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..