Shining a light on the weekly Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly®
Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Metaphors about sowing and reaping appear throughout Scripture. Proverbs has, “To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” and “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity” (11:18; 22:8). Hosea 10:12 urges, “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy.” And II Corinthians 9:6 cautions, “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
The person who “soweth to the Spirit,” a commentary observes, “follows the Spirit’s guidance in his dispositions, words, and actions, and . . . employs his abilities of body and mind, his time, talents, and possessions, to promote true religion in himself and in those about him: . . .”
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Resources cited in this issue
RR: Benson, Joseph. Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. New York: T. Carlton & J. Porter, 1857. Also available at biblehub.com/commentaries; NLT Study Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2017; Green, Joel B., et al., eds. The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Common English Bible, 2013.
Cit. 8: Keck, Leander E., et al., eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 6, Esther, Additions to Esther, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Book of Wisdom, Sirach, Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature, Daniel, Additions to Daniel. Nashville: Abingdon, 2015.
Cit. 17: Hendrickson Publishers. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991.
Copyright
Scriptural quotations marked International Children’s Bible are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked New International Reader’s Version are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version™, NIrV™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scriptural quotations marked Amplified® Bible are taken from the Amplified® Bible, copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.
Scriptural quotations marked Good News Translation are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition, copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked Contemporary English Version are taken from the Contemporary English Version, copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
© 2022 The Christian Science Publishing Society. The design of the Cross and Crown is a trademark owned by the Christian Science Board of Directors and is used by permission. Bible Lens and Christian Science Quarterly are trademarks owned by The Christian Science Publishing Society. Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
