Life Lessons from Israel and Communion

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting August 28 to study 1 Corinthians 10.  This chapter possibly wraps up the topic of 'eating food sacrificed to idols'.  It has lots of interesting pieces to it including an assessment/application of Israel's history to current church life.  It contains several familiar verses, but I'll bet this is the first time most of us have really dug through the context of them.

Read through the chapter several times, jotting down observations and questions.  Look through several translations, and note areas of disagreement.  Also, bring different translations to the group - like the different one we had last week.  That helps us all get different perspectives. 

After reading through and making your own notes/questions, read through again using the questions below:

• Paul points out the 'unity' of experience of the people of Israel in the desert (vs. 1-4), but notes that God was not pleased with them.  What counter-argument do you think he is trying to undermine with that statement (it's all one sentence in Greek)?  What do you think the believers in Corinth were saying that needed this to correct?
• Paul begins to site their faults as 'examples'.  Keeping in mind the passages so far in this letter, why do you think Paul chose these items as examples?
• Which of those that Paul chose do you think still apply to church today?
• Paul thinks he lives at the end of the age (v. 11).  In what ways might he have been right?
• After the illustrations from Israel's history, then he puts in the verse about temptation (v. 13), but not before his challenge to those who think they stand.  Why do you think he's 'building' his argument right here this way?  What do you think he's arguing against in the church in Corinth?
• We have been told that we are to flee immorality as a sin, but here we are told to also feel idolatry.  Why do you think we hear so much about the one, but not the other in our churches today?
• Paul now applies these things to the Lord's Supper.  This is why we call it "Communion", we all partake together from the same thing.  Paul acknowledges that this unifies the church, but what do you think he sees as the 'additional lesson' they should have taken from it?
• In verse 22, what lesson from Israel do you think Paul might be referring back to?
• What do you think Paul means in verse 23?  Are all things truly 'permissible' or 'lawful'?
• Now Paul lays down some specific direction.  Who do you think this direction is for? Who do you think this direction is supposed to affect?  Why do you think Paul may have switched his 'victim' here at the end?  Or do you think he did?
• How do you think all this changes or modifies your understanding of verse 31?  Or has it?
• What are some ways we can apply the ending principle of verses 32-33 in our lives/church?

That should keep us busy for at least an hour.  Remember to bring your own notes to share.  

Free To Be Free, But Disciplined

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting August 21 to study 1 Corinthians 9.  This chapter seems to be an opportunity for Paul to vent; like he's tired of people taking advantage of him.  Or perhaps you might see him attempting to reassert some credibility among churches.  But I think, when you look closer, those things have little to do with this chapter.

Read through this chapter several times, use as many translations as you have handy.  Look for places where translations seem to disagree.  Those are good places to check the footnotes to see why.  Make notes, jot down questions, and highlight stuff where the Spirit seems to be highlighting stuff for you.  Then, step back from the chapter, and read it aloud straight through.  If you don't see a unifying theme different from the elements, then try it again, only include the last verse from 8.  If that doesn't work, read 8, 9, and 10 together.

After you've read through, made notes, asked questions, read through again using the questions below:

• There is some debate about what 'Apostle' means in the New Testament, and who is referred to when the term is used.  What do you think Paul means by the term in verse 1 and 2, and what do you think his criteria is for using the term on himself?
• This chapter takes on a defensive tone because of verse 3.  Why do you think he's defending himself, and against whom do you think he's defending himself?
• Corinth was visited in the second missionary journey, without Barnabas.  So why do you think Paul brings him up and not Timothy and Silas?
• Do you think Paul is complaining in verses 4 through 14?  He pulls from culture, Scripture, common religious practice, and then his own rights.  Why do you think he's working so hard at supporting his stance here?
• In verse 15, Paul's argument takes a dramatic turn.  In a sense, he up-ends the whole thing on the reader/listener, and then shoves it down around their ears.  What do you think he's up to by doing that?
• When Paul says he'd rather die than to receive 'wages' for preaching, do you think he's being a 'drama king' or do you think something else is driving him?  If you think it's something else, what do you think that might be?
• In verses 16 through 18, Paul drives home his point of view, within his ministry, but how do you think he intends the believers in Corinth to apply it?
• In verse 19, Paul makes a statement, then supports it in verses 20 through 22.  Again though, how do you think he intends the believers in Corinth to apply this?  How do you think a 'craftsman' or 'laborer' or 'slave' can 'become all things to all men to win some'?
• In Corinth, they had the Isthmian Games, second only to the Olympics in the Mediterranean.  So, the people are very well acquainted with Paul's imagery in verses 24 through 27.  But what do you think Paul refers to as the 'crown', and what does it seem to require to get it?  What do you see possibly wrong with this view, or how do you think it can be distorted?

That should keep us busy for the evening.  I look forward to seeing you Thursday.

Choosing Your 'Restaraunt' Carefully

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Group meeting August 14 to study 1 Corinthians 8.  This is a short chapter, but the discussion could carry us for an hour.  This begins what is possibly the second longest discussion within 1 Corinthians.  I think the discussion on spiritual gifting is longer, but this one easily rivals that one.

The discussion on food sacrificed to idols is very culturally contextualized.  Applying what Paul teaches here is truly more about the principles he uses rather than the practice.  But there are ample places to apply the principles.  As you study this chapter, see what contemporary cultural practice you can come up with that will form a decent parallel to the application of these principles.  It may not be easy, and we will all need to make some concessions as to points of similarity and difference.  I'm not convinced there is a modern practice that will fit as nicely into this discussion as sacrificial food did then.  But there may be.  See what you can find.

