1 Corinthians 4:9-13 Bible Teaching

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1st Corinthians 4.9-
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February 25th 2018
So last week Paul seems to have gotten so fed up with the attitudes of the false or arrogant teachers who were creating divisions and sects in Corinth that he got sarcastic with them, and said:

“Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us:” (and then, returning to what appears to be a soft approach he says) “and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.”

And here he begins to make a comparison between the teachers who had puffed themselves up, who saw themselves in the place of importance in the kingdom so much so that Paul likens them to fat, wealthy kings reigning over small fiefdoms in the absence of the apostles.

He then launches into some passages that are profound on many levels. Let’s read them beginning at verse 9:

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;
12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

So back to verse 9. After sarcastically ripping into these sectarians teachers who esteemed themselves as full of wisdom Paul says:

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

In other words, while you have filled yourselves and become wealthy rulers over these believers,

“It seems to me that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”

Here Paul says that the condition of himself and his fellow-laborers, AS SENT FORTH BY GOD, was to be one of great contempt and suffering.

In other words, if God had sent the teachers forward Paul seems to be saying that their lot would be similar to that of the Apostles who were truly called and elected by Christ.

If we look at the history of all that God sent forth, in almost every case, from Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Jesus, and then the Apostles – and then throughout Christian history – with martyrs, and the Anabaptists, and even out to our day and age, it seems that God sends people forward who will – and do – suffer . . . in some way or another.

So it was not just the apostles of Jesus – whenever someone is in the Godly righte state of mind and heart, with an eye single to Him and His will, there seems to be a fallout on their person – in some way, shape or form.

The false or beguiling teachers were full, and rich, and reigning like kings, and as a means to show what men and women looked like who were sent from God, Paul says, “just look at us and our lives.”

I don’t think we are talking about 100% pictures of happiness or unhappiness, tranquility verses suffering – instead I think that Paul is speaking to general attitudes and demeanor and experience between the false teachers and those sent by God.

In other words, the biblical precedence is clear – if your kingdom is of this world this world will reward you, but if it is of the Kingdom of God, the experience is different – not entirely different, as evidenced by the life of the Lord Himself who was a carpenter, and enjoyed a good party, and drank wine and ate bread.

But we are talking about living FOR such things or living FOR the Kingdom of God.

At this point Paul adds a line that I think is very significant – he says:

“It seems to me that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”

It is my view or opinion that God sent us forth last.

Do you know how the Greek read this?

“That God sent us as the last apostles.”

Now, the interpretation of this line varies within the Christian faith, as some believe it means that last means as the lowest of low in terms of status.

But I think it means exactly what it says – God sent them as the last apostles.

There is a historical support for this view, and Paul may have taken it from the pageants and contests held in amphitheaters where the custom was, at the conclusion of all the spectacle, to bringing out those who would have to fight against other men and animals to the death and where there was no chance of escape.

Because these inhuman games abounded everywhere an allusion to them would be well understood plus Paul refers to event like them in other places like 1st Corinthians 9:26, 1st Timothy 6:12 and 2nd Timothy 4:7.

Because Paul sees the Apostles as appointed unto death it is further believed that this was why he used this phraseology.

Maybe because personally I want it to mean that God sent these apostles last of all into the House of Israel, and that there would not be more apostles thereafter, I choose to read this into the meaning too.

But contextually, the parallel seems to mimic the games where the last ones to enter the arena where the ones would be put to death and because this is what Paul says next I have to admit this must be the primary meaning.

In stating that God brought them forth last he then says:

“It seems to me that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”

The phrase, “appointed to death,” comes from a Greek word that is not used anywhere else in the New Testament.

It means the certainty of death or the fact of a destined death – that it was certain that their activities would terminate in their death, and that just as a gladiator would have to contend until death falls upon so would these apostles be.

Now, just as Christ was their example, they also become ours. Remember, these were mere men – filled with the Holy Spirit as we are.

And upon receiving Christ the call was to enter warfare to the point that they would “die daily” and/or “all the day long” as Paul says later.

The model is clear for us – except not as much physically as it was for them – but to our flesh.

We too, called of God, are called forward last in each of our individual lives, to do what – battle, engage, contend with who we are as people.

We all enter into a relationship with God and are then sent by His Spirit into the colosseum of our fleshly, mortal, lives to face down our personal beasts and demons – until death.

The symbolism is not only biblical, it’s clear.

And whatever our personal beasts are, we will either face them and slay them by the sword of the Spirit or they will slay us.

In addition to saying that the apostles were appointed to death he adds another clue of his reference being the amphitheater, saying:

“We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men” with the word, “spectacle” coming from the Greek word, THEA – AT – TRON, where we get theater.

This is almost a certain reference to the ancient amphitheaters which were composed of an arena, or level floor, on which the combatants fought, and which was surrounded by circular seats rising above one another to a great height, and capable of containing many thousand spectators.

Paul represents himself as on this arena or stage, contending with foes and headed or destined to death.

Around him and above him are an immense host of men and angels, looking on at the conflict, and awaiting the outcome.

We note that he does not describe himself as alone or unobserved in his war buit that he is made a public figure; and the universe gazes on the struggle.

