Bible Lesson Questions (version 3.03)

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. What does the Hebrew word for "soul" mean in the Old Testament? What does it mean to us today?

1. What is the biblical basis for understanding the one God to be the one Soul?
2. Mary Baker Eddy writes, "The one Ego, the one Mind or Spirit called God, is infinite individuality, which supplies all form and comeliness and which reflects reality and divinity in individual spiritual man and things." (S&H 281:14) How does this relate to the idea of God as being 'the one Soul'?

1. What is our relationship to Soul?
2. In Christ, in the Holy Spirit, does each of us have our own soul? Why or why not?

1. What does the healing of the two blind men (Bible citation #10) teach us about Soul and about our relationship to Soul?

1. As illustrated by Bible citation #12, what are the limitations/dangers of thinking/living out from a personal, possessive sense of soul?
2. Mary Baker Eddy writes that man is "that which possesses no life, intelligence, nor creative power of his own, but reflects spiritually all that belongs to his Maker." (S&H 475:20) How does this apply to the subject of Soul? What does it teach us about our relationship to any type of possession? How is this a means of freedom from lack and other limitations?

1. Bible citation #14 (TEV) tells us, "Whoever is a child of God does not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in him." What does this teach us about Soul and our relationship to Soul?
2. In Bible citation #15 (NRSV) Jesus tells us, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me?" What does this have to do with Soul and attesting to our relationship with Soul?

1. In Christ, having "put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy" (Eph 4:24, TEV), how is our relationship with Soul reflected in our view of, relationship with, and service to others?

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.)]