Paul's Warning to the Corinthians

During Lent we will be re-running some of our most popular episodes. This week is a re-run of Week 53, in which we discussed the context of the Epistles to the Corinthians, noting the community was predominantly Gentile, one made up of Roman converts to the faith. We then discussed the similarities in the Bible of both Jews and Gentiles in that Scripture is critical of both communities. Later in today’s reading, we hear Paul address the Corinthians with a bit of sarcasm, to offer a warning: If we expect that being a Christian will bring us an easy life, and that we can be viewed as honorable by a corrupt world, then we are doing something very wrong. Jesus teaches us that a servant is not greater than his master. If Jesus was persecuted, so too will His servants. To live the Christian life properly means that our ways will not be popular with those in society, and at times, even among other Christians.