Reading for December 28th

 Read Ecclesiastes 7.1-14. In 7.1-14: Mixture of the Teacher's ideas and traditional wisdom. Forms of Hebrew "tob" (good, and in comparative mode, better) occur ten times in this section. In verses 1-4: Death is instructive for the living, revealing the true end of all things and hence life's proper priorities. In verse 3: Made glad: Literally "made good," "improved." In verse 6: Crackling ... vanity: The words of a fool are loud but bring no long-term  benefits. In verse 7: While the Teacher contrasts wisdom with folly, he also recognizes that they are not permanent conditions; in adversity, wisdom may fail. In verses 11-12: Wisdom while not stable is good. In verse 13: Crooked: see 1.15. Since people do not receive their just rewards, one should avoid being overly pious or overly wicked. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

Read Ecclesiastes  6.1-12. In 6.1-12: Frustration. In light of his previous advice, the Teacher considers the greatest evil the inability to enjoy what one has. In verse 3: In the ancient world, many children (Deut 11.21) and long life (Ps 91.16) were greatly valued. No burial: While the importance of proper burial is clear in the Older Testament (2 Kings 9.30-37), its inclusion here is a bit surprising. Stillborn child: The one who has never experienced life's pain (see the sun) is the most fortunate (4.1-3; Job 3.16). In verse 6: If one does not enjoy life, it is futile. In verse 9: Better is sight ... than the wandering desire: It is better to be content with what one has than constantly to desire more. In verse 10: See ch 1. In verse 12: A summary. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 26th

 Read Ecclesiastes 5.10-20. In 5.10-20: Insatiability of greed. One who seeks wealth for its own sake, rather than for what it can provide, cannot be satisfied. In verse 11: What can one do with possessions other than admire them? In verse 12: A romantic view of the honest laborer who sleeps after great exertion compared to the rich person who lies awake worried about acquisitions. In verse 14: While the Teacher has decried riches, he now considers the unfairness of losing wealth as a parent. In verse 15: Humans are born naked and take nothing with them when they die (Job 1.21). In verse 17: Eat in darkness: Either one is too miserly to use oil or (metaphorically) one eats without enjoyment. In verses 18-20: In light of the foregoing investigation, the Teacher advises: Accept the realities of life and find joy wherever possible. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 25th

 Read Ecclesiastes 5.1-9. In In 5.1-9: Guard yourself. These sayings parallel traditional biblical wisdom: Attentiveness is better that sacrifice (1 Sam 15.22); speech is dangerous and should be minimal (Prov 13.3); and vows require fulfillment (Deut 23.21). While the teacher advises caution in all things, he does not reject the Temple (house of God). In verse 6: Messenger: Likely a servant of the Temple, collecting the payment of a vow. In verse 7: Fear of God: A common motif in wisdom literature, affirming God's control over all matters. In verses 8-9: Injustice should surprise no one, since it is part of the structure of society. King for a plowed field: Meaning unclear, perhaps "a king is worth his upkeep" or "the benefits of an ordered society are worth the cost of social oppression," a point of view more likely at the upper end of the social hierarchy. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 24th

 Read Ecclesiastes 4.1-16. In verses 1-12: Observations on oppression, work, and riches. Three observations and three conclusions. In verses 1-3: Based on his observation of oppression, the Teacher concludes that those who have never experienced the tragedy of life are best. Better than: A common phrase in the book (4.6; 4.9; 4.13; 5.1; 5.5) and in traditional wisdom (Prov 15.16-17). In verses 4-6: Based on his observation of competitive envy and the fate of the lazy, he concludes that more possessions are not worth more strife. In verses 7-9: Based on his observation of a single person working hard for riches and no one with whom to share, he concludes that companionship is preferable to wealth. In verse 12: Threefold cord: Since the topic has been two, the mention of three is curious; it perhaps refers generically to "strength in numbers." In verses 13-16: Reversals. Better than: See comment on 4.3. the King and youth may allude to specific people (Saul and David; Pharaoh and Joseph), or the Teacher maybe telling a story to make a point (see 8.10-11; 9.14-15). The tale demonstrates the power of wisdom, even to overcome social expectations; yet the hero of one age is not remembered in the next. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 23rd

