Final Warnings February 28, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, forbearance, paul, power, punishment
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 13:1-10.
Summary: Paul begins by reiterating that he will visit Corinth for the third time; on that occasion he will address all accusations against alleged offenders in the Corinthian church, and each of these accusations must be legally proved by the testimony of two or three witnesses. Now he has warned the Corinthians – on his second visit – that when he returns, he will discipline both those who are known sinners and all of the other offenders. Indeed, he will discipline them, as they are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through him; they should take heed of his warning, as Christ is not weak – but powerful. While the crucifixion of Christ shows His mortal nature, His life shows God’s power; similarly, while Paul is meek and forbearing, God has given him power for him to exercise.
Now Paul returns to addressing the Corinthians’ demand of proof that Christ is speaking through him; he exhorts them to obtain this proof by testing themselves and evaluating the genuineness of their Christianity. Indeed, they should find that Christ dwells in each of them – except for those who are not Christians. Moreover, those who do not possess the Holy Spirit will still see that Christ is speaking through him. Yet he does not want to exercise his supernatural power to discipline them in order to prove this fact; his primary objective is not to prove that Christ is in him – but for their good to be displayed even if that implies that he cannot exercise his supernatural power. In fact, he cannot exercise his supernatural power against God’s revelation of proper faith and practice; he can only use his supernatural power in concert with that revelation. He is glad whenever he cannot exercise his supernatural power, as that implies that they are good; moreover, he prays that they will be perfectly restored from their present evil state. Paul concludes by stating that he makes these exhortations and warnings so that when he arrives, he will not have to punish any offenders in their midst; Christ has given him authority to do good – not to inflict unmerited punishment.
Thoughts: In verse 2, Paul promises to punish all of the impenitent sinners in the Corinthian church. Hodge offers some insightful thoughts on this point:
The second thing made clear here is that the apostle as an individual possessed the right of excommunication…Paul could cast out of their communion anyone he wished. He was indeed clothed with supernatural power that enabled him to deliver offenders “to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 5:5). This presupposed the power of excommunication. It was the ability to punish miraculously with physical evils those whom he cut off from the church.
From this, we see that God worked very dramatically during the rise of the early church to promote the spread of the Gospel. One can only imagine what it must have been like to attend church at that time and watch one of the apostles punish another member – who happened to be a resolute sinner – by causing them physical pain. This dramatic action would have shocked the other believers in attendance into obedience, at least for some time. Now I wonder if God still works very dramatically in the modern church, i.e. can hardened sinners in the modern church be excommunicated in a shocking manner? My hunch is that this situation arises in areas where powerful spiritual forces are working to oppose the Gospel.
In verse 5, Paul exhorts the Corinthians to test themselves to evaluate the reality of their Christianity. Hodge offers some interesting thoughts on this point:
This exhortation to self-examination supposes, on the one hand, that faith is self-manifesting, that it reveals itself in the consciousness and by its fruits, and on the other hand, that it may exist and be genuine and yet not be known as true faith by the believer himself. Only what is doubtful needs to be determined by examination. The fact, therefore, that we are commanded to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith proves that a true believer may doubt whether his state is good. In other words, it proves that assurance is not essential to faith.
This reminds me of the uproar that was triggered by the revelation of Mother Teresa’s “crisis of faith” over the last half-century of her life. As for my standing before God, I am fully convinced that I belong to the body of Christ. Now could I fall away at some point down the road? I think this is something that many Christians struggle to grasp – albeit to varying degrees. On a related note, the speaker at our recent youth retreat noted that as one progresses in their Christian walk, they have a greater awareness of their own weakness and sinfulness. Many Christians who are acutely aware of their sinfulness will naturally ponder the question of whether one can be saved and yet fall away, which has been the focus of sharp debate among Christians for centuries. When we ponder this question, we must trust in God’s providence and direction for the future, asking for His will to guide us.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians February 25, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, accusations, deceit, paul, vindication
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 12:11-21.
