Reading for January 8th

 Read Micah 2.1-5. In 2.1-5: Judgment for economic crimes. The Theme of this speech is the exploitation of the poor by the rich. In verses 1-2: The indictment blames the wealthy for seizing fields unfairly. Including the ancestral inheritance which was not to leave the family's possession. In verses 3-5: The sentence imposes a punishment that suits the crime. The wealthy will lose their own fields and others will divide them among themselves. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 7th

 Read Micah 1.10-16. In1.10-16: A lament over the invasion of Judah. This speech may have been composed in response to the invasion in 701 BCE of the Assyrian King Sennacherib, who conquered Lachish (v. 13) together with other cities and towns in the Judean foothills in the vicinity of Micah's own village Moresheth-gath (v. 14). Among the towns Micah lists bearing the brunt of the Assyrian attack, Beth-ezel (v.11), Lachish (v.13). Moresheth-gath and Achzib (v. 14), and Mareshah and Adullam (v. 15) have been identified with sites in the Judean foothills and the other places mentioned were likely situated in this vicinity as well. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 6th

 Read Micah 1.2-9. In 1.2-9: Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah's opening speech focuses on his primary audience: the  ruling elite in the capitals of Israel and Judah. In verses 3-4: Divine appearances so powerful that they throw nature into disarray are common at the beginning of prophetic books (Am 1.2; Nah 1.3-5). In verse 5: Samaria and Jerusalem are viewed as the centers of corruption in their respective kingdoms. In verses 6-7: the end of Samaria, forecast here, occurred during Micah's career in 721 BCE when Assyrians conquered Israel. In verse 9: A Threat to Jerusalem, but not its end, is described. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for January 5th

 Read Micah 1.1. In 1.1: Title. Micah's home is the small village of Moresheth, southwest of Jerusalem in the southern kingdom of Judah, but his speeches are directed to Samaria and Jerusalem, capital cities of the north and the south. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 4th

 Read Galatians 6.11-18. In verses 11.18: Paul's final appeal. In verse 11: This reflects his customary practice (1 Cor 16.21).  In his own hand writing, he summarizes themes already treated in the letter. In verse 12: He attacks the motives of his opponents (4.17-18). In verse 13: Criticizing their inconsistent practice recalls Rom 2.17-24. By "boasting" of the number of converts they have won, They violate Jer 9.23-24. In verse 14: Paul restates his central claim. The crucified Christ is his sole focus (1 Cor 2.2). The crucifixion marked two deaths; the collapse of the world the defined him (law) and the eclipse of the self-understanding that derived from the world. In verse 15: Ethnic identity no longer matters (3.26-28; 1 Cor 7.19). What matters is participating in God's reordered universe brought about by Christ (2 Cor 5.17). In verse 16: Israel of God possibly refers to those who oppose him, but could be God's people as originally envisioned in the promise to Abraham: those who live by faith, both Jews and gentiles, In verse 17: His apostolic life imprinted the crucifixion on his body (2 Cor 4.17). Comments or Questions...

Reading for January 3rd

 Read Galatians 6.1-10. In 6.1-10: Moral exhortations. In verse 1: Church discipline should seek to restore, not punish  (Mt 8.15-20; 1 Cor 5.1-8). Its overall tone is defined by 5.22-23. In verse 2: The law of Christ expresses the way of love (2.20). It produces mutual responsibility (Rom 15.1). In verse 3: Arrogance thrives on self-illusion (1 Cor 8.2). In verse 4-5: This expresses the other side of responsible behavior. In verse 6: Teachers are entitled to (financial) support from their students (1 Cor 9). In verses 7-10: V. 7 expresses popular wisdom (Job 4.8; Prov 22.8). In verse 9: Harvest time points to the final judgment (Mt 13.11-12). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 2nd

 Read Galatians 5.13-26. In 5.13-26: Living in freedom. Having just discussed what returning to slavery would mean (5.2-12), Paul now expounds on freedom (5.1). In verse 13: Self-indulgence captures the sense of the flesh ("sarx"). Now the slave imagery is used positively: Love requires a new form of submission (Rom 6.15-19). In verse 14: Lev 19.18; Rom 13.8-10. In verses 16-17: Spirit and flesh define opposing spheres of life and loyalties (Rom 8.5- 7). In verse 18: The law is associated with flesh ((Rom 7). In verses 19-21: Works of the flesh: this vice list enumerates various forms of self-indulgence (v. 13; see Rom 1.29-31). Sexual sins head the list, followed by sins leading to social disorder, then personal excesses. Kingdom of God is God's future reign (1 Cor 6.9-10). In verses 22-26: Fruit of the Spirit is what living by the Spirit produces (2 Pet 1.5-7). In verse 24: The moral life is similarly described in Rom 6.6. In verses 25-26: Rom 8.5-8. Life in the Spirit recognizes different gifts and mutual need, thereby devaluing interpersonal rivalry (1 Cr 12). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 1st

Read Galatians 5.2-12. In 5.2-12: Why circumcision should be refused.  Here Paul gets to the central issue that is dividing the community. The opposing thought God required the gentile Christians in Galatia to be circumcised. In verse 3: Circumcision indicated a willingness to live by Torah (Gen 17.9-14), The emphasis here is the entire law (3.10). In verse 4: Cut yourselves off can be be rendered, "You were estranged." To choose the law is to abandon Christ, the symbol of God's grace (1.6, 15; 2.20-21: Rom 5.15). In verse 5: Rom 8.18-25. In verse 6: Christ redefines the meaning of ethic identity (6.15; 1 Cor 7.19). Faith working through love is generally taken as "faith made effective through loving acts" (5.13-14). It could be "faith that be comes effective by responding to Christ's love" (2.20). In verses 7-8: The call to follow the law does not come from God. In verse 9: 1 Cor 5.6. In verse 10: The curse of 1.6-9 will take effect. In verse 11: To convince the Galatians, the opposing teaches apparently argued that Paul approved of circumcision. In verse 12: Not only would circumcision hurt physically, it would also banish them under the law (Deut 23.1). Comments of Questions..

Reading for December 31st

 Read Galatians 4.21-5.1. In 4.21-5.1: The allegory of Hagar and Sarah. The mother image of v. 19 is developed in the comparison of these two mothers (Gen 16-21). In verse 21: Attraction to the law requires an argument from the law. In verse 23; Flesh: Ishmael's birth occurred through human conniving. Jacob's birth fulfilled God's promise to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17). In verses 24-26: In allegory, things referred to in in a text are understood to have another, often deeper, meaning. Gen 16 describes Hagar as a slave-girl. Since Paul associates the Mosaic law with slavery (3.22; 4.3). Hagar can stand for Mount Sinai, where the law was given to Moses. It is now practiced in present in Jerusalem. Sarah, by contrasts, is free. She has no association with slavery (the Mosaic law), but instead symbolizes another reality., Jerusalem above. In verse 27: Isa 54.1. In verse 28: Those who have responded to God in faith (3.26) are like Isaac, Abraham's children. Now, as then, the two children fight: flesh (law) against Spirit (faith). In verse 30: Gen 21.10 gives scriptural basis for rejecting the Mosaic law. In verse 31: According to scripture, Abraham has two family lines, one leading through Hagar to slavery under the law, the other through Sarah to freedom as embodied in the promise. Paul urges the Galatians to trace their lineage through the later. In 5.1: Since Christ is Abraham's promised offspring (3.16), his is the link to freedom represented by Sarah. To begin observing Mosaic law is to switch bloodlines and resort to a yoke of slavery. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 30th

 Read Galatians 4.12 -20. In 4.12-20: Paul recalls his founding visit. In verse 12: Paul's meaning is not clear. perhaps, "come back over to me just as I once came to you." In verses 13-15: His much discussed physical infirmity is not known. His reference to eyes maybe a figure of speech expressing their generosity rather than an allusion to some health problem (v. 15; 2 Cor 12.7-8). In verse 16: This recalls his blunt speech (1.6-9; 3.1-5). In verse 17; The false teachers of 1.7 are in mind. Exclude you; They are charged with trying to cut the Galatians off from Paul, or possible from Christ. In verses 19-20: Paul is now the anxious mother fretting over her children (1 Thess 2.7). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 29th

 Read Galatians 4.1-11. In 4.1-11: No longer slaves, but children. In verse 1. Heirs: Comparing life under the law to being a minor continues the illustration introduced in 3.15. Slaves introduces a second image, which developed in ch. 4-5. In verse 3: Elemental spirits of the world (Gk., "ta stoicheia tou kosmour") is difficult. Rudiments captures the sense of "stoicheion" as something fundamental-elements or principles. These may perhaps be elementary forms of religion that were superseded by Christ, or the four elements (fire, air, water, earth) understood as heavenly forces. See 4.9. In verse 4: The language sounds confessional (Rom 8.3). here Paul succinctly states what the gospel birth stories present more fully, especially Luke (Lk 1-2; Mt 1-2). Emphasized are Jesus' humanity and Jewishness. In verse 5: Redeem, literally "buy back," suggests buying the freedom of young slaves in order to adopt them as children. In verse 6; The reality of 3.26 is proposed. "Abba Father!" expresses Christ's obedient spirit (Mk 14.36; Rom 8.15). In verse 7: Being able to address God the way Jesus did signals the change in status from slave to child. In verse 8: This is typical language for living as gentiles (1 Thess 4.5). In verse 9; The difference between "knowing God" and :being known by God" is an important distinction for Paul. One borders on arrogance, the other sees knowledge as God's domain (1 Cor 13.12). Weak and beggarly elemental spirit: Jews criticizes pagans for blindly submitting to forces with no real power. In verse 10: Given the Galatian's attraction to the law, these are doubtless Jewish observances (5.4; Col 2.16). In verse 11; This reference to his founding visit triggers the following discussion. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 28th

