Article July 5, 1941 Issue

Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in this column can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons. The Notes in this issue are related to the Lesson-Sermon designated to be read in Christian Science churches on July 13, 1941.]

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34)—This verse is often read with an almost complete disregard of the semicolon, but the Greek as well as the English indicates a somewhat definite pause at the word "another," before proceeding with the remainder of the sentence. Goodspeed makes this even more clear by the adoption of the following punctuation and translation: "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another."

"Ye call me Master and Lord" (John 13:13)—The Greek words here used are thought by scholars to represent the Aramaic terms "Rabbi" and "Mar." The followers of a "Rabbi" ("Master," or, more exactly, "Teacher") were usually referred to as disciples; while those who followed a "Mar" ("Lord") were spoken of as servants (compare verse 16).

"They kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month" (Num. 9:5)—The first month of the Hebrew ecclesiastical year corresponds to part of March and part of April, according to our modern calendar, and was originally known as the month "Abib" (Ex. 13:4). It was at this time of the year that the Hebrews left the land of Egypt and celebrated the first Passover. Later on, the name of the month was changed to "Nisan," and it is thus referred to in Nehemiah 2:1 and elsewhere in the Old Testament.