Angels and men denote the universe, as gazing upon the conflicts and struggles of the apostles.

The expression means that his was a public trials, and that this was exhibited to the universe.

The whole verse is designed to convey the idea that God had, for wise purposes, appointed them in the line of sight of the universe, to experience pain, and trials, and persecutions, and poverty, and want, which would terminate only in their death.

I read a near death experience of a physician – a former atheist – from years back.

And one thing he noted as a realization of the afterlife is that everything we say and do has a ripple effect on the universe. Now THAT is a sobering thought if you think about it at all but it sort of sidles up to Paul saying that he was appointed unto death (and spectacle) before the inhabitants of the universe.

I suppose we have a tendency to minimalize our words and actions as having no power over things in this world, but we see differently in the example of Paul – and perhaps the Near Death experience of that physician – if what he said was true.

I can tell you when I read these things I causes me to reflect with shame on many things I have sent out into the world and a heart felt desire to watch very carefully what I say and do in the future.

After delivering the Hall of Fame of Faith chapter in Hebrews 11, the writer opens chapter 12 with:

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Humbling. Humbling. Humbling.

And now allow yourself to contrast this imagery with Paul’s description of the false teachers, who he said were

“Full, Rich and Reigning as Kings.”

Paul continues, and it is believed by some commentators that he continues to be sarcastic here.

I’m not so sure about this – so let’s read what he says and see. (verse 10 where Paul says something that is adopted by Christians everywhere to themselves as he says)

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.

Rhetorically speaking, how many of you have used this passage as a self-endorsement? You know, saying:

“I’m just a fool for Jesus Christ. That’s what I am and that’s what I be. Just a fool for Christ – like Paul?”

Is it possible to be a moron for Jesus who in all other passages of scripture in the New Testament condemns morons?

Listen – here are the New Testament uses of the Greek term moron translated fool:

In Matthew 23:17 Jesus says:

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

In Luke 24:25 Jesus says, Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Then Paul says in Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And then in 2nd Corinthians 11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

And in Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

And then we have the use of the term foolish (Moor -ah – ee-no) in the New Testament:

Matthew 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Matthew 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Matthew 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Romans 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Romans 10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

1st Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

1st Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

2nd Timothy 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

1st Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

There is only one place in all of scripture where foolish is assigned to God’s people and only one place in scripture where fool is assigned to believers – here in 1st Corinthians.

We recall that foolish is used in 1st Corinthians 1:27 where Paul writes:

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

While this is certainly true we note that the things which God chooses “are foolish THINGS of the WORLD” – and not foolish in God, NOT foolish in Christ.

That is impossible! God never commends fools or foolishness – ever. It’s a constant stream of disparaging remarks on the foolish.

So we can’t have God condemning foolishness all through the scripture but then have Him commending fools for Christ.

Therefore, Paul was being sarcastic. I point this out because the passage is used by more people to justify zealotry and unbridled passion for Jesus but in context of scripture – even the very passages there the text is found – proves that Paul was continuing on a rant of sarcasm.

When we think about it, anytime Peter was impetuously foolish in words or deeds Jesus reprimanded him. And redirected his zeal.

Yes, he called and used Peter, but there is a true inconsistency present in people using this passage to justify foolishness in Jesus name.

So sarcastically delivered to men who were looking to the wisdom of their false teachers Paul says,

“We are fools in Christ.”

But that was just from the perspective of those who saw themselves as something better through their wisdom obtained by the world.

That is why the full sentence says:

“We (the apostles who have lead you and taught you truth) are fools in Christ but you YOU are wise in Christ.”

Have you ever wondered why He would say that they were wise in Christ but He would say that the Apostles called last to suffer were fools?

Because he is mocking them again. In fact I would go so far as to suggest that a fool is Christ is etymologically a stupid Christian, one who follows error in word and deed.

That is logically consistent and supported by the use of the terms moros and mor-ahh-ee-no).

What Paul is really saying, in my estimation, is

“You, Corinthians, boast of your wisdom and prudence. You are to be esteemed very wise. You are unwilling to submit to be esteemed fool’s so you continue to be proud of your earthly views and attitudes. In the mean time we, the apostles, and who have founded your church, are regarded as fools, and as unworthy of public confidence and esteem.”

This is a VERY different thing than the modern view of this passage that Paul was to be seen as a Christian moron.

The whole design of irony is to show the folly of their wisdom. That they were actually wise in Christ and the Apostles actually fools in an absurdity – which Paul emphasizes by his appeal to irony.

Continuing on with this approach he says, “we are weak. We are timid and feeble, but you are daring, bold, and fearless.”

In reality, the reverse was probably true. Paul was bold, daring, fearless in declaring the truth, whatever opposition it might encounter; and probably many of them were timid and self-serving, and did all they could to avoid persecution of any kind in hopes of popularity.

They were wise in their own sight, and perhaps now in the applause of the world, but again, this does NOT mean God called Paul and Peter and John to be morons.

He says more:

“Ye are honorable we are despised.”

