II Corinthians 11:16-12:10 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. (v. 28) Although Paul is a traveling missionary (with occasional longer stays) he is speaking here very much like a pastor. I have gotten to know a number of pastors well in office …
Author Archives: Fred
September 9 / II Cor. 11:1-15
II Corinthians 11:1-15 When someone is awarded a Ph.D. they are “hooded”. A very fancy, but cumbersome “shawl” (hood) is placed around his/her neck, with folds in the cloth open in the back. I was told that the tradition of these hoods came from ancient Greece where scholars and rhetoricians would wear a similar “hood” …
September 8 / II Cor. 10:1-18
II Corinthians 10:1-18 Paul truly has a missionary heart, but he is so wordy that it’s hard to really see what he is saying in verses 16 and 17: …our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in …
September 7 / II Cor. 6:14-7:1
II Corinthians 6:14-7:1 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. (v. 14a) I’ve often heard this verse quoted with respect to Christians dating and marrying Christians, often as advice from older believers to younger believers. However, in context with the rest of this section and the Corinthian culture’s idol worship it’s clear that Paul is …
September 6 / II Cor. 9:1-15
II Corinthians 9:1-15 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (v. 7) In my comments from last year I discussed God loves a cheerful giver. In my many years as treasurer at St. Andrew’s I have had a major focus …
September 5 / II Cor. 8:1-24
II Corinthians 8:1-24 As I said in a second note yesterday, I would strongly encourage you to read John’s post from yesterday morning before (or after) you read today’s passage – which begins in the middle of this letter! Some difficult translation issues here… The ESV has some verbs in the present progressive tense: “he …
September 4 / Acts 19:23-20:1
Acts 19:23-20:1 My comments in the link below from last year are worth reading, in terms of why the reading list was set up to have an Acts passage interrupt the two Corinthian epistles, but also to follow up on what we read yesterday, that Paul had reversed his earlier plan and decided to go …
September 3 / I Cor. 16:1-24
I Corinthians 16:1-24 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus … for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. (vv. 17-18) There are a couple of other possible translations for the second half of that quote, verse 18. The NASB has “…they have supplied what was lacking on your part.” …
September 2 / I Cor. 15:35-58
I Corinthians 15:35-58 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (v. 49) I think Paul is saying here that we currently bear the image of Adam and Eve, but in the future in our resurrected bodies we will bear …
September 1 / I Cor. 15:1-34
What a strange morning…! Today we are reading, for me, the most energizing passage in all of Scripture. I hope it’s the same for you! But first… The 12-volt battery on our Camry Hybrid was dead – I’ve known that for about a month, but we hadn’t needed it. Today was the day to get …