AUGUST 2005 - ISSUE 5 - ISSN 1448 - 632

THE IMAGE OF CHURCH EMERGING IN THE CORINTHIAN CORRESPONDENCE   OY TAI WONG

ABSTRACT

To Paul, being church means a community’s actualization in its existence its faith belief grounded in the message of the cross. Christ is the point of reference and it requires the members of the community to put on the mind of Christ to live in ecclesial harmony, communion and holiness. The dichotomy between the Corinthians’ faith and their behaviour prompted Paul to issue them a corrective to refine their faith life so as to maintain their identity and integrity as God’s one and holy people. Paul considers that his corrective of their misguided expressions of Christian life as contained in his First Letter to the Corinthians is mandated by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Corinthian reality of what was church was far from the ideal of Paul who saw church in terms of holiness and ecclesial communion identified by reference to God through the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:2).  What is vividly shown in the Corinthian correspondence is that the community was plagued by division and a lack of communal love the sources of which were ideological as well as practical.  That Paul wanted to admonish and persuade his addressees and guide them in discerning the impact of the gospel on their daily lives is obvious from the rhetorical style of the Hellenistic culture of his time which he had adopted in his writing (1 Cor 4:14).[1]

The Corinth of Paul’s time was a thriving cosmopolitan metropolis so it was not surprising that the community had to contend with influences from a vast number of non-believers.  Paul realized that the community being a “young” and “new” church, they had not reached their Christian maturity and his work of nourishing them was not over although he had been instrumental in spreading the gospel to them and introducing them to the faith.[2]   Although Paul was not able to be present in person, he likened himself to be present to the Corinthians in spirit by way of his writing a letter or letters to them (1 Cor 5:3).

Paul had heard of the divisions within the community reported to him by Chloe’s people (1 Cor 1:11) and possibly from other sources (1 Cor 16:15-18).  He was very much troubled because he saw authentic expression of Christian life to be koinonia.  From the issues raised in First Corinthians, it is evident that there was disdain shown by some against the others (those who were knowledgeable in the faith against those who were not), some owed separate allegiance to the ministers who baptized them and there was social division between the haves and the have nots made all the more apparent in the way they came together to celebrate the Eucharist.  The community was also beset by a misconception of what freedom in their faith meant and this led to those who were weak in the faith being scandalised by those who were stronger and there was also a temptation to succumb to pagan influences in respect of food offered to idols.  Hence, Paul’s concern that the Corinthian community should not be divided by disunity and instead be governed by an awareness of their being God’s own people.  Indeed, the entirety of First Corinthians is about knowing God and belonging to Christ.[3]   Raymond Collins argue that the overarching theme of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is this exhortation to holiness and unity within the community and that Paul’s consideration of the various issues in his letter are part of the building up of this theme.[4]  First Corinthians is essentially an ecclesial or apostolic letter.[5]

In First Corinthians, Paul demonstrates a clear and consistent understanding of the gospel.  While Paul does not set out a systematic theology in his letters since they are situational in nature and written in response to pastoral exigencies, the truth and meaning of the gospel informs Paul’s strategical rhetorics and his ministry.[6]   Christ features strongly in this letter and he urges his addressees to consider all things in the perspective of the Christ event and the fellowship of Christ (1:2, 4, 22; 3:11, 6:15; 10:16-17, 12:12, 27; 15:3-28).  The Corinthians’ relationship with Christ and God underscores the contents of the letter: “You belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God” (3:22-23).  Paul means that by belonging to Christ, they are to live for the Lord just as Christ by belonging to God lived for God.[7]   God is referred to in terms of Christ the Lord.  Paul’s addressing of Jesus as Lord suggests that Jesus has a participatory role in the work of God and this is obvious in the epistolary opening of the letter where the paternity of God is linked with Jesus.   Paul understands his appeal to the Corinthian Christians for unity is made on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:10).  The Corinthian Christians have no other foundation other than in Christ Jesus (3:11) which serves as a reminder that there is only one church of God in Corinth.   Paul identifies himself as one commissioned as an apostle (1:1, 15:9) and the Corinthians should view his writing to them as a command of the Lord. 

