Lessons #139 and 140
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
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+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
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Apostle Paul’s concern for the Corinthians (1 Cor 4:14-21)
... 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
In our last study, we indicated that the Greek conjunction (gar) translated for at the beginning of 1 Corinthians 4:20 is used to provide explanation that indicates that the right type of influence and effectiveness expected from believers, concern living the right spiritual life in contrast to living a life that is governed by arrogance. The explanation that the apostle provides, as we stated previously, is given in the rest of verse 20 and that is where we begin our study today, as we promised in our last study.
The apostle wants us to understand that the right spiritual life is not a matter of talking but of action in such a way that demonstrates God’s power. It is this explanation that is given in the clause of 1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. To understand what the apostle meant in this clause we need to understand the phrase the kingdom of God.
The word “kingdom” is translated from a Greek word (basileia) with two categories of meanings. It refers to the act of ruling and so means “kingship, royal power, royal rule.” This meaning is reflected in the Parable of Ten Minas where a prince went to a distant country to receive royal power or kingship in Luke 19:12:
He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
The verbal phrase to have himself appointed king is more literally to receive for himself a kingdom which is an idiom that means to become a king; hence, the sense is that of receiving royal power or royal rule. It is in this sense of royal rule that Apostle Paul used the word when he indicated Christ will in the future hand over the royal rule to the Father after Christ has destroyed all opposition to divine rule in 1 Corinthians 15:24:
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
Another meaning of the Greek word refers to the territory ruled by a king, hence means “kingdom.” This meaning is reflected in Jesus’ predictions of events leading to the end of time in Luke 21:10:
Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
This second meaning of a territory does not apply in the phrase kingdom of God when used of God; instead, it is the first meaning of royal rule or royal power that is applicable. With this understanding, we are now in a position to explain the phrase kingdom of God.
The phrase kingdom of God fundamentally refers to the rule of God that the prophets foretold, and which Jesus indicated began with His public ministry. Therefore, when you think of the phrase kingdom of God, do not think of a domain or an area but think of God’s rule. We are saying that the kingdom of God refers to the recognition of the authority of God, rather than a definite geographical area, and it began with the ministry of Jesus Christ. Of course, the kingdom of God is presented in the NT in a complex manner. On the one hand, it is presented as a present reality by the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Jews charged Him of casting out demons by the chief of demons, He replied that He did so by the Spirit of God indicating that the kingdom of God has come, as we read in Matthew 12:28:
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you
In this context, the argument of Jesus is that for Him to drive out demons by the power of the Spirit of God implies that Satan has been bound or disarmed, something that the Jews expected to happen in the end-time. Thus, it is the rule of God and not a territory that Jesus said had come. On another occasion when Pharisees questioned Jesus regarding the coming of the kingdom of God, He indicated that it has already come, as in Luke 17:20-21:
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
The phrase within you could also be translated among you; the implication is that the presence of Jesus signaled the kingdom of God. Since the kingdom of God means the rule of God then the presence of Christ is an indication that the rule of God has begun. Of course, the truth is that with the coming of Christ, the rule of God had begun within those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. On the other hand, the kingdom of God is presented as a future reality. Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God as something that would take place in the future after His resurrection, as we read, for example, in Luke 22:18:
For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
He also described the coming of the kingdom of God as an event that would be preceded by cosmic catastrophe, as we read in Luke 21:25-31:
25 "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 29 He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
We should not be confused by the fact that the kingdom of God is presented as present reality and future realities. It is because the kingdom of God has to do with His rule. God’s rule is present, but it also extends to the future as far as mankind is concerned. You see, God’s rule is a continuum but seemed broken with respect to man. We cannot fully know of it as far as the past is concerned. We cannot also know of this future rule until we get there but we can know of His rule now and here. It is for this reason that there is no conflict as to the present and future realities of God’s kingdom. His rule is timeless or limitless but only for human purposes can we think of God’s rule in terms of time. The point is that God’s kingdom is a complex concept.
