In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul makes an ominous statement:  “the grief of the world produces death.”  Christian interpreters have often taken this to mean that certain kinds of “worldly” grief (despair, bitterness, self-pity) are sinful and lead to spiritual death.  In fact, this passage was a key prooftext for early Christian theologians who included “sadness” or “despondency” among their “seven deadly sins.”

Looking at Paul’s first-century context suggests an alternative interpretation.  Ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish writers, sages, and physicians saw psychological distress as deadly serious, an affliction that could disrupt both body and mind and even threaten a person’s life.  Read in this light, Paul is not blaming those who suffer from psychological distress for their “sin” but rather recognizing the seriousness of their suffering.  This presentation will end by turning to modern-day applications of this research for Christians wrestling with mental health challenges.

Clair Mesick is Assistant Professor of Religion at Calvin University.  She is a scholar of the New Testament and early Christian origins, focusing especially on Paul, the Corinthian correspondence, early church conflict, and the interrelated topics of health, illness, psychology, and the emotions (grief, distress, "madness") in the ancient world.  Her monograph, Paul and his Rivals: Apostleship and Antagonism in the Corinthian Correspondence, was published by De Gruyter in August 2024.

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