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1 Samuel 8

Request for a King.

1^* In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.^a

2His firstborn was named Joel, his second son, Abijah; they judged at Beer-sheba.

3His sons did not follow his example, but looked to their own gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.^b

4Therefore all the elders of Israel assembled and went to Samuel at Ramah

5and said to him, “Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, like all the nations, to rule us.”^c

6Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to rule us.” But he prayed to the LORD.

7The LORD said: Listen to whatever the people say. You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king.^d

8They are acting toward you just as they have acted from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this very day, deserting me to serve other gods.

9Now listen to them; but at the same time, give them a solemn warning and inform them of the rights of the king who will rule them.

The Governance of the King.

10Samuel delivered the message of the LORD in full to those who were asking him for a king.

11He told them: “The governance of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariot.^e

12He will appoint from among them his commanders of thousands and of hundreds. He will make them do his plowing and harvesting and produce his weapons of war and chariotry.^f

13He will use your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

14He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his servants.^g

15He will tithe your crops and grape harvests to give to his officials^* and his servants.^h

16He will take your male and female slaves, as well as your best oxen and donkeys, and use them to do his work.

17He will also tithe your flocks. As for you, you will become his slaves.ⁱ

18On that day you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”

Persistent Demand.

19The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel’s warning and said, “No! There must be a king over us.^j

20We too must be like all the nations, with a king to rule us, lead us in warfare, and fight our battles.”

21Samuel listened to all the concerns of the people and then repeated them to the LORD.

22The LORD said: Listen to them! Appoint a king to rule over them. Then Samuel said to the people of Israel, “Return, each one of you, to your own city.”^*

1 Samuel 9

Saul.

1There was a powerful man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.^a

2He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.^b

The Lost Donkeys.

3Now the donkeys of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the donkeys.”

4So they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals.

5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let us turn back, lest my father forget about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”

6The servant replied, “Listen! There is a man of God in this city, a man held in high esteem; everything he says comes true. Let us go there now! Perhaps he can advise us about the journey we have undertaken.”

7^c But Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we offer the man? The food in our bags has run out; we have no present to give the man of God. What else do we have?”

8Again the servant answered Saul, “I have a quarter shekel of silver.^* If I give that to the man of God, he will advise us about the journey.”

9^d (In former times in Israel, anyone who went to consult God used to say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the one who is now called prophet was formerly called seer.)

10Saul then said to his servant, “You are right! Come on, let us go!” So they headed toward the city where the man of God lived.

Meeting the Young Women.

11^e As they were going up the path to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and they asked them, “Is the seer in town?”

12^f The young women answered, “Yes, there—straight ahead. Hurry now; just today he came to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.^*

13When you enter the city, you may reach him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he arrives; only after he blesses the sacrifice will the invited guests eat. Go up immediately, for you should find him right now.”

Saul Meets Samuel.

14So they went up to the city. As they entered it—there was Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.

15The day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel:^g

16At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin whom you are to anoint as ruler of my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people; their cry has come to me.^h

17When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him: This is the man I told you about; he shall govern my people.

18Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer lives.”

19Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before letting you go, I will tell you everything on your mind.

20As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Whom should Israel want if not you and your father’s family?”

21Saul replied: “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel,^* and is not my clan the least among the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why say such things to me?”ⁱ

The Meal.^*

22Samuel then took Saul and his servant and brought them into the room. He seated them at the head of the guests, of whom there were about thirty.

23He said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to put aside.”

24So the cook took up the leg and what went with it, and placed it before Saul. Samuel said: “This is a reserved portion that is set before you. Eat, for it was kept for you until this time; I explained that I was inviting some guests.” Thus Saul dined with Samuel that day.

25When they came down from the high place into the city, a mattress was spread for Saul on the roof,

26and he slept there.

Saul’s Anointing. At daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” Saul got up, and he and Samuel went outside the city together.

27As they were approaching the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay here for a moment, that I may give you a word from God.”

1 Samuel 10

Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.^a

The Signs Foretold.^* “This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you ruler over his heritage:

2When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb^* at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went to look for have been found. Now your father is no longer worried about the donkeys, but is anxious about you and says: What shall I do about my son?’^b

3Farther on, when you arrive at the oak of Tabor,^* three men will meet you as they go up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine.

4They will greet you and offer you two elevated offerings of bread, which you should accept from them.

5^c After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where the Philistine garrison^* is located. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place. They will be preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, and will be in prophetic ecstasy.

6The spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic ecstasy and will become a changed man.^d

7When these signs have come to pass, do whatever lies to hand, because God is with you.

8^e Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice communion offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do.”^*

The Signs Come to Pass.

9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. That very day all these signs came to pass….

10^* From there they arrived at Gibeah, where a band of prophets met Saul, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic ecstasy.^f

11When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”^g

12And someone from that district responded, “And who is their father?” Thus the saying arose, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

13When he came out of the prophetic ecstasy, he went home.

Silence About the Kingship.

14Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” Saul replied, “Looking for the donkeys. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel.”

15Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, then, what Samuel said to you.”

16Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul told him nothing about what Samuel had said about the kingship.

Saul Chosen King.

17Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah^h

18and addressed the Israelites: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: It was I who brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.ⁱ

19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your evils and calamities, by saying, ‘No! You must appoint a king over us.’ Now, therefore, take your stand before the LORD according to your tribes and families.”^j

20So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.^*

21Next he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen, and finally Saul, son of Kish, was chosen. But when they went to look for him, he was nowhere to be found.

22^k Again they consulted the LORD, “Is there still someone else to come forward?” The LORD answered: He is hiding among the baggage.

23They ran to bring him from there; when he took his place among the people, he stood head and shoulders above all the people.^l

24Then Samuel addressed all the people, “Do you see the man whom the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people!” Then all the people shouted out, “Long live the king!”^m

25Samuel next explained to the people the rules of the monarchy,^* wrote them in a book, and placed them before the presence of the LORD. Samuel then sent the people back to their own homes.ⁿ

26Saul also went home to Gibeah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts the LORD had touched.

27But some worthless people said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no tribute.^{* o}

1 Corinthians 11

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.^a

IV. Problems In Liturgical Assemblies^*

2I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.^b

Man and Woman.

3But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and a husband the head of his wife,^* and God the head of Christ.^c

4^* Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head.

5But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.

6For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.

7^* A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.^d

8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;^e

9nor was man created for woman, but woman for man;^f

10for this reason a woman should have a sign of authority^* on her head, because of the angels.

11^* Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord.^g

12For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.^h

13^* Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled?

14Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him,

15whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been given [her] for a covering?

16But if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God.

An Abuse at Corinth.

17In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact that your meetings are doing more harm than good.

18First of all, I hear that when you meet as a church there are divisions among you, and to a degree I believe it;ⁱ

19there have to be factions among you in order that (also) those who are approved among you may become known.^*

20When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper,

21for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

22Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not praise you.^j

Tradition of the Institution.

23^* For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,^k that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,

24and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”^l

26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.^*

28A person should examine himself,^* and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

29For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment^* on himself.

30That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.

31If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment;

32but since we are judged by [the] Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.^m

33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that your meetings may not result in judgment. The other matters I shall set in order when I come.

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THE BOOKS OF 1 Samuel

These books describe the rise and development of kingship in Israel. Samuel is a pivotal figure. He bridges the gap between the period of the Judges and the monarchy, and guides Israel’s transition to kingship. A Deuteronomistic editor presents both positive and negative traditions about the monarchy, portraying it both as evidence of Israel’s rejection of the Lord as their sovereign (1 Sm 8:6–22; 12:1–25) and as part of God’s plan to deliver the people (1 Sm 9:16; 10:17–27; 2 Sm 7:8–17). Samuel’s misgivings about abuse of royal power foreshadow the failures and misdeeds of Saul and David and the failures of subsequent Israelite kings.

Although the events described in 1 and 2 Samuel move from the last of the judges to the decline of David’s reign and the beginning of a legendary “Golden Age” under Solomon’s rule, this material does not present either a continuous history or a systematic account of this period. The author/editor developed a narrative timeline around freely composed speeches, delivered by prophets like Samuel (e.g., 1 Sm 15:10–31; 28:15–19) and Nathan (2 Sm 12:1–12), who endorse Deuteronomistic perspectives regarding the establishment of the monarchy, the relationship between worship and obedience, and the divine covenant established with the house of David.

These books include independent blocks (e.g., the Ark Narrative [1 Sm 4:1–7:1], Saul’s rise to power [1 Sm 9:1–11:15], David’s ascendancy over Saul [1 Sm 16–31], the Succession Narrative [2 Sm 9–20; 1 Kgs 1–2]), which the editor shaped into three narrative cycles, the last two marked by transitional passages in 1 Sm 13:1 and 2 Sm 1:1. Each section focuses on a major figure in the development of the monarchy: Samuel, the reluctant king maker (1 Sm 1–12); Saul, the king whom the Lord rejects (1 Sm 13–31); David, the king after the Lord’s own heart (2 Sm 1–24). A common theme unites these narratives: Israel’s God acts justly, prospering those who remain faithful and destroying those who reject his ways (1 Sm 2:9). Along with the rest of the Deuteronomistic History, the Books of Samuel become an object lesson for biblical Israel as it tries to re-establish its religious identity after the destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of its homeland (587/586 B.C.).

The contents of the Books of Samuel may be divided as follows:

1. The Last Judges, Eli and Samuel (1 Sm 1:1–7:17)
2. Establishment of the Monarchy (1 Sm 8:1–12:25)
3. Saul and David (1 Sm 13:1–2 Sm 2:7)
4. The Reign of David (2 Sm 2:8–20:26)
5. Appendixes (2 Sm 21:1–24:25)

THE FIRST BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL

The book of 1 Corinthians

THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

Paul’s first letter to the church of Corinth provides us with a fuller insight into the life of an early Christian community of the first generation than any other book of the New Testament. Through it we can glimpse both the strengths and the weaknesses of this small group in a great city of the ancient world, men and women who had accepted the good news of Christ and were now trying to realize in their lives the implications of their baptism. Paul, who had founded the community and continued to look after it as a father, responds both to questions addressed to him and to situations of which he had been informed. In doing so, he reveals much about himself, his teaching, and the way in which he conducted his work of apostleship. Some things are puzzling because we have the correspondence only in one direction. For the person studying this letter, it seems to raise as many questions as it answers, but without it our knowledge of church life in the middle of the first century would be much poorer.

