Reading for December 8th

Read Judges 6.1-10
In 6.1-10: Oppression by Midian.
In verses 3-4: Nomadic raiders are devastating the local food food supply.
In verses 7-10: These accusations reflect the indictment delivered at Bochim (2.1-5).
To give heed to the Lord's voice (v. 10) means obey.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 7th

Read Judges 5.28-30
In verses 28-30: With delicious sarcasm, the poet describes Sisera's mother waiting in vain.
Her reference to hoof beats (v. 28) is ironic in light of v. 22.
Her son is not ravishing captive women (v. 30), but has been ravished himself.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 6th

Read Judges 5.19-27

In verse 20-21: The heavenly forces of the divine warrior fight and the Kishon River overwhelms the enemy.

In verse 22: The escaping chariot horses are vividly described.

In verse 23: Both the town Meroz and the incident cited are otherwise unknown.

In verses 26-27: In this version Sisera seems to be standing when attacked (contrast 4.21).

The penetrating tent peg and his fall "between her feet" (NRSV at her feet) probably have sexual implications.

This scene  may be a reversal of the customary rape alluded to in v. 30.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 5th

Read Judges 5.10-18

In 5.10-18: Everyone is to celebrate, both aristocrats who ride and sit on rich carpets and ordinary folk who walk.

Watering places were customary spots for social interaction.

In verses 14-18: Reflecting a stage of tribal affinity earlier than the conventional twelve-tribe system, The poem alludes to ten groups and censures four of them for not participating.

Machir (v. 14) and Gilead (v. 17) appear in place of Manaaseh and Gad.

Judah, Simeon, and Levi are not mentioned at all.

Comments and Questions..

Reading for December 4th

Read Judges 5.1-9
In 5.1-31 The song of Deborah.
In verse 2: Archaic language makes this poem difficult to interpret.
Lock are long may refer to vows of military dedication, similar to Samson's long hair.
In verses 4-5: The poetic format of a "theophany" describes the awe-inspiring approach of the divine warrior (compare Deut 33.2-3).
In verse 6-8: Israel's precarious situation before the victory (vv. 6, 8), is contrasted with the good fortune that followed (v. 7)
Mother Israel (v. 7) is an honorific title signifying authority and leadership.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 3rd

Read Judges 4.12-24
In 4.12-24: Sisera's defeat.
In verse 13: The battle takes place in the plain of the wadi Kishon, west of Mount Tabor.
In verse 15: Panic is a standard weapon of the divine warrior (Josh 10.10).
The circumstances behind this panic are not described (but see 5.20-21).
In verse 16: Barak pursued the chariots, but Sisera feels comfortable seeking refuge with Jael.
In verse 18-19: Jael takes the initiative, going out to invite him in.
The rug and milk sound like courteous hospitality, but encouraging sleep, Jael is setting him up for the kill.
In verse 20: Sisera's request reveals both his unmanly fear and his misplaced confidence in Jael.
In verse 21: Hammering tent pegs would have been routine task for a woman in this culture.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 2nd

Read Judges 4.1-11

In 4.1-11: Deborah and Barak prepare for battle.

In verse 2: Jabin is also named as king of Hazor  in Josh 11.1-11.

In verse 3: Chariots with iron fittings gave a decisive tactical advantage.

In verse 4: Here judging refers to settling disputes, but the verb also means to serve as military leader (3.10).

As a prophetess Deborah delivers messages from the Lord (vv. 6-7, 14).

In verses 6-7: In accordance with holy war tradition, the Lord dictates tactics and gives an assurance of victory.

The territories of Naphatali and Zebulun touch Mount tabor.

In verse 9: Barak is penalized for his fainthearted response.

The reader who assumes that the hand of a woman refers to Deborah is in for a surprise.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 1st

Read Judges 3.12-31
In 12.12-30: Ehud.
In verse 13: The city of palms is Jericho.
In verses 15-16: That Ehud was left-handed lets him hide his short sword (with two edges for stabbing) in an unexpected place on his right thigh.
In verse 20: Eglon rose from his seat, expecting to hear a divine oracle.
In verse 24: Readers would enjoy rough humor at the expense of their enemies.
The delay gives Ehud time to escape and raise a rebellion.
In verse 28: Holding the fords of the Jordan prevented the enemy from escaping back across to Moab.
In verse 31: Sahmgar.
Since 4.1 rfers to Ehud, this myserious figure (compare to 5.6) is not part of the book's system of judges.
Since son of indicates membership in a group or class and Anath was a war goddess, Shamgar may have been a mercenary.
Comments or Questions...

