Exquisite care for the flock

As I read Paul's letter to his flock in Corinth, I am taken by the similarities with Mary Baker Eddy's relationship with her growing flock. Things don't always chug along smoothly!

Paul tells them they need to pull together, not take sides. His instruction always comes back to his own teacher, Christ Jesus

It is so helpful to read Eddy's correspondence November 28, 1889 (quoted in Mary Baker Eddy: A Life Size Portrait by Lyman Powell - p. 344) -

"The Church of Christ (Scientist) in Boston was my patient seven years. When I would think she was well nigh healed a relapse came and a large portion of her flock would forsake the better portion, and betake themselves to the world's various hospitals for the cure of moral maladies. These straying sheep would either set up claims of improvements on Christian Science and oppose the Mother Church, or sink out of sight in religious history. This state of the Church has lasted ten years. It even grew rapidly worse when about three years ago I for lack of time to adjust her continual difficulties and a conscientious purpose to labor in higher fields and broader ways for the advancement of the glorious hope of Christian Science put students in my pulpit.

"As one who is treating patients without success remembers that they are depending on material hygiene, consulting their own organizations and thus leaning on matter instead of Spirit, saith to these relapsing patients, 'now quit your material props and leave all for Christ, spiritual power, and you will recover.' So I admonish this Church after ten years of sad experience in material bonds to cast them off and cast her net on the spiritual side of Christianity..."

Later (p. 347), Powell notes Eddy's "characteristic timeliness" when she wrote to a student: "You recall his [Jesus']...turning water into wine for the marriage feast, and even being baptized to meet the necessity of 'suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." His age or the age in which he lived required what he did and his wisdom caused his concession to its requirements in some instances. Just as this age requires organization to maintain Christian Science."

So, back to Paul.

Some parts of Paul’s letter (written about A.D. 55) to the Corinthians might make us a bit uncomfortable. It’s pretty personal. Eugene Petersen (the Message) helps me here. In Paul’s time, the “religious” were in the minority; pagans the majority. In fact, Petersen tells us that “Paul grew up in a pagan city…” and that “He asked God which parts of his heritage were moral absolutes and which were cultural preferences he could set aside when relating to non-Jews like the Corinthians.”

And so today, we need to be asking God to help us be aware of the difference between “moral absolutes” and “cultural preferences” which might change over time.

Paul loved these people. He left no stone unturned in his effort to guide them in their journey.  

Let’s do a little exercise to get an overall feel for the letter. Let’s take the first and final sentence or two in each chapter along with an arresting passage in the middle to see the flow of ideas. I’ve updated a few of the seventeenth century words, but otherwise left the KJV as is:

 

Chapter 1 – Introduction and concerns

Opening: Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother to the church of God which is at Corinth

Verse 23: We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness

Close: As it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

Chapter 2 – Credentials and purpose

Opening: I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.

Verse 10: the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Close: We have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 3 – Sorting out a few things

Opening: I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

Verse 6: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Close: And you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Chapter 4 – We are servants, not masters

Opening: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Verse 5: Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Close: Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Chapter 5 – Intimate relations

Opening: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you…

Verse 7: Purge out therefore the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened.

Close: Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

 

Chapter 6 – Other relations
Opening: Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Verse 11: …but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Close: You are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Chapter 7 – Marriage… or not

Opening: Now concerning the things you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless….

Verse 19: Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Close: I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Chapter 8 – Paul’s commission

Opening: Now as touching things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies.

Verse 6: To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, and we by him.

Close: Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Chapter 9 – Historical lessons

Opening: Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord?

Verse 11: If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

Close: I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Chapter 10 - Choices and manners

Opening: Moreover brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.

Verse 17: For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Close: …I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Chapter 11 – Christ authority

Opening: Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Verse 31: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Close: If any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together to condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Chapter 12 – Spiritual gifts

Opening: Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

Verse 6: There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.

Close: Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet I show you a more excellent way.

Chapter 13 – The Greatest Thing in the World

Opening: though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Verse 8: Charity never fails.

Close: And now abides faith, hope, charity these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Chapter 14 – Serious praying

Opening: Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy.

Verse 8:  If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

Close: Let all things be done decently and in order.

Chapter 15 - Resurrection

Opening: Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and wherein you stand.

Verse 14: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Close: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Chapter 16 – Helping others

Opening: Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you.

Verse 9: A great door and effectual is opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Close: My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A lovely place to end.

Julie Swannell