Сила Божа в немочі людській: екзегетичний аналіз Другого послання апостола Павла до коринфян (4: 7 – 5: 10)

Анотація

Стаття присвячена аналізу 4 і 5 глави другого послання апостола Павла до коринфян для того, щоб знайти відповідь на запитання: чому християнин за порадою Апостола має хвалитися неміччю своєю і як у цій немочі проявляється сила Божа. Для забезпечення повноти дослідження паралельно аналізується 12-та глава послання до римлян, яка є суголосною за змістом і допомагає глибше зрозуміти хід думок апостола Павла. Увагу читача також зосереджено на тому, що, коли живеш з Богом, жертовно люблячи Господа та своїх ближніх, навіть фізична слабкість не є перепоною для того, щоб бути сильним й робити великі справи.

The article deals with the analysis of Chapters 4 and 5 of the Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians in order to find the answer to the question why a Christian should boast of his infirmity and how the power of God is manifested in this infirmity. For a more complete study, the 12th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans is analyzed in parallel, which is consonant in content and helps to understand more fully the course of the Apostle’s thoughts. And it also focuses the reader on the fact that living with God, sacrificing love for the Lord and our fellow human beings, even our physical weakness is not an obstacle to being strong and doing great things. It should be noted that the word «world» is used in the Bible in two ways: both in the negative sense «do not love the world and nothing in the world ...» (1 John 2:15) and in the positive sense: «... so God loved the world that He also gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life» (John 3: 16). How do we understand which world to love and what to hate? The answer is simple – to love the one which is with Christ, and to hate the one which is outside Christ. For only then are we strong, if with God, even in spite of physical infirmity. Moreover, if we are physically infirm but do great deeds, then this is the guarantee that the eyewitnesses of our deeds will praise not us, but God, who helps us. Of course, in order to gain a better understanding of this, one should refer to the Epistles of the apostle Paul, in particular, to the material given in his second Epistle to the Corinthians. If we are really strong, then we will acknowledge our own shortcomings and need for God. That is why often true power seems like powerlessness. The apostle Paul asked God to relieve him of his «sting in the flesh» and received the answer: «...my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is manifest in weakness» (2 Cor. 12: 9). Then he said, «...when I am weak, then I am strong» (2 Cor. 12: 10). Likewise, in the last year of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, the disciples dreamed of the kingdom of the earth, arguing about the first places in that kingdom, but the Lord said, «...whoever wants to be greater among you, let him be your servant» (Matt. 20: 26). Here is the truth: true power comes only when we do not seek to rule or dominate our neighbor, and when we want to serve him with sacrificial love.