Reading for November 30th

Read Judges 3.7-11

In 3.7-11: Othniel.

In verse 7: Apostasy begins the cyclical pattern set forth in 2.11-19.

The plural Baals and Asherahs denotes the worship of these divinities at multiple local shrines.

Asherah was worshiped as the consort of Baal or Yahweh and represented by a wooden pole (6.25).

In verse 8: Subjugation follows.

Cushanrishathaim is otherwise unknown and sounds like a feature of folklore than history ("Cushan of Double Wickedness").

In verse 9: The pattern is completed by Israel's cry to the Lord and deliverance.

In verse 10: The spirit of the Lord is a force that empowers chosen heroes to perform extraordinary deeds of strength and leadership.

In verse 11: The individual judges are unified by a chronological structure (see also v. 8) that reaches to 1 Kings 6.1.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 29th

Read Judges 2.20-3.6
In 2.20-3.36: The nations left in the land.
In verses 20-23: Israel's failure to complete the conquest was both a punishment (vv. 20-21) and a test of obedience (22. 22-23; 3.1, 4).
In 3.2: Another explanation is offered: They remained to train Israel for war.
In verse 6: Intermarriage unavoidably entangled Israel in Idolatry (Deut 7.3-4).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 28th

Read Judges 2.6-19

In 2.6-19: The cyclical pattern.

In verses 6-9: This statement is a duplicated in Josh 24.28-31.

The dismissal seems to close the assembly described in Josh 24.1-27, thereby skipping back over Judg 1.1-2.5.

In verse 10: In contrast to the elders of v. 7, the ignorance of another generation sets in motion a repeated pattern of events.

In verses 11-13: First Israel would abandon the Lord for other gods.

Baals (vv. 11,13) and the Astartes (v. 13) represent Canaanite religion as a whole (10.6).

In verses 14-15: This would in turn lead to the Lord's anger and oppression by enemies.

In verses 16-18: The Lord would then send judges (military leaders) to deliver Israel.

In verse 19: But each time, the people would revert tot he worship of other gods and begin the cycle again.

Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 27th

Read Judges 2.1-5
In 2.1-5: The angel of the Lord appears.
In verse 1: The angel of the Lord is a manifestation by which the Lord appears directly to humans (6.11;13.3).
The Hebrew word "mal'ak" can also be translated "messenger."
Gilgal, Joshua's former headquarters, abruptly reappears without explanation.
In verses 2-3: Because Israel has failed to keep aloof from the native population (Ex 34.12-13; Deut 7.2, 5), the Lord has implemented the punishment anticipated in Josh 23.13.
In verse 5: This tradition originally explained the name of a sanctuary.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 26th

Read Judges 1.22-36

In 1.22-36: Failures of the northern tribes.

In verses 22-26: The capture of Bethel is the only success reported.

In verses 27-29: This information is duplicated in Josh 16.10; 17.11-13.

These cities did not become part of Israel until the reigns of David and Solomon.

In verse 34: For the saga of the Danites, see Judges 18.

Comments and Questions...

Reading for November 25th

Read Judges 1.1-21
In 1.1-21: Successful conquests by Judah and Simeon.
In verse 1: In contrast to the complete conquest described in Joshua (Josh 11.23; 21.43-45), Judg 1 portrays an ongoing conquest that continued after the death of Joshua.
In verse 2: Judah's successes contrast with the comparative failures of the northern tribes (vv. 22-36).
Divine guidance in tactics and an assurance of victory were elements of the holy war tradition.
In verse 3: The tribes Judah and Simeon are personified as individuals.
In verse 8: This assertion is in tension with v. 21.
Jerusalem first became Israelite under David (2 Sam 5.6-9).
In verse 10: These accomplishments are credited to Caleb in v. 20 (and Josh 15.14).
In verses 11-15: The story of Achsah is duplicated in Josh 15.13-19.
She argues that she needs pools because she has received arid land (metaphorically, land of the Negeb).
In verse 16: The Kenites were a foreign group associated with Israel ( 5.24; 1 Sam 15.6).
They settled with the "people" Israel.
In verse 17: Hormah is a wordplay on the Hebrew word "herem," the holy war ban inflicted on it when Judah and Simeon devoted it to destruction.
In verse 19: Chariots with iron fittings gave battlefield superiority outside the broken terrain of the hill country.
In verse 21: Native Jebusites remained a distinct group in Jerusalem even after David captured of the city (2 Sam 24.18).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 24th

