bible-study:

Weekly Bible Study - January 26, 2026

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 entire bible.

These notes 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, helps me write these notes.)

Bible passages for this week:

Psalm 27

If you read Psalm 27 in one sitting, you might get linguistic whiplash. The first half (vv. 1–6) contains some of the most soaring, unshakeable confidence in the entire Psalter. The psalmist sounds untouchable, claiming that even if a war breaks out against him, he remains confident. It’s the theology of the mountaintop. But then, in verse 7, the floor drops out. The tone shifts instantly from triumphant declaration to desperate, almost panicked pleading: "Hear, O Lord... answer me... do not hide your face." This sudden shift is so jarring that many critical scholars (like Gunkel) have argued these are actually two originally separate fragments pasted together.

However, from a confessional, literary perspective, this "fragmentation" is the gem. It represents the psychological reality of faith. We rarely live purely on the mountaintop or purely in the valley; often, we are asserting our theology at our fears. The transition suggests that the confidence of verses 1–6 isn't a static state, but a fortress the psalmist flees into because the reality of verses 7–14 is nipping at his heels. It is a liturgical enactment of "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."

Another fascinating flower in this garden is the metaphor of God as "Light" (Ori). While common in the New Testament (John 1), it is surprisingly rare in the Old Testament to apply this title directly to YHWH as a noun. We see God providing light or creating light, but rarely being the Light. This creates a powerful polemic against the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures, where the sun and moon were deities. David (or the psalmist) demythologizes the cosmos: the sun isn't the light; YHWH is the conceptual illumination of his life.

We also find a striking image of adoption in verse 10: "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in." Critical scholarship debates whether this implies the author was literally an abandoned child, or if this is proverbial language for extreme social isolation. A confessional reading can hold both, but notes the covenantal weight here. The word for "take me in" (ya’aspheni) is the same root used for "gathering" a harvest or a flock. It implies God is not just a passive recipient of the abandoned, but an active gatherer of the outcast.

The "One Thing" (Achat) of verse 4 is arguably the theological center of the poem. In a world of "many" enemies and "many" fears, the psalmist cultivates a singular focus. This is cultic language—the desire to "dwell in the house of the Lord"—but it transcends ritual. The goal isn't just to be in the temple, but to "gaze" (lachazot) upon the beauty of the Lord. This verb implies a prophetic, visionary seeing. It elevates the Israelite cult from a place of sacrifice to a place of beatific vision.

Finally, the psalm ends on a cliffhanger. Verse 13 in the Hebrew is a grammatical fragment—an incomplete sentence. It literally reads: "Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living..." and then it stops. Translators usually smooth this over by adding "I would have despaired," but the Hebrew text leaves it unsaid. It is a rhetorical device called aposiopesis (breaking off into silence). It suggests the alternative (not believing) is too horrible to even speak. It forces the reader to fill in the blank with their own terror, only to be rescued by the final imperative: "Wait for the Lord."

Genre and Theme

Genre: This is a Mixed Genre. It combines a Song of Trust (vv. 1–6) with an Individual Lament (vv. 7–12), concluding with a wisdom-style exhortation (v. 14).
Theme: Theocentric Focus as the Antidote to Fear. The psalm doesn't deny the existence of enemies (they are everywhere in the text), but it marginalizes them by centering the "face" and "beauty" of YHWH. It is a study in "seeking the face" of God when surrounded by the "faces" of adversaries.

Structure

The psalm is clearly Bipartite (Two Parts), and the friction between them is the main structural feature.

Part I: The Declaration of Confidence (vv. 1–6)
- Focus: God is spoken of in the third person ("The Lord is my light").
- Mood: Triumphant, fearless.
- Setting: The psalmist is elevated "high upon a rock," looking down on enemies.
- Key Image: The Temple as a fortress/refuge.
Part II: The Cry for Help (vv. 7–12)
- Focus: God is addressed in the second person ("Hear, O Lord... Do not hide your face").
- Mood: Anxious, urgent.
- Setting: The psalmist is vulnerable, surrounded by false witnesses.
- Key Image: The Face of God (sought by the psalmist, potentially hidden by God).
Coda: The Resolution (vv. 13–14)
- A return to self-talk and an address to the community (or the reader) to "Wait" (qaveh).

