NT LEADER S GUIDE. 1 Corinthians JOHN D. MORRISON

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2 NT LEADER S GUIDE 1 Corinthians JOHN D. MORRISON

3 NT Leader s Guide: 1 & 2 Corinthians Copyright 2018 John D. Morrison Published by Lakewood Baptist Church 2235 Thompson Bridge Road Gainesville, Georgia Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway.

4 1 CORINTHIANS Authorship & Audience As is clear from the first verse of the letter, the Apostle Paul is the author of 1 Corinthians. From the final chapter, we learn that he composed this letter while ministering in Ephesus (16:8). He stated his desire to remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, and so it is likely that he wrote during (16:8). Most likely, he wrote in the spring of AD 54. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth (1:2). Before writing this letter, Paul had already ministered in Corinth during his second missionary journey. Acts 18:1-16 records the 18 months Paul spent proclaiming the gospel and establishing a church there (likely from March AD 50 to late September 51). It was here that Paul met Priscilla and Aquila, who would later travel with him on his missionary journeys and it was during this year and a half that many people, both Jew and Gentile came to faith in Christ, and the church in Corinth was founded (Acts 10:8). Many commentators believe that Paul stayed in Corinth for an extended period because of the city s importance in this region. Corinth s location on the isthmus between mainland Greece and the Peloponnesian Peninsula gave it a geographic advantage. The city stood and both the east-west and north-south crossroads of this region, and as such, it developed into a wealthy trading city with a cosmopolitan character. Corinth was called the master of two harbors because it was strategically situated only miles from ports on both the east and west and coasts of Greece. The city also derived much of its importance from being a Roman colony. As a wealthy Roman colony, Corinth became a place for many to go in their pursuit of worldly success. Much of what Paul writes in this letter challenges the values promoted through the ruthless pragmatism of Corinth s economics, the highly stratified nature of its society, and its cultural and religious pluralism. Purpose Paul writes this letter in response to a number of issues that have come to his attention: (1) reports from Chole s people (1:11); (2) a 1

5 letter of enquiry (7:1); (3) their desire for more visits from Apollos (16:12); and (4) more reports from Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (16:17-18). Clearly, Paul has an on-going relationship with the Christians in this community where he spent so much time, and this epistle is one part of their continuing connection. In response to these reports, Paul speaks to a number of practical issues for Christian living. For example, he spends much time addressing discord in the church, and he calls, instead, for unity in Christ. He challenges the church to push back against the values of the pagan society that have seeped into their lives. The church must be distinct from the world. To address these practical issues, Paul takes the Corinthians back to the theological foundation of their Christian lives. All of their problems are symptoms of a greater problem: they have failed to see that the cross has practical implications for their daily lives. They have failed to live in light of the cross. They have neither understood nor practiced the reality that following Christ means taking up their own cross. Contemporary Application First-century Corinth has much in common with the West in the twenty-first century. Many in the city were driven by a desire for economic success, and their wealth was built through trade and participation in the global economy. While some amassed incredible wealth, others in Corinth were left quite poor. These economic and resulting social class divisions often became quite rigid; it was a highly stratified society. Corinth was also a society of cultural and religious pluralism. International trade and immigration brought people from all over the world to this city, and these people brought their own cultures and religions to Corinth. Part of the religious make up of this city was the imperial cult, which often required sacrifices to be made to the Emperor. These sacrifices reveal another part of Corinthian culture: rampant nationalism. They were proud of their heritage as a Roman colony and were wary of anyone who would not do one s civic duty and worship the Emperor. Corinth was also a place where honor and public acknowledgment were sought after as much as economic success. A recent commentator, Ben 2

