Bible Bridges: Part 14 "What's in a Word?"

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

John Adams

The same thing may be said of words—they are stubborn things. There is great power in the pen and in the tongue. John Adams was certainly not the wordsmith of the calibre of Thomas Jefferson. Nevertheless, he understood that words can wield tremendous influence, particularly in tumultuous times. As Winston Churchill demonstrated, the right words spoken authentically at the right time could move people beyond their self-imposed limitations. Is it any wonder, then, that the Almighty Maker of heaven chose to use the written word to reveal Himself to His creation? 

In Part 13 of this series, the value of comparing English Bible translations was introduced. I argued that the benefit of such a study technique was to stimulate reflection. Our familiarity with a favorite translation sometimes inhibits our curiosity. Seeing a different word choice in a text can promote a deeper understanding, with the caution that studying words is something best done with care.

In this installment, I want to help frame the need for balance on using secondary resources with your own work in the biblical text. Returning to 1 Peter, let us again take a look at the biblical text and see how this works:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

   To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia... 1 (Peter 1:1 ESV)

The two words underlined are not exactly common in our day-to-day usage. The word "elect" has some significant biblical weight to it, so let us set that aside for now and look at "exiles". Using the process of version comparison, we find NASB says "those who reside as aliens" and KJV says "strangers scattered throughout." How do we come to know which is best?

We could rely on someone like Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader, who writes about this word:

The English word “strangers” refers to anyone with whom we are not acquainted. But the Greek word means far more than that. It is parepidemois (παρεπιδεμοις), made up of para (παρα), “alongside of,” epi (ἐπι), “upon,” and demos (δεμος), used in Biblical Greek of the people of a heathen city. The word here describes the recipients of this letter as Christians who have settled down alongside of the unsaved. Peter uses the same word in 2:11. He will not let us forget that we are living among the unsaved who are always carefully observing us.

Now, honestly...would you have discovered this on your own? I am not sure that I would have. My main point in bringing this out is that we really can benefit from secondary resources to help us, but how do we know we can trust what they say? Wuest has done all the work for us, so we are simply given the choice to agree or not (note that I'm not saying he's incorrect). 

Returning to John Adams' quote above, "the state of facts and evidence" is essential. If our only available evidence at hand is an English Bible translation (as trustworthy as it is), we might get intimidated when we see that behind the curtain is an inaccessible ancient biblical language. Frankly, this is why I see great value in digital tools, because it lowers the barrier to such study.

But for the majority of us who do not have access to such resources, I will once again affirm the great value in comparing translations. I submit that you indeed could have taken the various English translations and come to see what Wuest amplified for us in his Greek word study. So, don't let some learned pastor blow you away with an irrefutable Bible word study that supposedly gives you the real meaning of the word. With the aide of the Holy Spirit and with ample time invested, you are quite capable of coming to a solid grasp of much of what is written in Scripture (I'll remain cautious and not say all that is written, as the Bible is inexhaustible). Moreover, with respect, that pastor may be wrong! Don't get me started on such bad statements like Dunamai = dynamite (see http://scribblepreach.com/2013/02/18/7-ways-to-do-a-bad-word-study for helpful tips on what to avoid in doing word studies).

O how I love your law!
All day long I meditate on it. 

Psalm 119:97 (NET)

This is really the key. Using the available translations should give you much to think about, and that's what the word meditate in the Bible means—think, ponder, prayerfully reflect. It's not some Eastern, mystical experience. Why don't you spend tomorrow thinking about how as a Christian you are an alien or a foreigner or a stranger journeying this land?

Bible Bridges: Part 13

One of the most important and stimulating methods in Bible study that I've found is comparing translations. Many of us have a favorite translation, and that is okay. Translations have a flavor to them like chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry ice cream. 

On the surface, we tend to prefer one flavor over another. For chocolate lovers out there (you know who you are), the deep and dark flavor just takes you to another realm! There are subtle nuances of taste—complexities and interactions that a truly discerning palate can appreciate. If I were to dish out chocolate viz. Bible translations (I bet you didn't know that was possible), I would say more formal translations such as ESV, NASB, and KJV are on the menu. 

I won't press the metaphor too far, but you get the idea. Vanilla is easily swallowed, as are some idiomatic Bible translations such as the NLT or NIV. And if you're curious, I'd put the NET Bible as strawberry, since there are some complex interactions with the berries and ice cream. Hmm, I'm getting peckish!

Now, occasionally I like to mix all three together. In the ice cream cosmos, that's Neapolitan. There's really nothing like it! The three flavors cooperate to create a uniquely palatable perspective. Can't you just imagine the first spoonful as it approaches your salivating mouth? Oh that we would be so famished for God's word! Perhaps if we take a variety of Bible translations, place them side-by-side, and take a few bites into a study of comparing and contrasting, our appetite for savoring Scripture will bring us to the table much more frequently.