Summary: Paul begins by noting that his boasting has been foolish – yet the actions of some of the Corinthians forced him to boast; they should have vindicated him from the attacks of the false teachers, as he – though inherently unworthy – is on par with the chief apostles. This is the case, as:
- the external evidence of his apostleship arose from adverse circumstances that required him to be faithful
- the Corinthian church is on par with the other churches – except that he does not accept aid from them; he implores them to not view this as a lack of confidence in their love for him.
Paul then notes that he will visit the Corinthians for the third time, and he will not accept aid from them on that visit, since:
- he only desires to win their souls
- he views his relationship with them as that of a parent to their children, and so he desires to exercise a parent’s privilege in this case.
Thus, he will give not only his property but himself for them, even if they stop loving him. Yet his opponents accuse him of deceiving the Corinthians in this regard. To refute this accusation, he appeals to them to recall Titus’ previous visit to them; on that occasion, Titus followed Paul’s instructions and refrained from accepting aid from them. In this way, both Titus and Paul followed Christ, being led by the Holy Spirit.
Now Paul asks some of the Corinthians if they assume that he is pleading his case before them; instead, he is speaking in God’s presence as a Christian; in fact, his self-vindication is designed for their good. This stems from the fact that he wants them to be acceptable to him when he arrives; he does not want to see the following:
- quarrels between church factions
- feelings of alienation
- bursts of anger
- cabals
- backbiting and secret calumnies
- pride and insolence
- the disorder that arises from the above-mentioned issues.
Paul concludes by stating that he fears that God will humble him – in relation to them – on his next visit, and he may have to mourn those Corinthians who have not repented of their corruption.
Thoughts: In verse 11, we see that Paul exhorts some of the Corinthians to vindicate him from the attacks of the false teachers. Hodge offers some intriguing thoughts on this:
It is an imperative duty of all who have the opportunity to vindicate the righteous. For us to remain silent when aspersions are cast on good men or when their character and services are undervalued is to make ourselves share the guilt of unjust accusations.
This reminds me of the time when one of the members of a church that I attended essentially accused the pastoral staff of being Freemasons. This was a rather serious charge, and I actually responded to him in an attempt to refute it – especially as I could not uncover concrete evidence to support it. Unfortunately, my experience is that it is relatively easy for believers to stand by idly while other believers are being slandered. In such instances, believers avoid conflict by remaining silent, hoping that the accuser(s) will eventually drop their charges. Yet Paul tells us that when it is necessary, we should – possibly painfully – take a stand and prevent “good men” from being rendered incapable of serving the Lord.
In verse 20, we see that Paul feared that some of the Corinthians would be ensnared by a multitude of sins when he arrived for his third visit. Hodge offers some enlightening thoughts on this:
This is a formidable list of evils, and it seems hard to reconcile what is said here with the glowing description of the repentance and obedience of the church found in chapter 7…The common and sufficient explanation of the difficulty is that part of the congregation, probably the majority, was penitent and obedient, while another part was just the opposite. When the apostle was thinking of one group, he used the language of commendation, and when he was thinking of the others, the language of censure.
Indeed, I experienced the difficulty that Hodge notes at the beginning of this quote. Now I wonder what it must have been like to attend the Corinthian church at that time. Those believers who Paul would have counted among the first group that he commended must have been incredibly frustrated, as they were probably attacked and harassed on a consistent basis by those in the second group that he criticized. Those Corinthians who Paul would have counted among this second group probably approached every church meeting with a hostile mindset, which hampered their ability to worship God. The leaders of the Corinthian church probably spent many sleepless nights wondering how they could preserve church unity in the face of secret and open conflict between these two groups.
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn February 20, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, paul, strength, visions, weakness
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.
