Bible Lesson Questions (version 2.01)

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 at http://www.bibletexts.com.

1. The Golden Text and Responsive Reading in this week's Bible Lesson teach us that God and his "constant love"are "everywhere." Why is it helpful to know this and to depend upon this?

1. What is God, and what are his qualities?
2. How can God's love help us both to explain and to make practical God's other qualities?

1. How can we, wherever we may be, experience what Jacob described, "The LORD is here! He is in this place, and I didn't know it!"
2. What is the role of God's love in our experiencing God's presence?

1. If God is infinite, how can we understand him?

(See the following:)

• God as life
• See Deu 30:20 (ASV, KJV, NIV)
• See also Jesus' declaration, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (Joh 14:7,12) Since Christ Jesus is described as "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15) and as "the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being" (Heb 1:3). Jesus himself said, "If you know me, you will know my Father also,"and "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (Joh 12:9). Reason would then lead us to conclude that by trutly seeing that in truly seeing Jesus as truth we are really seeing God, the Father, as truth.
• God as truth
• See "God of truth" - Deu 32:4, Psa 31:5, Isa 65:16
• See also Jesus' declaration, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (Joh 14:7,12) Since Christ Jesus is described as "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15) and as "the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being" (Heb 1:3). Jesus himself said, "If you know me, you will know my Father also,"and "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (Joh 12:9). Reason would then lead us to conclude that by trutly seeing that in truly seeing Jesus as life we are really seeing God, the Father, as life.
• God as love
• 1Jo 4:8,16
• God as Soul
• To explore "Soul" as a term for God, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/soul.htm.
• God as Spirit
• Joh 4:24 - correct translation is "God is Spirit" (KJV's translation , "God is a Spirit" is incorrect.)
• S&H 117:6; 207:2; 331:14; 335:2; Mis 556:26; 75:11; 113:4; 184:1; Un 31:2,5; 34:11; Rud 4:21; 13:16; '01 3:15; 22:5; Peo 7:30; My 221:16; 266:19; 270:31)
• See also S&H citation #27 (S&H 517:22)
2. How can our experiencing God's love help us to understand God?
3. How can our understanding of God and His love help us to understand who we are?
4. How can our understanding of God and His love help us to conquer evil?

1. How can our understanding of God and His love help us to experience and to practice Christian healing?

1. In Bible citation #13 (TEV), Paul explains, "Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another." How is it that we experience and prove our relationship with God "by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind"?
2. "In Christ" what do we know God to be?
3. "In Christ" what is our relationship with God?
4. "In Christ" what is our relationship with others?

1. Bible citation #17 (TEV) tells us that God "will gently lead their mothers." God shows not only fatherly qualities but also motherly qualities. How do the loving feminine qualities of God comfort us, overcome our fears, and save/heal us?
• For related views, see also:
• "God our Father and our Mother" - part of Methodists' new prayer (link to webpage article)
• Mother-qualities of God, the Father (link to webpage article)
• "What do you mean by "Godde?" (a question to and answer by a guest contributor, who explains a term used by "Christian feminist writers.")
2. In terms of qualities, how did the older Old Testament concept of "the Lord God," which is generally represented pre-exile books of the Bible, contrast with later Old Testament concept of "the Lord God" as generally represented in the books of the Bible written during and after the exile? How did this newer concept of God help prepare the way for receptivity to Jesus' and early Christian teachings about God?

1. How does the Reverend Irving Tomlinson's 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.)]