Whatever happened to the Bible Study?

[No Swansong]

I would be happy to be a part of this again, if we could get it started. I would even take responsibility for some of the posts if others are also willing to join in. Might even be a good thing to sticky.

Anyone interested?

Perhaps we can make it an every other week thing to give folks plenty of time to respond to the current post.

[RedneckAnglican]

cool with me...I would love a Bible study...

[AngCath]

I don't know how much I'll be able to participate once my classes start (wednesday) but I'd be interested as well.

[karen freeinchristman]

I don't know how much I'll be able to participate once my classes start (wednesday) but I'd be interested as well.
Same here, except that my classes don't start for 4 more weeks.

[RedneckAnglican]

any suggestions on what...A book of the Bible or a book about the Bible...I'd vote for something out of the minor prophets...simply because that's the part of the Bible I'm weakest on...

[AngCath]

a Minor Prophet sounds fine

[karen freeinchristman]

Minor Prophet sounds good to me (my weakest spot, too).

[erin74]

Bring it on - I'm about to start Jonah in a bible study... but if you do choose that I guess I wouldn't mind doing it in two places at once.

[Fairbairn]

Bring it on - I'm about to start Jonah in a bible study... but if you do choose that I guess I wouldn't mind doing it in two places at once.
Our current sermon series is going through the Book of Jonah :) I wouldn't mind joining in in this discussion, whatever the subject ends up being. :)

[No Swansong]

Bring it on - I'm about to start Jonah in a bible study... but if you do choose that I guess I wouldn't mind doing it in two places at once.

Jonah sounds like a good start to me.

A little later I will come up with an introduction, unless someone else has a good one to start with.

[AngCath]

woo Jonah!
sounds great :)

[RedneckAnglican]

I don't know about Jonah...I heard it's just an old fish story...:D

[AngCath]

I don't know about Jonah...I heard it's just an old fish story...:D
:D

[No Swansong]

I don't know about Jonah...I heard it's just an old fish story...:D

I thought guys from your part of the country were especially fond of Big Fish Stories.

[gtsecc]

Jonah is one of the Classic Christological typologies of the Old Testament. The whale was unable to hold Jonah; death was unable to hold Christ.
Let's discuss this.

[RedneckAnglican]

I thought guys from your part of the country were especially fond of Big Fish Stories.

yep...and I tell some of the best ones...:thumbsup:

[No Swansong]

Jonah is one of the Classic Christological typologies of the Old Testament. The whale was unable to hold Jonah; death was unable to hold Christ.
Let's discuss this.


OK that is a good start. I have never really noticed this before, but the whale does seem like an apt type for the grave. Do you believe the type extends to the message of Jonah and the people of Nineveh? Of course it is not a perfect analogy as Jonah was a reluctant participant. (but types are not intended to be perfect analogies)

[erin74]

Jonah is definitely linked to Christ - no doubt about it. I haven't looked at it yet today - get back to you after bible study tonight. I will add that I don't like it when kids stories say that God sent the fish to 'save' Jonah. The fish was God's judgement on Jonah - no way anyone could save him from the ocean once the fish took him. He spend 3 days and nights in the fish's belly. In the same way Jesus experienced a judgement that was from God that went for 3 days and 3 nights.

more on that later.

[AngCath]

Some input I have at this time about Jonah is concerning its structure. Jonah was written with two chiasmus which point to the importance of prayer and discernment.

[karen freeinchristman]

:scratch: what's a chiasmus?

[gtsecc]

:scratch: what's a chiasmus?
the greek letter X - in Hebrew oral tradition, the pivotal and important poin in a story comes in the middle, not at the end.
So, in our written tradition we expect
point 1
point 2
point 3
Conclusion

Chiasmus:
A
B
C conclusion
b
a

or
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
f
e
d
c
b
a


etc.. you get the idea


John's entire Gospel is written that way.
Note: You have to remove the prelude, which is also written that way. Anyway, I suppose you will want to know the center verse:
John 6:53
note how Eucharistic it is ;)

[gtsecc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasmus

[karen freeinchristman]

:idea:
Ahhh... I have read about that several times, just forgot the name for it.

[gtsecc]

http://www.inthebeginning.org/chiasmus/xfiles/breck/breckbook.htm

[erin74]

Well last night we compared Jonah's initially reaction to God's instruction with that of Moses, Isaiah and Jeremiah when they recieved God's instruction. It was interesting.

Then we compared how the mariners responded to the storm and to God and how Jonah responded.

Question - does your bible say God provided a fish, or God appointed a fish. Mine said appointed (ESV), but the others had an NIV which said provided. I would think they are two quite different things. Does anyone know Hebrew????

[RedneckAnglican]

the KJV has "prepared"....here is the Strong's notation...

מנה
mânâh
maw-naw'
A primitive root; properly to weigh out; by implication to allot or constitute officially; also to enumerate or enroll: - appoint, count, number, prepare, set, tell.

[erin74]

Ask and she shall receive!

Thanks

That makes me think that the fish is probably not 'saving' Jonah, but it does equate with judgement.

[RedneckAnglican]

that's the impression that I got...also goes towards the thought that the things that we go through that we think are so bad are really there for our good....let's face it...if it were not for the the fish he'd have drowned...

[erin74]

Well the sea had calmed down and there was lots of cargo overboard - so he *could* have found a lifeboat! Seriously though - you are right with that I think. Although in the case of Christ we are the ones that benefitted, I guess in a similar way to how the Ninevites benefitted from Jonah's visit.



should benefitted have a double t - it looks kind of wrong. But so does benefited....