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III. St Paul's third missionary journey
Paul's third missionary journey is noteworthy for his long stay at Ephesus.
The city was one of the most flourishing of the Roman Empire in the East,
and the centre of much commercial activity between East and West. Its population
was estimated at about 300,000. The city became a centre from which Christianity
spread to the neighboring cities; his disciples had founded new communities:
e.g. Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Paul had not yet visited them.The absence of any personal reference in the Letter called 'To the Ephesians' (see Introduction, No. 124) has led some scholars to suppose that it may have been a circular Letter to all the communities centered in Ephesus. |
10 This continued for two
years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both
Jews and Greeks.11 And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest (1) named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And all residents of Ephesus knew this, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily. 21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. (1) The description 'High Priest' merely shows that this man belonged to a family from which had come some High Priests. |
| 25 These he gathered together,
with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Men, you know that from this
business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear
that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded
and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with
hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger
not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the
temple of the great goddess Artemis may count for nothing, and that she may
even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship." 28 When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29 So the city was filled with the confusion; and they rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 30 Paul wished to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; 31 some of the Asiarchs also, who were friends of his, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theatre. 32 Now some cried one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be contradicted, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against any one, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, there being no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." 41 And when he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. P. 175 |
(1) 'The Way' was
one of the names that came to be used to mean the new doctrine, i.e. the
Way of the Lord. See also Nos. 103 and 107. For notes about the Ephesian Artemis see Introduction,
p. 23.65 A short stay in Greece (Acts 20, 1-6) 1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and having exhorted them took leave of them and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through these parts and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when the Jews made a plot against him as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater of Beroea, the son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on and were waiting for us at Troas, (1) 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. (1) Here begins the second 'we-section' which goes on to No. 69 and starts again at No. 101 (see notes to Nos. 45 and 112, and Introduction p. 37). 66 The Return Journey: Troas (Acts 20, 7-12) 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. p. 177 |
20 how I did not shrink
from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public
and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews
and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 And now, behold, I am
going to Jerusalem, bound in the Spirit, not knowing what shall befall me
there; 23 except that the Holy
Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await
me. 24 But I do not account
my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish
my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know
that all you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see
my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify
to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did, not shrink
from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Take heed to yourselves
and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians, to
feed the church of the Lord which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my
departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your
own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples
after them. 31 Therefore be alert,
remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish
every one with tears.
P. 181 |
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IV. St Paul's Letters written during the
third missionary journey
From St Paul's First Letter to the
Corinthians
The first Letter to the Church in Corinth was written during St Paul's long residence in Ephesus (see No. 63) between the years 55 and 57. Corinth, a commercial and cosmopolitan city and the seat of the proconsul of Achaia, had been evangelized by St Paul in the course of the second missionary journey during his stay of at least 18 months beginning towards the end of the year 50 (see No. 51). The community at Corinth was zealous and generous, in fact extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit appeared among them (see No. 78), but they showed themselves somewhat unruly and liable to split up into factions or parties, according to each person’s sympathy with particular preachers of the Gospel. One of these was Paul himself, another was Cephas (or better Kephas), i.e. the apostle Peter; another was Apollos who came to Corinth for a short time (see No. 62) and aroused enthusiasm by his biblical learning and Greek eloquence. There were also other disorders of a moral and disciplinary nature. Because of all this St Paul, not being able to return immediately to Corinth, wrote this first letter. It is of great doctrinal importance and falls into two principal sections. In the first part the Apostle condemns the disorders in the Corinthian Christian community, i.e. the division into religious parties, the exaggerated esteem of style in preaching (which is divine and not human wisdom), a case of public scandal, going before pagan tribunals with suits between Christians, and lastly the fact that many were failing back into the vice of fornication. P. 185 |
7 So neither he who plants nor he
who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he
who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor.9 For we are God's fellow
workers; you are God's field, God's building.10 According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble 13 each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," 20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21 So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours; 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 'Carnal' as opposed to 'spiritual' in St Paul's language, indicates those who reason with a human mentality, instead of being inspired by the logic of the faith. The Corinthian Christians were 'carnal' because they judged the 'wisdom' of the preachers by their external qualities. Apollos, a person otherwise worthy and straightforward enough, must have charmed some with his eloquence and use of philosophical ideas while others, of Jewish origin and culture, preferred the distant Peter (Cephas) for motives which were still human, i.e. because they thought of him as one of themselves. P. 191 |
