ordinary men (priests, ministers) who don't even agree with each other.
Wouldn't God want each person to be able to understand it for themselves? Doesn't he trust the average person's intelligence?
2007-09-30 15:55:39 · 31 answers · asked by bandycat5 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
bandycat5,
Lionheart, penny d, Inspector_General and big j have answered correctly.
The Book of “J” was written in Aramaic. It has been translated by the preeminent Aramaic scholar of our time. This is the original book, story, romance novel upon which the Hebrew bible is based and therefore the book upon which the New Judaism or Christianity is based.
You must do a little research to understand why and how the modern bible is convoluted and contradictive. As I have pointed out, the research has been done and all we have to do is a bit of research to understand a good deal about how the bible developed.
Having said this it is amazing how few Christians know anything about their chosen religion. Most are just too lazy to know anything about it. I assume the few who are sincere and not so lazy are just frightened by the prospect of what they might discover.
2007-10-01 01:54:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The central doctrine of the Christian faith, which is salvation, can be understood by anybody who is neurologically unimpaired. There are many things that the average mind can grasp through faith and revelation by the Holy Spirit.
That is why you have some people that are functionally illiterate, but can understand much of the Bible and God's purpose for their lives.
I believe that there are arguments among learned men and Ministers of the Gospel, because nobody had the full and complete revelation of God. This is because He is so infinite. At other times, not all learned men, both worldly and biblical, are adequately led by the unction of the Holy Spirit.
Remember there is one Holy Spirit and one truth, therefore, they should not be as divisive as they are. However, God is honored when you seek the deeper things concerning Him. If you love a person wouldn't you want to know Him in a deeper way. The same is true about God.
God wants you to understand Him adequately that is why He has given unto man the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12: 1-12. They are divided into the utterance gifts, the revelation gifts and the power gifts. Look up on your Internet 1 Corinthians 12.
2007-10-01 12:11:51 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God did not write the Bible. It was written by scholars. The bible has many parables that Christ taught in. Some he taught that only those with eyes to see and ears to hear would understand. God's word is not difficult. I suppose the way to explain it is, if you, yourself, wanted to work on a computer, but you knew very little, you might want to educate yourself, by taking classes, or reading. Having the proper tools will help you to understand what there is to learn. With God's word, you can study with various learning tools like the Smith's dictionary, the Strong's concordance, and also study groups within your community and or church. Always pray to God before getting into His word, that he will give you wisdom to learn. With the proper tools, the bible is the best guide to read for a fulfilling life. Just because a person is a priest or minister, doesn't make them completely understanding of God's word. Some men of the cloth, though they are so called, 'of God' can be rather clueless when it comes to the truth of God's word. They mean well, but are not always ministering the truth as God would want it ministered. I'm not judging, just stating what I have seen and heard for myself.
2007-09-30 23:06:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Christians believe in a God who entered history in order to save Israel from bondage and above all became incarnate in history, we need to understand the historical context of biblical times. God works in history, in the messiness of history. That is what is so great about Christians, history matters because that is where God works. God works with us, so the stories of the Bible have not been zapped into humans. Study guides and commentaries help you understand the history. Having said that, it depends where you are in your faith. The Bible is not a newspaper or a science textbook. It is not about opening the Bible and discovering how the world works; the Bible is meant to develop a relationship with God. When you open it, make it a conversation with God. About your hopes, desires and frustrations; learn what God has done with us, wants to do with us and will do with us. Every time you read the Bible, the story will have a new meaning for you, if you are in a relationship with God. Having said that, simply pick up the Bible and start reading the New Testament from beginning to end; Matthew through Revelation. 1 chapter a day and you will finish the New Testament in less than a year without study guides or commentaries. Study guides and commentaries are meant for those who wish to get a better grasp of the historical context. If you are a Protestant I recommend the New Revised Standard Version Bible, if Catholic, the New American Bible.
2007-09-30 23:09:35 · answer #4 · answered by GRG22 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God caused the Bible, or Scripture, to be written, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21, for our benefit. Rom. 15:4. Understanding Scripture, however, does require assistance. Once we have sinned, our minds are not capable of understanding the depth of meaning within it. 1 Cor. 2:14; 1 Cor. 1:17-27. Yet, through God's providence, the Holy Spirit aids in communicating the gospel to us. Ps. 25:8; 1 Thes. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:12.
If a hearer accepts the gospel, repents, confesses Christ and is baptized into Him, Acts 2:38; Matt. 16:16; John 14:6, then they receive the Holy Spirit into their hearts. Acts 2:38. The Spirit then guides the believer in understanding. John 14:26; John 16:7-13; 1 Cor. 2:10-16.
To believers, the Bible is self-authenticating because it claims to be inspired by God. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21. Rejecting one portion while claiming to believe that another passage is of God is inconsistent.
Responders should state whether their view is based upon Scripture (and cite to it) or upon some other basis, such as their own opinion. That will make it easier for you to assess their answers.
Pray and continue to study your Bible. 2 Tim. 2:14-15. You will be blessed!
2007-10-01 14:12:37 · answer #5 · answered by Wayne C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good questions. You need background info so you will understand the Bible better when you read it.
First of all, I don't think God ever planned on writing the Bible as we know it today. He just inspired certain people to put down in writing their experiences of Him.
Secondly, I don't think the Bible was ever meant to be a a book of doctrine for Christians although it is used as a basis of discerning divine truths. The Bible is the most divisive and controversial book ever written. Fact: the Church came before the Bible. The Bible as we know it today was compiled only in the 3rd century.
More than anything else the Bible, from my experience, should be used to help us grow spiritually. The important thing is God's personal message for you. Here is a time-tested method for uncovering the mystery of the Word of God: "the child of God (that's me) takes the Word of God (the Scriptures) into the presence of God (prayer) and lets the Holy Spirit of God (the Author) make that Word come to life for me and, more importantly, in me."
I hope this helps you.
2007-09-30 23:10:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that the general opinion is that the Bible is simply a guide. The belief of most (Protestant) Christians is that a personal relationship with Jesus is what you really need and not necessarily a perfect understanding of scripture. I can't speak for Catholics. I believe that a Christian would also argue that if God wanted you to understand a particular verse, he would use his Holy Spirit to inspire the true meaning in you, and if not, and it didn't negatively effect your walk with Jesus, he wouldn't bother.
That's always the point of view (for the most part) that I've experienced. For them, the Bible, though confusing and supposedly inspired by "not the author of confusion," holds no contradictions no matter how strong the evidence.
For us, however, it's just another nail in the coffin of Christianity. Truly, people can believe anything they REALLY want to.
2007-09-30 23:06:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Bible isn't a product of supernatural origin. Metaphysics is a farce.
The Bible is a product of man just as our many languages are and that's the reason that the Bible is not easily understood. The original books of the Bible were written in a language that hasn't been widely spread and which failed to produce a dictionary until after the language became all but lost as an effective means of communication. The earlier usages and vocabulary were replaced by modern changes and the ancient texts and stories don't translate accurately.
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2007-09-30 23:42:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most Christians through the centuries have based their beliefs on tradition and theology, and have understood the Bible as a work produced by human beings about a divine subject. Only in the last few centuries have a minority of Protestants insisted that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God.
2007-09-30 23:01:50 · answer #9 · answered by NONAME 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The bible can only be interpreted by the Holy Spirit and that is good so, since the Holy Spirit is Truth and only reacts when someone is true in their heart about coming to the Lord. Someone who is not sincere shouldn't understand the Word, I think God had a good idea ,when He did it that way.
2007-09-30 23:01:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