Posts by Josh Moody

Judges 17-18, Psalm 89:19-52, Mark 8:1-13, 1 Corinthians 13   1 Corinthians 13: This is one of my very favorite chapters in the whole Bible—and it seems I am not alone in that judgment for the frequent use of this chapter in weddings and blazoned on posters, T-shirts, and Instagram postings. But what does it mean? To really…

Judges 16, Psalm 89:1-18, Mark 7:24-37, 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 1 Corinthians 12:12-31: I’m picking up the breakdown of this chapter at verse 12—diverting from the chapter and section suggestions of the framework we’ve been following! In the first part of the chapter, Paul established how to determine genuine from false spirituality, and then exalted the beauty of the…

Judges 13-15, Psalm 88, Mark 7:1-23, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 1 Corinthians 12:1-11: I’m going to divert from the suggested breaking of the passage in today’s Bible reading and comment on verses 1 to 11 (and then tomorrow verses 12 to the end of the chapter)! In the first three verses of this chapter, Paul wants to give them…

Judges 10-12, Psalm 87, Mark 6:45-56, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 1 Corinthians 11:17-34: This passage contains the very well-known description of the communion service that is often used to introduce the Lord’s Supper in churches still today all around the world. But there is plainly a wider context to this passage of which most of us are less familiar,…

Judges 9, Psalm 86, Mark 6:30-44, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 1 Corinthians 11:1-16: The first verse of this chapter more properly refers back to what Paul has been saying in the previous chapter. Remember that, as useful as the chapter divisions in our Bible sometimes are, they are not divine writ and were inserted later only as one possible…

Judges 8, Psalm 85, Mark 6:14-29, 1 Corinthians 10:14-33 1 Corinthians 10:14-33: Paul continues to try to help the Corinthians think clearly about the issue of meat offered to idols, and how more generally they as Christians can function in a pagan society. Increasingly, this is a matter, at a general level, of great importance to contemporary Christians…

Judges 6-7, Psalm 84, Mark 6:1-13, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 1 Corinthians 10:1-13: This passage of warning has three elements to it that we should carefully consider. The first is the approach to the Bible. Paul clearly considers the Old Testament to be God’s Word. Is that how we approach the Bible? He also considers the Old Testament to…

Judges 4-5, Psalm 83, Mark 5:21-43, 1 Corinthians 9:13-27   1 Corinthians 9:13-27: Paul continues his defense of his ministry against the criticisms of the Corinthians. They were perturbed that—among other things—he had not taken a salary from them. Perhaps they felt it was a sign that he considered himself better than them or was not willing to…

Judges 1-3, Psalm 82, Mark 5:1-20, 1 Corinthians 9:1-12   1 Corinthians 9:1-12: Paul, who had founded the church at Corinth, now had a strained relationship with the church. The reasons for that strain were several, but among them was the issue that Paul had not accepted a fee from them. Other preachers and travelling speakers were customarily…

Joshua 24, Psalm 81, Mark 4:21-41, 1 Corinthians 8 1 Corinthians 8: Paul now starts to address what can helpfully be categorized as “conscience issues.” Oftentimes in church life, people confuse or conflate the difference between matters of primary importance, secondary importance, and those that are of tertiary importance. There are things about which we can hold different…