Wednesday, February 25

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10

In high school I was quite taken by Paul’s writing or at least by the dynamic teachers who presented such concepts like “justification by faith.” For me there was a kind of freedom from the growing fundamentalism that focused only on converting everything in sight. Paul became unpopular, yet I notice that there is renewed interest. One writer is clear that Paul is inconsistent, but then many good thinkers do have inconsistencies. Another scholar writes about Paul’s use of metaphors that may or may not work when all put together.

In 5:21 there is one such metaphor that represents the concept of “penal substitution,” and that concept is usually something that I am not presently excited about being an “ambassador.” I do identify with wanting to be “reconciled to God” and so far Jesus has been my hope of doing that. The consensus is that II Corinthians was written by Paul, but that Chapter 10 and following refer to another lost letter concerning lots of conflict among personalities. Chapter 6 begins with “grace” and a quote from Isaiah. Grace represents a new covenant, but Paul still struggles with the old covenant. There is not only a theoretical struggle, but a physical struggle as he goes from Jewish to Greek communities. He states he is physically abused by all the conflicting parties. (For more description see Chapter 11:23 and following.) I think Paul wants freedom, but it is hard to give up a sacrificial religion. Trying to give up a concept of God that demands a sacrifice, is not easy and maybe not even a consideration for him. I think Jesus did see a God who did not demand sacrifice and who simply said “you are forgiven.” To make sense of grace intellectually, it is easy to be inconsistent. If anything, I have grown more inconsistent, less certain, and more open to what it means to “be reconciled to God.” I know I am taking Paul out of context, but I find some comfort in our last verse (v.10) At this point in my life, the less ego, the more rich in spirit.