Two years, five months and thirteen days later, I've finished reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and everything in between, no skipping around. It's only taken me from May 16, 2011 to October 29, 2013. I have no idea how people read the Bible in one year or ninety days or whatever else they claim to do.
Perhaps some are looking for a more general overview or maybe they have more of a foundation to begin with. In any case, there's no way I could have completed the reading in one year, and, even with my extended-stay style of reading, I'm not sure that I don't have much more than simply a general overview now that I've finished. Alas! Two and a half years of reading! However, it's the Bible, an account of more than 2,000 years of God's interaction with his creation. There's no reason to expect that it should be an easy read.
What can now follow is a different type of reading. I would not opt for going through and re-reading the Bible again as one might do with a long-ago-read favorite novel although over the past two years I have had to do that, particularly with the book of Genesis. I had thought of re-reading the particular books as they correspond to the daily lectionary readings. It would be a perfect time to begin that because Year C is ending and Year A is just about to begin. But that approach may be a bit of hop-scotching that could lead to confusion. Garrison suggests re-reading according to themes of sin, salvation, fear, grace. He suggests using biographies, an idea I like. It seems neat and manageable. Historical time periods is another possibility. There are other guides as well. I attempted to use this one briefly.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Revelation
Book Written: Both HC and Baker link the time of writing to periods of religious persecution. One such period is during Nero's reign (54-68 A.D.) 68 A.D. and a later possibility is during Domitian's reign (81-96 A.D.) in 96 A.D.
Time Period/Setting: The author writes to seven Christian communities in Asia Minor: Pergamum, Thyatira, Smyrna, Sardis, Philadelphia, Ephesus and Laodicea. Yet, these communities would not likely have been being actively persecuted at the time Revelation was written. HC notes that the persecution under Nero affected mostly Christians in Rome. HC says the evidence is scant that Domitian promoted any kind of official persecution of Christians in Asia Minor. Both HC and Baker remind that the book may be a warning of things to come.
HC refers to the author of Revelation as a member of the Johannine community, but certainly not the apostle John. Here, Baker agrees that authorship is uncertain, perhaps attributable to a disciple of John, if not the apostle himself. The author does identify himself as having been on Patmos, Ch. 1, 9.
Title: From the Greek apokalypsis meaning 'revelation,' 'the revealing or disclosure of something hidden' as in Ch 1, 1 "the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I've written a bit here about apocalyptic literature but here are a few helpful reminders concerning such literature since we're on this page. Apocalyptic literature: depicts a conflict between Satan and God or between a present evil time vs. a better time to come; is told in the first person; is abundant in symbolism; may present an "interpreting angel." Regarding symbolism, Baker reminds us that "almost every material thing mentioned stands for something else." Definitely. Babylon is Rome. The 'great whore' is Rome. The beast is the Roman empire. The 'little scroll' is revelation. A lampstand is this, a dragon is that. The number 7 is mentioned 57 times. Baker also admonishes that we not presume the book of Revelation refers to or predicts present-day struggles. The message of the book is specific to its historical time period.
HC refers to the author of Revelation as a member of the Johannine community, but certainly not the apostle John. Here, Baker agrees that authorship is uncertain, perhaps attributable to a disciple of John, if not the apostle himself. The author does identify himself as having been on Patmos, Ch. 1, 9.
Title: From the Greek apokalypsis meaning 'revelation,' 'the revealing or disclosure of something hidden' as in Ch 1, 1 "the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I've written a bit here about apocalyptic literature but here are a few helpful reminders concerning such literature since we're on this page. Apocalyptic literature: depicts a conflict between Satan and God or between a present evil time vs. a better time to come; is told in the first person; is abundant in symbolism; may present an "interpreting angel." Regarding symbolism, Baker reminds us that "almost every material thing mentioned stands for something else." Definitely. Babylon is Rome. The 'great whore' is Rome. The beast is the Roman empire. The 'little scroll' is revelation. A lampstand is this, a dragon is that. The number 7 is mentioned 57 times. Baker also admonishes that we not presume the book of Revelation refers to or predicts present-day struggles. The message of the book is specific to its historical time period.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Letter of Jude
Book Written: Baker says the date is around 70 A.D. HC only notes that this book could be among the earliest NT writings.
Time Period/Setting: Where Jude writes from or to whom is a bit murky, but HC places Jude in Palestine as a leader of Jewish Christians.
