What is the Bible?

[Brakelite]

A band of hippies with guitars are IMO generally considered unemployed, dope smoking homeless shabbily dressed bums soooo I think the writers of scripture would be offended by your description .....just sayin.

The writers of scripture were farmers and fisherman ( and Peter dived into the sea naked on one occasion to swim ashore to Jesus) ... That takes care of the shabbily dressed...
The writers of scripture were a tax collector, and a rebel homeless prince... That takes care of the unemployed...
Others were a murderer and an adulterer...
That takes care of the dope smoking bums...
Yet another was a captive slave in a foreign land (3or 4 of them), there was a destitute herdsman...a widowed mother...a soldier...a tent maker...
All of them ordinary people doing their best in life... Like you and me.
And I would suggest that numerous hippies formed the nucleus of the 1970s global revival which spawned musicians such as Chuck Gerard and Keith Green

 

[Enoch111]

What's 'eugenics'?

This is completely off-topic, but read Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler. He had the *Final Solution*.

The origins of eugenics beliefs
Hitler’s views on eugenics were based on social policies that placed the biological improvement of the Aryan Race, or the Germanic “master race” through eugenics at the center of Nazi belief. But Hitler did not create these views. He merely put into policy ideas that circulated throughout the western world in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries...

Later in Mein Kampf, in the chapter on “Nation and Race,” Hitler discussed biological evolution in the context of racial purity. He argued that racial mixing is deleterious to biological organisms, precisely because it would stymie biological evolution...

Hitler's Views on Eugenics and Aryan Supremacism - History

 

[marksman]

What it is not... Is a dissertation on theology. It wasn't written by a group of PhDs sitting in a communal classroom writing a doctorate/thesis on doctrine and dogma.
The Bible is essentially a story...a narrative. Rather than written by scholars, it was more the result of a band of hippies with guitars. Does this offend you?
So what is it that we are to get from reading the Bible... Considering it's largely a book of songs, poems, and literary masterpieces such as Revelation? Theology? Yes, we can extract from the Bible different points of theology. But that isn't the main intent as far as I'm concerned anyway. I think what we are to receive from scripture is a picture of God, through the story or narrative of how He presents Himself to man. A story of redemption...a story of love...a story of infinite and merciful faithfulness. And once we behold that picture... Then we are changed into His image. But if you get the picture wrong, then the image being created is not... The picture your mind is focused on... Is one of your own making, and your future may never rise higher than your own limited imagination.
So what to you is the Bible, and it's purpose?

The Bible is essentially a story...a narrative. Rather than written by scholars, it was more the result of a band of hippies with guitars. Does this offend you?

Not so. Moses was a Prime Minister. David and Solomon were kings. Several books were written by prophets who were held in high regard. Luke was a doctor. Paul was a Rabbi. Peter was a self-employed businessman. Timothy was the first bishop of Ephesus. Titus was a leader of the church. Need I go on?

 

[mjrhealth]

Whatever the bible is, it is not my God, nor my saviour.

 

[Enoch111]

The Bible is essentially a story...a narrative. Rather than written by scholars, it was more the result of a band of hippies with guitars. Does this offend you?

This is rather misleading, and that is always offensive. While God did not need scholars to write the Bible, He did have a variety of individuals as the prophets and apostles who wrote what they were given to write, but hardly anyone would have been at the same level as a hippie.

Moses -- the writer of the Torah -- was literally a prince in Egypt before he became the leader of the Israelities. Daniel was virtually the second in command in Babylon -- another prince. Nehemiah was the governor of Judea commissioned by the king of Persia to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

David -- who wrote the majority of the Psalms -- was the primary king of Israel. Solomon -- who wrote three of the books -- was undoubtedly the wisest and richest king of Israel.

Joshua was a military leader the likes of which have been few and far between. Job was the richest man in the East, with a very high standing before God. But Ezra was a priest who was very learned in the Scriptures, as well as an outstanding leader.

Matthew was a tax-collector for the Romans, but Paul may have been the only trained Pharisee who attended rabbinic schools. However Luke was a trained physician, and both Peter and John were wealthy fishermen. We think of them as poor, ignorant fishermen, but that is not what the Bible reveals. That is what their enemies surmised.

 

[farouk]

Take Revelation for example. Have you studied the chiasm form John wrote in? He didn't just scribble out a whole lot of words and phrases like a monologue secretarial letter from the boss. It has structure, beauty, design... It's poetic, not a dissertation on theology. I think the Bible structure and form and beauty is far closer to the writings of one like Bob Dylan rather than Augustine or Kant.

It's remarkable how similar the vocabulary is between John's Gospel, John's First Epistle and Revelation.

 

[Brakelite]

The Bible is essentially a story...a narrative. Rather than written by scholars, it was more the result of a band of hippies with guitars. Does this offend you?

Not so. Moses was a Prime Minister. David and Solomon were kings. Several books were written by prophets who were held in high regard. Luke was a doctor. Paul was a Rabbi. Peter was a self-employed businessman. Timothy was the first bishop of Ephesus. Titus was a leader of the church. Need I go on?

Yes, and those people were poets and song writers. They didn't write as Kings and priests and politicians and Rabbis... They wrote as intimate cheerful friends celebrating the wonder and beauty of God. God was revealing Himself through those folk and he didn't do so through the medium of scholasticism... He revealed Himself through a medium of delightful prose, wouldn't you agree?