Now I admit that having Bible software to do this seamlessly is nice. In continuing to examine 1 Peter, notice below the first two verses and how the differences quickly emerge:

Using the English Standard Version as the starting point, Logos Bible Software calculates the differences and identifies each place that is rendered by different word choices. Translators face decisions for selecting the most appropriate word when moving from an ancient language to modern English. Often that has to do with the goals of the type of translation. Some endeavor for easy reading, and as such will select words sometimes less "technical" or perhaps "accurate" (let's be careful about saying that). Other translations have a goal for study, or for public reading.

No matter the purpose, it takes hard work. Unlike the original manuscripts, translations are human efforts using linguistic tools and skills. Sometimes there is room for improvement. As translation work is an academic endeavor, it is subject to difficulties. How does anyone know for sure that a word in an author's language will be conveyed precisely in the receptor, modern word selection?

Aside from concerns of translation accuracy, we get a wonderful side benefit: we get a peek behind the curtain to see how language works. So if you take a moment to see which words differ above, ask yourself what a translator might be thinking when trying to find the correct English word. For instance, notice how 1 Peter 1:1 is rendered by the ESV and NASB:

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," (ESV) 

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen" (NASB)

I color-coded the word choices in question just to see how this works. Which translation do you think better communicates in English? Does the word exile seem to help you envision what the author intends better or worse than aliens? Did you think of extraterrestrials when you first saw aliens (not the movie, silly), or did your mind see people perhaps disconnected from their homelands against their will? How might the word scattered depict the state of the recipients differently than the Dispersion?

Now it's important to realize that fundamentally the doctrines of the Bible are not vulnerable because of these differences. Again, I feel that we are blessed in our day to have so many choices. Lest we take that for granted, let us be reminded that the vast majority of people in the world do not have this luxury. We who use English as our native language have a responsibility to steward the gift of God's word to us. I submit that comparing translations as a means to prompting good questions is an excellent return on investment. Thus, I encourage you to use this process as a means for deepening your walk with God through a penetrating study of Scripture.

Bible Bridges: Part 12 "True North"

Now that there has been some initial movement in handling some of the text of 1 Peter (and we'll return to that soon), this is a good time to take a look at the road map: we need to keep our eye on true north.

What do I mean? In our post-enlightenment / post-modern age, much of the Bible has been manipulated for alternative purposes. Notice that I don't say necessarily ulterior motives, though certainly there is plenty of that in history. Rather, much gets lost in contemporary attempts to make the text relevant. Now, it is true that the Bible is relevant, but not immediately so.

Allow me to explain: IF the reader's desire is to grasp the author's meaning and take away appropriate application for today, there is a lot of work to be done. It is not as though we are reading our Greek New Testaments and Hebrew Bibles in the eyes of the original audience. In our modern settings and English translations, we can easily fall prey to inappropriate relevancy.

For instance, our approach to Scripture must not carelessly rip things out of context. Many of us have seen this firsthand: a home Bible study leader asks the participants in a circle to share what the text means to them, and they proceed to give a variety—indeed, a plethora of meanings. We often come by this innocently, seeing a verse and immediately thinking about our life now. This is not necessarily a bad thing if we work through the text. Yet we need to realign our compass to true north.

Moreover, we must not attempt to subjugate Scripture to our agenda. Many people groups with various agendas enslave Scripture to meanings never dreamed of by the original authors. Frankly, we're all a little guilty of this. If we are aligned to true north, then the Bible will not so easily and neatly fit our systems, presuppositions, or dogmas. Guarding against such goals helps us surrender to God's Word, not the other way around.

So what do I mean by true north? The view that Christ is the center of Scripture must needs define true north. But even that is hard to define. It isn't about making Jesus my pal. It is much more about the culmination of God's myriad purposes that are fulfilled in Christ. More about this in a moment.

Let's return to the statement above that the Bible is not immediately relevant. We have come through two thousand years of New Covenant history. Those of us in the tradition of western civilization have traveled oceans, political revolutions, cultural revolutions, and other massive changes that simply distance us from Bible times. While God's Spirit illuminates his Word, it was through learned men that we have a copy in our native tongue. Much more translation is needed beyond mere words in a lexicon. I submit that we must humbly do business with the biblical text as respectful foreigners, not obtuse Americans (no offense, but ask those living abroad about some brazen Americans trashing their lands).