Title: Jude seems to be the agreed-upon author. He is held to be the brother of James, author of the letters and the leader of the church in Jerusalem, and so a cousin of Jesus.
Jude is warning the Christian community (probably Gentile Christians according to Baker, but see above) of the dangers of giving in to "certain intruders" (v.4) who distort the gospel. These "waterless clouds," these "trees without fruit" are "blemishes on your lovefeasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves" (v. 12). Pretty damning language.
This book includes the beautiful doxology:
Time Period/Setting: Where Jude writes from or to whom is a bit murky, but HC places Jude in Palestine as a leader of Jewish Christians.
Title: Jude seems to be the agreed-upon author. He is held to be the brother of James, author of the letters and the leader of the church in Jerusalem, and so a cousin of Jesus.
Jude is warning the Christian community (probably Gentile Christians according to Baker, but see above) of the dangers of giving in to "certain intruders" (v.4) who distort the gospel. These "waterless clouds," these "trees without fruit" are "blemishes on your lovefeasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves" (v. 12). Pretty damning language.
This book includes the beautiful doxology:
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Letter of John, 1, 2 and 3
Book Written: For all three letters, HC places the date at 100 A.D., Baker at 90 A.D.
Time Period/Setting: HC believes these three letters to have been written in Ephesus. For the audience, the "little children," see below. The "elect lady" of 2 John is a particular church, though which one is not known. 3 John is addressed to Gaius whom Baker identifies simply as an important person in the church to which the letter is addressed.
Title: Once again and no surprise, HC calls into question John the apostle and author of the fourth gospel as the writer of these chapters. He identifies the author as perhaps the "elder" in letter 2 or a member of the same early Christian community of the fourth gospel. Baker has no such qualms and identifies the apostle as author of all three letters. Both Baker and HC agree that 1 John is not an actual letter but 2, 3 John are.
Concerning 1 John, HC explains that this speech or sermon may have been written to counter those in the Christian community who were claiming that Jesus was pure spirit and not a physical human being. Baker says the theme in 2 John is remaining faithful to the early teachings of the apostles. The theme of 3 John, a very short letter, discusses administrative matters. All three letters echo the language of the fourth gospel.
Time Period/Setting: HC believes these three letters to have been written in Ephesus. For the audience, the "little children," see below. The "elect lady" of 2 John is a particular church, though which one is not known. 3 John is addressed to Gaius whom Baker identifies simply as an important person in the church to which the letter is addressed.
Title: Once again and no surprise, HC calls into question John the apostle and author of the fourth gospel as the writer of these chapters. He identifies the author as perhaps the "elder" in letter 2 or a member of the same early Christian community of the fourth gospel. Baker has no such qualms and identifies the apostle as author of all three letters. Both Baker and HC agree that 1 John is not an actual letter but 2, 3 John are.
Concerning 1 John, HC explains that this speech or sermon may have been written to counter those in the Christian community who were claiming that Jesus was pure spirit and not a physical human being. Baker says the theme in 2 John is remaining faithful to the early teachings of the apostles. The theme of 3 John, a very short letter, discusses administrative matters. All three letters echo the language of the fourth gospel.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Letter of Peter, 2
Book Written: Baker gives the date as around 70 A.D. (though how that could be if Peter is thought to have been killed in 64 A.D. see below). HC puts the date considerably later in the 80s or 90s A.D.
Time Period/Setting: Peter is writing to all Christians of the time, no particular group intended.
Title: Though Baker notes that authorship of this book is controversial, he recognizes its author as Peter. HC does not. He attributes authorship to someone who wrote in Peter's name as, again, HC rather categorically places Peter's martyrdom in the year 64/5 A.D. Baker says this is not actually a letter.
Peter reminds his audience not to revert to pagan ways (HC explains that Christians of this time were caught in a "twin transition from a Jewish to a pagan environment. . .. " He also writes of the Parousia. And the author, whoever he may be, emphasizes the truth of his message because he is one of the "eyewitnesses of his majesty" (Ch.1, 16-18).
Time Period/Setting: Peter is writing to all Christians of the time, no particular group intended.
Title: Though Baker notes that authorship of this book is controversial, he recognizes its author as Peter. HC does not. He attributes authorship to someone who wrote in Peter's name as, again, HC rather categorically places Peter's martyrdom in the year 64/5 A.D. Baker says this is not actually a letter.