Approach of Paul

Although Paul was writing a letter, he was aware that actually he was speaking to a community and that his letters would be read out to them.[8]  So, it is not inconceivable that Paul would have given much thought as to how his letters should be structured and what language should be used to procure maximum effect and make an impressive impact on his hearers on what he had to say.  The use of rhetorics appears to be the most natural choice for Paul for this purpose.[9]  Scholars have classified Paul’s letters to be rhetorical acts and that Paul had adopted the Hellenistic form of rhetorics to his style of writing for his specific intentions.[10]  Despite his disavowal of rhetorical techniques when he said that his aim was to evangelise but not with artful speech, the entirety of First Corinthians is evidence of how Paul has used rhetorical conventions to great advantage (2:4).[11]

Throughout his letter, Paul is urging the Corinthians to make decisions about their future conduct so that they can be truly identified as a holy people.  Scholars have concluded that the way Paul has written to the Corinthians is characteristic of deliberative oratory where the writer’s methodology used is to persuade his addressees towards a pattern of conduct that is to their advantage and to avoid what is harmful.

Paul is at the same time aware of his personal prestige and standing as an apostle (1:1) in possession of the Spirit (7:40).  Like the rhetoricians of his time, Paul employs self-praise, personal examples and exposition of his own moral character and accomplishments to set up a model for emulation by the Corinthians and to inspire them to imitate him (2:1-4, 4:16, 8:13, 9:1-27,  11:1, 13:1-3).  Thus, Paul’s own story came to be developed into his theological perspectives. This has prompted writers to observe that Paul’s own story is not strictly biographical but theological as these accounts when examined rhetorically cast a different light on the function of the texts.  It is in rhetorical conventions that Paul is able to apply his personal experiences for the purpose of persuading his addressees.[12]

Characteristic of rhetorical letters, he effectively uses similes and metaphors for graphic effect and the most noteworthy of which is the image of the human body in his argument for unity in diversity where he alludes to the body of the church to be the body of Christ (6:15, 12:12).

A One and Holy Church

As to the meaning of church, Paul evokes the theme of a community assembled by God, belonging to God and sanctified by Christ Jesus.  He skilfully begins his letter using a language that underscores the feature of the community being part of the family of God and called into the fellowship of Christ: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and saviour.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:2-3).  Thus, Paul reminds them of their special status of being set apart by God and belonging to God. By identifying the church as saints, he stresses that God has called them to unity.[13]  He addresses them as being a holy people (6:2).  He uses distinctive language to conjure within their imagination their special status such as church (1:2), believers (1:21), insiders (5:12) in contrast with non-believers (6:6, 7:12-15, 10:27, 14:22-24) who are outsiders (5:12, 15) with no standing in the church (6:4).  The Corinthians are described as God’s field, God’s building and God’s temple (3:9, 16-17).

Paul often uses kinship language in his letters and in First Corinthians, he addresses the community as his brothers and sisters more than twenty times (1:10, 11, 26, 2:1, 3:1, 4:6, 7:24, 29, 10:1, 11:33, 12:1, 14:6, 20, 15:1, 31, 50, 58, 16:15).  In one passage he considers himself to be father to the Corinthians whom he refers to as his children (4:14).  His use of kinship language is derived from his understanding that the church in Corinth is part of God’s family and his bonding with them as family should serve as a persuasive tool to bring them round to his pattern of conduct.

Paul had been told that several groups of persons have been rallying around the different ministers (including Paul himself) who had baptized them (1:12).  By posing such rhetorical questions as “has Christ been divided?”, “was Paul crucified for your sake?”, “or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1:13), he makes allusive references to the death of Jesus and their baptism in the Lord and how these events should be the paradigm in which Christian lives should be lived rather than the anthropological aspect of who had ministered to them.

Secular Justice

Paul shows his concern for the Corinthians’ identity as God’s holy people who should not resort to secular judicial processes as they should settle their disputes themselves (6:1-6) and they should not even have such disagreements that would require them to resort to civil litigation (6:7-8).

He reminds them that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God (6:9) and those who resort to secular justice rather than suffer injustice are among the wrongdoers.  He classifies them together with those who indulge in idolatry and sexual immorality.  The Corinthians should not backslide into their previous practices since they have been redeemed and made holy in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God (6:11).  Collins contends that Paul cites the list of vices (in 6:9) for rhetorical effect that is he reminds them of what it means to be unjust thereby inviting them to look at their lives which have since changed when they became God’s people.

