A matter of image (II Cor. 11)

Traditional oral cultures pack a great deal of wisdom into pithy sayings, short stories, brief and memorable fables. The folk hero of the Turks, Nasrettin Hoca, was a humorist whose very tomb is one last joke -- a strong, well-made gate, with a stout padlock -- and no walls. The beloved Hoca, however, is remembered for his penetrating insight into humanity and our foibles. For example:

Once, the Hoca was invited to a feast. He'd been hard at work, and didn't have time to change out of his work clothes. The fashionable glitterati did not even deign to notice this invited guest. So the Hoca went home, changed into his best robe, and returned. He was welcomed to the table, and proceeded to feed the choicest delicacies to his robe. "Try this, dear robe, it's excellent," he'd say, and slip another item up a sleeve.

"Hoca, have you gone crazy? Why are you talking to your robe? Why are you feeding your robe?"

"Well, why not? It's obvious that the robe was invited to this feast, not me!"

Things are not always what they seem. The friendly people knocking at your door may intend you eternal harm. The sophisticated emissaries from an ancient religion, who only want to help you attain a better version of your salvation, might be marketing something else, indeed. Let's look at a few sentences:

2Co 11:13 Bu tür adamlar sahte elçiler, düzenbaz işçiler, kendilerine Mesih'in elçisi süsü verenlerdir.
2Co 11:14 Buna şaşmamalı. Şeytan da kendisine ışık meleği süsü verir.
2Co 11:15 Ona hizmet edenlerin de kendilerine doğruluğun hizmetkârları süsü vermesi şaşırtıcı değildir. Onların sonu yaptıklarına göre olacaktır.
2Co 11:16 Yine söylüyorum, kimse beni akılsız sanmasın. Öyle sanıyorsanız, akılsız birini kabul eder gibi de olsa beni kabul edin ki, ben de biraz övüneyim!
2Co 11:17 Söylediklerimi Rab'bin söyleyeceği gibi değil, akılsız biri gibi, bu övüngen tavırla söylüyorum.

Let's look at a few words:

• süs -- ornament, decoration
• süsü vermesi -- to pose as, to pass oneself off as[1]
• Şeytan da kendisine ışık meleği süsü verir -- Satan / even / himself / light / angel / poses as 

One way we can tell the false prophets is their overweening pride in themselves, and in their own appearance.[2] Paul does go on to list other tests, in this chapter and the next. Satan can appear as an angel to decieve the children of men. And his emissaries can look like the best people. As I used to exhort my son Gregory[3], "My son, be alert. The world needs more lerts." 

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[1] America used to be a very color-conscious society -- but a lot of "traffic" happened among the races. Among the black community, some were not as black as their mothers. In fact, some could even pass for white. When the Democrats who ruled rural southern counties tried to keep their black neighbors from voting, sometimes a man who "could pass" would find out where the registration desk was hidden. And a line of black citizens would show up at a bank vault, for example ... 

[2] a few lines from John Bunyan's allegory Pilgrim's Progress come to mind:

Faithful. Why, at first, I found myself somewhat inclinable to go with the man, for I thought he spake very fair; but ...
Christian. And how then?
Faithful. Then it came burning hot in my mind, whatever he said, and however he flattered, when he got me home to his house, he would sell me for a slave. 

[3] Gregory is a name derived from the Greek verb that means "be watchful. Keep watch. Be vigilant. Be alert." It's the last word in Mark 13.

A rigged game (II Cor. 10)

There's no pleasing some people. Folks who wish to denigrate others, in this sad, fallen, world, can always find grounds to do so. If no substantive grounds exist, folks will make up imaginary standards that they themselves meet, but that you did not realize you were falling short of.

Paul's competitors faulted his lack of urbane, smooth, sophistication. Paul was a plain-spoken guy. In fact, his epistles are some of the easiest reading in the NT. Inside their own little mutual congratulation clubs, the judaizers reigned supreme. Yet, as Paul told them in his day, and us today, that means little:

Kendi kendilerini tavsiye eden bazılarılyla kendimizi bir tutmaya ya da karşılaştırmakla akılsızlık ediyorlar.