 Read Galatians 3.19-29. In 3. 19-29:Why the law was given. Paul shows similar concern to defend the law in romans (Rom 7.7-12). In verses 19-20: because of transgressions: This is a very difficult phrase: as a way of dealing with transgressions that could be dealt with no other way? as a way naming our transgressions? ordained through angels by a mediator; The particular event this refers to is unclear. Its intent is to show that the law expressed God's will indirectly. In verses 21-22: This would seem to follow from vv. 17-18 (Rom 3.31). As in Rom 7, sin as a powerful, almost personal, force capable of using the law to its own advantage. faith in Jesus Christ: See comments on 2.15-21.  In verses 23-29: Faith refers to the way faith. anticipated by Abraham but exemplified in Christ. In verse 24: Disciplinarian refers to a teacher responsible for a child's upbringing on behalf of the parents, a temporary role. In verse 26: In Christ Jesus: Believers now enjoy the status of full fledged children who no longer need a surrogate parent. faith marks the way one "enters" Christ. In verse 27: Through baptism believers "die and rise" with Christ, thereby entering the sphere where God's life-giving power is operative. So engulfed are they by Christ, it is like putting on a garment (Col 3.9-11). In verse 28: The elimination of ethic, social and gender distinctions derives from the oneness experienced in Christ (1 Cor 7.17-24). The language here is probably drawn from an early baptismal formula. In verse 29: This is the point toward what Paul has been building. God promised Abraham, that gentiles would receive blessing through his "seed." This occurred with Christ, the seed of Abraham, who enabled Abraham's way of relating to god to become reality-the way of faith. These who respond to Christ in faith, both gentiles and Jews. become Abraham's children. Who, then, are Abraham's children/Jew Alone? No, Everyone who shares the faith of Abraham. Christ, first, then those who exhibit faith like Christ. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

 Read Galatians 3.6-18. In 3.6-18: God's promise to Abraham. This treatment of Abraham should be compared with Rom 4. In verse 6: Gen 15.6; see Rom 4.3. In verse 7: Abraham's true descendants are not the circumcised, but those who have faith like his (Rom 4.16). In verse 8: Gen 12.3; 18.18. In verse 9; Those who believe, both Jew and gentiles, share Abraham's capacity for faith. In verse 10: Deut 27.26. The emphasis is on all the things: obligation to do everything the law says. Since this is impossible, the law is a curse. Romans omits this argument (see James 2.10).  In verse 11: For Paul, faith as an alternative way of relating to God is expressed in Hab 2.4, however is is understood (Rom 1.17). In verse 12: Paul uses Lev 18.5 to show that the law is based on doing, not believing (Rom10.5). In verse 13: The curse of the law is not being able to do everything in the law.  A curse was needed to break the curse: Christ's death by crucifixion broke the law (Deut 21.23). In verse 14: The blessing of Abraham is God's promise to Abraham mentioned an v. 8. In verse 15-18: The illustration of the will in based on Gen 13.15; 17.8; 24.7. Pal sees the sinular use of offspring, literally "see" ("sperma") as significant. since it is singular, it cannot refer to Abraham's many decedents. rather it must refer to a single descendant of Abraham who made God's promise possible-Christ (v. 16). In verse 17: Ex 12.40. The covenant with Abraham envisioned that through a single person the gentiles would be blessed. Since this was like a ratified will, the law that came later did not void the earlier agreement. this can only mean that the law was not the channel through which the promise was kept alive. The promise bypassed the law. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 26th

 Read Galatians 3.1-5. In 3.1-5: Recalling the Galatians' conversion. In verse 1: Paul's preaching and lifestyle publicly displays Christ's crucifixion (1 Cor 2.1-2; 2 Cor 4.10-12). In verse 2: Received the Spirit: The mark of genuine conversion is experiencing God's life-giving Spirit through Christ (Rom 8.9) In verse 3: Flesh and law are closely identified in Paul (Rom 8.3). In verse 5: Work miracles (literally "working power") signified the presence of the Spirit (1 Cor 12.10). Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 25th

 Read Galatians 2.11-21. In 2.11-14: Paul opposes Peter at Antioch. In verse 11: When the Antioch visit occurred is not known. In verses 12-13: This hypocrisy: eating with gentiles indicate fill acceptance. refusing to do so implied their "uncleanness" before God. For Paul, gentile Christians were accepted by God. Their status before God did not change with the coming and going of conservative Jews. The circumcision faction, literally "those of the circumcision: required gentile Christians to be circumcised (5.2-6). In verse 14 "How can you meet gentiles half way (not keep food laws), then require them to go the whole way (be circumcised)?" In verses 15-21: Paul's gospel: we are justified through Christ not the law. In verse 15; Gentile sinners: 1 Thess 4.5. in verse 16: Reckoned as righteous (by God) well expresses justified (see Rom 3.21-26. Faith in Jesus Christ :Christ is the object of our faith; we trust him as God's agent of redemption. Christ's own faithfulness to God enables our salvation (Rom 3.22, 26). In verse 17: Does Christ serve sin's purpose by exposing us as sinners? In verse 18: What Paul tore down was Torah observance as the only basis for relating to God. In verse 19: Paul found the demands of the law suffocating (Rom 7.9-10). In verses 19b-20: Crucified with Christ: Paul reenacted Christ's death as a coparticipant. Like Christ, he experienced a death of the self (Rom 6.10), Now with the living Christ, his life exhibits faith defined by Christ-enter trust placed in Christ or the pattern of faithfulness Christ himself displayed before God . Christ's death exemplifies love for others (1.4; 2 Cor 5.14). In verse 21: This briefly states Paul's position. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 24th

 Read Galatians 2.1-10. In 2.1-10: The Jerusalem summit meeting. In verse 1: Acts 15 reports Paul and Barnabas' visit to the Jerusalem conference, but not the visit of Titus. The content of that meeting differs substantially from what Paul reports here. In verse 2; Revelation: Paul felt compelled by God to go. In verse 3: As an uncircumcised gentile, Titus serves as the test case. In verse 4: These false brothers remain unidentified. "Brothers" suggest they are Christians (Acts 15.6). In verse 6: Acknowledged leaders: the Greek reads, "those who were supposed to be something." They appear to be different from those named in vv. 7-9. In verses 7-8: How Paul came up with this division of labor is not clear. Acts presents Peter preaching both to Jews and gentiles, although Paul is mainly responsible for the gentile mission outside of Palestine.. V. 8 refers to Paul's call (1.15-16). In verse 9: James is probably the brother of Jesus, not the apostle (Acts 15.13-21; 12.1-5). Cephas is Peter (v. 7). John is no where else mentioned by Paul; he is probably the apostle (Acts 3-4; Mt 4.21) James and Peter are mentioned in Acts 15; John is not. Acknowledged pillars may be sarcastic; "supposedly pillars. It nonetheless indicates their status as leaders. In verse 10: Acts 15 does not mention the collection (see Acts 11.27-29). It figures prominently in Paul's letters (1 Cor 16.1-4; 2 Cor 8-9; Rom 15.25-27). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 23rd

 Read Galatians 1.13- 24. In 1.13-24: Paul recalls his past. In verse 13: His role as persecutor was a key memory informing Paul's understanding of his apostleship (1 Cor 15.9; Acts 8.3). In verse 14: His formal training as a Pharisee is in view (Phil 3.5-6; Acts 22.3). In verse 15: The language recalls Older Testament prophetic calls (Isa 49.1; Jer 1.5). In verse 16: The experience changed Paul into the apostle to the gentiles (Rom 15.15-16; Acts 9.15). In verse 17: Paul's autobiographical account differs slightly from the story of his call in Acts 9. In Acts 9.26-30; 22.17-21, Paul returns to Jerusalem immediately after his conversion. Arabia was a nearby region. The return to Damascus locates the events of v. 15 (Acts 9; 2 Cor 11.32-33). In verses 18-19: This visit is sometimes identified with acts 9.26-30, although Acts 9 mentions neither Cephas (Peter) nor James. In verse 20: 2 Cor 11.31. In verse 21: Syria is the region of Damascus; Cilicia is eastern Asia Minor. In verses 22-23: This is a difficult to harmonize with Acts 9.26-30. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 22nd

Read Galatians 1.1-12. In verses 1-5: Greeting. Paul's strong denial of human origin of his apostleship (1.11-12) is a hint of the controversy that drives this letter. In verse 4: Gave himself: Christ's death is understood as a sin offering for others (Eph 5.2; Lev 4-5). In verse 6-12: Paul defends his gospel. Paul omits his normal prayer of thanksgiving for his readers, showing how angry he is with them (contrast 1 Cor 1.4-9). In verse 6-7: Different gospel refers to the views Paul opposes in the letter, mainly, that God requires gentile Christians to observe the Mosaic law (4.21; 5.2-4). In verses 8-9: The use of the double curse is especially emphatic (1 Cor 16.22). In verse 10: The perspective of Paul's critic's. In verses 11-12: Human origin renders "kata anthropon," literally "according to man," thus human. Revelation of Jesus Christ: Paul's understanding of the gospel occurred through a revelation whose content was Jesus Christ (v. 16).

