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Paul’s View of Work
Joel S. Gillespie
RegentCollege, Vancouver
Dr. Robert Banks
January 22, 1988
For to me to live is Christ
and to die is gain.
If I am to go on living in the body,
this will mean fruitful labour for me.
The life of the apostle Paul is one overwhelmed by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. By his own testimony, Paul is a “called” person – called as an apostle – and his life is marked, as Beardslee says, by a “complete and self-forgetting devotion”(1) to his apostolic task. It was precisely this special apostolic commission, however, which can make it difficult for the everyday Christian to grasp how to relate the principles inherent in Paul’s apostolic work to the mission and work of the normal Christian. Indeed, Paul has much to say about his own apostolic efforts. But what can be gleaned from his teaching which can encourage the reader in terms of what is commonly called work? Fortunately, there are some direct exhortations from Paul about his everyday work, if not systematic exposition.
In all of his teachings and descriptions about work, Paul assumes that work, i.e. a directed activity or effort, is part and parcel of human life. That Paul sees work in a much more fundamental way than just employment is clear in his teaching about justification. Men generally speaking are going to be busy about something, and this busyness or work is filled with spiritual meaning; that is, the basic reality of man as man before God suggests that his activity will have some kind of reference in that relationship and implication for that relationship. Thus the same words which Paul uses to describe earning a living – ergou and ergadzomai (the noun “work” and the verb “to work”) – are also used in relation to earning righteousness from God.
Indeed, justification as an extended metaphor draws partly from the legal/contractual aspect of everyday work. This is seen in Romans 4:4-5: “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the weekend, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Paul here draws from the common experience of work in order to show how the normal relationship between work and wages does not apply to the relationship between human activity and any ultimate religious value that this activity may have. Human activity in no way puts God under obligation. This is particularly significant in light of man’s tendency to seek self-justification through work – whether this justification has any conscious religious reference point or not. In no way does one’s basic value come from that which is done by way of work (or “works” in a conscious religious sense), for this work can do nothing to secure that which is ultimately meaningful – a right relationship to God.
Likewise, Paul can speak of the deeds or works of darkness, works which are said to be futile (Ephesians 5:11), and which bring about a relationship of enmity with God (Colossians 1:21). All activity which might be called work, in that it is separated from God or done apart from a prior relationship to God, is both futile and full of darkness.
That there is a profound dimension to human activity is clear. All the endeavors of man participate in the cosmic struggle between the kingdom of light and the dominion of darkness. Thus all work done during this eschatological era (i.e. between the cross and resurrection on the one hand, and the final revealing of Christ on the other) has great value; it either is part of that which belongs to the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 3:1) and, as a result, receives true consummation in the revealing of the Lord, or it has its root in the kingdom of the evil one, and thereby can expect to be declared completely futile. What is the work to be done in this age of the Spirit? It is to prepare a bride – a church – for the Lamb of God, which first must be rescued and carried out of the kingdom of darkness through the spread of the gospel of the kingdom of light, and second, be built up and made mature and ready for the coming of Christ.
Paul has much to say about the way in which human activity participates in this great task. He deals with three kinds of activity in particular: his apostolic endeavor, the work of the church, and the realm of the everyday work (in the workplace) of the believer. These will be scrutinized in order following a brief examination of Paul’s understanding of calling.
“Calling,” “called,” and “call” are difficult words to define. Probably the most basic sense of the word group is elucidated in Romans 1:5-7a:
“Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to all people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”
As Fee notes, the meaning of the Greek word “hagois” translated here as “saints,” is best captured by the phrase “God’s holy people.”(2). Thus by divine calling, “believers are God’s new people, who as such are to reflect God’s character.”(3). A Christian is fundamentally a person set apart by God according to his purpose (Romans 8:28), not because of works but because of Him who calls (Romans 9:1). This calling has great implications. For example, the Christian is called to sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:7), to peace (1 Corinthians 7:5), to freedom (Galatians 5:13), to be part of a body (Colossians 3:15), to external life (1 Timothy 6:12), to fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9), and to walk in a manner worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
An understanding of calling is crucial to an understanding of work. For Paul, there is one primary vocation from which all human activity is to proceed. Being part of God’s holy people and all which that entails is to bring new meaning to human activity. This concept of calling is the great leveler, that which puts all Christians on the same footing. The real tasks of the “called” people – to participate directly in the life of the kingdom – are essentially the same regardless of whatever relative freedoms they may have.