Read 2 Corinthians 13.1-13
In verses 1-4: Final warnings.
In verse 1: Third time: 12.14; the quotation is from Deut 19.15.
In verse 2: Paul resumes the tone of a stern father (1 Cor 4.18-21)
In verse 3: Again the tone is sarcastic.
They could ask: How do we know your apostolic call is legitimate?
In verse 4: Like 4.7-12, Paul's lifestyle bears the stamp of Christ's death and resurrection.
defining the resurrection power as the power to discipline is a new wrinkle.
In verses 5-10: Parting advice.
In verse 5: Such advice, taken seriously, make them less vulnerable to the pressures of outside teachers.
The presence of Christ within them should give them confidence to chart their own course (Rom 8.10).
In verses 6-9: These are the words of an anxious father- self-doubts, fear that that his children will never grow up, willingness to be weak as long as the children are strong.
In verse 10: He closes with a father's threat (10.8; 12.19).
In verses 12-13: farewell and benediction.
In verse 11: Such advice brings harmony.
In verse 12: The holy kiss was a form of liturgical greeting that may have originated in early Christian circles (Rom 16.16; 1 Cor 16.20).
In verse 13: The trinitarian form of the benediction is distinctive.
Comments or Questions..

Reading from November 23rd

Read 2 Corinthians 12.14-21
In 12.14-21: Fatherly love and anxiety.
In verse 14: Third time: The founding visit (Acts 18) was followed by the painful visit (2.1), which prompted this severe letter.
Writing from Macedonia, he is now ready to come a third time (13.1).
What is yours: he did not want their money.
The parent -child image extends through both letters (11.2; 1 Cor 4.14-15).
In verse 16: crafty explains his denials in 2.17 and 4.2.
In verses 17-18: The sending of Titus and the brother described in 8.16-24 appears to be in view.
Taking advantage could be applying pressure to participate in the collection.
In verse 19: His self-defense has occurred under oath.
Building up defines the purpose and the limits of Paul's use of authority (10.8).
In verse 20: Some of these vices of social disorder have been present for a long time (1 Cor 1-4).
In verse 21: Sexual sins have not figured prominently in 2 Corinthians, although they are included in the warnings of 6.14-7.1.
These fears may go back to the first letter (1 Cor 5, 7).
Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 22nd

Read 2 Corinthians 12.1-13
In 1-10: Experiecing visions and revelations.
In verse 1: Paul now moves to a different order of boasting.
In verse 2: The person in Christ is surely Paul himself.
Fourteen years ago would put it shortly after his conversion, probably in the 30's.
In verse 3: The language suggests an ecstatic experience, in which he was taken out of the body.
In verse 4: Paradise is where God dwells (Lk 23.43; Rev 2.7).
Hearing unrepeatable things describes the revelations in greater detail (v. 1).
What he saw is emphasized less.
In vers 5: Such an experience enabled Paul to distinguish his ordinary self from the one caught up into heaven.
In verses 6-7: In talking about such experiences, less is better.
In verse 7: What this thorn in the flesh was no one knows, though many guesses have been made.
Messenger of Satan is literally "Angel of Satan."
In verse 8: The Lord can be either God (1.2) or Christ (13.4).
In verse 9: Power of Christ: Christ transmits the power he experienced in the resurrection (4.11; 1 Cor 6.14).
In verse 10: Weak ... strong expresses the paradox of the cross (1 Cor 1.25).
In verses 11-13: Concluding the fool's speech.
In verse 11: Super-apostles: 11.5.
I am nothing: Again Paul speaks sarcastically, mimicking the opponents (10.7).
In verse 12: Paul occasionally refers to his wonder-working ability (Rom 15.19).
It is developed much more fully in Acts.
In verse 13: Their argument could have run: You were much closer to Philippi; they supported you financially (Phil 4.15).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 21st