Reading for December 21st

 Read Jonah 4.1-11. In 4.1-11: God's lesson to Jonah. In the final episode of Jonah's story, the prophet's self interest is contrasted with God's compassion for others, even for those people considered enemies of Israel and Judah. In verse 2: Jonah says "You are a gracious God and merciful," he is quoting an ancient Israelite creedal statement affirming God's compassion for the repentant and judgment on the unrepentant (Ex 34.6-7; Joel 2.12) In verse 6: The castor bean, the best suggestion for the Hebrew "qiqayon" (rendered here bush), is a perennial herb whose oil was used in antiquity for medicine and as fuel for oil lamps, its large leaves could provide a modest amount of shade. In verse 11: The final phrase of the story, many animals, recalls the repentance of the animals in 3.7, and not without a bit of humor and irony, emphasizes again the extent of God's compassion. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 20th

 Read Jonah 3.1-10. In 3.1-10: The Ninevites repent and are saved. An irony that underlies the response of the people of Nineveh to Jonah's preaching is that, while the people of Israel and Jonah seldom respond to their own prophets by repenting (Hos 9.7; Am 4.6-12), these wicked enemies repent immediately. In verse 6: Sackcloth and ashes are traditional signs of mourning and repentance (Joel 1.13; Isa 58.5). In verses 7-8: By including Nineveh's animals in the rituals of fasting, wearing sackcloth, and praying to God, the narrator emphasizes through humor and irony Nineveh's total response to Jonah's preaching. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 19th

 Read Jonah 2.1-10.  In 2.1-10: Jonah's prayer. Jonah's prayer, an appeal to God in poetic form, maybe a traditional text taken over by the narrator to represent Jonah's petition. it is composed in the form of a lament, a common psalm type in which the worshipper pleads for God's help in a time of great distress (Ps 3, 5,7). In verse 2: The lament opens with an address, in which the worshipper calls out to God. Sheol is the land of the dead. In verses 3-6: The description of distress follows the opening address. The image of deep waters swallowing the worshipper is common in such descriptions of distress (Ps 69.1-2, 14-15).The holy temple refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. In verse 7: A petition to God follows the description of distress. In verses 8-9: Laments customarily end, as does this one, with the worshipper anticipating God's aid and promising to thank God by presenting a sacrifice at the Temple. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 18th

 Read Jonah 1.1-17, In 1.-17: Jonah flees from God. The book of Jonah begins, as do other prophetic books, with the phrase the word of the Lord came to ... (1.1; Hos 1.1), but unlike other prophets, Jonah embarks on an elaborate plan to escape his calling. the motif of descent runs through the narrative of Jonah's attempt to escape (vv. 3, 5, 15). In verse 3: Tarshish is a site of uncertain location on the Mediterranean coast west of Israel (Isa 23.1) in the opposite direction from Nineveh to the east. Joppa is an ancient Meditterrean  port city, just south of modern Tel Aviv. In verse 4: Israel's God is frequently associated with the thunderstorm (Ex 19.16-17; Ps 18.7-15). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 17th

 Read Obadiah verses 15-21. In verses 15-21: Edom's end and Judah's renewal.  Obadiah weaves together the themes of Edom's judgment and Judah's salvation.. In verse 18: The house of Jacob and the house of Joseph refer to the southern kingdom of Judah or the Israelite people as a whole, while the house of Esau refers to Edom. In verses 19-20: Listed here are the territories Obadiah expects to be resettled when Judah is restored: the Negeb, south of Judah; Mount Esau, the territory of Edom southeast of Judah; the Shephelah, the foothills west of Judah; the land of Philistines on the Mediterranean coast west of Judah; Ephraim and its capital Samaria; the old northern kingdom Israel; and Phoenicia and its city Zerephath, on the Mediterranean coast northeast of Judah. comments or Questions..

Reading for December 16th

 Read Obadiah Verses 1-14. In verses 1-7: The fall of Edom. Obadiah announces the sentence for Edom's crimes. In verse 1; This messenger is a member of the heavenly council sent to announce God's plans. In verse 3: The clefts of the rock refer tot he mountain range, rising sharply to the east of the Jordan rift valley, on which Edom was located. In verse 6: Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites (Gen 25.30), is used by Obadiah as a synonym for Edom. In verse 7: Those who ate your bread are the allies mentioned earlier in the verse. Alliances were sealed by covenant meals (Gen 31.44-46). In verses 8-14: Edom's betrayal of Judah. Obadiah lists the  details of Edom's exploitation of Judah following Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem (587 BCE). In verse 9: Teman is either synonym for Edom or the name of a section or city in Edom. Mount Esau maybe a particular Edomite mountain or the mountain range on which Edom was located. In verse 10: Jacob, the brother of Edom's ancestor Esau (Gen 25.24-26), is used by Obadiah to represent the citizen's of Jerusalem and Judah. In verse 11: Jerusalem is the capital of Judah. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 15th

 Read 2 Corinthians 13.1-13. In verses 1-4: Final warning. 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 have asked: 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 makes 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 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 11-13: 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 6.16; 1 Cor 16.20). In verse 13: The trinitarian form of the benediction is distinctive. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 14th

 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; 1Cor 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 December 13th

 Read 2 Corinthians 12.1-13. In verses 1-10: Experiencing visions and revelations of the Lord. 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 verse 5: Such an experience enabled Paul to distinguish his ordinary self from the caught up into heaven. In verses 6-7: In talking about such experiences, less is better. In verse 7: What is 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 (13.14). 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 December 12th

 Read 2 Corinthians 11.16-33. In 11.16-33: A fool speaks. In verse 18: They boast in self-achievements (10.2-4). In verse 19: This recalls Paul's description of the "spiritual people"  in 1 Cor 4. 10. In verse 20: They submit to the false apostles' demands 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 Thess 2). In verses 30-33: This episode caps the list of hardships. In verse 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 December 11th

 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 suggests sexual seduction. In verse 4: The opponents are obviously Christian. Another Jesus probably means an understanding of Christ completely different from Paul's, perhaps on emphasizing Jesus' miracle working power and resurrection to the 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 (Phil4.15). In verse 11: His opponents might 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 verse 14-15: Calling them ministers of Satan intensifies the criticism. Comments of Questions..

Reading for December 10th

 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 chs. 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). Inverse 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 verses 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 verses 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 one else had been ((Rom 15.20). Inverse 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 December 9th

Read 2 Corinthians 9.1-15. In verses 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. In verse 5: Voluntary gift: it should be like Christ's gift (8.9). In verses 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 on the Septuagint version (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scripturas) 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 1.52). For Paul, it especially enables human generosity. In verse 9: Ps112.9. 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 verses 14-15: God's graciousness is the ultimate reason to give. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 8th

 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. 16). 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; 1 Cor 1-4). In verse 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 Achaia are in view. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 7th

 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 had 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; v. 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 towards others. In verse 7: Earlier Paul commended their possessions 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; Rom 12.9). 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 instruction 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 December 6th

 Read 2 Corinthians 7.2-16. 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; probably 4.12. In verse 5: This resumes the discussion on 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 verse 9-13: Godly grief literally "grief according to God," results in God 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 the wrong admitted it (2.7). This is one of the few times repentance occurs in Paul's letters (12.21; Rom 2.4). In verses 13b-16: These remarks confirm Titus' pivotal role in the crisis. Comments or Questions..: 

Reading for December 5th

 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 nonbiblical 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 1.20-22). Combines Lev 26.11-12 and Ezek 37.27. In verse 17: Combines Isa 52.11 and Ezek 20.34. In verse 18: Paraphrase 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: 1 Thess 4.1-6. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 4th

 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 verses 4: Servants of God (theou diakonoi') should be rendered "ministers of God" for consistency. In verses 4-10: Paul's list of commendations includes hardships (vv. 4b-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 (1 Thess 2). The paradoxes of vv. 8-10 specify the ways he embodied the 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 December 3rd

 Rea 2 Corinthians5.11-21. 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' criticism (4.5; 10.12; 11.16). In verses 14-15: Love as 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 benefits (Rom 18-19). All have died: We might expect, "All can live." But v. 15 explains: No longer to 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 God's bugger story? Failing to see Christ as the funnel of God's spirit? In verse 17: Christ is the sphere of God's new creation (4.5-6); to enter Christ is to experience old becoming new. In verses 19-20: God as the prime mover continues an earlier theme (2.14; 4.1; 5.5). Reconciliation makes enemies friends (Rom 5.19). Ministry of reconciliation continues God's work (6.1). In verse 21: 8.3, Gal 3.13. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 2nd

Read 2 Corinthians 5.1-10. In 5.1-10: Looking to the future with confidence. The perishable body is compared to an earthly tent in 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 resurrections gives the believers 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 the way we "see" (4.13-15.18). In verses 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 December 1st

 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 that 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 verse 7-12: Embodying Jesus' death and life in ministry. In verse 7: Treasure refers to the gospel (4.3-4). Its source of power is 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, ministers 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 believers 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 aptly summarizes Paul's understanding of hope (Rom 8.24-25; Heb 11.1-3). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 30th

 Read 2 Corinthians 3.4-18. In 3.4-18: Ministers of a new covenant. Christ inaugurates the new covenant promised by Jeremiah (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 the new covenant (v. 6; 1.21-22; 1 Cor 15.45). This symbol was spirit ("pneuma"). Paul thinks of each covenant as 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 34.29-35, 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 more dazzling light, 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). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 29th

 Read 2 Corinthians 2.14-3.3. In 2.14-6.13: Paul's understanding of ministry. In 2.14-17: Ministers sent from God. The image is a victory march where conquering general, along with his chief officers, leads his army in triumphal procession, the air filled with the burning of incense (1 Cor 4.9). The aroma signifies life to the victors, death to the conquered. In verse 17: Peddlers of God's word: teachers traveling around the Roman world were frequently accused of being in it for the money (4.2). Persons of sincerity are people with pure motives (1.12). In 3.1-3: Letters written on the heart. Letters of recommendation: Acts 18.27. A letter of Christ: Christ whose spirit lives within human hearts is the content of the letter (1.21-22). the image of God's message written on the heart is drawn from Jer 31.33. Paul's best recommendation is the church itself. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 28th

 Read 2 Corinthians 1.23-2.13. In 1.23-2.13: A painful visit recalled. This visit apparently caused Paul to change the plans mentioned in 1.16. Instead of going from Ephesus to Corinth, he must have gone north to Troas, then on to Macedonia, where he is now writing (2.12-23). In 2.2: This person's identity is not known, but clearly the confrontation was painful for everyone involved-Paul, the person, the whole church (2.5-8). In verses 3-4: This letter better describes chs. 10-11 than 1 Corinthians, which does not reflect such distress, anguish, and tears. It  was apparently written from Ephesus after Paul returned from the painful visit to Corinth. In verse 6-11: How the unnamed person was punished by the majority is not clear. Perhaps the church excluded him from its presence or simply reprimanded him. Paul's call for love and forgiveness and his remarks in v. 9 suggest that the church sided with Paul. In verse 11: Paul sees Satan as an active opponent (11.14; 12.7). In verses 12-13: Troas was located on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor. Titus probably delivered the "tearful letter" to Corinth. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 27th

