Moreover — and as a matter of fact, the Apostle continues — here are the facts of the Gospel of the resurrection and Christ once more (for your logical Greek reasoning).
Letters & NEWS
As we have read in the Apostle’s first epistle to the Corinthian saints, letters are personal and recall a connection of love between Paul and those in Corinth.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—
.. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree..
1 Corinthians 1:4-10a excerpt ESV
The Apostle states his obstacles common to the Corinthians — a diverse church in every way — at the outset of his epistle:
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 1:22-23 ESV
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles
And the Apostle establishes his own authority in Christ — the head of the Church who died for sinners.
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.
1 Corinthians 9:19-20a ESV
Yet Paul’s pathos and personal connection to the Corinthians appeals to all who love the Lord — Jew and Greek and Romans who worship as saints of one Church — this one in first century Corinth.
Logic
Recall from our previous look at Paul’s personal letter that even though a remnant of Jews live in Corinth (and the smaller ancient city of Athens), the culture of his audience is Greek.
(Even the Romans mimicked worship of the Greek gods and goddesses.)
What’s missing for Greek worshippers?
The connections between credibility and impact.
- How can worshippers of myths — a myriad of made-up gods and goddesses — purport LOGIC as truth?
In fact, the FACTS of logic built on false premises do not add up.
This is Paul’s cultural challenge — and ours.
Paul’s personal letter to the Corinthian saints (church).
The Apostle’s connection of logic to his Greek audience is agape (love).
“IF I have not love (charity) [agape], I am nothing.
As for the difference of Paul’s beliefs in God:
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand..
1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV
Before we list Paul’s FACTS for believers, let’s examine this Greek culture of logic in the light of truth cast upon the temples of many mythical gods and goddesses of Corinth.
Truths revealed to our minds
The following quoted in part from WARRANTED CHRISTIAN BELIEF PP290-294
What more is there to faith than belief?
What distinguishes the Christian believer from the demons?
——
“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
They believe these things, but hate them;
and they also hate God.
WARRANTED CHRISTIAN BELIEF P.291
Is it not so?
Hasn’t this hatred of God also been your experience at simply the mention of Jesus Christ?
Perhaps they also hope against hope that these things aren’t really so..
in a self-deceived way..
the problem here is not merely cognitive..
but.. Promethean..
ibid.
Cultural ‘science‘ of Promethean Logic
COVID-masked Prometheus statue at Rockefeller Center NYC, US as seen on the News
Prometheus, in Greek religion, one of the Titans, the supreme trickster, and a god of fire. His intellectual side was emphasized by the apparent meaning of his name, Forethinker. In common belief he developed into a master craftsman, and in this connection he was associated with fire and the creation of mortals.
Source: Britannica
WE must think to the AD 55 Corinthian culture, as well as our own Common Era challenges of preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, in these ‘Promethean‘ terms of logic —scientific facts of the world masked as NEWS.
The demons, no doubt, are theists and also believe of God that he exists; because they do not trust and love God and do not make his purposes their own.
ibid. p.294
Heretics — those who hate God — contend against Christ.
Gospel Good News
NOW, after stating that everything must be done in order, the Apostle Paul begins with the facts of the resurrection. AND note that he presents these FACTS as ‘of first importance.’
Facts:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins..
ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν
Christ (christos) -- not simply JESUS or Lord or some other designation of His Person or earthly position.
The Apostle Paul makes “CHRIST” christos — central to his FACTS to the Corinthians, using this Messianic designation (in Greek) over sixty times in this epistle.
AND Paul’s protos point reminds us that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS
(the Person of Jesus) Christ ἀποθνῄσκω died [apothnēskō] (as all men and women do)
-- AN INDISPUTABLE FACT --
Then Christ’s apostle to the gentiles reminds:
ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν
hyper egō hamartia
for our sins
Christ’s apostle continues logically with a REASON (remember, these are Greeks seeking wisdom in this) for this indisputable fact that Jesus died on a Cross (some twenty years before this).
And in his logical support of why Christ – the Messiah of the Jews – would do this, the Apostle cites God’s Holy written word:
“.. according to the Scriptures [γραφή – graphē].
AND logically following his FACT of Christ’s death Paul adds:
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures,
Not such a big deal that Jesus was buried (although many criminals hung on Roman crosses were left as carrion for the carnivorous).
It is the RESURRECTION of Christ which always ignites the Promethean detractors of truth.
AND again Paul adds: “in accordance with the Scriptures.”
NOW Paul logically follows-up from presenting his facts to the truthful testimony of eye witnesses.
ὁράω – HE appeared:
- to Cephas (Peter)
- the Twelve (Jesus’ Disciples)
- Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
- to James (Jesus’ half-brother)
- then to all the apostles.
- the Apostle Paul
Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
We Preached + you believed the facts
In the Apostle’s ‘reminder’ written to the believing saints of the church in Corinth, Paul begins with just the facts — provides witnesses — and now preaches once more what many had proclaimed in person.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians 15:10-11 ESV
SINCE ~AD 33 — and for all these years of our Lord since — MANY WITNESSES of One Lord — have Preached and Proclaimed
Jesus Christ crucified for our sins, buried, and raised from the dead — appearing, in fact, to many witnesses.
and (when we preached)
— you believed!
But the Apostle is NOT FINISHED with this all-important proclamation of the Good FACTS of the Resurrection.
NEXT, Paul will continue with the certainty of the resurrection of the dead.. and you must consider what this will mean to your own faith and mortal life.
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