When I study the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons, a dictionary is always within easy reach. Being able to quickly get a definition of words while I’m reading is very helpful. Often I’m rewarded with new meanings that give unexpected insight and inspiration to familiar Bible verses or passages from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy.
For example, a recent Bible Lesson included two much loved statements: one from Romans, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35); and the other from Science and Health, “Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you” (p. 571).
Separate I thought I knew—to divide or keep apart. But looking the word up, I discovered that it also carries the connotation of going different ways, or not living together. Plugging those meanings into that beloved verse from Romans took my breath away. Paul’s question now became “Can anything cause us to go a different way or to live apart from the love of Christ?” Now that definitely gave me something to ponder!