 Read 2 Corinthians 1.15-22. In 1.15-22: Paul's change of plans. In verse 15: Double favor refers to Paul's two planned visits. In verse 16: The route implied is Ephesus, Corinth (in Achaia), Macedonia (probably Thessalonica or Philippi), Corinth, Judea (1 Cor 16.5-8). The trip to Judea would be to deliver the collection poor Christians in Jerusalem (Rom 15.25-26). In verses 17-20: To identify Christ as God's "yes" reflects the conviction that God's promises have been fulfilled in him (Gal 3.14-16; Rom 15.8). In verse 21-22: His Spirit maybe Christ's Spirit (Rom 8.9). First installment is a commercial term, "down payment," a gesture of good faith indicating the balance will follow (Rom 5.5; 8.23). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 26th

 Read 2 Corinthians 1.8-14. In 1.8-14: Paul's recent despair. Affliction ... in Asia: The circumstances of this crisis are not known. It may refer to the riot described in Acts 19.23-41. In verse 9: Sentence of death need not mean legal punishment. It is probably a figure of speech for a close shave with death. In verse 12: Boast here and in v. 14 is used in a positive sense, meaning "source of pride"(Phil2.16). Frankness, sometimes rendered "simplicity," is being straightforward in one's dealings. In verses 13-14: End ... day of the Lord Jesus refers to the time of Jesus' return (1 Cor 1.8; Phil 1.6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 25th

 Read 2 Corinthians 1.1-7. In verses 1-2: Greeting. This greeting resembles other Pauline greetings (1 Thess 1.1; Phil 1.1-2). Timothy joins Paul in addressing the church. He had participated in the church's founding (1.19; Acts 18.5) and was well known to the church (1 Cor 4.17; 16.10-11). In verses 3-7: Prayer of blessing. Pauline letters usually open with a prayer of thanksgiving (Rom 1.8-15; 1 Cor 1.4-9). Here Paul uses the Jewish prayer of blessing ("berakah") found elsewhere in the New testament (Eph 1.3-14; 1 Pet 1.3-9), Paul had recently experienced great affliction and suffering in his dealings with the church. This has given way to consolation and a sense of relief that a severe crisis has passed. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 24th

 Read Amos 9.11-15. In 9.11-15: Vision of renewal. These images of restoration, because they are unparalleled in the rest of Amos and contrast so sharply with his expectation of judgment, are widely regarded as a later addition to Amos' prophecies. In verse 11: The ruined state of the booth of David, a reference to the Davidic monarchy that ruled Judah, appears to place this speech after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. This image also suggests that this text was written from the perspective of Judah, the southern kingdom, rather than from the perspective of the northern kingdom which Amos addressed. It anticipates the return of the Babylonian exiles to build their ruined country. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 23rd

 Read Amos 9.5-10. In 9.5-10: Master of the universe.  Amos describes God's power over creation (vv. 5-6) and world history (vv. 7-10). In verse 7: Caphtor is likely Crete, while the location of Kir is uncertain. Just as God directed Israel's migration from Egypt (3.1), so God has directed the affairs of other nations. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 22nd

 Read Amos 9.1-4. In 9.1-4: Amos' visions concluded. Like Amos' other visions (7.1-9; 8.1-3), this vision shows Amos God's coming judgment, but the judgment predicted here is harshest and most complete of them all. In verse 2: Sheol is the abode of the dead. Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 21st

 Read Amos 8.4-14. In 8.4-14 Judgment on Israel's businessmen. In this judgment speech, Amos indicts Israel's merchants for economic abuses (vv. 4-6) and announces a sentence of widespread devastation (vv. 7-14). In verse 5: The new moon and the sabbath are religious holidays (Isa 1.13; Hos 2.11) considered an annoyance by merchants who cannot make a profit during their observance. The ephah is used to measure an amount of grain by capacity, and the shekel is used to measure an amount of grain by weight. Reducing the ephah and enlarging the shekel are thus two ways merchants can cheat their customers. In verse 14: The Hebrew text rendered Ashimah here means literally "guilt," thus, "the guilt of Samaria." However, scholars have altered the Hebrew slightly to read either Ashimah, a Canaanite deity (2 Kings 17.30). Amos mention of  Israel's capital, Samaria, together with one of its major religious centers, Dan, and a southern center visited by northerners, Beer-sheba (5.5), includes within God's judgment the political and religious leaders of Israel. Comments or Questions...

Reading for November 20th

 Read Amos 8.1-3.  In 8.1-3: Amos' visions continued. Like the visions described in 7.1-9, this vision reveals a coming judgment on Israel. In verse 2: The meaning of this vision is based on the similarity in Hebrew between the words for summer fruit ("qayits") and end ("qets"). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 19th

 Read Amos 7.10-17. In 7.10-17: Amos preaches at Bethel. This is the only narrative in Amos describing an event in Moses' career and specific setting in which he preached. Upon hearing Amos' unfavorable predictions about Jeroboam, king of Israel, Amaziah, priest of Bethel, responds in two ways: he sends word to Jeroboam in Samaria (vv. 10-11), and he banishes Amos from Bethel, one of Israel's major religious centers (vv. 12-13). Amaziah appears to claim that Amos, from the Judean town of Tekoa (1.1), should earn his living as a prophet in his own country of Judah ("earn your bread there," v.12), and stay out of Israel's affairs. When Amos responds that he is not a prophet but a shepherd and a farmer (v. 14), he may mean that he is not earning his living as a (professional) prophet at all, but rather communicating an unexpected but genuine divine revelation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 18th

 Read Amos 7.1-9. In 7.1-9: Amos' visions. In three separate visions-a locust plague (vv. 1-3); a fire storm (vv.4-6); and a wall and plumb line (vv. 7-9)- God shows Amos judgments that will befall Israel. After the first two visions, Amos asks God to reconsider, and the punishment is withheld. Jacob is used as a synonym for Israel in these two visions. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 17th

 Read Amos 6.1-14. In 6.1-14: Judgment on Samaria's elite men. In this judgment speech, Amos indicts Israel's leaders for excessive wealth and complacency (vv. 1-6) and announces a sentence that includes the conquest of Samaria and deportation of its leaders (vv. 7-14). In verse 2: Calneh and Hamath are capital cities of important Syrian city-stares. In verse 6: Joseph is a synonym for Israel (5.6). In verse 13: Lo-debar and Karnaim are cities east of the Jordan that may have been brought under Israelite control during Amos' career by conquests of Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14.25). In verse14: Lebo-hamath and the wadi Arabah are the northern and southern boundaries established for the kingdom of Israel by Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14.25); they are used here by Amos to depict Israel in its entirety. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 16th

 Read Amos 5.25-27. In what maybe an editorial addition, Israel is blamed for idolatry Sakkuth and Kaiwan are titles for Saturn, an astral deity in Mesopotamia. Damascus is the capital of the kingdom of Aram, northeast of Israel (1.3). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 15th

 Read Amos 5.14-24. Inverses 14-15: Amos' appeal to seek God by living justly (vv. 4-7) is resumed. In verses 16-20: Amos continues his lament begun in vv.1-3. The day of the Lord (vv. 18, 20) is decisive act of God in human affairs. Although Amos' audience believed it would be a day of salivation, Amos saw it as a day of judgment. In verses 21-24: This is Amos' classic statement about the meaninglessness of worship (vv. 21-23) if is practiced by those who do not do justice in their daily affairs (v. 24). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 14th

 Read Amos 5.8-13. In verses 8-9: Hymns such as this one praising God's power occur at several points in Amos (4.13; 9.5-6). In verses 10-13: Amos indicts Israel for judicial and economic abuses. Israel's judges heard and settled disputes at the gate of the city (vv. 10, 12). Levies grain are taxes imposed by creditors or landlords on poor farmers. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 13th

 Read Amos 5.1-7. In 5.1-27: A lament over Israel. Within a lament anticipating Israel's fall (vv. 1-3, 16-20), Amos indicts Israel for its injustices (vv. 10-13, 21-27) and pleads with Israel to seek God in order to avoid disaster (vv. 4-7), 14). In verses 1-3: Amos begins his lament by describing the conquest of Israel as if it had already happened. In verses 4-7: In his opening appeal to seek God, Amos criticizes the worship (v. 5) of those who are not just (v. 7). In verse 5: Beer-sheba, a southern religious center with old associations with the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Sam 8.2; 1 Kings 19.3), is mentioned here alongside two northern centers, Bethel and Gilgal, which Amos criticizes elsewhere (4.4). In verse 6: Joseph, father of the ancestors of the two most powerful northern tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh), employed by Amos as a synonym for Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 12th

 Amos 4.1-13. In verses 1-3: Judgment on Samaria's elite women. In his indictment of their oppression of the poor (v. 1), Amos compares Israel's leading women to cattle grazing in Israel's prime pasture land, Bashan. The sentence for these women (vv. 2,-3) is deportation through the location of Harmon is uncertain. In verses 4-13: Israel's stubbornness.  After criticizing the rituals practiced at two of Israel's religious centers, Bethel and Gilgal (vv. 4-5), perhaps because he judged them hypocritical, Amos lists a series of divine judgements that have failed to convince Israel of its injustices: famine (v. 6), drought (vv. 7-8), plant diseases and predators (v. 9), disease and death for Israel's army (v. 10), and defeat (v. 11). With the term therefore which is characteristically links indictments to sentences, Amos introduces God's judgement (vv. 12-13) for Israel's repeated refusal to reform. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 11th

