| Monday Jul 4 |
Tuesday Jul 5 |
Wednesday Jul 6 |
Thursday Jul 7 |
Friday Jul 8 |
Saturday Jul 9 |
Sunday Jul 10 |
| Ezra 3, 4 |
Ezra 5, 6 |
Ezra 7, 8 |
Ezra 9, 10 |
Neh. 1, 2 |
Neh. 3, 4 |
Neh. 5, 6 |
| Luke 3 |
Psalms 77 |
Luke 4 |
Luke 5 |
Psalms 78:1-37 |
Luke 6 |
Luke 7 |
Southminster Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, PA invites you to join us as we celebrate 2011 as The Year of the Bible. Weekly posts will provide the readings and we invite you to comment with your questions and/or thoughts!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Week 28: July 4 - July 10
Friday, July 1, 2011
July
The second half of The Year of the Bible begins with some interesting material. In the Old Testament we start with Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. These books record events that occurred during the time following the Babylonian Captivity.
Remember that, when Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were carried off to Babylon in 586 B.C.E., it seemed as if the Jewish nation would cease to exist. However, prophets like Jeremiah promised that God would restore the nation, even after such a great calamity. These seemingly improbable promises were fulfilled when Cyrus, who made Persia the ruling power in the East, allowed the displaced peoples to return to their homelands (Ezra 1; 6).
Ezra records the trek back to Jerusalem around 537 B.C.E. They built homes and once again made sacrifices to the Lord. Over a twenty-year period, they succeeded in rebuilding the Temple. In the next century, Ezra himself went to Jerusalem to help reestablish the rebuilding of the city walls. Note the discouragement in both books: Troublesome neighbors, halfhearted allegiance to God, and harsh economic conditions all conspired to make life difficult.
Esther contains the first record of an attempt to destroy a group of Jews who are a minority within another culture. The heroine is not only beautiful, but upright and good, and there is a delicious irony in the way the "bad guy" of the story, Haman, gets his just deserts. Note that , in later Jewish culture, the primary purpose of the book was to describe the beginnings of the Jewish festival of Purim.
The latter part of July will take us through most of Job. Its main theme is the problem of suffering: "How can bad things happen to good people?" The book reads somewhat like a play. The first two chapters tell the story of a righteous man, Job, who undergoes a succession of disastrous events. The bulk of the book is a series of speeches and responses. The speeches are made by three "friends," who come to offer Job advice and admonition. Unfortunately, they fail miserably as counselors because they never really listen to Job. Their underlying assumption is that Job's great suffering is a clear indication that he is guilty of some major sin. Job responds to their accusations with increasing anger and frustration, claiming all the while that he is innocent.
Since this material is written in a poetic style, you may find the language and imagery somewhat hard to follow, though it is well known in the ancient Near East. Skim through it fairly quickly, looking for main themes and memorable verses (for example, 4:17; 5:7; 14:1; 14:14; 19:25; 21:17).
We know what Job's friends do not know, namely, that Job has done nothing to deserve his sufferings. But that is precisely the point: There is no exact correlation between human sin and suffering on earth. This is what the book was written to show, and it does so very effectively. At the end of the book (chs. 38-42), God speaks from the whirlwind, justifying Job's innocence and calling on humans to recognize the mysteriousness of God's ways and the limitations of human knowledge.
The notion that suffering and sin can be equated is an idea that dies hard. In Luke 13, which we also read this month, Jesus deals with the same question. He denies that some Galileans killed by Pilate - and some people killed in Jerusalem when a tower fell on them - were being punished for their sins (vs. 1-5). Many people still feel that those who suffer various scourges like famine, plagues, or disease are being punished for their sins. When you're tempted to think this way, recall Jesus' succinct reply: "Don't look at others; look to yourself!"
In the New Testament, we will read most of Luke this month. Why do we have more than one Gospel? Primarily, it is because the different writers had different things they wished to emphasize about Jesus. Luke, for instance, delights in stressing the universal scope of the gospel: It is intended both for Jews and Gentiles; it is for the whole world. A telltale sign of this interest is Luke's frequent use of the word all. Notice, too, the times when Luke includes Old Testament references to outsiders who were more faithful than the Israelites, such as the widow at Sidon and Naaman the Syrian (4:25-30), or the queen of Sheba and the people of Nineveh (11:29-32).