6 Witherington, explains, The Corinthian people lived with an honorshame cultural orientation, where public recognition was often more important than facts.... In such a culture a person s sense of worth is based on recognition of one s accomplishments. Economically, socially, politically, and religiously, Corinth in Paul s time has much in common with the world today. The first point of application should be a word of comfort. The church in the twenty-first century is not the first church to face the challenges of living in a pluralistic and pagan society where wealth and public fame are the guiding principles. Into this situation, Paul addresses the church as God s people, sanctified in Christ Jesus (1:2). It is possible to live faithfully as God s people in this environment. We know from history that the church in the Roman world did more than merely survive; it actually overcame the pagan influences. The church overcame not through the methods of worldly influence - what Paul Corinthian Conformity The Corinthians appear to be getting on quite well in their community.... Apparently, they have no religious scruples about being well integrated into a pagan society that is inherently hostile to the wisdom of the cross. In Corinth, no countercultural impact, so central to the preaching of the cross (1:18-25), is evident. Their faith appears not to have created any significant social and moral realignment of their lives. They face little or no social ostracism, and the lack of external pressure contributes to their internal dissension. - David Garland calls the wisdom of the world - but through the foolishness of the cross: by boldly proclaiming the message of Christ crucified and by following Jesus in his suffering. Second, we need to heed the challenge Paul sets forth in 1 Corinthians not to be conformed to the world around us. The Corinthian church had failed to become a distinctive community. The problem, one writer explains, was not that the church was in Corinth but that too much of Corinth was in the church. The church today needs to hear Paul s call to be distinct, to live in the way of the cross. When situated in the midst of a pagan society, the church must look different. 3

7 Discussion Questions 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Why does the message of the cross seem foolish to the world? If the world finds the Christian message foolish, should we be surprised by the world s reaction to us? How does 1:26-31 both humble us and give us great hope? 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Considering Paul s words here, what should we expect from and look for in church? What is the key criterion in evaluating a person s and / or a church s faithfulness? 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 Why is the Holy Spirit necessary to help us understand God s word? How does the Spirit help us in this way? 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 The you in v. 16 is plural. What does it mean that the church - the people of God - are God s temple? What was the role of the physical temple in the OT? How does the church as the people of God fulfill that role today? 1 Corinthians 4:7 Is there anything excluded from what believers have received from God? How does the reality that everything we have comes from God lead us to humility? 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Paul uses strong language in these verses, calling for the Corinthians to expel this sexual immoral person from the church. Why is Paul shocked by their behavior and adamant that they must do something about it? Where are we tempted to tolerate evil in the church? Why are we tempted to do so? 1 Corinthians 6:7-8 What would it take to share this attitude where you would rather be wronged than insist on your own rights? Why does it take faith in Christ to be able to live like this? Where in your own life do you need to be willing to be wronged? 1 Corinthians 7 In many ways, our culture exalts sexual fulfillment as one of, the chief goods in life. How do Paul s words in this chapter challenge many of our cultural assumptions about sexuality and its priority in life? Where do you need to place more important things - such as your spouse (7:4) or the advancement of the gospel (7:32) before your own sexual desires? 1 Corinthians 8:8-13 Why does Paul encourage the Corinthians to give up some of their rights for the sake of others? What would 4

8 motivate a Christian to give up something they want for the sake of another Christian? In your own life, is there something the Lord is calling you to give up for the good of your brothers and sisters in Christ? Consider 1 Cor. 9:1:-12 where Paul sets forth his own apostolic ministry as a model for not exerting your rights as a Christian. Also compare 1 Cor. 8 with Paul s instructions in 1 Cor. 10: Corinthians 9:15-18 Various versions translate v. 16 as necessity or am compelled or under compulsion or an obligation is laid upon me. How does Paul s feeling that he must proclaim the gospel fit with his understanding that salvation is by God s grace alone? Should we also consider ourselves under obligation to share the gospel? What would it look like to take on Paul s attitude that we are entrusted with a stewardship (v. 17) and are willing to make ourselves slaves to all (v. 19) for the sake of the gospel? 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 According to v. 6 and v. 11, why were the events of the Old Testament recorded? How is the OT for us as Christians? How are vv both a challenge and a comfort to you in your Christian walk? 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 To make sense of vv , we need to remember that the first century practice of the Lord s Supper was more like a banquet than our typical picture of a wafer and a bit of juice. What was Paul denouncing in vv ? How are we tempted when we gather as a church to break off into cliques and create divisions in the church? What steps can you take to move beyond such behavior? According to vv , what is celebrated in the Lord s Supper? 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 What is the message Paul conveys with this image of the church as one body - the body of Christ? How does this picture of the church free you to serve where you are gifted? How does this image allow you to more freely love those within the church? 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 To whom is this chapter on love addressed? Is it primarily about romantic love between two people or about the love we should have for one another in the church? Consider using 5

