The Word or the Rod?

Which should we choose? 2 Corinthians 13.1-3

2 Corinthians 13 (1)

Pray Psalm 110.1, 2
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!”

Sing Psalm 110.1, 2.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the LORD says to my Lord,
“until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
The LORD sends strength from Zion: “Rule all Your enemies.”
While those who Him rely on go forth their LORD to please.

Preparation
1. How would Paul deal with lingering sin in Corinth?

2. What were the Corinthians seeking in Paul? Did he think they would find it?

Meditation
It seems that Paul fulfilled his promise (threat?) to visit the Corinthians again, as the book of Romans may well have been written there. In Romans 15.22-33 Paul wrote as if he had completed the collection for the saints from those in Macedonia and Achaia (v. 26) and was preparing to head to Judea. The fact that he had their offering in hand suggests that the Corinthians had continued on the Jesus Path they had returned to following Paul’s first letter.

In our text for today, Paul was promising to come to them again. It would actually be only the second time he had visited them. He had made plans for another visit but was unable to fulfill those plans, as he acknowledged in verse 2 (“as if”; cf. 2 Cor. 1.15-24). But he appears to have that planned visit in mind here. His quoting from Deuteronomy 19.15 covered his bases, though: Two visits, three visits; who’s counting?

And here again, we see Paul’s reliance on the Law of God and the civil statutes of that Law (v. 1).

But his promise entailed a threat as well. He warned the Corinthians (vv. 2, 3) that, when he came, he would deal with any lingering sins with the authority and power of Christ. And he would do this, as he had written, to build them up and help them bring holiness to completion in the fear of God (2 Cor. .10.8; cf. 2 Cor. 7.1).

This is how the Lord deals with us. He writes us a letter—His Word—and calls us to repent and obey, warning that, if we do not, well, He knows how to handle such recalcitrance, and it won’t be pretty (Heb. 12.3-11). Better to be edified by His Word than by His rod.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
One can almost hear Paul, recounting in his own way, Solomon’s words to his people:
“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but such as keep the law contend with them.”
“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer is an abomination.”
“He who covers his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Prov. 28.4, 9, 13).

Paul wanted great things for his Corinthian children. Just think of it. They were the recipients of 1 Corinthians 13, his clear and potent writing on love. They also received his harsh rebukes for their blatant sin. They were trusted with his teaching on remunerating those who taught them the Word, and on the need to support other churches financially. He put his whole heart and work behind growing the Corinthians into mature followers of Christ. He took his work seriously and felt it deeply—to his very core.

As with our own children, we would much rather they learn the lessons of life through our love and not our discipline. Paul was willing to do both for their sanctification—the former being so much more pleasant than the latter.

Paul’s was the same heartfelt cry that Jesus uttered:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matt. 23.37).

God wants great things for us, His children. Just think of it. We are the recipients of the entire Bible—all the words written by His chosen leaders, prophets, kings, teachers, disciples, apostles, and followers. We have been taught how to love. We have been forgiven. We have been shown the way, the truth, and the life—the Jesus Path. We are rebuked for our sins. We have been schooled in how to tithe and share with those who teach us. We know that we should support the needy. We know we should follow God’s Law—wholeheartedly and completely.

We must hear. We must obey. We must follow.
For truly it is “Better to be edified by His Word than by His rod.”

For reflection
1. How did God discipline the Corinthians through Paul?

2. How does the discipline of the Lord help us to keep on the Jesus Path?

3. How should we respond to the Lord’s discipline?

Though it is God’s gracious method to bear long with sinners, yet he will not bear always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remain obstinate and impenitent. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 2 Corinthians 13.1-3

Pray Psalm 110.3-7.
Pray for yourself and your church, that your witness for Christ may refresh many in your community.

Sing Psalm 110.3-7.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Your people in Your power, arrayed in holiness,
like dew of morning’s hour shall serve like youth refreshed.
The LORD has sworn and never will He His promise check:
“You are a priest forever after Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at Your right hand to execute His wrath,
and judge all kings and all lands—doomed sinners in His path.
Then, all His foes defeated, He takes His hard-won rest,
in glorious triumph seated with us, redeemed and blessed.

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today needs revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.