Deck 20: Paul and the Crises of His Churches: 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon

Question 1

Discuss how Paul views on the resurrection shaped his response to the problems that he saw in the Corinthian community.

Answer 1

Some of the Christians in Corinth believed that they not only had died with Christ but also had been raised with him. Paul, on the other hand, argued that since Jesus was physically resurrected, his was a bodily resurrection, not a resurrection of the soul, so the Corinthians could not have already been exalted with Christ since they remained in their unchanged bodies. Paul maintained that there would be a general resurrection, and at that time Christians would be exalted with Christ. Paul insisted that this exaltation was in the future; it had not yet taken place. This fundamental misunderstanding of the believer's status led to problems in the Corinthian church because these Christians did not take seriously the power of sin in the world.

Question 2

Discuss the history of Paul's relationship with the Corinthians, especially as it appears in 2 Corinthians.

Answer 2

After Paul established the church at Corinth, he left to continue his mission elsewhere and subsequently wrote a letter, no longer extant, dealing with some ethical problems that had arisen in the church. At some point, the Corinthians sent a letter to Paul, either in response to his letter or to ask for more instruction. Paul then wrote 1 Corinthians, in which he outlined ethical behaviors and told the community that he hoped to visit them soon. When he returned to Corinth, however, Paul was mistreated, and he left angry. Shortly after his departure, a group of missionaries (the "superapostles") arrived and attacked Paul's character. Paul then wrote a third letter (2 Corinthians 10-13) in which he attacked the position of the superapostles and the person who humiliated him. He threatened to visit Corinth again in judgment. The Corinthians apparently heeded Paul's warnings and punished the person who had insulted him. In response to this news, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 1-9, a conciliatory letter in which he reestablished a relationship with his church.

Question 3

The Pauline epistles are arranged by length.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Paul says that the Jewish Law was given because the Jews were stubborn.

Question 5

Paul admits the superapostles could perform miracles.

Question 6

Paul wrote to Philemon from Galatia.

Question 7

Paul wrote only two letters to the assembly of Corinth.

Question 8

Second Corinthians is:

A) Pseudepigraphic
B) Anonymous
C) Authentically Pauline
D) A modern forgery

Question 9

The "superapostles" did all of the following except:

A) Oppose Paul
B) Support Paul
C) Talk badly about Paul
D) Perform miracles

Question 10

Which of the following issues is not addressed in Paul's letter to the Philippians?

A) The question of whether Christians should eat meat sacrificed to idols
B) A dispute between two women
C) The question of male circumcision among Gentile Christians
D) All of the above are addressed in Paul's letter to the Philippians

Question 11

Paul believes the Law served the following role until the arrival of Christ:

A) Tormentor
B) Judge
C) Way to salvation
D) Disciplinarian