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“I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!” – the Apostle Paul – 2 Corinthians 11:1 [NET]

Did you read the verse, or did you skip it? If you skipped it, read it!

I have previously stated that the New Perspective on Paul was, for many years until recently, confined to within the small circle of late 20^th century New Testament scholars. It was unavailable to the church, largely due to the inability to participate in the discussions that took place between the scholars involved. However, the published books on the subject along with the internet have pushed NPP forward in popularity and have gained the attention of many churchgoers mainly in the English speaking world. What once was just a subject discussed amongst high-profile scholars is now, and will continue to be, something similar to the Calvinism/Arminian debates. In other words, NPP will become a subject that will confront the common layperson perhaps in a church parking lot after a Lord’s Day worship service.

This Crash Course briefly describes NPP and some of its main points, and exposes some of the underlying presuppositions of the “Big 3” proponents, namely E.P. Sanders, James D.G. Dunn, and N.T. Wright. Having already looked at Sanders and Dunn, it’s time to move on to our final subject in question. This brings us to N.T. Wright, the 3^rd of the “Big 3” of NPP. Tom Wright, as he’s called, is in my view, the most attractive feature of NPP, and I’m not referring to his looks. What I mean is, Wright is simply fascinating to read and to listen to, an excellent communicator, able to engage his audience by captivating their attention long enough to explain complex issues in a relatively easy-to-understand way. Let me tease this out further. If N.T. Wright were not as powerfully engaging as he is as an author and as a speaker, then the hill that NPP would need to climb to reach that church parking lot, would be much steeper. Sort of like if Eddie Van Halen was just an average guitar player, Van Halen would have a tough time selling tickets to their shows. Or, if the internet weren’t available in almost every home, office, cell phone etc., but rather, only behind the counter at the end of a long line at the DMV, then most websites wouldn’t ever be visited. In this kind of way, N.T. Wright’s charisma, charm and wit, make NPP something easy to transition to, regardless of what it jeopardizes.

This creates a situation where discernment becomes essential. The Apostle Paul, regardless of which perspective you hold, speaks of a divine jealousy that he has for his converts in 2 Corinthians 11. His concern is for his converts, that their minds may be lead astray from a pure devotion to Christ. Paul indicates that there are “super-apostles” out there that he is less skilled than, as it pertains to speaking, but not according to knowledge. Here is the text; this is the word of God:

“11:1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 11:3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough! 11:5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” 11:6 And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. 11:7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge? 11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! 11:9 When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 11:12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.” – 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 [NET]

As we can see from this text, Paul’s emotional expression is personal and transparent. He is not attempting to deliver a scholarly discourse to satisfy the intellectual cravings of his readers, nor is he attempting to write clever and entertaining prose to cover up his emotions. He is expressing himself in an open manner, meaning, he is not so bound by pride that he needs to word his expression otherwise to get across his message. I think that Paul did this to further demonstrate his humility, which he often did, so that it would be remembered that he was different than them (super-apostles), and in which ways he was different.

Q. What does this have to do with NPP?

A. I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness.

I would suggest that perhaps he had heard the “super-apostles” speak and was able to discern what it was about them that attracted his converts, those whom he had betrothed as a pure virgin to the Messiah. In doing so, he wrote several telling things.

· He admitted he was unskilled [v.6].

· He expressed care for them [v.7a].

· He reminded them he wasn’t “doing business” [v.7b].

· He repeatedly reminded them that he wasn’t “doing business” [v.7, 8, 9].

· He implied that the truth of Messiah was not in the “super-apostles” by stating that it (the truth) is in him [v.10].

· He told them that he loved them [v.11].

· He gives a reason of his boasting [v.12a].

· His reason given, is so that he will eliminate any opportunity for counterfeits that desire to be perceived as equal to those whom Messiah has truly sent [v.12b].

· He reveals how to tell who is who [v.12c].

· He says that it is by comparing what is boasted about [v.12c].

· He officially declares the “super-apostles” as counterfeits [v.13a].

· He also calls them deceitful workers that are consciously pretending to be of Messiah with the malicious intent of deceiving people through their skilled speaking [v.6a, 13b].

· He isn’t surprised by this [v.14a].

· He says that like them, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light [v.14b].

