Tuesday 07 March 2023
- Bible Book:
- 1 Corinthians
Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy. (vs 1-2)
Background
1 Corinthians is in the New Testament and is one of several letters written by the apostle Paul. Corinth in Greece was one of the major trading ports of the ancient world. Very often, Paul’s letters would be written to a particular church after reports, either favourable or unfavourable, had come to his notice.
There was much division in the Church in Corinth. Chapter 3 addressed some of these and Paul wanted to make clear that it was about God’s work and God’s building that was important, rather than work linked to a particular person. There were various factions in the Church: some followed Apollos, a learned man from Alexandria in Egypt and others followed Paul.
In this passage Paul emphasised the fact that he and other church leaders were all stewards. The word, as used in this context, refers to a household manager who had certain responsibilities in managing the master’s estate and some of those who worked on it. But that person remained a slave. Paul was therefore a servant of God even though he or those appointed by him, had oversight over others.
Paul’s use of the word 'judgment' refers to God’s final judgment. Paul is not saying that he has no flaws but rather he encourages people not to judge one another but to leave judgment to God. The verses which follow on from this passage explain some of the consequences of being an apostle.
To Ponder:
- How could one apply the analogy of a leader in the Church being a servant to contemporary church life?
- To what extent are those who hold authority in government, whether local or national, servants, even though they do not necessarily claim allegiance to Christ?
- To what extent, if any, does the authority of secular leaders differ from the authority of church leaders who exercise oversight over others?