There are some other special concerns to watch for in Luke. First, there is Luke's interest in the poor. In an affluent society like ours, we are susceptible to the enticing allure of material goods. Luke's stress on the poor reminds us to be thankful for our blessings. More important, it challenges us to practice the same kind of compassion for the needy that Jesus did.
Second, there is an emphasis on the Holy Spirit. You may already have noticed that theme when you read Acts, where Luke underlines the power of the Spirit in the life of the early church. Here in the Gospel of Luke, watch for the times when he speaks about the action of the Spirit in Jesus' own life.
Third, there is the prayer life of Jesus. Observe how often Luke records the fact that Jesus spent time in prayer. Somehow, it seems surprising that Jesus, who had so very much to do, took time out for prayer. Maybe it will help us with our own attempts to juggle all the demands in our hectic lives to remember that, if anything, Jesus' busy schedule led him to pray more, not less.
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
Remember that, when Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were carried off to Babylon in 586 B.C.E., it seemed as if the Jewish nation would cease to exist. However, prophets like Jeremiah promised that God would restore the nation, even after such a great calamity. These seemingly improbable promises were fulfilled when Cyrus, who made Persia the ruling power in the East, allowed the displaced peoples to return to their homelands (Ezra 1; 6).
Ezra records the trek back to Jerusalem around 537 B.C.E. They built homes and once again made sacrifices to the Lord. Over a twenty-year period, they succeeded in rebuilding the Temple. In the next century, Ezra himself went to Jerusalem to help reestablish the rebuilding of the city walls. Note the discouragement in both books: Troublesome neighbors, halfhearted allegiance to God, and harsh economic conditions all conspired to make life difficult.
Esther contains the first record of an attempt to destroy a group of Jews who are a minority within another culture. The heroine is not only beautiful, but upright and good, and there is a delicious irony in the way the "bad guy" of the story, Haman, gets his just deserts. Note that , in later Jewish culture, the primary purpose of the book was to describe the beginnings of the Jewish festival of Purim.
The latter part of July will take us through most of Job. Its main theme is the problem of suffering: "How can bad things happen to good people?" The book reads somewhat like a play. The first two chapters tell the story of a righteous man, Job, who undergoes a succession of disastrous events. The bulk of the book is a series of speeches and responses. The speeches are made by three "friends," who come to offer Job advice and admonition. Unfortunately, they fail miserably as counselors because they never really listen to Job. Their underlying assumption is that Job's great suffering is a clear indication that he is guilty of some major sin. Job responds to their accusations with increasing anger and frustration, claiming all the while that he is innocent.
Since this material is written in a poetic style, you may find the language and imagery somewhat hard to follow, though it is well known in the ancient Near East. Skim through it fairly quickly, looking for main themes and memorable verses (for example, 4:17; 5:7; 14:1; 14:14; 19:25; 21:17).
We know what Job's friends do not know, namely, that Job has done nothing to deserve his sufferings. But that is precisely the point: There is no exact correlation between human sin and suffering on earth. This is what the book was written to show, and it does so very effectively. At the end of the book (chs. 38-42), God speaks from the whirlwind, justifying Job's innocence and calling on humans to recognize the mysteriousness of God's ways and the limitations of human knowledge.
The notion that suffering and sin can be equated is an idea that dies hard. In Luke 13, which we also read this month, Jesus deals with the same question. He denies that some Galileans killed by Pilate - and some people killed in Jerusalem when a tower fell on them - were being punished for their sins (vs. 1-5). Many people still feel that those who suffer various scourges like famine, plagues, or disease are being punished for their sins. When you're tempted to think this way, recall Jesus' succinct reply: "Don't look at others; look to yourself!"
In the New Testament, we will read most of Luke this month. Why do we have more than one Gospel? Primarily, it is because the different writers had different things they wished to emphasize about Jesus. Luke, for instance, delights in stressing the universal scope of the gospel: It is intended both for Jews and Gentiles; it is for the whole world. A telltale sign of this interest is Luke's frequent use of the word all. Notice, too, the times when Luke includes Old Testament references to outsiders who were more faithful than the Israelites, such as the widow at Sidon and Naaman the Syrian (4:25-30), or the queen of Sheba and the people of Nineveh (11:29-32).