Peter reminds his audience not to revert to pagan ways (HC explains that Christians of this time were caught in a "twin transition from a Jewish to a pagan environment. . .. " He also writes of the Parousia. And the author, whoever he may be, emphasizes the truth of his message because he is one of the "eyewitnesses of his majesty" (Ch.1, 16-18).
Letter of Peter, 1
Book Written: Baker simply gives a date of 64 A.D. while HC explains that the letter has to be written after Paul traveled through Asia Minor in the 60s, but before the 90s because there's no mention of Roman officials charging Christians with disobedience to the emperor.
Time Period/Setting: Peter is writing to Christians in five Roman provinces in Asia Minor: Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia and Pontus. HC explains that these Gentile Christians faced considerable animosity towards them on the part of the Greco-Roman society in which they found themselves.
Title: Written by Peter, the apostle and first bishop of Rome though HC calls that into question by saying that the fine quality of the Greek may mean otherwise. HC also says (2 Peter) that Peter was martyred in 64/5 A.D. so HC would conclusively be saying that this letter couldn't have been written by Peter if in fact the letter was penned between 70 A.D. and 90 A.D. The format is considered to be an actual letter.
Peter is urging his readers to be faithful and good servants of Christ and not to revert to their earlier, heathen ways. Just to make things perfectly clear I suppose, Peter enjoins his readers not to consort with those lousy Gentiles whom he denounces as immoral low-lifes in Ch. 4, 3-5. Such riff-raff lives in "licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing and lawless idolatry." Can't get much worse than that!
Time Period/Setting: Peter is writing to Christians in five Roman provinces in Asia Minor: Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia and Pontus. HC explains that these Gentile Christians faced considerable animosity towards them on the part of the Greco-Roman society in which they found themselves.
Title: Written by Peter, the apostle and first bishop of Rome though HC calls that into question by saying that the fine quality of the Greek may mean otherwise. HC also says (2 Peter) that Peter was martyred in 64/5 A.D. so HC would conclusively be saying that this letter couldn't have been written by Peter if in fact the letter was penned between 70 A.D. and 90 A.D. The format is considered to be an actual letter.
Peter is urging his readers to be faithful and good servants of Christ and not to revert to their earlier, heathen ways. Just to make things perfectly clear I suppose, Peter enjoins his readers not to consort with those lousy Gentiles whom he denounces as immoral low-lifes in Ch. 4, 3-5. Such riff-raff lives in "licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing and lawless idolatry." Can't get much worse than that!
Letter of James
Book Written: According to Baker, 57 A.D., according to HC, before 70 A.D.
Time Period/Setting: James is thought to be addressing a live audience if you will, thus this isn't really a letter in the literal sense. His audience is Jewish Christians.
Title: The author is considered to be James, "brother" of Jesus (not James, brother of John and sons of Zebedee, that James having been martyred in 42 A.D.). This James led a Christian church in Jerusalem.
In this book of the Bible James makes the "faith not works" argument which as Baker points out is only an apparent contradiction to Paul's message about faith in Romans Ch. 3, 19 to Ch. 5. As I understand it, Paul was admonishing the new Christians that their righteousness would not result from following every jot and tittle of Jewish law, but rather through their faith in Christ as the risen Messiah. James, it seems, is saying nothing that different. He admonishes his audience not to forget that their faith consists also of demonstrable acts based on love of God and trust in him, much as Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac (Ch.2, 21).
Time Period/Setting: James is thought to be addressing a live audience if you will, thus this isn't really a letter in the literal sense. His audience is Jewish Christians.
Title: The author is considered to be James, "brother" of Jesus (not James, brother of John and sons of Zebedee, that James having been martyred in 42 A.D.). This James led a Christian church in Jerusalem.
In this book of the Bible James makes the "faith not works" argument which as Baker points out is only an apparent contradiction to Paul's message about faith in Romans Ch. 3, 19 to Ch. 5. As I understand it, Paul was admonishing the new Christians that their righteousness would not result from following every jot and tittle of Jewish law, but rather through their faith in Christ as the risen Messiah. James, it seems, is saying nothing that different. He admonishes his audience not to forget that their faith consists also of demonstrable acts based on love of God and trust in him, much as Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac (Ch.2, 21).
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