Texts in Conversation
In Job, the suffering man insists that his conscience is clear even as he endures God's testing. In 1 Corinthians, Paul uses similar language when he says that his own conscience does not make him innocent, since only God can judge him.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
LXX Job 27:6
Septuagint
4 my lips shall not speak evil words, neither shall my soul meditate unrighteous thoughts. 5 Far be it from me that I should justify you till I die; for I will not let go my innocence, 6 but keeping fast to my righteousness I will by no means let it go: for I am not conscious to myself of having done any thing amiss. 7 Nevertheless, let my enemies be as the overthrow of the ungodly, and they that rise up against me, as the destruction of transgressors. 8 For what is the hope of the ungodly, that he holds to it? will he indeed trust in the Lord and be saved? 9 Will the Lord hear his prayer? or, when distress has come upon him,
Date: 100–1 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
1 Corinthians 4:4
New Testament
1 One should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful. 3 So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. 5 So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.
Date: 55–57 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Search:
Notes and References
"... The above-mentioned connection between suffering and salvation, and specifically the claim that “only through the former that the latter is achieved,” is an idea rooted in the Old Testament: it may be viewed as cultural, that is, as known to ‘insiders’ of the Jewish culture. Paul is aware of the long-developing tradition of the Old Testament’s suffering righteous (such as Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Elijah), and the Deutero-canonical accounts of the martyrdom of Eleazar and the Maccabeean mother and her seven sons) ..."
Philip B. Mortell, A Socio-rhetorical Interpretation of Paul’s Theology of Christian Suffering in 1 Corinthians (University of Limerick, 2020), 167–168.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.
User Comments
,