A few words:

• Kendi -- self
  
• tavsiye -- recommendation, commendation, advice
  
• akılsızlık -- unwise

Those who compete for the favor of those whose self-image depends on withholding it are in a rigged game, one they can't win. As a famous American wit said, upon being turned down for membership in a country club, "I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have me for a member!"

Paul pointed to the actual results of his work -- including the Corinthian church itself, and pointed out that, in the final analysis, it's not those who praise themselves who win at life, but those who hear the Lord's praise, His "Well done, good and faithful servant."

O Lord, grant that we may work for your praise alone, and not give the time of day to those who would belittle us for their own satisfaction!

Sowing and reaping (II Cor. 9)

We return to one of the major themes of this epistle in this chapter. Paul was holding the Corinthians upside down by the ankles, shaking vigorously, and collected the coins that clattered out of their pockets. This was a fund-raising letter.

Here' is one of his more convincing arguments:

2Co 9:6 Şunu unutmayın: Az eken az biçer, çok eken çok biçer.
2Co 9:7 Herkes yüreğinde niyet ettiği gibi versin; isteksizce ya da zorlanmış gibi değil. Çünkü Tanrı sevinçle vereni sever.

Tonight's words:

• Şunu unutmayın -- This / do not forget
  
• Az eken -- scanty, niggardly, grudgingly / to sow
  
• biçer -- reaps
  
• çok -- greatly, lavishly, abundantly
  
• Çünkü Tanrı -- Because God
  
• sevinçle -- with loving gladness. The Greek word here, ἱλαρὸν , is the root of the English word hilarious.
  
• vereni -- (to) a giver
  
• sever -- He loves.
  

The most devastating thing a bright kid learns in public school is how to be lazy. How to put forth just enough effort to stay afloat -- which is practically none at all. Take those attitudes and habits into the real world of work, however, and your career track has way too many gaps! In the real world, those who thrive are those who do more than the minimum, more than just enough to "get by." Productive people will always do well.

Poverty and wealth (II Cor. 8)

A metaphor Christians frequently use to explain who Jesus is to them is the novel. Suppose the writer writes himself into the story? Then, those who read the story can learn from that character within the narrative about the character of the Author. With this in mind, consider Paul's meditation on wealth and poverty:

2Co 8:9 Rabbimiz İsa Mesih'in lütfunu bilirsiniz. O'nun yoksulluğuyla siz zengin olasınız diye, zengin olduğu halde sizin uğrunuza yoksul oldu.

A few words:

• lütfunu -- grace, kindness
  
• bilirsiniz -- know. Understand.
  
• yoksulluğuyla --by means of his poverty
  
• zengin --wealth

We adore a God who became poor, who became one of us, who wrote himself into our story, which is actually his-story (history), in order to enrich us with grace, blessings, and eternal wealth beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

Make room! (II Cor. 7)

One of the wealthiest men in America, an evangelical Christian, asked one of the wisest men in America, a Calvinist scholar and writer, what he should do to maximize his influence as a man of both wealth and faith. The scholar suggested that he build, and endow, 100 high-quality Christian high schools in the United States. Get time working for you by investing in future-oriented projects. Work for long-term results.

Unfortunately, the rich man consulted other counselors, men with other ideas. Why wait for kids to graduate, establish themselves in their careers, and shape the culture over the course of decades? Why, with enough money, and my nifty scheme, we could present our message to everyone in America practically overnight!

After the rich man had expended a great deal of his wealth on these instant-result projects, and had nothing to show for them, his family grew alarmed. They took control of the enterprise away from the guy who'd shown such poor judgment.