9 vv. 4-7 as prayer of confession for how you have not loved as God calls us to love and a prayer that God would bring us to love like this. 1 Corinthians 14:26 In this verse, Paul exhorts the church in their worship, Let all things be done for building up. Do you approach your time at church with a focus on what you can gain and enjoy from the experience or do you focus on how you can strengthen the faith of others? How might Paul s instructions in 8:8-9:14 about giving up our rights for the sake of others influence how we think about corporate worship? 1 Corinthians 15 Looking at vv , why would Paul say that our faith is in vain if Christ has not been raised from the dead? Why is the resurrection so important? Verses speak of Christ now reigning until his has defeated all his enemies and handed his kingdom over to God the Father. What comfort does it provide us that Christ now reigns over all things? Consider Ps. 8:6; Ps. 110:1; Eph. 1:20-21; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:5-9; Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 3: Verses discuss our resurrection bodies. Why is the Christian hope that we will have a resurrected body like Jesus important to our faith? 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 It s worth noting here that the church is gathering on the first day of every week, which is an expression for Sunday. Here Paul sets forth two topics that some avoid for fear of sounding too legalistic: coming to church and giving. How are these two spiritual disciplines actual ways that God is gracious to us? 6

10 Frequently Asked Questions 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Head Coverings In this passage, Paul addresses head coverings in worship and more generally propriety in worship. The main thrust of these verses is that freedom in Christ does not negate the need to act within the standards of acceptable behavior. When gathered for public worship, men and women must act and dress with modesty, not setting aside sexual propriety. First, we should note that head covering is a bit ambiguous so that it could refer to how hair is styled, to a veil, or to a shawl worn around the head. What is clear, is that the head covering was a sign that a women was married, and in wearing such she was showing honor to her husband and family. As we will see, the exact meaning of this word is less important than figuring out how Paul s call to propriety should be applied in a particular cultural context. As the specific meaning of head covering is unclear, so is the cause of women no longer abiding by this practice. It could be that they misapplied what it meant to be free in Christ. Or, they may have misunderstood that in Christ there is no male nor female (Gal. 3:28). Perhaps, it was the fact that the line between house and church was blurred in their context as the church met in their homes. Also, we should note that while Paul s primary emphasis in this passage is about women s head coverings, there are clear implications in his writings for men s behavior and dress in public worship. Theological Foundations for Decorum in Worship While this passage is ultimately about decorum in worship, Paul grounds his teaching in theological truth. How we act and even how we dress in worship reflects what we believe. Paul begins with a statement about human relationships and our relationship to God: But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. The idea of head here is about authority. The NT teaches that a husband has authority over his wife, but it is clear that this authority is nothing like what the world expects from an authority. For Christ is the head - the authority - of all people, and how he exercises his 7

11 authority is the model for husbands. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Christ s model of self-sacrificial service, even to the point of death is the model for husbands to follow. This is exactly what Paul calls husbands to in Eph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Husbands act like the head of their wives by giving up their own lives and desires for the sake of their wives. Paul does not stop with the relationship of humanity to Christ, but he continues, The head of Christ is God (11:3). The remarkable truth conveyed in this passage is that while Christ is equal in divinity and glory with the Father, the Father is still the head of the Son. For the relationship between husbands and wives, this informs us that the difference in roles and responsibilities does not mean a difference in worth. In vv. 8-10, Paul grounds the headship of the husband in the creation order. This issue of authority is not the result of the fall but was built into the very order of creation. Of course, the abuse of this authority stems from sin, and such abuse must be ended and redeemed. While headship originates in the creation order, Paul again emphasizes that these differing roles are not a matter of differing levels of worth. Rather, men and women are mutually dependent and equal. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God (11:11-12). Men and women are equal and mutually dependent upon each other. Head Coverings Let s turn our attention to verses 4-5 where Paul begins to discuss head coverings: Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 8