 Read Ecclesiastes 3.9- 22.  verses 9-15: And yet. The punch line robs the reader of whatever comfort the poem has offered: While indeed all things may have their appointed times, human beings are unable to discern those times, much less use the information to their advantage. In verse 11: Sense less use the information to their advantage. In verse 11: Sense of past and future: other possible translations are "sense of eternity," "sense of the world." While humans have intimations of the cosmic dimensions of existence, their knowledge is limited. In verses 12-15: While this list of what the Teacher knows does not answer his problem, it counter balances his sense of life's injustice. In verses 16-22: Injustice. If God determines the times for all things, then God must set a time for judgment. Clearly however, the righteous and the wicked have not yet received what they deserve (v. 17). In verse 19: Animals and humans are equal in that they die, they share the breath breathed into the human at creation (Gen 2). In verse 20: One place: Sheol, the realm of the dead (1 Sam 2.6; Jon 2.2). Early Israel had no concept of the afterlife (either immortality or resurrection), though these such ideas grew in popularity during the Persian and Hellenistic periods, so that by the turn of the era the resurrection of the body was an article of belief for the Pharisees. In verse 21: Who knows? The question implies a negative answer: "No one knows." The possibility that the human spirit might survive cannot be verified empirically, so the Teacher returns to his conclusion: Enjoy your work while you are alive (v. 22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 22nd

 Read Ecclesiastes 3.1-8. In 3.1-8: Poem on times. Contrasting extremes demonstrate that there is proper time for all dimensions of human endeavor. In verse 5: Throw away stones ... gather stones. Interpreted by some early Jewish commentators as a time for sexual relations and a time for abstinence. Comments or Questions.

Reading for December 21st

 Read Ecclesiastes 2.18- 26. In 2.18-26: Experiment three: work. If humans are destined to die and have no control over who will enjoy the fruits of their labor, why work? The prospect is not only vanity, but indeed a great evil (v. 21). In verse 23: A grim account of the exhaustion of daily work. In verse 24: The Teacher's resulting advice: Enjoy the work itself, and don't make contentment dependent on the outcome of your labor. This ability to enjoy the task itself is seen by the Teacher as a gift from the hand of God. In verses 25-26: Though in previous verses the Teacher has attributed a common fate to all humans, here he distinguishes the work of the sinner as futile. Sinner is synonymous with fool; it does not refer to the person's moral standards. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 20th

 Read Ecclesiastes 2.12- 17. In 2.12-17: 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 experiment 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 doesn't keep you from dying. As throughout the book, the inevitability of death and its power to erase the memory of the person precipitate the Teacher's despair: How can the wise die just like the fools? In verse 17: He repeats his three-fold verdict (2.11). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 19th

 Read Ecclesiastes 2.1-11. In 2.1-11: Experiment one: pleasure. The preliminary verdict in vv. 1-2 is followed by the empirical data. In verses 4-10: The literary fiction of Solomonic 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 experiment, not sheer indulgence. In verse 11: Despite the initial pleasure, all the work involved is seeking pleasure was unsatisfying. The three-fold verdict on the experiment is devastating: It is vanity, chasing after the wind, and yet another wearisome matter under the sun. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 18th

Read Ecclesiastes 1.12-18. In 1.12-18: The Teachers' experiment. Though any king of the southern kingdom would fit this description, 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 with 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 8 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 original to the Teacher. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 17th

 Read Ecclesiastes 1.1-11. In verse 1: Superscription. Like many Psalms, the book begins with an editorial 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 in 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 repeat throughout 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 existence. The sun, wind, and streams repeat their predictable, " no sum" circuits, just as human are never satisfied with what they see or hear. In verses 10-11: Throughout the book, the Teacher grieves that even the righteous ones are not remembered after death. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 16th

 Read 2 Corinthians 13.1-13. In verses 1-4: Final warnings. In verse 1: Third time: 12.14; the quotation is from Deut 19.15. In verse 2: Paul resumes the tone of a stern father (1 Cor 4.18-21). In verse 3: Again, the tone is sarcastic. They could 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 6-10: 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 verse11: Such advice brings harmony. In verse 12: The holy kiss was a form of liturgical greeting that may have originated in early Christian circles (Rom 16.16; 1 Cor 16.20). In verse 13: The trinitarian form of the benediction is distinctive. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 15th

