Hermeneutics Final Exam

Putting it All Together The Larger Context of I Corinthians 11:2-16 The vital facts of I Corinthians are Author: According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary (hereafter BKC), Paul is obviously the author (505). According to the New Bible Commentary (hereafter NBC) and Sacra Pagina (hereafter SP), Sosthenes was a type of “co-author” with Paul, who was the main author. (NBC 1163, SP 41). I believe that Paul was the ideal author of I Corinthians, while Sosthenes may have “penned” the letter. Date: 55 AD (Kistemaker, 9) Between 53 and 57 AD (Sacra Pagina, 24) Recipients: The Church at Corinth in Achaia (BKC, 505) According to BKC and SP, Corinth had a rich history. First it was a “city-state” in from the fifth century B.C. to 146 B.C.. It was rebuilt in A.D. 27 by the Romans and it was the capital of Achaia (BKC 505-506, SP 23-24). First century A.D. Corinth was not described by many Greek scholars, so what bible scholars know comes from I Corinthians and Corinth's reputation. The term “Corinthian girl” meant prostitute according to Plato and to “Corinthianize” meant to commit fornication or in other words, sex outside of marriage (BKC 505). Neither term was considered a compliment even in ancient Greece and Achaia. According to NBC, the presence of the idol “Aphrodite” was not the ultimate cause for the sexual immorality of Corinth and its Christians (1161). Although the city of Corinth had many vices, it was not the only excuse for the Corinthian believers who worshiped incorrectly in that city. These believers were keeping the traditions (11:1-2), but they were performing them with little regard for each other or their Lord. Occasion I believe that the occasions for I Corinthians were the sin of the man living with his father's wife ( I Cor. 5) and the previous reply from the Corinthians to Paul (I Cor. 7:1). These problems are facing many churches today. Many congregations allow their members to live in sexual sin without ever rebuking their behavior as unbiblical and unethical. These sins that church members practice in the twenty-first century include homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, underage sex, and promiscuity (sex with several different people). Church leadership should address these problems by speaking privately with those who are committing these sins. According to SP, the problems of the Corinthian church are all about church polity (SP 27-28). These problems include “sexuality, marriage and gender issues” that are not the same to today's church problems but they are “similar” (SP 28). Paul wrote I Corinthians to exhort the believers to live out what they believed by acting differently than the wrong actions of the world (BKC 506) According to the NBC, the first six chapters addressed problems brought up by the servants of Chloe (1:11). Chapters 7-14 and 16 addressed “certain” problems. Chapter 15 addressed the most important problem of the fatalist view of the Corinthian believers (BKC 506, NBC 1161). Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaius also warned Paul about some problems in the church which Paul obviously treated in I Corinthians (NBC 1161). To summarize, the Corinthian church had many problems and not the least was the way that they proceeded to speak in prophecies. Paul was addressing the matter of speaking in prophecies in I Corinthians 11:2-16. He wanted the right things done when prophecies were being spoken. As I will mention later, when prophesy was necessary, Paul wanted the right gender, the right persons, the right setting and the right number. The major sections of I Corinthians Greeting and exhortations on the nature of ministry (1:1-4:21) Exhortations to discipline an erring church member and to live a sexually moral life (5:1-6:20) Answers to specific questions and concerns and closing remarks (7:1-14:40; 16:1-24) Exhortations about the connection between the gospel and the resurrection of Christ (15:1-58) (BKC 506, NBC 1161) The Context of I Corinthians 11:2-16 is in the context of tongues, prophecy, communion, spiritual gifts and love of I Corinthians 11-14. In the previous section, I Corinthians 9:15-11:1 gives divine commands from Paul about how to exercise liberty in the world and how to limit liberty to glorify God and not offend the gospel. However, according to the BKC, “the theme of personal freedom” carries over from the past three chapters (8:1-11:1) into this passage. The BKC believes that I Corinthians 11:2-14:35 is all about “Christian freedom as it pertained to worship”. According to the BKC, the theme of the woman's role in public worship commences and terminates this section (BKC 528). According to the NBC, the theme of I Corinthians 11:2-14:40 is “orderly church life” (NBC 1178). Chapters 12-14 addresses the subject of spiritual gifts and how they should be handled in the church. The major theme of I Corinthians 11:2-34 is about two church functions that have gone awry in the Corinthian assembly. Paul gives commands to the people to perform the united function of prophecy and public prayer in a better way (11:2-16). The idea of subordination to Christ, first and male leadership, second flows throughout this passage (11:2-34). Then he commands the Corinthians to return to Christ's example on the Lord's table (communion) in 11:17-34. Interpretive difficulties for I Corinthians 11:2-16 The word “head” in verse 3 According to Joseph Fitzmyer, there are three basic meanings for the Greek word kefalh in Greek. First, the term could mean the