There are some other special concerns to watch for in Luke. First, there is Luke's interest in the poor. In an affluent society like ours, we are susceptible to the enticing allure of material goods. Luke's stress on the poor reminds us to be thankful for our blessings. More important, it challenges us to practice the same kind of compassion for the needy that Jesus did.
Second, there is an emphasis on the Holy Spirit. You may already have noticed that theme when you read Acts, where Luke underlines the power of the Spirit in the life of the early church. Here in the Gospel of Luke, watch for the times when he speaks about the action of the Spirit in Jesus' own life.
Third, there is the prayer life of Jesus. Observe how often Luke records the fact that Jesus spent time in prayer. Somehow, it seems surprising that Jesus, who had so very much to do, took time out for prayer. Maybe it will help us with our own attempts to juggle all the demands in our hectic lives to remember that, if anything, Jesus' busy schedule led him to pray more, not less.
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Week 27: June 27 - July 3
| Monday Jun 27 |
Tuesday Jun 28 |
Wednesday Jun 29 |
Thursday Jun 30 |
Friday Jul 1 |
Saturday Jul 2 |
Sunday Jul 3 |
| 2 Chron. 24, 25 |
2 Chron. 26, 27, 28 |
2 Chron. 29, 30 |
2 Chron. 31, 32 |
2 Chron. 33, 34 |
2 Chron. 35, 36 |
Ezra 1, 2 |
| Eph. 5 |
Psalms 74 |
Eph. 6 |
Luke 1:1-38 |
Psalms 75, 76 |
Luke 1:39-80 |
Luke 2 |
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Week 26: June 20 - June 26
| Monday Jun 20 |
Tuesday Jun 21 |
Wednesday Jun 22 |
Thursday Jun 23 |
Friday Jun 24 |
Saturday Jun 25 |
Sunday Jun 26 |
| 2 Chron. 6, 7 |
2 Chron. 8, 9 |
2 Chron. 10, 11, 12 |
2 Chron. 13, 14, 15 |
2 Chron. 16, 17 |
2 Chron. 18, 19, 20 |
2 Chron. 21, 22, 23 |
| Gal. 6 |
Psalms 72 |
Eph. 1 |
Eph. 2 |
Psalms 73 |
Eph. 3 |
Eph. 4 |
Monday, June 13, 2011
Week 25: June 13 - June 19
| Monday Jun 13 |
Tuesday Jun 14 |
Wednesday Jun 15 |
Thursday Jun 16 |
Friday Jun 17 |
Saturday Jun 18 |
Sunday Jun 19 |
| 1 Chron. 17, 18 |
1 Chron. 19, 20, 21 |
1 Chron. 22, 23 |
1 Chron. 24, 25, 26, 27 |
1 Chron. 28, 29 |
2 Chron. 1, 2 |
2 Chron. 3, 4, 5 |
| Gal. 1 |
Psalms 69 |
Gal. 2 |
Gal 3 |
Psalms 70, 71 |
Gal. 4 |
Gal. 5 |
Monday, June 6, 2011
Week 24: June 6 - June 12
| Monday Jun 6 |
Tuesday Jun 7 |
Wednesday Jun 8 |
Thursday Jun 9 |
Friday Jun 10 |
Saturday Jun 11 |
Sunday Jun 12 |
| 2 Kings 21, 22 |
2 Kings 23, 24, 25 |
1 Chron. 1, 2, 3 |
1 Chron. 4, 5, 6 |
1 Chron. 7, 8, 9, 10 |
1 Chron. 11, 12, 13, 14 |
1 Chron. 15, 16 |
| 2 Cor. 9 |
Psalms 66, 67 |
2 Cor. 10 |
2 Cor. 11 |
Psalms 68 |
2 Cor. 12 |
2 Cor. 13 |
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June
When we have finished the readings for June, we will be halfway through The Year of the Bible. This is a good time to look back over the readings we have completed thus far, to give thanks for this accomplishment, and to ask for help in continuing unti the end of the year. The discipline of regular reading, no doubt, has been profitable, so that you have found it to be not only a rigorous challenge but also a valuable time that enriches your faith and draws you closer to Christ Jesus.
