Words of Current Interest

Related to the Lesson-Sermon for May 22, 1977, in the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY— BIBLE LESSONS Subject: Soul and Body

If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light (Luke 11:36)

C. C. Torrey feels that a better translation of "the whole shall be full of light" would be "then all about you will be light." He states, "The verse would then assert 'The man who is full of light lights the world about him.' "

I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims (I Pet. 2:11)

A. M. Hunter explains that the word "strangers" in Greek "denotes a person living in a foreign country where he has not the rights of a citizen—a noncitizen or alien." The word "pilgrims" in Greek "means a person staying for a time in a place which is not his permanent home—a pilgrim or exile. Here both words are used figuratively of the Christian who resides on earth but whose real home is in heaven."

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself (Matt. 16:24)

The New English Bible renders this, "If anyone wishes to be a follower of mine, he must leave self behind."

All these things do the nations of the world seek after (Luke 12:30)

S. MacLean Gilmour explains this as meaning, "Worry about material things is characteristic of pagans."

If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully (II Tim. 2:5)

The New English Bible translates this, "Again, no athlete can win a prize unless he has kept the rules." Fred Gealy states: "The professional 'athlete' who breaks the rules is disqualified.... The 'rules' may be taken as meaning (a) those by which the contest is actually waged, or (b) those which specify the nature and extent of the preliminary training."

Rejoice evermore (I Thess. 5:16)

According to John W. Bailey, "evermore" carries the idea of "on every occasion" or "in every set of circumstances."

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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