how do you read the bible correctly?

'The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon', oil on canvas painting by Edward Poynter, 1890, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Wives

Concubines

Salomon the Wise, Writer of Three O.T.BooksA Polygamist ?

Should we also have more wives ?Or do you need to interpret the Bible?Take account of the time, culture etc.?

'The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon', oil on canvas painting by Edward Poynter, 1890, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Wives

Concubines

Lamech, (2) Adah and Zillah (Gen 4:19).

Abraham (3+) Sarah, Hagar (Gen 16:3, 21:1-13), Keturah(Gen 25:1), and concubines (Gen 25:6).

Jacob (4) Leah and Rachel (Gen 29:28) Bilhah (Gen 30:4) Zilpah (Gen 30:9).

Moses (2) Zipporah (Ex 2:21, Ex 18:1-6) an Ethiopian woman (Num 12:1).

Gideon (“many wives“) (Judges 8:29-32).

Elkanah (2) Samuel's father Hannah and Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:1-2).

David (8-22+) Michal (1 Sam 18:27, 19:11-18, 25:44; 2 Sam 3:13-14, 6:20-23), Abigail of Carmel (1 Sam 25:39, 1 Chr 3), Ahinoam of Jezreel (1 Sam 25:43, 1 Chr 3), Eglah (2 Sam 3:4-5, 1 Chr 3) and Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:24). Maacah (2 Sam 3:3, 1 Chr 3), Abital (2 Sam 3:3-4, 1 Chr 3) and Haggith (2 Sam 3:3, 1 Chr 3). Ten concubines, or wives as they are referred to in 2 Sam 5:13, 15:16, 16:21-23, 1 Chr 14:3

Solomon (700 wives and 300 concubines) 1 Kings 11:3.

Do you need to interpret the Bible? How do we do that?

“However much we might try to be objective to look at things honestly, fairly, logically, without preconceived

notions - we inevitably bring our own ideas, culture, moods, and experiences into whatever subject we approach.” Clifford Goldstein, Adult Sabbath School Bible Study

Guide, July 1,2006 p.14 http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/less02.html

Youthful Vigorous Athletic

Pantocrator, Dapni, Greece, 1100 C.E. (Mosaic)

regal Jesus, all-powerful imperial rulerjudgeunchanging in majesty

Head of Christ Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1658

Gentle Had suffered Understands Comforting

Head of Christ Warner Sallman, 1940

Loving Non threateningThoughtful European

The Epic of American Civilization: Modern Migration of the Spirit Jose Clemente Orozco, 1932-34

liberator

•from injustice and •from dominance by•the ruling class.

Processional Cross Francois-Xavier Goddard, c. 1950

African Features conveying spiritual qualities

“However much we might try to be objective to look at things honestly, fairly, logically, without preconceived

notions - we inevitably bring our own ideas, culture, moods, and experiences into whatever subject we approach.” Clifford Goldstein, Adult Sabbath School Bible Study

Guide, July 1,2006 p.14 http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/less02.html

Paul

INTENT

Pre-natalGeneticGeographyCulturalGenderRacialPhysical

EmotionalMentalEducationalSocialSpiritualFamily Origin

MESSAGE

WordsLooksLooks

GesturesGesturesTonesTones

PosturesPosturesSilenceSilence

You & Me

Pre-natalGeneticGeographyCulturalGenderRacialPhysical

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I Wrote YOU READ

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MANUSCRIPTS

Slide from public domain

“Study to show thyself

approved unto God” 2 Timothy 2:15

“Allow no one to be brains for you, allow no one to do your thinking, your investigating, and your praying.”

