Words of Current Interest

Related to the Lesson-Sermon for January 6, 1974, in the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY Subject: God

In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1)

The opening of this verse is directly parallel to both Genesis 1:1 and I John 1:1. The Greek noun logos is used with the definite article, and might be translated in this case "the divine expression." J. B. Phillips has, "At the beginning God expressed himself."

And the Word was God (John 1:1)

In the Greek text, theos, or God, is clearly the predicate; the phrase conveys the divine nature of the Word. So The New English Bible renders it, "And what God was, the Word was."

Art thou he that troubleth Israel? (I Kings 18:17)

Ahab's question reveals how far he was from understanding Elijah's mission as a prophet. Because Elijah's inspired words and acts disturbed the moral mediocrity and complacency of the kingdom, Ahab saw him as merely a troublemaker. The Interpreter's Bible comments, "Ahab did not see why he could not combine the worship of the God of Israel with the cult of Baal"— a tendency prophet after prophet had to combat.

That ye also may have fellowship with us (I John 1:3)

The idea of koinonia or fellowship includes communion or sharing in common. The New English Bible recognizes this in its translation, "so that you and we together may share in a common life, that life which we share with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ."

I am not worthy (Matt. 8:8)

It is likely the centurion thought Jesus would be unwilling to enter a Gentile house. This narrative has interesting parallels in Peter's encounter with another centurion in Acts 10.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34)

Johannes Munck translates in The Anchor Bible, "God is not biased in his judgment of mankind."

The seven last plagues (Rev. 21:9)

The word translated "plague" means a blow, stroke, or affliction, a public calamity.

The Lesson-Sermons contain Bible references (King James Version) and correlative passages from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy.

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