 Read Amos 3.13- 15, In 3.13-15:  Judgment on Bethel.  Located in the Southern part of Israel, Bethel together with Dan in the north, was one of Israel's major religious centers. the judgement against Israel's houses (v.15) that follows the judgment on Bethel contains an implicit criticism of the rich. Israel's wealthiest citizens built winter houses in the Jordan valley to escape the cold winter climate in the mountains of Samaria, and they made furniture inlaid with ivory for their homes. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 10th

Read Amos 3.9-12. In 3.9-12: Judgment on Samaria. Amos invites representatives from Ashdod, a Philistine city (1.8), and from Egypt to observe the oppressions of the poor on Mount Samaria, the capital of Israel. This indictment (vv. 9-10) is followed by God's sentence: Samaria's strongholds shall be plundered by an invading army  (v.11). The metaphor of the plundering lion in v. 12 emphasizes how little will remains in Samaria after the enemy strikes. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 9th

 Read Amos 3.1-8. In 3.1-8: The power of prophets. After a brief description of Israel's past salvation and future punishment (vv.1-2), Amos begins a speech composed entirely of rhetorical questions (vv. 3-8). With the first questions, Amos gains the audience's agreement on obvious issues in order to convince them of his real claim. When prophets speak, their words are the words of God (vv. 7-8). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 8th

 Read Amos 2.9-16. In verses 9-12: A brief historical summary stresses Israel's stubbornness by contrasting it with God's acts of salvation on Israel's behalf. In verses 13-16: The judgement imposed for Israel's crimes will bring an end to Israel's strongest defenses: its fastest runners, its strongest warriors, its most skilled archers, and its best horsemen. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 7th

 Read Amos 2.6--8. In 2.6-16: Judgment on Israel. This judgment speech concludes the series of speeches directed against Israel's neighbors. By starting with judgments against Israel's neighbors, Amos may have intended to lure his Israelite audience into agreement with him, only to shock them with a concluding speech listing their own sins, even more numerous than those of their neighbors. In verses 6-8: Amos' indictment begins with Israel's mistreatment of its poor ( vv. 6b-7a ), in particular the sale of humans into slavery when they were unable to pay their debts (8.6). garments taken in pledge (Ex 22.26-27; Deut 24.12-13) and fines refer to objects and money taken unfairly from the poor by the rich. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 6th

 Read Amos 1.9-2.5. In verses 9-10: Tyre is a Phoenican city on the Mediterranean coast northwest of Israel. In verse 11-12: Edom is Israel's neighbor to the southeast and Teman and Bozrah are two of its major cities. Edom's brother may refer to either Israel or Judah (Ob 8-12). In verses 13-15: The Amonites, Israel's neighbors to the east, are accused, as is Damascus (1.3), of crimes against the Israelites in Gilead. In 2.1-3: Moab, located southeast of Israel, is accused of crimes against its southern neighbor Edom. In verse 4-5: Judah, like Israel to follow (2.6-16), is criticized not for crimes against its neighbors, but for crimes within its own society against God's law. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 5th

 Read Amos 1.3-8. I 1.3-2.5: Judgments on Israel's neighbors. In typical two-part judgment speeches containing indictments and sentences, Amos announces divine judgment on seven of Israel's closest neighbors. The indictments in each case involve acts of brutality against neighboring people. The repetition of the tree transgressions ... and for four in each indictments a poetic convention meaning simply "several." The image of fire in each sentence predicts the violent destruction of the cities indicted. The phrase says the Lord, which begins and  ends these speeches, identifies them as divine oracles and the prophet as a divine spokesperson. In verses 3-5: Damascus is the capital of the kingdom of Aram northeast of Israel, and Hazael and Ben-haddad are two of its kings. Gilead refers to Israelite territories east of the Jordan. The location of Kir, which Amos regarded as the original home of the Arameans (9.7), is uncertain. In verses 6-8: Gaza, Ashdod, Ash-kelon, and Ekron are major Philistine cities southwest of Israel on the Mediterranean coast. Edom, to which both Gaza and Tyre (1.9-10) deported people, is Israel's neighbor southeast of the Dead Sea. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 4th

 Read Amos 1.1-2. In 1,1-2: Introduction. Prophetic books customarily begin with data about their authors. In verse 1: Amos preached during the reigns King Uzziah of Judah (783-742 BCE) and King Jeroboam of Israel (786-746 BCE), and he owned sheep and orchards (7.14). Though from Tekoa, a town in Judah, Amos preached primarily to Judah's northern neighbor, Israel (2.6). In verse 2: Jerusalem and Zion are both names of the capital city of Judah. Carmel is a mountain range near the Mediterranean coast in Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 3rd

 Read Joel 3.1-21. In 3.1-21: Judgment on the nations and the restoration of Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible, these verses are 4.1-21. This poem does not mention the locusts, but takes as it backdrop the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE and the exile of its people (vv. 2, 5). It follows the traditional structure of hymns, such as Ex 15.1-18 and Zech 14.1-21, which celebrate the victory of God the warrior over Israel's enemies. The threat to divine rule (vv.1-8) brings God into battle (vv. 9-14) that shakes the cosmos (vv. 15-16). Victorious, God is enthroned on his holy mountain (v. 17), making the world fertile (v. 18) and saving his people (vv.19-21). In verse 2: Jehoshaphat is symbolic-- rather than actual, geographical-- place, meaning "the Lord has judged." In verse 4: Tyre and Sidon, cities on the Mediterranean coast north of Judah, and Philista to the south are accused of participating in Judah's destruction and deporting its people. In verse 8: The Sabeans may be inhabitants of southern Arabia. In verse 10: This verse reverses the image of peace in Isa 2.4 and Mic 4.3. In verse 19: Egypt sometimes ally and sometimes enemy, and Edom, elsewhere accused of participating in Jerusalem's destruction (Ob 8-14), are both counted here among the nations judged when Jerusalem is restored. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 2nd

 Read Joel 2.28-32. In 2.28-32 The outpouring of God's spirit. In the Hebrew Bible, these verses constitute a new chapter. 3.1-5. In verses 28-29: In the future, the prophetic gift will be spread among all people. In verses 30-32: The day of the Lord is pictured with traditional images of darkness as a day of judgment on Jerusalem, which only a few will survive. Whether these few are those who survived the locusts (which are not mentioned here) or the survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE is not stated. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 1st

 Read Joel 2.18-27. In 2.18-27: God's renewal of the land. Joel anticipates new harvests to replace those the locusts have destroyed. Each crop ruined in 1.1-2.17 is to be restored. In verse 20: The northern army in Hebrew is simply "the northerner," used for the locust here because it is a traditional designation of the enemy, since enemies invaded from the north, or because the locusts themselves came from the north, as did the first swarms in the 1915 plague in Jerusalem. the eastern sea in the Dead Sea and the western sea is the Mediterranean Sea. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for October 31st

 Read Joel 2.1-17. In 2.1-17: The call to repentance. In verses 1-3: Turning again to the priests whom he had just addressed (1.13-18), Joel direct them to blow the trumpet in Zion (a synonym for Jerusalem), assembling all the people to ask for God's forgiveness. (15-17). In verse 2: darkness and clouds are traditional images associated with the day of the Lord, but they may also refer here to the dense swarms of locusts that can obscure the sun. In verses 4-11: Joel develops in detail his comparison of the locust swarms within invading army. In verses 13: Rend your hearts and not your clothing: while not abandoning ritual--he directs the priests to lead the people in a liturgy of repentance--Joel sees genuine religion as a matter of inner renewal, as is common among the prophets. Like other prophets, Joel regards disasters like this as acts of divine judgement the at require repentance, but unlike them, he does not describe the particular sins that he believes have brought on this punishment. Gracious and merciful ... This is an adaptation of a traditional description of God (Ex 34.6-7; Jon 4.2). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 30th

 Read Joel.1.5-20. In 1.5-20: The call to mourning. Joel summons three groups into mourning: consumers of wine (vv. 5-10), farmers (vv. 11-12), and priests (vv. 13-18). then he cries out to God himself (vv. 19-20). In verse 6: A nation has invaded my land begins an extended metaphor, by which Joel compares the incoming locust swarms to an invading army (compare 2.2, 4-11, 25). In verse 7: Their branches have turned white: In this and other vivid details of decimated vegetation, Joel's description matches that of eyewitnesses of Jerusalem's last great locust plague in 1915. In verse 15: The day of the Lord is a prophetic theme that reappears throughout Joel (2.1, 11, 31; 3.14). In verse 19: Joel uses the metaphor of fire together with the metaphor of an army for the devouring locust (compare 2.3). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 29th

 Read Joel 1.1-4. In 1.1-4: The locust plague. Joel introduces the locust plague as one unparalleled in the living memory of the people (compare 2.2). In verse 4: The four terms for locust here and in 2.25 may refer to stages in the growth of the locust. The meanings of the Hebrew terms are unclear and translations, cutting locust, etc., are only suggestions. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 28th

 Read Romans 16.17-27. In verses 17-20: Warnings against troublemakers. In verse 18: Their own appetites, literally "their belly," are their own desires (Phil 3.19). Smooth talk and flattery: False teachers often have a way with words (Eph 5.6; Col 2.4). In verse 19: Paul's advice echoes Jesus' teaching (Mt 10.16). In verse 20: Paul expects God's final triumph soon (1 Cor 15.24). In verses 21-23: Paul's co-workers send greetings. In verse 21: Timothy was Paul's long-time co-worker (Acts16.1; 1 Cor 16.10-11). In verse 22: Tertius was Paul's secretary. In verse 23: Most likely, this is the Gaius of Corinth whom Paul baptized (1 Cor1.14). In verses 25-27: Benediction. How the letter originally ended is unclear. In verses 25-26: The mystery ... kept secret for long ages is God's vision of a universal community composed of both Jews and gentiles who live in obedient faith (Eph 3.1-6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 27th

