Results 41 - 57 of 57
|
||||||
Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Just Read Mark Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | romantic word listed in songs of solomon | Bible general Archive 1 | Just Read Mark | 86508 | ||
Words in context. Hello Nexgen. There are, perhaps, words that are obviously "romantic" --- lover, bride, beloved, desire, ... But really, words are intimate or romantic by how they are USED. Thus, while the words "goats" and "sheep" don't strike me as particularly romantic on their own, the Song uses them to romantic effect. Apparently it is romantic to say "Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin...." How our fashion magazines could learn from these images! Often, the most intimate things are not described directly -- so a list of "intimate words" will miss them. One of the sexiest verses in the Bible, in my opinion, is "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." (Song of Songs, 7:8) Well, I'm off to take a cold shower. Hope my blurb helps you a little. JRM. |
||||||
42 | Who are YOU? | Rom 3:3 | Just Read Mark | 86477 | ||
Textual riddle. It'll be hard to find our bones, scattered across the globe. As for the bone-box -- it has been studied at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (not too far from me, O bone hunter) -- and the inscription is a bit of a riddle. The name James is very clearly written. The phrase "brother of Jesus" is in a more crude style, suggesting that it is a later addition. So, as occasionally happens on this forum, we are left wondering what text is authentic . . . |
||||||
43 | Why does NIV OMIT verses in KJV? | Acts 8:37 | Just Read Mark | 86401 | ||
Accurate Translation. Hello GeorJoy. Study into the original languages, and the analysis of manuscripts is a continuing process. We have far greater knowledge of these things now, compared to even 100 years ago -- let alone the KJV. The power of KJV is in its language: the best writers in the English language worked on the phrasing of that text. Now, many versions are flat-footed. Every translation has to strike a balance between "most literal" and "most readable" -- and each version solves this problem differently. The KJV is not, however, the most accurate. When scholars find that a bit of text was not likely in the original manuscript, it makes sense to leave it out. Most versions will put the "omitted" verse in a footnote, so you can compare. This is why it is good to have a different translations around the house (or on the net) to compare. As for the numbering: I don't remember when the chapters and numbers were added. I do know it was quite recent. And quite arbitrary: chapters end in funny places that break up themes or arguments --- we should never allow chapter breaks to shape our reading habits and interpretations. They are simply a way to find verses -- period. It makes sense, then, that the verse numbers should jump, when certain verses are removed from the body of the text. That way, we are all using the same numbers for the same verses. Peace. |
||||||
44 | Could the man see at one time | Mark 8:25 | Just Read Mark | 85899 | ||
Healed in Two Stages. I assume your question is : "If he had never seen anything before, how would he know what trees looked like?" John's gospel talks about a "man born blind" (all of chapter 9) -- but Mark's story doesn't say how long the man had been blind. So your hypothesis could be correct. The tree image, however, makes me think of the blurriness of trees: all those leaves defy a crisp definition. So it is quite a comical and vivid description of disorientation. The radical thing about this story is that Jesus had to heal him in two stages. Does this mean that, somehow, Jesus wasn't able to heal him in one shot? There are instances where Jesus can't heal because of people's unbelief. I think, however, the story gives us a lot of courage. For so many, healing is gradual and in stages. This story, unique in the gospels, affirms that the healing of Jesus needn't be instantaneous. Yours JRM By the way: I have loved reading your stream of questions on Mark. Clearly, you are reading the whole narrative, and aren't letting things by you. I read Mark recently, too (thus my pen name). Isn't it a rapid-fire, action-packed read? |
||||||
45 | need help .spiritual dryness | John 21:16 | Just Read Mark | 85735 | ||
Traits for growth. Thank you, Scribe, for an inspiring description of what preaching can be. I'd like to add another thought -- which is about balance. We need to hear the Word, but if we don't ACT on it, things will indeed be dry. Looking at the Great Commandment (Matt 22:37-40), and the Great Commission (Matt 28:19,20), these traits are shown to foster church health: Servanthood. Evangelism. Worship. Discipleship. Fellowship. Each of these things is key, and they function in tandem. They grow simultaneously. These ideas, and their scriptural basis, is explained by "Purpsose Driven" Ministries. Check out their websites. I do work with youth, and the book "Purpose Driven Youth Ministry" has really helped me. Yours, JRM. PS__ Let's not lay it all on the minister. Different people have different gifts, and so often we expect the minister to be everything. Growth happens as a community, and perhaps God wants to use your current frustration as the seed for a new vision. |
