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'Prosperity a Part of the Atonement': an Interpretation of 2 Corinthians

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'Prosperity a Part of the Atonement': an Interpretation of 2 Corinthians Page 1 of 8 Original Research ‘Prosperity a part of the atonement’: An interpretation of 2 Corinthians 8:9 Author: This article investigates the claim made by some Pentecostal preachers that prosperity is part 1 Abiola Mbamalu of the atonement. The biblical basis that such preachers present for their claim is a specific Affiliation: understanding of 2 Corinthians 8:9. The phrase, δια υμας, is sometimes translated ‘for your 1Department of Biblical sakes’ or ‘because of you’, and the verse is understood by these preachers as indicative of Studies and Ancient the vicarious nature of the poverty of Jesus. A reading of the Greek text of 2 Corinthians Languages, North-West 8:9, however, does not lend itself to this interpretation. Furthermore, Paul’s act of soliciting University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa for funds to help the poor saints in Jerusalem makes the claim that prosperity is part of the atonement quite unwarranted by the text. Correspondence to: Abiola Mbamalu Intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary implications: The contextual perspective this work is challenging is the Neo-Pentecostal interpretation of 2 Corinthians 8:9 that prosperity is Email: part of the atonement. This research discountenances such understanding and affirms the abiola_uzoamaka@hotmail. com traditional view that the scope of the atonement of Christ does not imply financial abundance. The atonement of Christ, however, does have financial implications, for it has brought about Postal address: a new community that cares for its members. Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa Introduction Dates: Received: 02 Feb. 2015 Atonement Accepted: 10 Aug. 2015 Discourses on atonement in literature have often revolved around the issues of the various Published: 03 Nov. 2015 theories of atonement. Discussion could also sometimes centre on the issue of the extent of How to cite this article: atonement: whether it is universal, or restricted only to the elect. This is the staple one usually Mbamalu, A., 2015, finds in monographs on systematic theology. Germane to the discussion of the extent of the ‘“Prosperity a part of atonement is the question: What did Jesus atone for? Scholars and believers are unanimous in the atonement”: An interpretation of 2 their view that Jesus atoned for sins, for atonement is generally understood to refer to the ‘work of Corinthians 8:9’, Verbum et Jesus in putting right the human situation in relation to God’ (Tuckett 1992:518). Ecclesia 36(1), Art. #1418, 8 pages. http://dx.doi. Erickson (1998:852) observes that in addition to the traditional belief that ‘Christ’s death was to org/10.4102/ve.v36i1.1418 remove the effects of sin, that is, guilt and condemnation, a new emphasis has emerged in the Copyright: twentieth century’. Situating this new emphasis within the Pentecostal movement, particularly © 2015. The Authors. within Neo-Pentecostal or charismatic circles between the eighties and the nineties, Erickson Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is observes that greater emphasis is placed on miracles of healing than in other forms of Christianity. licensed under the Creative The theological foundation of this teaching is said to be the atonement: ‘… healing, no less than Commons Attribution forgiveness of sins and salvation, is to be found within the atonement. Christ died to carry away License. not only sin, but sickness as well’ (Erickson 1998:853). Erickson (1998:857) notes that the view that Christ’s death brings about healing arises from the understanding that the origin of illness in the world is the Fall. It is therefore reasoned that if Christ died to reverse the effect of the Fall, healing as well as forgiveness of sins, is part of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He goes on to discuss the texts pivotal for the view of healing as part of the atonement and concludes that healing is not necessarily a part of the atonement. Erickson’s discussion of the view that healing is not part of the atonement is equally applicable and relevant to the newer understanding that later emerged, namely, prosperity is part of the atonement. This new emphasis on prosperity has emerged within the same rubric of Pentecostalism and particularly in its Neo-Pentecostalism mode. Though this teaching has a global context, in this article the focus shall only be on its local understanding among some Nigerian preachers. For this reason, this article shall investigate three Nigerian preachers’ depiction of prosperity as part Read online: of the atonement. Two of these preachers have churches in most countries of Africa and therefore Scan this QR exercise