1,104 days later

I was cleaning up some google accounts and peeked into this bit of history...it's hard to believe that it has been nearly four years since this undertaking.

Yes, I did do some study of the Roman empire. Then I spent about six months planning a trip, and in June 2010 my husband, daughter, mom, dad, and mother-in-law took a 12 day trip to London and Rome. I've also immersed myself in the court of Henry VIII. Go ahead, ask me about one of the six wives. Thank you Dave Ramsey - we saved ahead and paid for it in cash, and are planning for the next trip - everyone wants to go back to England. Except Grace, who would rather go to a motel pool.

The tulip tree in the back yard was dead. It is now a fire pit. And Grace is finally reading at grade level - which is fourth. Thank you Hamilton Heights for a great program to get her on track.

I need to read this again. Since 2007 Cicero Christian Church has had a challenge to read the new testament in 90 days, the old testament in 274 days, and the gospels in a harmonious manner in 31 days. Maybe it is time to institute the hard challenge again in 2011. And blog it - that sure did keep me accountable and on track.

And I wish I still looked like my profile picture - my daughter pointed to the computer screen and said "that lady looks like you."

Day 88 ~ The end is in sight

Although it was my intent to blog something for each day's reading, I failed after about the eighty-second day, as you can see. I took notes for days 83 & 84, but never got them online, and won't take time to do so now. After that, I didn't really even take notes...the rest of the journey (Galatians on) has kind of been completed with a snow plow, but it has been taken. I was also more familiar with the mid section of the New Testament, and I think that familiarity was kind of lulling me into a stupor at times. Tonight I will launch into the book of "levelation" as Grace calls it when she sings the New Testament book song she learned with Pastor Ben on family nights. I told her I was starting the last book of the Bible tonight, and asked her what it was. She buried her head in her hands for about 20 seconds then said "levelation! - I was singing in my head"

Well, I'll be singing in my head after tomorrow night - Hallelujah!. We've already had about 25 people report in that they've completed the challenge. 182 let us know that they were going to try when the program started back in August. I'm sure many will trickle in over the next week or so. I commend you all! I sure each journey was different. I'm sure each journey was worth it.

I will have to say I really got the most out of the old testament, and other than slacking a bit in some of the books of poetry, I felt I really tried to absorb and understand what I was reading from at least an historical perspective. The challenge was well worth it. I honestly think I'll read through some book on the rise and fall of the Roman empire - specifically how it interacts with the ministry of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in 69ad.

The New Testament, however, was just too much to try to digest and make commentary and complete my reading goal. Maybe another time.

What will I do with the hour or so that I've spent reading over the last 90 days? Hopefully look back through my blogs and see where I commented that I wanted to spend more time, or do a character study (add to that Gaius, mentioned in 4 NT books). Or topical studies (how about adding homosexuality, given what I read in Jude last night seems like it permeates the entire letter.) Or how about that Paul? Do you think he was real pleasant in person? My guess is no. But he was a powerful witness. I could go on....but I need to ready half of Revelation. And it is not the book of Revelations. that drives me nuts when people add an s. There is my last bit of commentary!

Signing off - better for accepting and completing the challenge - Beth

Day 82 ~ Do you want a spanking?

You can tell that Paul has a personal relationship with the people from Corinth (unlike the Roman church, where he had not yet been). They are addressed like a petulant child who, when out of sight, does as they please. But, someone in Chloe's household has ratted out some of the bad behavior (1:11), and Paul is not happy. In fact, he asks the Corinthians if they want him to "come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"

So what are the Corinthians doing?