There is, however, only one specific vocation which is distinguished, and that is Paul’s apostleship. Twice (1 Corinthians and Romans 1:1), in the salutations of two of his most significant letters, Paul states that he was “…called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ (by the will of God), and set apart for the gospel of God.” Although Paul in other places recognizes the apostleship of some of his co-workers (1 Thessalonians 2:7), he only uses the idea of calling to refer to his own particular ministry, probably to gain authority and acceptance for his teaching(4). So Paul sees himself as set apart for the gospel of God. In a way which is unique, Paul, and his co-workers and fellow apostles are set apart for the proclamation of the gospel and the establishment of churches. Other fellow-workers, who were perhaps less mobile, were able to participate in the long term, settled nurture of the churches. This would have been the case for example with Priscilla and Aquila (Romans 16:3). So there were other apostles, missionary workers, and more settled workers who were in a special way Paul’s co-workers in the gospel. In addition to these particularly designated as co-labourers, are those who devote their lives in a special way to the work of the Lord. Such are Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis who are given unique greetings in Romans. Such also is Stephanas, a leader in the Corinthian church, and others who join in the work and labour there (1 Corinthians 16:16). In addition, elders are those who desire a noble work, and to whom the Christians in the various churches are exhorted to respect and honour in a specific way (1 Thessalonians 5:12).
It is clear from this that there are those uniquely given over to the “work of the Lord” – the proclamation of the gospel and building up of the churches. These people and their activity are in a sense special and worthy of honour. Paul has no reservations in pointing them out. But the “work of the Lord” is by no means limited to these leaders and unique co-workers of Paul. For example, to an entire Corinthian church Paul writes: “You must all work together in prayers for us” (2 Corinthians 1:11). That prayer is work is made clear in a later reference to Epaphras, who is “…always wrestling in prayer for you,” and to Paul who “struggles” in prayer (Colossians 2:1). Paul continually remembers the labor prompted by love of the Thessalonican church. Possibly, the definitive reference to the general work of the Christian is found in 1 Corinthians: “Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians15:58). Thus, each Christian, as a renewed and active man, is to participate in the “work of the Lord.” Gordon Fee writes about the meaning of this task:
“Minimally, it may refer more broadly to whatever one does as a Christian, both toward outsiders and fellow believers; but along with the next word, “labour,” Paul frequently uses it to refer to the actual ministry of the gospel. Probably in their case it covers the range but leans toward the former. That is, there are those kinds of activities in which believers engage that are specifically Christian, or specifically in the interest of gospel”(5).
There is yet another kind of Christian work, commonly referred to by the phrase “good works” or “works of service.” For example, in Ephesians Paul writes: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us” (Ephesians 2:10). And to the Corinthians he writes “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Corinthians 9:9). As was seen earlier, “good works” or deeds performed with a religious motivation to gain merit, are not sufficient to earn God’s favour. However, with a relationship to God established, such works, proceeding from a different motivation, are a crucial aspect of the life of the called person.
One particular kind of human activity is that which is referred to in every-day life as “work.” One “goes to work.” This aspect of work as employment is dealt with by Paul, but it must be seen as only part of the wide range of directed human activity. Granted, for a Roman slave working from dawn to dusk seven days a week, this was the most significant type of activity available to him. Yet even in this case, the long day of labor could have been filled with good works (slaves were usually not solitary), and could have itself been seen as a work devoted to Christ. Paul speaks directly to the existential dilemma of the slave. In 1 Corinthians 7, he addresses the issue of whether one’s calling as a Christian negates the social condition of slavery. No, Paul asserts. “Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you…” (verse 21). At first glance, it seems that Paul is making light of an agonizing situation. He is indeed stating that the social situation (which would indicate the work involved as well) is, in and of itself, irrelevant in itself. But it is only irrelevant in light of the overwhelming fact that the slave has been called by Christ.
Given that he is in that particular situation, the slave is exhorted to obey the earthly master with a sincere heart and with whole-hearted effort, just as if he were obeying Christ Himself (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-5). Being then in the will of God, the slave can have joy in his work for God. The most labourious toil is thereby sanctified by Paul and infused with meaning. But the slave’s service has another profound sense of significance, for as it is done in obedience to Christ, it is work which will be rewarded by the Lord. It is not that the slave’s work is inherently valuable and meaningful, but it takes on those attributes as the slave’s life is caught up in the reality of the risen Christ. Of course, the slave, to the extent that he was able practically, would have been free to participate in the life of the local body. But even “on the job” he would have been able to engage in good works.
