Bible Study Guide: The Book of Haggai

Okay, I’m all excited because it looks like we’ll be restarting our parish weekly Bible Study sessions soon, probably in early August. After well over a year without being able to get together, it will be a joy to meet once again and study God's Word together. Throughout the pandemic, I've tried, not always successfully, to keep our participants at least somewhat involved. 

Using Zoom was ruled out simply because we have so many people, nearly 100 at last count. And to be honest, I really don't care for video meetings. Even in my business days I never really liked conference calls. Always preferred face-to-face meetings, where things actually got accomplished. But fortunately (for me at least) I'm retired from all that so it makes little difference.

As part of my ongoing effort to keep folks thinking about things Biblical, I've been writing a series of Study Guides. I actually started these 15 years ago when we first began our parish Bible Study. But since the pandemic hit us, I've been writing them at a record-setting pace...at least for me. The latest is Study Guide #46 and addresses the book of the minor prophet Haggai. We know absolutely nothing personal about this prophet other than what he tells us in his brief, two-chapter prophecy, a series of messages he proclaimed to the Jewish remnant in Jerusalem during the months of August through December 520 B.C.

But Haggai's message was a message of hope, perhaps just the kind of message we need today, a message in which God reminds the faithful:

"I am with you...My spirit remains in your midst. Do not fear!"

Yes, indeed, God is Emmanuel -- God with us.

If you actually want to read this latest Bible Study Guide, simply go to the "Documents" page of our Bible Study website, and scroll down to Study Guide #46. Or you can go directly to the PDF file here: Study Guide #46 - Haggai

The Book of Judith

In my last post I referred to and quoted from the Old Testament Book of Judith, largely because I have been rather occupied with the book for the past week or so. I had decided to put together another of my Bible Study Guides, number 41, this time on Judith. I say “put together” because most of what I write is not original. I unashamedly borrow material from a wide range of sources, from people who are all much smarter than I. The majority died long ago because I tend to find the scholars of earlier generations far more interesting, believable, and faithful to Church teaching than many of the more recent scholars. Anyway, I thank all of these remarkable scholars, both dead and alive, for their unwitting assistance. If I had to rely on my own thoughts I’d still be writing Study Guide number one. Fortunately, I have an extensive personal library containing many books on Sacred Scripture from which I can draw all those wonderful insights which I gladly share with my Bible Study regulars.

The Book of Judith tells an especially interesting story. Many scholars dismiss the book as complete fiction, but not I. (Of course, I am by no means a scholar.) I suspect the story has its roots in real events, passed down as a traditional story that might have received a little tweaking by later generations. Yes, it seems to contain some historical anomalies but even these have been explained by a number of respected scholars. But as I mention in my Study Guide, the story’s message is far more important than the historical setting in which the story is told. 

Only the Catholic and Orthodox Churches include Judith in their inspired canons of Sacred Scripture. The Jews do not consider it canonical because the earliest known versions are in Greek and not Hebrew. And our Protestant brothers and sisters follow the Jewish canon when it comes to the Old Testament. Accordingly, it’s among the least read and studied Biblical books, which was another reason I decided to address it.

You can access the Study Guide here: Bible Study Guide 41: Judith

I hope you enjoy it.