Thus, I offer three key take-home points to align to true north:

1. Dig hard and carefully in the text to uncover its intended meaning. Use natural rules of grammar, syntax, context, etc. to unpack the text. That is much of what this series is intending to stimulate, though it goes beyond just that. A helpful action item here would be to summarize in your words what a section simply says. You might do an outline or some other structure. Remember, this is a goal to grasp the intended meaning of the original author (knowing that we won't fully exhaust everything that is encoded in every part of Scripture).
2. As you study a selected text, tentatively identify its eternal significance. As some books like to say, these are timeless principles. However, let's be careful about that. I think true north demands that there is a divine purpose or goal to the Bible, not a random collection of good thoughts. So wrestle with the the final goal of God's purposes in mind (for us as Christians, the church, and ultimately for all of history).
3. Humbly consider personal and community relevance. This is most often called application — "how do I apply God's Word to my life?" This is fine, but I think overused. Moreover, it is so often exclusively individualistic. Healthy churches are ones that confess sin as a community, being confronted with the truth of Scripture. A good pastor will unpack a sermon in a way that will often lead to a gospel affirming, grace-enabled confession and repentance.

True north is Christ's purposes for his people. Just like in Pilgrim's Progress, the Christian faces an arduous journey if the final goal that God has for us is what we embrace. My prayer is that those reading this blog will "Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to" Luke 13:24 (NET).

Bible Bridges: Part 11

As we in the Midwestern part of the United States have endured a relentless winter, it brings to mind how glorious spring can be when it finally arrives. I have never hated winter per se—even as a transplanted Floridian. Yet this winter has even myself longing for green grass and budding trees. I can almost smell it!

It is a fascinating thing to see the cold of winter slowly retreat to the mild, southerly winds that try to eject the so-called polar vortex. With a foot of snow on the ground, often unpleasant weather in the form of drizzle and fog result. It can get so foggy that one cannot make out the car ahead of them. Yet we endure it all the same. I hear few people clamoring for more snow and below zero cold. Endurance is possible as we know that spring is coming. We can feel it in the sunshine, even on a cold day.

Such is the picture that St. Peter paints for us in his first epistle. It is striking that chapter one unfolds in light of suffering and trials, even as the vision of the heavenly reward, being secured in Christ Jesus, (1 Peter 1:3-4) spurs on those who have been "born again to a living hope". It is important to think on these words here. Notice verse 4: "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..." (ESV). What kind of image do you suppose Peter wishes to place in your mind? Think about these three adjectives in the reverse: what perishes? what is defiled? what is fading away? Not our inheritance! That's what the text clearly says. No, but rather it is the fog of war that will vanish at the "revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:7). The fog constitutes the "various trials" (1:6) through which we are called to journey by faith. 

The glorious destination to which we patiently take each laborious step is the vision to which we are invited to ever retain in our thoughts. This is the central Christian hope, which I believe is increasingly ignored in our age. Today we are more interested in creating heaven on earth. No pain. No suffering. Instead, we want our best life now and heaven as well! My friends, it simply does not work that way. To say otherwise is to call Peter a liar (and let's not leave out St. Paul—see 2 Corinthians 13).

There is a very important reason for this: God's destination for us is a refined faith: "...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:7 (ESV). Even as we walk by faith and see the journey taking us to our final home in heaven, God's purpose for us to endure suffering is to have us mirror the suffering now / glory later path that Christ took.

Keep reading the first chapter and consider if your theology can answer why things are so hard now. What is to be your response? How would you summarize 1 Peter chapter one in a few sentences? Specifically, what key phrases and concepts seem to form Peter's primary thesis? He indeed has a message for us today. Take the time to ponder it, and then ask if you are walking in the eternal hope with an enduring faith. If you're faith is wavering, don't panic—I'd love to talk to you about that! 

Until next time...God's blessings!
Jared

Bible Bridges: Part 10

Have you started reading 1 Peter yet? Have any words popped out that make you want to dig deeper? The graphic above was generated by Logos Bible software. I initiated a "Passage Guide" process right from the main page:

The Passage Guide created that collection of interesting words. I probably should not have selected the entire book, but I wanted to see what would come up. By changing it to just chapter 1, I get an entirely different set of results: 

This tool in Logos simply provides another way to stimulate thinking and study. If I click on any given word, it provides a list of all the instances in the selected passages. For instance, the word soul seems fairly significant:

Another prominent word is suffering:

As I said in the last posting, I don't want to spell out the themes of 1 Peter. Hopefully, seeing these results will spark more energy to dig deeper. And you certainly do not need Bible software to discover repeated words. Just a pen and paper with your eyes can generate these results. It's just nice to have technology to accelerate the discovery process.

