bible-study:

Weekly Bible Study - October 20, 2025

Welcome to our weekly study! Each week, our reading plan will take us through three different parts of the Bible: a psalm, a passage from Proverbs, and a few chapters from another book as we journey through the whole of Scripture.

The notes that follow aren't meant to be an exhaustive commentary. Think of them as a friendly guide to get you started. My hope is to provide a little context, point out interesting literary details you might not notice, and highlight key themes—all to help enrich your own reading and our conversation together. (Google Gemini, an AI Engine, helped write the following notes.)

Bible passages for this week:

Psalm 28

Psalm 28 is a powerful personal prayer that captures a dramatic journey from the brink of despair to triumphant faith. Attributed to David, it expresses the raw emotion of feeling abandoned by God while surrounded by deceptive enemies. The psalmist fears that God's silence will be a death sentence, lumping him in with the wicked he despises. Yet, in a sudden and remarkable turn, the tone shifts from desperate pleading to confident praise. This emotional pivot is the heart of the psalm, making it a timeless model for believers who cry out to God in distress and find their faith renewed by the certainty that they have been heard. The prayer moves from an intensely personal crisis to a concluding blessing for all of God's people, broadening its scope from an individual's trial to a corporate hope.

Theme and Genre

The primary genre of Psalm 28 is an individual lament that transforms into a song of thanksgiving. This is a common pattern in the Psalter, but the transition here is particularly abrupt and powerful.

Lament (vv. 1-5): The psalm opens with a desperate cry for God not to be silent. The psalmist pleads to be distinguished from the "wicked," who are characterized by their deceitful speech—they "speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts." This section includes an imprecatory prayer (a call for judgment), asking God to repay the wicked according to their own evil deeds.
Thanksgiving (vv. 6-9): The mood shifts dramatically at verse 6. Without any explanation for the change, the psalmist bursts into praise, declaring, "Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy." This isn't a hope that God will hear, but a confident assertion that He has heard. The theme moves from fear to trust, culminating in a celebration of God as "my strength and my shield."

The overarching theme is the efficacy of prayer and the faithfulness of God. It models a faith that holds on through silence and breaks forth in praise at the assurance of being heard, even before the final deliverance is manifest.

Structure and Poetic Devices

Psalm 28 does not follow a formal structure like an acrostic, but it is beautifully crafted with classic Hebrew poetic devices. Its primary structure is the two-part division between lament and praise.

Parallelism: This is the most prominent feature.
- Synonymous Parallelism: The second line repeats or reinforces the idea of the first. In verse 7, "The LORD is my strength and my shield" is followed by the consequence, "in him my heart trusts, and I am helped."
- Antithetic Parallelism: An idea is contrasted with its opposite. The core of verses 3-5 contrasts the fate of the righteous psalmist with the deserved punishment of the wicked.
- Synthetic Parallelism: The second line builds upon or completes the thought of the first. In verse 1, "To you, O LORD, I call" is developed by the specific plea, "my rock, be not deaf to me."
Key Imagery and Wordplay:
- "My Rock" ($צוּרִי$, tsuri): This opening name for God (v. 1) establishes Him as the only source of stability and security in the psalmist's crisis.
- Silence and the Pit: The psalmist fears that if God is "silent" (teḥĕraš), he will "become like those who go down to the pit" (v. 1). There is a deep theological connection here: God's silence is tantamount to death and abandonment, while His voice brings life and salvation.
- "The Work of Their Hands": In verse 4, the psalmist prays that God will repay the wicked according to "the work of their hands" because they "do not regard the work of the LORD." This is a powerful use of irony and a call for divine justice based on the principle of lex talionis (an eye for an eye). Their punishment is to be a direct consequence of their actions and their willful ignorance of God's own works.

Context and Connections

While the superscription "Of David" links the psalm to King David, its themes of betrayal and deliverance are universal and could apply to many situations in his life or the life of any believer.

Liturgical Use: The psalm's structure makes it ideal for both personal and corporate worship. It guides the worshiper from a place of honest struggle to a declaration of confident faith. The final two verses (8-9) broaden the prayer to include the entire nation ("his people," "his anointed," "your heritage"), making it suitable for a community setting.
Biblical Connections: Psalm 28 is not directly quoted in the New Testament, but its themes resonate strongly throughout Scripture.
- The closing prayer in verse 9, "Save your people and bless your heritage; be their shepherd and carry them forever!" is particularly significant. The imagery of God as a shepherd is central to passages like Psalm 23 and Isaiah 40:11.
- Jesus famously adopts this title for himself in John 10:11, declaring, "I am the good shepherd." David’s prayer for God to shepherd His people finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who lays down His life for the sheep. The call for God to "carry" His people also echoes God's tender care described in Deuteronomy 1:31. The psalm thus provides a rich Old Testament foundation for a core aspect of Christ's identity and mission.

