Song of Songs
Song of Songs has a long and storied history of interpretation. It is on the surface a story of romantic love. It is also seen as an allegory of love in at least three different ways: God and Israel; God and the church; God and the human soul.
Of course all four of these layers can be seen in this work, whose words resonate through history.
Acts 5-7
5: All is not well in the church. First Ananias and Sapphira lie about their finances. It would have been one thing to set some money aside; it is another thing to lie about it.
6-7: The communal living in the early church was not working out as planned. While we get a rosy view of things earlier, we find out now it is not working out so well, and the first deacons are assigned to make sure everyone who is hungry is taken care of. We also read of the first martyr, Stephen, who was a deacon.
1 Ki 5-7
Solomon builds the temple. The cultic worship space of the people had been the tabernacle, a mobile tent shrine. In fulfillment of God's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7, his son Solomon, now builds the temple.
This is another "blue-prints in prose" section, so don't get bogged down in the details.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Proverbs/John/Acts
John 20-21
John's resurrection section is the longest of any of the gospels. Jesus appears many times in several different situations. The writer goes to pains to demonstrate that Jesus is not an ephemeral spirit or ghost. He can eat; he can be touched. The exclamation of Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" is the climax of the gospel. The next section in fact reiterates why the writer has embarked on the endeavor. It is followed by an epilogue of sorts telling the story of the rather personal reconciliation between Jesus and Peter, who denied him.
Acts 1-4
Re-read Luke 1:1-4. You will find a parallel here. Luke and Acts are so tightly tied together that they are sometimes simply referred to as Luke-Acts. Acts, the only real historical book in the NT, tells the story of the church in those important first years.
Luke kind of picks up where he left off, retelling in greater detail the story of the ascension of Jesus. He then tells of how Judas was replaced by Matthias, a member of the community that had gathered together.
Chapter 2 is the familiar story of Pentecost and Peter's great discourse. In many ways it is here that the disciples finally get it, they finally understand what Jesus was all about. It is here too that we start the story of Peter, the first major section of the book.
Chapter 3-4 tell of Peter's exploits - Peter heals, Peter preaches, Peter is arrested. These stories are bookended by the end of chapter 2 and the end of chapter 4, in which the life of the community is described...people shared their goods, spent time together in prayer, worshiping God and breaking bread.
Proverbs 5-24
Again we hear of the "strange woman" who lures with the perils of foolishness and adultery and then Wisdom speaks, she invites all people, rich, poor, wise, unwise.
We are then treated to the actual proverbs (of Solomon) 10 - 22:16. Some of these may have come from Solomon, some likely from other sources. They are loosely connected, but in general you can pretty much pick a verse at random and get a good saying.
In the middle of chapter 22 we pick up the "Words of the Wise" through chapter 24. The sources of these sayings are varied, many related to Egyptian wisdom.
Don't forget to bring your top 10 proverbs to our next meeting, scheduled for August 3.
John's resurrection section is the longest of any of the gospels. Jesus appears many times in several different situations. The writer goes to pains to demonstrate that Jesus is not an ephemeral spirit or ghost. He can eat; he can be touched. The exclamation of Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" is the climax of the gospel. The next section in fact reiterates why the writer has embarked on the endeavor. It is followed by an epilogue of sorts telling the story of the rather personal reconciliation between Jesus and Peter, who denied him.
Acts 1-4
Re-read Luke 1:1-4. You will find a parallel here. Luke and Acts are so tightly tied together that they are sometimes simply referred to as Luke-Acts. Acts, the only real historical book in the NT, tells the story of the church in those important first years.
Luke kind of picks up where he left off, retelling in greater detail the story of the ascension of Jesus. He then tells of how Judas was replaced by Matthias, a member of the community that had gathered together.
Chapter 2 is the familiar story of Pentecost and Peter's great discourse. In many ways it is here that the disciples finally get it, they finally understand what Jesus was all about. It is here too that we start the story of Peter, the first major section of the book.
Chapter 3-4 tell of Peter's exploits - Peter heals, Peter preaches, Peter is arrested. These stories are bookended by the end of chapter 2 and the end of chapter 4, in which the life of the community is described...people shared their goods, spent time together in prayer, worshiping God and breaking bread.
Proverbs 5-24
Again we hear of the "strange woman" who lures with the perils of foolishness and adultery and then Wisdom speaks, she invites all people, rich, poor, wise, unwise.
We are then treated to the actual proverbs (of Solomon) 10 - 22:16. Some of these may have come from Solomon, some likely from other sources. They are loosely connected, but in general you can pretty much pick a verse at random and get a good saying.
In the middle of chapter 22 we pick up the "Words of the Wise" through chapter 24. The sources of these sayings are varied, many related to Egyptian wisdom.
