Reading for January 22nd

 Read Song of Solomon 1.1-8. In verse 1: Superscription. Like many Psalms, the book begins with background information. Song of Songs: Hebrew for "best song." Which is Solomon's is more likely the editor's attempt to link the book with Solomon rather than proof of its authorship. In verses 2-8: The woman speaks of love. Ancient Near Eastern cultures used many sweet, strong scents on the body as well as in religious ceremonies. Throughout the book,such aromas are compared to the scent of the lover's bodies.. In verse 4: The king: The lovers call each other royal names, indicating their majesty in one another's eyes. In verses 5-6: Black and beauthiful:The woman maintains that her sun-darkened skin is beautiful. The verse imply an expectation that women have fair skin, perhaps reflecting an urban perspective. Kedar: a mountain range of which means "black." Mother's sons: Mothers rather than fathers are mentioned in the book, suggesting a strong female perspective. Vineyards throught thebook are connected with sexulality. The first mention is literal: Her brothers required her to work outside. The second reference is metaphorical: She has not been chaste. In verse 7: Veiled: Veiling practices in ancient Israel are difficult to reconstruct. In Gen 38, a prostitute wears a veil, and Gen 29.21-25 may imply that brides wore face coverings. The reference here may be metaphorical: Why should she have difficulty seeing him? In verse 8: Another voice, the male or chorus, tells her to follow the sheep to find her lover. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 21st

 Read Galatians 6.11-18. In 6.11-18: Paul's closing 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 that defined him (law) and the eclipse of the self-understanding that derived from that world. In verse 15: Ethnic identity no longer matters (3.26-28; 5.6; 1 Cor 7.19). What matters is participating in Gods 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 20th

 Read Galatians 6.1-10. In 6.1-10: Moral exhortations. In verse 1: Church discipline should seek to restore, not just to punish (Mt 18.15-20; 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 verses 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 19th

 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 excess. 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: Rom8.5-8. Life in the Spirit recognizes different gifts and mutual need, thereby devaluing interpersonal rivalry. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 18th

 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 teachers thought God required the gentile Christians in Galatia to be circumcised. In verse 3: Circumcision indicated willingness to live by Torah (Gen 17.9-14). The emphasis here is entire law (3.10). In verse 4: Cut yourselves off can 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; Romans 5.15). In verse 5: Rom 8.18-25. In verse 6: Christ redefines the meaning of ethnic 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 becomes effective by responding to Christ's love" (2.20). In verses 7-8: To call to follow the law does not come from God. In verse 9:1 Cor 5.6. In verse10: The curse of 1.6-9 will take effect. In verse 11: To convince the Galatians, the opposing teachers apparently argued that Paul approved of circumcision. In verse 12: Not only would circumcision hurt physically, it would banish them under the law (Deut 23.1). Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for January 17th

 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 famous mothers (Gen 16-21). In 4.21: Attraction to the law requires an argument from the law. In verse 23: Flesh: Ishmael's birth occurred through human conniving. Isaac's birth fulfilled God's promise to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17). In verses 24-26: In allegory, things referred to 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 Jerusalem. Sarah, by contrast, 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 bases 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 latter. In 5.1: Since Christ is Abraham's promised offspring (3.16), he is the link to freedom represented by Sarah. To begin observing the Mosaic law is to switch bloodlines and revert to a yoke of slavery. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 16th

  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 in firmity is not know. His reference to eyes may be 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 possibly from Christ. In verses 19-20: Paul is now the anxious mother fretting over her children (1 Thess 2.7). Comments or Questions..