Key Hebrew Poetic Devices

Wordplay on "Light" and "Fear": In verse 1, "The Lord is my light (ori)... whom shall I fear (ira)?" There is a sonic resonance between ori and ira. The very sound of God's name (Light) crowds out the sound of the word for Fear.
The "Head" Motif: In verse 6, the psalmist’s head is "lifted up" (yarum) above enemies. This creates a vertical contrast with the enemies who are often described in Psalms as "surrounding" horizontally. The Hebrew spatial imagery is: Enemies = Circle; God = Vertical Elevation.
Keyword: Tz-R (Adversary/Distress): The root for "enemies" or "adversaries" (tzar) appears repeatedly. It creates a lexical "siege" around the psalmist in the text, mirroring the military siege described in verse 3.
Inclusio (Wait): The final verse uses the imperative "Wait" (qaveh) twice: "Wait for the Lord... yes, wait for the Lord." This creates a frame for the end of the psalm, emphasizing that the resolution to the tension between Part I and Part II is not "fixing it" but "abiding in tension."

Notable Details & Connections

Liturgical Usage (The Days of Awe): In Jewish tradition, Psalm 27 is recited twice daily from the first of Elul until the end of Sukkot (covering Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). The "Light" is associated with Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and "Salvation" with Yom Kippur (Atonement). This tradition underscores the psalm as a preparation for judgment—checking one's heart before the King.
The "False Witnesses": Verse 12 mentions "false witnesses" (edey sheqer) rising up. This is a specific legal term.
- New Testament Connection: In the trial of Jesus (Mark 14:56-57), the Gospel writers describe "false witnesses" rising against Him. A confessional scholar might see Jesus as the ultimate singer of Psalm 27—the one who was actually forsaken by the Father (unlike the psalmist who is taken in) so that the adoption of verse 10 could be true for us.
Pauline Echo: Romans 8:31 ("If God is for us, who can be against us?") serves as a theological commentary on Psalm 27:1. Paul is essentially engaging in the same "logical inference" as the Psalmist: The bigness of God logically necessitates the smallness of the threat.

Proverbs 19:20-29

Proverbs 19:20

Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

This verse introduces a temporal "long game" that is crucial to Biblical theology. The Hebrew word for "latter days" (acharit) implies not just old age, but one’s final destiny or outcome. In the wisdom tradition, wisdom is rarely about immediate results; it is an investment. Notice the "gardener's logic" here: you listen now (in the planting season) so that you may be wise later (at the harvest). A critical scholar notes that this verse serves as a pedagogical inclusio (bookend) with verse 27 ("cease listening"), framing this section as a treatise on education. The "gem" here is the admission that wisdom is acquired, not innate. Even the king needs etzah (counsel). If you think you arrived at wisdom on your own, you are, by definition, a fool.

Proverbs 19:21

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

Here is a magnificent "Calvinist flower" in the garden, yet it acknowledges the reality of human agency. The text grants that the human heart is a factory of plans (machashavot—calculated thoughts/inventions). We are not robots; we are active planners. However, the text uses a strong adversative grammar: Nevertheless (v'etzat). The contrast is between the "many" shifting plans of man and the singular, unshakeable counsel of YHWH. This anticipates James 4:13-15 ("If the Lord wills..."). Critically, the word for "stand" (taqum) is covenantal language; it means to rise, to be established, to endure. Human politics and schemes are fluid; God’s decree is solid concrete. We find comfort here not because our plans don't matter, but because when they fail, the floor doesn't fall out—God's purpose remains the foundation.

Proverbs 19:22

What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

This verse is a textual "weed" that is difficult to untangle linguistically, and scholars debate its translation. The Hebrew literally reads: "The desire of a man is his hesed (loyal love/kindness)." It could mean (A) "What makes a man desirable to others is his kindness," or (B) "A man's greed (desire) is a disgrace to his kindness." However, the second line ("A poor man is better than a liar") acts as a hermeneutical key, pushing us toward reading (A). In the ancient Near Eastern context, where patronage and wealth determined value, this is a subversive claim. It argues that hesed (covenant loyalty)—a character trait usually associated with God—is the true measure of a man's worth, not his bank account. A poor man who tells the truth retains his dignity; a wealthy liar has sold his soul.

Proverbs 19:23

The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide satisfied;
He will not be visited with evil.

We must be careful here not to fall into the "prosperity gospel" trap (a weed) while preserving the "retribution principle" (a flower). "Life" in Proverbs is not just biological survival, but shalom—human flourishing in right relationship with God. The phrase "abide satisfied" literally means to spend the night satisfied; it implies a sleep free from existential anxiety. The controversial line is "he will not be visited with evil." We know Job feared the Lord and was visited with evil. A confessional critical approach reads this as a proverb (a general maxim of how the moral universe works), not a promise (an absolute guarantee for every specific instance). Generally, fearing God protects you from the self-inflicted "evils" of folly (addiction, crime, vengeance). It protects the soul, even if the body is struck.

