This week in the Bible Challenge we take up Second Corinthians.
Relations between Paul and the congregation in Corinth has gone down hill since he wrote First Corinthians. He had mentioned in First Corinthians coming to visit them and it seems like that didn't happen.
Much of Second Corinthians is dealing with issues of emotion and hurt feelings that are not resolved in the letter. That makes the arguments hard to follow sometimes.
Pay attention to chapters 10 to 13 these are a defensive by Paul of himself and his work.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Bible Challenge - First Corinthians
This is another of the letters attributed to Paul that was actually in all probability written by Paul.
The letter describes the issues of a particular local congregation - in this case one in Corinth - right around 55 AD.
Corinth was one of the most important cities in Roman Greece. It was near Athens and Sparta - but it was one of the major trading ports on the Mediterranean. Corinth was a cosmopolitan city. It was made up of people from all over the Roman Empire and a variety of cultures, religions and ideas came together there.
Paul himself carried the message of Christ to Corinth and had done most of the work of establishing the church there. Reading between the lines of the letter it seems as if his later relations with the church had not been smooth - there had been some tension between them.
Much of this letter is focused on dealing with divisions and problems between the people in the community of Christians in Corinth. Paul is answering their questions about a variety of things.
We see in this letter the tension in the first century church (that continues to this day) of how to find the right balance between being enough a part of the culture that people around them were willing to listen to the message of Christ, and being separate enough from the culture that it was clear that they were different and set apart.
Pay attention especially to chapters 1, 13 and 15 for Paul's teachings on the cross, love and resurrection
The letter describes the issues of a particular local congregation - in this case one in Corinth - right around 55 AD.
Corinth was one of the most important cities in Roman Greece. It was near Athens and Sparta - but it was one of the major trading ports on the Mediterranean. Corinth was a cosmopolitan city. It was made up of people from all over the Roman Empire and a variety of cultures, religions and ideas came together there.
Paul himself carried the message of Christ to Corinth and had done most of the work of establishing the church there. Reading between the lines of the letter it seems as if his later relations with the church had not been smooth - there had been some tension between them.
Much of this letter is focused on dealing with divisions and problems between the people in the community of Christians in Corinth. Paul is answering their questions about a variety of things.
We see in this letter the tension in the first century church (that continues to this day) of how to find the right balance between being enough a part of the culture that people around them were willing to listen to the message of Christ, and being separate enough from the culture that it was clear that they were different and set apart.
Pay attention especially to chapters 1, 13 and 15 for Paul's teachings on the cross, love and resurrection
Thursday, September 11, 2014
The Bible Challenge is Back!
Welcome back to the St. Paul's Bible Challenge.
This year we are starting with the Epistles. The word epistle means letter
These are the letters to the earliest congregations of Christians. Most of these letters were written from the earliest leaders of the Church to some of the earliest believers. Because paper was so expensive - and letters were hard to send, the letters tended to be copied and shared with other groups of Christians and read over and over.
Over time some of the letters got read more than others. As the years went on there came to be a "core set" of letters that nearly all the groups of Christians read and another group of letters that only a few groups of Christians read.
Around 330 AD Christianity had become legal and the Emperor and the Bishops both wanted to have a defined set of writings that could be called the Scripture of the Christian Church. Over about 150 years the leaders of the church discussed and debated which of the epistles should be included in the Scripture. By about 500 AD the Scripture was settled and included 21 epistles. These are the books that we are going to be reading this fall.
We are starting with the book of Romans. It is the longest and most influential of the letters attributed to the apostle Paul.
Unlike some of the others, that were in all likelihood written by a student of Paul, sometimes after his death. Romans was probably written (or at least dictated) by Paul himself. It was probably written between 54 and 58 AD to the congregation in Rome.
The focuses of the letter are the world's need for redemption and the saving work of Christ and the new life that results from it. He also touches briefly on the role of the Jewish nation in the plans of God and some ethical teachings.
Pay special attention to the 8th chapter. It has been said that if all of the rest of the Bible was lost, Christianity could be reconstructed from the 8th chapter of Romans.