Bible Bridges: Part 9

As we get started on the Bible Bridges journey, I want you to actually practice using the tools of effective Bible study. I will encourage you to fill your own tool box with items that will be useful. There will certainly be things that I will encourage you to try. Perhaps you have a few ideas to share with me, too :)

So open your Bible to 1 Peter. We are going to take some steps in a rather challenging book. I selected 1 Peter to stress the need for careful analysis and study. There are times that we are simply too familiar with certain passages (everyone studies Paul). Moreover, there is simply a wonderful mix of theology and pastoral encouragement from the Apostle that some Evangelicals neglect.

The best thing we can do before we open God's Word is to invite the Lord to be with us and open our eyes. I invite you to join me praying some personalized version of this prayer each time you study Scripture:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am about to open your Word for the purpose of growing in applied knowledge of your ways. My desired outcome, Lord, is to be transformed more and more into Christ's likeness--to be obedient to your will. I confess that I bring many ideas contrary and foreign to the text of Scripture. Father, slow me down in how I handle the biblical text so that I may be confronted by the Holy Spirit in love and gentleness. May I see the Father's unfolding plan of salvation and the gospel of Christ in authenticity and humility. And may Jesus tenderly draw me to the brethren in worship, edification, and service.

I offer this prayer in the name of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Amen.

1 Peter Overview: What is the Theme?

Since the purpose of this journey is to unpack what Scripture says, I will not short-change the process. You are encouraged to discover the theme or overall thrust of Peter's message in the first letter of Peter on your own and in your own words. Then I encourage you to share it with others in response on this blog. That will move this process from isolation to community.

How might one discover the key themes? Read the entire letter in one sitting. Devote 20-25 minutes in just reading the letter. You might try reading it out loud. Or perhaps you have a recording of it being read. Whatever you do, read the whole letter. Don't stop to take notes or dig deeply into any words or phrases. Just read it.

Then as you get read it a few times, write down some ideas you see that perhaps leap out at you. There might be repeated words of which you should take note. Perhaps you will want to do an actual count of them. But remember: you are trying to survey the land at 30,000 feet, not do a deep dive.

Try it this week. I will offer a few other suggested steps and tools to use. Let's go!

Jared

Bible Bridges: Part 8

This is a good time to pause and reflect on the goals of this series. I'm not sure where you are in your Bible reading and study life. The reason I felt I should do an extended and open-ended series like this is to spur you on in apprehending the Bible in greater authenticity. The journey motif is intentional. No matter where you are at, whether novice or experienced, I think we can all use a perspective that pricks us a little bit.

The perspective being offered in this series is my own. Naturally, my approach has developed over many years. It is not perfect, and can still stand improvement. Thus, I invite you to join me in this journey together. I need your help to grow, just as I trust God is using me in a small way to help you!

So I thought that by going into details in my personal methodology, others might benefit. That was the original desire that prompted this series.

I recently discovered a compelling article from the Gospel Coalition: "The Danger of Forgetting How to Read the Bible". It was yet another perspective that speaks to what I am also attempting to promote, namely on becoming "technical, devotional readers". There are some necessary skills in handling God's Word well. The article rightly points that out. Those skills include things I have already introduced, as well as other methods I hope to talk about in future articles: the benefits of understanding Bible translations, "literary, cultural, and historical contexts", using some original language tools, and other resources.

Now, there may be one thing that may seem peculiar to some people reading this blog. As the Gospel Coalition article above puts it, I believe in a healthy "respect [for] the distance between our world and that of Scripture". True, the article properly warns that an excessively academic approach can be spiritually detrimental to us. However, there is a balance between our desire to hear from God for us right now and what was imparted to an ancient audience. There must be an appropriate distance allowed in our study of the Bible. This is why many Bible study guides routinely ask the question of authorship and original audience. Let us not forget: they all died over 2,000 years ago.

The really hard work, then, is to travel the distance to glean application for our lives while retaining the full weight of original context. There is much we can take away from an ongoing study and reading of the Bible. The warning I submit here now is to refrain from a completely isolated approach to your Bible study.

We really should not allow our sense of individuality override the long road already traveled by those who have proceeded us through the centuries. When I confess that "I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting", this statement of doctrinal unity was forged in the messy past of the adolescent bride of Christ. My reading of Scripture must not neglect the "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1), and must be subject to reproof. And that reproof may create controversy at times (that's what I mean by a "messy past"). Please do not see this as excuse to create division in the church (God forbid). Rather, let this be an opportunity to learn how to hold to a type of church unity that, while gathering separately, can dialogue and hold a variety of convictions, and yet love God, His Word, and each other!

