Matthew
joespencer
Robert C.
robf
BrianJ
douglashunter
Kevin Barney
Jim F.
nhilton
cherylem
Clark Goble
NathanG
jennywebb
janetlisonbee
kirkcaudle
Karl D.
KarenAccording to a recent study (read highlights here), reading violent scriptures can lead BYU students (and presumably others) to become more aggressive. One of the researchers explained the results, “If one reads the scriptures with an understanding of context, both historical as well as with a (desire) to hear what God is trying to teach us, you can read it in a different way. But if a person dives into (a violent passage) without the context, you could probably get some increased aggression.” Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for February, 2007
Terrible Passions
Posted by nhilton on February 26, 2007
“It was the habitation of some of the most terrible passions that were loose in the world at that time,” said J. Reuben Clark in his book, Behold the Lamb of God, concerning the conditions of Palestine during the time of Jesus Christ. As a framework and helpful understanding to studying the New Testament, how do you interpret and support Pres. Clark’s statement?
Various sects vied for aurthority when Jesus was born, similar to the time period when Joseph Smith asked, “which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join.” With these two dispensations beginning much the same way, how does our day mirror Jesus’ world?
Posted in Scripture topics | 9 Comments »
Spencer W. Kimball Ch 6: Discovering the Scriptures
Posted by douglashunter on February 25, 2007
Spencer W. Kimball Manual Chapter 6
Discovering the Scriptures for Ourselves
I. Introduction
Anyone who is part of this blog probably has a reaction similar to my own when opening to this lesson: “woo-hoo,” “alright!” or something similar, since it’s a lesson on a topic that is of the greatest significance to us, reading the scriptures. What follows is not a full lesson, I won’t be teaching the chapter for another two weeks and I need that time to develop a lesson but I am posting now in the hopes that a lesson on reading scriptures will be of interest and stimulate some discussion that will be fruitful in teaching it. What follows is a bullet point outline of the lesson and some initial questions that I think are called for. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Lessons:RS/MP | 24 Comments »
NT Lesson 9 (From Cheryl)
Posted by Robert C. on February 25, 2007
Matthew 6-7 “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God.”
The completion of the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7)
True motivation: 6:1-18
This section discusses three acts of righteousness: (1) giving (2-4), (2) praying (5-15), and (3) fasting (16-18). Jesus is reshaping the exercise of piety. Jesus takes for granted that his disciples will give alms, will pray, and will fast. The warnings are not against pious practices, but against ostentation, and will be reiterated in 23:1-27. (see note on hypocrites below)
Posted in Lessons:Sun. School | 6 Comments »
NT Lesson 9: Hypocrisy in Matt 6-7
Posted by Robert C. on February 24, 2007
Per Cheryl’s request, here is a new post to discuss the meaning of hypocrisy in scripture, esp. as it pertains to Matthew 6-7. I don’t really have time right now to look into this all that carefully, so I’m simply going to summarize what I’ve found so far, and post a rather lengthy excerpt [*] for your reading pleasure from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament about the meaning and use of the term in the LXX and around the time of Christ. I will also post some rambly personal thoughts for which I apologize ahead of time.
Posted in Lessons:Sun. School, Scripture topics | 26 Comments »
RS-MP Lesson Ch. 5: Prayer in D&C 93
Posted by Robert C. on February 21, 2007
Following Karen’s excellent suggestion to study the scriptures cited in the RS-MP manual in order to better understand the prophet’s statements, I noticed that the first scripture cited in Chapter 5′s lesson is D&C 93:49. Here’s the quote from the SWK manual:
When I used to travel throughout the stakes and missions of the Church in earlier years, I often met people who were in trouble or who had great need. My first question to them was, “What about your prayers? How often? How deeply involved are you when you pray?” I have observed that sin generally comes when communication lines are down. For this reason the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power in you.” (D&C 93:49.)
Posted in Lessons:RS/MP, Scripture topics | 17 Comments »
Outline of Matthew 5-7 (submitted by Cheryl)
Posted by Robert C. on February 19, 2007
Matthew is woven around five great discourses: (1) chas. 5-7; (2) ch. 10; (3) ch. 13 (4) ch. 18; (5) chs. 24-25
- Probably written around 70 to 90 A.D. to the Christian Jews
- Primary purpose: bear witness to the Jews that Jesus is the promised savior/King of the Old Testament; is the Son of God, and to show the Jews that they are rejecting their King and will lose their place in the Kingdom of the Gentiles.
- Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Fulfillment citations: 1:22; 2:15; 2:17, 2:23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 21:4-5; 27:9-10 and also 2:6; 3:3; 13:14-16; 24:15
Posted in Lessons:Sun. School | 28 Comments »
