Old-lady Prophet and a Lost Boy

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting July 30 to study Luke 2:36-52. This too can be considered familiar if you attended Sunday School as a kid. As adults, we don't tend to spend much time on Jesus' childhood. Seems he's always going to the Temple; which sets us up nicely for his adult life.

Read through the remainder of chapter 2 a few times. Jot down notes and questions that come to mind. Try to imagine you're there watching these events. Imagine it like 'reality tv' or something. What do you see, hear, and think. Then go to commentaries, and see what questions and answes you find.

After this, go back through with these questions:

# What role do you think Anna served in the Temple as a prophetess?
# Considering the religious 'machine' of the busy temple system, what do you think of Simeon and Anna, clearly two anomalies in an otherwise cynacal religious system? If there's room for them, who else might you find there?
# Simeon takes (or receives) the Child, but Anna simply talks about Him around Him. How do you imagine this looked?
# Who are these ones looking for the redemption of Jerusalem? Why not the redemption of all Israel?
# They return to Nazareth. That does not coincide well with Matthew's account, since the Wise guys haven't shown up yet. What are possible explanations?
# Jesus is raised in a devout family. Why do think Luke makes such a clear point of that?
# They go to Jerusalem for the Passover yearly. But year 12, He is 'lost'. What do you think is going on with Jesus?
# They travel a whole day, then take three more to find Him in the Temple. Where did He 'live' for four days?
# Pretend you're Joseph. How does it feel to hear Jesus ask why they didn't know He had to be in His Father's house?
# Jesus returns and submits to them. How do you feel about the paradox here? Jesus, God incarnate, submits to human parents. Why is this even necessary?
# How do you parent God?
# How does God grow in favor with God?

Sorry for the lame formatting. Blogger doesn't have many text format options. But these questions should keep us busy for a few minutes.

News Boys

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting July 23 to study Luke 2:15 through 35.  We didn't finish with the shepherds last week, so we'll pick up there and continue through Simeon, or as far as we get.  We have a lot of chapter 2 left, so we'll take it as we can.

This passage (or two passages) are very interesting.  The shepherds tell their story far and wide, but we're left wondering about the people's response.  And then there's the process with Jesus' parents and the legal rules they're following.  And then there's Simeon, an enigma.

Read through the passage a few times, jotting down observations, questions, notes.  Read it in a few different translations to see differences. Think through those differences and make more notes. After you have some notes and questions, only then look through commentaries (Blue Letter Bible app or site if you need some).  Adjust your questions and notes accordingly.  After you've done that, go back through with the questions below:

Luke 2:15-20

• The show is over, and all they know to look for is a baby in cloths lying in a feed trough.  Why do you think that was enough?
• It is enough detail and they find the three.  Luke doesn't say what the shepherds did while with Joseph and Mary, but what do you think they did?  They had to have done one thing at least.
• The shepherds then tell everyone (and Bethlehem is crowded right now).  The people who hear wonder, what do you think is significant about what Mary does?  Keep in mind, Luke uses Mary's response as a 'contrast' to everyone else here.
• Who else from Bethlehem do you think came to see the three?

Luke 2:21-22

• In Matthew, we find none of this detail.  We do in the case of John's circumcision in the previous chapter, except for one detail, the trip to Jerusalem.  See what 'law' you can find that explains why they need to go Jerusalem and why.
• What laws of purification are 'they' following?  See what you can find, again.
• Why do you think it is so important for Luke to include these details?  What point do you think he's trying to make with his readers?

Luke 2:23-35

• Read verse 23 in several versions.  What is Simeon waiting for?  What do you think that means?
• How old do you think Simeon is?  We always think he's old, but it never actually says that.  So how old do you think he was?
• The Holy Spirit is 'on' Simeon.  Considering the infrequency of such qualities in the Old Testament, what purpose do you think the Holy Spirit has for him?
• So how do you imagine Simeon 'receives' the baby? What does that look like as you imagine it?  How do you imagine Joseph and Mary responding?
• What do you think of Simeon's 'song'?  It begins with, "Now dismiss" and in Latin it's 'Nunc Dimitis' which is used in Catholic and Protestant liturgical worship.  
• What do you think is going on in Simeon's mind and heart?
• Joseph and Mary witness this 'song' by Simeon.  What do you think they think?
• After this brief musical interlude, Simeon has some things to say to Mary.  Why do you think Mary specifically?
• In his song, Simeon says that Jesus will illuminate the glory of Israel, but to Mary he says that he is appointed for the 'falling and rising of many'.  How do you think these ideas might be connected, or do you think they are?
• You are told that your new-born son will be "a sign to be opposed", what do you feel?  What emotions (gut response) do you have in response?
• Oh, and by the way, a sword will pierce your soul too.  He just a bearer of great news isn't he?  What do you think he meant by that remark? 
•  So, does the sword through Mary's soul reveal the thoughts of many hearts, or does the sign to be opposed reveal those thoughts, and a sword pierces Mary too?  Look around at different translations.  What do you think that all means?
• What does this comment tell you about Luke's perspective of Mary as he writes?  
• Why do you think he seems to know her so well?

That should be plenty to wade through for us.  Be sure to bring your own notes, questions, and comments. See you Thursday!

The Birth of Jesus - In July!

This the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting July 16 to study Luke 2:1-20.  Merry Christmas!  In July!  There are some interesting elements to this very familiar account that should be fun and helpful for us.

Per our usual, read through the passage several times.  Jot down observations and questions you have from the details you read.  Once you have those, then go to any commentaries you have available.  See which of your questions you can answer, and then gather more from what commentaries have. 

After having done that, go back through with the questions below:

• What commentary were you able to find on the 'timing' of the birth of Jesus?  It seems important to Luke, so how spot on was he?  Or do we know?
• Who is not mentioned in Luke's account, even obliquely?  I'm thinking of the person we usually use for the timing of Jesus' birth.
• What city is typically thought of as the 'City of David' in Hebrew Scriptures?
• David figures prominently in where Joseph goes.  Why not 'Judah' or some other reference, why do you think David is the 'head' of his family?
• Regarding timing again, are Joseph and Mary married yet?
• How important to Luke do you think the 'stable' is as the place Jesus was born?  
• Shepherds shepherding, living outdoors, the time of year must be warm.  So when, in the year do you think Jesus was born?
• One angel shows up.  So, what are the odds it's Gabriel?
• The announcement is made, the shepherds are impressed, why do you think the 'choir' was necessary?
• If the shepherds were afraid at one angel, what do you think they felt when the 'multitude' showed up?
• Read the 'song' of the angels in a few translations.  So who is this peace for?  And is the 'good will' or 'favor' already present, or also a 'gift'?
• The show is over, and all they know to look for is a baby in cloths lying in a feed trough.  Why do you think that was enough?
• It is enough detail and they find the three.  Luke doesn't say what the shepherds did while with Joseph and Mary, but what do you think they did?  They had to have done one thing at least.
• The shepherds then tell everyone (and Bethlehem is crowded right now).  The people who hear wonder, what do you think is significant about what Mary does?  Keep in mind, Luke uses Mary's response as a 'contrast' to everyone else here.
• Who else from Bethlehem do you think came to see the three?

That should keep us talking (and guessing) for a while.  Remember to bring your questions and observations.