TEACHING
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2021
10:30 AM (in-person + livestream, KIDS!) SECOND CORINTHIANS SERIES The Smell Test 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6 There is a “corpse flower” named “Uncle Fester” at Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver that reeks of rotting flesh when it blooms. Its smell is irresistible to the insects which pollinate it. The ancient church leader, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians says, God uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” Does our community pass The Smell Test? EMAIL QUESTIONS HERE or TEXT: 604-426-1230 CONNECT WITH US HERE GIVE HERE |
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TAKE OFF: Stories
THE TEXT REVIEW OUTLINE 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Triumphal Faith 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Ministry Credentials 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Confidence and Competence in Ministry from God FLIGHT: Through The Text 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Triumphal Faith/God Sent Paul 2 Corinthians 2:17 is the Propositio—the statement to be proved true or false by the arguments that follow in the discourse. A statement about past behaviour about which some sort of charge/accusation has been made (BW3, 371). Paul is being accused of not being an apostolos. He is being called a false agent. 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Credentials Please Letters of recommendation very similar to today Paul appeals to two sorts of proofs; the Old Testament and the Corinthians themselves, and their faith to witness to the authenticity of his ministry - BW3 375. NT Wright (27) Paul was clearly hurt by the accusations that he was “writing another self-recommendation.” He comes back to it—several times more in fact, in 2 Corinthians 6 (a total of seven times?). The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, in Corinthian letters Gordon Fee tells us it is referred to in various ways over 140 times. Paul speaks of the Spirit present in the individual, and in the midst of the people. Ezekiel 37:14 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Confidence and Competence in Ministry from God Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:26-27 LANDING: Living it Knowledge of Christ: the responsibility of a minister Divisive Message Kingdom Competency Sources: Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ben Witherington; NIV Application Commentary; The Letters of the Corinthians, William Barclay; Second Epistle to the Corinthians: New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT), Paul Barnett; Wisdom Commentary, 2 Cor, Antoinette Clark Wire; The Story of God Com., 2 Cor, Judith A. Diehl; 1 and 2 Cor., Craig S. Keener; Others. For Reflection and DiscussionNT Wright writes, “The sense of smell was highly valued in the ancient world. The very mention of “sweet-smelling knowledge” in this passage of 2 Corinthians could have awakened many different associations in the minds of ancient readers. Paul may well have more than one scent in mind.
They might have thought of sacrifice in a temple, perhaps in the temple in Jerusalem. People believed that the divinity would smell the sweet smell of the sacrifice and be pleased. Or they might have simply thought of incense, which was regularly used to indicate the presence of the divinity, in both pagan and Jewish worship.
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