[Propertalk] Fwd: Scripture in Context 1.29.17

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: 



-----Original Message-----
From: Tom O'Brien <tgobrien at comcast.net>

Subject: Scripture in Context 1.29.17



Dear Friends, 
 
[Below] is Scripture in Context for January 29, 2017.   I hope you and others find it helpful and informative.  Please share it with those who might benefit from it. 
 
This document (and others back to July 2016) are also available at www.scriptureincontext.org. 
 
I have also posted this offering on Facebook. 
 
Blessings, 
 
Tom 



TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
JANUARY 29, 2017
 
 
Micah 6:1-8
 
Micah was one of the 12 “Minor” Prophets – so called becausetheir collective works fill only a single scroll.  He prophesied from about 725 to 690 BCE, andwas a younger contemporary of “First Isaiah” (Isaiah of Jerusalem). He criticizedempty rituals and injustice in Jerusalem during the years when Assyriaconquered Northern Israel (722) and threatened Jerusalem (701), and when theBabylonians overcame Jerusalem (597 to 587 BCE).
 
Today’s reading sets out the “reasons” for this sorry stateof affairs.  It starts with a divinelawsuit/complaint by YHWH against Israel in which YHWH/the LORD recounts allGod has done for Israel (vv. 1-5).  Aspokesperson for the community then asks what offerings can be made to pleaseYHWH (vv.6-7) and even asks if child sacrifices would atone for the transgressions(v.7b)!  
 
Micah tells the people that offerings are not sufficient. Thelast words of verse 8 in today’s reading are the epitome of the entireIsraelite prophetic tradition – the people (and all of us) are called to dojustice, love kindness/goodness, and walk humbly/wisely with God. 
 
 
 
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
 
Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the earlyJesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was Hellenistic and emphasized reason and secularwisdom.  In addition to Paul, other JesusFollowers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’sunderstandings of what it means to be a Jesus Follower. This led to contentionsamong the Corinthians.  
 
In today’s reading, Paul criticized the “wisdom of theworld” and asserted that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom”(v.25).  He explained that the “wisdom ofthe world” involves power and noble birth. God’s “foolishness,” on the otherhand, is shown by love, by selflessness (as shown in the cross) and byhumility.  God’s “foolishness” will leadto righteousness (everything in right relation with everything else),sanctification (making everything holy) and redemption (making everythingwhole) (v.30). 


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