Official Bible Interpretation Thread

I am now in the official bible thread! And I am huge! Is it alright? It feels much better this way you know.

Jesus would understand.

My question is, how many pages are in the bibles you read?

 

That is a huge question.


My book has less than 100 pages over 1000 in text plus some complementary materials. The book introduced me to principles and the application of those principles have demonstrated to me that the principles are sound. I don't practice because I want religion, I practice because I want peace.

 

That sounds like a great book

 

That's ridiculous. There's so much scrpiture out there that didn't make it into the bible.

 

You are correct that The Old Testament (including Maccabees et al.) is a history of Jewish salvation history. God's plan though from the beginning was to use the Hebrew people as an example for all the nations.

You are still incorrect to think that God created others before or after Adam. If we accept the creation of Adam as recorded in Genesis 1-2 as a scientifically and historically accurate event, there were no others created. the rest of humanity are sons of Adam. Adam(ah) literally means humanity--it is not a personal name. Eve means Life, because from woman comes new life. Mary is called the new Eve because from her comes the True Life, Eternal Life.

Being chosen isn't always a good thing. How many times were the Hebrews punished for not following God's commandments?

Ther is also another where he says to not give pearls to swine (the nations).

 

Scripture by definition means it has to fit canon.

You consider non-canoical texts scripture, but it doesn't mean it is Scripture as regularly defined.

I consider Maccabees Scripture whereas the vast majority of Christians here do not.

What you consider scripture (things like the so called Gospels of Judas, Peter, Mary, Phillip, et cetera) were mostly written hundreds of years after the life of Christ and the Apostles (the last book written in the Bible now was either John, Revelation or Luke/Acts between 95 and 150. The first was probably 1 Thess by St Paul in the year 40 or so. Mark was probably the first Gospel written in the year 60 or so from things he saw first hand and received from St Peter.

 

Actually scripture may be, and is regularly defined, as any sacred writing or book.

 

In the context of the Christian faith, if a book is not in the canon, it is not Scripture.

 

In the context of reality, it is not so. I have the faith of the mustard seed.

 

Some of the books in the new testament were written/finished as long as 325 or 395 ad. Don't split hairs.

This, I could not have said it better.


Ukr-Cdn:
I wasn't aware that faith/christianity existed outside of reality.

Though it's starting to really appear that way.

 

So, God wrote it?

 

yeaps, and this is GOD making pencils..

 

Such as?

In the 5 year span of my BA in REligious Studies i have never encountered this theory. Dating Luke/Acts as late as AD150 is pretty darn new. Luke is usually given a dating around 85 about the same time as Matthew.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament#Dates_of_composition


When I refer to Christianity, I mean Nicene Christianity that accepts either the Protestant 66 book Bible or the full 73 found within the Catholic Canon. I do not mean people who identify as Christians but deny either the full humanity or divinity of Christ, the universal nature of Christ's mission (the "extra books" you seem so fond of reject the idea that God is for or even wants all of humanity and are by definition "secret" teachings). So in that context (as well as the context of the Sanctuary forum which is a ghetto of Christians), which is reality thank you very much, Scripture does not include those extra books. Simple research reveals why.

 

Another reason why those books aren't taken seriously by Christians is the fact that the main symbolism in those books are diametrically different from that of the scriptures we use today. Whereas the Gnostics believe that salvation comes from within, the Christian believes that salvation comes from the teachings of Christ. From we are our own saviors to God is our savior. That's pretty crucial.

 

And are you saying you don't understand why these things aren't contradictory?

Oh and thanks for finally answering my question, why couldn't you have just said that 20 posts ago?

 

Why is that of any importance? Depending on the size of the pages and the size of the font, the number of pages in a Bible can vary greatly.

 

That is true, I have not answered them yet and I'm sorry about my procrastination but I have not forgotten about them and will answer them in do time.

Yes, I did and was just curious. Knowing the motivation for a question can sometimes make it easier to answer.

Personally, I have always found the discussion with others here to be very enjoyable and don't feel the need to be hostile toward anyone. Speaking of which what's up with the personal attacks?

As for respect for the "proceedings", why did it take me asking some 20 times for you answer a simple question, a question most Christians wouldn't even have to look up, let alone even have stop to think about? Why didn't you just simply answer the question?

Actually what you just said is a better answer than the one you originally gave but it is still only part of the answer. Jesus said that those doing the God's will, will be the ones he accepts as his followers, that would seem to involve more that just living the good life.

 

OWB:

It isn't. Which is why I wonder how you don't imagine I may have meant something else by it! Or (God forgive me) nothing at all! thedope saw, sees. Blessed are the pacemakers! Being big, it is an insult to speak plainly to you diligent interpreters! Dwell on my immensity. Hang out in my car park. I won't call the cops.


Heaven rules all principals! (Enchanted, I once produced some maths for this, but it was deleted by a malignant garden gnome.)

 

In my 40 years of christian practice it has not mattered one inkling what the copyright date of a book was. It is important only for the sake of argument.

When I refer to christian I mean christian practice.

Thanks for slumming around with us.

 

Is that anything akin to Central Standard time?

The truth usually works. Usually people ask questions because they want to know the answers.

Perhaps it took you that long to get your rocks off because I answered the question as often as you asked it.

What is gods will waterbrother? That we have life and have it abundantly, to do that we love god and one another.
By the way, when will you let me into heaven? You who tell me if I am bad or good.