First Sunday of Advent (A)

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The Unknown Day and Hour   Lectionary: 1 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 2:1-5 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 122: 1-9 Reading 2 -  Romans 13:11-14 Alleluia -  Cf. Psalm 85:8 Gospel -  Matthew 24:37-44 '... Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.' Introduction  As we gather on this First Sunday of Advent , we also mark the beginning of the Church’s new liturgical calendar and a four-week preparation period leading up to Christmas. The word Advent comes from either of two Latin words, which simply mean “to come” (Ad-venire) or “to arrive” (Ad-ventus), and as early as the fourth (4th) century, Christians have had this special time of preparation towards Christmas. Of course, Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; Even as we begin the material preparations for the social celebration of Christmas, the liturgical celebrations of these weeks invite us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. But what does the co...
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Review: 1 Corinthians

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1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians by Kimlyn J Bender

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The is a commentary of St Paul’s Letter to the Church in Corinth (aka 1 Corinthians).  It is the second letter (the first was referenced within this one but is apparently lost to history) to the Greek converts (Gentiles) in a city with a disreputable reputation that apparently created aberrant behavior and discord within the community Paul had founded two years prior.  This letter is an important factor driving the characteristic of most Pauline tradition Christian Churches today.  The Letter consists of sixteen (16) chapters in roughly six or seven parts dealing with divisions within the Church, sexual immorality and idolatry, proper worship, and the cross and resurrection of Christ.  

Written in the first century (approx 55 AD), the cultural context for Paul and the Corinthians can be different enough to make proper exegesis difficult for some passages.  The commentary walks through each chapter in order and tries to provide that context for better understanding of what Paul is actually trying to say … and it does a pretty good job of that, even to the point of highlighting problematic interpretations (especially with regard to the apparent duality of the text that actually isn’t) with some rational discourse on resolving apparent contradictions with prior/subsequent teachings (such as the prohibition of women speaking in the assembly).  Speculative context that makes some of the passages easier for modern sensibilities is generally avoided though, especially within the realm of sexual immoralities that largely conform to Paul’s Judaic roots.  The language is clear and accessible with as much depth as needed to fully explain the concepts and practical direction behind each group of verses and would be an important addition to any study of this Epistle.

I. Address (1:1–9)
II. Disorders in the Corinthian Community (1:10–6:20)
        A. Divisions in the Church (1:10–4:21)
        B. Moral Disorders (5:1–6:20)
III. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions (7:1–11:1)
        A. Marriage and Virginity (7:1–40)
        B. Offerings to Idols (8:1–11:1)
IV. Problems in Liturgical Assemblies (11:2–14:40)
        A. Women’s Headdresses (11:3–16)
        B. The Lord’s Supper (11:17–34)
        C. Spiritual Gifts (12:1–14:40)
V. The Resurrection (15:1–58)
        A. The Resurrection of Christ (15:1–11)
        B. The Resurrection of the Dead (15:12–34)
        C. The Manner of the Resurrection (15:35–58)
VI. Conclusion (16:1–24)

I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#1Corinthians #NetGalley.

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