2018, February 4 ~ Isaiah 40:21-31; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Isaiah 40:21-31

The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Israel’s history. Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and called for Jerusalem to repent in the 20 years before Jerusalem was under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55 and brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 and, for the most part, gave encouragement to Judeans who returned to Jerusalem (which had been largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile.

Today’s reading is from the first chapter from “Second Isaiah.” The chapter that tells the Judeans they have “paid their penalty” (v.2) and reassures them that YHWH (translated as the “LORD” in all capital letters) is the creator of the universe and has power over all nations. Accordingly, YHWH will restore them to Jerusalem. This presentation of YHWH as a cosmic god for all peoples is a shift from the understanding of YHWH as a “national god” only for Israel.

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community.

In today’s reading, Paul emphasized that his preaching of the gospel is an “obligation laid on me” (v.16) – just as prophets were “required” to speak the word of God. He then continued to urge the Corinthians to rise above their own sense of “liberty” (freedom from the constraints of ordinary human affairs because of secular wisdom) so that the Corinthians could participate fully in the gospel of love and enable others to participate also.

Paul said that to spread the gospel he became “as a Jew,” “as one under the law,” and as one “outside the law” (v.20-21). Paul was referring to Jews, “God Fearers” who were not Jews but who observed some of the Jewish Law, and Gentiles. Paul stated, in effect, that he empathetically presented the gospel in terms with which each group might resonate. His statement that he “became weak” and “became all things to all people” (v.22) reflects his empathetic presentation of the gospel. The reference to “the weak” also related back to the last part of Chapter 8 in which Paul urged the Corinthians not to eat meat sacrificed to idols if this would cause someone whose conscience is weak to fall (8:10-13).