To help further understand what the kingdom of God means, there are two general facts we need to state about the kingdom of God. Fact one, the kingdom of God in the sense of the rule of God is a rule in which there is great blessing. The blessing of the rule of God begins with forgiveness of sins. It may not appear to some that forgiveness of sins is God’s blessing until we understand the alternative to being forgiven of sins is being held accountable for sins before God. If God holds us accountable for our sins, then the result would be eternal destruction. Forgiveness of sin is the basis for God’s dealing with us, so it is a blessing that a person’s sins are forgiven. A person who does not understand this, or that does not see this blessing, is a person who lacks understanding of the weight and penalty of sin. David understood the weight of sins and so he declared it a great blessing for God to forgive a person’s sins and not hold him accountable, as we read in Psalm 32:1-2:
1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Now that we know that forgiveness of sins is a great blessing, the question is; how is this related to the kingdom of God? It is because Jesus Christ in explaining the kingdom of God linked it with the issue of the forgiveness in Matthew 18:23-35:
23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. 29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' 30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Another blessing of the kingdom of God is described by Apostle Paul as peace and joy in Romans 14:17:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Many spend countless hours and resources looking for peace and joy. But according to this statement of the apostle, it is impossible to find peace and joy outside the kingdom of God. In effect, peace and joy belong to those who are in the kingdom of God. Here is the point; when sin rules over a person, it brings nothing but pain and misery but when God rules over a person then that individual would experience peace and joy. The apostle also indicated that there is no benefit for being enslaved by sin other than death but when a person is under the rule of God then that person enjoys life in its fullness as indicated by righteousness and holiness as the apostle stated in Romans 6:20-22:
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
It should be clear that there is no benefit to living in slavery to sin. Many have not discovered this truth hence they continue to be enslaved by sin. However, if a person ever comes to recognize that there is no benefit to living under bondage of sin, that individual would certainly seek relief by turning to Jesus Christ to obtain deliverance. When a person turns to Jesus Christ by faith that individual has demonstrated his willingness to be ruled by Jesus Christ hence the person comes under the rule of God or the kingdom of God.
By the way, no one can be under God’s rule until the person first believes in Christ and then obeys His instructions. This obedience is described in terms of doing God’s will, as we read in Matthew 7:21:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
You should be aware that the phrase the kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God, so what our Lord says in this portion of His Sermon on the Mount is that no one could accept the rule of God without doing what God requires. There are many who claim to know the Lord and so claim to be under God’s rule, but Jesus Christ says that only those who do God’s will are indeed those that would come under God’s rule. Now, there is only one way to do God’s will; it is to live in obedience. There is no substitute for living in obedience to God’s word. Hence, if you think that you are under God’s kingdom, the easiest way to confirm your thinking is to see if you are living in obedience to the Lord. Talk is cheap but action is what determines the truth of one’s claim as to the individual’s relationship with God. Anyway, fact one is that the kingdom of God is a rule in which there is a great blessing.
Fact two, the kingdom or rule of God has certain identifiable characteristics. We will mention two of these that are most appropriate to the passage we are considering, that is, 1 Corinthians 4:20. First, the kingdom of God is characterized by power. It is because the kingdom of God involves demonstration of power that the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry granted His disciples the power to heal and to drive out demons to indicate that the kingdom that they preached is characterized by power, as we read in Matthew 10:5-8:
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
The power granted the disciples to heal and to drive out demons is so that those who hear them preach that the kingdom of God was near, would accept it because it is a kingdom that involved power as evident by the miraculous things they did. Second, the kingdom of God is characterized by righteousness. There is a sense in which the kingdom of God is to be equated with righteousness if we understand that righteousness means “the act of doing what God requires.” If we understand righteousness this way, then it is easier to see that the rule of God is the same as doing what He requires. This connection between the kingdom of God and righteousness is evident from the teaching of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount, as we read in Matthew 6:33:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
It might appear that the Lord commands the believer to seek two things “kingdom” and “righteousness,” but that is not really the case. You see, the conjunction “and” should best be understood as providing an explanation because the Greek particle (kai) that is translated “and” could also be translated “that is,” when the particle is used for explanation. Here the word “and” is used to explain what the kingdom of God in view means. In effect, the expression seek first his kingdom and his righteousness could be translated as seek first his kingdom, that is, his righteousness. In this way, it becomes clearer that God’s righteousness is synonymous with His kingdom. It is not difficult to see this connection if we remember that God’s kingdom is His rule. The way we can demonstrate that we are under God’s rule is if we do the things He requires, which we have already indicated is the meaning of “righteousness.” The point is that God’s kingdom is a rule that is characterized by righteousness in the sense of doing what He demands. Think about it and you would agree with me that there is no way to claim to be under the rule of someone and ignore what that ruler demands. Therefore, the kingdom of God should be understood in terms of His righteousness as we have explained. In any event, the kingdom of God, although presented in the Scripture in complex manner that involves the present and future with certain characteristics such as power and righteousness but here it simply means God’s rule in people’s lives.