12 "All things are lawful
for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me,"
but I will not be enslaved by anything. 13 "Food is meant for the
stomach and the stomach for food" - and God will destroy both one and the
other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord
for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord
and will also raise us up by his power.15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one.” 17 But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Shun immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? 20 You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Corinth was proverbial for its corruption and for the thousand priestesses of Venus consecrated to temple prostitution. It is not to be wondered at that the Christians of the city, but lately converted, were again conscious of the temptations of the flesh and that some returned to their former vices. The principles of individual or social utilitarianism are of little value against such bad habits. St Paul appeals firmly to the highest principles of the Christian faith. Our body is not a prison to scorn or a beast of burden to satisfy with whatever fodder pleases it. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit! By virtue of baptism it has a mysterious but real relationship with the body of the risen Christ, and is itself, this fleshly body, destined to rise, transformed and glorious. Therefore the body deserves respect and reverence: if it is made the instrument of sin it is profaned and set in opposition to its sacred character and glorious destiny. 'All things are lawful for me' was probably a phrase dictated by St Paul to express the liberty of Christians by contrast with the coercive nature of the precepts of the Old Testament. But there were Corinthian Christians who misused this phrase to justify a certain carelessness with regard to sensual relationships. St Paul protested against such an interpretation: all things are permitted to the Christian, but not in such a way as to make him the slave of sin and place him in opposition to his freedom, which has its foundation in his relationship with Christ. Instead, true conjugal relations, symbols not of selfishness but of total dedication are not only not harmful to his relationship with Christ, but are also a sacramental sign, a symbol of the fellowship of love and life between Christ and the faithful (see No. 127). P. 195 |
| 15 But if the unbelieving
partner desires to separate, let it be so; in such a case the brother or
sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace. 16 Wife, how do you know
whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether
you will save your wife? 17 Only, let every one lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 25 Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the impending distress it is well for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. 28 But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. 32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; 33 but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. 39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God. Note that in this passage St Paul does not set out to discuss the whole doctrine of marriage which he will have occasion to deal with in the Letter to the Ephesians (see No. 127) but is replying to queries of a practical nature which the Corinthians had put to him by letter. P. 197 |
3 This is my defense to
those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right
to our food and drink? 5 Do we not have the right
to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brethren of the
Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas
and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier
at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its
fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?8 Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the ploughman should plough in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? 12 If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the, law I became as one under the law---though not being myself under the law-that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law-not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ-that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. p. 199 |
| 24 Do you not know that
in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize?
So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every
athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable
wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Well, I do not run aimlessly,
I do not box as one beating the air; 27 but I pommel my body
and subdue it lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. This digression shows a very attractive aspect of St Paul's personality: a sort of pride making him desire to be self-supporting, earning his own living by manual labor; he was a military tent-maker using goats wool or sackcloth. This was a craft for which his country Cilicia was renowned. He would not let himself be kept by his spiritual children, as would have been his right, and as was the right, confirmed by him, of all preachers of the Gospel, so that they might be free for their spiritual work. St Paul renounced this right, seeing in this attitude a way of facilitating the credibility of his preaching: 'To the weak I became weak that I might win the weak'. This digression was intended to teach, by his own example, that in certain cases, in order not to give scandal or make difficulties for the brethren, the Christian must know how to live a stricter life, e.g., refuse meats offered to idols. Christians, who are strong, i.e. of enlightened faith, will eat them without scruples, but the 'weak' will regard them as contaminated (see in No. 43 the rule included in the Jerusalem decision). The explanation of this will be found in No 76 that follows. 76 You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of devils (10, 1-22) 1 I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same supernatural food 4 and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. P. 201 |
| 6 Now these things are
warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters
as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink
and rose up to dance." 8 We must not indulge
in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single
day. 9 We must not put the
Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor grumble, as some
of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened
to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon
whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let any one
who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken
you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be
tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the
way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved,
shun the worship of idols. 15 I speak as to sensible
men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which
we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one
bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
18 Consider the practice
of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then?
