Reflections: Resumes often conclude with a general statement of one’s hobbies or other interests. It helps to give a flavour for the roundedness of a person’s life, their passions. Paul concludes his short resume with another pair, dying and living. Our English translations often miss the full force of what Paul regards as his present experience by translating the phrase ‘the dying of Jesus’ as the ‘death of Jesus’. We naturally then think of Jesus’ death on the cross. However, Paul had a much broader idea in mind – Jesus’ whole earthly
life. Jesus’ whole life from incarnation to resurrection was one of many, many ‘little’ deaths that led to and culminated in the one ‘big’ death. Paul’s passion was to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, little deaths and all. But the incredible thing is that the ‘big’ death that should have ended Jesus’ life did not! And therefore Paul’s ‘dying’ has purpose, he is able to show how Jesus’ living has flowed to him too.
Questions: How might Paul’s resume in 2 Corinthians 4 mirror Jesus’ story in Philippians 2? How would your resume read if you were to rewrite the final paragraph to be like Paul’s?
Prayer: Gracious Father, you took Jesus
from the grave and drew the sting of death. In rising to life Jesus opened the floodgates of heaven and delights in sharing your gifts with us. May my life be so allied to Jesus that while I walk with his ‘dying’ I am infused with his ‘living’. Amen.