• Division over who preached to them or baptized them - sectarianism.
• Bragging about their wisdom (or as Paul identifies, their actual lack of wisdom).
• Sexual immorality - a man with his father's wife - within the church - and the church seems to be turning a blind eye to the sin.
• Taking brethren within the church to public court rather than working out the situation fairly amongst themselves.
• Sexual sin among the unmarried, and tension within marriages over sex. There must have been many divorcing or contemplating divorce. Paul recommends remaining single and exhibiting self-control.
• They are apparently eating food that has been offered to idols, and becoming a stumbling block to others with their actions. In effect, he says just because it isn't illegal for fat women to wear spandex doesn't make it a good idea.
• Paul's advice: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it"
• There seemed to be a power struggle between the men and women in the assembly. The argument is about hair and hair coverings, but it's deeper argument is being under authority.
• They have no true understanding of the communal institution of the Lord's supper. Paul gives them instructions, and tells them "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged" (11:32). There must have been more concerning the Lord's supper, because Paul says he will set the rest in order when he comes.
• They were assigning more honor to some spiritual gifts over others, and Paul says that they are hurting each other and the church as a whole with this conduct.
• In fact, it would seem that the members of the church of Corinth were doing all things that I Corinthians 13 says that love doesn't do, and he offers love as an antidote for their actions.
• He encourages them to seek the gifts that edify the entire church fellowship.
• Their meetings must have been unorganized, and Paul provides guidelines for order.
• They are worried about those already dead and how they will rise again with Christ, and are apparently baptizing for the dead. Paul says they lack knowledge of the scriptures and should be ashamed. He explains about the difference between earthly bodies and heavenly bodies

Days 80 & 81 ~ This is Heavy!

I forgot to mention in Acts how prevalent women are mentioned by Paul in his ministry. Reading through Romans made me think of it again, especially in the last chapters as he name several women.

What can I say about the first three chapters of Romans? circumcision...faith...impute...law...grace...works...sin...Spirit - those words just repeat in my head over and over again. This is some pretty deep stuff, and you can see Paul's experience as a Pharisee being put to full use! The heavier Jewish law stuff seems to end by chapter three and it becomes easier to understand and apply starting in chapter 4.

Romans 10:17 - faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Days 78 & 79 ~ Acting out

Wow, I haven't posted in four days. I got stuck in Acts. Trying to absorb and think and comment on so much has nearly defeated me, but last night, laying in bed and reading to Grace, I completed the book of Acts. What follows is my limited scrawlings as I reigned in my wandering mind and tried to get through the task. According to most, the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts are written by the same author, Luke, and Acts is almost like a second volume to Luke.

• Acts 1:1 - Jesus will return like He left
• 1:13 - yet another list of apostles names with alternate names sent me looking for a chart of all the names assigned to each of the twelve. Two Judas? Two James? I found an interesting blog that contained the following list at http://p099.ezboard.com/fsabdiscussionboardcontradictions.showMessage?topicID=1558.topic

1. Simon Peter Cephas
2. Simon Zeolotes the Canaanite
3. James the son of Alphaeus
4. James the son of Zebedee (son of Thunder)
5. Judas Lebbaeus Thaddeus the brother of James
6. Judas Iscariot
7. Thomas Didymas the twin
8. Bartholmew Nathanel
9. John the son of Zebedee (son of Thunder)
10. Andrew
11. Philip
12. Matthew Levi

• 1:20 - the apostles chose another to fill Judas Iscariot's spot per Ps 109:8. I'm assuming that whomever they chose had spent quite a bit of time with them and with Jesus.
• 1:26 - they cast lots to determine whom would be chosen. Casting lots has occurred many times in the Bible, sometimes by a sorcerer, but also by the priests and others. Remember Urim and Thummin? I think they might be involved in casting lots. Why don't we cast lots now? What was God's role in this?
• 2:1 - Pentecost was the "Feast of Weeks" which occurs 7 weeks after Passover for the completion of the harvest as an offering of "first fruits". The city is very crowded, and the "first fruits" of the new church was 3000.

