Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labour, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
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Corinth at the time of Christ was a centre of commerce and communication, boasting almost 500,000 people. It was wealthy, worldly, and strategically located for commerce. The infant Corinthian church was subject to many different crosscurrents that existed in their society. They were divided and uncertain. They lived amongst people with lax morals who ridiculed the austerity of Christ.
After establishing a church in Corinth Paul went to Ephesus. There a delegation from Corinth visited him telling him of the serious problems, divisions and disorders that had emerged. Those who become leaders of the church after Paul left were more interested in maintaining popularity than the word of God. Sexual sins were taking place and pagan rites were been enacted. In short, the work of Christ was being not only misconstrued but simply not done.
Paul talks of what it is to be an apostle for the church of Christ. He compares himself to men sentenced to death. This is a reference that the Corinthians would have understood. It means that like the last standing gladiator they would continue to fight, and fight unto death – for there was no way out for them. So the apostles have no way out of their apostleship – even if they wanted to. These men, the apostles of Christ, had chosen death. Now, any right-thinking person who chooses a course leading to their demise, willingly, gladly and joyously is someone that the world at large – especially at that time – simply could not comprehend. Why would anyone choose the embrace of a cruel death when the warm sensual embrace of a temple prostitute could be had? After all, towering over the city of Corinth was the temple of Aphrodite, the pagan goddess of love, beauty and fruitfulness with all her sensual pleasures.
Paul was not above holding himself to ridicule. He had no interest in saving face. His core interest was to save souls and establish the church of Christ. So for that he was prepared to become a spectacle to the world. He was prepared to become a spectacle to angels. Those angels who had fallen and had since time immemorial deceived humankind into evil. Lastly he was prepared to make himself a spectacle to men. It didn’t concern him that he did these things. He had no interest in what other people thought of him. His main concern was to preach the word of Christ. So, Paul was prepared to be a fool for the sake of Christ. He did not care if people cheered or jeered him. He did not care if they yelled abuse nor did he care if they thought him to be unsound of mind. After all anyone who was prepared to put up with derision for the sake of his God, whom he called Christ, had to be of unsound mind – especially when there was such enjoyment to be had.
Paul also says that apostles are weak and held in disrepute. In short there is nothing to commend anyone to apostleship for Jesus Christ. Apostleship is the antithesis of what the world demands of rich and successful people. In order to be considered successful in the world you need comply with what the world perceives as the markers for success. These include fame, wealth, good looks, exalted position, high office and financial achievement. These markers – the markers of the world – are for the apostle poison in the quest for salvation. These worldly markers are what brings down those that pay heed to what is important to the worldly. Fame brings on pride. Good looks bring on vainglory, wealth brings on greed, exalted position brings on arrogance, high office brings on envy, and financial achievement brings on self-exaltation. Thus, the things of the world separate us from Christ. One could say that the virtues sought by this world are vices to be avoided at all costs for the Christian.
Listen to what the apostles must accept with equanimity and grace: for the sake of Christ they put up with hunger and thirst. For the sake of Christ they are ill clad, buffeted and homeless. For the sake of Christ they bless when they are reviled, for the sake of Christ they endure when they are persecuted. For the sake of Christ they try and conciliate even when slandered. For the sake of Christ they had become the refuse of the world. For the sake of Christ they become the scouring of all things.
Paul then tells us that you will have countless guides in Christ, countless teachers in Christ. But what you will not have is countless fathers. A spiritual father is hard to find and once found should not be let go of. Paul then declares that he is a spiritual father for the Corinthians in Jesus Christ through the gospel.
In saying “I urge you then, be imitators of me,” Paul is giving to the Corinthians in one single directive everything they need for salvation. Elsewhere Paul says be imitators of me as I imitate Christ. And this is as it should be. If one imitates Christ then one imitates Christ in all things that are humanly permissible. One imitates Christ because imitation is the highest form of praise. Thus by imitating Christ we are praising Christ and by imitating Paul we are still praising Christ through Paul who is known as the apostle of Christ.