We have considered what the kingdom of God means so we can now interpret what the apostle meant in the explanation given in the sentence of 1 Corinthians 4:20 the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. The apostle meant to convey that the rule of God is not about being able to be a good talker but of the ability to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit that is associated with the rule of God. In other words, God’s rule over anyone is evident not by what the person says but by what the individual does that reflects the power of the Holy Spirit. You see, there are people who can talk about the Christian doctrines, but they fail short of living out the word of God. Such individuals are mere talkers and so they cannot not claim to be under God’s rule. They are those who ignore the instruction of the Holy Spirit through James in James 1:22:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
In fact, those who merely talk doctrine could easily be classified as false teachers of the type the apostle warned Titus about in Titus 1:10:
For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group.
This aside, the apostle wants the Corinthians, and so all of us believers, to recognize that true spiritual life in Christ is not a matter of being able to talk a great game or even able to discuss many doctrines. No! True spiritual life is evident in the living out the word of God since living out the life of Christ on this planet requires the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone under God’s rule should under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit live a life that indicates that one understands the importance of righteousness. The person, in effect, will live the life that is characterized by righteousness that comes through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit through the apostle indicates that the rule of God involves righteousness in the passage we cited previously, that is, Romans 14:17:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
The rule of God would also be evident in display of miraculous power as the Lord Jesus indicated when He healed those tormented by demons. Display of miraculous power was certainly involved in the preaching of the gospel by Apostle Paul as he referenced in Romans 15:18–19:
18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
The apostle then conveyed that when he comes to Corinth, he will find out if there is this display of life under the rule of God instead of mere talk. In any event, by what the apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:20, he conveys that the right kind of influence on others is concerned with demonstrating the power of God in Christian living and not in speculations or talking big. Thus, the second thing pastors should do to ensure healthy spiritual life among members in their congregation is to encourage them to effectively live out the word of God they hear taught to them. With this statement, we have completed our exposition of the second major evidence of pastors’ concern for their congregations that is in what they do to ensure healthy spiritual life of the believers in their congregations. So, we consider the third.
A third major evidence of pastors’ concern for their congregations involves the approach to shepherding of believers in their congregations. According to the passage we are studying, there are two general approaches to shepherding a local congregation, in harshness or in gentleness. The existence of these two approaches is introduced with the first question of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians that is recorded in 1 Corinthians 4:21 What do you prefer? The apostle’s question is one that implies that the Corinthians have a choice as to the approach the apostle would take towards pastoring them when he visits them.
The word “prefer” in 1 Corinthians 4:21 is translated from Greek word (thelō) that may mean “to wish to have, desire, want,” that is, to have a desire for something as Apostle Paul used it to describe what he wanted Roman believers to do, as stated in Romans 16:19:
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
The word may mean to have something in mind for oneself and so means “to purpose, will, wish, decide.” It is with the meaning “to wish” that Apostle Paul used it in his question to the Galatians about desiring to be enslaved to what they had been freed from in Galatians 4:9:
But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
It is with the meaning “to will” that the apostle used it to describe God’s action on believers to accomplish His purpose in Philippians 2:13:
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
The word may mean to take pleasure in something in view of its being desirable and so means “to enjoy, like, take pleasure in something” as Apostle Paul used it to describe false individuals in Colosse that take pleasure in false humility and in the worship of angels in Colossians 2:18:
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
The word may mean “to have an opinion,” “to think something to be so,” that is, “to maintain” something that is contrary to the true state of affairs as it is used to describe false teachers whose opinion is described in 2 Peter 3:5:
But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
The clause they deliberately forget is literally in maintaining this it escapes them. In our passage of 1 Corinthians 4:21, the sense of the word is “to desire”, that is, “to want strongly.” Hence, the apostle in using this Greek word, intended to convey to the Corinthians that he was offering a choice of his approach to shepherding them. Anyway, as we have indicated, there are two approaches for pastors to shepherd their congregations: harshly or gently.
The harshness involved in shepherding a congregation is conveyed in the next question of the apostle to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 4:21 Shall I come to you with a whip...? The idea of the apostle coming to the Corinthians implies that of a visit in which he would function as their pastor since as the apostle had indicated he is their spiritual father. The point is that his visit is so that he would function as their pastor during the period of his visit. Hence, his question to them is for them to determine if they want him to come to them in harshness.
The concept of harshness is conveyed in the word “whip” in the NIV. The word “whip” is translated from a Greek word (rhabdos) that refers to a relatively slender piece of wood varying in length hence means “rod, staff, stick.” In the Septuagint, it is used as a stick for punishment, as stated in Exodus 21:20:
“If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished,
It is also used as a shepherd’s staff as in the plead of Prophet Micah to God to shepherd Israel in Micah 7:14:
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest,
in fertile pasturelands. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.