12 It is worth noting how Paul goes from using head as a metaphor for authority in 11:3 to now discussing head coverings. 11:4 deals with men s behavior. Here, Paul seems to be referencing a custom in pagan worship where men would pull the loose folds of their togas over their heads as an act of piety. Paul clearly indicates that the men should not pray like the pagans; it would be shameful for a Christian man to do so. It would dishonor his head, who is Christ. Likewise, for a wife to pray without her head covered would bring similar shame and dishonor upon her husband. It is key here to translate gune, which can mean wife or woman, as wife in this instance. Paul s teaching here is about a wife showing respect for her husband and family. This emphasis upon shame and honor should clue us into the fact that Corinth in the first century was different than our current context. In his commentary on 1 Corinthians, David Garland notes that Corinth was a hierarchically structured shame/honor society. He goes on to explain the implications of such a society, In this gender-divided shame/honor culture, the head of the family publicly symbolized the family s honor, and members of the family were to behave in public so as not to bring disgrace or dishonor to that person and the family s good name. The head covering fits into this culture by communicating in public that a woman is demure, chaste, and modest, and that she intends to stay that way. Paul s teaching on head coverings encourages proper decorum and modesty in public worship. He desires for women to demonstrate proper respect for their husbands, but more than this, Paul wants men and women to show honor and respect for Christ through their actions and dress in corporate worship. Application Two thousand years and thousands of miles mean that a head covering, whether a hat, hair style, veil, or shawl, does not communicate the same thing today that it did in first-century Corinth. The question then becomes how to apply this passage to our lives today. Here are a few points of application to consider: 1. Embedded within this passage is biblical teaching on the fundamental equality of both men and women. Both are made in the 9

13 image of God and have equal worth in his eyes. Men and women live in mutual dependence upon one another, and there is no room for demeaning of one or the other. 2. Building off of this fundamental equality, we see in this passage that men and women both have important roles to play in the public worship of the church. We see here that Paul expects women to both pray and prophesy in the church. For what prophecy means for today, see the next FAQ section. 3. Men and women should both dress and act with propriety in public worship. They should honor their spouses and families with their actions and dress, but more than that, they should honor God in Christ. 1 Corinthians Spiritual Gifts Paul begins chapter 12 with a discussion on spiritual gifts in general, but his primary emphasis for the section is on tongues and prophecy as evidenced by where his argument culminates. Chapters 12 and 13 provide the theological foundation and the guiding principles for his discussion in chapter 14. As they were in Paul s day, tongues and prophecy can be divisive issues among Christians today. From the outset, we need to remember that these are issues of only secondary importance. That is to say, one s view of tongues and prophecy does not determine one s salvation. These are not first order issues such as the Trinity and our understanding of salvation. However, being secondary issues does not mean they are unimportant, for our understanding of these issues will determine how we do church together. We ll begin with a few comments on spiritual gifts in general and then move to a discussion of prophecy and tongues specifically. General Comments It seems that the Corinthians, like many in our own day, were preoccupied with the more spectacular spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues. Paul begins, not by directly addressing these two gifts, but by underscoring that all believers have been endowed with gifts by the Holy Spirit. Through these chapters, Paul emphasizes that 10

14 spiritual gifts are not for making much of the individual but for the good of the church. For the discussion of spiritual gifts, 12:4-7 is foundational: 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. There can be no boasting about spiritual gifts because they are all given by the same God out of his grace. Furthermore, they are empowered by God, not the individual practitioner. As v. 7 highlights, each person who trusts in Christ has a spiritual gift, and that gift is for the common good. This emphasis on the common good carries throughout these three chapters. These gifts are not about how great or how spiritual an individual believer is. These gifts are not for self-aggrandizement but for the edification of the church. Paul goes so far as to say in chapter 13 that all these gifts pale in comparison to love for the body of Christ. Love for the church trumps any spectacular spiritual gift. The church is united in Christ and must show love for one another. 12:8-11 lists a number of gifts, but Paul s aim here is not to give a detail treatise on spiritual gifts. Rather, he wants to show the Corinthians that every believer has a gift of some kind. This leads to his discussion in 12:12-25 on the unity of the body of Christ. Everyone has a role to play, but no one is more important than another. Every person is to key to the proper functioning of the church. The key principles from chapters are (1) every believer has a spiritual gift, (2) these gifts must used for the good of the church, (3) the church is one body who needs every member, and (4) all must be done in love. Prophecy & Tongues In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul contrasts these two gifts of prophecy and tongues. The one who prophesies speaks to others while the one who speaks in tongues speaks to God (14:2-3). Prophecy builds up the 11

