Soup, Salad, and Scripture

The Road Less Travelled, With Tom and Michelle Bowen

Our Fernwood adult “Soup, Salad, and Scripture” Bible study led by Michelle and Tom Bowen will take on a quest to learn the structure and stories of the Bible. “Not everyone knows the books of the Bible,” is often stated by those in attendance.

In conjunction with this quest, students will look at one book in particular, and study it in detail over 12 weeks. But first, a poem.

The Road Not Taken 

BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In the Book of 1st Corinthians, the Apostle Paul is having to pick a road. In the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 16, Paul wants to go to Bithynia with Timothy. But, the Holy Spirit wants Paul to take the less traveled road.

The verse in 1 Corinthians 2:3 hints of a difficult personal crisis in Apostle Paul’s ministry. In the New Testament book of Acts, chapters 16-18 we can read the background information. In three different cities, the Apostle Paul saw a new beginning destroyed by fanatical opposition. Then, a different road takes the Apostle Paul to Athens. There the Apostle Paul listens to the intellectual teachers. Then one day the Apostle Paul stands before the entire city council, and tries to teach them about their “Unknown God.” Some people made fun of him. Some people wanted to debate later. But, a few believed.

From here the Apostle Paul takes another less traveled road leading to Corinth. One night Paul has a vision in which the Lord said to him, “Do not be afraid, but keep on speaking and do not give up, for I am with you. No one will be able to harm you, for many in this city are my people.”

The Apostle Paul will continue to teach the Corinthians the Word of God for a year and a half. It is to this church (years later) that Paul will write the New Testament book of First Corinthians. 

Come be a part of Soup, Salad, and Scripture on Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 at the Fernwood campus who will study this less traveled road.