Proverbs 15:18-25

Proverbs 15:18

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

This proverb contrasts the social impact of two opposing character traits: anger and patience. The Hebrew for "hot-tempered" literally translates to "short of nostrils," painting a picture of someone snorting with rage. This person doesn't just feel anger internally; they actively export it, creating conflict and division wherever they go. In direct contrast, the one who is "slow to anger" acts as a peacemaker. Their patience and self-control have the power to de-escalate tense situations and bring calm to contention. This theme is echoed throughout the Bible, notably in James 1:19-20, which advises believers to be "slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Proverbs 15:19

The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

Here, wisdom is depicted through the powerful imagery of two different paths. For the lazy person, or "sluggard," life is a "hedge of thorns." This suggests that their own inaction and procrastination create constant, painful obstacles. Every task seems impossibly difficult because they are unwilling to put in the effort to clear the way. The upright person, characterized by diligence and integrity, experiences the opposite. Their path is a "level highway," suggesting smooth, unimpeded progress. The proverb teaches that our work ethic and character directly shape our experience of the world—we either create our own thorny problems or clear a path for success.

Proverbs 15:20

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

This verse highlights the profound effect of a child's character on their parents, framing wisdom and foolishness in the context of family honor. It builds on a common theme in Proverbs (e.g., Proverbs 10:1) and directly reflects the spirit of the fifth commandment to honor one's father and mother (Exodus 20:12). The parallelism is sharp: a wise child brings joy, but a fool brings contempt, specifically by despising his mother. In the patriarchal society of the time, disrespecting one's mother was a particularly egregious sign of foolishness and a rejection of the very source of one's life and earliest instruction. True wisdom isn't just an abstract idea; it's demonstrated in actions that build up and honor one's family.

Proverbs 15:21

Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

This proverb insightfully explains the motivation of a fool: they genuinely find pleasure in their foolishness. To the person who "lacks sense" (literally, "lacks heart," the seat of intellect and will), destructive and meaningless behavior is a form of entertainment. They are not concerned with the consequences. The "man of understanding," however, is defined by his determined direction. He "walks straight ahead," a metaphor for living a life of purpose, integrity, and moral clarity. He is not diverted by the cheap thrills and distractions that captivate the fool because his eyes are fixed on a worthwhile goal.

Proverbs 15:22

Without counsel, plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

Here we find a highly practical piece of wisdom that champions humility and collaboration. The proverb warns against the arrogance of making plans in isolation, noting that such endeavors are destined to fail. True success and stability are found in seeking the wisdom of "many advisers." This doesn't mean being swayed by every opinion, but rather recognizing the limits of one's own perspective. By gathering diverse and trusted counsel, a person can identify blind spots, anticipate challenges, and formulate more robust plans. This principle is so important it is repeated elsewhere in Proverbs, such as 11:14: "...in an abundance of counselors there is safety."

Proverbs 15:23

To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

This verse celebrates the deep satisfaction and positive impact of well-chosen words. There is a distinct "joy" that comes from giving an "apt answer"—one that is fitting, helpful, and precisely what the situation requires. The second line builds on this by emphasizing the crucial element of timing. A "word in season" is not just about saying the right thing, but saying it at the right moment. Whether for encouragement, correction, or comfort, timely speech can be profoundly effective and beautiful. It elevates communication from mere talk to a skillful art, an idea captured perfectly in Proverbs 25:11: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."

Proverbs 15:24

The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

This proverb presents the ultimate stakes of wisdom: the choice between life and death. The wise and "prudent" person is on a "path of life" that "leads upward," suggesting spiritual and moral elevation, progress, and movement toward God. This upward trajectory is not an end in itself; its purpose is to steer a person away from "Sheol beneath," the Hebrew concept of the grave or the realm of the dead. Wisdom is therefore not merely about living a better life now, but about making choices that lead away from destruction and toward ultimate life. This reflects the great choice presented in Deuteronomy 30:19, "I have set before you life and death... therefore choose life."

Proverbs 15:25

The LORD tears down the house of the proud, but he maintains the widow's boundaries.

This final verse provides a powerful statement about divine justice and God's special concern for the vulnerable. It contrasts God's actions toward two opposite groups. The "house of the proud" symbolizes the security, wealth, and power that the arrogant build for themselves. The Lord actively opposes this self-sufficiency and "tears it down." In direct contrast, He acts as the defender of the "widow," one of the most powerless figures in ancient society. By "maintaining the widow's boundaries," God personally protects her property and rights from those who would exploit her. This theme of God humbling the proud and lifting up the lowly is central to the entire biblical narrative, finding a famous expression in Mary's prayer in Luke 1:51-52.