This year we are starting with the Epistles. The word epistle means letter
These are the letters to the earliest congregations of Christians. Most of these letters were written from the earliest leaders of the Church to some of the earliest believers. Because paper was so expensive - and letters were hard to send, the letters tended to be copied and shared with other groups of Christians and read over and over.
Over time some of the letters got read more than others. As the years went on there came to be a "core set" of letters that nearly all the groups of Christians read and another group of letters that only a few groups of Christians read.
Around 330 AD Christianity had become legal and the Emperor and the Bishops both wanted to have a defined set of writings that could be called the Scripture of the Christian Church. Over about 150 years the leaders of the church discussed and debated which of the epistles should be included in the Scripture. By about 500 AD the Scripture was settled and included 21 epistles. These are the books that we are going to be reading this fall.
We are starting with the book of Romans. It is the longest and most influential of the letters attributed to the apostle Paul.
Unlike some of the others, that were in all likelihood written by a student of Paul, sometimes after his death. Romans was probably written (or at least dictated) by Paul himself. It was probably written between 54 and 58 AD to the congregation in Rome.
The focuses of the letter are the world's need for redemption and the saving work of Christ and the new life that results from it. He also touches briefly on the role of the Jewish nation in the plans of God and some ethical teachings.
Pay special attention to the 8th chapter. It has been said that if all of the rest of the Bible was lost, Christianity could be reconstructed from the 8th chapter of Romans.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Bible Challenge - Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon
This week we read Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.
Ecclesiastes - the name of the book derives from the root that has to do with an assembly or congregation. The name of the author would seem to be something like "leader of the assembly". The book was probably written around 300 BC and the principle theme is laying out what is important and what isn't important in the life of human beings. Many things are "vanity" - futile in other words. But ultimately not even wisdom will save. Main point of the book is the warn us against thinking too highly of our selves or our abilities and to remember the mystery of God's generosity.
The Song of Solomon is a love song. Both Jews and Christians have read to work as a love dialogue not just between a man and a woman but also as a love dialogue between God and God's people - either God and Israel or God and the church.
There is nothing else in the canon of Scripture that is like this book.
This is the end of part 1 of the Bible Challenge. Check back in the fall as we pick up the rest of the Bible.
Ecclesiastes - the name of the book derives from the root that has to do with an assembly or congregation. The name of the author would seem to be something like "leader of the assembly". The book was probably written around 300 BC and the principle theme is laying out what is important and what isn't important in the life of human beings. Many things are "vanity" - futile in other words. But ultimately not even wisdom will save. Main point of the book is the warn us against thinking too highly of our selves or our abilities and to remember the mystery of God's generosity.
The Song of Solomon is a love song. Both Jews and Christians have read to work as a love dialogue not just between a man and a woman but also as a love dialogue between God and God's people - either God and Israel or God and the church.
There is nothing else in the canon of Scripture that is like this book.
This is the end of part 1 of the Bible Challenge. Check back in the fall as we pick up the rest of the Bible.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Bible Challenge - Proverbs
This week we read the book of Proverbs.
The book is actually made up of several different collections.
One is identified with Solomon (this is about the first 9 chapters).
Chapters 10 - 21 are also identified with Solomon although less convincingly
Chapters 22 & 23 are the "words of the wise"
Chapter 24 is called "sayings of the wise"
Chapter 30 is "the words of Agur"
Chapter 31 contains both "the words of Lemuel" and an acrostic poem on what it means to be a good wife.
The work was edited after the exile but some of them may have been written before the exile (a few, maybe, even by Solomon himself)
This is one of the book that features "Wisdom" personified as a woman.
The book is actually made up of several different collections.
One is identified with Solomon (this is about the first 9 chapters).
Chapters 10 - 21 are also identified with Solomon although less convincingly
Chapters 22 & 23 are the "words of the wise"
Chapter 24 is called "sayings of the wise"
Chapter 30 is "the words of Agur"
Chapter 31 contains both "the words of Lemuel" and an acrostic poem on what it means to be a good wife.
The work was edited after the exile but some of them may have been written before the exile (a few, maybe, even by Solomon himself)
This is one of the book that features "Wisdom" personified as a woman.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Bible Challenge - the end of the Psalms
This week we have the last 26 Psalms. We have the end of the songs of Ascents - these are psalms 125 through 134. These are the psalms that were sung as people went up to Jerusalem, for the Passover and for other religious festivals.