2:4 - my personal take on "tongues" in this passage is that the Holy Spirit equipped those who would be spreading the gospel to speak in languages that they had not been taught but were spoken by those that they would be witnessing to. They would need to fulfill verse 1:8 to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. It was like a reversal of the tower of Babel. Although many main-stream religions would claim that this is the introduction of a holy language for glorifying God, a prayer language of sorts, that would be understood by God, in context, I don't see that in this passage. But on in 8:47, Peter is in Caesarea preaching to the Gentiles in Cornelius' house, and the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers and the Jews who were there were astonished "For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God" - was this a prayer language of sorts? How would people know what they were saying - they were described as magnifying God - how would one know unless at least one person understood the language.

2:38 - "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Pretty clear. But it doesn't always happen in that order - the Holy Spirit is not limited or tied only to baptism. We've seen the Holy Spirit "drop in" in several instances, especially when miracles occur. He also returns to fill those who have already been baptized (like 4:31). Compare this also to 8:14-17, where believers in Samaria had been baptized but did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came and prayed and laid hands on them. Was this a lesson for Peter and John? Also see 8:44-48, where the Holy Spirit came first and the baptism second.

• 4:6 - I thought Annas was the father of the High Priest - apparently they are under a different High Priest. We are also dealing throughout the book with different Roman rulers - there is Claudius, and two Herods. Acts goes through at least 6 years of time just in the asides like "they spent one year and six months in the city".
• 4:8 - As Jesus said, don't worry what to say under pressure, the Holy Spirit will give you the words.
• 4:22 - what is the significance of the healed man being over 40?
• 4:31 - stress - prayer - refreshing indwelling
• 5:38,39 - wise words, not followed (vs. 40 - they beat them)

Chapter 6 - a Hellenist is a Greek-speaking Jew. The council (Sanhedrin) is the hightes ruiling and judicial body of Jews, but they are under the ultimate political authority of Rome. The council consists of 71 members including Pharisees, Saducees, scribes, preists and elders (leading men). The council had it's own police force, but were prevented by Rome in exercising capital punishment (which we saw with Christ and will see with Paul). So there was division among the council (Pharisees/Saducees), division amongst the Jews (Hellenist/Hebrew speaking), division politically (under Roman rule), and religiously (Greek gods, Roman gods, Christianity, Judiasm).

• 6:15 - how did Stephen's face look like the face of an angel? And they stoned him anyway?
• Chapter 7 - Stephen delivers a good overview of the history of Israel for the New Testament readers.
• 7:58 - Saul, who would become Paul
• This stoning of Stephen seems to have opened the door widely to sprad the Word across the surrounding areas, as the people scattered.
• 8:39 - the Spirit moved Philip physically over geographical boundaries.
• 9:2 - the new religious movement is called "the Way" - followers of Christ.
• 9:5 - what does "kick against the goads" mean?
• 9:15 - Saul is a chosen vessel by God to the Gentiles
• 10:15 - The vision shows Peter that "the Way" is not just for Jews, but for Gentiles as well.
• 11:15 - as at the beginning - at Pentecost?
• 11:18 - woo hoo! "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life"
• 11:26 - first called "Christian"
• 12:17 - back to the names of the apostles - James - when I read this I wondered if Peter didn't know that James was dead (12:2), but apparently he must have been referring to the other James, not the son of Zebedee.
• 12:24 - I wonder how Roman history records the death of this Herod
• 14:19 - Paul is first worshipped as a god, then quickly the mob turns and he is stoned, but he lives.
• 14:23 - they appointed elders in every church
• 15:20 - When the argument comes up that the gentiles should have to follow Mosaic law and be circumcised if they convert to "the Way", the apostles say it is not necessary. However, they do come up with four rules that the gentile converts need to follow: abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. Seems like an interesting combination, given everything else they could have chosen. Avoid idol pollution: check. Avoid sexual immorality: check. Avoid blood: I'm assuming you mean eating blood, like it says in Moses' law: check. Avoid things strangled: I don't get it.
• 16:3 - why was Timothy circumcised? They just said it wasn't necessary. And if his mother was a Jew, why didn't that occur a long time ago?
• 18:2 - Jews were being kicked out of Rome by Claudius. Persecution of the Jews.
• 18:21 - Paul says he must have Passover in Jerusalem, but he goes to Israel and then heads north and spends 2 years in Ephesus.

