Considerations of Some of Paul's Personal Statements
By Jonathan Mitchell
His Perception of Himself in His New Existence in the New Creation
And What This Should Mean To Us
How did Paul see himself, in view of his new existential reality from being "in Christ"? We suggest that Paul's own life and experiences are a parable which is given to us in order for us to understand our own spiritual existence with regard to the New Creation.To set a baseline for this investigation, we have Paul's words in 2 Cor. 5:17,
"Consequently, since someone [is] within Christ(or: So that if anyone [is] in union with, and in the sphere of, [the] Anointed One, and the Anointing; or: And as since a Certain One [was] in Christ; [cf 12:2, below]), [there is] a new creation (or: [it is] a framing and founding of an essentially different kind; or: [he or she is] an act of creation having a fresh character and a new quality): the original things (the beginning [situations]; the archaic and primitive [arrangements]) passed by (or: went to the side). Consider! New, essentially different things have come into existence(have occurred and been birthed; or: It has become new things that are essentially different from what was habitual, before; or: He has been birthed and now exists being ones of a different kind, character and quality). [cf Wis. 19:6-8; Rev. 21:5]
It follows that Paul's view of himself would derive from his understanding of the "new creation," as stated in this verse. We will not at this time unpack this verse, but we suggest pondering all its implications.
Within this new realm and reality, in Rom. 1:1, Paul referred to himself as:
a) Jesus Christ's slave (or: a slave servant of, and from, [the] Anointed One, Jesus; a slave belonging to Jesus [the] Anointed [= Messiah]);
b) a called person;
c) one sent forth with a mission (or: an ambassador or emissary, by invitation);
d) being one having been marked off by boundaries (fully parted and determined by bounds; separated away, isolated and limited off; delineated);
e) and continuing thus defined, unto God's Good News (or: positioned into the midst of a Message of goodness, ease and well-being from, and which is, God).
Does it seem strange, to us, that Paul designates himself as being Jesus Christ's slave? Well, let us consider an even more astounding statement, concerning himself in Gal. 2:
19. You see (or: For it follows that) I, myself, through (or: through means of; by) Law died by [the] Law (or: to Law and custom; in [the] Law; or: with legalism), to the end that I could and would live by God, in God, for God, to God and with God! [cf Rom. 7:13-23]20.I have been crucified together with Christ [= the Messiah], and thus it remains (or: I have been jointly put on the execution stake in [the] Anointed One, and continue in this state)... yet I continue living! [It is] no longer I myself, but it is Christ continuously living and alive within me (or: No longer an "I," an ego... and now Christ constantly lives in the midst of, and in union with, me)! And now (at the present moment), that which I continue living within flesh (= in the sphere of a physical body and the natural realm), I am constantly living within [His] Faithfulness - in and by that [Faithfulness] which is the Son of God (or: in union with a trust and confidence that is from God's Son; [with other MSS: in this faith and fidelity belonging to God and Christ]), the One loving and accepting me, and giving Himself over to another for the sake of me(or: even transmitting Himself, over my [situation and condition]; or: also passing Himself along for me; committing and transferring Himself over me).
A later view, which Paul had of himself, is found in Eph. 4:1,
"I myself - the prisoner (or: bound one; captive) within, in union with, and centered within the sphere of, [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] - am therefore repeatedly calling you folks, as it were, alongside: exhorting, admonishing, imploring and entreating you to walk [your path] (= behave; = live your life) worthily, pertaining to (or: in a manner suitable to the value of) the calling and invitation in regard to which you folks are called (or: from which you were summoned)."
