1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – I get the hint here that Paul’s resolution to “know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” was as much about his need to return to this as it was about what he desired to present to them. He speaks of his knowing and of his being “in weakness and in fear and much trembling” with them. I wonder if perhaps Paul was in some sort of personal challenge during which he was focusing on nothing but Jesus and the cross. In hindsight, he sees how it not only benefited him but the Corinthians as well and he’s reminding them of that here. he was broken at that time (I’m speculating) and yet the simple, powerful message of the cross delivered them.
1 Corinthians 2:8 – Paul says here that if the leaders had known the secret wisdom of God, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” What if, though, that had happened? Where would humanity be if Jesus had been recognized as who he was, God incarnate, and allowed to live out a full life? Without the punishing sacrifice for sins on the cross, could we have been forgiven?
It’s an interesting question, but not as interesting as the truth that God knew that wasn’t going to happen. Did he predestine it, pulling the strings like marionettes of the people involved (Pilate, the Pharisees, the twelve, Mary, etc.)? no, I don’t think so. I think the truth is more sinister and crushing. God knew that we would not recognize Him if he stood among us. In fact, his presence would be so foreign to us as to be offensive and we would seek to eradicate it from our midst lest it destroy us. No, God knew that when he came to us we’d kill him for sure. And so, he used our carnal, prideful, evil nature to fulfill his plan to strip evil of it’s power to controls us and make us do the very thing that was done to Jesus.
The irony upon irony – because we did not know the wisdom of God, we killed Jesus fulfilling his plan to make that wisdom known to us.

Returning to my Bible studies after (another) long absence. Perhaps I’ll write about why later. In the past I’ve felt like I could hear God calling me back to study and I guess this time I have as well. The difference is that I have actively avoided it. I haven’t wanted to, or rather, I’ve wanted to pursue other, self focused things. So, this time I’m returning because I know that I need to and I know that by doing it the desire to do it will grow.
1 Corinthians 1:1 – Some time read about Sosthenes in Acts 18. Amazing, and here he is in the church at Corinth.
1 Corinthians 1:2 – Sanctified, called to be saints. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:6 – “… the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you …” I wonder what that means. Something about what happened to them as they believed confirmed what was being said about Christ – that he was the son of God, the savior, that sins are forgiven, that lives are renewed, restored and transformed.
1 Corinthians 1:17 – Paul implies that he deliberately preaches in common terms so that the cross can do the work. I sometimes think that the truth of the Gospel is so deep and profound that how can the simple comprehend it. (yes, I realize that in thinking such I put my self ‘above’ the label of simple which may not be accurate. :-D) It seems that the fundamental aspects of the truth are buried, hidden under layers of meaning.
Then I realize that Jesus came primarily to simple people, Paul tells us (just a few verses later) that he uses the simple to shame the wise and thinking that less gifted folks might not have a chance to comprehend the glorious truth of the gospel is unthinkable.
So, yes, there are layers and layers of meaning to the gospel and mining them does our heart good. But the basic gospel of Jesus, God and Man, coming to Earth to redeem a broken, fallen people is a simple idea, with the power to save without digging any deeper than that. The power is in the cross, not in our description or understanding of it.
1 Corinthians 22-25:

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Amen to that.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 – A few years ago, I attended a reunion of folks from the campus ministry I attended back, well, a long time ago. The guy who let me to faith in a series of Bible studies was there and he commented something like “It’s so good to see you still here.”
Still here? I remember thinking back then that I was one of the sharp guys. You know, in every group there are the ones who are on top, sharp and with it and then there are those who, well, aren’t. Mentally, I put myself in the former group, but his comments showed that he saw me in the latter. The group that you weren’t sure were in it for the long haul. To his credit, I don’t think it was condescending and I never knew that he saw me that way.
I’ve thought that way always. Here in ColumbusI was part of the mission team, I was once a deacon. But now I see that I’m on the fringes, not that cool, a bit dorky, not all that ‘with it’ spiritually and likely seen that way by most. It’s been a humbling thing to realign my view of myself to others’, but I look here and I’m amazed that God has chosen me anyway. Again, I’ve never felt anything but love from God’s people (as it should be) and no one has ever treated me as unimportant. Frankly, I think if I had realized my place earlier, I may not have stuck around. It’s not about them, it’s about me and my opinion of myself (and perhaps my need for others to like me, but that’s another post).
I’m realizing that I’m nothing and I think that will give God a lot more room to work.

Galatians 6:1-2 – Verse 2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” I’ve long thought of this, and heard it taught I believe, that this means that we should work with each other through hard times, helping others work through hard ‘stuff’. Job loss, family loss, depression, etc. But Paul states this in the context of someone being caught in sin. They aren’t working through it, they are caught doing it. What burdens does someone in that circumstance bear? Guilt. Shame. Fear. So this then is what we bear with them. We stand with them, not ashamed of them, bearing their shame and guilt so that they need not bear it alone. This enables them to stand, to move on, to heal. They know they are accepted, in fact, in this way we demonstrate the truth of Christ’s acceptance of them, reminding them of whom they belong.
Thinking of it in this way reminds me of Jesus with the woman caught in adultery. The pharisees and teachers were ready to toss her aside, but Jesus stood with her. Instead of joining them in their accusation, he crossed over to be with her and she was not alone facing her accusers.
When we bear our brothers burdens of sin, we do the same. We stand with him in the face of Satan the accuser, and he is reminded that he is not alone. Of course, Jesus is always there, but when we are caught Jesus can be hard to see. If we stand with him, he is enabled to see Jesus in us.
Galatians 6:3-5 – Verse 5 says, “For each will have to bear his own load.” Given what I just wrote (which I stand by), I honestly don’t know how to put verses 3-5 in context with 1-2. Is Paul being sarcastic? Doesn’t seem to be. Any thoughts?
Galatians 6:7-10 – Paul talks throughout Galatians, and the New Testament, about works vs. faith, slavery vs. freedom. But here he points out that our actions, our ‘works’, are not for nothing. We do reap what we sow. Not that we work to be saved (notice in verse 8 he says eternal life comes from the spirit), but that what we do will produce something – corruption or life.
Galatians 6:13 – There’s a clue here to verses 3-5. Those compelling the Galatians to be circumcised want to do so so that they can boast in the Galatians actions. See in verse 4 Pauls says “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.” It’s about standing on the works of flesh or the works of the spirit.