Article January 10, 1942 ISSUE

Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in these columns 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 January 18, 1942.]

"The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9 )— When northern Israel was subjugated by the Assyrians in 722 b c., many Israelites were carried into exile, being replaced by Babylonians and other pagans (II Kings 17:24 ). These immigrants intermarried with the remaining Israelites, and became the ancestors of the Samaritans. They came to be despised by the Jews as men who had a semipagan background and were not of pure Hebrew stock. The Samaritans later hindered the reconstruction of the temple at Jerusalem, and eventually erected a rival sanctuary of their own, to the great chagrin of the Jews.

"Living water" (John 4:10 )—The people of Palestine generally used the phrase "living water" to describe fresh spring water, as opposed to that often collected in cisterns (cf. Jer. 2:13 ), which was apt to become stagnant; and it is clear that this was the sense in which the Samaritan woman understood the Master's words, though he proceeded to explain that he used them in a metaphorical sense with reference to "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (as Dr. Moffatt translates John 4:14 ). Compare Revelation 21:6.

"The well is deep" (John 4:11 )—This statement is almost as true now as it was in Jesus' day, for on looking into the well, still to be seen, one can see the water far below, some eighty feet from the surface of the ground. It is supposed that originally the well was even deeper, but has been partly filled up during the course of the centuries. As the woman of Sychar pointed out, the water is indeed far out of reach of anyone who has "nothing to draw with" (John 4:11 ).

"He ... fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not" (Deut. 8:3 )—In Exodus 16:14 the "manna" which fed the children of Israel in the wilderness is described as "a small round thing," "as small as the hoar frost on the ground." In the following verse in Exodus, the American Standard Version reads: "They said one to another, What is it? [Hebrew: Man hu] for they knew not what it was." Many authorities feel that this "Man hu" (What is it?) is set down as the popular etymology of the Hebrew "Man" (manna). This would help to explain the words, "which thou knewest not," in Deuteronomy 8:3 .

"He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down" (Job 14:2 )—The Hebrew verb which is rendered in this verse "is cut down" means more literally "fades" or "withers." The translation favored by Kent is: "He springs up like a flower, then withers;" while the rendering of this and the preceding verse offered by the Septuagint (Bagster's English Edition) is: "For a mortal born of a woman is shortlived and full of wrath. Or he falls like a flower that has bloomed; and he departs like a shadow, and cannot continue."

"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare" (I Tim. 6:9 )—The word "will" found in this passage is, of course, not that of the future tense, but indicates decision or desire. The Twentieth Century New Testament renders: "Those who want to be rich fall into the snares of temptation;" while Moulton has: "They that desire to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare."

"Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation" (I Tim. 6:19 )—The Greek word for "foundation" is "themelion,", but Dr. Moffatt contends that at some very early period in the history of the Greek text, this word "themelion" was mistakenly substituted for the similar appearing phrase "thema lian"—"thema" meaning "a deposit; or money deposited; prize or reward," while "lian" has the sense of "greatly" or "exceedingly." Hence Moffatt gives the following rendering: "amassing right good treasure for themselves in the world to come."

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
A Christian Science program was...
January 10, 1942
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit