LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 363

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THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 363

ing can bear obvious and eerie resemblance to the situation in
Corinth. Pastors should continue regularly to teach their congrega-
tions about the need for unity, mutual love, and forgiveness at the
congregation’s sacrament of unity.

B. Pastors as Stewards of the Mysteries

The Pastor in t Corinthians

We may turn now to address specifically one of the chief con-
cerns expressed in 1998 Resolution 3-05, the role of pastoral over-
sight in the administration of the Lord’s Supper. A superficial read-
ing of | Corinthians |1 finds no explicit mention of pastoral
oversight. Paul simply addresses the members of the house
churches directly: “Let a person examine himself. . . .”

Were there pastors in the house churches of Corinth? A strong
case can be argued in the affirmative, for we know what the apos-
tolic practice was: “appoint elders in each city” (Titus 1:5; cf.
1 Timothy 3; Acts 14:23). Moreover, some of the names of these
men may actually appear in | Cor. 16:17~18: “And I rejoice at the
coming of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because these
men filled up your need. For they refreshed my spirit and yours.
Therefore, acknowledge men such as these.”

Nevertheless, Paul speaks directly about none of these
Corinthian pastors or elders in his dealings with the Christians there
because the apostle himself is the one exercising pastoral oversight
in the troubled situation. He is their one “‘father” in Christ (1 Cor.
4:15-16), and both of the canonical Corinthian epistles reflect the
apostle’s urgent need to call the Corinthians back to a joyful ac-
knowledgment of and submission to Paul’s own apostolic teaching
and authority. We may find insight, then, into the exercise of pas-
toral oversight regarding the congregation’s sacrament of unity by
examining the apostle’s own approach. | Corinthians reflects a pas-
tor dealing with members of his own congregation regarding both
the “direct” abuse of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:17—34) as well
as moral errors and doctrinal aberrations.*’

“Stewards of the Mysteries” in Context

“Let a person thus regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards
of God’s mysteries; here finally it is sought among stewards that
one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:1—2). Paul’s well-known words
contain a two-fold emphasis that reflects both his calling as an
apostle and the heart of pastoral ministry and service. On the one
hand, Paul and other Christian teachers such as Apollos and Cephas
(cf. | Cor. 3:21) are only servants and unimportant in themselves.
“What then is Apollos? And what then is Paul? Servants through
whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one. . . .There-
fore neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but the one who gives growth is God” (1 Cor. 3:7).

On the other hand, Paul, the Corinthians’ spiritual father, is a
servant of Christ and a steward of God's mysteries. The only opin-
ion regarding his faithfulness that matters is God’s opinion. And
so Paul—apostle, servant of Christ, steward of God’s mysteries,
and pastor to his “children”—spends the entire first three chapters
leading up to | Cor. 4:1 correcting the Corinthians. He chides them
tor their factions, for their worldly wisdom, for their failure spiri-
tually to discern the gifts of God’s Spirit, and for their prolonged
period of spiritual infancy. The pastor does not leave his congre-
gation in its error. Rather, he lovingly yet firmly teaches them the
truth and calls them back to the “foolishness” of the Gospel in both
their doctrine and their behavior.

The goal of such spiritual service and stewardship is that the
Corinthian Christians would continue to know and more deeply to
appreciate Christ and Htm crucified, so that their faith would not be
in human wisdom, but in God’s power (1 Cor. 2:2, 5). The
Corinthians indeed are “the church of God which is in Corinth,
made holy in Christ Jesus, called saints,” to whom the grace of God
has been given and who have been enriched in every way in Christ

(1 Cor. 1:2, 4-5). Nevertheless, their spiritual father must correct
them, and as Christ’s servant and the steward of God’s mysteries he
must show them how they are not apprehending God’s wisdom
hidden in mystery (1 Cor. 2:7). The foundation laid (for there can
be no other) is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). But the task is now one of
building and to that task Paul the pastor sets his hand in 1 Corinthi-
ans as Christ’s servant and steward of the Gospel’s mysteries. Paul
preaches the Law and the Gospel, corrects error, encourages, and
rebukes. He leaves no stone unturned, no error left in its darkness.
He writes with love and with firmness.

This is the pastoral approach of Paul with regard to his own
congregations, his own “members.” When addressing the abuses
found in the context of their eucharistic assembly, he speaks di-
rectly to those abuses. But he patiently speaks also to other prob-
lems, calling the Christians to repentance and assuming that they
will respond:

I will come to you when I go through Macedonia, for I am going

through Macedonia, and perhaps I will remain or even winter with you,

in order that you may send me on my way, wherever I am going. For [
do not wish now to see you in passing, for I hope for some time to re-

main with you—if the Lord permits. (1 Cor, 16:5-7)

Other New Testament passages reflect the same character of the
apostolic and pastoral office with its general oversight. In Acts
20:28 this same apostle gives charge to the elders of the churches in
the area of Ephesus. The elders bear a two-fold responsibility:
shepherding and nurturing the flock, and at the same time defend-
ing the flock from ravenous false teachers (cf. Matt. 7:15) who at-
tempt to wreak havoc both from without and from within.

Pay attention to yourselves and to the flock, among which the Holy

Spirit has placed you as overseers to shepherd God’s church which he

made his own possession through his own blood. I know that after my

departure fierce wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock, and
from you yourselves men will arise who speak perverse things so as to
draw away disciples after them. Therefore, watch. . . . (Acts 20:28-31a)

The writer to the Hebrews also reflects this common biblical
conviction that God has set pastors among His people to care for
them and to kecp watch over their spiritual condition:

Obey those who Iead you and submit, because they themselves are

keeping watch on behalf of your souls as those who give an account, in

order that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for this

would be hurtful for you. (Heb. 13:17)

From this brief glance at the context of 1 Cor. 4:1—2 and several
other passages of Scripture we may conclude the following. Paul’s
practice and admonition in | Corinthians 11 is only one manifesta-
tion of the larger reality. He deals with erring or wayward mem-
bers of congregations over which he exercises apostolic and pas-
toral oversight. Because this is the case, Paul deals patiently with
their errors as one who seeks both to rebuke and to nurture. The
Corinthians have not separated themselves from Paul’s authority,
and so he is patient. He shows us how a parish pastor should pro-
ceed in dealing with his own members. Abuses of and misunder-
standings about the Lord’s Supper must be addressed. Other mat-
ters also should receive attention, to be sure. But as long as they
are “his” members, Paul realizes that their understanding and spir-
itual formation will at times reflect their spiritual immaturity.

Application for modern pastoral practice is evident and impor-
tant. No pastor should subject the members of his own congrega-
tion to an exhaustive “theological examination” as evidence of
worthiness to commune. Rather, the pastor teaches and exhorts to
right faith and understanding with regard to the Eucharist. When
other problems, misundcrstandings, and errors arise, the pastor
deals with them patiently, yet firmly. The steward of God's mys-
teries gives careful attention lest his members create or maintain
sinful divisions or distinctions that contradict the purposes of the
Lord’s Supper. He teaches the Christians entrusted to his care and
guidance to “discern the body.” He also deals with other errors and
aberrations as they arise, firmly yet with patient love.

2001 Convention Workbook