1:1 - 1:2
In our letters, we sign our names at the end. In the Biblical letters, the author states his name first. Paul states his name here in 1:1, along with the fact that he's been called by God's will to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.
The idea of being "called" is an important one here in the first 2 verses of 1 Corinthians. In Greek, the word kalew ("called, summoned, invited") is used a lot in these verses. Paul is called as an apostle of Christ (an "apostle" is one who has been sent/commissioned directly by Christ to spread the gospel). The church is called to be sanctified, or holy - set apart for God.
People call on the name of the Lord.
In fact, the word for church is ekklesia which means assembly or fellowship, a body of people that is called together regularly. You can see that ekklesia also has the prefix "ek" which means "out of", and the "kle" which is related to kalew. So it seems that the church is a body of people that has been called out of something - the world. The word ekklesia is also used in Greek to mean "a regularly summoned political body," according to Bauer's Lexicon. The church is also expected to meet together regularly (Heb. 10:25).
For some reason, Paul is using the word for call over and over here in these first 2 verses. Why? My best guess is that he is drawing attention to God. He's reminding the Corinthians that they are the church because they have been called by God, not because they have innately superior wisdom or strength. Paul receives his apostleship from God, the church is a fellowship called by God, and called to be set apart to God. This whole Christian thing is not some superior philosophy that wise Greeks discovered all of a sudden. It is a work of God Himself. Therefore, the Corinthians should not be proud of themselves, or feel superior to others, but they should be grateful and give glory to God for saving them.
We must not be proud of ourselves for being Christians. It is a work of God that brought us to repentance. We must not look down on non-Christians, as if we somehow achieved superiority over them because we know God. We are Christians because of a work of God in our hearts. We must not think of Christianity as just a set of doctrines, like any other religion or philosophy in the world. It is a total transformation, a transformation that God does.
Paul realizes all this and wants the Corinthians to remember that it is all about God, not them.
The idea of being "called" is an important one here in the first 2 verses of 1 Corinthians. In Greek, the word kalew ("called, summoned, invited") is used a lot in these verses. Paul is called as an apostle of Christ (an "apostle" is one who has been sent/commissioned directly by Christ to spread the gospel). The church is called to be sanctified, or holy - set apart for God.
People call on the name of the Lord.
In fact, the word for church is ekklesia which means assembly or fellowship, a body of people that is called together regularly. You can see that ekklesia also has the prefix "ek" which means "out of", and the "kle" which is related to kalew. So it seems that the church is a body of people that has been called out of something - the world. The word ekklesia is also used in Greek to mean "a regularly summoned political body," according to Bauer's Lexicon. The church is also expected to meet together regularly (Heb. 10:25).
For some reason, Paul is using the word for call over and over here in these first 2 verses. Why? My best guess is that he is drawing attention to God. He's reminding the Corinthians that they are the church because they have been called by God, not because they have innately superior wisdom or strength. Paul receives his apostleship from God, the church is a fellowship called by God, and called to be set apart to God. This whole Christian thing is not some superior philosophy that wise Greeks discovered all of a sudden. It is a work of God Himself. Therefore, the Corinthians should not be proud of themselves, or feel superior to others, but they should be grateful and give glory to God for saving them.
We must not be proud of ourselves for being Christians. It is a work of God that brought us to repentance. We must not look down on non-Christians, as if we somehow achieved superiority over them because we know God. We are Christians because of a work of God in our hearts. We must not think of Christianity as just a set of doctrines, like any other religion or philosophy in the world. It is a total transformation, a transformation that God does.
Paul realizes all this and wants the Corinthians to remember that it is all about God, not them.
posted by Rob | 9:52 AM
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