Read through this very short chapter a few times.  In this chapter, since it's so short, you may more easily see the argument structure Paul uses to start.  As you read through, look for argument structures, but also different words in different translations, changes in sentence structure, and anything you find surprising or noteworthy.  After going through a few times, read back through with these questions:

• Why do you think Paul makes reference to 'knowledge' right at the beginning?
• How do you think it's possible that if you think you know, you're actually stupid?
• Why do you think being known by God is a 'counter point' to knowing something?
• What do you think Paul meant by 'many gods and many lords'?
• Look at verse 6 in several translations, as many as you can find.  Do any of them structure it as a 'poem'?  What do you think that might mean if it was a poem?
• In verse 7 Paul gets at other side of the problem with food sacrificed to idols.  Essentially, this 'knowledge' that there is only One God isn't 'universal' within the church.  What possible modern situation can you think of that parallels this problem?
• Paul concedes that eating does not commend or convict us before God.  Considering Paul's Jewish roots, what do changes in thinking you think Paul had to make to come to that conclusion? 
• In verse 9, Paul lays out the principle he uses to begin this argument.  What can you think of today where we can apply this principle?
• In verse 10, the effect is that one without the underlying knowledge eats (and sins in his mind/heart).  Why do you think the solution is not 'education'?  Why do you think abstinence is the only option Paul will recommend?
• For the one without knowledge to eat means that he is 'ruined', the brother for whom Christ died.  So what is it that constitutes sin, the action or the heart and belief?  Do you think that's always true?
• To cause another to 'stumble' in their walk with Jesus is to sin against Jesus.  Do you think this is also about the heart and belief as opposed to action?
• Do you think Paul is advocating a 'vegan' lifestyle?

That should help us have plenty to discuss.  On into this discussion in the following chapters, you may want to revisit some of your conclusions here; on the other hand, you may not.  This part of the argument isn't the conclusion, it's the opening, first point of his argument.  It only gets more fun from here.

End-Times Marriage...Or Not

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting August 7 to study 1 Corinthians 7.  There's a ton in this chapter, so we'll get to what we can.  The immanent return of Jesus seems to form the overall background of all that Paul recommends and commands in this chapter.  So this will bring up some interesting questions, I hope.

Read through the chapter several times, in as many translations as you can find.  Look for strange wording or where different versions have truly worded it very differently.  In such places pay careful attention to footnotes.  Jot down observations and questions that come to your mind as you read.  Be sure to bring these to the group.

After reading through several times with your own observations and questions, read through again with those below:

• What sort of 'religious' problems do you think Paul might be using in his reference to 'touch'?  Look at Exodus 19:12,13; Leviticus 11:8, 12:4; Deuteronomy 14:8 for help here.  Can you think of others?
• Why do you think Paul balances references to men and women so evenly here?  What do you think that says about the status of women in their congregation? (consider again, 1 Co 1:11)
• Verse 1 and verse 6 seem to 'bracket' this first section.  So Paul gives this command, but doesn't seem happy about it.  What do you think is Paul's overall view of marriage?
• Paul reveals something of his own 'condition' in verse 7, but points out it has to do with 'gifting'.  On the other hand, he doesn't refer to 'gifting' in verse 9.  Why do you think that is?
• In verse 10, Paul shifts from his own views to those of Jesus.  Where is he now getting these instructions?
• In almost every translation it seems what the wife might do in verse 10 is referred to differently than what the husband does in verse 11.  Why do you think Paul switches terms here?  He's still balanced, but perhaps this gives more detail to the circumstances of women?  (look forward to verse 13)
• Why do you think Paul would speak of reconciliation of the wife, but not the husband?  Which is more restrictive here?
• In verse 12, we have a switch away from commands from Jesus and toward Paul's directives.  Why do you think he would switch up here, and how does that help you gain insight to how we can use Scripture?
• Verse 14 is interesting because it is not really clear how this is true and what it means for the unbelieving spouse and children.  References in Ezra 9:2 and Malachi 2:15 are not especially helpful here since they address a different problem.
• In verse 15 do you think Paul is describing 'divorce' and then those rules apply or simply separation? What then happens to the believing spouse?
• Do you think Paul is switching topics entirely in verse 16 or do you see it somehow related to the previous discussion on marriage and divorce?
• In verse 19, Paul says circumcision is nothing, but yet says keeping the commands of God.  Isn't circumcision a command of God?
• Paul has a special section just for circumcision and slavery.  Why do you think these would be two important issues within the church?
• Paul repeats, 'remain in the condition in which you were called.'  Why do you think this might need repeating in this congregation?
• In verse 25, the same grammatical structure used in verse 1, signalling a change in topic is used.  What do you think that means for my question about verse 16?
• In verses 25 through 28, what is Paul's assumption that forms his opinion here?  How do you think this influences his other references previously in this chapter?
• In verses 29 through 31, how would this look for us?  Do you think this still applies today? If so, how?  What do you think it would look like?
• Paul says his motivation is 'unrestricted devotion to God' (verse 35), what is his view of those who marry?  Do you think this is still true today?
• These references to 'virgin' may actually have to do with giving a daughter in marriage.  What do you think it would mean in that culture to not give the daughter in marriage? (we'd all be guessing here)
• Verses 39 and 40 refer to widows.  Here again Paul thinks 'single is better'.  Why do you think he would 'support' his view by claiming that he too has the Spirit of God?

That should do for now.  We may be able to wade through all this in an hour or so.  But we may not either.  We'll take it as we go.