Read 2 Corinthians 11.16-33
In 11.16-33: A fool speaks!
In verse 18: They boast is self achievements (10.2-4).
In verse 19: This recalls Paul's description of "spiritual people" in 1 Cor 4.10.
In verse 20: They submit to false apostles' demand for money.
In verse 22: These labels identify them as Jewish Christians.
Unlike Paul's opponents in Galatia, they do not require circumcision and observance of the law (Gal 5.2-6).
In verse 23: Ministers of Christ: Their language is Christian (11.4).
Madman: 5.13.
In verses 23-27: This list of hardships is longer and more detailed than others (6.4-10).
Acts 13-28 confirms many of these details.
In verse 24: This indicates Paul was under synagogue jurisdiction.
In verse 28: Anxiety: This was especially seen in the way he awaited Titus' report (2.12-13; 7.5, 13.1; 1 Thess 2).
In verses 30-33: This episode caps the list of hardships.
In verses 31: The use of the oath underscores that the claims that follow will be hard to believe (Gal 1.20).
In verses 32-33: This may be the escape referred to in Acts 9.23-25.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 20th

Read 2 Corinthians 11.1-15
In 11. 1-15: Paul's love for the Corinthians.
In verse 1: Foolishness: this anticipates the fool's speech that follows (11.16-29).
In verse 2: The image is a father whose daughter has deeply disappointed him.
In verse 3: Gen 3.13.
Led astray suggest sexual seduction.
In verse 4: The opponents are obviously Christian.
Another Jesus probably means an understanding of Christ completely different from Paul's, perhaps one emphasizing Jesus' miracle-working power and resurrection to neglect of his human limitations and crucifixion.
Different spirit is possibly a different understanding of the Holy Spirit.
Their different gospel certainly placed them at odds with Paul (Gal 1.6-9).
In verse 5: Super-apostles: This doubtless Paul's label for his opponents (12.11).
It need not refer to the twelve apostles, but could be a derisive way of referring to competing missionaries.
In verse 6: He echoes their criticisms of him.
In verses 7-9: In keeping with the policy outlined in 1 Cor 9, he preached without pay.
Humbling myself refers to working to support himself.
Other churches: he received financial support from the Philippians (Phil 4.15).
In verse 11: His opponents may have argued: If he loved you, he would accept your money.
In verse 12: Equals: They wanted to have equal claim on the church.
In verse 13: The language is unusually harsh.
Apostles probably means "missionaries," rather than some of the twelve apostles (8.23; 12.11-13).
In verses 14-15: Calling them ministers of Satan intensifies the criticism.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 19th

Read 2 Corinthians 10.1-18
In 10.1-13: Paul defends his ministry.
In 10.1-11: Taking the offensive.
In verse 1: The character of Christ figures prominently in ch. 10-13 (11.4;Mt 11.29).
Humble ... bold: Paul mimics his opponents' description of him (v. 10).
In verses 2-4: Human translates "sarx" literally "flesh."
It denotes an outlook opposed to God and concerned primarily with oneself.
In verses 4-6: The military imagery serves to draw the battle lines between Paul and his opponents.
He sees the controversy as more than a battle of words; it is a conflict of a much higher order (Rom 13.12; Eph 6.10-17).
In verse 7: Paul's fidelity to Christ was an issue.
In verses 8-9: The source and nature of Paul's authority are concerns throughout this section (13.10).
In verse 10: This identifies two important criticisms; inconsistent behavior (1.15-22) and poor speaking ability (4.2;11.6).
In 12-18: Limits of self-promotion.
In verse 12: Commend themselves: Paul was probably accused of making himself the center of his preaching (3.1-3; 4.5; 5.12).
Now he criticizes his opponents for promoting themselves as a way of gaining favor.
In verse 13-16: Paul regarded Achaia as the region God assigned him.
He thinks the "super-apostles" (12.11) have invaded his territory.
he preferred to work where no on else had been (Rom 15.20).
In verse 17: Jer 9.23-24; see 1 Cor 1.31.
In verse 18: Paul consistently defers to God's judgment (1 Cor 4.3-4).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 18th

