paul defends his ministry, showing the Corinthians he is following the downward and outward path Jesus laid before us.
One important note: the Corinthian church is proud, stubborn, divided, and scornful of its leaders – all of which lies behind Paul writing this letter. But none of those things lie behind our choosing this book for our fall focus. By the grace of God, the Covenant family is marked by a wonderful grace, unity, and humility. We’ve picked the book in response to God’s invitation for us to continue to walk in the costly way of love.
November 10 Love Your Neighbor by Reaching Your Neighbor
Doug Pollock’s wonderful little book God Space presents an approach to sharing faith that is anchored in love, curiosity, and genuine interest in the other person. We invite Doug to take us back through the heart of his common-sense approach, encouraging and equipping us as we seek to reach the neighbors we’ve been seeking to love.
