Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in this column can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons.]

"So shall I talk of thy wondrous works" (Ps. 119:27)—The Hebrew verb which is here translated "talk of" can also mean "muse, or meditate on," or "study." Consequently Moffatt renders: "that I may muse upon thy wondrous deeds;" while Smith suggests: "that I may meditate upon thy wonders."

"Let thy mercies come also unto me" (Ps. 119:41)—The term rendered "mercies" in this verse possesses a greater depth of meaning than the English word used to represent it, implying, as it does, "tenderness, goodness, kindness, love," as well as "mercy." Bearing this in mind, Dr. Moffatt well translates: "Let thy love come to my rescue." The early Genevan Version renders the complete verse as follows: "And let thy loving kindnesse come unto me. O Lord, and thy salvation according to thy promise."

"And I will walk at liberty" (Ps. 119:45)—Here, as in many other passages in the Authorized Version, the word "walk" can justifiably be understood in a less restricted sense, as meaning rather "live" or "conduct oneself"; while the literal meaning of the phrase here rendered "at liberty" is "in a wide roomy space." Moffatt suggests: "Let me live unhampered."

"Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" (Ps. 23:4)—It has been well pointed out that the "rod" and "staff" may be thought of as symbolizing "guidance" and "protection," for in the East, shepherds often carry a light rod with which the backs of the sheep are touched in guiding them in the right direction; while the heavier staff is used as a weapon to drive off the enemies of the flock. Sheep thus cared for might well advance in comfort and safety.

"Ponder the path of thy feet" (Prov. 4:26)—The usual meaning of the Hebrew verb is "weigh" in the literal rather than in the metaphorical sense, and so "make level," the connection between the two senses being that when the two scales of a balance are equally weighted, the rod or beam joining them is found to be level. Hence, in this verse, Smith renders: "Keep level the track for your foot;" while Moffatt suggests: "Keep a clear path before you."

"Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush" (Luke 20:37)—The Jews often referred to certain sections of the Old Testament by some particularly outstanding word or idea occurring in them. Thus the third chapter of the book of Exodus was commonly described as "the Bush," because of its reference to Moses' experience at the burning bush. A similar usage is seen in the case of II Samuel, chapter one, which is called "the Bow," since it contains David's "song of the bow" (Revised Version: II Sam. 1:18). The Riverside New Testament suggests: "But that the dead rise Moses has made known in the passage regarding the Bush;" while Weymouth (Fifth Edition) has, similarly, "But that the dead rise to life even Moses clearly implies in the passage about the Bush," and continues, "where he calls the Lord "The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' (Exod. iii:2–6)."

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ" (I Cor. 15:19)—It might be assumed from this rendering that "only" definitely modified the words "in this life"; but, as a matter of fact, in the original, the word "only" most naturally has reference to "we have hope," suggesting the sense, "If in this life we have only hope in Christ" (that is, hope alone, without faith or understanding to support it), "then we are of all men the most to be pitied." Thus Moffatt has: "If in this life we have nothing but a mere hope in Christ, we are of all men to be pitied most!" Goodspeed, however, prefers: "If we have centered our hopes on Christ in this life, and that is all, we are the most pitiable people in the world."

"Clothed in purple and fine linen" (Luke 16:19)—Both words appear to be used to suggest excessive luxury, for the costliness of robes colored with the dye which was anciently obtained from a species of mussel or shellfish found along the Mediterranean seaboard was proverbial; while it is said that a garment made of the cloth obtained from Egyptian flax—which is almost certainly the "fine linen" mentioned in this text—was worth twice its weight in gold.

"Set your affection on things above" (Col. 3:2)—The Greek verb "phroneite," which is here translated "set your affection on," has the more literal sense of "have in mind" or "think about"; and, as a consequence, Weymouth renders: "Give your minds to the things that are above."

"The word of Christ" (Col. 3:16)—Moffatt suggests the rendering: "the inspiration of Christ;" while Goodspeed and others prefer "the message of Christ."

"The Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10)—It appears that this is the first place in early Christian literature where "the Lord's day" is mentioned; and it is generally agreed that this phrase was used by the Christians then, as now, to signify what we know as "Sunday"—the first day of the week. It was called "the Lord's day" because on that day "the Lord" (Christ Jesus) proved the powerlessness of death, and it was set apart by common consent as a day of worship and of rest in commemoration of the resurrection, thus taking the place of the Jewish Sabbath (our Saturday).

"I am Alpha and Omega" (Rev. 1:11)—"Alpha" and "omega" are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and so "the beginning and the end" (cf. Rev. 22:13).

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