NT Text: 1 Corinthians 16:13
OT Source(s):
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Echo
Connection Method(s): Analogy + Redemptive-Historical Progression
Significance: Paul's exhortation "be men of courage, be strong" (andrizesthe, krataiousthe) in 1 Corinthians 16:13 echoes the Torah's charge language, particularly Deuteronomy 31:6-7 where Moses exhorts Israel and Joshua: "Be strong and courageous" (chizqu ve'imtsu). The LXX renders this andrizesthe kai ischysate, and Paul's use of andrizesthe and krataiousthe draws from this same semantic field. The original charge marked the transition of leadership as Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land under Joshua; it was repeated to Joshua personally (31:23) and became a foundational exhortation for covenant faithfulness (Josh 1:6-9). Paul applies this wilderness-to-conquest charge language to the Corinthian church, who face their own battles — internal division, doctrinal confusion, and moral compromise. The redemptive-historical progression is significant: the same God who empowered Joshua for conquest empowers the church for its mission, and the same call to faithful courage applies in the new covenant age.