In 2 Cor. 1:17-22, the unexpected change in Paul’s travel plans left him
susceptible to criticisms of indecisiveness, unreliability, and dishonesty (1:17).
But he reassures the Corinthians that he is not as fickle and inconsistent as
some may have charged; he is not in the habit of making contradictory and untruthful
statements, like “Yes and No” at the same time (1:17a-19). Just as God is
faithful (1:18a), Paul, Silvanus (a.k.a. Silas), and Timothy – the three
missionaries who first preached “God’s Son, Jesus Christ” in Corinth (1:19a;
cf. Acts 18:5) – proved themselves as men of integrity and faithfulness (cf. 1
Thess. 2:1-13). They communicated a positive (“Yes”) message “in him [Christ]”
(1:19b); God’s promises are affirmative (“Yes”) “in him [Christ]” (1:20a) and “amen”
(an affirmation of truth = “so be it” or “truly”) “in him [Christ]” (1:20b),
“for the glory of God through us” (1:20c) – not self-promoters but genuinely
seeking to honor God – and God is confirming “us” [the teachers] with “you”
[the Corinthian recipients] “in Christ” (1:21a).
Furthermore, God is the one having anointed [χρίω]1 “us” (1:21b), and the one
having sealed [σφραγίζω]2
“us,” and the one having given “us” the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee [ἀρραβών]3 (1:22) – contextually
applicable to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy (1:19) as distinct from “you” the
Corinthian audience.
Attempting
to identify those to whom these contrasting pronominal references apply, a
number of commentators argue for nuances that fluctuate back and forth,
particularly at 1:21-22. But this significantly disrupts the flow of thought
and unnecessarily obscures an otherwise cohesive presentation. Since mentioning
names is less common in 2 Corinthians than in other Pauline texts, the explicit
naming of Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus (1:1, 19) is not without significance in
the context of the forty-seven first person plurals in chapter 1. Although
three of these betray an inclusive meaning (1:2, 3, 14c),4 the rest
are distinguished from “you” and almost certainly do not apply to the readers.
This
is the only occurrence in Paul’s writings of the verb χρίω (“anoint”), and elsewhere in the NT it
is always applied to Christ [Χριστός = Anointed One] (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9). Whatever the anointing is,
it is something that God has done for these first-century evangelists in
conjunction with divine confirmation, sealing, and impartation of the Spirit.
Christ had been “anointed” with the Spirit, enabling him to preach the
gospel [εὐαγγελίζω =
“announce glad tidings”] and to heal (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38; cf. Isa. 61:1).5
The early disciples were commissioned to proclaim [εὐαγγελίζω] the gospel [εὐαγγέλιον] (Mark 16:15; Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12; etc.)
and, in the absence of the compete NT, to confirm the message with accompanying
miraculous signs (Mark 16:20; Acts 8:4-8; etc.).
In 2
Corinthians the readers need to understand [1:13-14] that their first preachers (Paul,
Silvanus, Timothy) have divine confirmation via God’s Spirit (1:21),
irrespective of any false allegations against them. They “also”
(καί) have been
sealed [σφραγίζω – authenticated as belonging to and
representing God] (1:22a), like all other Christians (Eph. 1:13; 4:30), and have been given the Spirit in
their hearts as a guarantee [ἀρραβών] (1:22b), like all other Christians (2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:14).6
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 The verb χρίω (“anoint”) appears five times in the NT, and only here (2 Cor. 1:21)
in Paul; elsewhere in Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9, all applied to
Christ (the Anointed One). The noun χρίσμα (“anointing”) appears only in 1 John 2:20, 27 (see previous post).
2
The verb σφραγίζω (to “set a seal upon” and thus to
“certify” or “authenticate”) occurs fifteen times in the NT, only once in the
literal sense (Matt. 27:66). The metaphorical usage is mostly in John’s
writings, esp. in Revelation (John 3:33; 6:27; Rev. 7:3, 4, 5, 8; 10:4; 20:3;
22:10), and four times in Paul (Rom. 15:28; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30).
3
The noun ἀρραβών (an earnest, pledge, down-payment, security, guarantee) is employed
in the NT only in the Pauline writings (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14).
4
Expressions like “our Lord” and “our Father” more naturally express the
inclusion of all believers and not just the Corinthians.
5
In Heb. 1:9 (quotation of Psa. 45:7; cf. Isa.
61:1-3), Christ is metaphorically anointed with “the oil [ἔλαιον] of ecstatic joy [ἀγαλλίασις],” confirming his ministry and the inevitable
gladness it brings (cf. Luke 1:14; Acts 2:46; 8:8; Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22; 1
Thess. 2:20).
6
See God's Indwelling Spirit
Related Posts: Anointing in 1 John
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