Read 2 Corinthians 9.1-15
In 9. 1-5: Paul explains the purpose of the delegation.
In verse 1: Ministry to the saints is another name for the collection (8.4, 20).
In verse 2: Last year: 8.10.
In verse 3: The brothers are those mentioned in 8.18, 22.
In verse 5: Voluntary gift: It should be like Christ's gift (8.9).
In 6-15: Reasons to give.
In verse 6: The proverb expresses general experience (Job 4.8; Prov 11.24-25).
In verse 7: The gift should be deliberate and voluntary (Philem 14).
God loves a cheerful giver; This quotation is based upon the Septuagint version (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) of Prov 22.8a (see Sir 35.9).
In verse 8: God's generosity toward human beings is a recurrent biblical theme (Deut 30.9-10; Lk 1.53).
For Paul, it especially enables human generosity.
In verse 9: Ps 112.9.
In verse 10: Based on Isa 55.10.
In verses 11-12: The more blessings, the more prayers of thanksgiving offered.
In verse 13: Willingness to give is seen as an expression (and test) of one's confession of faith.
In verse 14-15: God's graciousness is the ultimate reason to give.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 17th

Read 2 Corinthians 8.16-24
In 8.16-24: Plans for collecting and delivering the funds.
As Paul's partner and co-worker (v. 23), Titus played a key role in getting the collection started in Corinth (v. 6).
In verses 18-19: The identity of this famous preacher is unknown.
Because of his eloquence and close association with Corinth, Apollos is a possibility (Acts 18.24-19; 1 Cor 1-4).
In verses 20-21: Whether the blame related to how the money was being collected and handled in transit, or how it was to be used, is not clear.
As with many projects involving money, it was controversial (Rom 15.30-33).
In verse 22: Our brother is possibly Timothy (see comment on 1.1).
In verse 23: Messengers translates "apostoloi" literally "ones sent" for a particular purpose (Rom 16.7).
In verse 24: The other churches in Macedonia and Achia are in view.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 16th

Read 2 Corinthians 8.1-15
In 8.1-9.15: The collection.
In 8.1-7: Macedonian generosity.
In verse 1: Churches of Macedonia probably means Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea, (Acts 16-17).
In verse 2: Severe ordeal: the founding of these churches has met stiff resistance (1 Thess 1.6; 3.1-5; Phil 1.29-30).
In verses 5-6: Privilege translates "charis," used several times in chs. 8-9, for the collection itself (vv. 6-7, 19).
Since it designates both God's generosity (8.1; 9.14) and Christ's generous act (8.9), it properly describes the collection as a concrete expression of good will toward others.
In verse 7: Earlier Paul commended their possession of these gifts (1 Cor 1.5-7).
In verses 8-15: Christ's generosity.
In verse 8: Genuineness of your love may be their love for Christ (5.14).
In verse 9: Christ is similarly portrayed in the early Christian hymn in Phil 2.5-11, where he also serves as an example for Christian behavior.
In verses 10-11: Paul had given instructions about the collection in 1 Cor 16.1-4.
In verses 12-14: The principle of fair balance can be expressed another way: Since Jews have bestowed a spiritual blessing on gentiles, they are entitled to receive a physical blessing (financial support) from gentiles (Rom 15.27).
In verse 15: Ex 16.18.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 15th

Read 2 Corinthians 7.2

In 7.2-16: Paul rejoices over the church's repentance.

In verse 2: These charges explain his defense in 2.17 and 4.2.

In verse 3: I said before: When is not certain; possibly 4.12.

In verse 5: This resumes the discussion in 2.12-13.

In verses 6-7: The consolation Paul received from Titus' good report about Corinth is expressed in the opening prayer (1.3-7).

In verse 8: This is the "tearful letter" mentioned earlier (2.3-4, 9), probably chs 10-13.

In verses 9-13: Godly grief, literally "grief according to God," results in God's reconciling love (5.18-21).

Either the congregation's repentance is in view-they finally sided with Paul (v. 12)- or the individual who did wrong admitted it (2.7).