Wow! Can we wrap our minds, or hearts, around all of this? Is this how we should think of ourselves? Think of vs. 19, and then connect it to 2 Cor. 5:17, above. We can understand the first statement of vs. 20 by reading Rom. 6:
5. You see, since (or: It follows that in view of the fact that; or: For if) we have been birthed (have come to be) folks engrafted and produced together (or: have become planted and made to grow together; or: have been brought forth into being, together, and are now congenital) in, by, to, and with, the result of the likeness of (or: the effect of the similar manner from) His death, then certainly we will also continue being [in, and with the effects of the likeness] of The Resurrection (or: but, as well, we will keep on existing - which is the resurrection; or: but more, also, we will constantly live from that resurrection, with its qualities),
6. while constantly knowing this by intimate experience, that our old, use-worn or useless, former, obsolete humanity (or: long-existing inner self; = the first Adam: 1 Cor. 15:22, 45) is crucified together (or: was co-crucified and put to death) with [Him], to the end that the body of the Sin, which is a part of, responds to, the Sin (or: the body belonging to this Failure; the corporeal manifestation that pertains to, and exists from, the Deviation; the group of people [Adam] who missed the target) could and would be rendered useless and inoperative (idled-down to be unproductive; made null, inactive and unemployed), for us to no longer continually be a slave to the Sin (or: perform as a slave in the failure, for the Sin, or by deviating and thus missing the goal),
7. for you see, it follows that the One at one point dying-off (or: the person at some point experiencing an away-death) has been eschatologically released into liberty, and now exists being rightwised AWAY from the Sin (or: set in the Way pointed out, away from the Failure; turned in the right direction, away from the deviation and the missing of the target; placed into freedom and rightness, away from Error; delivered away from [the life and realm of] The Sin, and has been brought into, and exists with, participation in covenant relationship). [cf Rom. 6:18, and 7:3]
8. Now since, and in view of the fact that, we died-off (or: So if, as is the case, we die-away) together with Christ, we are continuously believing (relying; trusting) that we will also continue living together in Him (by Him; for Him; to Him; with Him), [cf Jn. 11:25-26]
This view of the effects of the Christ Event explains what Paul said about himself in Gal. 2, above. Should we not also apply to ourselves these instructions from Rom. 6? Let us turn again to Paul's letter to the province of Galatia, in Gal. 1:
15. Yet when God - the One marking off boundaries to define, delineate, separate away, and sever me from out of my mother's womb (or: cavity; [comment: a figure of the religion of the Jews; [cf Gal. 4:25ff]), and calling [me] through His Grace and Favor - thought well (or: delights and takes pleasure) [cf Jud. 16:17; Isa. 44:21, 24; 49:1, 5]
16. to unveil (reveal; uncover; disclose) His Son within the midst of me (or: in union with me; in the sphere of me; [cf Rom. 8:19]), to the end that I, in myself (or: for myself; by myself), would bring, announce and proclaim the Message of goodness, [which is] Him, within the ethnic multitudes (or: may bring and tell this message of ease and well-being: Him [now] among, and in union with, the nations; [cf Col. 1:27]),
Should we not also adopt this view of God's purpose for our own lives? His Son should be revealed and disclosed from within the midst of us... so that we, in ourselves, would bring and announce the Message of goodness to the world. We should be as the Corinthians, a
"letter - being one having been written (inscribed; imprinted; engraved) within your hearts; one progressively being experientially known and continuously read (or: periodically recognized and experienced again) by all people (human beings) - because you are, and continue being, those continuously set in clear light and progressively manifested: Christ's letter (a letter whose source is Christ, and which is Christ), being one dispensed in attending service by us, being one having been written (inscribed; imprinted; engraved), not in black (= not with ink), but rather, by (or: in; with) God's Spirit: One continuously living (or: in a Breath-effect which has its origin in God, Who is constantly living); not in stone tablets (or: on tablets composed of stone; [cf Ex. 24:12]), but rather within tablets which are hearts made of flesh (or: on tablets in hearts composed of flesh)." (2 Cor. 3:2-3; [cf Ps. 40:8; Jer. 31:32-33; Ezk. 11:19; 36:26; Rom. 8:26-27])
People should read Christ's letter, within us. God's Son should be revealed within us.
We are informed that
"the Jerusalem which is above"is our Mother (Gal. 4:26).
We suggest that this symbol (Jerusalem) is a figure for the corporate body of Christ. From out of our midst flows
"rivers of Living Water" (Jn. 7:38).