physical head of a human or animal. Secondly, it could mean ruler over someone. Thirdly, this word could mean the source of a created being (Fitzmyer 52). Fitzmyer concludes that the traditional meaning of ruler is the best for the term “head” in I Corinthians 11:3 (59). According to the BKC, “subordination . . . is primary in this passage” but the term “head” might also defined as source at the same time (BKC 528-529). I believe that the word “head” must mean “ruler” in verse 3 because God the Father is not the “source” or “physical head” of Christ (Colossians 1:15-18; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1, 2). This verse defines the “economical trinity” of the Godhead by stating that Christ gets his orders form God the Father. The first part of the verse follows the same example. Male Christians get their orders from Christ through reading the Scripture in the Spirit. Each male leader then passes those orders to the woman or women (wife, daughter(s), church member(s), mother [if applicable], etc.) that are subordinate to him. These women follow the commands from those men as long as the commands are in line with Scripture. The term “cover” or “covered” According to Noel Weeks, the term “cover” in I Corinthians 11 is used by Paul to teach the women that any woman who wants to prophesy has to shave her head and thus subordinate the men in who are publicly worshiping with her. This would embarrass the woman and put her to shame in front of the church (Weeks 21-26). Gregory Lockwood, who authored the Concordia commentary on I Corinthians, wrongly believes that the Muslim women head (and face) covering requirements are deeply embedded in the same traditions as the the Roman Empire head covering customs (Lockwood, Concordia Commentary 362). According to Lockwood, the term “head” can denote equality in the church but difference in role and submission, this is a correct belief (365). According to David Gill, “At Corinth several images of men with their heads covered have been found. The best known is a slightly larger than life-size statue of the emperor Augustus” (Gill 246). Gill states that Augustus prayed during the times that he had his head covered by a “toga”. Augustus covered his head in public many times. Gill believes that Paul guides his readers to not distinguish between “social status” (245-251). Gill also says that Paul's two instructions for men to worship without a head covering and for women to cover their head may have served two different purposes (252-253). According to the NBC, the men of the church should focus on Christ instead of their social position. This focus is achieved by the man not wearing a head covering to church services. This head covering custom came from the practice of priests who followed certain cults at that time (BKC 1178). It is best to believe that head covering for women in chapter 11 refers to long hair and not necessarily a veil. Men need to attend church with short hair and without a head covering so that they do not distinguish themselves as of a better social class while women in the church need to have long hair with or without a veil to show that they are subordinate to the male leadership of the church while the women participate in public worship. The idea of head covering should be interpreted in light of the entire passage, especially I Corinthians 11:3. The relationship between the sexes in I Corinthians 11:2-16 Does verses 7-9 teach subordination or coordination? The terms “man” and “woman” in verses 7-9 should be “husband” and “wife”, respectively. The Greek words for “man” and “woman” can be interpreted as “husband” and “wife”. This set of verses refers to the marriage relationship exclusively. Verses 7-9 should not be applied to dating relationships or single adults unless they are leaders of the church and unless the rest of the passage (11:2-16) is considered. Verses 7-9 can be compared to Ephesians 5:22-33 which teaches that the wife is voluntarily subordinate to her husband while the husband coordinates with his wife to glorify God and love his wife by actions. Does verses 11-12 follow the same pattern as 7-9? Again, the terms “man” and “woman” in verses 11-12 should be “husband” and “wife”, respectively. This passage is not teaching that single men are to subordinate single women during public worship unless those single men are church leaders (I Corinthians 7:32-34). This passage is not necessarily teaching that single women are to have a familiarity with the single men of the church. Verses 7-9 and 11-12 must be taken with the entire context of I Corinthians 11:2-16 while not erasing the message for the marriage relationship that both smaller passages contain. The word “ordinances” in verse 2 Does the word “ordinances” in verse 2 mean that public prophecy and/or public prayer is an commanded order from God to the local church? The term is a generic word for “individual teachings” (Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich 616). According to Vine, the term in this context means “instructions concerning the gathering of believers” (147-148). As will be explained in the next sub point, this term does not indicate that prophecy or public prayer at church was necessary like the taking of communion is necessary (I Cor. 11:23-34). The preaching of the word and public prayer is necessary when a church meets for public worship but other passages speak to that end ( I Timothy 2:1-8, etc.) The terms “prophecy” and “prophesy” should not make this passage hypothetical for one who believes in