The First century A.D. was a time of great transition. The Way was a splinter sect of Judaism which year by year became more and more gentile in its composition. Because the Romans were beginning to regard Christianity as a new form of atheism , early believers were encountering increasing periods of intense persecution. The apostle Paul as their spiritual father, had to navigate through these difficulties. He faced ongoing opposition as he did his best to integrate diverse people groups into this new, growing movement. His task was particularly challenging. Gentile Jesus followers had little or no understanding of two thousand years of Jewish tradition. Paul’s work comes down to us as a series of letters he wrote to various early churches.
We live two thousand years later and are blessed to read his correspondence and the wisdom it contains. How should we relate to these letters? It is said that the Old Testament lawgiver Moses set 613 laws in place. Is Paul the Christian lawgiver? Instinctively we would say, “No.” If yes, someone could quickly come along and itemize a large New Covenant list of prescriptive laws. That would be terrible. It would eliminate the freedoms we experience in Christ.
Since the turn of the millennium, Western Christianity is under threat. Between one and two million believers are leaving the Church each year. Why? One reason is because the Church has not figured out how to react to the fast-changing cultural waters in which we swim. Part of this problem stems from the fact that many congregations do indeed treat Paul’s commands as binding and universal.
Let me illustrate how this can be wrong. Until 1964 in the US and 1989 in Canada, indigenous children were forcibly removed from their parents and taken to Christian residential schools. The mantra was, “Kill the Indian and save the Man.” Young boys arrived confused, afraid, and dispossessed. The headmaster greeted them with scissors. Their hair was cut short. Why? Paul told the Corinthians: “Long hair is a disgrace to a man.” In my work with tribes to develop language restoration software, I am a witness to the psychological damage done by this. What would Jesus say? I suppose it would go something like this:
Do you not see that whatever hair extends from the head cannot defile a person, since it grows and eventually is either cut or falls away. (Thus hair length is irrelevant) What a person thinks and becomes is what defiles him. For from this come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things originate from within the mind, and they defile a person.
Let’s now consider how churches deal with the roles between men and women. 21st century America is in a time of rapid transformation. Two thirds of college graduates are now women. They are stepping up to embrace leadership roles that were not possible a generation ago. More and more women are becoming the breadwinners for their families.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Actually, the word ‘submit’ was added by translators to the original Greek text. A literal translation would be: “Wives to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Paul also writes: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Both of these statements are controversial in the modern West. What might Jesus say in light of this? Perhaps it would be something like:
You have heard it said: Wives submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. But I say to you: Husbands also submit yourselves to your wives as to the Lord.
Did Paul think he was dictating a one-size-fits-all pattern for a good marriage? Or was he presenting his wisdom in light of the context of first century Ephesus? It is insufficient to simply qualify Paul’s statements with an exception for abuse. How would one even precisely define what that means? There is not a one-size-fits-all recipe for a successful marriage. We humans are far too complex for that. A prerequisite is this. A husband and wife must be committed to respect their partner and be determined to be in it for the long-haul. Then one needs to negotiate with honest, open communication. Paul also writes:
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7).
In my opinion, this is a better prescription for a successful marriage than contending over who is in charge.
Paul’s letters are part of our inspired and authoritative scripture. Interpretations of those are neither inspired, authoritative, nor universal. In our time, technology and social media drive rapid cultural shifts. It is hard to contemplate that nobody even had cell phones before the year 2000. If the Christian Church is to remain relevant in these fast-changing times, I think it wise to seriously consider these things.
Thanks for listening,secondlooknow.com
Yes,
I appreciate your conclusion and its summary with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Dan..
And your comments on “Paul’s teaching as part of inspired and authoritative scriptures; but the interpretations of those writings are not inspired or authoritative or universal….” are insightful and wise words.
Thanks for posting this!
VivH
And how often do we confuse interpretation with the authoritative word itself? The Pharisees and Scribes were experts; they knew the law by heart. They could rattle it off, and knew the different schools of rabbinical thought. And yet Jesus told them outright, “You do not understand the Scriptures.” We must humble ourselves before God, and understand that HE alone its its ultimate author and exegetical. Let us not spur orthodoxy or the centuries of wise thought. But let us not rest in presumptions that may, in the end, be a stumblingblock to those who would enter His rest.
Yes.
Yes.
I needed the laugh from your paraphrases pseudo Jesus teachings.
Yea, verily.
I like your applications of these truths.