Not in the truest sense of the word, so then not in truth. This was irony also. And the design was to show them how foolish was their self-confidence and self-flattery, and their attempt to exalt themselves.

At this point I believe Paul steps from the arena of sarcasm – sort of established in verse 9 – and says:

11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;

That phrase, until this present hour, means we incessantly experience hunger, thirst, and are naked and are buffeted and have no established place to rest our heads.

In other words, we didn’t start out in a ministry or church and build it up to where it was successful and then thrive off the fruit for decades to come.

Even to this hour we have suffered.

The amazing thing to me about this admission is that God LET His apostles suffer like this.

What does that tell us?

What does it mean that Jesus had no place to rest His head?

What are we to take from the FACT that His apostles went hungry, and thirsty, and without suitable clothes, and that God allowed them to be struck (or buffeted as the KJV says)?

I mean, life in this realm is such a fearful struggle, and one of the key elements to making it easier is having enough to eat, drink, wear and a place to live.

But historically, biblically – as we stated at the beginning of our time together – the main characters who were doing God’s will He allowed them to struggle materially.

Yes, there are exceptions. But the general rule is this. If the Bible is teaching us principles, what is the principle?

(long Pause)

It’s really quite telling to me that we begin to see a material emphasis in the faith relative to art and architecture POST 70 AD but most particularly right around the time of Constantine and then the development of the Nicene Creed.

So where the apostles, like their Masters, were poor and travelling about from place to place and lacking, things changed after 70 AD and men started having their way with the faith.

This is an obvious departure from Christianity.

All sorts of people want to get back to the roots of Christianity, and believe that this is accomplished through theological renovation and practice but in reality one way that is often most ignored is the poverty of the early Christians and its founder, Jesus Christ, whose own father allowed him to go without – and if that is not the case it is certainly the case of His apostles.

So I wanna know how the faith became tied to materialism and creature comforts – if His church is still operating under the same principles today as it was back in the apostolic period?

There is absolutely no justification that I can think of that reasonably explains this inconsistency. None.

Some say that it’s the believers who want comfort and luxury in their worship but when has that been the justification for anything Christian?

Now, there IS a reasonable solution to this disparity in our day and standards and those of the earliest church.

If we are still in the church age, and if we are waiting for Jesus to come back and take his church then there needs to be a rethink on this subject – in my estimation – and based on the words and lives of Jesus and the apostles.

But IF we are done with the church age, and have entered into the Kingdom age where the Spirit reigns, then the lifestyle choices of every individual is up to them and how God has blessed them, and there is no biblical “demand” as it were, that they embrace vows or lives of poverty.

Get it? In the spirit age of the Kingdom of God all things are indeed lawful, including whatever lifestyle choices people make for themselves, and this allows for a great deal of diversity within the body.

In any case, Paul here describes the lot of the apostles, which was in harmony with the lot of the Lord and His prophets and most of the early church.

Then at verse 12-13 Paul summarizes the apostles lot by making a series of comparisons, giving us 6 statements beginning with:

“And (we) labor, working with our own hands:”
“being reviled, we bless;”
“being persecuted, we suffer it:”
“being defamed, we intreat:”
“we are made as the filth of the world,”
“and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”

Let’s cover each of these briefly. First –

“And labor, working with our own hands:”

Paul makes it clear, throughout his epistles that he worked with his own hands to earn his keep. In 1st Thessalonians 2:9 he says

“For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for labring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.”

Then in 2nd Thessalonians 3:7 he writes

7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.”

If Paul says that he labored with his own hands to earn his keep and that he did this to make himself an example for others to follow, where have we come up with the expectation that believers are supposed to support the pastor?

Granted, Paul does explain that it is permissible for those who teach to live off those who are taught, but we must note that he also says he himself never did this SO THAT HE COULD BE AN EXAMPLE to others!

Paul went so far as to provide through his own hands for the benefit of those who were with him, saying in Acts 20:34:

“Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”

Next, he says:

“being reviled, we bless;”

The Acts of the Apostles gives us plenty of examples where they were reviled – by the Jews, by the Gentiles and by the Romans. But Paul here says that instead of reviling back, they would bless.

So hard to do – but certainly a directive of the faith. Remember what Jesus taught?

Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Romans 12:20-21 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

We would not then be surprised by the next lines:

“being persecuted, we suffer it:”

So difficult through the flesh.

“being defamed, we intreat:”

Which is better from the Greek as saying, “Being blasphemed, we invite and welcome‘

And then finally,

“we are made as the filth of the world,”

The word for filth is peri-Kath-armos and you know that peri is where we get perimeter or around something. So the idea is that the filth that Paul says that they were made was like the garbage that was gathered or sweep up from around an area to be disposed of.

Ever feel that way in this world? That you are like refuse which others believe you should be disposed of? That is how Paul is describing the way the world viewed the Apostles.

And finally,

“and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”

Same principle – with offscouring being peripsema – or the scum that is scrubbed off of something and needs to washed down the drain.

This has been a really interesting study today because not only can we see how Paul describes the living apostles (as compared with men of the world) but its interesting to read his words relative to the world of Christianity today.

Lots to reflect upon.

Questions/Comments?
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