This is one of the few times repentance occurs in Paul's letters (12.21; Rom 2.4).

In 13b-16: These remarks confirm Titus' pivotal role in the crisis.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 14th

Read 2 Corinthians 6.14-7.1

In 6.14-7.1: separating from evil.

This section interrupts the train of thought (compare 7.2 and 6.13).

Most likely it was a separate letter composed on another occasion.

Some scholars think it is the "previous letter" of 1 Cor 5.9.

In verse 14: Good and evil are seen as absolute opposites in separatist communities like Qumran and parts of early Christianity (1 Thess 5.4-5; Jn 3.19-21), but moral choices are often presented as clearly opposed options (Deut 30.15-30; Mt 7.13-14).

In verse 15: Beliar, also Belial, occurs often in non-biblical literature, especially that from Qumran to describe the leader of the forces of darkness, Satan.

It only occurs here in the New Testament.

In verse 16: Idols and temple are incompatible (1 Cor 10.20-22).

Combines Lev 26.11-12 and Ezek 37.27.

In verse 17: Combines Isa 52.11 and Ezek 20.34.

In verse 18: Paraphrases 2 Sam 7.14, drawing on Isa 43.6 (see Jer 31.9).

Lord almighty reflects 2 Sam 7.8 (see Am 3.13).

In 7.1: Thess 4.1-6.

Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 13th

Read 2 Corinthians 6.1-13

In 6.1-13: Working together with God.

In verse 1: 1 Cor 3.9 confirms with him as a correct rendering of the Greek.

In verse 2: Isa 49.8.

In verse 3: This echoes the defensive tone of chs. 10-11.

In verse 4: Servants of God ("Theo diakonoi") should be rendered "ministers of God" for consistency.

In verses 4-10: Paul's list of commendations includes hardships (vv. 4-5) and virtuous behavior (vv. 6-7) lived out among life's contradictions and puzzles (vv. 8-10).

Many elements of this self-portrait are confirmed in Acts 13-28, as well as Paul's other descriptions of his ministry of his ministry (1 Thess 2).

The paradoxes of vv. 8-10 specify the ways he has embodied they dying and rising of Christ (4.10-12).

In verses 11-12: This final appeal indicates the level of alienation Paul and the Corinthians had experienced (11.1-6).

It continues in 7.2-4.

Comments or Questions..

Reading For November 12th

Read 2 Corinthians 5.11-21
In 5.11-21: the Ministry of reconciliation.
In verse 11: Well known: Nothing is hidden in ministry as defined in 4.2.
In verses 12-13: The tone is defensive.
Commending himself and being beside himself echo his opponents' criticisms (4.5; 10.12; 11.16).
In verses 14-15: Love of Christ: Christ's love is meant (Rom 8.35; Gal 2.20), though love for Christ results.
Died for all: Christ's death is a sacrifice with universal benefit (Rom 18-19).
All have died: We expect, "all can live."
But in v. 15 explains: No longer live for oneself is death to the self (Gal 2.20).
In verse 16: Human point of view: What it means to see Christ this way is disputed: knowing merely the historical facts about Jesus? trying to understand Christ without seeing the bigger story? failing to see Christ as the gunnel of God spirit?
In verse 17: Christ is the sphere of God's new creation (4.5-6); to enter Christ is the sphere of God's new creation (4.5-6); to enter Christ is to experience old becoming new.
In verses 18-20: God as the prime mover continues an earlier theme (2.14; 4.1; 5.5).
Reconciliation makes enemies friends (Rom 5.10).
Ministry of reconciliation continues God's work (6.1)
In verse 21: Rom 8.3; Gal 3.13.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 11th

