JULY 1999
Each Lesson-Sermon published in the Christian Science Quarterly Weekly Bible Lessons is designed to be complete in itself. Its Bible references (King James Version) are corroborated and explained by passages from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. These notes and commentary are offered by The Christian Science Journal as indications of the possibilities for individual research.
Abbreviations
Barclay = The Daily Bible Study Series
(Revised Edition) by William Barclay
BAS = The New Testament in Basic
English
Gesenius = Gesenius' Hebrew and
Chaldee Lexicon
IB = The Interpreter's Bible
IDB = The Interpreter's Dictionary of
the Bible
KJV = King James Version
Knox = The New Testament in the
Translation of Monsignor Ronald
Knox
MH = Commentary on the Whole Bible
by Matthew Henry
Moffatt = The Bible: A New Translation
by James Moffatt
NEB = The New English Bible
OT = Old Testament
RSV = Revised Standard Version
Tanakh = A New Translation of The
Holy Scriptures According to the
Traditional Hebrew Text
TEV = Today's English Version
TWOT = Theological Wordbook of the
Old Testament by Harris, Archer, and
Waltke
WBC = Word Biblical Commentary
© 1999 The Christian Science Publishing Society. All rights reserved.
July 4 GOD
The rock of our salvation (Ps. 95:1)
IB understands this to mean "an invincible defender and helper." WBC notes the appropriateness of this metaphor here: verses 8-11 of this psalm refer to the Exodus experience, when Moses twice obtained life-giving water for the people from a rock at God's command (see Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:7-11).
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness (Ps. 95:8)
KJV here translates the nouns "provocation" and "temptation" according to their meaning. Others take them as proper names. RSY for example, has "as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness." IDB explains that the meaning of these names derives from the contention and testing of God's gracious care that took place on the way to the Promised Land (see Ex. 17:7).
God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines (Ex. 13:17)
IB states, "God leads Israel by a way of his own choosing, a way that differs from the accustomed route of man's caravans and armies." WBC notes that "there was a well-fortified military road on the direct route from the Egyptian Delta into Canaan." But it would not serve God's plan, for "the more direct path would probably lead to conflict that could prove so discouraging to Israel that they might turn back to Egypt."
It is manna: for they wist not what it was (Ex. 16:15)
The first clause can be rendered either as KJV has it, or as RSV and others translate, "What is it?" Whichever translation is chosen, however, as IB notes, "Beginning here and throughout the Bible and in Christian tradition 'manna' becomes a metaphor for God's grace and providence."
July 11 SACRAMENT
Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3)
WBC comments: "The unity of the Spirit involves not the human spirit but the Holy Spirit, as v 4 makes clear, and is a reference not to the congeniality of some social grouping but to the unity which God's Spirit gives and which is the ground of the Church's existence....The appropriate response to being called into the situation of peace and reconciliation created by the gospel is a life of peace and reconciliation. Living in this fashion binds believers together and thereby maintains the unity of the Spirit."
Touch not the unclean thing (II Cor. 6:17)
IB points out that in this and the preceding verse, Paul is weaving OT ideas together to support his argument. Verse 17 "comes essentially from Isa. 52:11," notes IB, which continues, "in Isaiah this seems to warn returning exiles against incurring ceremonial impurity; Paul uses it to warn against immoral associations." WBC summarizes, "The Corinthians are to become holy."
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity (Ps. 24:4)
The Hebrew term rendered "vanity" here designates "anything that is unsubstantial, unreal, worthless," according to TWOT. Moffatt has, "... who never sets his mind on what is false."
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat (Matt. 23:2)
IB points out that this may have been an actual chair in synagogues of the time, reserved for the "authoritative teacher of the law" in each congregation. The name would have represented the fact that Jewish tradition understood that the oral law which they practiced and taught had come down to them from Moses.
July 18 LIFE
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree (Isa. 55: 13)
This verse is part of a passage portraying the beginnings of new life for Israel, according to IB. The return to Zion after years of exile will be accompanied by a corresponding renewal in nature. "Even the desert will be transformed....Instead of the desert scrub, luxuriant trees—the cypress and the myrtle—will spring up to give shade and comfort...."
At even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased (Mark 1:32)
IB comments, "...sundown marks the conclusion of the sabbath, after which burdens might be borne and the sick be brought to Jesus."
An evil eye (Mark 7:22)
WBC renders "selfishness," and notes that when the phrase "evil eye" appears in Jewish writings, "eye" signifies intent and "evil" generally means the "antithesis of generosity: selfishness, covetousness, an evil and envious disposition, hatred of others...."
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others (Phil. 2:4)
Barclay writes: "The one danger which threatened the Philippian church was that of disunity." Paul lists several causes of disunity in this and the preceding verse. In the matter of self-interest, set forth here in verse 4, Barclay comments: "If a man is for ever concerned first and foremost with his own interests, he is bound to collide with others. . . . Concentration on self inevitably means elimination of others; and the object of life becomes not to help others up but to push them down."
July 25 TRUTH
Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth (Zech. 8:3)
Zechariah, prophesying in the sixth century B.C., spoke a message of great encouragement to the Israelites as they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. Gesenius points out that the Hebrew word translated "truth" includes, in addition to "the opposite of falsehood," the concepts of firmness, stability, perpetuity, faithfulness, fidelity, probity, uprightness, and integrity of mind.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles (Isa. 42:1)
TEV has, "...he will bring justice to every nation," and Tanakh offers, "He shall teach the true way to the nations." The Hebrew term behind "judgment" Justice] here is mishpat, which TWOT says "represents what is doubtless the most important idea for the correct understanding of government—whether of man by man or of the whole creation by God." The Cambridge Bible Commentary points out that, in both Hebrew and English, "justice" is a law-court term: "It is what the judge brings into effect when some wrong has been done. In Israel it is an integral part of the covenant relationship. So the aim of justice is to set right whatever has harmed the relationship between God and his people, and therefore whatever destroys or threatens to destroy the welfare of the covenant community.... In the Old Testament the word may be used of the whole way of life appropriate to those who are loyal to God, including worship and conduct...."
If any man will come after me (Matt. 16:24)
MH points out that the Greek denotes "a deliberate choice, and cheerfulness and resolution in that choice." Thus NEB translates, "If anyone wishes to be a follower of mine...."
The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive (John 14:17)
BAS translates, "the Spirit of true knowledge...while TEV paraphrases, "the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God." Knox gives, "It is the truth-giving Spirit for whom the world can find no room."
Readers are invited to write to this column with questions on particular Bible passages, events, or characters. Answers will be printed from time to time as space permits.
