Some questions regarding this week's Bible Lesson (version 2.04)

The answers to all of these questions can be found (1) in the Bible Lesson itself, (2) in the "Bible Lesson study aid" at http://www.bibletexts.com/bl.htm, or (3) in other webpages on the BibleTexts.com website, the homepage of which is http://www.bibletexts.com.

1. In the Responsive Reading what does Isaiah say about one's religion if it is only human rules and traditions that are simply memorized?

1. How important was spiritual healing in Jesus' ministry?
2. How does the Bible in John 14 (Bible citation #3), John 15, and John 16 describe the Comforter?

Note: The Greek word translated as "Comforter" in Joh 14 in the KJV is parakletos <Strongs #3865>, which in English is translated as the Comforter (ASV, Moulton, KJV, RV), the Advocate (NAB, NRSV, REB, Rotherham, TCNT, Weymouth), the Counselor (NIV), the Helper (TEV), or 'someone who speaks/pleads in our defense' (paraphrased from several versions).

Note 2: 1Jo 2:1 (Bible citation #7) describes Jesus as a parakletos (Advocate, Comforter, Counselor)?

3. How does the description of the role of the Comforter in John 14-16 relate to the description of the role of the Holy Ghost in Rom 8:26, 27?

1. How is it that Jesus Christ helps us is an "advocate" (counselor, comforter) with the Father, as described in Bible citation #7?

Note: The Greek word translated as "advocate" in 1Jo 2:1 in the KJV is parakletos <Strongs #3865>, which in Joh 14-16 is translated into English as Comforter (ASV, Moulton, KJV, RV), the Advocate (NAB, NRSV, REB, Rotherham, TCNT, Weymouth), the Counselor (NIV), the Helper (TEV), or 'someone who speaks/pleads in our defense' (paraphrased from several versions).

2. How important is the healing of sin?

1. What religious or social outcasts, locally, nationally, or internationally, might be Jesus' "Samaritans" today. In other words, what groups outside of one's own denomination or outside of the entire Christian community, have representatives who express commendable Christ-like qualities to which Jesus might point as examples today?

Note: To Jesus and his fellow Jews, the Samaritans were not part of their religious community; yet, Jesus several times commended the example of some Samaritans to his sometimes self-righteous and spiritually baron Jewish audience.

2. What lessons can we learn from the story of the Good Samaritan? How can we practically implement these lessons in our lives today?

1. How does one's adherence to the "perfect" "law of the Lord" (Bible citation #14) relate to one's being 'a doer and not merely a hearer' of the word (Bible citation #15)?
2. What have been, are, and/or will continue to be the results of such adherence?

1. What courtroom metaphors are used in the healing described in Bible citation #17 and in other healings performed by Jesus?
2. How do the courtroom metaphors used in describing Jesus' healings relate to the Comforter / Holy Spirit?

1. In Bible citation #20, Rev 10 describes "another mighty angel" as having legs like "pillars of fire". What is the biblical significance of the "pillars of fire," and what is relevance of this to us today?
2. Where else in the Bible is there a description of taking and eating a book/scroll/roll? Where else in the Bible are there references to a sealed book/scroll? What is the significance in each case?
3. How do this "mighty angel" and the "little book" relate to the role of the Comforter/Holy Spirit, and what is the relevance of this to us today?

1. How does the Reverend Irving Tomlinson' explanation of the composition of the Bible Lesson apply to this week's Bible Lesson?

"The Golden Text may be said to contain the fundamental thought with which the sermon deals.... The responsive reading, while entirely separate from the sermon, deals with the same subject... Usually, the first Science and Health reference in each section hints the leading thought in that section, which the Bible selections and the other Science and Health selections in the section develop." (TCSJ, Vol 40, p 483-487.)

SOME NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE LESSON

In 1898 when Mary Baker Eddy chose the 26 subjects for an entirely new Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson format, the Reverend Irving Tomlinson was one of the original members of the newly constituted Christian Science Bible Lesson Committee.

From 1888 to 1899 the Christian Science Bible Lesson Committee simply had directly copied to the Christian Science Quarterly the Bible citations that had been prepared by the multi-denominational International Lesson Committee [ILC] for the weekly International Sunday School Lessons used by Protestant churches. (The Church of Christ, Scientist, had no representation on that committee.) To those Bible Lessons the Christian Science Bible Lesson Committee added correlative citations from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which provided explanations of the Bible texts chosen by the ILC. Until 1898 the ILC-based Bible Lessons were a key component of both Christian Science church services and Christian Science Sunday School, which until 1895 included adult Sunday School classes.]

To read the Rev. Tomlinson's complete article, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/articles/j040p483.htm. To read more about the history of the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons, including the official use of other translations in addition to -- and for one entire year replacing -- the King James Version, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/bl-ver.htm.)]