In response to the argument by some that all things are lawful (6:12) in the Corinthian understanding, Paul counters this with the retort that “you are not your own – you have been bought and paid for” (6:19-20) referring to their redemption by Christ.  “You are a temple of the holy spirit” speaks of the future destiny of the human person in terms of the eschaton and this is what it means to have Christ’s lordship over the body of one’s existence.

Food offered to idols

Some in the community had been blasé about their faith knowledge and their consumption of food offered to idols could mislead those with a weak conscience.  Apparently, some Corinthians could have voiced their concern to Paul as this is evident from his response (8:1).  Paul makes use of this discussion on food offered to idols to give the Corinthians a lecture on love (agape) that should underscore their activities and the importance of loving God, being loved by God and being known by him (8:2-3).  Paul dexterously sums up with the theological statement that there is only one God and idols do not exist (8:6) providing the basis for which the arguments against the eating of food offered to idols should be considered.[14]  Those who understand this and who eat food offered to idols may mislead the weak in conscience.  Misleading others to go against Christ constitutes a double offence because not only is the weak led astray but they (who mislead) also sin against Christ.[15] 

They might have considered that it was all right to eat food in the precincts of pagan temples and which were offered as part of pagan festivities thereby becoming involved with pagan rites and idol worship.  Paul gives the reminder that the community are sharers of the Lord’s table through the cup and bread (10:16) which makes it incompatible for them to share the table of the demons in idol worship.  Besides, idolatry incurs the just punishment of being struck down like the Israelites in the Exodus when they tested God (Ex 17:7).   Paul cites himself as a model by saying that he would willingly forgo the eating of meat rather than lead a member astray (8:13)  He makes an appeal to them to ward off idolatrous practice because “there is one bread and, we the many, are one body.” (8:17).

Celebration of the Eucharist

Paul makes it clear that he disapproves of the Corinthians’ practice when they came for the celebration of the Eucharist which was inconsistent with what characterises communal fellowship.  This is evident from his strong words, “I do not commend you,” before he began his reprimand (11:17).  A meal where the social divisions of the community is emphasised cannot be presumed to be the Lord’s supper which is a covenantal meal meant to join all in communion with one another and with God.  The rich in Corinth arrived early and ate to their excess possibly because of their wealthy disposition which allowed them to be disengaged from economic activity for the occasion whereas the poor because of the necessity of employment were late and could find nothing left over for them to eat when they arrived.  The coming together for the celebration of the Eucharist thus became an occasion for social division where the disparity between the haves and the have nots became all the more apparent.  Paul admonishes them saying that Jesus died for the weak (8:11) and this is hardly reconcilable with the way of their eucharistic celebration.  He considers that there can be no eucharist where the members of the community do not have love for one another.[16]  He urges them to scrutinize themselves and judge themselves on the basis of what it means to be the community of the body of Christ otherwise they would be judged by the Lord, an argument dominated by the eschatological perspective.

Sexual immorality

Paul introduced the Corinthians to an understanding of Christian anthropology on the basis of sexual existence.  He urges them to avoid sexual transgression since it constitutes a misuse of the body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit (6:18).

The event of Christ’s resurrection inaugurates the eschatological hope and future resurrection of all who belong to Christ (15:20).  Hence, Paul’s retort: “Don’t you know your bodies are members of Christ” (6:16, 19).  The body is not merely physical as it holds the possibility of human existence and relationships so he implores them to share a view of sanctified human existence and the body as a means by which glory can be given to God.[17]  Paul relates also to the present existence of the Corinthians in the corporate existence in Christ to plead for the unity of the community. 