Summary: Paul begins by stating that boasting is not profitable; thus, he will discuss the visions – and their meaning – that Christ has given to him. Fourteen years ago, he – as a Christian – was taken to the highest heaven; it is unclear whether his body joined his soul on that occasion, though. At that time he heard and saw things that he could not tell others. He can boast about that event, as it shows God’s unmerited favor to him; yet he will only boast about himself to show his weakness. If he were to boast about himself, he would be speaking the truth; yet he does not persist in boasting, as he wants others to judge him based on his actions and words. To keep him from acting and thinking improperly based on the divine communications that he has received, God allowed Satan to afflict his body. Paul earnestly petitioned Christ to remove this pain from him; yet He constantly reminds him that His love is enough for him, as His strength is made more conspicuous by his weakness. Thus, he will boast about his weaknesses, as they reveal Christ’s glory in him. Paul concludes by reiterating that he delights in his weaknesses, as they show Christ’s power in him; his weakness allows God to show His strength.
Thoughts: In verses 8 and 9, we see that God reminded Paul of His ability to show His power through his weakness. Hodge offers an interesting take on this:
In this passage we see clearly the apostle’s religious life and the most convincing proof that he lived in communion with Christ as God. He looked to him as his supreme, omnipresent, all-sufficient Lord for deliverance from the thorn in his flesh, from the torments of the messenger of Satan, under which he had suffered so grievously. He prayed to God. He received from him the answer to his prayer…To Paul it was sufficient. It gave him perfect peace.
On one hand, we see Paul’s humanity in the fact that he pleaded with God on three occasions to have this bodily affliction removed from him. In general, we readily shun pain. On the other hand, pain, in Paul’s case, was the occasion of God showing His power; now not only did Paul accept this reality, he boasted about it. This is an aspect of my spiritual life where I genuinely need God’s grace; I must admit that I still grudgingly accept my weaknesses – as opposed to rejoicing over them.
Paul Boasts About His Sufferings February 16, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, boasting, paul, suffering, weakness
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 11:16-33.
Summary: Paul begins by telling the Corinthians that they should not regard him as a boaster; they should bear with him, though, as he speaks – to a limited extent – of his actions and sufferings. By boasting confidently he is not performing an inherently Christian action, as boasting is foolish. Yet the false teachers boast from unworthy motives, so he will boast from good motives. He ironically notes that the Corinthians – in their wisdom – bear with the false teachers. Indeed, they bear with those who:
- act like tyrants
- greedily consume their possessions
- ensnare them
- insolently lift themselves up against them
- slap their faces.
His opponents regard him as being weak.
Now whatever Paul’s opponents want to claim, he will also claim. They boast of belonging to God’s chosen people – yet Paul can make the same claim. Also, they boast of being servants of Christ; Paul knows that he is unworthy to boast of his position in this regard, yet he knows that he is more devoted than they are as a servant of Christ – as seen by his:
- abundant labors
- frequent and severe floggings
- many deaths.
In particular, he was beaten five times by the Jews, where each beating consisted of thirty-nine lashes, and on three occasions the Romans beat him with rods; he was also stoned, shipwrecked three times, and had to spend a 24-hour period on a turbulent open sea. He has been exposed to danger from:
- swift rivers
- bandits
- angry Jews
- angry Gentiles
- being in cities
- being in deserts and mountains
- being at sea
- those who falsely claimed to be his brothers in Christ yet wanted to betray him.
He has also:
- toiled and suffered
- gone without sleep
- been forced to go without food
- been cold and naked.
In addition, he is anxious for the churches that he founded. When their weak faith causes them to act scrupulously, he pities them; when they depart from the truth of the Gospel, he is indignant with those who cause them to fall.
Indeed, Paul only boasts of those things that highlight his weakness. He appeals to the God of the New Testament covenant to confirm the truth of the entire preceding account. He also notes that when he was in Damascus, the ethnarch under King Aretas set a guard at the city gates to arrest him if he tried to leave. Paul concludes by noting that he escaped from Damascus by being lowered in a basket from a window of a house on the city walls.
