Today was the President’s Day holiday, but we held our Monday class anyway. We were a small group but our discussion was as lively as ever! Jo Ann, Dan, Arlene, Karen, David, Robin, and Dave attended. We learned Merill and Odette were having medical procedures done that morning, so we sang the Misheberach healing prayer song as we thought of them.
We read the introduction to 1st Corinthians from the Jewish Annotated New Testament and we also read the first chapter of 1st Corrinthians.
We learned that Jews are only mentioned four times in 1st Corinthians! Jo Ann said, “Well it might be hard to study this from a Jewish perspective if Jews are mentioned so rarely in this book.”
We learned that Paul was addressing quarrels and strife within the church. Also, in the introduction, we learned that Chapter 14 was against women serving in leadership in the church and there is speculation that Paul may have not actually wrote those verses in that chapter since he was supportive of women leaders in other places in 1st Corinthians.
We also read some input from Dan and Jo Ann’s friend, Dr. Joshua Moss who teaches at a Jewish Day School in Irvine. Dr. Moss said that Paul did not say he physically saw Jesus, but rather saw Jesus in the form of visions. Paul said that resurrected bodies are “spiritual bodies” and Dr. Moss noted that the stories of the empty tomb and the physical resurrection of Jesus came later.
We talked about speaking in tongues. It is uncomfortable to be in a church where speaking in tongues occurs if one is not used to it.
Arlene visited us for the first time and was honest and told us she is a Christian. She was curious about why we as Jews wished to read and study the New Testament if we did not believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior and God. David explained that as Jews we wish to learn about the world’s major religion.
Karen shared that she is a Jewish believer, a.k.a., Christian. Jo Ann talked about how Jews for Jesus at one time (not sure what they do now) referred to Jewish believing Christians, Jewish Believers, as JBs and unbelieving Jews as UJs.
Jo Ann tried to get Dan to help her sing Charity by Kenn Gullikson from 1 Corinthians 13, but when Dan would not do it, she sang the first part of the song to the group. Dan promised he will look up the words and help Jo Ann sing the whole thing when we get to 1 Corinthians 13.
Again, if I forgot anything, please add to this summary.