· He then calls the “super-apostles” servants of Satan [v.15a].

· He says that it is not surprising that Satan’s servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness instead of what they really are [v.15b].

· He warns by confirming that their end will correspond to their actions [v.15c]. Q.What does this have to do with NPP? A. I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness.

· Paul’s jealousy is sparked by his discernment of what is at stake: a pure devotion to Messiah [v.3c].

· He states that the impurities that would pollute the purity, thus negating it, were located in the mind [v.3b].

· Paul uses the illustration of Eve being deceived by the serpent through his cunning [ESV] to convey his concern [v.3a].

· He provides specific examples of the type of false information, that if believed, would be equivalent to Eve’s deception by the serpent, resulting in a consequent “picture of the fall” (gross distortion) of their devotion to Messiah [v.4].

He provides the “Big 3” deceptions:

1) Another Jesus, other than the one the Apostles preached.

2) a different spirit, other than the one they received (2 Cor. 2:1-5, 10-16, Ch. 3, 6:11, 12:4-11, Gal. 3:1-5, 1 Thess. 1:5, 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:14, Titus 3:5, Heb 10: 15-18, 2 Pet. 1:21, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:6, Jude 1:19-20).

3) A different gospel, other than the one you received (Gal 1:6-9).

Q. What does this have to do with NPP?

A. I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness.

He states that he is afraid because when confronted with deceptive counterfeits such as the “Big 3”, they put up with it [v.14c].

It seems that from the text, it would be a completely different story had they not “put up” with the “Big 3”. In other words, had they not been so responsive to the “super-apostles” and their slick speaking, Paul may have rather been confident in their discernment and praised them instead, much like he did to the church of the Thessalonians. Instead, he is concerned and afraid for them, and in my view, for himself as well. That may be the first time you’ve heard it put like that, but allow me to explain. Paul mentions in v.2 that he betrothed or promised them in marriage (not literal) to one husband, to be presented as a pure virgin to Messiah. After stating that, he then says he is afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, the betrothed bride’s mind may be led astray from the pure devotion to her future husband. Paul is aware that everyone will face judgment and give an account (Matt. 12:36, Romans 14:12, Heb. 4:13, 1 Peter 4:1-6). He most certainly also knows that as an overseer of God’s people, he will give an additional account for all that God sends him (Heb. 13:17, Acts 20:19-30). With this in mind, Paul’s concern is not merely for the Corinthians, but for himself as an overseer as well. Think about it like this:

Imagine you’re in an arranged marriage negotiation with a Suitor’s parents concerning your daughter. You’re enjoying the trousseau (dowry) and the Father leans over and asks: “is she a virgin?” You answer affirmatively, “yes”. He leans over again and asks: “a pure virgin?” You may think to yourself that there’s only one kind, she either is or she isn’t. But instead, you answer: “yes, a pure virgin” and add “she has never kissed any man, never had a boyfriend; she’s never even as much as hugged a man other than her own father, she’s a pure virgin!” You can see in the father’s eyes that this is very important to him, an essential qualifier. So you assure him of her purity and put your family name and reputation on the line by guaranteeing to deliver the bride in absolute purity. So you make the deal and set a date. Then when you get home, you start to see things that you didn’t realize before. You learn that your daughter has a MySpace page with 194 male “friends”, some of them shirtless and with provocative handles like “biGDaDdYLoVe” and “Papi_4_U_2_Nite.” Immediately you realize the consequence you’d face if the groom’s father learned of this. So you call your daughter’s name to confront her about it, and you see her on the porch talking to 2 guys that are about her age. You notice her provocative clothing and that she’s twirling her hair around her finger as she talks to them. She’s flirting with these guys! The father lives down the street. If he drives by and sees this, the deal will be off! What do you do?

