What I Have Learned

I have learned tht a paranesis is a moral or value lesson. Paul's outline of his writings include: address, thanksgiving, body, paranesis, greetings, and closing benedition. The social situations and content of Paul's time are very relavant to the interpretation of the text. I realized the importance of knowing the existence of gnosticism and mystery religions in order to have spiritual discernment and understand the context of what Paul was saying. Paul helped them to understand that just to know Christ and Him being crucified, buried, and resurrected enables you to understand the spiritual.

The idea of a slave as understood in Paul's day was different than what we consider a slave to be today. Paul addressed defective wisdom. I discovered that the Patra familia comes from God. In Hebrew theology, God is the Patron who provides divine wisdom. He protects and takes care of His people. God is the Patra familia over Christ who is over the Church. Paul illustrates that patronage is alright, as long as you have the right patron. Human wisom is defective. It took the church and fractured it into four parts: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ. True wisdom and true church leaders should be servant leaders, and Christ focused and centered. Leaders are formed from servanthood, and not power. A true Christian leader must serve before he/she can lead.

Vicky