15 church while tongues builds upon the individual (14:4-5). In the end, Paul sees prophesy as the greater gift than speaking in tongues (14:5). In addition to the building up of the church, the understandability of prophecy over tongues means that it has benefit for one outside of the church who might hear, be convicted and turn to Christ in faith (14:24-25). Before delving into what Paul means by prophecy and tongues, it is worth reiterating that these, like all spiritual gifts, are for the edification of others and must be done in love. Prophecy, as Paul uses the word here, is speech directed toward other people for their edification. Prophecy encourages, comforts, convicts, and exhorts others. Prophecy is from God to the community. Our typical understanding of prophecy is that it predicts the future. Prophecy foretells what will happen. This ministry of prediction continues into the NT era as the example of Agabus demonstrates (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11). Agabus predicts what is going to happen. Predicting the future is not the only aspect of prophecy. In the OT, we also see that prophets have the function of forthtelling God s truth. Not only do they predict the future, but they also proclaim God s truth. Paul s understanding of prophecy does not limit it to spontaneous speech; prophecy can be something reflected upon and prepared. In his commentary on 1 Corinthians, Anthony Thisleton explains, Paul insists that to prophesy is to perform intelligible, articulate, communicative acts of speech which have a positive effect on others, and in turn, on the whole community. This forthtelling aspect of prophecy continues to this day, and typically occurs through reflection on Scripture. The question is whether or not the predictive type of prophecy continues to happen to this day. The two major interpretative options are: (1) predictive prophecy concluded with the close of the New Testament, and (2) predictive prophecy continues to this day. The first view - there are no longer prophets who tell the future today - is a case built upon the doctrine of Scripture. This view argues that the sufficiency of Scripture rules out the need for predictive prophecy. In other words, God has told us all the we need to know in his Scripture, and so there is no longer a need for 12

16 prophecy of this kind. We have the foundation of the Apostles and the prophets in God s word (Eph. 2:20), and so predictive prophets who receive direct revelation from God no longer necessary for Christians today. The second view - that predictive prophecy continues - is built upon a two-fold argument. First, we see examples of predictive prophets functioning in the early church (e.g. Agabus). Second, Scripture gives no indication that there will come a time when there are no longer predictive prophets. Thus, predictive prophets are (or at least could be) still at work today. Again, we should note that genuine, faithful followers of Christ disagree on this issue. What we do not disagree on is that prophecy of any kind - foretelling or forthtelling - will always accord with God s Word in Scripture. The Spirit of God will never contradict the Word of God. While prophecy flows from God the the community, tongues is speech that flows from the community to God (See 14:2, 14-16, 28). In Paul s writing, tongues is language that a person speaks to God. It seems that Paul views tongues as primarily about prayer and praise (14:14-17). The personal nature of this practice seems to rule out similarities with what is happening in Acts 2, for if tongues here were about proclaiming the gospel in other language then surely Paul would have encouraged it for the good of the nonbeliever rather than discouraging its use for the good of the nonbeliever (14:24-25). It is unclear exactly what Paul has in mind with this phrase. The major interpretative options are that tongues are (1) angelic speech, (2) other human languages, (3) liturgical, archaic, or rhythmic phrases, or (4) ecstatic speech. Pointing to the phrase various kinds of tongues or different species of tongues in 12:10, Thisleton suggests that Paul may have in mind a number of different practices when he uses the word tongues. Thiselton argues that different groups used this word with a range of meanings that shared varying degrees of overlap. They had similar but not identical practices in mind when they heard the term. While we may not be able to identify exactly what Paul means with this term, we can see his twofold concern with tongues. First, he is 13

