Be Jealous Like God

June 20, 2019

From today’s reading…

Please put up with me.

For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God,

since I betrothed you to one husband

to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

Paul had some opponents running around Corinth making false claims “as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,” and he was not happy about it because he loved his fellow Christians as a father loves his children and as a husband loves his wife, which is, by the way, how God loves us.

And it’s no accident that he uses the imagery of chastity and virginity. These were virtues held in high regard in Paul’s time (and is still held in high regard by a diminishing few today) so those reading his letter in Corinth would know the power of the metaphor.

Paul was committed to them because he wanted them to be saved, which could only be done if he could convince them to…

Stay the course.Keep the faith.Endure.