In Thessalonica, a different situation developed. Many of the artisans who comprised the church had ceased working; indeed, they have become idle busy bodies! Paul’s directive is strong: “get to work!”, although it is only given after several words of encouragement. This injunction is given for two reasons: first, that these brethren would win the respect of outsiders, and second, that they would not become dependent upon anyone else. In this first sense, responsible work is seen as a type of witness – an indirect participation in the spread of the gospel. In the second sense, it is an act of love; indeed, the context of the command to work is that of brotherly love. Work can thus participate in and contribute to the growth and development of the church.
Paul uses his own work as an example, for he labored night and day not to be a burden on anyone. He puts himself forth as a model, not of a marathon worker, but as one who did not burden others. Here is a principle: work is necessary as a means to provide for one’s own needs. Willful failure to do this places a burden upon others who must therefore sacrifice their own resources for the slothful brother. Paul’s example is therefore one of love.
In his letter to the Ephesians Paul addresses work similarly as in his letter to the Thessalonians, but with a slightly different focus. In context he is exhorting the Ephesians Christians to “put off” one way of life and “put on” another. Specifically in 4:28 he is calling them to put off stealing. Rather, they should work, “doing something useful with his own hands.” Rather than taking from others through stealing Christians are to work to provide for their own needs. But the contrast ultimately is not between stealing and working, but between stealing and giving. As Paul goes on “…that he may have something to share with those in need.” Herein lies another motivation for work in the writings of Paul – love of neighbor expressed through giving. A person who works can care for their own needs and then also give to other who have needs.
Although Paul does not go into great depth in dealing with everyday work situations, he certainly draws significantly from the language of everyday work in describing his apostolic task and the work of the Christian. The words “labor,” “toil,” and “strain,” commonly associated with the activity of slaves and “working class” freedmen, are continually applied to Paul’s work and the work of his co-labourers. This is consistent with the fact that he designates himself as a slave of Christ. Just as Paul attributes kingdom-of-God significance to everyday labors, he also uses the language of the laboring class to flavor the meaning of his own toil as a slave of Christ.
This paper is an attempt to sketch a broad picture of the way the apostle Paul views human activity or human work. Its brevity restricts it from pursuing many avenues which would be worthwhile and interesting. No effort has been made consequently to address contemporary issues concerning work which are not specifically addressed by Paul. Nevertheless, the paper lays the groundwork needed to tackle these questions, and in so doing has proven fruitful for the writer.
Other queries or avenues which the writer would like to investigate are as follows. First, is Paul’s keen desire that his labours for the gospel be fruitful a passion which arises out of Paul’s personality, or does work in some basic sense have to be successful in order to be completely redeemed? Second, does Paul’s emphasis on working with one’s hands make a statement as to a type of work which is inherently fitting for man, or is he merely recognizing that his audience consists of artisans and slaves who already work with their hands (or both)? Third, is the fact that Paul does not address in systematic form the problems of everyday work in and of itself a statement about how Paul views work? Fourth, in what way does human toil reflect the reality of the fall in Pauline theology? Does Paul’s “in Adam all die” have implications in his thinking for day to day work? Fifth, what is the relationship in Paul’s teaching between the issues of work and wealth? Finally, to what degree would Paul see direct missionary labours as a type of ideal work? These are only samples of a long list of questions which could be asked about Pauline thought in this area.
Footnotes
(1) W.A. Beardslee, Human Achievement and Divine Vocation in the Message of Paul (London: SCM Press, 1961), p. 45.
(2) Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: Eadman’s, 1987), p. 33.
(3) ibid., p. 33.
(4) John Calvin, The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (translated by John W. Fraser). (London: Oliver and Boyd, 1960), p. 15.
(5) Fee, p. 808.
Bibliography
Beardslee, W.A. Human Achievement and Divine Vocation in the Message of Paul, London: SCM Press, 1961.
Calvin, John. The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Translated by John W. Fraser. London: Oliver and Boyd, 1960.
Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Eadman’s, 1987.
Malherbe, Abraham J. Paul and the Thessalonians. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987. |
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