Thoughts: This is one of those passages in Scripture that simply leave the reader speechless. After reading it I figured that the story of Paul’s life should be the basis of an epic film. Now it turns out that his life story has been told in several movies. Yet I could see Paul’s life playing out on screen in a performance like that of Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur and Kirk Douglas in Spartacus. One can imagine the sufferings that Paul endured filling out a four-hour film as his character interacts with a relatively large cast, including Elymas, Alexander the metalworker and Sosthenes. Now it’s not clear to me as to which classic actor would play Paul in such a film; suggestions are welcome.
In verse 20, we see that the false teachers severely mistreated the Corinthians. Hodge offers some insightful thoughts on this point:
They were lords over God’s heritage (1 Peter 5:3), not only as they tried to reduce the Christians to the bondage of the law, as appears from the letter to the Galatians, but as they exercised a tyrannical authority over the people…These men were tyrants, and therefore they exploited, insulted, and mistreated the people.
This caused me to wonder why the Corinthians would put up with the false teachers if they were acting like tyrants towards them. Moreover, the Corinthians were even treating them like genuine apostles by paying them; recall that they preached for monetary gain. My thought is that since each false teacher – unlike Paul – spoke Greek as a native speaker and was a skilled rhetorician, the Corinthians were sufficiently impressed; thus, they tolerated their imperfections. The Corinthians must have placed an excessive value on verbal fluency and rhetorical skill, as “money talks.”
In verse 26, we see that Paul was in danger from those who falsely claimed to be believers. Hodge offers a thought on this point:
This probably refers to the treachery of those who falsely claimed to be his brothers in Christ and yet tried to deliver him into the power of his enemies.
Given all of the other difficulties – as listed in this passage – that Paul endured, he probably desired genuine Christian fellowship. Most likely he wanted brothers and sisters who could pray with him and encourage him in his ministry. Now some believers fell into this category; for example, perusing Romans 16:1-27 shows that Paul was not entirely alone in his Christian walk. Yet the fact that some “believers” were ready to betray him must have broken his heart. Such experiences probably reminded him that his ultimate hope lay in God alone.
Paul and the False Apostles February 11, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, false teachers, integrity, paul, Satan
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 11:1-15.
Summary: Paul begins by stating that he knows that the Corinthians will allow him to engage in some self-vindication. Indeed, the Corinthians should bear with him, since he is jealous for them with a jealousy that God possesses, as he is the author of their marriage to Christ; he desires to present them to Christ as a glorious church at His second coming. Yet he fears that just as Satan seduced Eve, their minds might be corrupted and turned from their undivided devotion to Christ. The Corinthians should also bear with him since they bear with false teachers who
- present someone other than Jesus as “the One” who can deliver them from sin
- attempt to prove this by asserting that they have received a spirit other than the Holy Spirit.
In addition, the Corinthians should bear with Paul since he is on par with the chief apostles. Although he does not speak Greek as a native speaker, he possesses the Gospel; indeed, they are fully aware that he is a genuine apostle. He then asks if his opponents discredit his apostleship by focusing on his renunciation of the support that the Corinthians owed him – which was done for their good. In fact, he received his rightful stipend from the Macedonians so that he could minister to the Corinthians. When he was in Corinth, he was not torpid against anyone, as the Macedonians added to his income as a tentmaker; moreover, he is determined to continue this course of action. By the veracity of Christ in him, he declares that nobody in southern Greece will hinder his boasting in this regard. This does not stem from a lack of love for them; God knows his heart for them.
Paul then notes that he wants to prevent his opponents from being able to charge him with preaching the Gospel for profit; he wants them to join him in preaching without the desire for financial gain. This stems from the fact that his opponents are:
- those who falsely claim to be apostles
- workmen who use trickery
- those who falsely claim to be servants of Christ.
This should be no surprise, as Satan presents himself as a bright and pure angel. Paul concludes by inferring that the false teachers – who actually promote Satan’s kingdom – will pretend to advocate God’s truth; yet God will judge their works.