So, other than Peter and John, who we see traveled to Caesarea and preached to the gentiles there, and Philip, who explained Isaiah to the Egyptian fellow, and James, who is killed, what are the other Apostles up to while Paul is roaming around spreading the word. Apparently Luke is pretty well connected to Paul because he writes this account. But Luke wasn't an apostle.

• 21:8 - Philip - one of the 7 - one of what seven?
• 21:26 - why would Paul offer up a sacrifice of purification? Wasn't he no longer under that law of sacrificing and purification? He had made a vow in 18:18 and cut off his hair then, too.

Paul was well equipped to get out of situations - he could play the "Pharisee" card the "Jew" card, the "Roman" card - and he didn't hesitate to do so.

Day 77 ~ who is the disciple that Jesus loved?

A quick view of tomorrow's reading made me think I would finish out John tonight and start Acts fresh by itself. So instead of John 8-15, I'm blogging John 8-21.

Hatred of the Samaritans by the Jews is very evident in the book of John. Just like the crowds seemed more oppressive in Mark over Matthew, Luke and John. The Samaritans were Jews, too - Samaria was the capitol of the northern kingdom. Of course, more than 700 years ago they went into captivity to Assyria and intermarried and never really recovered. This is basically the southern tribe, knowing by scripture that the Messiah would come from them, thumbing their noses at the "weaker" northern tribe. Yet when the Messiah was right in front of their noses - pun intended, they were determined to deny that Christ was the answer to what they had been waiting for. Another obvious theme - probably in every chapter - Jesus is the Light.

• John 8:6, 8 - what did Jesus write on the ground? it must have been very convicting
• 8:33 - "We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone" - how could the Jews say that - they had been in bondage to Babylonians and the Persians and who know who else in the 400 years since Malachi.
• 9:7 - Pool of Siloam - Jesus again showing His power is triumph over the water of the rituals.
• 9:16 - there is division among the priests. Remember Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night and professes his believe in Christ as the Messiah. Also, Nicodemus helps Joseph with the body of Christ after removal from the Cross and donates spices to help with burial preparations.
• 10:22 - feasts of ligh - Hanukkah. This is not a feast prescribed by the Old Testament, but instituted to celebrate the cleansing of the temple after the desecration in the intertestamental period by raising an altar to the Greek god Zeus. I would also count that as being in bondage, when the temle you're suppose to be running is desecrated - so there you priests in 8:33.
• 11:47-48 - Is this what was driving the Jewish leadership to be so fearful of Christ - “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” I don't want to go down the trail to see what threats the Romans held over the heads of the Jews, but I think they are kidding themselves that the Jews actually have any control - they are living in a Roman territory that just happens to have a governor who is tolerant of their religion. That won't last much longer.
• 11:55 - Passover #3
• 12:27 - Here is a secondary statement (the other while praying in the garden of Gethsemane) where Jesus shows his trepidation, however momentary, about the job in front of him. God's reply was to verbally encourage Jesus.
• 12:32-33 - " 'And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.' This He said, signifying by what death He would die." - does this describe death on the cross?
• Chapter 13 - shows a real intimacy between the apostles and Jesus. He washes their feet (remember, they wore sandals and walked in dirt all day). They recline and eat together. They share food.
• 14:6 - no one comes to the father except through Jesus. Not through Buddha, not through works, not through reincarnation, not through prayers on your behalf...through Jesus.
• 14:9-10 - how many times has Jesus said "If you see Me you see the Father" or something similar - at least a dozen in what we've read in John so far. What would be the reason for Philips question? Did he not believe?
• 14:15-18 - Spirit of Truth, the Helper, promised. This is the Holy Spirit (14:26)
• 14:22 - Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” - answered in part by "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" - does this mean the Word in the form of the New Testament to be written by the Holy Spirit working through the authors?
• 15:1-8 - am I bearing fruit, not just fruit, but good fruit, much good fruit? Or am I spinning my wheels simply doing what I deem to be good - am I fine-tuned to God's desire to work through me, am I finely grafted to the vine as a healthy branch?