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 (12.1), which prompted this severe letter. Writing from Macedonia, he now ready to come a third time (13.1). What is yours; He did not wait for their money. The parent-child image extends through both letters (11.2; 1 Cor 4.14-15). In verse 16: Crafty explains his denials in 2.17 and 4.2. In verses 17-18: The sending of Titus and the brother described in 8.16-24 appears to be in view. Taking advantage could be applying pressure to participate in the collection. In verse 19: His self-defense has occurred under oath. Building up defines the purpose and 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 14th

 Read 2 Cor 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 one caught up into heaven. In verses 6-7: In talking about such experiences, less is better. In verse 7: What this thorn in the flesh was no one knows, though many guesses have been made. Messenger of Satan is literally "angel of Satan." In verse 8: The Lord can be either God (1 Cor 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 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 13th

 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 false apostles' demand for money. In verse 22: These labels identify them as Jewish Christians. Unlike Paul's opponents in Galatia, they do not require circumcision and observance of the law (Gal 5.2-6).  In verse 23: Ministers of Christ: Their language is Christian (11.4). Madman: 5.13. In verses 23-27: This list of hardships is longer and more detailed than others (6.4-10). Acts 13-28 confirms many of these details. In verse 24: This indicates Paul was under synagogue jurisdiction. In verse 28: Anxiety: This was especially seen in the way he awaited Titus' report (2.12-13; 7.5, 13; 1 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 the claims 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 12th

 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 3.3. Led astray suggest sexual seduction. In verse 4: The opponents are obviously Christian. Another Jesus probably means an understanding of Christ completely different from Paul's, perhaps one emphasizing Jesus' miracle-working power and resurrection to the neglect of his human limitations and crucifixion. Different spirit is possibly different understanding of the Holy Spirit. Their different gospel certainly placed them at odds with Paul (Gal.6-9). In verse 5: Super-apostles: This is doubtless Paul's label for his opponents (12.11). It need not refer to the twelve apostles, but could be a derisive way of referring to competing missionaries. In verse 6; He echoes their criticisms of him. In verses 7-9: In keeping with the policy outlined in 1 Cor 9, he preached without pay. Humbling myself refers to working to support himself. Other churches: He received financial support from the Philippians (Phil 4.15).In verse 11: His opponents 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 verses 14-15: Calling them ministers of satan intensifies the criticism. Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 11th

 Read 2 Corinthians 10.1-18. In 10.1-13.10: 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 a battle or words; it is a conflict of a much higher order (Rom 13.12; Eph 6.10-17). In verse 7: Paul's fidelity to Christ was an issue. In verses 8-9: The source and nature of Paul's authority are concerns throughout this section (13.10). In verses 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" (12.111) have invaded his territory. He preferred to work where no one else had been (Rom 15.20). In verse 17: Jer 9.23-24: see 1 Cor 1.31. In verse 18: Paul consistently defers to God's judgment (1 Cor 4.3-4). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 10th

 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, 22. In verse 5: Voluntary gift: It should be like Christ's gift. 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 upon the Septuagint version (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) of Prov 22.8a (see Sir 35.9). In verse 8: God's generosity toward human beings is a recurrent biblical theme (Deut 30.9-10; Lk 1.53). For Paul, it especially enables human generosity. In verse 9: Ps 112.9. In verse 10: Based on Isa 55.10. In verses 11-12: The more blessings, the more prayers of thanksgiving offered. In verse 13: Willingness to give is seen as an expression (and test) of one's faith. In verses 14-15: God's graciousness is the ultimate reason to give. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 9th

 Read 2 Corinthians 8.16-24. In 8.16-24: Plans for collecting and delivering the funds.  As Paul's partner and co-worker (v. 23), Titus played a key role in getting the collection started in Corinth (v. 6). In verses 18-19: The identity of this famous preacher is unknown. Because of his eloquence and close association with Corinth, Apollos is a possibility (Acts 18.24-19.1; 1 Cor 1-4). In verses 20-21: Whether the blame related to how the money was being collected and handled in transit, or how it was to be used, is not clear. As with many projects involving money, it was controversial (Rom 15.30-33). In verse 22: Our brother is possibly Timothy (see comment in 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 8th

 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 collection itself (vv. 6-7 and 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 toward others. In verse 7: Earlier Paul commended their possession of these gifts (1 Cor 1.5-7). In verses 8-15: Christ's generosity. Genuineness of your love maybe 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 instructions about the collection in 1 Cor 16.1-4. In verses 12-14: The principle of fair balance can be expressed another way: Since the 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..