Psalm 134 is used at our Compline service - the late night prayer - because it puts a cap on all of the praise of God.
Psalm 137 is a lament that reflects on the time of the captivity in Babylon and other times of trial in the history of Israel.
Most of the rest of the book of Psalms is praise to God.
You may have noticed that the reading sheet tells you to read through Psalm 151 while the Bible you are probably reading ends with Psalm 150. Psalm 151 was a part of the Christian Bible from 350 AD through the 1500's. It was removed from Protestant Bibles when it was discovered that it was not a part of the Jewish Canon of Scripture. It is retained in Roman Catholic Bibles. For Episcopalians it is part of what is called the Aprocypha. Here is the text as it is in Hebrew:
1. Smaller was I than my brothers and the youngest of the sons of my father*
Yet he made me shepherd of his flock and ruler over his kids.
2. My hands have made an instrument and my fingers a lyre;*
And so have I rendered glory to the Lord, thought I, within my soul.
3. The mountains do not witness to him nor do the hills proclaim;*
The trees have cherished my words and the flock my works.
4. For who can proclaim and who can bespeak and who can recount the deeds of the Lord?*
Everything has God seen, everything has he heard and has heeded.
5. He sent his prophet to anoint me, Samuel to make me great.*
My brothers went out to meet him, handsome of figure and appearance.
6. Though they were tall of stature and handsome by their hair,*
The Lord God chose them not.
7. But he sent and took me from behind the flock and anointed me with holy oil*
And he made me leader of his people and ruler over the people of his covenant.
Psalm 134 is used at our Compline service - the late night prayer - because it puts a cap on all of the praise of God.
Psalm 137 is a lament that reflects on the time of the captivity in Babylon and other times of trial in the history of Israel.
Most of the rest of the book of Psalms is praise to God.
You may have noticed that the reading sheet tells you to read through Psalm 151 while the Bible you are probably reading ends with Psalm 150. Psalm 151 was a part of the Christian Bible from 350 AD through the 1500's. It was removed from Protestant Bibles when it was discovered that it was not a part of the Jewish Canon of Scripture. It is retained in Roman Catholic Bibles. For Episcopalians it is part of what is called the Aprocypha. Here is the text as it is in Hebrew:
1. Smaller was I than my brothers and the youngest of the sons of my father*
Yet he made me shepherd of his flock and ruler over his kids.
2. My hands have made an instrument and my fingers a lyre;*
And so have I rendered glory to the Lord, thought I, within my soul.
3. The mountains do not witness to him nor do the hills proclaim;*
The trees have cherished my words and the flock my works.
4. For who can proclaim and who can bespeak and who can recount the deeds of the Lord?*
Everything has God seen, everything has he heard and has heeded.
5. He sent his prophet to anoint me, Samuel to make me great.*
My brothers went out to meet him, handsome of figure and appearance.
6. Though they were tall of stature and handsome by their hair,*
The Lord God chose them not.
7. But he sent and took me from behind the flock and anointed me with holy oil*
And he made me leader of his people and ruler over the people of his covenant.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Bible Challenge: Still more psalms
This week we read Psalm 91 through 125
This means that we read the first of the Psalms of Ascent - Psalms 120 - 134. These were the psalms that the people of Israel sang as they ascended into Jerusalem - they came to be connected with the Passover, when as many people as possible came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.
The best known is probably Psalm 121. "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth"
This is the psalm that promises the presence and the help of God with us as we go.
Try reading the Psalms of Ascent as a unit - imagine yourself chanting them while you walked through the desert to the Holy place of God.
This means that we read the first of the Psalms of Ascent - Psalms 120 - 134. These were the psalms that the people of Israel sang as they ascended into Jerusalem - they came to be connected with the Passover, when as many people as possible came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.
The best known is probably Psalm 121. "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth"
This is the psalm that promises the presence and the help of God with us as we go.
Try reading the Psalms of Ascent as a unit - imagine yourself chanting them while you walked through the desert to the Holy place of God.
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