sarcasm in 1 cor. 4?

Ivanhoe · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 07:50 PM

Is Paul being sarcastic?

Quote:

8You are (N)already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you.

If he is being sarcastic, then this is a devastating rebuttal to Church-state mergers (e.g., Rome, Erastianism). If he is not being sarcastic, then it lends impetus to to Church-dominant (e.g., in the political sense) societies.

I tend to believe he is being sarcastic, but...

There are statements in the NT that speak of the believer reigning with Christ, both spiritually and physically (Revelation 2-, 5, 6, 20). Granted, I am quoting from John, not Paul.

Quote:

Revelation 2: 26'(BP)He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds (BQ)until the end, (BR)TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;

27AND HE SHALL (BS)RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, (BT)AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;

28and I will give him (BU)the morning star.

Revelation 5:10"You have made them to be a (AC)kingdom and (AD)priests to our God; and they will (AE)reign upon the earth."

So, the evidence can go both ways, although I do think Paul is being sarcastic

aleksanderpolo · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 08:04 PM

Quote:

If he is being sarcastic, then this is a devastating rebuttal to Church-state mergers (e.g., Rome, Erastianism). If he is not being sarcastic, then it lends impetus to to Church-dominant (e.g., in the political sense) societies.

I think Paul is being sarcastic, but I am not sure he is addressing the church-state relationship in this passage. He is addressing the Corinthian's claim of higher wisdom, gifts, etc, yet their lives practically demonstrated their lack of true wisdom. Am I missing why you are drawing the connection here?

Ivanhoe · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aleksanderpolo

Quote:

If he is being sarcastic, then this is a devastating rebuttal to Church-state mergers (e.g., Rome, Erastianism). If he is not being sarcastic, then it lends impetus to to Church-dominant (e.g., in the political sense) societies.

I think Paul is being sarcastic, but I am not sure he is addressing the church-state relationship in this passage. He is addressing the Corinthian's claim of higher wisdom, gifts, etc, yet their lives practically demonstrated their lack of true wisdom. Am I missing why you are drawing the connection here?

That sums it up. If one of the problems in Corinth was an overly realized eschatology, then they would be tempted, seeing similar promises in Scripture about reigning, to view themselves as already reigning. This is related to the puffed up wisdom. And when Paul rebuts one, he rebuts the rest.