 Read Romans 16.1-16. In 16.1-23: Concluding personal greetings and exhortations.  In verse 1-2: Phoebe commended. In verse 1: Deacon (Gk., "diakonos"), or minister, is the same term used of Christ (15.8) and Paul 1 Cor 3.5). Cenchrease was a suburb of Corinth (Acts 18.18). In verses 13-16: Paul sends his greetings. In verses 3-5: Priscilla and Aqulia: Acts 18.2-3; 1 Cor 16.19. In verse 5: Asia: western Asia Minor. In verse 7; The feminine form of Junia is preferred over the masculine form Junias. She is the only woman among the apostles in the New Testament . My relatives probably means fellow Jews. In verses 8-16: All the names listed are mentioned only here in the New testament. Another Rufus is mentioned in Mk15.21. The number of people Paul knows by name in the Roman church is remarkable. In verse 16: The holy kiss possibly originated in early Christian circles (1 Cor 16.20; 2 Cor 13.12). The churches of Christ in Achaia, where Paul was writing, are ment. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 26th

 Read Romans 15.14-33. In 15.14-33: Paul's plans and anxieties. In verse 14-29: Paul reflects on his own ministry. In verse 14: Paul reaffirms his confidence in the Roman church (1.8; 1 Cor 1.5). In verses 15-16: Grace given me refers to Paul's call to be an apostle to the gentiles (1 Cor 15.10-11). Referring to his ministry as priestly service is unusual. In verse 19: Signs and wonders accompanied Paul's ministry (2 Cor 12.12). Illyricum was a Roman province across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. In verse 21: Isa 52.15. In verse 22: What hindered Paul is not known (1.13). In verse 23: These regions were probably the areas bordering the Aegean Sea. In verse 24: Hospitality would also include financial provision for his mission to Spain (see v. 28; 1 Cor 16.6). In verse 25-26: Ministry to the saints refers to the financial collection Paul had gathered for poor Christians in Jerusalem (1 Cor 16.1-4; 2 Cor 8-9). In verse 27: Paul applies the principle of reciprocity stated in Gal 6.6. In verse 30-33: Paul's anxiety about the collection. In verse 31: Unbelievers in Judea are probably non-Christian Jews (1 Thess 2.15). Acts 21.17-26 relates Paul's arrival in Jerusalem and the controversy it causes among Jews, but omits the collection. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 25th

Read Romans 15.1-13. In 15.1-6: Helping the weak. In verses 1-2:  The previous discussion is summarized well here. In verse 3: Ps 69.9. In verse 4: Whatever was written in former days refers to the previously quoted psalm, but applies to the Older Testament scripture especially (1 Cor 10.11) In verse 5: The concluding prayer for harmony echoes earlier advice (12.16; Phil 2.2). In verses 7-13: Concluding appeal. In verses7-8: Christ's example influences Christian behavior (3.26; 2 Cor 8.9). In verse 8: Servant of the circumcised indicates Christ's service to Jews (Gal 4.4-5), whose patriarchs received the promises that gentiles would receive God's blessings (4.13; 9.4). The following Old Testament quotations include gentiles in God's purpose. In verse 9: Ps 18.49; 2 Sam 22.50. In verse 10: Deut 12.43 (Hebrew text). In verse 11: Ps 117.1. In verse 12 Isa 11.10. In verse 13: Paul prays for the vision of 14.17 to be realized. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 24th

 Read Romans 14.10-23. In 14.10-23: Learning not to judge each other. In verse 10: To judge others is to assume God's unique role (2 Cor 5.10). In verse 11: Isa 49.18; Jer 22.24; Ezek 5.11 Isa 45.21. In verse 13: This conclusion follows from vv. 11-12; see Mt 18.6-7. In verse 14: In the Lord Jesus may mean fidelity to Jesus' teaching (Mt 15.11; Acts 10.15). In verse 15: Paul echoes the advice he gives in 1 Cor 8.11-15. In verse 17b: These characterize life in the Spirit (Ch. 8). In verse 19: Peace and mutual upbuilding 1 Cor 14.12, 26. In verses 20-22: Paul consistently advises placing limits on personal liberty for the sake of others (1 Cor 8.9-13). In verses 22-23: Acting from faith requires clear convictions, from from lingering doubts and feelings of self-condemnation. A right act wrongly felt is wrong. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 23rd

 Read Romans 14.1-9. In 14.1-15.13: Dealing with differences. Here Paul offers instructions about what is required when people from different backgrounds with strongly held opinions try to live together as a community of faith (1 Cor 8-10). In verses 1-6: What to eat and what holidays to observe. In verses 1-2: The weak, those with stricter views about what to eat, may be Jews or gentiles. In verse 2: Those willing to eat anything reflect Paul's more open view about food laws (14.14; 1 Cor 8.8). In verse 3: God's acceptance of weak and strong requires mutual respect from both. In verse 4; Their own Lord may be the principle they hold dear, or they wat they understand what God requires. In verses 5-6: The day may be the sabbath or other Jewish holidays gentiles did not observe God (Gal 4.10; Col 2.16). For gentiles who did not observe the sabbath, all days were alike. Every day was a workday. In verse 6; Devotion to god can produce opposite religious practices. In verses 7-9: Living for the Lord not for ourselves. Being the Lord's makes living in isolation impossible. Christ's death and resurrection is a shared realty linking all Christians together, both dead and living (1 Cor12.27). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 22nd

 Read Romans 13.1-14. In verses 1-7: Duties to governing authorities. Paul's positive view of civil authorities is paralleled in 1 pet 2.13-17. In verses 1-4: In Jewish teaching, rulers ultimately derive their authority from God (Wisdom 6.1-3). In verse 6-7: Taxes: Mt 22.15-22. In verses 8-10: Love's obligation. In verse 8: Following the Decalogue's commands expresses love (Gal 5.14). In verse 9: Deut 5.17-21; Ex 20.13-17. In 9b: Lev19.18; Mt 22.34-40. In verse 11-14: being alert. Such advice is usually given when the Lord's coming is expected soon. In verse 11: Time: 1 Cor 7.29; 1 Thess 5.6. In verse 12: In apocalyptic thought, darkness and light define types of behavior (1 Thess 5.1-5; Eph 5.8-11. In verse 13-14: Preparations for the end requires moral living. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 21st

 Read Romans 12.9-21. In verses 9-13: Building community. These pieces of moral advice sketch a profile of sincere behavior tempered by genuine concern of others , both saints and strangers (1 Thess 4.9-12). In verse 9: Am 5.15. In verse 12: Hope and suffering (5.1-5. In verse 13: Heb 13.2; 1 Peter 4.9. In verses 14-21: Controlling impulses. This advice echoes Jewish morality and Jesus' teaching. In verse 14: Mt 5.44. In verse 15: Sir 7.34. In verse 16: Living in harmony is threatened by haughty attitudes; it ultimately occurs as a gift from God (15.5). In verse 19: Deut 32.15. In verse 20: Prov 25.21-22. Mt 5.39-41. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 20th

 Read Romans 12.1-8. In 12.1-15.13: Moral exhortations: living by faith. In 12-2: Renewed Minds. In verse 1: Living Sacrifice recalls Christ's example (3.25; 8.3). In verse 2; A changed outlook makes for a clear moral vision (Col 3.3-4). In verses 3-8: Viewing ourselves properly. In verse 3: This caution against pride recalls earlier warnings (2.17; 3.27; 1 Cor 4.6). In verses 4-7: Now Paul suggests a remedy. an inflated self-image is offset by recognizing mutual need of each other's gifts (1 Cor 12.4-11). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 19th

 Read Romans 11.25-36. In 11.25-36: How Israel shall be saved. In verse 25: Part of Israel implies the obedience of some Jews (11.5). In verse 26: The gentiles acceptance will prompt the full response of Israel. In verses 26-27: Isa 59.20-21; 27.9; Jer 31.31-34. In verse 28: Enemies: By refusing to submit to God's righteousness, Israel is at cross purposes with God (10.3-4). Beloved recalls the language of Hosea (9.25). In verse 30: Just as gentiles benefited from Israel's bad fortune, now Israel should benefit from the gentiles good fortune. In verse 32: 3.9. In verses 33-36: Concluding prayer; God's wisdom. The mystery of God's workings (11.25) prompts this exuberant prayer acknowledging the depth of God's wisdom (1 Cor 2.7). In verse 34: Isa 40.13. In verse 35: See Job 41.11, Hebrew text. In verse 36: 1 Cor 8.6; Col 1.16. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 18th

 Read Romans 11.13-24. In 11.32-32:Paul speaks to gentiles. The previous discussion has been on ongoing with Israel about Israel. In verses 13-16:Effect of Paul's ministry on Israel. In verse 13: Apostle to the Gentiles: Paul so defines himself (1.5; Gal 2.8). In verse 15: Israel's rejection can become the occasion for universal reconciliation. Israel's acceptance would show God's creative power (4.17). In verse 16: Both images emphasize the solidarity between Israel and gentiles. In verses 17-24: Lessons from the olive tree. In verse 17: Gentiles are the wild olive shoot, Israel the root. In verse 18: Jews earlier, now gentiles, are forbidden to boast (2.17-21) In verse 20: Unbelief is refusal to acknowledge Jesus as messiah. In verse 21: Both Jews and gentiles can experience God's wrath (2.9-10). In verse 22: Kindness and severity represent God's two sides (9.22-24). In verse 23: Of Israel is an acceptable expansion since Israel's unbelief is clearly in view. In verse 24: Paul holds out hope for Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 17th

