Recent discussions on these boards have really shown me how much I need to learn about the Bible. I've read lots of books and done lots of Bible studies, but I have not read all the way through the Bible...ever. I think it's past time I did.

I'm going to start with the New Testament since that is our New Covenant under Christ. I'm a little slow reading so I'll probably take it two chapters at a time. I invite others to do this with me and we can talk about what we read! I'm sure I'll have questions and maybe I'll have some answers along the way!

So...if you're interested, post your comments/questions here for the benefit of everyone or email me directly if you're shy.

You go girl!
I believe you will be amazed as you start digging for the treasure in God's Word, New Song.

Katie

Great idea! I'll be watching for future posts & questions!

That's good, Doc, because after only FOUR chapters, I'm already finding things to ask about! Stay tuned...I'll save them up and ask 3 or 4 at once!

Okay, I’m a few days into this and have finished to the end of Chapter Six! I’ve already learned some great things! I love how Matthew took the time to relate the coming of Christ to the Old Testament prophesies. Right off at the beginning, he takes the time to establish that Jesus was a descendent of Abraham and King David. This was significant to Jews…how ironic that Jews did not recognize him as their Lord!

I’m not sure why it was pointed out, but I’m a numbers person, and I thought it was interesting that between Abraham and King David, there were 14 generations. Between King David and the Babylonian Exile was 14 generations. Between the Babylonian Exile and Jesus was 14 generations.

Question 1: Why was the 14 generations mentioned? Is it significant?

Then, when the angel appeared to Joseph, she instructed HIM to name Jesus. In Chapter 1, verse 25, it specifically says, “And Joseph named him Jesus”.

Question 2: Why did Matthew want us to know that Joseph named him? Was it custom for the dad to name the baby? Maybe I’m reading too much into that.

Matthew goes on to tell us where Mary and Joseph moved to while Jesus was growing up. All that seemed pretty straight forward and there was again a lot of reference to the Old Testament prophesies. Then it tells us in Chapter Three about John the Baptist and Jesus getting baptised. It took me a while to get through this part as I wanted to understand the symbolism and guidelines for baptisms. As Jesus is baptised, the Holy Spirit and God the Father take part in the baptism. God spoke that He was pleased with his Son.

It also says in chapter three, verse 16, “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.” I tried to imagine the scene.

Question 3: Does this mean that it rained? Did the sun come out? Did a visible wind whisk over them?

I know it’s not necessary to know what it was like, but as I imagined Him being baptised, it forced me to picture Him in human form. At that moment, God became human to me…something that I have read and talked about every Christmas since I can remember, but something that I did not own in my heart until now. Cool!

Chapter Four will round out this post…I won’t keep my questions to ask all at once anymore, I guess!...In Chapter Four, Jesus is tempted in the wilderness by Satan. As He is tempted, Jesus continues to quote Old Testament Scriptures to Satan. I thought that was interesting. I think one of the most confusing things to understand is how Old Testament teachings are applicable to Christians.

Question 4: Did Jesus quote OT scriptures as a model for us to use as Christians? Did OT scriptures become obsolete after His death? I think this is likely to become clear as I read further.

Sorry for such a long post. I will stop here for now and if anyone wants to share some thoughts, feel free! I will post again in a couple of days on the next section, which is the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5 brings the beginning of the messages from the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew gives an account of the Beatitudes. If you don’t know what the Beatitudes are, take a look at the beginning of chapter five. They are important for us to know as Christians.

Chapter five revealed to me some information from one of my previous questions. “Question 4: Did Jesus quote OT scriptures as a model for us to use as Christians? Did OT scriptures become obsolete after His death?” Jesus taught about the Law starting in verse 17. It tells us there that Jesus did not come to abolish the Law under Moses or the prophets, but He came to accomplish their purpose. So we must follow the Law, but more than that, we need to follow Christ’s example and be righteous. So it appears to me that Christ is taking the Law a step further. That still leaves me with some questions but maybe those questions will be answered later.

He goes on to talk about specific sins and then Matthew ends that chapter by talking about loving our enemies. Jesus provided for all people. We need to follow that example by loving and praying for our enemies. Boy, that’s a hard one when dealing with those who persecute us.

Question 5: How would Jesus have dealt with Huessin or Hitler or even someone like Phelps who persecute others?! What strategies can we use to love all people?

Matthew 6 finishes the Sermon on the Mount. It talks about giving to the needy, prayer, forgiveness and worry (who amongst us worries…surely not me… ). In this chapter I took a lot of time to review the Lord’s Prayer. This is a prayer that helps us to know how to pray to God. I’ve prayed it since Kindergarten when my teacher taught it to the class. It seems so formal in the old translation but I really like it in a modern translation. I’m trying to model my prayers after this one.