Proverbs 19:24

A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,
And will not so much as bring it back to his mouth.

This is Hebrew satire at its finest—a dark comic gem. The image is of a communal meal where everyone dips into a central bowl. The sluggard (atzel) is so overcome by inertia that even the act of eating—the most basic survival instinct—is too much effort. He has the food in his hand but lacks the will to lift it. Spiritually, this diagnoses a condition often seen in the church: "spiritual atrophy." We have the resources (the Bible, the Spirit, the community) "in hand," but we are too spiritually lethargic to bring them to our mouths to feed. It challenges the idea that "I just don't have time" for God, suggesting the real problem is a paralysis of the will.

Proverbs 19:25

Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Reprove one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

This is an ancient text on educational psychology. It distinguishes three types of students: the Scoffer (letz), the Simple (peti), and the Understanding (navon). The Scoffer is hardened; punishing him won't fix him, but it serves as a public deterrent for the "Simple" (the unformed, naive observer). The "Understanding" person, however, requires no physical strike—only a verbal reproof—to grow. This challenges a "one size fits all" approach to discipline or discipleship. You don't argue with a hardened atheist (Scoffer) expecting him to change; you do it so the observers (the Simple) see the folly of his position. But for a genuine believer (Understanding), a gentle correction is all that is needed.

Proverbs 19:26

He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

In a clan-based society, this was a capital offense metaphorically, if not literally. To "chase away" a mother implies seizing the family estate and leaving the elderly parents destitute—a violation of the 5th Commandment ("Honor your father and mother"). The "gem" here is the connection between private family ethics and public reputation ("brings reproach"). The Bible refuses to compartmentalize "private" sin. How one treats vulnerable family members is the ultimate litmus test of character. In a New Testament context, Jesus intensifies this in Mark 7 (the Corban controversy), condemning those who use religious excuses to neglect caring for their parents.

Proverbs 19:27

Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

The KJV translates this differently, suggesting "Cease listening to instruction that causes you to err," but the Hebrew grammar strongly supports the warning: "If you stop listening to [godly] instruction, you will [inevitably] stray." This is the law of entropy applied to spirituality. There is no such thing as "holding steady" in the Christian life. If you stop the intake of truth ("listening"), you do not remain stationary; you drift. This is a crucial "weed-killer" for the idea that we can coast on past spiritual experiences. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and apostasy often begins not with a shout, but with the quiet closing of the ear.

Proverbs 19:28

A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

The phrase "disreputable witness" is literally a "witness of Belial" (worthlessness). This person doesn't just lie; he "scorns justice." He treats the very concept of legal truth as a joke. The imagery of "devouring iniquity" is grotesque—swallowing down sin as if it were a delicious meal. This connects vividly to the trial of Naboth (1 Kings 21) or the trial of Jesus, where witnesses were bought to mock justice. For the "treasure collector," this verse is a reminder that structural evil exists—there are people who use the legal system to feed their own appetites. A biblical worldview is not naive about the corruption of courts.

Proverbs 19:29

Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

We end on a somber note of finality. The word "prepared" (nakonu) means "fixed" or "established" (related to the word in v. 21 for God’s counsel standing). It implies that judgment is not an impulsive reaction by an angry God, but a pre-existing structural reality of the universe. Just as gravity is "prepared" for those who jump off cliffs, judgment is the ontological result of scoffing at reality. The Scoffer (who we met in v. 25) may seem to get away with it now, but the machinery of justice is already installed ("prepared"). It is a terrifying but necessary "flower" in the garden: God is not mocked; the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

Jonah

If you are teaching this, the first thing you must do is pull the "Sunday School weeds." We often treat Jonah as a children's story about a man and a fish. It is not. It is a sophisticated, satirical, and deeply disturbing piece of theological literature. It is designed to offend the religious professional (you and me).

1. The Genre: Satire and the "Anti-Prophet"

Most prophets in the Hebrew Bible are obedient and intimidating. Jonah is a parody of a prophet.

The Call: When God calls Isaiah, he says, "Here I am." When God calls Jonah, he books a cruise.
The Contrast: The pagan sailors pray, sacrifice, and try to save life. The pagan King of Nineveh humbles himself in dust and ashes. The Prophet of God, conversely, sleeps during the storm, is apathetic toward the lost, and wants to die rather than see grace extended.
The Insight: The "gem" here is that the pagans in the story act more like Israelites than the Israelite does. This is a critique of "insider" entitlement.

