Posted by Dena on February 26, 2008, at 13:08:57
In reply to Re: Lou's reply to rayww-acuratrcord » Lou Pilder, posted by rayww on February 26, 2008, at 8:51:52
I agree with Lou...
Once-upon-a-time, I read the Bible through the "lens" of those who believed themselves authorized to tell me how to interpret it.
Now, I know I can read any version, and the Spirit interprets the letters/meanings for me. Some things are obvious, and other things require a deeper revelation.
Lou - I use the same variety of versions, as I was led to use many of them. Of course, I don't have your special Bible from your Greek radio-friend (is coveting a Bible considered a sin..? ;) ).
I also use Strong's concordance (online - blueletterbible.com ) even though I realize that it's heavily tainted by the understanding of words as they are used in the KJV... and I have a healthy skepticism towards the agenda of the translators of the KJV. Still, the Spirit can use it.
Of course, the Spirit can use a donkey or a billboard, or a Beattles song to speak to me, too..! ;)
I also enjoy a newer translation of the New Testament called "The Source". It's translated by a woman in Australia. She uses the entire source of manuscripts, including those which have been discovered within the past 150 years (largely ignored by other translators, who prefer to use the same manuscripts used for the KJV, and back to the Vulgate, which I do not trust). She also uses a wealth of non-biblical documents which have been unearthed in the past century or so... which show how Greek words found in the NT were commonly used in that era ... meanings which shed entirely new light on many previously-misunderstood passages of Scripture.
Things like how "aionion" was used by the Greeks of Jesus' day. So when He spoke of "aionion kolasis", they knew it to mean "age-abiding correction/pruning", and not "eternal punishment."
Sooooooo many things have been corrupted by humans, both in ancient times, and in more recent times.
What's clear to me is that God wanted to establish relationship between us and Himself ... and we humans, wanting something "safer" that we could control, established institutions instead.
He still wants relationship. Humans still prefer institutions.
Just my own observational, experienced, opinion.
Shalom, Dena
"The unanswered questions aren't nearly as dangerous as the unquestioned answers."
poster:Dena
thread:814179
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20070227/msgs/814791.html