Adam and Eve by Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt, 1638, Etching, second state of two at the Teylers Museum, Haarlem

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder, Jackie Rose, was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, March 1 are from the Lectionary Year A First Sunday in Lent: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19 and Matthew 4:1-11. The text is from the Bible Study Tools - New International Version.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

¹⁵ The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” ⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Psalm 32

¹ Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven,
     whose sins are covered.

² Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them
     and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³ When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
     through my groaning all day long.

⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
     my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
     and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.”
     And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found;
     surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

⁷ You are my hiding place;
     you will protect me from trouble
     and surround me with songs of deliverance.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
     I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding
     but must be controlled by bit and bridle
     or they will not come to you.

¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
     but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

¹¹ Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
     sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Romans 5:12-19

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— ¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Matthew 4:1-11

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written:

    ‘Man shall not live on bread alone,
         but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

    “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
         and they will lift you up in their hands,
      so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written:

    ‘Worship the Lord your God,
         and serve him only.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.