Oct. 09, 2024

Dear Friends,

I hope that you can join us tonight for Bible study as we explore, as best we can in one short study, one of the most magnificent truths in Scripture.  We are studying 2 Corinthians 1:15-20. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

OCTOBER 9, 2024

2 Corinthians 1:15-20

15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second

experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you

from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I vacillating when I wanted

to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at

the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For

the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was

not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.

That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

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v 15 – “Because of this…”

Paul is referencing the apostles’ good relationship with the church at Corinth

more lit. “And with this confidence I was planning previously to come to you”

And apparently, a change in Paul’s plans had been the occasion of some criticism

“so that you might have…”

lit. “so that you might have a second grace [charis]”

Paul was not praising his own presence, he was referring to his intentions for visiting any

of the churches—that he might share with them, in word and deed, the grace of God.

v 16 — “I wanted to visit you…”

a continuation, not a new sentence

more lit. “and through you to pass through into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to

come to you, and by you to be set forward to Judea.”

This was his plan… even the apostle’s, subject to change.

v 17 – “Do I make my plans…”

more lit. “This then purposing, did I not then use lightness?”

As we might say “treat it lightly?”

more lit. “Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that there should be

with me the “yes, yes” and the “no, no”?

v 18 – “As surely as God is faithful…”

more lit. “But [or however] God is faithful that our word to you is not Yes andNno.”

This phrase is not comparing God’s faithfulness with their own (i.e. As surely as God is

faithful, we are, too)—but it is giving God the credit that is his due for fulfilling the

words continuing to be spoken in his name by the apostles.

And now Paul uses this testimony, which is important, to turn to a related but far greater truth,

one that is of cosmic importance, including overarching theological importance.

v 19 – “For the Son of God, Christ Jesus…”

Jesus Christ is now the topic

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then, more lit. “the One having been proclaimed among you by us—by myself, and

Silvanus, and Timothy”

Paul, necessarily, continues to remind them that the message preached by the

apostles was the true gospel and testimony of Jesus Christ

more lit. “did not become Yes and No but has become Yes in him [God].”

Every promise of God –everything preached about Christ—has become be Yes in him.

There is a meaning here, that is beyond what Christ has done, as in “He has kept his

word” pointing to who he IS.

The difference in Jesus saying “I know the way, the truth, and the life” (which he did not

say) vs. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

The power of promises of God are actually embodied and invested in the person of Jesus

Christ.

v 20 – “For all the promises of God…”

more lit. “For as many [hosos] as are the promises of God” or “For whatsoever may be

the promises of God”

However many and whatsoever they may be—all the promises of God

Nothing is left out here: all—all—the promises of God

then following, more lit. “in him the yes.”

So…

“For as many as are the promises of God, in him the yes.”

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things

were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or

dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”—Colossians 1:15-17

“He [Jesus Christ] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,

and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”—Hebrews 1:3

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to

come, the Almighty.”—Revelation 1:8.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for

what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning

and the end.”—Revelation 22:12-13

“…the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan

for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on

earth.”—Ephesians 1:9-10

Every promise in the OT finds its “yes” in Christ.

Including the promise to Abraham

All of God’s work in our lives in done in Jesus. In his very person.

Christ is one with the Father, and there is nothing beyond Christ or outside of him,

nothing external to him—except what has been separated from him because of sin.

This is for all eternity.

This helps us to understand why the “Day of the Lord,” the “Second Coming” figure so

prominently in NT (and OT!) writings. Jesus’ own teachings point toward that Day.

Christ’s work, for this era, is still being concluded.

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Understanding that all is embodied in the person of Christ provides illumination for all of the

Scriptures.

It shines light upon NT passages, far too many to list.

It takes us beyond knowing facts to experiencing wonder.

“That is why it is through him…”

Difficult to translate—this reading is certainly fine, although the verb is only implied, so

“utter” is a total choice and could also be “is given,” “is proclaimed,” etc.

It is also a concluding continuation of the preceding statement

more lit. “…and therefore through him the Amen for glory to God [is given] through us.”

The point is that we pray and live and work in Jesus’ name, and we praise God in his

name, we give our Amen in Jesus’ name—because of this great truth:

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Jesus is the Yes