08/25/2024 – Day 084 – 1 Corinthians – Chapters 7 – 8a / 8:6: “In a remarkable affirmation, Paul called Jesus Christ the ‘one Lord’…, a mere 20 years after Jesus’ crucifixion, indicating a high view of Jesus very early on in the church.”
Last cycle, a post dated 05/22/2022, a will call it a tribute to “the shakers”. Still in this chapter on marriage, I dug into a very interesting verse, 7:29. What did Paul mean by writing: “And I say this, brothers: the time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none,”
Check out John Gill’s commentary, link below, the bottom paragraph:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/1-corinthians-7-29.html
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“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth — as there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ — yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.” 8: 5-6
And let’s take a look at the commentary from the “Apologetics Study Bible”:
“8:6. In a remarkable affirmation, Paul called Jesus Christ the ‘one Lord.’ Paul the Jew was echoing but reconfiguring the thrice-daly prayer known as Shema: ‘Listen, Israel … the LORD is One’ (Deuteronomy 6: 4-6). He added later, ‘If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him (1 Corinthians 16:22). The ‘Lord Jesus’ is being identified with Yahweh, the God of Israel. Other Jewish NT writers routinely made this astonishing identification (e.g., 1 Peter 3:15; see Isaiah 8:13). It is important to keep in mind that Paul, the monotheist, wrote this a mere 20 years after Jesus’ crucifixion, indicating a high view of Jesus very early on in the church. This high view of Jesus is taken for granted and beyond dispute in the NT.
Jehovah’s Witness and Christadelphians, who sit between Judaism and Christianity, but belong to neither, must take seriously Christ’s divine lordship based on such passages. Similarly, Mormons, by the words ‘for us’ (1 Corinthians 8:6)) and thus allowing for the recognition of other gods, misunderstand Paul’s intent. By saying ‘even if there are so-called gods’ (v. 5) he meant they existed only in the minds of Corinthian idolaters. However, the words ‘for us there is one God, the Father … and one Lord, Jesus Christ’ point to the new reality these readers have come to know through the gospel. Corinthians believers had acknowledged the appropriated reality (‘for us’).”
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.
Soli Deo Gloria!