||||||
46 | Could someone help me,I need to know | Bible general Archive 1 | Just Read Mark | 85670 | ||
Thinking of Death. Hello. You asked if this line is in the Bible: "He who thinks of Death is dead already." I have searched for it, and don't see it... Maybe I'm missing it --- except that I don't think it is a Biblical idea. It strikes me that the quote you mention reflects "the power of positive thinking" --- that, if we don't think about bad things, we will live a charmed life. As Christians, we have such a robust faith, we can even look on death without squirming. In fact, I think we are instructed to think about our own deaths. Psalm 90 speaks about the shortness of human life, and asks God to help us to "count our days aright, that we may gain a wise heart." Acknowledging death helps us to be wise and faithful. Paul's hardships brought him close to death, and he says these inspiring words: Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9) Paul's text, I think, shows that walking in God's power requires that we "die to ourselves" -- see how limited we are, and not trust in our frailty. We are not called to be morbid and dark... but certainly to stare death in the face. "Death, where is thy sting?" --- there is great freedom for LIVING fully, by celebrating God's power over death. Surely the martyrs through the centuries believed this. One last thought. The contemplative traditions have often promoted imagining your own death as a way of understanding, or evaluating, how you are using your life for God. The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius would be an example. Thomas a Kempis' "The Imitation of Christ" would be another, I think. Let us say with Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Yours, JRM |
||||||
47 | The Holy Spirit b4 Christ's ascension? | Num 11:25 | Just Read Mark | 85423 | ||
Eternal Spirit. Hello Prazn. As I understand it, the Holy Spirit has always been active in our midst, from before creation onwards. I've put a passage from Numbers at the top -- because it looks amazingly like Pentecost. But still, the Spirit was only poured out on select leaders. That is what I see as the difference -- before Pentecost, the Spirit filled people selectively. Since Pentecost, the indwelling of the Spirit is a gift to ALL believers. Let us learn to walk in the Spirit, such an amazing gift. Yours JRM. |
||||||
48 | Are we all descendants of Adam and Eve? | Genesis | Just Read Mark | 84808 | ||
The meaning of Adam and Eve. A consensus seems to be expressed about the literal interpretation of the opening chapters of Genesis. As a Christian who believes the Bible is God's inspired word, I would like to present another interpretation. There are, in fact, many Bible-believing Christians who interpret these chapters differently. I find that the opening chapters of Genesis contain a mythic language that suggests we are not to interpret these texts within the "scientific/rationalistic" mode. The language moves away from mythic writing, and into much more concrete history, with the story of Abram and Sarai. It is easy to get hung up on questions of "who married who" etc, and get distracted from the real meaning of the passage. The God-given story of Adam and Eve tells us essential things about what it means to be human. That's why Adam's name isn't a proper name, but a generic term meaning "man." It tells us, for instance, that all humans are of one family, from all races cultures. It tells us that men and women are made in God's image. It tells us about how God intended intimacy between humanity and God, but we chose rebellion instead. It tells us about the relationship between men and women, and the communal character of being human. The expulsion from the garden speaks to our sense of loss and alienation in the world -- and also about the discipline of work and toil. There are so many profound themes wrapped into these short chapters. We don't need to know what literally or scientically happened, to embrace this Word as foundationally true. Focusing on difficulties in literal interpretation prevents us from getting to the substantive meat that can feed our souls. I would suggest that there is a danger in using a literal lense on these passages of scripture. If we claim mythic passages as literal, we lose credibility when we claim other difficult passages are literal. The language of the resurrection accounts, for instance, talk about witnesses and proofs, specific places and times. It is clear that the gospel writers and early Christians believed the resurrection to be a historic, literal occurance. If we sully our credibility with Genesis, it makes it harder to make the case for the resurrection. I do not intend to be divisive or difficult. Instead, I hope that we can allow for some diversity in the reading. In fact, I don't want to discuss the "literal vs. mythic" issue -- but rather, to shift the emphasis to "what does this text say to us, anyway?" Peace. |
||||||
49 | The answer to the riddle by Samson was? | Judg 14:8 | Just Read Mark | 84691 | ||
