Reading for March 15th

Read Ecclesiastes 2.12-17. In 2.12-1: Experiment two: being wise. In verse 12: After the king. How could the successor of the great King Solomon match his wisdom and wealth? The verse may suggest that others need not repeat the experiement since Solomon has done it all. In verses 13-14: The Teacher sincerely recognizes the superiority of wisdom over folly, repeating a traditional saying. In verses 15-16: And yet, being wise doesnt keep you from dying. As throughout the book, the inevitablity of death and its power to erase the memory of a person precipitate the Teacher's despair: How can the wise die just like fools? In verse 17: He repeasts his three-fold verdict (2.11). Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 14th

Read Ecclesiastes 2.1-11. In 2.1-11: Experiement one: pleasure. The preliminary verdict in vv. 1-2 is followed by the empirical data. In verses 4-10: The literary fiction of Solomon's authorship would lend credibility to these extravagances. Solomon's building projects (1 Kings 7-10), large number of women (1 Kings 7), and wealth were legendary. In verse 9: My wisdom remained: An experiement, not sheer indulgence. In verse 11: despite the initial pleasure, all the work involved in seeking pleasure was unsatisfying. The three-fold verdict on the experiment is devastating: it is vanity, chasinga after wind, and yet another wearisome matter under the sun. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 13th

Read Ecclesiastes 1.12-18. In verses 12-18:. The Teacher's experiment. Though any king of the southern kingdom would fit this descritption, Solomon is likely implied. In verse 13: Mind: In Hebrew, "heart," the seat of thinking. Wisdom refers to practical as well as speculative, knowledge. The Teacher begins an empirical investigation into what is useful in life. In verse 14: Chasing after wind: Literally, "shepherding the wind," a futile exertion of energy. This phrase will be repeated eight more times in Ecclesiastes. In verse 15: Given the proverbial ring of the statement, some suggest that the Teacher is quoting a well-known saying. In verse 17: Wisdom, madness, folly: the list of items from one extreme to the other suggests the complete range of experience. In verse 18: A second proverbial statement, likely orginal to the Teacher. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 12th

Read Ecclesiastes 1.1-11. In verse 1: Superscription. Like many Psalms, the book begins with an editiorial comment; it alludes to Solomon. Teacher: Hebrew Qoheleth; a form of "qhl" ("assembly"), its meaning is not clear. In verse 2: The book's theme. Vanity: In Hebrew "hevel," meaning "vapor, wind," things transient and impermanent. vanity of vanities is Hebrew superlative: "the most insubstantial thing." In verse 3: The dominant question. Is there any benefit from life? The reader is introduced to vocabulary that will be repeated throughtout the book: Under the sun refers to wearisome earthly existence, and toil bears a negative connotation. In verses 4-11: Nothing ever changes. The Teacher laments the inability of human activity to alter the flow of the existence. The sun, wind, and streams repeat their predicatable, "no sum" circuts, just as humans are never satisfied with what they see or hear. In verses 10-11 Throughout the book, the Teacher grieves that even righteous ones are not remembered after death. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 11th

Read 1 Peter 5.1-14. In verses 1-5:: Household duties: elder. The last set of household duties addresses local leaders. In verses 1-3: Peter's authority to speak as elder rests on his witness of Christ's sufferings (Mt 26.40, 69-75) and vindication (1.1). Courageous, voluntary leadership which is not self-serving is needed (Mt 20.25-28). In verse 4: Elders, who are local shepherds, will be honored when the chief shepherd comes. In verse 5: Codes and duties, which address reciprocal pairs(wives and husbands, 3.1-7) link elders (5.1-4) with younger men. Charateristic of the subordinate member of the pairs, young men must have respect for the authority of the elders. In verses 6-11: Final exhortations. In verses 6-7: Peter applies Ps 55.22 to the church, echoing Jesus' words (Mt 23.12;Lk 14.11). In verses 8-9: The flock of the chief shepherd is attacked by roaring lion, the devil (Ps 22.13; Lk 22.31). Fidelity comes from solidarity with comparable suffering of brothers and sisters elswhere. In verses 10-11: As God vindictaed Christ (1.11), so God of all grace will surely retore or glorify those whom he has called. A doxology follows 94.111). In verses 12-14: Letter closing. In verse 12: Silvanus writes as Peter's secretary (see 1 Cor 16.20). In verse 13: Greetings typically end letters. Greetings are sent from Babyion, a symbolic name that refers to the city-state Babylon which destroyed Jerualem and carried its population into exile 9Mt 1.11); Chrisrians also used it to hide the name of their oppressor, the city-state of Rome (rev 16.19; 17.5; 18.2, 10). It is, then, a symbolic place name. Still, it echoes the earlier mention of "exile in the Dispersion" (1.1) and "aliens and exiles" (2.11). Eusebius records that Mark was Peter's associate in Rome and the author of the second gospel (E.H. 2.15.1-2; 3.39.15). In verse 14: The kiss of love remiinds the church of its identity as a family or household (see exhortations to love in 1.22; 2.17; 4.8). Comments or Questions.

Reading for March 10th

Read 1 Peter 4.12-19. In 4.12-19: Suffering and the coming judgment. In verses 12-14: Christians' suffering nears sharing Christ's sufferings; as Jesus was vindicated, they will be blessed, honored, and glorified (Mt 5.11-12). In verses 15-16: Suffering should never be punishment for immorality (2.19-20). But dishonor for the name of Christian (Acts 11.26) means glory to God. In verses 17-19: God's household is held to a higher standard than unbelievers, as shown by Prov 11.31. The proper duty of clients who suffer is to honor their faithful patron with loyal trust (1 Cor1.9; 1 Thess 5.24). Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 9th

Read 1 Peter 4.1-11. In verses 1-6: The final judgment. The hymn about Jesus leads naturally to the Day of Judgment. In verses 1-4: Baptismal transformation means the end of life in the flesh but the beginning of life according to the will of God. Conversion means a clear break with the ways of one's nieghbors, who ridicule converts for their distinctive behavior (2.18-3.17). In verses 5-6: Judgment confront all, good and bad, living and dead, so that all may be sved. In verses 7-11: Final judgment: Ideal response. The judgment mentioned above controls how we read vv.7-11. In verses 7-9: Unlike their indulgent neigbors, Christians demonstrate disciplined lives whose purity validates their prayers. Avoiding indulgence, they maintain constant love and practice hospitality, thus putting other before themselves. In verses 10-11: God's gifts are a patron's benefaction to his clients. Conversely, clients offer glory or honor to their patron in the doxolgy. Comments or Questions..