Paul established a Christian community in Corinth about the year 51, on his second missionary journey. The city, a commercial crossroads, was a melting pot full of devotees of various pagan cults and marked by a measure of moral depravity not unusual in a great seaport. The Acts of the Apostles suggests that moderate success attended Paul’s efforts among the Jews in Corinth at first, but that they soon turned against him (Acts 18:1–8). More fruitful was his year and a half spent among the Gentiles (Acts 18:11), which won to the faith many of the city’s poor and underprivileged (1 Cor 1:26). After his departure the eloquent Apollos, an Alexandrian Jewish Christian, rendered great service to the community, expounding “from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus” (Acts 18:24–28).

While Paul was in Ephesus on his third journey (1 Cor 16:8; Acts 19:1–20), he received disquieting news about Corinth. The community there was displaying open factionalism, as certain members were identifying themselves exclusively with individual Christian leaders and interpreting Christian teaching as a superior wisdom for the initiated few (1 Cor 1:10–4:21). The community lacked the decisiveness to take appropriate action against one of its members who was living publicly in an incestuous union (1 Cor 5:1–13). Other members engaged in legal conflicts in pagan courts of law (1 Cor 6:1–11); still others may have participated in religious prostitution (1 Cor 6:12–20) or temple sacrifices (1 Cor 10:14–22).

The community’s ills were reflected in its liturgy. In the celebration of the Eucharist certain members discriminated against others, drank too freely at the agape, or fellowship meal, and denied Christian social courtesies to the poor among the membership (1 Cor 11:17–22). Charisms such as ecstatic prayer, attributed freely to the impulse of the holy Spirit, were more highly prized than works of charity (1 Cor 13:1–2, 8), and were used at times in a disorderly way (1 Cor 14:1–40). Women appeared at the assembly without the customary head-covering (1 Cor 11:3–16), and perhaps were quarreling over their right to address the assembly (1 Cor 14:34–35).

Still other problems with which Paul had to deal concerned matters of conscience discussed among the faithful members of the community: the eating of meat that had been sacrificed to idols (1 Cor 8:1–13), the use of sex in marriage (1 Cor 7:1–7), and the attitude to be taken by the unmarried toward marriage in view of the possible proximity of Christ’s second coming (1 Cor 7:25–40). There was also a doctrinal matter that called for Paul’s attention, for some members of the community, despite their belief in the resurrection of Christ, were denying the possibility of general bodily resurrection.

To treat this wide spectrum of questions, Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus about the year 56. The majority of the Corinthian Christians may well have been quite faithful. Paul writes on their behalf to guard against the threats posed to the community by the views and conduct of various minorities. He writes with confidence in the authority of his apostolic mission, and he presumes that the Corinthians, despite their deficiencies, will recognize and accept it. On the other hand, he does not hesitate to exercise his authority as his judgment dictates in each situation, even going so far as to promise a direct confrontation with recalcitrants, should the abuses he scores remain uncorrected (1 Cor 4:18–21).

The letter illustrates well the mind and character of Paul. Although he is impelled to insist on his office as founder of the community, he recognizes that he is only one servant of God among many and generously acknowledges the labors of Apollos (1 Cor 3:5–8). He provides us in this letter with many valuable examples of his method of theological reflection and exposition. He always treats the questions at issue on the level of the purity of Christian teaching and conduct. Certain passages of the letter are of the greatest importance for the understanding of early Christian teaching on the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:14–22; 11:17–34) and on the resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15:1–58).

Paul’s authorship of 1 Corinthians, apart from a few verses that some regard as later interpolations, has never been seriously questioned. Some scholars have proposed, however, that the letter as we have it contains portions of more than one original Pauline letter. We know that Paul wrote at least two other letters to Corinth (see 1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 2:3–4) in addition to the two that we now have; this theory holds that the additional letters are actually contained within the two canonical ones. Most commentators, however, find 1 Corinthians quite understandable as a single coherent work.

The principal divisions of the First Letter to the Corinthians are the following:

1. Address (1:1–9)
2. Disorders in the Corinthian Community (1:10–6:20)
   1. Divisions in the Church (1:10–4:21)
   2. Moral Disorders (5:1–6:20)
3. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions (7:1–11:1)
   1. Marriage and Virginity (7:1–40)
   2. Offerings to Idols (8:1–11:1)
4. Problems in Liturgical Assemblies (11:2–14:40)
   1. Women’s Headdresses (11:3–16)
   2. The Lord’s Supper (11:17–34)
   3. Spiritual Gifts (12:1–14:40)
5. The Resurrection (15:1–58)
   1. The Resurrection of Christ (15:1–11)
   2. The Resurrection of the Dead (15:12–34)
   3. The Manner of the Resurrection (15:35–58)
6. Conclusion (16:1–24)