I know that the example breaks down at some point, they all do. But I think this may be helpful in illustrating how Paul may have felt, at least to a certain degree. He promised a pure virgin to be presented as the bride of Messiah, and there she was, flirting on the porch with Satan’s servants. Had she (the daughter) been able to discern what those guys on the porch really wanted, and if she was truly devoted to her awaiting husband, and desired to be presented and received as pure, her actions would have proved it. The parent in the parable represents the way Paul sees the Corinthian church. When the parent learned of the potential perceived harlotry of his daughter, accountability kicked in and he realized the consequence. Now look at what Paul does in our text once he addresses the possible impure devotion to Messiah. Paul goes on a classic Paul rant. He’s saying: “I promised that I would deliver you in marriage as a pure virgin. But you’ve fallen for someone’s lies, and I’m concerned that you’ll believe them to the point that you’re de-virgin-ized! If those boys are telling you about some other Suitor, other than the one you’re betrothed to, or that there are better dowry’s available, or virginity isn’t necessary, or that I’m old fashioned and there’s a new perspective better than mine, or that there is any better Suitor for you, they’re liars!”

Q. What does this have to do with NPP?

A. I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness.

“but indeed you are being patient with me! – 2 Cor. 11 1b [NET]

And you certainly are patient if you’ve read this far! Paul does not promise a reward for the patience he asks for, and neither do I. What I intend to cover in this section of the Crash Course, the N.T. Wright section, is a bit different than what we’ve done so far with the first two of the “Big 3.” First of all, I want to quote N.T. Wright from the 10^th Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference: 25-28 August 2003, when he addressed the controversy of his connection to the New Perspective(s) on Paul. He said:

“Again, much of my writing on Paul over the last twenty years at least has been in at least implicit dialogue with him, and I find his exposition of justification itself less than satisfying.”

Now before you jump to conclusions, the “him” is not Paul. He’s referring to James D.G. Dunn. But he goes on to say that Dunn doesn’t understand his take on Paul’s fundamental covenant theology, which results in what Wright considers a failed exposition of justification by Dunn. Here, I agree with Wright. I too, think that Dunn misses the point. In fact, there are many areas in which I find myself in agreement with Wright, as do many other people. But N.T. Wright departs, in my view, based on my own exegetical theology, and that of my pastor Dr. Robert Morey, from biblical Christianity, and ever so slightly, nonetheless a departure indeed. That is why I consider him all the more dangerous, as do many others as well. It’s the “almost true” that deceives far more than the “obviously untrue” ever does. To further illustrate purity and impurity, and the amount of impurity that is required to destroy purity, I was given this example by a friend: If you had a bucket of the purest water in the world, say, 5 gallons of it, and began to stir it with a big wooden spoon, then dropped one little teaspoon of grape Kool-Aid powder in it, in a second or two, the entire bucket would be purple. Still safe for drinking, the water would not be pure at all. It would be tainted with Kool-Aid. However, if you replaced the Kool-Aid with ricin (twice as deadly as cobra venom – two tenths of a milligram is a lethal dose for humans) which is colorless, the water would appear pure and safe for drinking, but in a few quick seconds you would die in excruciating pain (Proverbs 14:12)!

To end my Pauline rant, which I learned from Morey, and wrap up this section, I come back to the subject in question: N.T. Wright. The quote from the 10^th Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference in ’03, where Wright expresses his dissatisfaction of Dunn’s exposition of justification, sets up the next couple of weeks of study. We will be examining just exactly what it is that N.T. Wright considers as “satisfying” exposition. In the next couple weeks, God willing, I intend to give the readers of BiblicalThought.com an exclusive series of posts on the following 5 points that N.T. Wright regard as crucial in present debates, justification itself being the fifth. They are:

1) The Gospel

2) The Righteousness of God

3) Final Judgment According to Works

4) Ordo Salutis

5) Justification

1 & 2 will be next, followed by 3 & 4. Then the N.T. Wright section will end with a final post regarding his view of justification.

If you have experienced justification by faith alone, when God the Father declares an individual sinner “not guilty” of past, present and future sins, on the sole basis of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone and apart from anything such as works, then you have access to the Father through Christ and can pray in Jesus’ name. It is that access to God the Father that I ask for you to use and ask on my behalf for perseverance. This is not easy work, but I do it because I love you. Already I am under spiritual attack. My body is being tormented with pain and Satan is trying to make me think I should feel guilty for talking about my fellow Christians like this. He is trying to put it in my head that Wright is right and I am wrong. But, oh, thanks be to God for providing His Word, the Holy Scriptures! My subjective sinful state can change, yet His Word stayeth the same. As this tornado of battle spins, my Anchor holds! Lord, thank you for not leaving us to our own devices! In Jesus’ name, amen.