Suffering and Paul’s Mission

by | Nov 2, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Pauline Theology

Paul spreads the gospel, particularly to the Gentiles, through his suffering.  That is the summation of Thom Schreiner’s chpater on “Suffering & the Pauline Mission.” Paul was attacked for his suffering:  accused of being a vacillator, criticized for his lack of success in evangelism, told he needed letters of recommendation, charged with hypocrisy and attacked for his failure to take pay for his work (88). Schreiner does not see the Corinthian letter as a battle between he, his apostleship and the Corinthians [I was not convinced] (91). “. . . his sufferings do not disqualify him from his apostolic office but are the means by which God’s Spirit is poured out in the lives of his converts” (95). Regarding the enigmatic verse in Col 1:24 about Paul filling up what is lacking in Christ’s suffering: “The ‘filling up’ of Christ’s afflictions is the pathway by which the gospel is ‘fulfilled’ in the lives of the Gentiles” (102). “Paul through his sufferings, however, extends the message of Christ’s all-sufficient death to the Gentiles, for such a message was concealed from the Gentiles during the life of Jesus of Nazareth. . . . What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions is that the benefit of those afflictions had not yet been proclaimed among the Gentiles. . . . Paul’s sufferings, in other words, are corollary of Christ’s . . . Paul’s sufferings mirror and reflect what Christ has done, so that the messenger in this sense replicates the life of the one proclaimed”...

The Basis of Paul’s Mission

by | Nov 2, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Pauline Theology

I did keep up with my reading plan of Schreiner’s book yesterday, but not my posting of it.  so here’s some quotes from yesterday’s reading: “The gospel of Christ fulfills what was written in the Old Testament scriptures, and believers inherit the promises made to Abraham” (73). Schreiner then moves into a brief history of Israel. I thought this was a quaint quote: “The promises of land and seed were substantially fulfilled at this juncture [Joshua’s conquest], but there was little evidence that all nations would be blessed through Abraham” (74).  What does substantially fulfilled mean?  Obviously Dr. Screiner does not even see Joshua’s conquest and the completion of the promise made to Israel regarding the land. The most fun portion of Schreiner’s chapter is his discussion of the Gentiles being included in the community of Israel through the gospel.  He is careful throughout, not to refer to the Jew/Gentile oneness as “the church,” but as “the people of God.”  This is language that will suit his position well, but not that which is used in the salient passages he quotes. Romans 2:28-29 are not verses directed at Gentiles who can become Jews, but rather Jews who have never understood God’s original intentions for their Jewishness.  Gentiles are never called Jews in Romans (81).  He further acknowledges the great debate of “the Israel of God” in Galatians 6:16.  Plausible interpretations can be made for it referring to Gentile inclusion with the Jews as well as  Israel as an ethnic reference (82-83). Ephesians 2:11ff never calls the Gentile-Jew oneness Israel.  In fact he states that both groups have become one...

I Need a Nap

by | Nov 2, 2006 | Time/Life Management

I am a major proponent of the 10 minute power-nap – especially when engaged in long hours of study.  Glad to see my enjoyment of planned laziness is confirmed by research. Napping: Is it good for you? –...

Team Ministry

by | Nov 2, 2006 | Ecclesiology

I serve as one member of a pastoral team.  Reading this article, I could affirm much of what it suggests about a team approach to church leadership. Four Secrets of Great Team-Based Leadership –...