Spiritual Gifts

The central element in the spiritual gifts’ deliberation is love (agape) and this Paul does to underscore the quality of Christian life.  Individuals within the community are endowed with the gifts of the Spirit through the grace of God and these gifts are given not for personal enhancement but for the common good (12:7).  As the Spirit freely gives as he wills, all the members of the community are charismatic and gifted, each one possessing at least one charism and no one has all the charismata (12:11).  So each one is graced and no one possesses the Spirit in entirety.  This is very likely a rebuttal of the belief that the gift of tongues should be highly prized and some Corinthians had been disdainful of those who did not possess this gift.  Paul had purposefully placed the gift of tongues in its right place: at the end of his list of spiritual gifts (12:10, 28, 30).  The rhetorical device of graduation characterizes Paul’s summary of the force of love in motivating the use of the gifts (13:1-3).  He begins with the lesser gift of speaking in tongues, then proceeds with the greater gift of prophecy and ultimately the gift of self-sacrifice.  Collins suggests that the first person pronoun in 13:1-3 is a self-referent where Paul offers himself as an example to the Corinthians to imitate.[18]  The mention of love in verses 13:8, 13 and 14:1 stress that love is the charism par excellence and is singularly important as God’s gift in contrast with the Corinthians’ pursuit of spiritual gifts.  Love is stressed by Paul as the Corinthians were torn apart by division and disdain for lesser members.  One’s worth as a human person and ultimately as a Christian is demonstrated by one’s relationship with God expressed through one’s relationships with others.

The image of the body is a classic example in Hellenistic rhetorical metaphors and it provides scope for Paul to focus on the diversity of its gifts and the unity of the community.  Paul goes to great lengths to describe the parts of the body citing that the weaker parts should be given the place of honour in the hierarchy.  All parts of the body should be interdependent on one another and work for the unity and order of the whole in accordance with divine ordinance. 

Conclusion

Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians affirms that the problem within the Corinthian church is essentially ecclesiological and what it means to be God’s one and holy people.  Paul’s treatment of the issues that were a source of conflict, division and misunderstanding shows that the Corinthians were a real flesh and blood people struggling to live out their faith in a society (the Greco-Roman world) that constantly challenged their gospel belief and affirmation.  Besides, being a new Christian community, there were flaws in their understanding of the faith.  Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is an attempt to offer them a corrective through his appeal to Christ, his apocalyptic language and his personal experiences and examples towards an authentic understanding of what it means to be church that is to be in right relation with God and fellow human beings.

 

Bibliography

Brown, Raymond E.  An Introduction to the New Testament.

Byrne, Brendan.  “Ministry and Maturity in 1 Corinthians 3.”  NBR 35 (1987): 83-87.

Collins, Raymond F.  First Corinthians, Sacra Pagina 7.  Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1999.

Coussar, Charles B.  The Letters of Paul.

Fiorenza, Elisabeth Schussler.  “Rhetorical Situations and Historical Reconstructions in 1 Corinthians.” NTS 33 (1987): 386-403.

Furnish, Victor Paul.  “Paul and the Corinthians: the Letters, the Challenges of Ministry, the Gospel.”  Interpretations 52/3 (1998): 229-245.

Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome.  “The First Letter to the Corinthians.” In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy, 798-815.  Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 2001.

Quast, Kevin.  Reading the Corinthian Correspondence: An Introduction.  New York: Paulist Press, 1994.

 

Footnotes

[1] Victor Paul Furnish, “Paul and the Corinthians: the Letters, the Challenges of Ministry, the Gospel,” Interpretation 52/3 (1998) 229.

[2] Raymond Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, 448.

[3] Furnish, 238.

[4] Raymond F. Collins, First Corinthians, Sacra Pagina 7, Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press (1999), 21.

[5] Collins, 6.

[6] Furnish, 236.

[7] Brendan Byrne, “Ministry and Maturity in 1 Corinthians” NBR 35 (1987), 85.

[8] Kevin Quast, Reading the Corinthian Correspondence: An Introduction, New York: Paulist Press (1994), 165.

[9] Charles B. Coussar, The Letters of Paul, 38.

[10] Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, “Rhetorical Situations and Historical Reconstruction in 1 Corinthians,” NTS 33 (1987), 393.  Also see Collins, 18.

[11] Fiorenza, 390.

[12] Coussar, 43 and 45.

[13] Quast, 165.

[14] Collins, 313.

[15] Ibid, 323.

[16] Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, “The First Letter to the Corinthians,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed.  Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer and Roland E. Murphy (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 2001), 805.

[17] Collins, 249.

[18] Collins, 473.

 

 

Oy Tai Wong gave up legal practice nine years ago to devote time to her family. She has since returned to employment teaching English to children which offers her a flexible schedule to divide her time between family and theological studies.

Oy Tai Wong's Email : gdan@pd.jaring.my

 

 

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