Money. Without a doubt, money is the most difficult subject to discuss within the church. Anglican Bishop N.T. Wright noted that in his translation of the New Testament the most difficult portion to translate was 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. In this section Paul discussed the responsibility for individual Christians to financially support the church. Paul carefully chose his words and Wright had to work hard to properly translate the Greek.
However, in the passage we read today, Paul is not struggling at all. In this passage Paul also discusses money, so why the difference? Here Paul’s discussion of money is embedded within his second and third favorite subjects: The Kingdom of God in the here and now; and Community. (The life in Christ is by far and away Paul’s favorite subject)
In this brief passage Paul brings in the churches in Greece and along the Asian coast where he traveled and established new communities of faith, the churches in Jerusalem and Judea as well as the faithful followers of Jesus in Rome. Paul was connected both personally and spiritually with all that God was doing throughout the world to proclaim the Good News. Paul’s mission to raise money for the churches in Judea was shared by all the churches in his sphere of influence, and through this letter the Romans were connected as well.
Paul names more than two dozen individuals as he closes his letter. To the best of our knowledge Paul did not travel to Rome as a Christian Missionary until after this letter was written. In an age well before telephones, regular mail service, email, or twitter, I am left to ponder how Paul knew so many people in Rome. But, before I get lost pondering the how, let me first appreciate that he did in fact know by name many of his brothers and sisters in the faith that were connected to the church in Rome.
In our churches today many in the congregation are hard pressed to name twenty-four of the persons that gather with them each week for worship; much less the names of any of those who labor for Christ in other churches, either down the street or in other lands. I believe we, like Paul, will not find it hard to raise the money needed to fund our churches when we are as passionate as Paul about the people within our congregations and we celebrate our connection to the other communities of faith supporting the work of Christ.
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
19-Dec-11 Rom. 16:17-27
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