Thoughts: In verse 5, we see that Paul knew that he was on par with the chief apostles. Hodge offers some helpful thoughts on this point:
In no one respect had he fallen short or was he left behind by the chief apostles; neither in gifts, nor in labors, nor in success had any of them been more highly favored, nor more clearly authenticated as the messengers of Christ…Therefore, the argument that the Reformers derived from this passage against the primacy of Peter is perfectly legitimate. Paul was Peter’s equal in every respect and so far from being under his authority that he not only refused to follow his example, but reproved him to his face (Galatians 2:11).
This raises the following questions concerning the nature of Paul’s relationship with the other apostles, especially Peter, James and John. Was Paul constantly reminded of the supposed supremacy of the other apostles, and if so, did he carry out his apostolic duties with a chip on his shoulder? How often did Paul see the other apostles in the course of his missionary travels? The Bible records some of Paul’s encounters with the other apostles, especially his above-mentioned conflict with Peter in Galatians 2; I am definitely eager to interview the apostles about their earthly interactions when I get to heaven.
In verse 9, we see that although Paul had difficulty supporting himself as a tentmaker, several believers from Macedonia came to Corinth to supply what he was lacking. We know from 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 that the Macedonian believers were impoverished, as they had suffered from the ravages of war for generations on end. Now I wonder if Paul wrote letters to the Macedonian churches that have been lost to the sands of time. It would be interesting to learn of the existence – and contents – of “The Epistle of Paul to the Macedonians.” Based on what we know of the Macedonian church, my conjecture is that this hypothetical letter would have been rather positive, as Paul would have praised them for their generosity in spite of their poverty. It is likely, though, that the Macedonian church would have been beset by sinfulness and temptations, so rebukes and corrections would probably have appeared in such a letter. It should be reiterated, though, that the Bible – as it stands – is a sufficient revelation of God; thus, this hypothetical letter would mainly be interesting from a historical standpoint.
Paul’s Defense of His Ministry February 8, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, boasting, false teachers, Gospel, paul
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 10.
Summary: Paul begins by appealing to the Corinthians on account of the meekness and gentleness of Christ; apparently his opponents are describing him as lacking courage when present – yet acting boldly when absent. He begs them to act so that when he arrives, he will not have act as he has resolved and defy his opponents, since they assume that he is governed by his sinful nature. That is false, as even though he lives in his body, he does not combat error by relying on human nature. His means of battling error are not inherently human – God regards them as mighty, as they enable Paul to pull down the convictions of his opponents; human reason – which is opposed to God’s wisdom – will be defeated, and every product of human reason must submit to the teaching of Christ. He is prepared to punish those who corrupt the Gospel – yet he will not act until it is clear where the Corinthians stand on this issue.
Paul then asks his opponents if they take pride in external advantages; if they claim a special relationship with Christ, they should realize that he also has a special relationship with Christ. This stems from the fact that Christ has given him authority to promote the holiness of the Corinthian church – and not to defeat his opponents; thus, he does not need to apologize for his self-boasting. Now he asserts that he is not acting as a paper tiger by writing to them in an authoritative tone. Indeed, his opponents assert that his letters are impressive and severe, yet he acts feebly and speaks mildly in their presence. Yet he assures them that when he is present, his actions will support his words.
Now Paul cannot bring himself to place himself by the false teachers, as they rely on self-praise; they discard the opinions of others and claim their successes for themselves. Yet his self-boasting is not immoderate; he will only claim the gifts and labors that God has given him – and he founded their church. He is not boasting inappropriately, as he has preached the Gospel in the region that includes Corinth. He refuses to claim that which does not belong to him; instead, he hopes to work with the Corinthians so that he can preach the Gospel far beyond Corinth. He will not take credit for the fruits that result from those regions where others have preached the Gospel. Paul concludes by stating that believers should seek God’s approval – instead of resting on self-approval or the praises of others.
Thoughts: Verses 4 and 5 show that Paul relied on God’s power to combat the error-filled doctrines taught by the false teachers. Hodge offers some intriguing thoughts on this point:
A rationalistic Christian, a philosophizing theologian, therefore lays aside the divine for the human, God’s wisdom for human wisdom, the infinite and infallible for the finite and fallible. The success of the Gospel depends on its being presented not as our word but as God’s Word; not as something to be proved, but as something to be believed.
