1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Epiphany 7 - Year A
There is much trust needed in being connected with a religious institution. No matter how well we build new foundations in a new day, someone else will eventually build well or poorly on that foundation.
Paul suggests that the foundation is Jesus and yet we don't have the same foundational understanding of Jesus as evaluator of each foundation. Consider how far we are from a near-future parousia. Paul saw things one way, and millennia later we see things another way. Consider, also, the variety of Christian sects and the variety within each of them. It would be a very strange Jesus that could be deduced from the variety of religious expression in just one community.
Perhaps the strongest image here is that of connecting with one another. We have wrestled with an image of Trinity for a long, long time. Imagine a trinity of G*D, Jesus, and You. We become interconnected with Jesus and G*D and, through this, with one another.
Realize that G*D is present in you as well as with you. Nothing will look the same again.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/02/1-corinthians-310-11-16-23.html
Jesus says, “But I say to you . . . .”
Paul says, “Don’t you know that . . . .”
The import is similar; there’s a change coming. The locus of authority is different.
It would have been interesting sit in on the discussion of why the elision of verses 12-15. In these verses everyone is responsible for their own consequences. Decisions, choices, actions can build on the givens differently. Folks will have to work out whether those are determinative of outcome.
If the outcome is some “worth” of outcome, everyone would seem to be in trouble. If the outcome is based on an hospitable, generous, merciful G*D (one step beyond a Christ), then even those temporarily or periodically on the outs are now and forever welcomed in.
This is worth a wrestle. While doing so you may find yourself pondering verses 22b-23.
But I say to you and don’t you know that there is danger in neat little analogs. They usually extend too far or stop too short. How do you read: all belongs to you —> you belong to Christ —> Christ belongs to G*D —> ??G*D belongs to “all”. It is intended to be this circular? Is this one step too far? Is it still far too short?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/02/1-corinthians-31-11-16-23.html