I think Paul had a similar experience, of hanging on by his fingernails to a project that was jittering and skittering in bizarre directions. The years of effort he had poured into the church at Corinth, and the eternal destinies of its members, were all threatened by snake-oil salesmen with their nifty new schemes. Paul appeals to the personal relationship he had with the Corinthian Christians:

2Co 7:2 Yüreklerinizde bize yer verin. Kimseye haksızlık etmedik, kimseyi yoldan saptırmadık, kimseyi sömürmedik.

Let's look at a few words:

• Yüreklerinizde -- in your hearts. Yürek- (heart) + -ler- (plural sign) + -iniz- (your) + -de (at/on/in)
  
• bize -- to us
  
• yer -- place
  
• verin -- give
  
• Kimseye -- to anyone
  
• haksızlık -- injustice. hak- (justice) + -sız- (without) + -lık (the quality of)
  
• etmedik -- we have not done
  
• yoldan -- the road, the way
  
• saptırmadık -- we have not defiled, spoiled
  
• sömürmedik -- we have not exploited
  

The appeal to personal experience can be powerful. When John Wesley was mobbed, he would speak respectfully to the rioters, asking which of them he had personally injured, which he had personally offended, so that he could make it right. Time after time, he escaped unscathed.

These are the good old days (I Cor. 6)

This title comes from the haunting chorus to Carly Simon's 1972 hit Anticipation. After the singer reflects on the immediate pleasures anticipated, and the uncertainty of the long run, the chorus asserts that things are really wonderful now, and will be so remembered.

Paul seemed to have something similar in mind in his exhortation to the Corninthians:

2Co 6:2 Çünkü Tanrı diyor ki, "Uygun zamanda seni duydum, Kurtuluş günü sana yardım ettim." Uygun zaman işte şimdidir, kurtuluş günü işte şimdidir.

A few words:

• Uygun zamanda seni duydum -- Favorable / at a time / to you / I have listened
  
• Uygun zaman işte şimdidir -- favorable / time / behold / this is
  
• kurtuluş günü işte şimdidir -- of salvation / the day / behold / this is. (The Turkish War of Independence, the crucible that forged the identity of this modern republic, is known to them as Kurtuluş Savaş -- the salvation war.)
  

Invisible means of support (II Cor. 5)

Here's a little bit of American folklore. Once upon a time, everyone knew the difference between a hobo, a tramp, and a bum.

• A hobo was a migrant worker, someone who road freight trains from city to city, following the seasons or the opportunities for short-term work. A century ago, hobos had a distinctive culture, and an elaborate hieroglyphic language. A hobo sign on the white picket fence let other hobos know that the resident could be approached for a free meal, or perhaps a meal in exchange for an hour's worth of work. Another sign warned later travelers of vicious dogs.
• A tramp was a migrant non-worker.
• A bum was a non-migrant non-worker.
  

Of course, as far as the police were concerned, all of these folks were "vagrants." By definition, a vagrant has "no visible means of support." Since he doesn't have a standard job, then he's probably doing something mendacious, underhand or illegal for his daily bread.[1]

Still, as every person of faith knows, it is the invisible things that sustain us through the trials of life.

2Co 5:6 Bu nedenle her zaman cesaretimiz vardır. Şunu biliyoruz ki, bu bedende yaşadıkça Rab'den uzaktayız.
2Co 5:7 Gözle görülene değil, imana dayanarak yaşarız.
2Co 5:8 Cesaretimiz vardır diyorum ve bedenden uzakta, Rab'bin yanında olmayı yeğleriz.

A few words:

• Gözle -- With the eye. Göz (eye) + le (with)
  
• görülene -- that which is seen
  
• değil -- not
  
• imana -- by faith
  
• yaşarız -- we live
  

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[1] More than half of the paper money in circulation in the USA consists of $100 bills. These don't change hands as often as the smaller denominations, and are very valuable in the underworld (criminal enterprises, such as drug dealing) and underground -- the untaxed free / gray market. If you are fortunate enough to know a plumber who will take cash for his work, you will probably be able to spend far less on plumbing repairs, for example.