Question 6: How do you pray? What tools to you use in prayer – a journal, a calendar, something else? How often do you pray?

I’ll post again later. If anyone has any thoughts on the questions I’ve posted, or wants to discuss other parts of these chapters, feel free to post your thoughts here. As you can see, I’m a little slow progressing, but I’m going to just keep working away at it.

The Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
The New Living Translation

"Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done here on earth,
just as it is in heaven.
Give us our food for today,
and forgive us our sins,
just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
And don't let us yield to temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."

(I copied this from www.biblegateway.com.)

ROSE

New Song, I love your questions - and I wish I had the answer to any of them! Now that you put things that way, I've realized that I don't know that much about the Bible, although I've been reading it since my early teens - along with the Upanishads and the Book of Mormon and what not. Thus all the mess in my mind.

I'll attempt to answer question 4. I see Christianity as a fusion of OT and NT. Historically speaking, Christianity was going through some internal transformations before the 4th century AD (and I'm not alluding to the Da Vinci Code stuff; well, maybe a little). However, OT was always there and continued to be the pillar of our faith throughout the Middle Ages up until this day. At the same time, parts of the OT clearly are obsolete, in that not too many people take, say, Leviticus seriously these days, in terms of practice (well, maybe above mentioned Phelps). It's a difficult issue, as it poses the question of what exactly in the OT is authoritative for us and what isn't.

I've just noticed your question on the ways we pray. Back when I was a Catholic I used the rosary (the prayer beads), I still like to hold it my hands sometimes as it helps me focus. But I don't say Hail Marys etc any longer.

I quite like the Quaker concept of silent prayer, so that's how I pray most often. I also meditate, but I always pray verbally before and after reading the Scriptures, as I've come to see that reading time as a kind of 1-on-1 with God when I actually need to speak up. And I also tend to verbalize myself very well when I need something from the Almighty - and when I need it badly!

I attempted to use a journal more than once, but I couldn't discipline myself about actually doing any journaling, so I've abandoned that. Although I do believe it can be a wonderful spiritual discipline.

New Song: I will address question 4 and say that Jesus read and quoted Old Testament prophecy in light of His fullfillment of those words written so long before His birth. Men chosen by God pointed directly to the coming Messiah telling not only of His birth but in detail the death He would suffer. The Old Testament is filled with prophecy concerning Jesus. Many of the Psalms and Isaiah are prime examples. We must read OT in light of Jesus coming to fulfill the promises of God written long before His birth or His death on the cross.

Isaiah 53:1-12
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? [2] For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. [8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. [9] And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
[10] Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; [3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

You can compare and contrast this in the NT when Jesus stood in the Temple and quoted....


Luke 4:18-21
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. [20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. "

God bless you.
Katie

After I logged out I did my Bible reading for this morning and found the following which continues the answer to question #4. Thought I'd come back and post an additional scripture to show how Jesus Himself talked about the Old Testment....

Luke 24:25-27
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: [26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? [27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. KJV



Luke 24:25-27
Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. [26] Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?" [27] Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself. NLT




Luke 24:44-48
Then he said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true." [45] Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. [46] And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. [47] With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.' [48] You are witnesses of all these things. NLT



Luke 24:44-48
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. [45] Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, [46] And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And ye are witnesses of these things. KJV


I didn't even realize that the Old Testament was connected to Jesus' teachings and to the New Testament until, after years of "traditional teaching" and denominational church attendance I went to a Bible teaching Pentacostal church in 1988. What a revelation I received there!!! Keep studying and comparing and learning and growing. What a wonderful adventure, New Song. God bless you.

Katie

I enjoyed reading this conversation.

I can see how the words Jesus spoke focussed on Him, as a fulfillment of OT scriptures. In addition to that, I wonder how to discern what OT laws we need to keep.

Let's consider the Ten Commandments, for example. They are all important and very relevant. But are they not replaced with the Golden Rule, "Do to others as you would want them to do to you."? (My translation)

Also, "An eye for an eye" has been replaced with "Turn the other cheek" but yet many countries have Corporal Punishment for murderers and if someone steals form you, you take them to court to get restitution. I know that murders must be punished and those who steal must be stopped, but where do we draw the line? When should we simply, "turn the other cheek"?

From these rather simplified questions, you can see how I wonder what to accept from the OT and what to reject!

--------------------

Aaron, your thoughts on Prayer are wonderful! I have not started my prayer calendar yet, but I want to set up a calendar to schedule my prayer life. That way, I think I will become more consistent and focussed. I too like the idea of a prayer journal. As I have the time, I want to write outcomes of prayer...those that have been answered and those that need more time! That way, I can look back and see how God has answered prayers!

