Tom writes:

Does your bible have subheadings at certain places? Mine has one over this chapter saying “the rights of an Apostle”. These aren’t original to the text but are added by each publisher to try to help us understand the text. I think they got this one wrong. What Paul is doing here is continuing the train of thought he was on in chapter 8. In fact, he is still continuing along the tracks he laid out in chapter 1; that on the ship of faith our central fellow should be Jesus. Jesus should form our approach to everything. Paul had fully integrated Jesus into his understanding of the Old Testament God and then used that rich and robust knowledge to make every decision. We see here how that led Paul into a pattern of life that echoed Jesus’ incarnation. Just like Jesus, Paul was sent by the Father. Just like Jesus, Paul didn’t see this as a licence to lord it over people. Just like Jesus, Paul gave up his rights so that he might discharge his duty more effectively. And just like Jesus, Paul showed people an exact picture of what it would be like for them to be mature in God.

I think that is amazing. Previously when I read “to a Jew I became like a Jew, to win the Jews” I thought it meant quite a superficial and temporary effort to speak in the language and ideas of his audience. Like wearing a hoodie for youth work, innit. But now I am grasping the deeply embodied nature of the mission that Paul took on. He strained every sinew to understand the fears, ambitions and struggles of the people around him so that he could show them what they will look like when they are mature in Jesus. This wasn’t shadow boxing; it was getting in the ring in Corinth to live as a Corinthian completely given over to Christ. It was real selfless love. I believe the variance in language and ideas in Paul’s letters (which cause some theologians to say different people wrote them) are actually a bi-product of how Paul incarnated the gospel slightly differently in different places depending on their culture. And all of this leaves me wondering whether I have ever loved someone as much as Paul loved these Corinthians. I wonder whether I’ve ever gone into strict training so I can really understand the people around me? I wonder if I would be happy to live a life so much like my neighbour (and yet fully filled with the Spirit) that my neighbour can see in me God’s invitation to their shared future. Jesus did that for me. Paul did it for the Corinthians. Holy Spirit, please help me start doing it for others.

Question for reflection

In what ways are you beating your body or training your soul so that you might live more like Jesus?

1 Corinthians 9 - Tuesday 28th May