The word is used as a traveler’s staff in Christ Jesus’ instruction to His disciples in Matthew 10:10:
take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
The word is used as means of punishing someone as Apostle Paul used it to describe part of his suffering that included being punished by beating, as he stated in 2 Corinthians 11:25:
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
The word may mean a ruler’s “scepter” as in Revelation 2:27:
‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 4:21, it is used in the sense of “punishing rod” that a teacher uses to beat students as an act of discipline. It is for this reason that the 2011 edition of the NIV used the phrase “rod of discipline” to translate our word. The apostle in using this Greek word was concerned that his shepherding the Corinthians should not involve discipline that he has authority from the Lord to execute, as he indicated 2 Corinthians 13:10:
This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
The apostle did not want to be harsh in applying his authority but the Corinthians could force him to do so, as he implied in telling them that they may not find him to be gentle in dealing with them because he finds in them sinful condition that warrants application of discipline, as he stated earlier in this second epistle to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 12:20:
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Pastors of local congregations are like parents who do not want to discipline their children but because of misbehavior on the part of the children, they have no choice. They would not want to be harsh in their shepherding of the congregations but spiritual problems in a congregation may force them to become harsh as they deal with the congregation. A pastor may be forced to communicate to the congregation in a harsh manner if there seems to be no response to the teaching of the word of God. He may also be forced to call out some individuals who may be disruptive in the congregation. I realize that because of the general rebellious spirit in the West, under the guise of right to do as one chooses, pastors may have problem doing this. Nonetheless, pastors as shepherds of the congregation may have to carry the big stick in order to maintain a healthy spiritual life in the congregation. You see, to deal with sin is not easy so when a pastor is faced with a sin that is threatening the spiritual life of the congregation, he must not be timid. He must be harsh but not hateful in dealing such sin. Pastors should recognize that they are not politicians and so they are never to function based on popular opinion or approval of people. Their concern should be to please the head of the church, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ. To do this, may involve carrying the big stick. Anyway, the first approach of shepherding of a congregation by a pastor is that of harshness that may be evident in the manner of communicating the truth and in the manner of pushing for discipline of those who go astray in the local church.
A second approach to shepherding of local congregations by pastors involves gentleness. It is this second approach that is reflected in the second option that Paul presented to the Corinthians. This option is given in the last question of 1 Corinthians 4:21 or in love and with a gentle spirit?
The word “love” is one that is often used by people, but it is certainly not well understood because people often associate it primarily with emotions. The word “love” is translated from a Greek word (agapē) that has two meanings. The less prominent meaning is “love feast”, that is, a common meal eaten by early Christians in connection with their worship, for the purpose of fostering and expressing mutual affection and concern. It is in this sense that the word is used in Jude 12:
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead.
The predominant meaning of the Greek word is concerned with affection or regard, that is, the quality of warm regard for and interest in another. It is for this reason, for example, the Holy Spirit expects the love we have for others to be sincere in Romans 12:9:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
The verb form (agapaō) of our Greek noun in addition to meaning to have a warm regard for and interest in another also means to take pleasure in something. It is true that our English versions consistently translate the Greek verb with the word “to love” but in some context, the sense of the word is that of taking pleasure in something. It is this meaning that is reflected in what our Lord said about the Pharisees in Luke 11:43:
“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
The Pharisees love the most important seats in the synagogues in the sense that they take pleasure in such seats because they relish attention that such seats bring to them. In our passage of 1 Corinthians 4:21, the sense of the Greek word is Christian love, that is, a strong, non-sexual affection and regard for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially characterized by a willing forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf. The sense of love here implies that a person could love and be harsh to the object of the person’s love because the individual wants to hold firm to that which is in keeping with the truth. Love that is Christian does not compromise the character of God or does anything that is sinful. Thus, the apostle implied that the Corinthians should choose if he should display his affection to them in a way that does not involve harshness. For this to be the case, then there should be nothing in the local church that would cause the apostle to show his affection for them by doing anything that may be unpleasant to them because he must please the Lord Jesus Christ. A pastor’s love should be such that part of his affection for the congregation is to ensure that there is no conduct that displeases God among the congregants. It is no love that ignores sinful conduct. A person’s love may be demonstrated positively or negatively depending on the situation. This, we understand because parents show their love to their children through discipline as the Scripture implies that love for a child should include discipline, as we read in Proverbs 13:24:
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
Thus, love may be demonstrated in a harsh manner, but it is preferable for it to be shown in gentleness. This, we may deduce from the next disposition the apostle presented to the Corinthians in the phrase with a gentle spirit.