That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what
pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to
be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the
cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of
the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the
Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? In the markets in pagan cities like Corinth meat sacrificed to idols was for sale. Were the Christians allowed to eat it or not? This was the question raised by the Corinthians. P. 202 |
| 14 For the body does not
consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say,
"Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make
it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear should
say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not
make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were
an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear,
where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged
the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single
organ, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are
many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to
the hand, "I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, "I have
no need of you." 22 On the contrary, the
parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those parts of the
body 24 which we think less
honorable we invest with the greater honour, and our unpresentable parts
are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not
require. But God has so adjusted
the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior part; 25 that there may be no
discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one
another. 26 If one member suffers,
all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, and speakers in various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is called Spirit because he is like the soul of our soul, a power of knowledge and of life which unites us to the Risen Christ (He is the Spirit of Christ), which makes us like him, which makes us think and judge like him, which makes us live and work with him. In the primitive Church this presence of the Holy Spirit sometimes made itself manifest in the 'charisms' or gifts of the Spirit which operated like miraculous signs of the presence of God among the Christians (see Nos. 22 and 30) and furthermore were to serve the spiritual good of the community. P. 207 |
|
3
For I delivered to you
as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the scriptures, 4
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5
and that he appeared
to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6
Then he appeared to
more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive,
though some have fallen asleep. 7
Then he appeared to
James, then to all the apostles. 8
Last of all, as to one
untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9
For I am the least of
the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church
of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God, which is with me. 11 Whether then it was they, or I so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ - shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him. P. 210 |
| 51
Lo! I tell you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52
in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53
For this perishable
nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.
54
When the perishable
puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall
come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is thy victory? “0 death, where is thy sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 567But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, by beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. The Corinthians did not deny Christ's resurrection, which was among the fundamental articles of the apostolic preaching, but they had difficulties about the general resurrection of the dead, either because they did not think it necessary, in view of the idea of the immortality of the soul held by the Greeks, or because they did not understand how a body with material needs could last for ever. St Paul replies in this very important chapter, which completes what, he had already explained to the Thessalonians (see No. 57). Note the fundamental points of the explanation, which is quite clear: (1) Christ is risen; this is a basic fact of faith for which there are irrefutable witnesses. Many who had seen the risen Jesus were still alive when Paul wrote these words. (2) But why should he have risen if the resurrection is unnecessary or impossible? He is risen in order that we too may rise. That is the meaning of our salvation: the forgiveness of sins and the total redemption of man in soul and body. There is no substitute for this redemption nor any alternative to the salvation brought by Christ. Without him we should still be in sin and of what use would be an immortality of soul if it did no more than prolong forever our alienation from God? But Christ's redemption is complete; it is victory over death, because death is the consequence and image of sin. (3) But how can 'flesh and blood' subsist in an eternal life? P. 213 |
|
This is the other difficulty with which perhaps the Apostle had never before
had occasion to deal. Here is his answer: we shall not rise in the 'same
condition as before, we shall not retain human appetites in the sphere of
glorified realities. There are different sorts of 'flesh', i.e. of bodies. Even our body
