For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.... Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.... So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.  

--1 Corinthians 3:4-8, 16-17, 21-23 (New International Version)

 One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs. You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you."  --Luke 17:20-21

 

 

 

Boston Trinity Academy's Dean of Students, Mr. Davis Franklin, taught about ancient writings and culture as part of his Chapel message Wednesday morning. He referenced ancient Greek writing, including the New Testament as well as others, and discussed the trouble with translations in texts such as 1 Corinthians 3 and Luke 17.

The word used in 1 Corinthians 3:16 and Luke 17:21 means "within." Why, then, is it frequently translated "among" or "in your midst"?

The Corinthian church was a divided church. Many of the divisions were superficial, Mr. Franklin explained, and there is peril in internal strife. Unity is strength; division is dangerous. Paul's message to these factious Corinthians was to be humble; don't instigate division, because "you all" are the temple of God. Not "you," as individuals, but "you all." Together. United.

Mr. Franklin then directed the attention of Chapel goers to the Boston Trinity community. "There is no greater mission field than your own community," he said. "Are you making the community better?" He admonished his audience that none of us are able to do anything in our own strength. "Only through the power of Christ can you build community," he said. "The two metaphors Paul uses for community are 'body' and 'temple'." He warned that if we aren't intentional about building, the community will deteriorate, just as a neglected house will eventually decay.

Mr. Franklin closed by challenging his audience, "Your goal here should be to thrive and flourish as a community, not just to flourish as an individual."