This is part 2 of a sermon series through 2 Corinthians. As I said last week, best guess is that Paul wrote at least 4 letters to the church in Corinth, and what we call 1st and 2nd Corinthians are the 2nd and 4th letters, respectively. The other two are presumed lost. After sending what we call 1 Corinthians to Corinth, Paul followed up by sending Timothy to check on the situation, and Timothy came back with a bad report. This prompted Paul to visit in person, and he left in humiliation. When he got back to Ephesus, he wrote the third letter, apparently scolding or reprimanding them.
Presumably in that letter, he indicated that he would be back soon for another visit on his way to Macedonia. Furthermore, he’d visit them again on his way back from Macedonia. However, at some point his plans changed. Paul went straight to Macedonia, intending to have a one, longer, visit in Corinth.
Put yourself in Paul’s sandals for a minute:
Why might you want to go straight to Corinth ASAP? On the other hand, why might you want to put off the visit as long as possible?
What would be the benefit of two, shorter, visits with a side trip to Macedonia in between? On the other hand, why might a single, longer, visit be better?
How might the church in Corinth react when you changed your plans?
2 Corinthians 1
Commentary
v12 boast. Last week I said that afflictions and tribulations are mentioned more in this letter than in any other NT book. Likewise, Greek word group for boasting is used more in this letter than the rest of the NT combined (31 of 61 references). One might think the two are related somehow, but the Greek for boasting can also mean rejoicing or glorying in (just as one might boast in, rejoice in, or glory in the Boston Red Sox).
v14 boast of us just as we will boast in you. In spite of all the troubles, Paul does not lose his long-term perspective. In the short term, we may have troubles of many kinds, but over time, can we boast, can we rejoice of, our growth in Jesus Christ?
v17 ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ Reminiscent of Matt 5: 37, where Jesus says, "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'." What Paul and Jesus have in mind is double-mindedness—saying one thing even while making plans to do another, being so fickle in our promises that we have to swear oaths to make our words believable. The dilemma for Christians who pray for God’s will and commit themselves to a certain course of action is always the same: What do you do when circumstances change?
v20 ‘Yes’ ... ‘Amen’. Remember, amen means "truly," or "it is so," and is a holy affirmation of what has just been said.
v21-22 The point of Paul’s reasoning lies in the certainty of God—not us!—as the initiator and guarantor of what is to come
deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. The NIV overreaches in its interpretation. The conclusion is something more like, "put his Spirit in our hearts as earnest money." Earnest, or good faith, money is a down payment, vouchsafing a contract that has its fulfillment in the future. Such is God’s work in us.
Application
I’m not really happy with Paul’s reasoning for why he changed his plans. I’ve read the letter in different translations, hoping that Paul’s convoluted way of writing—do I say ‘Yes, yes," and ,"No, no"?—could be made clear by somebody’s interpretation of what Paul said. (And it would be an interpretation—reading between the lines—e.g. 2 Cor 7:8a: Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it—is interpreting Paul’s frame of mind and his motivation.) Certainly Paul is concerned that the Corinthians view him as a man of character, a man of Spirit, and apostle of Jesus Christ, and therefore a man whose words and deeds reveal not just a man of integrity, but a man sent by God on a mission.
Certainly we struggle with the same tension, the incongruity between what we say we are going to do and what we actually do.
It can happen with great, life-changing events, like jobs: I prayed about what I was supposed to do next, and I thought God told me to do Plan A, but no everything seems so hard, and wrong, and I’m wondering if I heard God right. In fact, I wonder if I heard God at all. Maybe it was Plan B all along. Or maybe I’m delusional. Maybe I’m just fooling myself.
It can happen with small, seemingly inconsequential events, like habits: I prayed about dieting, but then I forgot until the cheeseburger hit my lips, and by then it was too late. I need to pray harder, I guess. Maybe tomorrow.
Hint: they’re all life-changing events—if you realize that the power of God is not made manifest by what you do as much as who you are. The further we go with Christ, the more we realize he cares less about Plan A or Plan B than he cares about the person we are becoming in the process of following. Paul made his plans to visit Corinth (and no doubt he prayed about those plans before committing to them) and then life threw him something unexpected. His plans changed. The further we go with Christ, the more we realize that God is found at those forks in the road where we either doggedly follow our original plans or opt to go a new way.
Hint: we cannot make inflexible rules about following God—at that fork in the road, sometimes God is happy us taking either way, sometimes only one way, and sometimes neither way (ouch!). Perhaps Paul had to repent of his original plan—prayed over as it was. Perhaps Paul had a change of heart. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the original plan but rather Paul’s willingness to adapt. [1] Not all changes of heart entail yielding to temptations, but all changes of heart ultimately entail yielding to God.
God’s, "Yes!" is the word planted in you, the Spirit of Christ growing within you. We might vacillate, but God’s calling does not waver. We might stumble, but God will pick us up. We might be confused by the choices we have to make along the way, but God says, "I will rejoice in you, as you give me glory by turning to me in the process of making a decision." Often, that turning towards God is more important the actual decision itself. [2]
Points to Ponder
Religious groups that refuse to reconsider past decisions tend to end poorly, like Pharisees, Southern anti-abolitionist churches, or fundamentalist (polygamous) LDS churches. Where have you seen churches lose their way by sticking with theological or social positions forever?
Where are you living bound to a past decision? Could it be that God’s "Yes!" to you would involve you saying, "No!" to your past decision and moving on?
End Notes
1 - In 2 Cor 2:12-13 Paul indicates that he expected to rendezvous with Titus—who had gone to Corinth—in Troas. However, when Titus didn’t arrive, Paul pressed on to Macedonia. Was Titus’ extended stay in Corinth the hand of God at work?
2 - As I have said before, I think lots of our choices are like ice cream. Could it be that God says, "Chocolate or vanilla: pick what would make you happy, but thank you for asking my opinion. You are a good child for asking."
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