exists in two different conditions: before death and after resurrection. (4) This entrance of the body into a new and different state affects not only the dead, already dissolved into dust, but also those who will still be alive at the moment when Christ comes. In the instant that sees the dead arise, they will feel themselves radically changed, and clothed with the characteristics of immortal bodies. (5) The risen Christ is the cause and pattern of the resurrection of the elect. Once risen, he became a quickening Spirit, that is to say, able to pour into a Christian a spiritual power which transforms him into a new creature (see Nos. 89 and 93) in the deepest roots of his being. At the moment of the general resurrection that transformation will reach even the body, which will be renewed in the image of the risen Christ. The material creation also will take part in this transformation of totally redeemed man, as St Paul himself teaches when writing to the Romans (see No. 98). 81 The collection for the poor at Jerusalem: conclusion of the Letter (16, 1-24) 1 Now concerning the contribution for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that contributions need not be made when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. 5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may speed me on my journey wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. P. 214 |
| 10 When Timothy comes,
see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord,
as I am. 11 So let no one despise
him. Speed him on his way in peace that he may return to me for I am expecting
him with the brethren. 12 As for our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. 13 Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; 16 I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and Laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. 19 The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The 'saints', that is the Christians for whom St Paul collected alms in the Churches he had evangelized, were those of the Church of Jerusalem, made up in great part of very poor people. In fact The Acts speak of the arrival of Paul at Jerusalem with abundant help for the poor (see Nos. 101 and 107). This fraternal aid was a sign of the communion of faith and charity between the communities originating in paganism and the Jewish-Christian community of the Holy City (see No. 100). For Paul's journey to Macedonia and then to Corinth see No. 65. Apollos (see Introduction to No. 70) had returned from Corinth to Ephesus with St Paul; perhaps he did not share St Paul's optimism about the settlement of the dissensions at Corinth and feared to provoke new disorders if he were to return among those unruly admirers of his. P. 215 |
| Stephanas was a person of high
rank in the community at Corinth. Being one of the first to be baptized (see
No. 70), he was responsible for the
Church in Corinth and with Fortunatus and Achaicus had brought the Apostle
the latest news and the questions to be dealt with. Probably he was
the bearer of this present letter. Aquila and Prisca (or Priscilla), the married couple who had so generously entertained Paul had returned from Corinth (see No. 51) to Ephesus with him at the end of the second missionary journey and had taken up residence there (see No. 53). Writing his usual greeting in his own hand St Paul adds an invocation which sums up his whole message: Christ ('the Lord') is everything to us: whoever does not love him cannot be a Christian he will be 'anathema', i.e. excommunicated, excluded from the Communion with the faithful. 'Maran atha' or better 'Marana tha' in Aramaic (the language of Jesus and the Apostles) means ‘Come, Lord'. It had entered into the liturgy and expressed the ardent desire for the second coming of Jesus (see the end of the Apocalypse, No. 180). EVENTS
AFTER THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS
1) The first Letter to the Corinthians, and Timothy's visit
at the same time, produced no good result. Further, the situation was worsened
by the arrival at Corinth of certain Christians of Jewish origin who took
to themselves the title of apostle and belittled Paul in every way.2) Probably St Paul made a very short visit to Corinth, which was a sad disappointment to him: he was even publicly insulted by a quarrelsome member of that community. 3) From Ephesus St Paul wrote a Letter 'with many tears' which he entrusted to his disciple, Titus; this must have moved the Corinthians and induced them to see their faults. This Letter has not been preserved for us. 4) The riot of the silversmiths of Ephesus (see No. 64) caused St Paul to anticipate his departure with the result that he did not find at Troas Titus, who ought to have met him there with the news of Corinth. Not being able to put up with this worrying uncertainty he crossed to Macedonia. 5) In Macedonia, probably at Philippi, he succeeded in meeting Titus who brought him quite good news. But the community at Corinth was still much disturbed. So, before returning there in person, St Paul wrote another Letter to prepare for his arrival and had it delivered by Titus again. This is our second Letter to the Corinthians written about the year 57. P. 217 |
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for 'your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison 18 because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 5, 1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 so that by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we sigh with anxiety; not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. P. 220 |
| 6 So we are always of
good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from
the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith,
not by sight. 8 We are of good courage,
and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at
home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or