 Read Romans 11.1-12. In verses 1-6: A remnant chosen by grace. In verse 1: The objection of 3.1 is stated more emphatically. Paul offers himself as an example of an obedient Israelite (2 Cor 11.22). In verse 2: 1 Sam 12.22. In verse 3: 1 Kings 19.10. In verse 14: God's righteousness as gift (5.15; 11.27). In verses 7-12: Israel's refusal enables gentiles' obedience. In verse 7: The elect are the faithful remnant of responsive Jewish Christians. Inverse 8: Deut 29.4; Isa 29.9-10. In verses 9-10: Ps 69.22-23. In verse 10: Back forever bent: The blind walk stooped. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 16th

 Read Romans 10.14- 21. In verses14-17: Hearing the gospel of Christ. In verses 14-15: Being summoned is ultimately traceable to proclamation. In verse 15: Isa 42.7; Nah 1.15. Proclaimers of God's good news are like messengers announcing battle victories. In verse 16: Isa 53.1. In verse 17: Abraham may be in view of word of God is read. In verses 18-21: Israel's refusal to hear. The law, prophets and writings attest Israel's disobedience. In verse 18:Ps 19.4. In verse 19; Deut 12.21. In verse 20: Isa 65.1. In verse 21: Isa 65.2. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 15th

 Read Romans 10.1-13. In verses 1-4: Paul's prayer for Israel. In verses 1-2: Paul speaks of Israel (9.31-33). In verse 3: Righteousness that comes from God: 1.16-17. In verse 4: The end of the law: Christ either abolishes the law or is its goal, probably the later (3.21-22). In verses 5-13: Righteousness through faith. In verse 5: Lev 18.5. The emphasis here is on living by doing. In verse 6a: Deut 9.4. In 6b Deut 30.12. In verse 7: Ps 107.26; see Deut 30.13. In verse 8: Deut 30.14. Faith does not try to locate Christ "out there," but rather expresses an inner conviction; believed with the heart and expressed with your lips. In verse 10: What the heart believes, the mouth confesses. In verse 11: Isa 28.16. In verse 12: No distinction: Jews and gentiles are justified the same way (3.30). In verse 13: Joel 2.32. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 14th

 Read Romans 9.27-33. In verses 27-29: A remnant will be saved. In verse 27: Isa 10.22. In verse 28: See Isa 28.22. Inverse 29: Isa 1.9. In verses 30-33: gentiles succeeded where Israel failed. Faith, the capacity to trust God not performance is the critical difference (4.5). In verse 33: Isa 28.16; Isa 8.14. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 13th

 Read Romans 9.14-26. In 9.14-26: God's freedom to choose. In verse 14: Paul anticipates criticism of his logic ((3.3-5). In verse 15: Ex 33.19. In verse 16: God does not require human will or exertion to show mercy. In verse 17: Ex 9.26. In verse 19: Paul's imaginary dialogue partner responds. In verses 20-21: The image of the potter and clay (drawn from Isa 29.16; 45.9) emphasizes God's sovereign power. In verses 22-23: God can show wrath or mercy. In verses 25-26: From both Jews and Gentiles, God can form a newly beloved people. In verse 25: Hos 2.25. In verse 26: Hos 1.10. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 12th

 Read Romans 9.1-13. In 9.1-36: God's purpose for Israel. In 9.1-5: Blessings belonging to Israel. In verse 5: here the NRSV retains the ambiguity of the Greek (see alternate translations). Ordinarily, Paul uses such language of God rather than Christ (1.25; 2 Cor 11.31). In verses 6-13: Abraham's true descendants. In verse 6-7: This earlier distinction (2.28-29) between physical and spiritual pedigree is now stated differently In verse 7: Gen 21.12. In verse 8: Children of the promise are gentiles and Jews who, like Abraham live by faith (4.16). In verse 9: Gen 18.10. In verse 12: Gen 25.23. Like Abraham, Rebeca lived by faith. In verse 13: Mal 1.2-3. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 11th

 Read Romans 8.26-39. In verses 26-27: The Spirit as intercessor. In verse 26: Our weakness is being unable to say what we  need. Intercedes: the Spirit pleads our case before God (Heb 7.25). In verse 27: Here God knows the Spirit as thoroughly as the human heart (Ps 139.1-6). praying "in the spirit" recognizes the Spirit's mediating role (Eph 6.18; Jude 20). In verses 28-30: Being part pf God's larger purpose. The alternate readings yield significant differences. The most believable of the three is: In all things God works for good.. In verses 29-30: The people of God rather than individuals are in view. In verses 31-39: More than conquerors. Central to this triumphant finale is what God did in Christ. (vv. 32, 34, 37, 39), aptly summarized in the final line: the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In verse 32: Christ as god's sacrifice is in view (8.3). Everything else includes protective care from suffering (v. 35) and cosmic threats, present and future. (vv. 37-39). In verse 33: God's elect are God's people (8.28-30). In verse 36: Ps 44.22. Comments of Questions..

Reading for October 10th

 Read Romans 8.12-25. In verses 12-17: Living as God's children. In verses 12-13: Living according to the flesh leads to various forms of self-gratification, deeds of the body. In verse 14: This is especially true of Christ (8.3; Lk 4.1-13). In verses 15-17: The ability to cry, "abba father!" derives from the spirit of adoption. The spirit's co-testimony does not result result from the prayer, as it does in the NRSV text. The prayer preserves the Aramaic language of Jesus (Mk 14.36; Gal 4.6). In verses 18-25: present sufferings and future glory.  In verse 18: Sufferings and glory develop 8.17. Believers share both experiences with Christ. In verse 19-25: The creation is the whole created order. In verse 20: Subjected to futility: The creation story is in view, especially Gen 3.17-19. In verse 22: The whole universe is viewed as a woman in labor, giving birth to new life (Gal 4.19). In verse 23: First fruits of the Spirit: in the Old Testament, what was harvested first were the "first fruits." and indication of more to come (Ex 23.16). similarly the Spirit is understood here as a foretaste of the future glory. In verse 24: 2 Cor 4.18. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 9th

 Read Romans 8.1-11. In verses 1.8: Life in the Spirit. In verse 1: No condemnation: Those in Christ no longer feel doomed (Jn 5.24). In verse 2: God's life-giving Spirit unleashed in Christ becomes a liberating law, replacing the Mosaic law that sin uses to produce death ( 7.5, 11). In verses 3-4: By sending Christ as a sin offering, God met the requirement of the law (Lev 4-5). Recognizing what the law  ... could not do, however, God dealt with human sin (sin in the flesh) with a human sacrifice (in the likeness of sinful flesh) with a human sacrifice (in the likeness of sinful flesh). In verses 5-8: Flesh and the Spirit represent opposing outlooks, with different lifestyles and consequences: death versus life and peace (Gal 5.16-26). In verses 9-11: God, Christ, Spirit. Paul now uses the plural form of you (8.2). His main focus may be group rather than individual identity. In verse 9; Having the Spirit of Christ becomes the distinguishing mark of Cristian identity. In verse 10; If Christ is in you; Christ's pattern of "dying and rising" becomes part of us (Gal 2.19-20). Our body may be mortal because of Adam's sin, yet our spirit lives because of God's righteousness shown through Christ (5.18). In verse 11: God's spirit living within us links our experience of the risen Christ with our hope of resurrection life. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 8th

 Read Romans 7.14-25. In verses 14-20: The struggle to do good. I am of the flesh; Paul maybe speaking of his own moral  struggle or using "I" to express everyone's experience. Sin that dwells within me (vv. 17, 20) suggests as alien presence wreaking havoc in an unwilling host. In verses 21-25: The war within us. In verse 21: a law here means "a rule". In verse 22:The law of God may be the Mosaic law (vv. 14, 16). In verse 23: Elsewhere the opposition is between flesh and Spirit (Gal 5.17). In verse 25: As before, sin and God are enemies (6.22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 7th

 Read Romans 7.1- 13. In verses 1-3: Marriage and the law. Whether the Jewish law (ex 20.14; Deut 5.18) or Roman law is in view is not clear. The same principle holds for both: Laws governing marriage presuppose two living partners. The death of one partner (here the husband), invalidates the law, leaving the other partner (the wife) free to marry. In verses 4-6: Christ's death and the Law. The law of Moses is the first husband, the risen Christ the second husband. Paul's readers are the wife now discharged from the obligations of the old written code. Newly married to Christ, they belong to another and enjoy the new life of the Spirit. Generally, the analogy makes sense, but seems forced. V. 4 is difficult. In verses 7-13: The value of the law. In verse 7: V. 5 seems to support the objection. By naming the sin, the law raises the sinner's consciousness. To covet is to want something that belongs to someone else (Ex 20.17; Deut 5.21). In verses 8-11: Sin takes on personal qualities, having power to seize and manipulate people and laws. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 6th

 Read Romans 6.15-23. In verses 15-19: Choosing whom to obey. In verse 15: For Paul's critics, exchanging law for grace encourages sin (3.8). In verses 16-19: The widespread practice of slavery in antiquity inform Paul's discussion: Living as slaves meant obedient submission (Eph 6.5-9; Col 3.22-4.1). In verses 20-23: Thinking long-term. In verse 20: To be free is to be without obligation to righteousness. In verse 21: Sin can cause physical death and ultimate separation from God. (8.6, 13). In verse 22: With changed loyalties comes a purer life, sanctification (1 Thess 4.3), and eventually eternal life with God (5.21). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 5th

 Read Romans 6.5-14. In verses 5-11: Dying and living with Christ. In verse 5-8: With him: Believers "enter" Christ's experience as co-participants (Gal.19-20). In verse 10: He died to sin; In dying, Christ yielded to sin's power to kill. Christ's death occurred once; his new life with God is ongoing: He lives to God. In verse 11: Sin and God represent opposing realities and loyalties. In verses 12-14: Shifting loyalties. Sin may be an impersonal force, but it seriously competes with God for dominion over mortal bodies. In verse 13: Those ... brought from death to life have relived Christ's experience (v. 8). In verse 14: Christ's death also represents a shift from law to grace. (Jn 1.17). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 4th

