Cruciformity

Galatians is almost certainly one of the earliest New Testament writings, to my knowledge it was indisputably written by Paul, and, as far as I can tell, it has served as a frontline of recent New Testament fistycuffs. So I’m aware that it’s kind of trendy to blog about this kind of thing and I want to avoid the trend of making reductionistic conclusions (not to mention slanderous conclusions!) like a pyromaniacal kid, fixated upon finding the hottest part of the fires of controversy and have a good poke and prod around, toasting well-worn pastors and scholars like marshmellows for a cheap-shot melting moment… Ok, the metaphor’s run it’s course.

I’ve been reading through Tom Wright’s new book, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision and I have thoroughly enjoyed engaging again with Paul’s writings and trying to hear what Paul actually says. I’ve been challenged to consider some of the tensions and complications that I had simply settled with previously.

As I started reading through Galatians again recently, the place that I first got bogged down, (and I don’t think that I’m the only one!) was the end of chapter 2 at the end of Paul’s conversion narrative and immediately following his confrontation with Peter. So what I want to do here is walk slowly through Galatians and try and make sense of it as a whole, not arguing for a particular viewpoint (Wright’s or Luther’s or otherwise). What is the logic of what Paul says to Peter in v14? What do the three phrases in v16 mean: ‘justified’, ‘works of the law’, ‘faith in Jesus Christ’ (pistis christou)?? Is there a logic to what he’s saying? Why does he mean by rebuilding in v18?

11  But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 12 For he used to eat with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.  13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.  14 But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?

15  We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;  16 yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.  17 But if, while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are also found to be sinners, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not!  18 If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I have died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

My New Testament 3 course has been something like a wild safari tour of Canberra as Brian Rosner has pointed to various aspects of the letter creating a deeper understanding of Paul’s world and his theology. Well, maybe safari tour is the wrong metaphor - actually, Brian’s lecturing style sometimes makes you think you’re at a trivia night! (a foible I’ve come to whole-heartedly embrace). In any case, we’ve not only seen the sights of the strange (and even obscene) culture of the place, but also, once you see the letter from the heights of its proper Jewish context, you see how amazingly well organised it is and how well it fits together! Surely a feat worthy of our own Walt Burley-Griffin! So for you bible readers out there, there’s no doubt that Brian’s forthcoming commentary in the Pillar series will be well worth the purchase price.

Current college work, combined with my fascination with the argument of Romans last year, has recently compelled me to read Paul in my quiet times each day and so I’ve started with Galatians. Galatians is confusing and riddled with statements under hot debate (cf. recent discussions on the meaning of pistis christou and ‘justification’ or ‘righteousness’ language) but also lines of passionate devotion to life in living Messiah - Jesus. I love it. Check this out:

I have been crucified with Christ; and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:19b-20, HSCB).

Paul is SO personally charged by his understanding of Christ’s love for him that he busts into the first person in the middle of his rebuke to the Galatian church. If I was to get a tattoo of something that said something meaningful about me and who I wanted to be, these words be right up there as a candidate. On second thoughts I might end up looking like Ben Cousins without the physique…

I say this as a means of saying that I’m keen to nut out Paul some more on this blog. I want to think out loud some of the things where my faith and traditions have been challenged and some of the things that I’ve been learning in class and reading in writers like Michael F. Bird, Francis Watson, Tom Wright, and Richard B. Hays (not to mention Brian S. Rosner!). The above verse is a great example of a verse that can be ripped out of its context and be made to mean something completely different to what it’s intended (along with Romans 7, 8, and 9… I could keep counting!).

So anyway, stay posted for some more wrestling with Paul, trying to capture what he knows of my life in Christ.

Perhaps the most depressing thing about my all-too-recent studies, after hammering away at Greek and Hebrew vocab, is opening up my required reading and having to do English vocab. One of these words was ‘exculpate’ - “To show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing”. But while unfamiliar with the word, sadly, I’m all too familiar with the concept. If only I could communicate clearer the first time and avoid all of those frustrating meta-conversations. Hopefully nobody saw me unsuspectingly walking down a naughty street at Kings Cross earlier tonight and drew the wrong conclusions. Hopefully people don’t find me guilty of being extraordinarily boring because of the state of my blog!

In 2 Cor 10, superficial, swish, sweet-talking leaders had persuaded the congregation that Paul had reared that he was passé, embarrassing and even dangerous. So Paul is in this kind of situation where he needs to exculpate himself. And part of me really wants Paul to lay down some smack. Do you remember Mr Mayage in Karate Kid being underestimated by young punks? He gives it to them. I really want Paul to give it to the Corinthians and show them what a real apostle looks like.

Here Paul uses warlike and powerful imagery that suggests he might just do this. He says that he fights to demolish arguments, take captive thoughts to obey Christ, and punish disobedience. He’s not to be underestimated because he’s got the ammunition to make serious damage! But here Paul’s attitude to power is not the same as that of ‘the flesh’. Can you see the weapons that he uses? The strength of his appeal to them: by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ.

2Cor. 10:1 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person, but bold toward you when absent. 2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are •walking in a fleshly way.a 3 For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way,a 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

In 2 Cor 10-12 Paul does exculpate himself, he sets forth the truth about his claim to being a genuine apostle. But doesn’t set the record straight in a way that is all too common in our world: using violence; or looking to get some kind of revenge or recompense; or looking to gain a soap-box for his own cause; or look to push other people down to push himself up. Paul is not the same as others in this regard. He paradoxically demonstrates the genuine power of his apostleship “by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ. His medium and his message show that his ammunition is the love and grace of the Lord Jesus, powerful to demolish strongholds.

While people that are different can be refreshing, reminding us of the things we truly value or pushing us out the ruts that our lives tend to settle into, they can also be distasteful. Some differences are distasteful before they’re understood to be refreshing. Other things immediately bring a smile to your face, while other differences are and remain just plain distasteful.

Before I reflect on Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians, I’m curious to know what people know about Ben Fold’s words in the song I mentioned in the previous post: “Not the same”. What kind of impact do you think that this story’s had on the artist? Refreshing or distasteful?? Neither? Have a read and tell me what you think happened…

You took a trip and climbed a tree
At Robert Sledge’s party
And there you stayed ’till morning came
And you were not the same after that
You gave your life to Jesus Christ
And after all your friends went home
You came down, you looked around
And you were not the same after that
(Ahhh ahhh)
You were not the same after that
(Ahhh ahhh)
You were not the same after that
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on…
To it
You took the word and made it heard
And eased the people’s pain and for that
You were idolised, immortalised
And you were not the same after that
Walking tall, you’d bought it all
And you were not the same after that
Till someone died on the waterslide
And you were not the same after that
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on to it
(ooh ooh ooh ooh)
(YOU WERE NOT THE SAME!)
You see ‘em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
You’ve got one good trick and you’re hanging on you’re hanging on:
You’re hanging on:
You’re hanging on: