Above: Paul Writing His Epistles, by Valentin de Boulogne
Image in the Public Domain
Scolding Unto Repentance
MAY 29, 2018
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The Collect:
Loving God, by tender words and covenant promise
you have joined us to yourself forever,
and you invite us to respond to your love with faithfulness.
By your Spirit may we live with you and with one another
in justice, mercy, and joy,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 37
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The Assigned Readings:
Hosea 14:1-9 (Protestant versification)/Hosea 14:2-10 (Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox versification)
Psalm 45:6-17
2 Corinthians 11:1-15
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Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever,
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your reign;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
–Psalm 45:6-7a, Book of Common Worship (1993)
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The arrangement of 2 Corinthians is not chronological, so Chapter 11 is part of a painful letter which St. Paul the Apostle wrote prior to Chapters 1 and 2. The tone of Chapters 10-13–scolding and sometimes threatening (as in 10:6)–comes from a place of disappointment. Sometimes a scolding is appropriate, for it can bring us back to our senses. Underlying the scolding is hope that it will have a positive effect.
Hope of return and restoration drives the conclusion of the Book of Hosea. God is willing to forgive Israel, a nation, which God calls to repent–to change its mind, to turn around–and to accept God’s generous love.
St. Paul loved the Corinthian Church, so he scolded it even as he stayed away to avoid causing needless pain. He called them to repent. The historical record indicates, however, that the Corinthian Church struggled with factionalism as late as a generation after the martyrdom of St. Paul. St. Clement of Rome wrote a letter to the congregation circa 100 C.E. In the opening of that document he made the following statement:
Because of our recent series of unexpected misfortunes and set-backs, my dear friends, we feel there has been some delay in turning our attention to the causes of dispute in your community. We refer particularly to the odious and unholy breach of unity among you, which is quite incompatible with God’s chosen people, and which a few hot-headed and unruly individuals have inflamed to such a pitch that your venerable and illustrious name, so richly deserving of everyone’s affection, has been brought into such disrepute.
—Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers (Penguin Books, 1987, page 23)
When God calls us to repent–even scolds us–may we respond more favorably.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 1, 2015 COMMON ERA
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF DANIEL MARCH, SR., U.S. CONGREGATIONALIST AND PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, POET, HYMN WRITER, AND LITURGIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT MAXIMILLIAN OF TREVESTE, ROMAN CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT THEOPHANES THE CHRONICLER, DEFENDER OF ICONS
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/scolding-unto-repentance/
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