I don't see anything about Jesus stepping on the head of a snake in John, either, like in the movie Passion of the Christ. I only bring this up because it was so startling in the movie. I know, everything that you see on TV or the movies isn't true. Artistic liscense, I presume. There is certainly much evidence of Gibson's catholicism throughout the film.

• John 18:6 - people fell over in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus answered "I am He" - wonder who fell - I don't remember this from the other three gospels.
• 18:18 - Jews of the council, who have been plotting the death of an innocent man, wouldn't dare enter the Praetorium and be defiled for Passover. This makes me ill thinking about how hypocritical the religious leaders were.
• 18:31 - what had Christ done unlawful that would have been worthy of death in a Roman court? Declared Himself the King? 19:7 states that the Jewish law Jesus had "broken" was cause for death in Jewish law. But they say they can't kill him - why? Because of Passover? Because the Romans won't allow the Jews to punish at that level?
• 19:21 - the Jewish leadership want Pilate to change the sign above the cross from "King of the Jews" to "He says He is King of the Jews". Pilate refuses. Again, that awesome attention to detail by the religious!
• 19:25 - these Mary's are hard to keep track of - three of them are together her, Jesus' mother, the mother of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Wonder who this Clopas is.

The empty tomb - here is a thought - 19:41-42 - "Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby." So, is it possible this tomb where He was laid not the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea? Did they place Jesus' body hastily in a temporary location, perhaps just inside the cemetery (for lack of a better word) because of the coming sabbath, which would allow no work? When Mary says in 20:2, 13 that "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” - who is "they" - was she expecting someone to take the body, and the question was where the body was? Was Joseph to move the body to his donated tomb as soon as sabbath was over. Just a thought.

• 20:21 - Jesus breathed on them - did he give them the Holy Spirit with this breath - when He says "receive the Holy Spirit" does He mean right now? If not, and the Holy Spirit won't be received until Acts 2, why does he breathe on him?
• 20:17, 26/27 - what's going on with Jesus' body? Is it "unstable" - he tells Mary not to cling to Him because He hasn't yet ascended to His Father. But 8 days later, Jesus invites them to stick fingers in his wounds, and later he eats something. In the 8 day period, did His body "gel" in some way, or did he ascend and it become stable?
• 21:2 - Nathanael - I wondered when he was first introduced in John 1 if he was an apostle by another name. Now I really wonder if this is the case, as he is with some other disciples. Maybe he is Bartholomew. He is mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke but not John, and vice versa for Nathanael. Maybe he's a sidekick. I think he'll be mentioned in Acts.

Who is "the one Jesus loved?" At one point, the disciple "the one Jesus loved" was leaning against Jesus chest at the Passover meal and shared an intimate conversation about who would betray Jesus with Peter. Who is this "one Jesus loved?" I would think that it would be one of the inner circle of closer disciples to Jesus - Peter, James, John (our author). This phrase is only used in John.

Is it James, the brother of Jesus? (Mary’s other sons included Joses (Joseph), James, Judas and Simon [Mt 13:55-56, Mark 6:3]). John 19:26 says that the one Jesus loves was at the base of the Cross with Mary the mother of Jesus and Jesus called Mary this loved disciple to "behold your mother." I take that literally, but of course it could be figurative as well. And John is not listed as a biological brother of Jesus that I'm aware of. John is the brother of James, but a different James, the son of Zebedee.

I wonder if "Twelve Ordinary Men" by John MacArthur would answer that question. I think that book is floating around the house somewhere from Jeff's participation in men's breakfast. Maybe he read it and can tell me.

The author in 21:24 basically seems to say that he is the one described as the one that Jesus loved. Another question for the ages.