So, consider what Paul said to the Corinthians, in 1 Cor. 4:15,
"in one moment I myself fathered (gave birth to; generated; [cf Gal. 4:19; Eph. 6:4; Philemon 10]) you people within, and in union with, Christ Jesus (or: in the sphere of an Anointing from Jesus) - through means of the message of abundant wellness (the news of fortunate, ideal ease and goodness)."
As the body of Christ, the "New Jerusalem," we should see ourselves as having the ability to generate and give birth to others
"within, and in union with, Christ Jesus (or: in the sphere of an Anointing from Jesus) - through means of the message of abundant wellness."
We are called to be fathers and mothers to children of the Kingdom which is not of this sphere, system or world (Jn. 18:36).
Consider what else Paul said about himself, and his companions, in 1 Cor. 4:
10. We [are] stupid folks (fools; ones led by nonsense) because of Christ, yet you folks [are] sensible and intelligent ones (ones with understanding; [cf 2 Cor. 11:19]) within, and in union with, Christ; we [are] weak ones, yet you people [are] strong ones; you [are] folks in glory and illustrious reputation, yet we [are] dishonored and unvalued ones.
11. Until the present hour (or: Up to now - this very minute), we also continue being hungry, constantly thirsty, habitually naked (= ill-clad, or scantily clothed), repeatedly being struck on the ear with a fist (= treated roughly, thrashed, and knocked about) and are continuously unsettled (= homeless and wanderers; waifs).
12. Further, we continue toiling (laboring) to weariness - habitually active in work with our own hands [note: the Greek culture despised manual labor; but, cf his arguments in 9:1-6, below]. Being constantly insulted (reviled; cursed; verbally abused), we are repeatedly speaking words of goodness (or: blessing); being habitually pursued and persecuted, we are continuously holding up and bearing [it] (or: holding back [i.e., from retaliation]);
13. being incessantly defamed (slandered; plied with ill-rumors; [other MSS: blasphemed]), we regularly called them to our sides (or: normally entreat and offer assistance, constantly performing as paracletes; [cf Rom. 12:14; 1 Pet. 3:9]). [Still], we were made to be as that which results from an all-around-cleaning of this world of the aggregate of humanity (or: as the off-scouring results, as the filthy refuses, and as outcasts, from the organized, dominating System of culture, religion, economy and government) - as wiped-off filth and scraped-off scum of all things, and of all people - until right now!
Now does this not present a lovely and compelling picture for those who are following Christ? Paul makes another strong statement in Phil. 3, about his attitude toward natural things:
8. But further - indeed, then, as a matter of fact - I even am habitually considering (or: regarding; deeming) all things (all; everything) to be a loss (a disadvantage; a bad bargain; damage; a forfeit; a penalty) because of (on account of; for the sake of) the thing that is constantly holding things above and thus having all-surpassing value and superiority: that which pertains to and comes from the experience of the intimate knowledge of my Lord, Jesus Christ
(or: personal insight of, from, and which is, Christ Jesus, my Owner; [cf Jn. 17:3]) - because of, on account of, and for the sake of, Whom I undergo loss of (experience the forfeit of; receive as a disadvantage) all things
(or: everything; the whole life-experience, environment and possessions) - and I continue considering (or: regarding; deeming) them to be [either] a lot of refuse and filth (pieces of dung; a pile of manure; excrement) [or] things that are cast away from the table to the dogs (garbage), to the end that I may have the advantage of Christ (or: could maintain the gain of [the] Anointing; enjoy the assets of and profit from [the Messiah]), [cf Phil. 3:2; Isa. 53:11; 2 Cor. 5:2, 4; Rom. 5:9]
Should we say, "Well, this was just Paul... after all, we are not apostles"? Paul's life is a significant part of the New Testament. He led by example. Consider what he said in 1 Cor. 11:1,
"Progressively come to be imitators of me, correspondingly as I, myself, also [am] of Christ and from [the; an] Anointing."
Jonathan
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