1 Corinthians 4:14-20 – 7/23/2026
I am not writing this to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel. I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me.
1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (NRSVue)
Paul can be an asshole. When he chastises a church in a letter, he often uses language and tone that is meant to induce guilt and is sometimes manipulative. He can come across as manipulative, petty, and defensive. Paul has been blamed for much bad theology that has troubled the church throughout its history. I would also blame his tone when correcting churches for a great deal of bad behavior on the part of Christians who take his writing as normative. It is as if Paul gives Christians, especially Christian leaders, permission to be petty, manipulative, and defensive as well. In today’s passage Paul uses guilt while at the same time saying that he’s not trying to make his readers feel guilty. He appeals to being the Corinthians’ “father” in the gospel in order to persuade them to follow his example. It comes across poorly. We would do well to not follow Paul’s example in how we offer criticism and correction to others.
Paul does not always write and offer correction in this way. Other times when he is correcting a church, he uses arguments that point to the superiority of his position, instead of resorting to guilt and manipulation. See, as an example, his nuanced approach to eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 10. There he appeals to reason and shared values in a way that allows the reader to choose for themselves how best to live out their discipleship according to their own conscience.
When I say that Paul can be an asshole, I do not want to diminish his important contributions to theology and practice through beautiful writing and clear testimony to his hope in the Gospel. It is important to keep in mind, however, that even as an Apostle, Paul is merely human and not perfect. We should read Paul with a critical mind and a nuanced ear so that we can learn the important truths he teaches while not being distracted or misled by this imperfections and mistakes.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for 7/23/2026:
1 Kings 1:28-37
1 Corinthians 4:14-20
Psalm 119:129-136
Reflections of a Dionysian Lutheran, comments on the daily readings of the Revised Common Lectionary by Justin Marquis
Dionysus on a Bike 
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