So again, you are invited to sharpen your Bible skills. Let's get going together, since we all benefit when God's Word is opened and inspected in community--even in an online and informal community as this blog may find an audience.

Blessings,
Jared Tremper

Bible Bridges: Part 7

ה (He)
Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes,
so that I might observe it continually.
Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart.
Guide me in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it.
Give me a desire for your rules,
rather than for wealth gained unjustly.
Turn my eyes away from what is worthless!
Revive me with your word!
Confirm to your servant your promise,
which you made to the one who honors you.
Take away the insults that I dread!
Indeed, your regulations are good.
Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance!

Ps 119.33-40 NET

This is my prayer for anyone who is taking time to journey with me on the Bible Bridges series. There may be times when I share things that appear to be overly sophisticated, off-the-wall, or just plane peculiar. Please hang in there with me! Like reading a road map to plan a route to a far away destination, this series seeks to build in you new skills in handling the Bible. Yet the point of it all is what the Psalmist prayed: transformation. 

God's Word revives. God's Word is powerful. For all the time we invest in things that do not last, let us repent. May God grant to this generation a deep desire for the ways of God, so that we agree that the world's priorities are not to be ours. I pray that we delight to walk in God's prescribed path, according to what He reveals in Scripture.

Bible Bridges: Part 6

Like many journeys, sometimes a short detour is required. If we’re fortunate, the detour actually presents a new perspective on a route that we might have missed going on the main road. In that light, this post is a bit of an excursion, but it is something that may be worth a little time to ponder.

It may surprise you that the Bible is not so easily classified in terms of being a primary or secondary source. “A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event.” 

(https://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html).

There are some compelling reasons to hold that the Bible is a primary source: the original writings were authored by those who had the inside scoop. I would also say they were authorized by God:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV).

θεόπνευστος theópneustos

“To express the sacred nature of the Scriptures, their divine origin, and their power to sanctify believers, perhaps St. Paul coined the verbal adjective theopneustos, 'breathed, inspired by God.' … the parallel text 2 Pet 1:21—“born along by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God” (hypo pneumatos hagiou pheromenoi elalēsan apo theou anthrōpoi); Ambrosiaster’s gloss, “divinitus inspirata … cujus Deus auctor ostenditur” (“whose author is shown to be God”)…”^[1]

As witnesses to divine events and the oracles of God, the prophets of old most certainly count as primary source authors. “Thus saith the Lord” clearly denotes first-hand experience. The Gospel writers also reported eye-witness accounts and discourse, and the entire New Testament engaged in situations that were contemporary and immediate. In fact, it is a vital fact to realize the Bible was not written directly to us in our day, but to an ancient audience. In these and other ways it can be clearly argued the Bible is a primary source.

Yet at the very same time, I think an equally interesting argument could made that the Bible contains characteristics of a secondary source. “A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them” (Ibid).

As many Christians would agree, Scripture interprets Scripture (http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/79/what-does-it-mean-that-scripture-interprets-scripture). Perhaps in that sense, the Bible is a secondary source. The New Testament often quotes the Old Testament. Many passages reference other biblical texts and help give light to their meaning. This has the hallmark of a secondary source.

Moreover, the Bible was written over a vast period of time (http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/bible-faqs/when-was-the-bible-written). Some of the writings were collected and arranged to serve as an organized religious curriculum. For instance, it is likely Moses brought some oral and written sources together in the writing of the Torah. He functioned (under the movement of the Holy Spirit) as an inspired analyst and instructor.

Indeed, the Bible a most unique collection. It is unified yet diverse. It is ancient yet relevant. It defies definition and has resisted attacks for centuries. My goal in this series is to deepen the appreciation for the Bible, and to provide a growing ability to engage the text of the holy writ faithfully. By God’s grace, let us proceed to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15 KJV).

---

^[1] Ceslas Spicq and James D. Ernest, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994), 193–194.

Bible Bridges: Part 5

I recently did some research on emerging trends in how Evangelical Bible scholars are interpreting Genesis 1-2. The recent debate between Bill Nye “the science guy” and Ken Ham of “Answers in Genesis” has stirred up emotions on many sides.

My research concluded that some conservative Christians are approaching Genesis without undue wrangling with modern science. In fact, some contend a better approach is ignore science vis-à-vis Genesis because the ancient reader (and author) simply had no view on our modern scientific questions. This can allow for science to do its own thing without a necessary conflict with Scripture (I’ll leave it at that, since this is not a commentary about science and the Bible).

Instead, some Bible scholars are wrestling with the ancient culture and use of language. I think this is a helpful shift. If we desire to handle Genesis as it was intended, we need to do a little time travel—through ancient culture, customs, and communication.

