“The Rod of Rebuke”
The Apostle Paul brings to a close his section on apostolic authority and opens his section on the particular rebukes he levies against the church in Corinth.
Paul highlights a concern that is unvoiced in this letter, but seems to have been previously reported to him, and that is regarding his absence. It seems, some in the church, mostly likely a false teacher, see Paul’s writing to the church rather than coming as a sign of weakness or cowardice. Paul challenges these persons that he does talk the talk because he also walks the walk. He speaks with boldness because he lives the faith he professes. It is his trust in the surety of the Kingdom of God that emboldens the Apostle to admonish sins, even from a distance.
The remainder of this Epistle (chapters 5 to 15) will show Paul’s systematic chastening of sins reported among the Corinthian Christians. The first of which deals with sexual immorality, the type that not even the Greeks would tolerate (and the Greco-Roman world tolerated a lot)! It’s important to know Paul is speaking the truth and I highlight this by drawing our attention to the Greek tragedy Oedipus Tyrannus.
Paul’s main charge in the matter is against the church’s unwillingness to call a spade and spade and rebuke this man of his flagrant and unrepentant sin. This, of course, is taking Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 and applying it to a particular situation. Both Jesus and Paul agree that the unity of the church is never at the expense of her purity. (September 11, 2022)
Paul highlights a concern that is unvoiced in this letter, but seems to have been previously reported to him, and that is regarding his absence. It seems, some in the church, mostly likely a false teacher, see Paul’s writing to the church rather than coming as a sign of weakness or cowardice. Paul challenges these persons that he does talk the talk because he also walks the walk. He speaks with boldness because he lives the faith he professes. It is his trust in the surety of the Kingdom of God that emboldens the Apostle to admonish sins, even from a distance.
The remainder of this Epistle (chapters 5 to 15) will show Paul’s systematic chastening of sins reported among the Corinthian Christians. The first of which deals with sexual immorality, the type that not even the Greeks would tolerate (and the Greco-Roman world tolerated a lot)! It’s important to know Paul is speaking the truth and I highlight this by drawing our attention to the Greek tragedy Oedipus Tyrannus.
Paul’s main charge in the matter is against the church’s unwillingness to call a spade and spade and rebuke this man of his flagrant and unrepentant sin. This, of course, is taking Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 and applying it to a particular situation. Both Jesus and Paul agree that the unity of the church is never at the expense of her purity. (September 11, 2022)
