Bible Study for Saturday, November 30th, 2024
The Bethlehem Star
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Ancient And Modern Necromancy, Alias Mesmerism And Hypnotism, Denounced
Click here to play the audio as you read:
Bible Study Questions and Readings
All glory be to God most high,
And on the earth be peace,
The angels sang, in days of yore,
The song that ne’er shall cease,
Till all the world knows peace.
God’s angels ever come and go,
All winged with light and love;
They bring us blessings from on high,
They lift our thoughts above,
They whisper God is Love.
O longing hearts that wait on God
Through all the world so wide;
He knows the angels that you need,
And sends them to your side,
To comfort, guard and guide.
O wake and hear the angel-song
That bids all discord cease,
From pain and sorrow, doubt and fear,
It brings us sweet release;
And so our hearts find peace.
— “Carol” from The Christian Science Hymnal,
Hymn 9, words written by Violet Hay
From Hymnal Notes for the Christian Science Hymnal:
Hymn 9 CAROL. ALL GLORY BE TO GOD MOST HIGH
David Gregor Corner (1587-1648) was born in Silesia. Having served as a pastor there, at forty he joined the Benedictines and became rector of the University of Vienna. His Song Book (1625) was collected from many sources. The carol used here has been widely sung in the schools in the United States with the words, “A babe lies in a manger.” The hymn written for it by a Christian Scientist reflect the “peace on earth” of the Nativity.
“I love to observe Christmas in quietude, humility, benevolence, charity, letting good will towards man, eloquent silence, prayer, and praise express my conception of Truth’s appearing.”
— from “What Christmas Means to Me” in
Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy,
page 262 : 27-30
Moderator: Thomas from NY
Readings: Matthew 1 : 18-25
Matthew 2 : 1-23
Questions:
- What does it mean that “Mary was espoused to Joseph?”
- What was Mary’s state of mind that she was “found with child of the Holy Ghost?”
- What does the “Star of Bethlehem” represent?
- The angel told Joseph they should flee to Egypt. How does this physical action relate to how we should safely conduct our lives?
Study notes from Thomas:
For this Bible study, please also refer to the lesson for Sunday, December 29, 2024, Subject — Christian Science (link here)
Notes from the Discussion
What Christmas Means To Me, from Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 261-263
Let every creature hail the morn
On which the holy child was born,
And know, through God’s exceeding grace,
Release from things of time and place.
I listen, from no mortal tongue,
To hear the song the angels sung,
And wait within myself to know
The Christmas lilies bud and blow.
The outward symbols disappear
From him whose inward sight is clear,
And small must be the choice of days
To him who fills them all with praise.
Keep while ye need it, brothers mine,
With honest zeal your Christmas sign,
But judge not him who every morn
Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born.
Hymn 170, from The Christian Science Hymnal, 1932 edition
“Not matter, but Mind satisfieth.” — Quote on the Souvenir Spoon
Matthew 1 : 18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
Was espoused to Joseph.—Betrothal, among the Jews, was a formal ceremony, the usual symbolic act being, from patriarchal times, the gift of a ring and other jewels (Genesis 24:53). The interval between betrothal and marriage was of uncertain length, but among the Jews of our Lord’s time was commonly for a whole year in the case of maidens. During that time the bride-elect remained in her own home, and did not see the bridegroom till he came to fetch her to his own house. All communications in the meantime were conducted through “the friend of the bridegroom” (John 3:29).
Benson Commentary
When his mother was espoused to Joseph — According to the custom of the Jews, who did not usually marry without previous espousals. This was nothing but a solemn promise of marriage, made by the parties to each other, before witnesses, to be accomplished at such a distance of time as they agreed upon, which, it seems, was sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, according as the age of the persons, or other circumstances, might demand or advise. It was a custom, if not ordained, at least approved of by God, as appears from Deuteronomy 20:7, and had many advantages attending it. The parties had hereby time to think seriously of the great change they were soon to make in their lives, and to seek unto God for his blessing upon them. And they might converse together more freely about their household affairs, and the management of their family, than they could well have done consistently with modesty, without such a previous betrothing. God would have Mary to be espoused, for the safety and honour of Christ in his infancy, and the credit, and comfort of his mother.
Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Espoused – Betrothed, or engaged to be married. There was commonly an interval of ten or twevle months, among the Jews, between the contract of marriage and the celebration of the nuptials (see Genesis 24:55; Judges 14:8; Deuteronomy 20:7), yet such was the nature of this engagement, that unfaithfulness to each other was deemed adultery. See Deuteronomy 22:25, Deuteronomy 22:28.
To organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.
The 88th edition of the Church Manual by Mary Baker Eddy
America, Cradle for the Second Coming of the Christ, by Helen Wright
The November 2020 issue of Love is the Liberator — “Christ and Christmas”
The January 2019 issue of Love is the Liberator — “Our Prayer in Stone”
Numbers 24 : 17
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
When [Mrs. Eddy] had finished [instructing Martha Wilcox], she said: “Now, take your child down into Egypt and let it grow up until it is strong enough to stand alone.”
from Addresses, by Martha Wilcox, page 13
Restrain untempered zeal.
from Retrospection and Introspection, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 79