Day 76 ~ Jesus cries out at a pivotal feast

I closed up Luke last night, so I started fresh with a new book - number 37 if you're keeping track. John's writing style is totally different. It's very poetic, highly stylized. He is the author of the book of Revelation, and if you want to talk about highly stylized, Revelation fills the bill.

• John 1:40 - Andrew apparently was the first of the apostles to know Jesus. Not only was he a fisherman, but also a follower of John the Baptist. When he meets Jesus, he knows what he has found - the Messiah, and brings his brother Simon Peter to Christ to meet him.
• Who is Nathanael? Is he an apostle known by another name? Or just someone who exhibits some faith.
• 2:4 - The first miracle - water into wine in Cana - Jesus tells His mother His time has not come yet. What does that mean? And did his time come just a few minutes later?
• 2:20 - It took 46 years to build the temple (when Christ talked about the temple being rebuild in 3 days).

King Herod (the father of the current king Herod, the one who killed the babies), started a major reconstruction/ restoration of the temple in 19BC that he pledged would be reminiscent of the glory of Solomon's temple. It continued until 64AD, or for a total 83 years or so. So, if we're 46 years into the rebuilding, it would make it about 27AD, right? In 70AD, this new temple would be destroyed by the Romans. John was writing this gospel about 90AD from all accounts. He would have known about the temple destruction. Does he ever allude to it in this gospel, or in I, II or III John, or Revelation?

• 5:22 - Jesus had been given the authority to do all judging, God won't do the judging.

We have a chart of the parables of Jesus in the gospels. But John bases his gospel around several key miracles which point to important qualities of the Messiah. So, can I find a chart of the miracles of Jesus in the gospels. Here you go: http://www.jesuschristsavior.net/Miracles.html. Five of the seven miracles in John are unique to John.

• 6:4 - This is the second Passover mentioned in John (the first was 2:13) and the next will be the final one. This helps us to determine the length of the ministry portion of Jesus' life.
• 6:60-67 - Som find Christ's teaching too hard to comprehend and abandon following Him.
• 7:28 - while teaching in the temple during the feast of booths (do I remember correctly that this falls in the same month as Passover?), Jesus "cried out" - in anger? in frustration? to deliver a point? to get attention? to be heard above a crowd?
• 7:35 - "Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?" - what does this mean? what is the Dispersion among the Greeks and why is it capitalized.

7:37 - on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, Jesus cries out again. Let me share from you from the commentary from the NKJV Word in Life Study Bible about the importance of this verse.

The annual feast of tabernacles (or booths or tents) swelled Jerusalem to an overflow of festive crowds. Every Jewish family within 20 miles of the city was required to move out of its home and live in a booth or tent in remembrance of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. Many chose to move into the city for the week. Reunions and parties alternated with solemn processions from the temple down to the Poolof Siloam, a reservoir. PUshing its way through the crowded streets, the throng sang Psalms 113 to 118 in anticipation of God's righteous reign over Jerusalem.

Jesus chose to keep a low profile at this year's festival (7:2-10). He taught in the temple, but waited for the right moment to declare Himself publicly. It came on the last day of hte feast, probably at the climax at the daily processional.

As on the previous six days, the high priest filled a goblet of water from Siloam and carried it back to the temple, where he poured it out for all the people to see. Each day at that point the crowds chanted, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord" (Ps 118:1) and "Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Ps 118:25). Then they shook myrtle, willow, and palm branches toward the altar, as if to remind God of His promises. Then, after a pause, sacrifices were offered.

On the last day, however, just after the crowds had not only waved their branches, but as was the custom, literally shook them to pieces in a frenzy of enthusiasm, a voice suddenly cried out: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink." Jesus' timing couldn't have been more perfect or His claim more explicit: He was declaring Himself to be none other than the long-awaited Christ who would pour out the Holy Spirit, as many in the crowd immediately recognized (7:38-43).

In many ways 7:37 acts as the pivot for John's account. From that point on, the hostility of Jesus' enemies mounted until they finally arrested Him (18:12) in vain hopes of shutting off the "living water."