--------------------

I'm still working (slowly) through Matthew and I will come back later and post some more questions from the next couple of chapters.

Regarding the question about which of the 10 Commandments still apply today, etc......Jesus came to "fulfill the law," rather than to negate it. He said the most important commandment was to Love God with all your heart and the second most important was to love your brother as yourself. If those two things alone are followed, everything else falls into place without having to get too obsessive about following specific rules--KWIM?

Amen Doc,

We aren't supposed to be following rules or the Law, but Jesus (The Lamb of God) Himself!!! If we Love Him, we won't have such a hard time obeying Him!!!


ROSE

Good for you, New Song!
I want to post three little comments:
1. I share with all what I did: As time is often a problem (including about reading the Bible) to read the WHOLE Bible seems a hard task; but I decided to read during breakfast. So I did read since de moment I sit at the table, till I finished my breakfast, EVERY DAY. Then, I'd finished in a no time! I mean, I didn't feel the time it took me. If someone has the same problem I had (taking time for reading) try that. I promise it works, and is a very nice way to start our day.
2. Each and all of the New Song's "questions" are worthy to start a new topic. Many important things are related whith each one! (Bravo, New Song!)So, we have to stablish priorities, and because of that, I post the following 3 point.
3. About the question No. 4:
OT is about the covenant between God and His chosen people: Israel; so Israel did must become "different" from other ancients nations. One God to one nation (though God is for ALL nations, He did a special "covenant"). But why He did chose a nation? Because from someone the Savior must be born. So, the whole OT tells us about only one important issue: Why, When, How and Where our Lord would came among humans and What would He do to "re-stablish" our true relationship with our God (the God of all nations). So, OT is very important to clarify WHO is our Lord. OT has many (I mean MANY) rules for directing lives (those of the chosen nation in orden to the Jesus' coming) But, I believe it hasn't such rules for us. Our rules are quite simple ones, Jesus said only one: To love. If we LOVE (first: God, after: Neighbor, and so on) we can see that all other "rule" finish in matters of love (Don't murder, don't steal, etc.) And one last comment about OT: If one consider "what part is for us" and "what part is not", one must set a criterion and like all other "criterions" may be very personal (to confirm what one ALREADY beleives, -we know about this matter in this web site: somebody claims about Lev. and "homosexuality", but not accept, for instance, having slaves-). So I find OT quite marvelous because it signs direct into Jesus. ¿Rules? One: Love! And with love must be "learning" and with "learning" the third key: SERVICE. May our Lord bless you all. (Remember the third key)

OT is clearly very important to us, for historical reasons mostly, but also sentimental in a way. Take the Psalms - aren't they prossibly the most beautiful and heartfelt expression of relationship between God and us?

Also, there are diverse layers within the Bible itself, which treat the question of who God is differently. I think Biblical scholars refer to them as Yahwist and Elohist - to name just the main two - depending on whether the name of God appears in the original Hebrew as Yahwe (which is quite warrior-like and often rather cruel if you think about it) or Elohim (as in the very beginning of Genesis - curiously "Elohim" is also plural, but that's another thing), which is far more tender and compassionate towards his creation.

The books of the Bible show differing images of God. I used to think that it was one image evolving through the centuries. Nowadays, as I don't tend to take Bible literally (although I don't claim that it is not based on the actual historical events), I see them as expressions as one nation's collective struggle towards a unified and somewhat simplified understanding of God. I never had the impression that the Bible's vision of God is conclusive or, let's say, cut in stone.

I believe in the continuing revelation, while Bible is there to show me how some of God's children thought about Him thousands of years ago. Their faith was seed that continued to bear fruit in the ages to come, but we should never forget that in this age and time, we are the new seed. And that we are entitled to our own vision of God.

quote:

Originally posted by Brakhus:
So, OT is very important to clarify WHO is our Lord. OT has many (I mean MANY) rules for directing lives (those of the chosen nation in orden to the Jesus' coming) But, I believe it hasn't such rules for us. Our rules are quite simple ones, Jesus said only one: To love. If we LOVE (first: God, after: Neighbor, and so on) we can see that all other "rule" finish in matters of love (Don't murder, don't steal, etc.) And one last comment about OT: If one consider "what part is for us" and "what part is not", one must set a criterion and like all other "criterions" may be very personal (to confirm what one ALREADY beleives, -we know about this matter in this web site: somebody claims about Lev. and "homosexuality", but not accept, for instance, having slaves-). So I find OT quite marvelous because it signs direct into Jesus. ¿Rules? One: Love! And with love must be "learning" and with "learning" the third key: SERVICE. May our Lord bless you all. (Remember the third key)