I bring this up because in part 4 we looked at selecting English Bibles. It should seem obvious: a translation requires a translator. What’s another name for a translator? Scholar.

Some Christians fear Bible scholarship. “Just me and the Bible” is their motto. Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s a real risk of getting lost in the weeds if we depend too heavily on scholarly (secondary) sources (more about that in part 6). Yet if we agree that having different translations are helpful, then we must also agree (at least in part) that Bible scholarship is valuable.

In the book I was reading, Dr. Tremper Longman III (nice name, eh?) took some time to explain why having Bible scholarship is actually ESSENTIAL to Bible study:

Notice that without Bible scholars we would not even have an English Bible to read. I never thought about it like that before, but it’s true! Even if you still exclusively read your King James Version, it took human scholarship to translate it. As he said above, “you cannot read the Bible at all without scholarly help”. Unless you have been trained to read Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, you are essentially relying on other people’s scholarship. He does go on to say that we can, of course, grasp the critical teachings of the Bible without holding the hand of a Bible professor. However, we better be holding God’s hand! Approaching the Bible in purely academic terms apart from God is precisely what liberalism intends.

Thus, Bible scholarship is absolutely necessary if we want to study the Bible. It is one of the most essential bridges we must cross. Of course, we need God’s Spirit to illuminate the biblical text. No doubt I’ll talk about the doctrine of illumination in a future article. I just want to discourage anti-intellectualism in the name of Christianity. In other words, don’t check your brain (and the brains of other Christians) at the door…and let’s open the Bible together!

Questions

• What might be some reasons we fear Bible scholarship? Are some of those fears worth facing?
• How would you define "conservationism" and "liberalism" as it relates to the Bible and Christianity?

Prayer

Our Father, we are such frail and finite creatures. While creating us in your image, we still are so limited in faculty and faith. Grant that we would wrestle with our fears in this area of Bible scholarship so that we come to a place where we can see our need for others. May we discern unwholesome attempts to derail our faith through unbelieving scholarship, and hold to that which affirms sound doctrine. In Christ's holy name. Amen.

References

Averbeck, Richard E., et al. Reading Genesis 1-2: An Evangelical Conversation. Edited by J. Daryl Charles. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC, 2013.

Bible Bridges: Part 4

There was a time not many years ago when English speaking congregations had but one Bible to choose. The venerable King James Bible (KJV) has indeed stood the test of time as a much loved and revered translation. When it is read aloud, even today, it generates respect and elevates the public reading of Scripture.

I personally grew up with a slightly modified version of the KJV: the Scofield Reference Bible (ca 1917) not only helped render some words in a bit more contemporary gloss for modern readers (e.g. 1 Corinthians 13 "charity" became "love"); C. I. Scofield's famous notes jump-started my Bible study as a young person. Today, I'll admit I'm a bit more cautious about Mr. Scofield's notes, but it was nice to have a commentary right there in my Bible! Many people have Study Bibles -- that is a mixed blessing, and we'll talk more about that soon.

Anyway, when I graduated from High School, my church gave me a New International Version (NIV). I began to use that version along side my trusty Scofield KJV. Then as I attended Moody Bible Institute in 1992, I was required to procure the New American Standard (NAS) for "serious study in the inductive method". More on inductive study on another installment!

My journey has since taken me to the New Living Translation (NLT 1996 and NLT second edition 2004), the English Standard Version (ESV), the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), the New English Translation (NET), and the Lexham English Bible (LEB). To learn more about these and other translations, check out BibleStudyTools.com. I will refrain from commenting on the quality of these English translations. Perhaps I will offer my evaluation down the road. I eschew a competitive or superior attitude about English Bibles.

The take home point today: the value in Bible study (whether in groups or on your own) is in the comparison and contrast that one can do between the translations. In seeing why one Bible differs in a gloss (a word choice) can spark deeper reflection in the study. A good method for personal study would be to take two Bible translations (say ESV and HCSB) and use them side-by-side. Observe carefully how the word choices and even word order impacts how you understand a passage. It's really thrilling to engage in this kind of study!

Questions

1. Why would Bible translators use different words when translating from ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek? What does that tell you?
2. What have you heard about so-called "word studies"? Why do you think pastors often talk about that in their sermons?
3. How might we evaluate modern (or classic) English translations? How might you handle it if a fellow Christian criticizes your favorite English Translation?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we bless your name for revealing to us your great plan of redemption in the Bible. Thank you, Lord, for protecting your Word despite criticism, attacks, and attempts to destroy the Bible. May we so revere your precious letter to us by humbly approaching the issue of Bible translations with gentleness, meekness, and charity. May the life of Christ show brightly in our lives as a result of a proper handling of the Word of God, by whom we approach the throne of grace. Amen.

