Paul and Suffering: Part 2

Introduction

In Part 1 of this series, I introduced Paul’s theology of suffering. Much of that article was spent on the definition of suffering and Paul’s own personal experiences. To continue this discussion, it is important to look at two more parts, Paul’s thoughts on the suffering of others and how Christians are supposed to imitate Christ and Paul.

Paul on the Suffering of Others

Paul did not only speak about his experiences but also spoke about the suffering of other Christians, whom he often warned, encouraged, or praised about the suffering they would or had experienced. Such an example is found in Romans 8:35-39 which speaks about God’s elect and how they cannot be separated from God by suffering or different powers and authorities on earth. The suffering Paul describes is, “trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” (Rom 8:35) Paul then quotes Psalm 44 writing, “As it is written, ‘For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”’ (Rom 8:36) This is meant to add to the previous list of sufferings.<1>

Paul also spent a significant amount of time in Philippians discussing the suffering of the Philippian church. In Philippians 1:19-30, Paul is encouraging the Philippians in their response to their opponents, encouraging them to remain faithful and not be intimidated. What is particularly interesting about this passage is how Paul purposefully leaves suffering towards the end, which Reumann argues highlights suffering as being as much of a blessing as believing and describes it as “an even higher privilege”.<2> It is also noteworthy that in this instance, Paul sees their suffering as a grace, or gift, given by God, and as Fee writes, “it is rather evidence that ‘God looks upon you with favor’”<3> Though these are only two of the several passages in which Paul describes the suffering of other believers<4>, they present a clear picture of Paul’s view on the suffering of believers as a whole.

Paul on Imitating Christ/Himself

What may be surprising to some, is the tie between imitating Christ/Paul and suffering. By looking at a few different passages, we will attempt to answer what exactly Paul meant by imitation.<5> In 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, after Paul thoroughly contrasts himself with the Corinthians and displays the treatment of the apostles, he instructs the Corinthians to imitate himself. Paul says to them, “I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.” (1 Cor 4:16-17) Paul is specifically calling the Corinthian church to imitate him in his ways in Christ.

But what does Paul mean by “my ways”? These ways are, in part, how Paul suffers for the cause of Christ. A few verses before, Paul had listed off an entire list of suffering and persecution. Spencer writes, “Paul’s suffering is both the content and the methodology of his teaching.”<6> What Paul seems to be meant by “my ways” is how he lives his life. Paul is using himself as an example of how they ought to live, or at least the attitude of which they should have. Paul is demonstrating how believers ought to live sacrificially and be willing to take on suffering. For example, Paul refused to be supported by some groups if it helped grow the kingdom.<7> (1 Cor 9:11-12) Paul is not saying that ministers can never take support, or should not take support, but that ministers must be willing to sacrifice if it helps grow the kingdom. Paul also describes himself as undergoing suffering for the comfort of the Corinthians.<8> (2 Cor 1:5-6) The picture we are given of Paul’s ministry is one painted by his suffering and willingness to sacrifice for Christ.

Paul gives us a couple of examples of imitation in Romans. In  Romans 8:29, he writes, “because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Though Paul does not use the language of “imitation” he describes believers as being in the “image” of Christ. This implies imitating or being like Christ. Longenecker argues that this is giving assurance that those who love God are becoming more like Christ through what God allows to happen in their lives on earth, with the eventual end of being glorified.<9> Harvey too argues that being conformed is not only about our final state in heaven, but it is also about our change in this life partly through suffering.<10>

Another passage in which Paul does not use the exact phrase “imitation” is the hymn in Philippians 2. In 2:5 Paul tells the Philippians to have the same attitude as Christ. Just as Paul called his readers to imitate him in “his ways” so we are to imitate Christ in attitude and action, though not necessarily in dying on the cross. They are supposed to have a humble attitude, which is mentioned in 2:1-4, as Christ also was humble. In this hymn, Paul demonstrates the humility of Christ through the story of Christ coming to earth and dying on the cross.<11> What is important, for our purposes, about humility is to the extent that Christ humbled himself. Paul writes, “He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death —even death on a cross!” (Phi 2:8) The humility that Christ demonstrated was not merely treating others well or obeying God in minor areas of life; it was submitting to the point of suffering and dying for God and others. Though this passage is focused more on humility than suffering, we are still given an example of how imitating Christ not only can lead to suffering, but the imitation itself can be suffering.

Paul displays how to imitate Christ in his own life through suffering in Philippians 3:10. Paul writes how he shares in Christ’s sufferings and he connects his conformity, which suffering is a part of, to the future resurrection.<12> This suffering includes even death, but Paul does note later on in 4:13 that he can endure through Christ, and that endurance imitates Christ as well.<13> Paul also calls the readers to follow his example in Philippians 4:9. He writes, “And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Phi 4:9) Paul is calling the readers to practice what they have learned and seen from Paul. This is a call back to 3:17 where Paul instructs them to imitate him. This, however, is not merely in doctrinal matters, but Paul wants them to imitate him in a certain way of life.<14>

This series will be continued in the next article. The final part of the series will tie together Paul’s thoughts on suffering and imitation into his theology of suffering. After overviewing that theology, we will look at what this means for the modern church and how we should respond to suffering.

NOTES

Fee, Gordon D. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1995.

Gorman, Michael J. Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul & His Letters. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2017.

Harvey, John D. "The "With Christ" Motif In Paul's Thought." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 1992: 329-340.

Holloway, Paul A. Philippians: A Commentary. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2017.

Longenecker, Richard N. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005.

Reumann, John Philippians: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Spencer, William David. "The Power In Paul's Teaching (1 COR 4:9-20)." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 1989: 51-61.

<1>           Richard N. Longenecker,

The Epistle to the Romans.

(Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005), 710. <2>          Reumann, 292. <3>           Gordon D. Fee,

Paul's Letter to the Philippians.

(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1995), 146. <4>           For further passages on the suffering of other believers, look at 1 Thes 2:14-16, 3:1-7; 2 Tim 1:8-12, 2:1-13. <5>           Though we will not delve into these passages, the idea of imitation is also mentioned in 1 Cor 11:11, Eph 5:1-2, Phi 3:17, and 4:9. <6>           Spencer, “The Power In Paul's Teaching”, 57. <7>           Ibid. <8>           Ibid, 59. <9>           Longenecker,

Romans,

693. <10>         John D. Harvey, "The "With Christ" Motif In Paul's Thought." (

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

, 1992): 335. <11>         Fee,

Philippians,

160; Paul A. Holloway,

Philippians: A Commentary

. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2017), 115. <12>         Harvey, “‘With Christ’ Motif”, 337. <13>         Gorman,

Apostle of the Crucified Lord

, 516. <14>         Holloway,

Philippians: A Commentary

, 184.