Fundamentals of Christian Education, 307

Reasons Why We Can’t Just Read The Bible

We have to consider:

Nature of the self-limiting God

Nature of the writer The nature of Scripture The nature of time elapsed The nature of translations The nature of the reader

GeneticCulturalGenderRacial

EmotionalMentalEducationalFamily Origin



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I Wrote

“The Lord speaks to human beings in

imperfect speech, in order that the degenerate senses,...may comprehend his words. Thus is shown God’s condescension. He meets fallen human being where they are… for infinite ideas cannot be perfectly embodied in finite vehicles of thought. E.G.White letter 121, 1901.

self-limiting God





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I Wrote“The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought

and expression. It is that of humanity. MS.24, 1886; The Testimony of Jesus, 15-18

The Writer’s thoughts are affected by

“If a man is caught lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die…So you shall purge the evil From Israel.” Deut. 22:22

# 129

If a married woman

and man are caught in adultery

both die

“If a man is caught lying with the wife

of another man, both of them shall

die…”

Deut. 22:22





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I Wrote

“The Bible must be given in the language of men. Everything that is human is imperfect. Different meanings are expressed by the same word. There is not one word for each distinct idea.”MS. 24, 1886; The Testimony of Jesus, 15-18

Writer’s words, his culture’s ideomatic expressions:

Prv.22: 28“Remove not the ancient landmark, which Your fathers have set” RSV

Meaning ?Do not make changes from the way we have always done thingsDo not stealDo not remove Guideposts that direct travelers from town to townDo not remove boundary markers

Bible contains many different Literary Forms

•History•Genealogies•Chronicles•Laws•Poetry•Proverbs•Prophesy

• Riddles• Drama• Biographies• Parables• Letters• Sermons• Apocalypses

How would you write an advertisement to sell your house?

By comparison what would a legal document of the sale of

your house look like ?

•Emphasize the positive features while •De-emphasizing negative features.•Exaggeration ingredient of advertising

Literary Example of Proverbs• Commit to the Lord whatever you

do, and your plans will succeed.

• Prov 16:3 (NIV)•Is this really true ?

Proverbs are worded to be memorable, not necessarily theoretically accurate



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I Wrote

Should we apply today a 2000 year old statement ? “Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak,… And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their husbands.” I Cor 14:34-35 (NASV)

“Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” Deut 19:21

Writer

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Godspoke “ ‘Don’t you

think there might have been some mistake in the copyist or the translators?’ This is all probable…” MS

16,1888; The Testimony of Jesus, 12-13

Manuscript variants:

Did John the Baptist say ?

“This is the son of God” or as other manuscripts say:

“This is God’s Chosen One”

John 1:31

“I saw that God had especially guarded the

Bible, yet when copies of it were few,

learned men had in some instances changed the words, thinking that they were making it more plain, when in reality they were mystifying that which was plain, by causing it to lean to their established views, which were governed by tradition.”

Early Writings, 220, 221




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MESSAGE

I Wrote

“Different meanings are expressed by the same word;there is not one word for each distinct idea.”MS. 24, 1986. The Testimony of Jesus, 17.

“ ‘Don’t you think there might have been some mistake in … the translators?’ This is all probable…” MS 16,1888; The Testimony of Jesus, 12-13

We dropped the Atom

Bomb.

A dramatic example of words having a variety of meanings and can be translated differently: The Allies ultimatum to Japan

Japan responded that the government would

mokusatsu

Mokusatsu may mean:“to consider” or “to take notice of”The Japanese meant they would consider surrender. OurTranslator translated Japan would “take notice of”

How do you Translate ?

1.Word for Word - literal translation

Ex.: “I am full” (Sono piena)

2.Thought for Thought – dynamic equivalent3. Paraphrase – translate ideas

RSV“For I know that my Redeemer lives, …and after my skin has

been thus destroyed, then without my flesh I shall see God.”ASVAnd after my skin, even this body , is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God;Louis SegondQuand ma peau sera détruite, il se lèvera; Quand je n'aurai plus de chair, je verrai Dieu.

Translator chooses the MeaningJob 19: 25, 26KJV“For I know that my redeemer liveth,…and though after

my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”

Word vs Thought Translation

• 1 John 3:17–KJV: “shutteth up his bowels”

(intestine)

– NIV: “has no pity”

• Colossians 3:12–KJV: “put on bowels of mercies”

– NIV: “clothe yourselves with compassion”





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MESSAGE

I Wrote

“we inevitably bring our own ideas, culture, moods, and experiences into whatever subject we approach.”

Clifford Goldstein, Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, p.14





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I Wrote

how do you read the bible correctly?

Spiritual

concubines gen

nature of time

selflimiting god nature

nature of translations

nature of scripture

rachel gen

bilhah gen

zillah gen