Summary From a Jewish Point of View Class - 9/5/2022

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We met as usual on Labor Day 2022 and had a pretty good turn out!  Jo Ann, Dan, Steve, Karen, Amy, Norky, Dave, David S., and Lori attended.

The small size of the group gave everyone a chance to share and talk and ask a lot of questions.

Lori, aka, Dr. Lori Baron, was off from her teaching of New Testament Studies at St. Louis University for Labor Day, so her input was really much appreciated and very special!

We read Chapter 2 in Philippians and also the grey box that goes with the chapter.

Jo Ann asked Dr. Lori to help explain the chapter.

Below is a summary written by Dan describing what went on: 

We studied Philippians chapter 2, and spent a lot of time talking about the poem or song that Paul quoted in that chapter. In particular we discussed the phrase saying that Jesus always had "the very nature of God", trying to understand what that meant. Does this mean that Paul believed in the Trinity? Steve suggested that this could have meant that Jesus was made in the image of God, as it says we all were in Genesis. We had many questions and no obvious answers to this. Dr. Lori Baron was helpful in helping us to sort out these issues, which could not be reasonably fully understood in our time limits.

Another thing we looked at was the phrase "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." It was confusing to compare this with other sayings ascribed to Paul saying salvation is by faith, not works. Someone said that the Catholic church understands salvation to be a combination of faith and good works, while Protestants understand salvation to be by faith alone.

Addition from Jo Ann:

Just before this study, I took two Covid home tests and tested positive so that is the reason this summary has come out so late in the week.

I went to Urgent Care and was given Paxlovid medicine that seems to have made the COVID feel like it almost went away so that is good news.

Now answer this question:  Why does God allow us to get sick?

My clouded “Covid mind” didn’t remember as much as I usually do from our study this week but I do remember us also talking about was Paul trying to create a new religion that was no longer Jewish?  Is that what Christian missionaries also want to do?  That is..add Jews that believe in Jesus to Christian churches?

Again, whatever I forgot to include in this summary add by hitting the comment button.





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