Literally, the Greek reads in spirit of gentleness. The word “spirit” is translated from a Greek word (pneuma) that may mean “wind”, as in the description by our Lord of one that is born again in John 3:8:
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
The word may mean “breath” as Apostle Paul used it to describe the manner of the destruction of the future lawless one by the Lord Jesus in 2 Thessalonians 2:8:
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
The word may mean “spirit” as that which after death lives as independent being in heaven, according to Hebrews 12:23:
to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
It may mean “spirit” as part of human personality with various nuances. For example, it may refer to a person’s “very self” or “ego” as it is used by Apostle Paul in describing the assurance of the Holy Spirit to a believer regarding salvation in Romans 8:16:
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
According to the standard Greek English lexicon of BDAG, the sentence The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit is better translated the Spirit (of God) bears witness to our very self. The word may refer to the immaterial part of a person in contrast to the material body, as Apostle Paul used it in his statement in Colossians 2:5:
For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Under this meaning of the immaterial part of a person, it could refer to the source and seat of insight, feeling, and will, generally as the representative part of human inner life so that it may mean “mind”, as the word is rendered in Apostle Paul’s description of his state when he could not find Titus, as we read in 2 Corinthians 2:13:
I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.
The phrase peace of mind is literally rest in my spirit. Still in this meaning, it could refer to “spiritual state, state of mind, disposition”, as it is used to describe the disposition that a believing wife should have to be considered beautiful in 1 Peter 3:4:
Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
As suggested in the standard Greek English lexicon of BDAG, the phrase quiet spirit may be translated quiet disposition. The Greek word may mean “spirit” as an independent noncorporeal being, in contrast to a being that can be perceived by the physical senses. Consequently, it is used for created spirit-beings whether their function is good or bad. Apostle Paul used it to describe harmful spirits that will attempt to deceive people, as he presented in 1 Timothy 4:1:
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
The word may mean God’s being as controlling influence, with focus on association with humans hence means “Spirit.” Accordingly, Apostle Paul used it to describe God the Holy Spirit using different phrases. For example, he described the Holy Spirt as the Spirit of God in Philippians 3:3:
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
He described the Holy Spirit as “Spirit of Jesus Christ” in Philippians 1:19:
for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 4:21, our Greek word means “disposition.” Hence, the apostle indicates that he could shepherd the Corinthians in a disposition that involves gentleness.
The adjective “gentle” in the NIV of 1 Corinthians 4:21 is translated from a Greek noun (prautēs) that refers to the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, hence means “gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness.” The meaning of “meekness” is used to describe Apostle Paul’s attitude as he appealed to the Corinthians regarding being mindful of their spiritual life in 2 Corinthians 10:1:
By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away!
It is with the meaning “gentleness” that the word is used to describe one of the facets of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23:
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
It is in this sense of “gentleness” that the word is used to describe the attitude Timothy, and so all pastors, should have in teaching, to correct those in error, as stated in 2 Timothy 2:25:
Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,
The meaning “humility” is applied in describing the attitude required in learning the word of God, as we read in James 1:21:
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
In our passage, of 1 Corinthians 4:21, it means “gentleness,” that is, acting in a manner that is gentle, mild, and even-tempered. So, the apostle informed the Corinthians that he could come in a disposition in which he could be mild and even-tempered in dealing with them. This being the case, pastors should also want to be mild and even-tempered in dealing with their congregations.
In any case, we have noted the two approaches that pastors have in shepherding their congregations. They could be harsh, or they could be gentle. The situation in a local church should dictate the approach to be used at any given time. Of course, under no circumstance should harshness lead to hatred on the part of a pastor for the existence of hatred would nullify love as an affection of concern for the congregation and will certainly nullify the pastor’s effectiveness in the ministry. The application of the two approaches pastors have in shepherding their congregations is that as a believer you should learn when to deal with a person harshly or gently but never in hatred. If you want a person to always be gentle with you then you should not do anything wrong that may call for harshness. This is particularly important in marriage. If a spouse expects only gentleness, then that spouse must not do something that is incompatible with the word of God that offends the other. Anyway, let me end by reminding you of the message of this section that we have considered which is that pastors should show their concern for members of their congregations in what they communicate, in discouraging arrogance and encouraging demonstration of God’s power, and in their manner of guidance of believers.
04/25/19