 Read Romans 6.1-4. In 6.1-4: Dying to Sin. In verse 1: Paul now answers his critics more fully (3.8). In verse 3-4: Through baptism, believers ritually reenact Jesus' death and resurrection, experiencing the radical shift from death to life as moral renewal: death to sin and newness of life (Col 2.11-12). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 3rd

 Read Romans 5.12-21. In verses 12-14: Sin, death, and law. Tracing sin and death to one man, Adam, is based upon Gen 3. Universal sin brings universal death (Rom 3.9). In verse 13-14: Adam's sin preceded the Mosaic law chronologically, but law makes sin and its consequences specific, thus easier to deal with. Adam is seen as a type (a figure with important similarities) of Christ, the one who was to come (1 Cor 15.45-47). In verses 15-17: Adam and Christ. Free gift translate different Greek words ("charisama," vv. 15a, 16b; "dora," vv. 15, 17; "dorema," v16), but they all refer to God's free gift of Christ, which is events are alike because they show how one person can affect many people. But they have very different effects, Adam's trespass brought condemnation (v.16) and death (v. 17), where as God's free gift of Christ brought justification (v.16) and life (v. 17) In verses 18-21: Law and grace. In verses 18-19: These verses summarize and extend the contrast of the previous section. In verse 20-21; The Mosaic law came in and made sin and its consequences clear (4.15). Trespasses multiplied because awareness of sin increased. Yet, the lethal effects of sin were exceeded by God's grace shown through Jesus Christ our Lord. this event revealed God's righteousness by proving God reliable and making real the prospect of eternal life (6.23). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 2nd

 Read Romans 5.1-11. In verses 1-5: Peace with God through Christ. In verse 1; Gal 2.16. Peace results where justice and righteousness prevail (Isa 32.16-18). In verse 2: To experience salvation as gift, not reward, it to stand in God's grace (1 Pet 5.12; Rom 4.4-5). In verse 2-3: Boast is used positively here, meaning "take pride in" (Rom 3.27; 1 Cor 1.29). In verse 3-4: Suffering is properly understood within the larger perspective of resurrection hope. In verse 5: God's past activities provide the basis for hope (Ps 22.3-5). The Holy Spirit given to believers is the tangible expression of God's love (Titus 3.6). In verses 6-11: Christ died for sinners. In verse 6: The ungodly live against God (Rom 4.5). In verse 7: It is hard enough to die for a generous, good-hearted person. In verse 8: Christ's death for sinners who are neither good not righteous shows God's unusual love (Jn 3.16; 1 Jn 4.10). In verse 9: His blood: Jesus' death is understood as atoning sacrifice (Rom 3.25). In verses 10-11: Those yielding to the power of sin become enemies of God (Rom 3/9-18). Christ's death reconciles sinful humanity with God (2 Cor 5.18-19; Col 1.21-22), through his resurrection life, believers experience similar hope of being saved. In verse 11: God now becomes the proper object of pride (1 Cor1.31). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 1st

 Read Romans 4.16-25. In 4.16-25: Abraham's ability to trust. In verse 16: The promise of God's blessing is given in grace and received in faith to all his descendants, both Jews (adherents of the law) and gentiles (those who share the faith of Abraham). In verses 17-19: God's creative power is shown by giving life to Abraham's "dead" body and Sarah's barren womb. In verse 17: Gen 17.5. In verse 18; Gen 15.5. In verse 19: hundred years old, Gen 17.17. In verses 20-21: Unwavering trust characterizes the faith of Abraham (v.16). In verse 22: Gen 15.6. In verses 24-25: To believe that God raised Jesus ... from the dead requires faith like that of Abraham and Sarah. For them, receiving God's righteousness meant experiencing God as utterly reliable., as someone whose promises come true. God can similarly experienced by those who believe that God gave life to the crucified Jesus. The language handed over and raised suggests a two-part confession. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 30th

Read Romans 4.1-15. In verses 1-8: The example of Abraham. In verse 3: Gen 15.6. In verses 4-5: Righteousness may be seen as an earned wage given to one who works or as a gift freely bestowed to the one who trusts in God who accepts sinners. In verses 7-8 Ps 32.1-2. In verses 9-12; When Abraham received God's blessing. The sequence of events in Genesis is critical to Paul's argument. which was the more defining moment for Abraham? Faith (Gen 15.6) or circumcision (Gen 17.1-14)? Faith since it came first. Thus, Abraham is better seen as the ancestor of all who believe (Jews and gentiles) rather than the ancestor of the circumcised (Jews only). In verses 13-15: God's promise through faith, not Mosaic law. In verse 13: The promise of many descendants through Isaac experienced through the righteousness of faith is given in Genesis (15.1-6; 18.18; 22.15-18). It did not come through the law of Moses, which came much later. Since the promise is linked more closely to faith than it is to the law, it is best experienced not by adherents of the law but by those living in faith. In verse 15: Without law, there is no sense of violation (Gal 3.19). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 29th

Read Romans 3.21-31. In verses 21-26: Experiencing God's righteousness through Christ.  In verse 21: The righteousness of God: God's integrity and ability to set things right. In verses 22, 26: To have faith in Jesus Christ means Christ is the object of faith: believers regard him as God's agent of redemption (v. 24). To have faith of Jesus Christ means Christ is the example of faith: His fidelity reveals God's integrity and displays the type of faith for which believers should strive (Gal 2.16, 20; 3.20). In verses 27-31: Faith and Law. In verse 27: Boasting: putting confidence in human achievement instead of divine power (1 Cor 1.29, 31). In verse 28: This verse compactly summarizes Paul's position (Gal 2.16). In verses 28-30: Two ways of being religious or relating to God, are contrasted through works of the Law (Moses) and the law (principle) of faith. Paul insists that Jews (the circumcised) and gentiles (the uncircumcised) relate to God the same way: through ... faith (v. 30). In verse 31: Overthrow the law probably expresses the views of Paul's critics. his claim to uphold the law is developed in ch. 4. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for September 28th

 Read Romans 3.1-20. In verses 1-8: Answering Jewish objections. In verse 2: Scripture contains the oracles of God, what God has spoken to Israel (Deut 4.7-8; Ps 147.15, 188-20). In verses 3-7: God's reliability is variously described as faithfulness, justice, truthfulness. In verse 4; One psalm finds humans unreliable (Ps 116.11), another regards God as an honest judge (Ps 51.4). In verse 8: This criticism is answered more fully in ch. 6. In verses 9-20: No one has the moral advantage. In verse 9: Jews and Greeks include everyone (1.16). In verses 10-18, Various biblical quotations are grouped together to show that all ... are under the power of sin. In verses 10-12: Eccl 7.20; Ps 14.1-3. In verses 13: Ps 5.9; 140.3. In verse 14: Ps 10.7. In verses 15-17Isa 59.7-8; Prov 1.16. In verse 18: Ps 36.1. In verse 20: Ps 143,2: Gal 2.16. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 27th

 Read Romans 2.17-29. In 2.17-24: Inconsistent behavior condemned. In verses 17-18: Jewish identity is closely linked to Torah observance. In verse 19: Isa 42.6-7. In verses 21-23: These rhetorical questions directly indict those who boast in the law yet flagrantly violate its teachings. Stealing and committing adultery are forbidden in the Decalogue (Ex 20.1-17; Deut 5.1-2). In verse 24: The quotation is based on the Greek version of Isa 52.5. See Ezek 36.20. In verses 25-29: What really defines a person. Gen 17.1-14 required male circumcision as the sign of God's covenant with Israel. It is indicated willingness to observe Torah (Gal 5.3). Uncircumcised gentiles who fulfill the moral requirements of Torah are, in a spiritual sense, circumcised and more commendable than Jews who violate Torah. Circumcision  ... of the heart suggests an obedient spirit (Deut 10.16; 30.6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 26th

 Read Romans 2.1-16. In 1.1-11: God's wrath against religious people. The language shifts to direct address, from they and them in 1.18-32 to you. Whoever you are (vv. 1, 3), literally, "Oman!" is an open-ended charge against religious people who do the very things they condemn in others. Such people think God's kindness gives them slack rather than reason to change their lives (repentance, v. 4). Like those whom they condemn (1.18), they too will experience God's wrath and fury (v. 8; see 5.9; 12.19). day of wrath, see Zeph 1.14-16; Rev 6.17. At the final judgment, God will render impartial judgment. Verse 6 quotes Ps 62.12; see Prov 24.12. Good and evil cut across ethnic lines (vv. 9-10). In verses 12-16: Doing what the law requires. In verse 12: Experiencing the harsh effects of sin and developing a sense of moral accountability before God do not derive exclusively from the law of Moses. This is something all people experience, both gentiles who live apart from the law and Jews who live under the law. In verse 16: The day of judgement, 2 Cor 1.14; Phil 1.6, 10. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 25th

 Read Romans 1.18-32. In 1.18-8.39: God's purpose and character revealed in Christ. In 1.18-32: God's wrath against sinful humanity. Gentiles are not mentioned specifically  in 1.18-32, but they appear to be in view (see 1.30, God-haters; 2.14; 3.9). Paul thinks humanity can know God through creation. yet rather than honoring God properly as creator, people devised inappropriate forms of worship: images of humans and animals (v. 23). Such worship is misguided because it gives honor to mortal things rather than exclusive honor to the immortal God (v. 23). Worshiping creatures instead of of the Creator is here seen as the ultimate lie. Closely associated with idol worship were sexual practices regarded by Jews as impure and degrading to the body (vv. 24-25). Failure to acknowledge God leads to debased thinking and immoral behavior. the sins listed in vv. 29-31, mainly describe behavior that destroys meaningful relationships among friends and family., leading to chaos within society (1 Cor 6.10-11; Gal 5.19-21). Paul repeatedly emphasizes that God gave them up  ... (vv. 24, 26, 28), suggesting God's disgust with such arrogant, socially destructive behavior. Comments or Questions..