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written by Stephan Joubert

What about a different question for a change: How did the apostle Paul understand reality (and history)? Let’s explore this question today and next week by focusing on his Second Letter to the Corinthians. Hopefully, the following picture will emerge:

(1) God is in total control over the heavenly realm and the earthly sphere. The suffering of the righteous at the hands of the wicked, including Paul’s own tribulations (2 Cor 1) does not in any way diminish God’s absolute control over all facets of reality. To the contrary, in a paradoxical way his divine power is actually revealed in the weakness of Jesus on the cross (13:4), but also in the ministry of his apostle (12:1-10). Therefore, suffering serves a divine purpose. It’s part of a cosmic drama. In an ironic way present hardships, such as that of Paul, point to the presence of God’s power. On the last day when God will visibly triumph over all powers of evil, and when his universal rule will be finally established, all the pieces of this divine plan will fall into place. The scales will be overturned. God will then bring a final end to the suffering of the faithful.

(2) The final stage of history has dawned on earth. The ‘Messianic era’ commenced when Christ brought salvation to his people. Hence, Paul’s programmatic statement in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that the old aeon or era has passed away, the new has come! As an apocalyptic visionary, Paul is now in the privileged position to decipher history. He has an ‘insider’s insight’ into the great cosmic drama that is presently being played out on the stage of history, and also in the midst of the believers’ lives in Corinth!