The Old Testament material this month covers the second half of 2 Kings and the books of the Chronicles. As you read 2 Kings, remember that the people are no longer united; there are two kingdoms - Israel in the North and Judah in the South. At times the kingdoms work together, but there is no love lost between them. Israel, in particular, gives us a dismal picture of idolatry, Canaanite worhip (the people seem to have missed Elijah's message about choosing God or Baal!), and social injustice. Before long Israel becomes entangled in an unholy alliance with the Assyrians, the rising power in the East. When Israel later attempts to revolt, the kingdom is destroyed.
An especially significant consequence of this is that, as part of their policy of subjugation, the Assyrians deport Israesl's leading citizens and resettle foreigners from other parts of the Empire in Israel. Israel, now a province of the Assyrian Empire, is named Smaria, after its leading city. Intermarriages soon occur and the population becomes mixed. This is the origin of the "Smaritans," the group of people who are so despised by the Jews in New Testament times. Although they continue to worship God and retain a form of the Law of Moses, their adherence to differing traditions and their racially mixed blood makes them outcasts in the eyes of Jews in Christ's day.
The situation in Judah to the South is somewhat better, but only barely. The line of David continues without interruption, and there are a number of good kings, such as Hezekiah and Josiah. Ahaz and Manasseh, however, are evil - so evil, in fact, that each of them burns a son as an offering to the gods. In other words, they participate in the most depraved practices to which Canaanite religion could descend. You will probably find the account of Hezekiah and Isaiah (2 Kings 18 - 20) to be the most uplifting part of these stories.
Eventually, Judah's involvement in power politics gets it into trouble with the Babylonians, who are now the major power in the East. Second Kings ends with the story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the kingdom of Judah. By the way, at this point the Ark of the Covenant disappears from the pages of history, never to be seen again.
You will want to read the Chronicles fairly quickly. As you read this material, note that the writer presents David and Solomon as ideal figures by which to gauge later rulers. At the same time, there is a stress on the priesthood, the Temple in Jerusalem, and the need to obey the law of Moses. Looking for these themes will give you a thread to follow as you read.
The New Testament readings for June begin with the last two-thirds of 2 Corinthians. The tone of the letter indicates that Paul has difficulties with this church. In chapters 4 and 5, Paul says that his troubles are ways in which he comes closer to Jesus Christ, and that he looks forward to the time when this present life will give way to the full, eternal life that awaits us in Christ. Read these two chapters several times; let them penetrate your mind and spirit. They can be especially helpful in our own times of trouble.
Chapters 8 and 9 are worth noting as an example of Paul's attitude toward financial resources. When you run into one of those people who comments that "the church is always asking for money," suggest that they read these two chapters! Paul's own sufferings for the gospel come through clearly in the latter part of this letter. Chapter 11, specifically, contains a sompelling autobiographical portrait of his life.
We will also be reading Glatians and Ephesians this month. Glatians gives us a sustained discussion of the famous doctrine of the Reformation, "justification by faith alone." How urgent this was for Paul is apparent when you see that he opposed Peter publicly at Antioch (2:11). You will have trouble understanding Paul's reasoning unless you bear in mind that, for Jews, the Law was assumed to be inviolable and eternal. Paul had believed this once, too, but in light of Christ, he has come to see that the Law is only temporary. A case in point is the pohibition against Jews eating with Gentiles: "for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (3:28). A useful exercise is to ask ourselves whether there are any areas in our lives where "justification by faith alone" may require us to revise some of our attitudes or actions.
Ephesians, since it does not address acute difficulties and problems, is much more serene in tone than Glatians. It, too, talks about justification and, like the end of Glatians, it offers comments on living as Christians in the world. In fact, Ephesians contains some very practical advice about this. Even more significant, perhaps, are the appealing statements about the riches of God in Jesus Christ. Notice how frequently this theme returns in the first four chapters. The benediction at the end of chapter 3 is worth pondering: We believe in a God who is able to accomplish in us "far more than all we can ask or think" (v.20). Isn't that a good verse to remember when you fall behind in your readings for The Year of the Bible?