evil, according to what he has done in the body. The second Letter to the Corinthians written towards the end of the year 69 is very rich in personal touches, which give us a glimpse of St Paul's mind. He expresses very frankly to these turbulent Christians of his, poisoned as they are by the calumnies of certain intriguers against him, his most intimate feelings, his sufferings, anxiety and hopes. The passage here quoted is very important also for the doctrine of individual eschatology', that is, of the state of the soul after death but before the general resurrection. St Paul has experienced the progressive breaking up of the body, caused more by the labors of the apostolate and by persecutions than by advancing years. He admits that the deep desire of his whole being would not be to be 'unclothed' of his mortal body, but to be 'further clothed' by the transformed and immortal body without passing through death, and this will happen at the instant of the Lord's coming (see No. 80). The body is thus compared to a garment and also to a tent to dwell in. However, the prospect of death does not frighten him. Indeed, from a certain point of view he would rather die than remain too long in exile far from his final meeting with the Lord. He asserts that dying ('being away from the body') he will go to live with the Lord. It is thus not necessary to wait till the moment of the resurrection to be with the risen Jesus; death changes the relationship with the mortal body but it does not change the relationship with Christ, except to make it more evident. He was to express the same idea when he wrote to the Philippians (see No. 117). 83 Paul defends his authority as an Apostle (11, 1-21) 1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. P. 221 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough. 5 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 7 Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 (What I am saying I say not with the Lord's authority but as a fool, in this boastful confidence; 18 since many boast of worldly things, I too will boast.) 19 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! At Corinth there had arrived certain Christians of Jewish origin who wrongly called themselves 'apostles' and belittled St Paul, saying that he was not a true apostle and had no authority. P. 223 |
| 3 And I know that this
man was caught up into Paradise-whether in the body or out of the body I
do not know, God knows 4 and he heard things
that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man
I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
6 Though if I wish to
boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain
from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears
from me. 7 And to keep me from
being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in
the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too
elated. 8 Three times I besought
the Lord about this, that it should leave me; 9 but he said to me, "My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I
will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ,
then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and
calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. St Paul knows very well that boasting is madness, foolishness. But he is obliged by the Corinthians to boast because that is the only argument they understand. They believe Paul's detractors, though they have so many reasons for respecting the apostle. So Paul must enumerate all the reasons that give him authority, his credentials as it were. So we have this wonderful page of autobiography. Note: 'Forty lashes less one' refers to the Jewish custom of inflicting the punishment of flogging; since the law of Moses forbade giving more than forty lashes, for fear of breaking it they gave thirty-nine only. The incident at Damascus took place a little after the conversion (see No. 25). Aretas IV, king of the Nabatean Arabs, had ruled Damascus for some time. It was a great humiliation for Paul to have to flee in that way. The 'thorn in the flesh was not a temptation on the moral plane but a physical disability, perhaps a recurring illness which troubled the apostle, perhaps a very painful physiological reaction to those mystical experiences (raptures, visions) to which Paul had referred a little earlier. P. 226 |
|
From St Paul's Letter to the Galatians
Galatia properly so-called was the district inhabited by the Galatians, who
were a group of Gauls who in the fourth century B.C. invaded Asia Minor and
settled at Ancyra (today Ankara) and in the surrounding mountains.
But Galatia was also the name of the Roman province which included the regions
further south called Pisidia and Lycaonia where St Paul had founded churches
during the first missionary journey (see Nos. 38, 39 and 40). Probably we are here concerned
not with those churches but with the Galatians property so-called.
St Paul had stayed among them because of an illness during the second journey;
they were a simple and extremely friendly race who received the Gospel gladly.St Paul must soon have left them, but he saw them again when he revisited them during the third journey (see No. 61). Some time afterwards these Galatians were however visited by some Jewish-Christians of the kind who taught 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses., you cannot be saved'. This question had already been decided but the Galatians knew nothing of it and believed the new preachers, or at least were much perturbed by this doctrine, which was new to them. St Paul heard of these matters during his three months' stay at Corinth towards the end of the third journey (see No. 65). He wrote this Letter in a vigorous and emotional style. The almost exclusive subject of the Letter is justification by means of faith in Christ without recourse to the practices of the Mosaic Law. In certain ways it is the preface to the basic subject of the letter to the Romans, which he was to write a little later. This was in the winter of the year 57-58. P. 227 |
