January 22, 2016 1 Corinthians 4:6-21
Download discussion questions: 1 Corinthians 4_6-21 imitators
One of the first observations about this text in our discussion group was Paul’s tone – harsh, even sarcastic. We have talked recently about the inspiration of Scripture and how the Holy Spirit used very human writers, with all their experiences and personal quirks. This is another example. It is likely we might be offended if someone sent us a letter like Paul sent the Corinthians, at least in parts of the letter.
The point of Paul’s harsh language is the contrast between the arrogant Corinthians (v. 6, 18, 19) and the reality that he and other apostles faced (v. 9-13). He lists at least fifteen descriptions of harsh treatment, yet the Corinthians seemed to put themselves in the arrogant position of judging which apostles or teachers they preferred (4:3, 5 from last week’s discussion) and even boasted about (3:21).
Instead of examining and judging and boasting regarding the apostles, Paul challenges the Corinthians to imitate him (and presumably the other apostles he has been describing – v. 16). Our group discussed what exactly he was expecting them to imitate. Most of the items on the list are circumstances beyond our control: without honor, roughly treated, reviled. The common thread through the list seemed to be that the apostles who routinely faced such hardships had to have certain characteristics: commitment, willing to sacrifice, giving of themselves for others.
Near the end of the list Paul mentions three specific ways the apostles responded to hardships: “when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate” (v. 12-13). Blessing, enduring, conciliating – three specifics that we are called to imitate along with the Corinthians. We may not be a spectacle to the world (v. 9) or roughly treated (v. 11), but we will frequently have opportunities to bless, endure and conciliate. Someone commented on our natural tendencies – to curse instead of bless, to escape rather than endure, to retaliate instead of conciliate. Another member questioned why Paul used himself as the model to imitate rather than Christ. (He does that in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”) Perhaps Paul was a good choice for an example since he had lived among the Corinthians for a year and a half (Acts 18:11). Most likely they had seen him in some of the circumstances he describes and they had seen how he reacted. We agreed in our group that few of us would want to make the blanket suggestion for other to imitate us in difficult circumstances.
Someone suggested that the three – blessing, enduring, conciliating – are parts of a whole. Sometimes we tend to isolate and misunderstand endurance, putting up with annoyances or difficulties. But without a conscious effort to bless others and to bring reconciliation in relationships, endurance can degenerate in to self-obsessed bitterness. We can spend time absorbed in thoughts of what we could have said or the clever remark that would have “gotten even” for the insult or the snub. Without blessing and reconciliation we are not enduring but only embittering ourselves.
In that context, one participant commented that Paul doesn’t mention forgiveness and confession in this passage, but those qualities are essential parts of the bless-endure-conciliate response he calls us to imitate. As someone said, endurance is not the same thing as “stuffing” our anger and frustration.
Paul offers himself as an example to imitate for another reason. He considers himself more of a father than a tutor (v. 15). We considered the differences. Tutors are paid, fathers have a family connection. Tutors give assignments, fathers have a constant influence. Tutors care about the next lesson plan, fathers care about a legacy for generations. Tutors pass along information, fathers pass along life.
Maybe because Paul, as a spiritual father, cared about the legacy of his eighteen months in Corinth, he was concerned about the real root of their problem. Their lives displayed more arrogance than power (v. 19). The intellectual discussion about which teacher was better and debating fine points of theology were not wrong in themselves, but only because they were displays of arrogance. Paul’s challenge for them to imitate the Christlike responses seen in the apostles is not natural. God’s power is essential (v. 21a). Words are important (Paul used a lot of words to communicate orthodox theology). But the power demonstrated in blessing and enduring and reconciling in the face of continuous hardships is the true indication of God’s kingdom.
Someone raised the question of our efforts, our attempts to imitate Paul or other Christians we respect, and how that effort fits with the work of the Holy Spirit in transforming lives. How do those two aspects relate? In other places Paul makes it clear that God’s work in our lives is the work of His Spirit. In this passage (and others) he seems to put a significant responsibility on us. What came out of our discussion is the ways we can quench the Spirit’s work. Ultimately, He can do what He wants, when He wants, how He wants. But in many circumstances (as Paul himself acknowledges, 1 Thessalonians 5:19) we may quench the Spirit. Perhaps imitating more mature believers and seeing how they bless and endure and reconcile gives more opportunity for the Spirit to work in our hearts. Our natural impulses (to curse, to escape, to retaliate against others) are likely to quench His work. Certainly those sinful responses will make us less receptive to His work. From that perspective we can see the challenge to imitate others in a new way. Imitating others who are farther along in the faith is not just one more duty we are obligated to fulfill. Imitation is an opportunity to place ourselves in a position to welcome the Spirit’s work in our lives.