An example of context: In the time of the writing of the New Testament gospels and letters, the pagan culture considered those with ecstatic experiences as being especially close to the gods. Thus epilepsy was called the “divine disease.” And it was assumed that the epileptic seizure and anything that one uttered while in that seizure or recovering from it was inspired. When Paul writes to Corinth, he says, “Now about spiritual gifts…” The word “gift” does not appear in the Greek, but has been added by translators. What Paul says literally is “Now about spirituality.” Paul then examines carefully the emphasis that the Corinthians, carrying over their pagan notions about the ecstatic, had placed on the gift of tongues. This is not to deny a gift of tongues. It is to place that gift in its proper perspective, noting the possibility for excesses and error, and denying it a place of superiority over other spiritual giftings. The Corinthians had assumed that those who spoke in tongues were in some way superior to other believers – an assumption that Paul debunks in this letter.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 10:42:36 +0000
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