Don't forget to bring your top 10 proverbs to our next meeting, scheduled for August 3.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
John/1 Kings/Proverbs
John 12-19
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and the religious leaders plan his death. This is a different story from the synoptics in which the religious leaders begin to plan his death because of what he does at the temple. They are afraid that anyone who can raise someone from the dead is too much to deal with - he will have to die. Incredibly ironic, isn't it?
The passion story of John is different as well. Jesus is seen as much more in control. Indeed, the Passion is as much his glorification as the glorification itself. The tie between how Jesus dies and his resurrection is subtly emphasized. In this Gospel, Jesus doesn't need any help with his cross but carries it himself. This story is also full of irony: the Roman Governor is afraid of Jesus and the Jews; Jesus is proclaimed King of the Jews in three languages, much to the chagrin of the religious leaders; and is there anything more dripping with irony than Pilate's mocking question: "What is truth?"
1 Kings 1-4
Solomon, like David, is a complex figure. He begins almost as a puppet to court intrigue, his mother and her friends working to make him the heir in place of Adonijah (and not in a particularly ethical way). It works. Solomon becomes king. One of the things he does, as all kings do, is stabilize and strengthen their position by eliminating enemies - even if they were your father's trusted servants (Joab).
Solomon prays for wisdom, and God is impressed enough to grant it. God also promises Solomon a long life and glorious reign if he will remain loyal and obedient as his father David. He doesn't. Solomon is known for his wisdom, which he demonstrates at several points, but he is also known for taking foreign wives and while he built the temple of Yahweh, he also worshiped at the altar of other Gods.
Proverbs 1-4
Solomon is the traditional author of most of the book of Proverbs, and while it is not impossible that some or even many of the proverbs can be attributed to him, it is doubtful that he had much to do with the final form of the text. However, because he is associated with Proverbs, we take a break and read some wisdom literature.
Proverbs is a book of aphorisms. These things are mostly true and provide wisdom much of life. They are the "Laws of Nature," the bumper stickers of ancient times.
The first 4 chapters are an introduction to wisdom and in praise of wisdom. We find the introduction of the idea of "Lady Wisdom," or "Sophia," as she is also sometimes referred to. She is contrasted in places with the "loose woman," or "prostitute," that lures you into foolishness. She is the dark side of the force - powerful, seductive, but leading to ruin.
As you read the book of proverbs, I encourage you to make your own Top 10 list and bring it to the next meeting. What are your Top 10 proverbs, out of the entire book?
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and the religious leaders plan his death. This is a different story from the synoptics in which the religious leaders begin to plan his death because of what he does at the temple. They are afraid that anyone who can raise someone from the dead is too much to deal with - he will have to die. Incredibly ironic, isn't it?
The passion story of John is different as well. Jesus is seen as much more in control. Indeed, the Passion is as much his glorification as the glorification itself. The tie between how Jesus dies and his resurrection is subtly emphasized. In this Gospel, Jesus doesn't need any help with his cross but carries it himself. This story is also full of irony: the Roman Governor is afraid of Jesus and the Jews; Jesus is proclaimed King of the Jews in three languages, much to the chagrin of the religious leaders; and is there anything more dripping with irony than Pilate's mocking question: "What is truth?"
1 Kings 1-4
Solomon, like David, is a complex figure. He begins almost as a puppet to court intrigue, his mother and her friends working to make him the heir in place of Adonijah (and not in a particularly ethical way). It works. Solomon becomes king. One of the things he does, as all kings do, is stabilize and strengthen their position by eliminating enemies - even if they were your father's trusted servants (Joab).
Solomon prays for wisdom, and God is impressed enough to grant it. God also promises Solomon a long life and glorious reign if he will remain loyal and obedient as his father David. He doesn't. Solomon is known for his wisdom, which he demonstrates at several points, but he is also known for taking foreign wives and while he built the temple of Yahweh, he also worshiped at the altar of other Gods.
Proverbs 1-4
Solomon is the traditional author of most of the book of Proverbs, and while it is not impossible that some or even many of the proverbs can be attributed to him, it is doubtful that he had much to do with the final form of the text. However, because he is associated with Proverbs, we take a break and read some wisdom literature.
Proverbs is a book of aphorisms. These things are mostly true and provide wisdom much of life. They are the "Laws of Nature," the bumper stickers of ancient times.
The first 4 chapters are an introduction to wisdom and in praise of wisdom. We find the introduction of the idea of "Lady Wisdom," or "Sophia," as she is also sometimes referred to. She is contrasted in places with the "loose woman," or "prostitute," that lures you into foolishness. She is the dark side of the force - powerful, seductive, but leading to ruin.
As you read the book of proverbs, I encourage you to make your own Top 10 list and bring it to the next meeting. What are your Top 10 proverbs, out of the entire book?
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