the cessation of the church age canon. Hebrews 1:1, 2; 2:1-4; James 1:21-25; I John 1:1; Jude 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:1-4, 20, 21; John 16:12-15 and I Corinthians 13:8-13 all strongly point to the end of new church age revelation coming at the end of the Apostolic age with the final Revelation being from Jesus to John the Apostle. When the terms “prophecy” and “prophesy” occur, the ideas of public worship, preaching and prayer should be submitted only after careful examination of that text, its context and its applications (Thiselton 826). Public worship, prayer and preaching are necessary and vital to a local church meeting of believers who want to glorify God correctly ( I Timothy 2:1-8, 4:13, 14). Specific applications from I Corinthians 11:2-16 First, a believer must not apply any teaching from I Corinthians 11:2-16 without first looking at I Corinthians 14:2-40, especially 14:26-40. I Corinthians 14:2-40 gives specific commands concerning public worship including: Tongues speakers must always be few in congregation and always accompanied by at least one interpreter (14:13, 27, 28). Prophecies must be given must be given with few in attendance and a discerner present who decides whether the prophecy agrees with previous Scripture (mainly OT revelation) or whether the prophecy does not agree (14:29-33). Women may not speak in the assemblies of believers when there are non-related men present (14:34, 35). All church functions should be done in an orderly fashion (11:16, 14:40). Although from first impression the opposite may seem to be correct, I Corinthians 14:26-40 does not disagree in any way with I Corinthians 11:2-16. Secondly, with I Corinthians 14:26-40 and I Corinthians 11:2-16 in mind, public worship should be done “decently and in order” (I Cor. 14:40 and 11:16). Every time a church meets for public worship or any other similar function there should be a “order of business” with a list of activities and times when those activities will be performed. Although impulsive worship and praise is encouraged it should not be allowed to get out of hand or disrupt the service or activity Activities should not go beyond a certain time limit unless most of the people attending consent to a longer church service. Thirdly, all tongue-speaking and prophesying should be done with less than six people in attendance and with at least one interpreter or discerner present (14:27-33). right gender- male (14:34, 35) right persons- two or three speakers with an interpreter or discerner (14:27-33) right setting- in an orderly fashion with one speaking at a time (14:31) right number- less than six (14:27-29) Fourthly, All worship leaders in a church should be male Christians who are in a right relationship with God, family and fellow man (I Cor. 11:3; 14:34, 35; I Tim 2:9-3:13). Fifthly, male church members should have short hair and dress differently than women (11:4, 7, 14). Sixthly, female church members should have long hair, if possible, and should dress differently than men (11:5, 6, 13, 15). Seventh, all church members should buy and wear clothes that do not make fashion statements that would confuse those who visit church services (11:4-15). Instead church members should wear clothes that are plain and fully covering the body from the shoulder completely to the bottom of the knee (11:4-15, I Timothy 2:9, I Peter 3:3-6). That way the clothing of the men and the women does not distract the worshipers of God or detract from the worship of God. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bauer, Walter. William F. Arndt and Frewderick W. Danker and F. Wilbur Gingrich ed. A Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature, 2nd Edition Revised and Augmented by Gingrich and Danker from Bauer;s fifth edition, 1958, University of Chicago press, Chicago, 1979. Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J.A. Motyer, G.J. Wenham, eds., New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition, Inter-Varsity Press Leicester, England, 1994: 1161, 1162, 1178 Collins, Raymond F., Daniel J. Harrington, ed. First Corinthians, Sacra Pagina Commentary, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn.: 1999. Fitzmyer, Joseph A. "Kephalē in I Corinthians 11:3." Interpretation 47.1 (Jan. 1993): 52-59 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0000860860&site=ehost-live. Gill, David W J. "The importance of Roman portraiture for head-coverings in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16." Tyndale Bulletin 41.2 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0000832686&site=ehost-live. Lockwood, Gregory, Dean O. Wenthe, Gen Ed. Concordia Commentary, I Corinthians, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 2000: 359-370 Thiselton, Anthony C., I. Howard Marshall and Donald A. Hagner The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi, 2000: 862 Vine, W. E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Seventeenth Impression, Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, NJ, 1966: 147-148 Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck, Eds. Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament Edition, SP Publications, 1983: 505, 506, 528, 529 Weeks, Noel. "On silence and head covering." Westminster Theological Journal 35.1 (Fall 1972): 21-27. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0000738053&site=ehost-live. I have read I Corinthians 11:2-16 in the New Living Translation, King James Version, New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version