A case of mistaken identity

Abstract

"I recall the problems I had as a child with my shoes. I would pull with all my might on the laces, with the intention of pulling the shoes tight around my feet. Once the laces were tight, and the shoes were fitting firmly, I would attempt to tie the knots. The problem was that the laces were already tied, for during the previous wearing, the laces had worked loose, and I was able to step out of the shoes, leaving the knots in place. The next wearing of the shoes meant that I would push my feet into the already tied shoes, and pull on the laces. However, my efforts solely achieved a further tightening of the knots which, in time, became so tight that no effort on my part could undo them

The story of the shoes is analogous to prevailing exegeses of 1 Corinthians 5 and 6. Repeated attempts to pull the text tight to fit the conditions in the Corinthian church, have not secured the desired fit, but have instead enhanced problems in understanding Paul’s letter to the church. The text has been left with a number of issues inadequately resolved and the outcome is that the knots of the text have been left in place"