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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | JCrichton | 135143 | ||
"This is true. As does our Maker." Hi, JRM! True, Jesus commands that we excercise greater justice than that of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 5:20), as it is true throughout the Bible... yet, when speaking of the Old Covenant times there was a different economy, one that until Jesus' incarnation relied on physical rather than spiritual values... Simeon and Levi, though perhaps excessive, were taking vengeance upon those who insulted both their sister and, by extension, their God! I cannot offer you more proof than the very Scripture where Yahweh orders Jacob to flee the area and He keeps the Canaanites and others from harming him and his family as they travel out of the immediate geographical area to Bethel (Genesis 35:1-15)... neither can I convince you that Dinah was rape... I can only warn you to curb such liberal interpretation of Scripture as they can, more times than not, lead you away from the Truth (Christ). This, said, please understand that I am not limiting God's ability and desire to forgive us our transgressions--aside from rejecting Him there is no sin not forgiven to man (Matthew 21:31-32; Isaiah 1:18-20; Ezekiel 18:30-32). God Bless! Angel |
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2 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | Just Read Mark | 135157 | ||
Angel, I don't think my queries were particularly "liberal." Rather, I think it is important to look at characters' motivations in the text, and try to understand what is being described. The Bible often uses few words to describe an event, leaving many questions. The Old Testament, in particular, is full of ethically complicated situations ---- it is more like history than parables: the people are messed up (as we are) and aren't always good moral examples. There is not always a gloss on the story, where we are told "this was good" or "this was bad." We are left to wrestle it through. As for the differences between Old Testament and New -- perhaps it is even more complicated than that. Can you imagine being Jacob, and only having the stories of the beginning of Genesis to work with? No liberation from Egypt to shape your understanding of God's liberty... No Ten commandments to shape your understanding of God's righteousness... With each covenant, (Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David...) the picture of God becomes a little clearer. As Joseph says, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8). |
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