influence well beyond their immediate local Nigerian context. In addition, the influence code with your smart phone or of these preachers in Nigeria extends beyond their immediate churches given the prevalence of mobile device Pentecostal and charismatic discourse in church life in Nigeria. It is safe to surmise then that the to read online. impact of this teaching on many Christians in Africa may be quite significant. The significance http://www.ve.org.za doi:10.4102/ve.v36i1.1418 Page 2 of 8 Original Research of the teachings of these preachers for Nigeria is increased ministry with the aim of having the Corinthians understand by the fact that these preachers were well acquainted with him and express their love for him more openly and sincerely. the revival that broke out in the Nigerian campuses in the seventies and therefore started life as Christians with the Chapter 8 marks a departure from the previous discussion in holiness emphasis. chapter 7, which was about Titus’ positive impression of the Corinthians’ love for Paul. Yet the rhetoric is, however, not Pentecostalism and Neo-Pentecostalism in strictly a departure, for Paul is using the good impression Nigeria made on Titus and his own restored confidence in them to urge them to give practical expression to their earlier The point of departure for this article is taken from the 1970 commitment to give to the Jerusalem saints. The scenario is revival that broke out in the Nigerian Universities (Ojo 1986), better captured by noting the last verses of chapter 7: for it is the immediate antecedent for Neo-Pentecostalism in Nigeria. This revival was the third epoch in charismatic … we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, manifestations in the country (Kalu 2008:88) and it had its because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as emphasis on Jesus as saviour, sanctifier, healer, baptiser everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you and soon coming king, while its praxis was characterised to Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you by an ascetic lifestyle (Marshall 2009:71). The link between is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, the transition and transformation from classical Pentecostal receiving him with fear and trembling. I am glad I can have ascetic lifestyle to Neo-Pentecostal flamboyant lifestyle is complete confidence in you. (Cor 7:13b–16) Benson Idahosa, as Kalu (2008) puts it so succinctly: by the 1980s, his theology was developing some of the themes This sets the context for what was to follow. In an honour- from T.L.Osborn as Idahosa waxed strong with prosperity shame context of the Corinthians, it was almost impossible to motifs that sounded like music in the ears of those who had just disappoint someone who had expressed so much confidence come out from the civil war. (p. 91) in one as Paul has just done. As Malina and Neyrey (1991:26) make clear, ‘honor is linked with “face” (“saving face”) and The prosperity motif has run through a whole gamut of “respect”’. At stake is how others see us, and so, how we principles: ‘positive confession leads to possession’, sowing see ourselves’. The appeal to honour is also implicit in Paul’s seeds especially to the ‘man of God’ (Asamoah-Gyadu setting up the Macedonians as a model for the Corinthians to 2005:401; Marshall 2009:79), however, the theological matrix emulate. Belleville (1996) makes a similar observation: for the motif is the understanding that prosperity is part of Paul uses interchurch competition to spur the Corinthians toward the atonement. This is well articulated by Gifford (1998): Christlike maturity … .he also uses their fear of losing face before other churches to motivate them to give: ‘I am sending the brothers According to the Faith Gospel, God has met all the needs of in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not human beings in the suffering and death of Christ, and every prove hollow’ (9:3); ‘if any Macedonians come with me and find Christian should now share the victory of Christ over sin, you unprepared, we – not to say anything about you – would be sickness and poverty. A believer has a right to the blessings of ashamed of having been so confident’ (9:4). (pp. 43–44) health and wealth won by Christ, and he or she can obtain these blessings merely by a positive confession of faith. (p. 39) The rhetoric of giving in 2 Corinthians 8 While some scholars (Gifford 1998; Togarasei 2011) have This chapter opens on a note of commendation for the looked at the impact of the prosperity gospel on the society, a Macedonian churches for their liberality in giving to the literary cum theological analysis of the bedrock of the gospel Jerusalem saints’ project, by means of this, Paul sets them up is lacking in literature. This is what this article is out to do: it as a model for the Corinthian church.
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