For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
There is every possibility that the charge in this text is inaccurate, and that those who despised Paul did so more for his message than for his manner of delivery. He was educated and had been elevated within the ranks of the Pharisees, which indicates a level of competence in religious instruction.
But let us, for the moment, assume that there is some merit to their accusation. It is really not that terrible a problem.
So what if he was a better writer than speaker? Are not both effective means of communication? Are not both equally essential in the dissemination of truth and understanding?
One serves to instruct an immediate audience. This is essential for imparting knowledge and truth, as well as shaping character and morality. The other serves to preserve that instruction into the future. The ability to communicate beyond the immediate moment is at least one of the differences between man and animal. We not only have the ability to learn from our own experiences, and from those of our parents and teachers, but also from theirs—and even from generations before them.
It takes little thought to see that even if Paul was not the most gifted of public speakers, God did use him in that capacity. But more than that, God continues to use him—because Paul could write.
One is not better than the other.
But I am thankful today that Paul was a writer.
And I am thankful that I am able to benefit from that writing right now.
#WeightyTruth #PowerOfTheWrittenWord #GodUsesWeakness #TruthOverPresentation #ScriptureThatEndures
God Used Paul’s Pen As Much As His Voice: Paul, Criticism, and Lasting Scripture
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