Bible Bridges: Part 3

Have you ever looked at people's photo albums that are posted on social media? If you really do take a few minutes to scan them, it is likely the ones you pause on for a moment contain people. Photographs grab our emotions best when framed with stunning scenery and staged with people in unplanned, candid sots. That is even truer when it's with our dearest loved ones! As stunning as a rainbow might be, it is more meaningful when shared with other people. It is in living community that our travels yield the most meaning.

As we get a little further on this journey of an interactive Bible study, there is another important aspect about our travel plans: the biblical pattern of Bible study is in with other people. This is precisely why I've described this as interactive. Too often we think of our walk with Christ in isolated individualism. My walk. My devotional time. My quiet time. All these personal moments are not utterly without value, but the early church knew nothing of doing this journey alone.

Allow me to illustrate this:

   “And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:40–47, ESV)

There is so much that could be unpacked here. For now, notice the plural pronouns. The dramatic events leading to Peter's sermon culminated in a mass conversion. This must have been an amazing scene! Can you picture it? 3,000 converts and none of them wanted to do this alone. 

Note that Acts 2:42 shows they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. It is fair to say, given that many of these converts had a strong background in the Hebrew Bible (we call that the Old Testament), that this devotion was an energized and interactive study. As Peter's sermon unpacked the implications of Christ's death and resurrection, they came to realize their need for repentance -- not only from their sins, but from a false view of Jesus. They sought to be retrained in handling Scripture. That interactive study was not done in isolation, but in the growing community founded on the Good News of Christ!

Questions

1. Do you agree that isolated Bible study is not the ideal approach? Are there risks to doing this exclusively by yourself? How far should this be taken? Should we never study by ourselves? Or just augment our time in the Word with others?
2. What are the best memories you have of a group Bible study that really challenged you to examine the Scripture well? Did it confront a presupposition you held? Did you realize there was a sin in your life that needed the public confession that James 5:16 affirms is a normal way of life for believers?
3. How might we reflect and change our extreme individualism that is so common in our day? What do you think would be different in a Christian community that really did some of what Acts 2 talks about?

Prayer

Lord, I confess that I have been too isolated from the brethren. I seek your help to better live life together with brothers and sisters in Christ. May the Father grant the church a renewed sense of a family that does this journey together, in Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Bridges: Part 2

Have you ever driven on a very long bridge covering more than a mile of ocean blue? It’s exciting to drive over water at high speeds. However, speed on a journey seldom yields the greatest enjoyment. Sometimes the best trips are when we get out of our car and gaze at the scenery, or perhaps even to do a little fishing!

Crossing bridges is an idea I want to apply to approaching the Bible. I think it’s a very helpful concept, and hopefully it will illuminate your path. The idea of a bridge communicates a gulf between where we are and where we are heading. It could be a small stream, the mighty Mississippi, or even coastal ocean waterways. The bridge is a tool to get you to the other side safe and sound. But the bridge can also offer you a vantage point to take in the views and better grasp the landscape. This bridge metaphor as applied to Bible study has a number of drivers (yeah, pun intended):

First, there is a worthwhile destination. Just like driving over that bridge, we want to get somewhere. When getting behind the wheel of a Bible study, we must recognize this is no trip to the corner drugstore. The ultimate destination is the kingdom of heaven.

Second, it will take discipline and commitment. Think Pilgrim’s Progress! There will be a few twists and turns, pitfalls, discouragements, moments of joy, diversions, peril, but ultimately the glorious vision of God: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Lastly, just like some very tall bridges, when crossing the vast distances of God’s revealed story, there is a story arc. In one real sense, the Bible is a unified story: there is a beginning to the narrative, rising action, climax, and denouement. The Bible is a divinely woven script (perhaps why we call it “Scripture).

Questions

1. What kind of reading strategies do you find would best suit approaching the biblical text? Bible in a year? One Bible book each month? Following a lectionary calendar?
2. How might you benefit from reading from portions of the Bible differently, like you would a book? Think big picture instead of short snippets of Scripture. Could you put together enough of the larger story to explain it to a child?
3. What would it look like to substitute some hours in a week you might currently spend watching TV, reading Facebook, or pouring energies into life’s diversions, and instead devote yourself to the reading Scripture? Is there is 30 minutes in your day you could redeem for the sake of focused Bible time?

Prayer

May the Lord of heaven draw us to His precious Word. May our heavenly Father make the mind of Christ so penetrate us that our loved ones, friends, and coworkers sense there is something changing in us. The Lord grant us a lasting desire to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and situate our lives in His living presence through the reading of Scripture. And may we ponder afresh the love of God poured out through Christ on the cross, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Bible Bridges: Part 1 of ...

