A.1.2 - Agreement and Opinions

Chapter 1.2

Going back to the meat of the chapter, in verse 10 Paul first pleads (parakaleo) with them to "speak the same thing." KJV uses the archaic word "beseech" which really doesn't say anything special to us today. However, Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (which will be a common source in these studies) says it "literally denotes to call to one's side, hence, to call to one's aid. It is used for every kind of calling to a person which is meant to produce a particular effect, hence, with various meanings, such as comfort, exhort, desire, call for, in addition to its significance to beseech, which has a stronger force than aiteo (see Ask)." Therefore, Paul is actually "begging" them. He makes it even more emphatic by doing so "through the name (onomatos) of our Lord (kyrios) Jesus Christ." Vine's again indicates that "name" means more than just what someone is called. It is used "for all that a name implies, of authority, character, rank, majesty, power, excellence, etc., of everything that the name covers."

The word used here for "speak" is also especially significant. It is a form of the verb lego (now, how did that become the name of a children's building-block toy?) which is contrasted with another common verb for "say" which is laleo. Again, Vine's is especially helpful here, defining lego as "primarily, to pick out, gather, chiefly denotes to say, speak, affirm, whether of actual speech or of unspoken thought or of a message in writing." Further, there is a note on the word in Vine's which is even more elucidating: lego refers to the substance or meaning of what is said, laleo refers only to the mechanical words that convey the meaning or the physical act of speaking. The inference here is that "Paul does not ask that they agree with one another in all points, but he pleads for a common basic understanding of the Christian faith. He asks that different judgments not create broken fellowship. The Corinthians were still brethren [adelphoi], yet they needed to be restored to their former condition of full fellowship in Christ" (The Open Bible, NKJV, Notes, p. 1646).

So, how far does this agreement go? Do we all have to mimic one another, using the same cult-like jargon to prove our unity? Is this why we developed dogma out of doctrine? I grew up in a conservative, very liturgically based denomination (we used a liturgy for our services that followed a very distinct pattern and was very organized) and we were indoctrinated at a very young age in the church doctrine. Now, I have nothing against teaching children what is wrong and what is right (I'm an Educator!) but I have since found that some of what they taught was not actually based upon the Bible but on tradition. For example, have you ever compared the list of what some of the major denominations teach for the Ten Commandments against the actual list in Exodus 20? You may find that the second Commandment has been removed and the tenth has been altered in order to fill the gap that is left. What is the second Commandment? "You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6) This is especially problematic to denominations that historically have included icons (statues of historical figures, people who have been elevated in importance) as part of their worship process and those denominations that are descended from them through the Reformation that did not revise the teachings they were brought up on. My point is, I can still fellowship with them based upon our mutual belief in Jesus as the substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of mankind, but I don't have to believe everything they believe, especially if it's just opinion, and I don't have to pass judgment on their opinions either. I'm content to go with the rhema God has given me.