This got me thinking about Christian apologetics and whether Hodge would have approved of modern-day apologists. Well-read apologists must constantly guard against the tendency to rely solely on human wisdom in making their points, especially when citing examples from science, literature or history. We must remember that in the end, even apologists must acknowledge the centrality of faith in Christianity – which highlights the supremacy of the Gospel. Ravi Zacharias speaks often of how his faith informs his work; we, too, must celebrate the role of the Gospel in bridging the gulf between human wisdom and God.
Verse 10 indicates that Paul’s opponents in Corinth focused on his feeble actions and mild speaking in their presence. Hodge offers some enlightening thoughts on this point:
This passage, probably more than any other, has given rise to the impression, in keeping with a tradition neither very ancient nor well supported, that Paul was small in stature, weak, and unattractive in his personal appearance. The words used here, however, even supposing that this language of his enemies expressed the truth, do not necessarily imply this. The phrase probably refers not to his personal appearance but to his deportment.
Interestingly, I had read a commentary on this verse that seems to validate what Hodge is refuting in the above quote. The issue, then, is whether Paul was really “small in stature, weak, and unattractive in his personal appearance.” I am eager to ask Paul about this when I get to heaven. On a related note, it would be interesting to determine if believers gravitate towards pastors who are tall, handsome and well-spoken. Perhaps Christians are influenced by these factors during their “church-hopping phase,” though that is a topic for another day.
The latter part of this passage focuses on the false teachers’ claims regarding their gifts and the fruits of their labors. Hodge offers some pertinent thoughts in his commentary on verse 13:
The false teachers set no limits to their boasting; self-conceit and not facts determined the character and amount of their assumptions, and therefore their claims were inordinate. Paul expresses his determination to limit his claims to his actual gifts and labors…His boasting was neither immoderate, nor based on what others had done. He invaded no man’s sphere of labor. His settled purpose was to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named, and not to build on another man’s foundation (Romans 15:20).
First – in a direct application to modern-day believers – we should be careful when making our assessment of the gifts that God has given us. It is natural to be conceited and assume that we have a plethora of gifts, yet that is usually not the case. For example, at one point I thought that I possessed the gift of encouragement – yet experience has shown me otherwise. Second – in an indirect application to modern-day believers – the question of “who led someone to Christ” can be difficult to answer. More often than not, a believer’s journey to a saving relationship with Christ is marked by the work of many other believers. If one of those believers claimed that only they had led the first believer to Christ, that would be a case of improper boasting.
Sowing Generously February 3, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in Books, Christianity.Tags: 2 corinthians, generosity, paul, riches, thanksgiving
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Here are my thoughts on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.
Summary: Paul begins by telling the Corinthians that anyone who gives freely will gain more than they give, while anyone who gives reluctantly will be impoverished. Yet he does not want them to give out of either sorrow or compulsion of circumstances – he wants them to give joyfully, as God will bless them in that event. God has the power to increase their earthly possessions so that in everything they will be sustained, having enough to continue giving. He then quotes from Psalm 112:9 to reinforce the point that anyone who is generous to the poor will always be able to give generously.
Paul notes that as God supplies seed to the farmer to yield bread for consumption, He will abundantly supply the Corinthians with wealth so that they can give generously; He will increase their ability to give generously. In fact, God will make them abundantly rich so that they can continue giving generously; moreover, thanksgiving to God will flow from Paul’s ministry to their poor brothers in Jerusalem.
The ministry that the Corinthians offer via their collection does not merely compensate the needs of their poor brothers in Jerusalem – it produces abundant good and thanksgiving to God. By rendering a service to their poor brothers in Jerusalem, men will glorify God for their display of
- obedience to their confession as Christians
- consciousness of their communion with their poor brothers in Jerusalem – and with all Christians in general.
