RCL reading for Sunday, June 21, 2009:
Excerpt from the New Revised Standard Version
via Oremus (http://bible.oremus.org)
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger;
6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,
7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8 in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you.
12 There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours.
13 In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
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Paul is never more pauline! He is presenting Christ as the grace of God and we are to be his ambassadors, we are to be the righteousness of God. Not in vain but rather in the fullness of the new creation. He throws in the tag from Isaiah to label this as the realised eschaeton, now and at every now. To justify his own low profile ministry in Corinth he launches into one of his trademark lists. In lightning succession he lists ten trials, ten virtues and ten paradoxes. It cannot have been accidental that there are ten of each but why they are mentioned in this particular order is a subject for a doctoral dissertation. They are just words, but the organization of the categories lets your look directly into this marvelous mind two thousand years ago. Who could refuse to open their hearts really wide.
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