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
The Old Testament material this month covers the second half of 2 Kings and the books of the Chronicles. As you read 2 Kings, remember that the people are no longer united; there are two kingdoms - Israel in the North and Judah in the South. At times the kingdoms work together, but there is no love lost between them. Israel, in particular, gives us a dismal picture of idolatry, Canaanite worhip (the people seem to have missed Elijah's message about choosing God or Baal!), and social injustice. Before long Israel becomes entangled in an unholy alliance with the Assyrians, the rising power in the East. When Israel later attempts to revolt, the kingdom is destroyed.
An especially significant consequence of this is that, as part of their policy of subjugation, the Assyrians deport Israesl's leading citizens and resettle foreigners from other parts of the Empire in Israel. Israel, now a province of the Assyrian Empire, is named Smaria, after its leading city. Intermarriages soon occur and the population becomes mixed. This is the origin of the "Smaritans," the group of people who are so despised by the Jews in New Testament times. Although they continue to worship God and retain a form of the Law of Moses, their adherence to differing traditions and their racially mixed blood makes them outcasts in the eyes of Jews in Christ's day.
The situation in Judah to the South is somewhat better, but only barely. The line of David continues without interruption, and there are a number of good kings, such as Hezekiah and Josiah. Ahaz and Manasseh, however, are evil - so evil, in fact, that each of them burns a son as an offering to the gods. In other words, they participate in the most depraved practices to which Canaanite religion could descend. You will probably find the account of Hezekiah and Isaiah (2 Kings 18 - 20) to be the most uplifting part of these stories.
Eventually, Judah's involvement in power politics gets it into trouble with the Babylonians, who are now the major power in the East. Second Kings ends with the story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the kingdom of Judah. By the way, at this point the Ark of the Covenant disappears from the pages of history, never to be seen again.
You will want to read the Chronicles fairly quickly. As you read this material, note that the writer presents David and Solomon as ideal figures by which to gauge later rulers. At the same time, there is a stress on the priesthood, the Temple in Jerusalem, and the need to obey the law of Moses. Looking for these themes will give you a thread to follow as you read.
The New Testament readings for June begin with the last two-thirds of 2 Corinthians. The tone of the letter indicates that Paul has difficulties with this church. In chapters 4 and 5, Paul says that his troubles are ways in which he comes closer to Jesus Christ, and that he looks forward to the time when this present life will give way to the full, eternal life that awaits us in Christ. Read these two chapters several times; let them penetrate your mind and spirit. They can be especially helpful in our own times of trouble.
Chapters 8 and 9 are worth noting as an example of Paul's attitude toward financial resources. When you run into one of those people who comments that "the church is always asking for money," suggest that they read these two chapters! Paul's own sufferings for the gospel come through clearly in the latter part of this letter. Chapter 11, specifically, contains a sompelling autobiographical portrait of his life.
We will also be reading Glatians and Ephesians this month. Glatians gives us a sustained discussion of the famous doctrine of the Reformation, "justification by faith alone." How urgent this was for Paul is apparent when you see that he opposed Peter publicly at Antioch (2:11). You will have trouble understanding Paul's reasoning unless you bear in mind that, for Jews, the Law was assumed to be inviolable and eternal. Paul had believed this once, too, but in light of Christ, he has come to see that the Law is only temporary. A case in point is the pohibition against Jews eating with Gentiles: "for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (3:28). A useful exercise is to ask ourselves whether there are any areas in our lives where "justification by faith alone" may require us to revise some of our attitudes or actions.
Ephesians, since it does not address acute difficulties and problems, is much more serene in tone than Glatians. It, too, talks about justification and, like the end of Glatians, it offers comments on living as Christians in the world. In fact, Ephesians contains some very practical advice about this. Even more significant, perhaps, are the appealing statements about the riches of God in Jesus Christ. Notice how frequently this theme returns in the first four chapters. The benediction at the end of chapter 3 is worth pondering: We believe in a God who is able to accomplish in us "far more than all we can ask or think" (v.20). Isn't that a good verse to remember when you fall behind in your readings for The Year of the Bible?
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
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