Suzanne and I have been co-teaching the Covenant Study Class this fall. This study has focused on looking at how the theme of “covenant” exists throughout the Old and New Testaments.
During our last class this past Tuesday, we went around and read a passage of scripture one verse at a time. The interesting part of this exercise is that there were about 3 different translations of the bible, NIV, CEB, NRSV, that people used to read the passage, which added layers of conversation as to why specific words were used in each translation.
Being able to read passages in different translations is really helpful for us as we explore the scripture deeper. In worship, we use the New Revised Standard Version each week. I’ve shared the scripture for Sunday in the Common English Bible translation below for you to read over.
Ecclesiastes 3:16-22, CEB:
“I saw something else under the sun: in the place of justice, there was wickedness; and in the place of what was right, there was wickedness again! 17 I thought to myself, God will judge both righteous and wicked people, because there’s a time for every matter and every deed. 18 I also thought, Where human beings are concerned, God tests them to show them that they are but animals 19 because human beings and animals share the same fate. One dies just like the other—both have the same life-breath. Humans are no better off than animals because everything is pointless.
20 All go to the same place:
all are from the dust;
all return to the dust.
21 Who knows if a human being’s life-breath rises upward while an animal’s life-breath descends into the earth? 22 So I perceived that there was nothing better for human beings but to enjoy what they do because that’s what they’re allotted in life. Who, really, is able to see what will happen in the future?”
Reading the passage in this way really helped me to really notice verse 20, a verse that we are all familiar with when we think about Ash Wednesday (which might feel weird to think about the week before Advent!). This Sunday, we will explore this scripture further as we think about the theme of “speaking and listening” in the midst of reading this passage in Ecclesiastes. I hope to see you on November 20!
-Meredith Menius
*Also, don’t forget that it is Thanksgiving Basket Sunday! You can donate online or volunteer to help us pass out these gifts to our neighbors!