The generosity that God will allow them to display will also cause their poor brothers in Jerusalem to pray for them. Paul concludes by bursting out in praise to God for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Thoughts: In this passage, we see that God enables those who give generously to continue their giving ways. Hodge offers some pointed thoughts on this in his commentary on verse 8:
Here it clearly refers to earthly good; it means the kind of good or favor that enables those who receive it to give abundantly. The idea, therefore, obviously is, ‘God is able to increase your wealth.’
Hodge goes on to note in his commentary on verse 9 that this is meant to be a general principle – and not meant to be applied in all situations. This got me thinking about the generosity that Paul exhorted the Corinthians to display; it is apparent that he knew that they possessed the gift of generosity. Now do all Christians possess the gift of generosity? If not, does this passage apply to all believers? I get the sense that I do not possess this gift, yet I wonder if that is due to 1) my genuine lack of this gift or 2) my sinful nature hindering me from giving as much as God wants me to give.
Verse 15 serves as a rather surprising – yet appropriate – conclusion to this passage on generosity. Hodge offers some enlightening thoughts:
It is his habit also to introduce ejaculations of adoration or thanksgiving into the midst or at the close of his teachings or exhortations (Romans 1:25; 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 Timothy 1:17). The passage, therefore, ought to stand, as we do not doubt the vast majority of the readers of the Bible understand it, as an outburst of gratitude to God for the gift of his Son.
It is clear that Paul was so full of the Holy Spirit that one can find these occasional outbursts of praise to God in his letters. This verse reminds me of his doxology in Romans 11:33-36, which does flow naturally from his comforting point that all Israel will be saved. Indeed, I am glad to say that I know several believers who are so full of the Holy Spirit that they, like Paul, will praise God on the most (apparently) random occasions. I wonder if praising God on (apparently) random occasions corresponds to a gift that all believers possess – possibly to varying degrees.
Gibson House Museum February 2, 2012
Posted by flashbuzzer in History.Tags: boston, museums, trips
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I recently visited the Gibson House Museum in Boston. This museum is dedicated to telling the story of the Gibson family and providing visitors some insights on life in Back Bay during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Here are three nuggets that I gleaned from my time at the museum.
1. Charles Hammond Gibson, Jr. was the driving force behind the conversion of the Gibson House into a museum. He happened to be a rather obscure poet and travel writer – yet he hoped that critics would properly appreciate his writings after his death. Of course, he needed to combat his obscurity to achieve this end, and so he placed portraits of his famous relatives throughout the house; it turns out that his mother’s great-uncle was Joseph Warren, who fell at Bunker Hill. Unfortunately Gibson’s writings still languish in obscurity due to their abstruseness.
2. The Gibson House was built in 1860 and was one of the first fifteen houses in Back Bay – which consisted of reclaimed land from Boston Harbor. Catherine Hammond Gibson moved there with her son, Charles Hammond Gibson Sr., who was twenty-five at the time. Catherine wanted her son to take ownership of the house after he got married and started a family; that would occur in 1871. Catherine put down roughly $750,000 in today’s money for the house; interestingly, two of the other houses in Back Bay at the time were owned by her relatives.
3. In a sad string of coincidences, three of the Gibson family members died at sea. Catherine’s husband, John Gardner Gibson, perished due to an outbreak of disease on his ship; the family suffered due to the loss of the income that he had derived as a sugar merchant. Another Gibson relative perished when his ship collided with another vessel in a freak accident. A third Gibson relative perished when his troop transport exploded during World War II.
The museum was impressive in that one could view reliable documentation of the items that were in the house during the life of Charles Gibson, Jr. This documentation also enabled the museum staff to provide its visitors with an authentic 1800s Back Bay experience. The tour guide was very informative and his liberal use of witty remarks made the tour enjoyable.
I don’t have any quibbles at this time.
Overall I enjoyed my time at the museum, and I would definitely recommend it to history buffs who happen to be in the Back Bay neighborhood.