Hi there. I am not sure of all the symbolic meanings etc -- but the basic riddle just refers to the lion and the honey. On his way to his in-laws, Samson saw that honey bees had made a hive inside the dead lion's jaws. He based the riddle on this sight. "Out of the eater [the lion] came something to eat [honey]. Out of the strong came something sweet." .... By the way: the whole story shows messed up family relationships, eh? Should all engaged couples be urged to read this? |
||||||
50 | Studying O.T. is creating problems. | Genesis | Just Read Mark | 84688 | ||
The Bible is very strange, and very wonderful. I find that people often "rationalize" the weirdness out of the Bible, but often those explanations can feel very thin. God does not fit in our boxes. I see part of the Old Testament as a challenge to me: will I worship God, even though my sensabilities are shocked? I think God can speak to us in all kinds of cultural situations, and in the midst of our brokeness. So practices that are less than ideal (ie. polygamy) didn't seem to block people's relationship with God the way we might expect. There is grace there, I think. Looking at historical context can help too. The story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son is a total shocker. But I've heard that child sacrifice was quite common, and this was God's way of putting an end to it -- substituting the sheep. This, then, becomes a profound (and still troubling) act of grace. Of course, that sheep was a prefigurement of Jesus -- the ultimate sacrifice. I think that, in some ways, seeing the violent justice of the Old Testament (in the prophets as well as histories) helps us to understand how merciful the Gospel of Jesus is. I read the Old Testament with armed with both wonder and an acceptance of ambiguity. So many parts of it I still don't understand, or I find morally difficult, but God still meets me in the text. I pray that God will open his word to you, Skip. I ask that, for myself, all the time. Do you pray through what you read? |
||||||
51 | What is liberation theology? | Eph 4:14 | Just Read Mark | 84687 | ||
Hi there. Christianity has many faces, as different aspects of the Bible speak to people's settings. Liberation theology needn't step away from orthodox Chrisitianity, although sometimes it does. The theme of liberation is a writ large throughout the Bible. Think of the the Hebrew's delivery from slavery, or Christ's "manifesto" to preach good news to the poor and restore sight to the blind, set the captives free, etc (see Luke 4:16 ff). As I understand it -- in Central America, the evangelical churches worked to pacify the community, focusing of Christ's otherworldly kingdom. This type of theology plays into the hands of corrupt governments -- so these churches grew with State blessing. Liberation Theology developed in Catholic churches that strove to bring justice to the daily lives of the people. Such elements as land reform are crucial -- and the churches have worked very hard to follow the gospel's cry for justice and mercy. There is a good movie called Romero that follows the life (and martyrdom) of one of these priests. I think that modern evangelical faith often focuses on a "personal Jesus" that, in response to secularism in the society, becomes a matter of private devotion. If you look at Acts, however, following Jesus is shown as radically communal and political. Even in the 19th century in North America, orthodox Christians started all kinds of "justice" initiatives. I feel that this has been lost, as we have given into faith as a private matter --- but liberation theology can re-connect us to that engagement. I hope this helps. |
||||||
52 | By the bible, is nuclear winter possible | Gen 8:22 | Just Read Mark | 84368 | ||
The Bible, Nukes, and Global Warming. Wow: what a frightening conversation. I do not think the Bible is to be read in this way. What are you suggesting: that we don't need to fear nuclear proliferation, because the Bible says life will go on? Nuclear arms are not a tenable option for the blessed peacemakers. Same question for global warming --- are you suggesting that we can be irresponsible with our use of toxics, because the Bible assures us that life will go on? Aren't we called to be good stewards in this world? Christians need to be active and engaged in these moral issues of our time -- not lulled to sleep. Perhaps the Genesis text is to assure us that, in taking action, this world can be made better than it is. I have heard that some Christians don't worry themselves about the AIDS epidemic that is decimating Africa, because their view of history requires such disasters (predicted in Revelation). These kinds of interpretations are an abuse of the Bible -- we are called to be active, to serve, and to suffer for others. May we work together for God's world. |
||||||
53 | John21:1-14 , Luke 5:1-11 | John 21:1 | Just Read Mark | 83834 | ||