2. The Hebrew Motif of "Down" (Yarad)

If you don't read Hebrew, you might miss the directional descent that frames Chapter 1. The verb Yarad (to go down) is used relentlessly to depict Jonah's spiritual trajectory.

He went down (yarad) to Joppa (1:3).
He went down (yarad) into the ship (1:3).
He went down (yarad) into the inner parts of the ship (1:5).
He went down (implied) into the sea.
He went down to the roots of the mountains (2:6). Teaching Point: Sin is never static; it is a gravity that pulls you progressively lower. Jonah thinks he is fleeing a location (Nineveh), but the text shows he is fleeing into the abyss (Sheol).

3. Historical Context: The Assyrian Terror

To understand why Jonah ran, you must understand Nineveh (the capital of Assyria). They were not just "enemies"; they were renowned for psychological warfare and grotesque torture (flaying victims alive, piling skulls).

The Challenge: Jonah is not afraid he will fail; he is afraid he will succeed.
Theological Tension: This isn't just disobedience; it is a theological objection. Jonah knows Exodus 34:6 (God is gracious and compassionate), and he is terrified that God will apply this verse to them. He runs because he refuses to participate in the redemption of his oppressors. This challenges us: Do we have "enemies" we secretly hope God will not save?

4. The Linguistic Pun: Ra'ah (Evil/Disaster)

This is a massive literary device that is invisible in English. The Hebrew word Ra'ah has a double meaning: it can mean moral "evil" or physical "disaster/calamity." The author plays with this word throughout the book.

Nineveh’s wickedness (ra'ah) has come up before God (1:2).
The sailors are afraid of this disaster (ra'ah) (1:7).
God relents from the disaster (ra'ah) He planned (3:10).
But in 4:1, it says literally: "It was evil to Jonah, a great evil (ra'ah)." (English translations usually smooth this to "It displeased Jonah exceedingly"). The Gem: The author is showing us Jonah’s warped worldview. God’s salvation of Nineveh (a good thing) is perceived by Jonah as ra'ah (evil). When our theology gets twisted, God's grace looks like an injustice to us.

5. The "Pious" Prayer (Chapter 2)

Critical scholars and confessional scholars often view Jonah's prayer inside the fish differently.

The Trap: It looks like a psalm of repentance.
The Reality: Look closely. Jonah thanks God for saving him, but he never mentions his sin. He never accepts the mission to Nineveh. He ends with "Salvation belongs to the Lord" (a true statement), but immediately after, the fish vomits him out. The Hebrew word for vomit is distinctively gross.
Interpretation: Is the fish vomiting him out because he is repented? Or is the fish vomiting him out because his hypocrisy is sickening? The text allows for the latter. Jonah is "religious" but not "repentant." He loves being saved; he hates being sent.

6. The "Merism" of the City

In Chapter 3, Nineveh is described as a "great city" involving a "three days' walk." Archaeological data suggests the city wasn't that big physically.

Literary Device: This is likely hyperbole or a way of describing the greater metropolitan district.
The Merism: When they repent, the text says "from the greatest of them to the least of them" (3:5) and includes the animals in the fasting (3:7). This is a "merism"—stating two extremes to include everything in between. The image of cows fasting in sackcloth is meant to be slightly humorous (satire again), emphasizing the absurdity of the extent of their repentance compared to Israel's stubbornness.

7. The Cliffhanger Ending (Chapter 4)

The book ends with a question. This is arguably the most important literary feature.

God asks: "Should I not pity Nineveh...?"
The Silence: The book ends right there. We never hear Jonah's answer.
The Effect: This is a rhetorical trap. The narrator leaves the blank space for you (the reader) to fill in. The question is not really for Jonah anymore; it is for us. "Are you okay with a God who loves your enemies?" If the book ended with Jonah repenting, we would say, "Good for him." By ending in silence, it forces us to look in the mirror.

8. Connection to Jesus (The Sign of Jonah)

Jesus mentions the "Sign of Jonah" (Matthew 12:39-41).

Common View: The sign is the 3 days in the fish (Resurrection).
Deeper View: Jesus also mentions that the "men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment." The "Sign of Jonah" is not just the resurrection; it is the scandal that the Gentiles repented at the preaching of a reluctant prophet, while Israel rejected the Greater Prophet.

Summary for Teaching

If you teach this, treat Jonah not as a hero, but as a mirror. He represents the "elder brother" syndrome (Luke 15)—he is in the family, he knows the Father, but he hates the Father's generosity. The "flower" to cultivate here is a heart that aligns with God’s wideness in mercy; the "weed" to pull is the nationalism or tribalism that thinks God belongs only to us.