Shining a light on the weekly Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly®

Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. . . . For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Bringing his letter to a conclusion, the writer lays out the invisible mental forces to be guarded against. Readers have already been assured of “the exceeding greatness of [God’s] power to us-ward who believe”—and of the authority given to Christ Jesus, setting him “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion” (see 1:19–21). 

A commentary observes that the charge to be strong in God is not about human effort: “. . . this empowerment is possible because of the resources that the Lord supplies—in his mighty power.”

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The Bible Lessons serve as weekly study guides as well as the sermon in every Christian Science Sunday church service. Learn more at BibleLesson.com

Resources quoted in this issue

GT: Patzia, Arthur G. New International Biblical Commentary—Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990.

RR: Keck, Leander E., et al., eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 4, Ezra, Nehemiah, Introduction to Prophetic Literature, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Lamentations. Nashville: Abingdon, 2015; Alter, Robert. The Hebrew Bible, Vol. 2, Prophets: A Translation with Commentary. New York and London. W.W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Cit. 13: Mays, James L., Joseph Blenkinsopp, et al., eds. Harper’s Bible Commentary. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.

Cit. 14: Eiselen, Frederick Carl, Edwin Lewis, and David G. Downey, eds. The Abingdon Bible Commentary. New York: Abingdon Press, 1929.

Cit. 16: Keck, Leander E., et al., eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 8, Luke, John. Nashville: Abingdon, 2015.

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