2 Corinthians 10-13

The Big Picture: A Drastic Shift in Tone

First, it's crucial to acknowledge the dramatic change that happens between chapter 9 and chapter 10. The tone shifts from warmth and reconciliation to a sharp, sarcastic, and deeply emotional defense. This has led many scholars to believe that chapters 10-13 may have originally been a separate letter, often called the "Severe Letter" or "Painful Letter." Whether it's a separate letter or just a shift in topic, the key takeaway is that Paul is now directly confronting a serious threat to the Corinthian church.

The primary antagonists are a group Paul sarcastically calls the "super-apostles." These were likely charismatic, eloquent teachers who had infiltrated the Corinthian church. They operated by the world's standards: they boasted of their speaking skills, their spiritual experiences, their Jewish heritage, and they likely charged for their services. They belittled Paul, calling him unimpressive in person and bold only in his letters (2 Cor. 10:10). This context is the key to everything in these chapters. Paul isn't just being argumentative; he's fighting for the spiritual survival of the church against a false gospel of power and prestige.

Key Themes and Concepts 💡

The Paradigm of Weakness and Strength: This is the absolute central theme of the entire section. While the super-apostles boast in their strengths (eloquence, power, visions), Paul is forced to boast in his weaknesses (shipwrecks, beatings, anxieties, and the "thorn in the flesh"). The theological climax is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... For when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul is presenting a cruciform (cross-shaped) model of ministry. True spiritual power is not found in human impressiveness but is revealed by God through human vulnerability and dependence on Him.
Apostolic Authority vs. Worldly Credentials: Paul's opponents based their authority on external qualifications. Paul argues his authority comes directly from Christ and is demonstrated by his selfless love and suffering for the Corinthians. His goal is to build them up, not to dominate them (10:8). He refuses payment from them, not because his message is worthless, but to contrast himself with the greedy false apostles (11:7-12).
Spiritual Warfare: Chapter 10 opens with the famous passage on spiritual warfare (10:3-5). It's essential to frame this in its context. The "strongholds" Paul is seeking to demolish are not demonic entities in the sky, but the "arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God" that the false apostles had planted in the minds of the Corinthians. The battle is for the truth of the gospel in the hearts of the church.

Literary Devices and Style ✍️

Irony and Sarcasm: These chapters are drenched in irony. Paul's opponents have called him a fool, so he adopts the persona of a fool to show how absurd their standards are. This extended sarcastic defense is often called the "Fool's Speech" (roughly 11:1–12:13). He's not genuinely boasting; he's using their own weapon of boasting against them by highlighting his sufferings, which any sensible person in that culture would hide.
The "Fool's Speech" (A Synkrisis): Rhetorically, Paul is engaging in a synkrisis, a formal comparison of two individuals. This was a common technique in Greco-Roman rhetoric. However, Paul brilliantly subverts it. Instead of comparing his strengths to his opponents' strengths, he compares his weaknesses to their supposed strengths, arguing that his sufferings are the true mark of a genuine, Christ-like apostle. His list of sufferings in 11:23-29 is a powerful example of this.
Rhetorical Questions: Paul constantly uses questions to challenge the Corinthians and force them to think. "Was it a sin for me to humble myself...?" (11:7). "Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more" (11:23). These are not for information; they are designed to expose the Corinthians' flawed thinking and call them back to the truth.

Chapter-by-Chapter Teaching Points

Chapter 10: The Battle for the Mind. Focus on the nature of true spiritual warfare as a fight against false ideas that oppose the gospel. Contrast Paul's God-given authority (for building up) with worldly methods of power and persuasion.
Chapter 11: The Fool's Boast. This is the heart of the sarcastic defense. Emphasize Paul's "divine jealousy" for the church, like a father protecting his daughter's purity. Use his list of sufferings to show the "résumé" of a true apostle, which is a catalog of pain endured for the sake of the gospel.
Chapter 12: The Climax of Weakness. This is where the theology is most explicit. Paul mentions a profound spiritual experience—a vision of the third heaven—only to immediately pivot to his "thorn in the flesh." The vision doesn't qualify him; the thorn does, because it is the arena where he experiences God's all-sufficient grace and power. This is the ultimate upside-down argument against the super-apostles.
Chapter 13: The Final Warning and Call to Self-Examination. After his defense, Paul turns the tables. The real issue is not whether he is a genuine apostle, but whether they are genuine in their faith. His closing challenge, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith" (13:5), is the pastoral application of the whole argument. His goal is not to win an argument, but to see them restored in Christ.