Catch of Fish. I think these stories intentionally echo each other. In Luke, Jesus is calling the disciples. This miracle calls them into the life of following Jesus. The miracle in John happens after the resurrection. The disciples are still unsure of how to proceed -- they have no direction since the crucifixion. They have returned to their old lives of fishing in Galilee. But Jesus calls them again, echoing the way he called them in the first place. This is, then, a second miracle that intentionally recalls the details of the first one. The resurrection appearances often echo things Jesus did during his ministry -- for example, he is recognized by how he breaks the bread at Emmaus. (Luke 24). Also -- the element of "calling" in this John text is strengthened by what follows: Peter is forgiven for his betrayal, and is called to build the church. In my reading of the gospels, I always find that the miracles function at a symbolic level. Not to say that Jesus didn't perform the miracles, but rather that Jesus is so concerned with meaning that his miracles provide symbolic views of God's character. Thus, the feeding of the masses reflects the feast of heaven... the healing of the blind man in John's gospel becomes a teaching opportunity about spiritual blindness, and so on. The miraculous catch of fish point to the abundance and effectiveness in serving God. Does that make sense? What do you think? |
||||||
54 | Prov 31 Does it apply to modern woman? | Prov 31:10 | Just Read Mark | 83706 | ||
Working Women. For most periods of history, women have worked. The rules about women in the "domestic sphere" only became dominant with industrialization in Eurupe. We should not think of "a woman's place in the home" as normative. The virtuous wife of Proverbs bought land, had employees, and was involved in all kinds of economic transactions (as beautifully described by Jappii, above). She has considerable influence in her family and society. Obviously, the kinds of jobs have changed from spinning etc. - but the point seems to hold. Women deserve praise for their work: "Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." (v. 31.) There you have it: affirmative action in the days of Solomon! |
||||||
55 | Is having a TV unbiblical? | Matt 24:14 | Just Read Mark | 82871 | ||
Our TV's in the closet. That way, we are not tempted to just flick it on, out of passivity. We must make a choice, and choosing makes us more alive. TV is a cause of blandness and passivity in society. It is important, as Christians, that we don't dull our senses: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:12) That said -- excellent programming COULD be on TV. So let's get out there and make it. There is still the problem of passivity, but in moderation it can be dealth with. And computers, for instance, allow for more interaction (I think to myself, as I post this note on the web). Most Christian radio and TV is not life - giving. It can take the power OUT of the gospel by being predictable and removed from the grit of daily life. Too often, it is like a hallmark card. |
||||||
56 | If you believe that women can lead men. | Bible general Archive 1 | Just Read Mark | 82829 | ||
Husbands and Wives. Interesting that the Deborah story discussed above mentions her husband... While her husband is named with respect, it is her leadership that is remembered. I've been married 10 years. My wife and I discussed these verses a fair bit when we first got married. But we found that thinking about giftedness was more important. As well as "Submit to one another in reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:21) She is better at following through with certain things. I am more of a risk-taker, but am also frugal and good at keeping records. We depend on each other. Major decisions are made together. In 10 years, there has never been a point when we have been at an impass, and had to resort to roles. Perhaps this way takes more dialogue, but it works. Whenever she is more informed in a certain area - more able to make a decision - obviously I submit to her. There are many men with poor judgement, and the "headship" idea must cause grief for their wives. Don't you think? I appreciate, or course, that husbands are to live sacrificially for their wives, as Christ loves us (the church) --- So headship is not as clear-cut as it seems. Peace. |
||||||
57 | Struggling with a divorce | Rom 6:23 | Just Read Mark | 82340 | ||
Woman at the well. Hello M. I read your letter just before doing an hour commute, so I had some time to think about it. I think I know why you wrote "a bit long" --- because the specifics of life are important. We don't want pat answers; we need to know that God enters the chaos, the nitty-gritty details of our living. I kept thinking about the story of Jesus and the Samaratan woman --- this woman had a very complicated personal history. And Jesus knew every detail: and how freed she was, by being known by Jesus. And Jesus offered her living water. It is an amazing story that really speaks to me --- so take time to read it. John 4:1-42. Read all the way to verse 42, because it is amazing how God becomes active in this woman's life. God wants to heal your brokeness. God wants you to be light to the people around you. Restoration of your confidence, and of your children's sense of safety, is possible. Take courage. Find the support you need. Find people you can trust. Perhaps a prayer group. |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 1 2 3 ] |