Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. . . (1 Cor 7:1)
Yesterday I told you we can determine the boundary lines between the topics the Corinthians asked about. Did you take time to look? I suspect most of you didn’t. Most of you figured you would wait until Ian told you. Well, all I can say about that is that you are the one who misses out having tried for yourself. It is always good to do it for ourselves. It will stick better if we do the work rather than having someone else spoon feed us. Do you ever take time to skim read the Bible looking for the boundaries or looking for something like I set you in this exercise? It is an important thing to do as well as the detailed word by word reading. Actually looking for the section breaks and the sequencing is useful too.
Did you find the breaks?
- 1 Cor 7:1 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life.
- 1 Cor 7:25 Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in His mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you.
- 1 Cor 8:1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
- 1 Cor 12:1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this.
- 1 Cor 16:1 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia.
Now that was easy wasn’t it! When we pay attention to those kinds of things the reading of Scripture and the understanding of it just simply work themselves out. We see clearly where Paul is going and how each section connects to the next. When we understand the big picture, the details just fall out. Believe it, it is true.
It is just like when we write a letter in response to someone else. We deal firstly with their questions or comments or the things we want to respond to from their letter. Paul is no different, only in the case of 1 Corinthians he moves straight to the matters he has heard which concern him then he continues with the matters that concern them.
We will start with the Corinthians first question in the next Gem, having just determined the sense units ahead of us.
Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin
We’re always just one heartbeat away from eternity.
Ian Vail