There is something compelling about being free to write a blog, where essentially I am not accountable to anyone about what I write. I suppose that is largely because I don't get paid to do it, so I seek a deeper, intrinsic reward. So I felt that one of the most rewarding things I could write about is what is so precious to me: Bible Study. For those who decided to stop reading now, I ask you to keep with me.

This is the first part of a series of writings that hopes to offer you a more penetrating passion for God's Word. This is motivated by a number of things:

1. Bible literacy is rapidly sinking. For many reason, people simply do not engage the Bible as part of their real life. For many, the Bible sits on a bookshelf along with their over-priced college books. Regrettably, this is even true of professing Christians.
2. Bible study has been so maligned in recent years so that many newer churches refrain from even encouraging it. Today it is more popular to form groups that gather for "living life together" (nothing inherently wrong with that). Christians have a role model in Acts 2:42 of a more powerful reason to gather: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (ESV). That devotion was exemplified in the Bereans (Acts 17:11), as "they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."
3. My own desire to see people engage the Bible fruitfully. As a follower of Christ, I know that being transformed in Christ -- to develop the "mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16) -- is an essential element of gospel-saturated discipleship. Yes, the Holy Spirit assists us to understand Scripture (this is called the doctrine of illumination). Yet our skills in handling the text of Scripture has tremendous bearing on how well we do this: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV). Bible study is indeed work. I know it pays better than any job for which we can be hired on this earth. And talk about fringe benefits!

This series is called Bible Bridges. The concept of crossing bridges in studying the Bible is not a unique concept. Duvall and Hays book Grasping God's Word uses the metaphor of a bridge to describe journeying over the distance between the Bible times and our own world:

"Principilizing Bridge" from Grasping God's Word

This is a helpful concept, and I may return to this sometime soon. I have linked to an excerpt from their book above if you want to learn more. You will find Zondervan has shared a considerable portion of their book if you want to get started.

The purpose of this series is to provide a variety of tips and suggestions for getting more out of your Bible study. This will combine a bit of technique, advice, and a little pastoral encouragement. True, I'm not a pastor these days, but I am motivated to see believers be molded by Christ and live out their faith.

The design of this series is seeking interaction with you, the audience. I may have questions and will encourage a response. Who knows, your question could be on the minds of many others. As I would like to see a community interaction, someone else may supply an answer. This is dialogue. I will share what I have learned in my years of study, but I don't have all the answers. So let's cross the bridge together and see what God has for us on the journey!

Writing Bug - Am I a pest?

Lately it seems that I've caught a bug -- the writing bug. I was recently asked to write a short paper for church leadership on the Genesis 1-2 "origins debate". There has been quite a bit of research associated with this project, and with good reason: there is a prolific number of scholarly treatments on the topic. Now it isn't like I need to add to the choir. Yet as I started the paper, I found I missed the process of doing research papers. The fact that my introduction exceeded six hundred fifty words showed that I have rediscovered a passion.

My difficulty lies in keeping what I write accessible...err, easy to read. I don't intend to write with big words as though I'm some erudite...err, well-read smarty pants. Yet the words just flow out, which often shows my writing to be more elusive for the majority of readers out there. Indeed, I would much prefer to produce perspicuous...err, clearly understood text that benefits more people. I really don't set out to impress people -- at least I don't think so. Perhaps I have a blind spot here. If so, I ask forgiveness from those who see me as their friend.

I realize I need to keep sentences shorter. After all, inserting several commas in a thought, noting that multiple clauses in a sentence, in which confusion might emerge, is a fairly outdated mode of discourse (or should I say writing?), which no doubt loses the readers' attention in this fast-paced, video-driven culture, by which finally the reader has long since given up gleaning anything useful. See my point?

In watching a recent video lecture by Dr. John H. Walton (Wheaton College), I learned about communicating in "high context" and "low context" settings. A high context setting is where the author and reader share many things and explanations are not needed. For instance, when talking to a computer technician, I do not need to explain how layer 1 works in the OSI networking model. They should generally grasp that it is the physical layer. However, in a low context setting, I would have to explain that it's the connection via an Ethernet cable or wireless signal that is the foundation for establishing a working network. In the context of my Genesis research, the ancient Israelites would have a shared history, culture, and language and no explanations were needed. We live many thousands of years later. Not only do we need translations of the language, but also of the cultural situation that shapes their very thought life. Of course, this is an example of hermeneutics (something I will post on in future writings).

The take-away for me is simple: I need to do a better job of knowing when a target audience for me is in high context or low. There's very little to be gained for writing myriad...err, a lot of words if no one values from the experience.