Professors Attridge and Bartlett name how Paul is attempting to be pastoral to the church in Corinth by helping them navigate a delicate social situation regarding the consumption of meat. How do these chapters change for you when you read Paul through a pastoral lens? What verses support his efforts?
Much of Paul’s evidence to support his guidance on consuming meat comes from Hebrew scripture. How does this work to support his authority on this matter? How does Paul’s use from these text differ from how they might have originally functioned?
Applying the Text:
What do you think Paul’s means when he says to be,“all things to all people”? How are we still called to serve our communities in this way?
Are there examples today of behaviors that some members of your congregation find unacceptable that others find to be morally indifferent? Do debates over such issues cause tension in your community? Does Paul offer any help in dealing with them?
What do you make of Paul’s appeal to the Old Testament (chap. 10)? Does his “midrash” provide a model of how we should read the text?