Saturday 3 January 2026

Psalm 96:11-13

Background
In the last of this week’s series of readings on the subject of 'The Word Incarnate' we turn to another of Paul’s letters. Today he is addressing the somewhat troublesome fellowship in Corinth where, not for the first time, there were problems.

Corinth was a cosmopolitan, commercial town, built on trade, where people from all walks of life came and went. Church leadership had not been consistent and authority within the church was often disputed. Some, but not all, of this had been ironed out since Paul’s first letter to Corinth with its blunt critical tone. The purpose of the first part of this second letter seems to be to find some common ground in order for Paul (and another evangelist, Timothy) to encourage mutual support for one another in their respective difficult situations.

We all need encouragement in life. It may not always be helpful to tell someone “I know exactly how you feel”, because no two experiences are exactly the same; but it can be a comfort to know that someone is thinking about you, is rooting for you, is wanting the best for you and is trying to understand how you are feeling. For Christians, knowing that someone is praying for you sums up all of the above. Moreover, acknowledging that God is also aware, and cares, is the greatest assurance that we could have.

It is this sense of mutual consolation that Paul tries to convey in his letter to the Christians in Corinth. Paul draws on his knowledge of past difficulties in the church. Then in verses 8 to 10, Paul talks about “the affliction we experienced in Asia.” Most commentators believe this refers to troubles in Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41), when the silversmith trade in silver shrines of Artemis was reduced because of Paul's teaching that God did not need idols. Paul’s life had been in danger, and he writes to the Corinthians that “we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.”(v. 8)

What Paul does in these few verses is to reinforce the truth that, for him, God is present both in suffering and in consolation. He says: “He who rescued us from so deadly a peril will continue to rescue us.”(v. 10) Paul is binding himself with the readers of the letter, in the connectedness of their common faith; he needs their solidarity in prayer, just as they need him. In these few verses Paul re-establishes his God-given authority, encourages their prayers and gives “thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”(v. 11)

To Ponder:

• The suggested hymn today is 'I cannot tell why he, whom angels worship' (StF 350). For many it is a favourite hymn with questioning words, juxtaposed with phrases of certainty. Today’s reading has similar diversity: suffering and affliction are mentioned alongside salvation and consolation. Try composing a prayer that reflects honestly what you are feeling right now. Could you use such a prayer both in private and public worship?
• The world is a troubled place at present and prayers for peace are many and varied. You could meditate on peace by reading or listening to Alan Gaunt’s hymn 'We pray for peace' (StF 719). The four words at the end of verse 3 “Justice, mercy, truth and love” sum up much of our thoughts this week on our theme 'The Word Incarnate'.

Prayer
Lord we give you thanks in this post-Christmas period for Jesus coming to live among us. Amen.

Bible notes author: Michael King
Michael is a Methodist local preacher in Salisbury and was Vice-President of the Conference in 2012/2013.