Read 2 Corinthians 5.1-10
In 5.1-10: Looking to the future with confidence.
The perishable body is compared to an early tent is Wis 9.15.
Building from god may recall Mk 14.58, where Jesus' resurrected body is envisioned as a reconstructed temple not made with hands.
Christ's resurrection gives the believer hope of inhabiting a similar dwelling.
In verses 2-4: Mixing the image of inhabiting a building with putting on new clothing is awkward, but intelligible.
Taken it off: This reading makes more sense than the alternative.
Dying is like shedding a tent.
Burden recalls the afflictions in the list of hardships (4.8-9).
Resurrection life swallows up mortal existence (1 Cor 15.42-57).
In verses 5-6: God's raising Christ begins the preparation (4.14; 1.21-22) and establishes confidence (4.1).
In verse 7: Faith in Christ's resurrection changes the way we "see" (4.13-15, 18).In verse 8-9: Phil 1.23-24.
In verse 10: Resurrection faith establishes a time of accountability (Rom 14.10; 1 Cor 15.32-34).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 10th

Read 2 Corinthians 4.1-18
In 4.1-6: Ministering under God's light.
These remarks develop 2.17.
To stand in God's presence can cause one to lose heart.
In verse 2: Paul's language recalls ancient descriptions of false philosophers.
Ministry carried out before God in public view requires higher standards than those found among religious impostors.
In verse 3: Veiled: Paul admits his teaching can be difficult to understand (2 pet 3.15-16).
In verse 4: God of this world likely describes Satan (2.11; Jn 12.31).
Image of God: As God's image, Christ reflects God's dazzling brilliance (3.18; Heb 1.3).
In verse 5: The gospel is the message, ministers the messengers (Rom 10.9).
In verse 6: The quotation draws on gen 1.3 and Ps 112.4.
Creation has been reenacted in Christ (5.17).
In verses 7-12: Embodying Jesus' death and life. 
In verse 7: Treasure refers to the gospel (4.3-4).
Its source of power if God (Rom 1.16-17).
In verses 8-9: This list of hardships echoes the opening prayer (1.3-7; 1 Cor 4.9-13).
In verses 10-11: Paul's apostolic lifestyle models the message he preaches: he dies and rises with Christ (Rom 6.8).
In verse 12: Paul's experience with death enables him to transmit life to his churches.
In verses 13-18: Ministering in the spirit of faith.
In verse 13: Ps 115.1 in the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures).
Spirit of faith is the capacity to believe.
In verse 14: What Christ experienced in his resurrection, minister will experience along with their churches (Rom 8.11).
In verse 15: Grace is spread by those who speak the faith they believe (v. 13).
In verse 16: Outer nature and inner nature correspond to body and spirit ((1 Cor 5.3: 7.34).
Christ's spirit renews the believer's spirit (3.18).
In verse 17: Eternal weight of glory is the fullness of God's glory already revealed in Christ (3.18).
In verse 18: This summarizes Paul's understanding of hope (Rom 8.24-25; Heb 11.1-3).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 9th

Read 2 Corinthians 3.4-18
In 3.4-18: Ministers of a new covenant.
Christ inaugurates the new covenant promised by Jeremiah (Jer 31.31-34; 1 Cor 11.25).
It replaces the Mosaic law, which was written on tablets of stone ( v. 3; Ex 31.18).
For Paul, letter symbolizes this written law code, which he experienced as death; he found it suffocating (vv. 6, 7; Rom 7.9-10).
By contrast, he experienced Christ's life giving Spirit in a new covenant (v. 6; 1.21-22; 1 Cor 15.45).
Thus its symbol was spirit ("pneuma").
Paul thinks of each covenant as a ministry ("diakonia") in which one serves.
The old covenant of Moses (v. 14) is described negatively: death (v. 7), condemnation (v. 9), fading glory (v. 10), temporary (vv. 7, 11).
The new covenant under Christ, by contrast, has positive features: Spirit (v. 8), justification (v. 9), greater glory (v. 10), permanent (v. 11).
Paul's discussion draws on ex 34.28-35, where God gives Moses the law at Sinai.
Glory refers to the brightness of Moses' face (Ex 34.30) and throughout the section could be translated "radiance."
But Paul experienced Christ as a more dazzling light, a greater glory (v. 10; 4.4, 6).
For Paul, the veil that hid the face of Moses from the Israelites at Sinai now hides Moses' meaning when they read scripture (vv. 14-15).
The death of Christ however, removed the veil, thereby providing a clear view of God (v. 14).
Turning to Christ in conversion (v. 16) gives one freedom-unobstructed access to God.
Those who view God with unveiled faces gradually acquire God's glory as a gift of the Spirit(v. 18).