Power Through Weakness: Paul's Understanding of the Christian Ministry in 2 Corinthians - Paperback

by Timothy B. Savage (Author)

This work makes sense of the apostle Paul's paradoxical description of his ministry in 2 Corinthians: "When I am weak, then I am strong!" In an extensive inquiry into the thought-world of Roman Corinth, Savage demonstrates that the Corinthians are evaluating Paul according to the social standards of their day. Since this is the exact antithesis of his own perspective, Paul can only resort to paradox by way of defense.

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Power through weakness examines one of the most profound pictures of Christian life ever presented - the apostle Paul's cryptic self-portrait in 2 Corinthians: 'When I am weak, then I am strong!' The key to understanding this tantalising paradox, Dr Savage suggests, is to take note of the very secular outlook permeating the church at Corinth. In an extensive enquiry into the thought-world of Roman Corinth, drawing insights from first-century inscriptions, coins and archaeology, he demonstrates that the Corinthians were evaluating Paul according to the social standards of their day. Because those standards represented the exact antithesis of his own perspective, which was rooted in the cross of Christ, Paul had little choice but to defend himself with the brush strokes of paradox. This is the first major study to marshal evidence from the general social atmosphere of antiquity to interpret Paul's paradoxical teaching. The result is stunning: the cross-centred outlook of Paul emerges as a radical foil to the spirit of the age.