17 concerned for the common good. Tongues have a personal value to the one who speaks them, but they are of no value to the church as a whole (14:4). Without interpretation, they are of no value to the church. Moreover, tongues not only lack value for the church but could be destructive to nonbelievers (14:24-25). Paul s concern then is that the church be edified. Tongues must be interpreted and limited in a Christian worship service. Paul does not forbid speaking in tongues (14:39), but these tongues must be interpreted. Second, Paul is concerned that speaking in tongues can become divisive. It seems that some in Corinth are using tongues to create a subgroup within the church; that is, according to some in the church the truly spiritual can speak in tongues while the others cannot. Tongues have become a spiritual status symbol. Paul rejects such a view. Tongues are also divisive because of the way they seem to be creating a cult of personality with some people following one speaker and others another; such division has no place in the church. As with prophecy, faithful believers disagree on what tongues mean and if or how they should have bearing on the life of the church today. We are on sure footing if we emphasize, with Paul, that whatever occurs during the gathered worship of the local church should build up followers of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35 Women Speaking in the Church The question in these verses is what does Paul mean by the women should keep silent in the churches? Let s begin with the passage: As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. First, we should note that we cannot take Paul s admonition for women s silence to be absolute. He does not mean that women must be completely silent in a church service, for in 11:5 he makes it clear that women are able to pray and to prophesy. Likewise, in 14:31, he clearly says, You can all prophesy... The context of this letter does 14

18 not allow these verses to mean that women are not to speak at all during a gathering of the church. If Paul is not prohibiting women from speaking in a gathering of the church, what is he saying here? The context of these verses is orderly worship within the church. In 14:29, Paul states that two or three should prophesy, and then let the others weigh what is said. It is this issue of weighing or judging the prophecy that Paul addresses in 14:34. The action in question is best understood as the testing of these prophetic sayings during the service. The question then becomes: who is forbidden from questioning these prophecies? Paul may have in mind all women or particularly the wives of those who prophesied. If this directive is focused on wives, then Paul s concern is likely wives showing respect for their husbands in this public setting. See the above discussion of 1 Corinthians 11 for more on Paul s understanding of the roles of women and men in the church. 1 Corinthians 15:29 Baptism for the Dead Paul s question in 1 Corinthians 15:29, What do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? is most often meant today by the same question, Paul, what do you mean by baptism for the dead? There seem to be three main options for how people understand this verse. 1. In a dead person s place. Some commentators believe that Paul here is discussing a practice where people were vicariously baptized for those who already died. This view has significant shortcomings. Such a practice is at odds with the teaching of Scripture that salvation comes through faith in Christ. One is not reconciled to God through baptism, and there is no indication elsewhere in Scripture that one could be baptized for another. Reading in the context of 1 Corinthians and the rest of Scripture leads us to reject this view. 2. To be reunited with a dead relative or friend. Others believe that for in this verse speaks of being baptized in order to be reunited with a Christian friend or family member after death. The idea would be that the death of a Christian leads to the conversion of people who were close to the one who died. The death of a Christian could be 15

19 particularly powerful in a context where that person died for his or her faith. This view has the advantage over #1 in that it is both plausible and does not deny the clear teaching of Scripture elsewhere. 3. On behalf of their dying bodies. While option #2 makes is a possibility, it is not as clear how this ties into Paul s teaching in chapter 15 on the physicality of the resurrection. This option would view Paul s teaching here to have to do with the fact that our bodies are destined for death, and apart from Christ, we in our bodies will be experiencing eternal death in Hell. Our bodies are dying, and when in baptism we are united to Christ in his death (Rom. 6), we are then raised to walk with him in new life. This current spiritual reality of now being alive in Christ will be all the more real when Christ returns and raises all people from the dead and reunites us with our physical bodies. We have died with Christ, our dead bodies are buried with Christ in baptism, and we are raised to walk in new life with Christ (Rom. 6). For a church in a Graeco-Roman context, the hope of a physical resurrection would have been part and parcel of the foolishness of the Christian message. Consider how the Athenian philosophers reacted to Paul s teaching on the resurrection. They scoffed at the mention of a physical resurrection. For, in the philosophy of this time, the physical world was bad and needed to be escaped. What truly mattered was the spiritual. Pagan philosophy taught that the hope for people was to escape this world into a spiritual realm. The Christian message runs counter to this idea. Rather than escaping the physical world, the Christian s hope is that all things will be made new. This world will become the garden paradise it was originally intended to be with Gods special presence and glory covering the earth as the waters cover the sea. Our dead bodies are buried in our baptism with Christ in order to be raised to new life in him. When he returns, bodies will be raised from the grave and reunited with souls. Christ s people will experience abundant life in his presence in the new creation, and those outside of Christ will experience unceasing physical condemnation. In light of these considerations, option #3 seems the most convincing, but the difficulty of interpreting this passage should cause us to hold any interpretation of it loosely. 16

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