 

[Pathfinder7]

The writers of scripture were farmers and fisherman ( and Peter dived into the sea naked on one occasion to swim ashore to Jesus) ... That takes care of the shabbily dressed...
The writers of scripture were a tax collector, and a rebel homeless prince... That takes care of the unemployed...
Others were a murderer and an adulterer...
That takes care of the dope smoking bums...
Yet another was a captive slave in a foreign land (3or 4 of them), there was a destitute herdsman...a widowed mother...a soldier...a tent maker...
All of them ordinary people doing their best in life... Like you and me.
And I would suggest that numerous hippies formed the nucleus of the 1970s global revival which spawned musicians such as Chuck Gerard and Keith Green

You wrote, "..of the 1970's global revival which.. "
- 'Jesus Movement'
- One of Revival / Awakening movements ..in the 20th century.
- Pioneering days of 'Contemporary Christian Music.'
---
My spiritual journey started in 1970's.

Blessings,

 

[Brakelite]

This is rather misleading, and that is always offensive. While God did not need scholars to write the Bible, He did have a variety of individuals as the prophets and apostles who wrote what they were given to write, but hardly anyone would have been at the same level as a hippie.

Moses -- the writer of the Torah -- was literally a prince in Egypt before he became the leader of the Israelities. Daniel was virtually the second in command in Babylon -- another prince. Nehemiah was the governor of Judea commissioned by the king of Persia to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

David -- who wrote the majority of the Psalms -- was the primary king of Israel. Solomon -- who wrote three of the books -- was undoubtedly the wisest and richest king of Israel.

Joshua was a military leader the likes of which have been few and far between. Job was the richest man in the East, with a very high standing before God. But Ezra was a priest who was very learned in the Scriptures, as well as an outstanding leader.

Matthew was a tax-collector for the Romans, but Paul may have been the only trained Pharisee who attended rabbinic schools. However Luke was a trained physician, and both Peter and John were wealthy fishermen. We think of them as poor, ignorant fishermen, but that is not what the Bible reveals. That is what their enemies surmised.

Yes, they were those things, but you needn't take them all so seriously. Remember, the Bible isn't a treatise revealing them... It's God revealing Himself through them. They painted a picture of God... They were artists... And I think we need to look at the Bible from that part to paradigm in order to gain a better understanding of Who God is... Because that is how He presented Himself.

 

[Brakelite]

You wrote, "..of the 1970's global revival which.. "
- 'Jesus Movement'
- One of Revival / Awakening movements ..in the 20th century.
- Pioneering days of 'Contemporary Christian Music.'
---
My spiritual journey started in 1970's.

Blessings,

Mine too, but not out of that movement. Discovered that a little later through the music of Keith Green, Chuck Gerard, Second Chapter of Act, and who was the guy who sang "Day? of Destruction"?

 

[Brakelite]

It's remarkable how similar the vocabulary is between John's Gospel, John's First Epistle and Revelation.

That is very true. What general picture do you take away from John's writing regarding the character of God,? Was his writing focused on a different aspect of character than other writers?

 

[Joseph77]

Take Revelation for example. Have you studied the chiasm form John wrote in? He didn't just scribble out a whole lot of words and phrases like a monologue secretarial letter from the boss. It has structure, beauty, design... It's poetic, not a dissertation on theology. I think the Bible structure and form and beauty is far closer to the writings of one like Bob Dylan rather than Augustine or Kant.

Not even in the same world! The Bible is divine - not from the thoughts of man, not by the will of men.... as God Says Himself... not originating from men either, but in and from God, His Choice, His Will, His Way, His Guarding and Watching and Breathing His Word..... every particle, every iota....

 

[Marymog]

The writers of scripture were farmers and fisherman ( and Peter dived into the sea naked on one occasion to swim ashore to Jesus) ... That takes care of the shabbily dressed...
The writers of scripture were a tax collector, and a rebel homeless prince... That takes care of the unemployed...
Others were a murderer and an adulterer...
That takes care of the dope smoking bums...
Yet another was a captive slave in a foreign land (3or 4 of them), there was a destitute herdsman...a widowed mother...a soldier...a tent maker...
All of them ordinary people doing their best in life... Like you and me.
And I would suggest that numerous hippies formed the nucleus of the 1970s global revival which spawned musicians such as Chuck Gerard and Keith Green

Not true. Peter put on some clothes to swim out to Jesus and NOTHING in scripture suggests he had shabby clothes. He was an employed fisherman and did NOT write any of the letters in the NT.

Matthew had the job of being a tax collector soooo he was NOT unemployed.

Luke was a physician.

In the preface to his gospel in manuscripts of the Vulgate, Mark is represented as having been a Jewish priest.

Murderer and adultry does not equate to dope smoking bum.

Soooo your analogy is completely wrong

 

[Joseph77]

Brake's post hit a nerve, eh?
He was right.

Brakelite2: 1
maryxxx: 0

Soooo your analogy is completely wrong

 

[Joseph77]

All of them ordinary people doing their best in life... Like you and me.

oops... a teeny tiny eensy weeny small mistake or assumption there..... what do you know of mary? what makes you think someone you don't know about , or assume, that they are doing anything good at all, or doing their best in life ? Most people on earth do not, at all.

 

[Marymog]

Brake's post hit a nerve, eh?
He was right.

Brakelite2: 1
maryxxx: 0

Hmmmm.....soooo brakelite completely fabricated and added to scripture that Peter was naked and shabbily dressed. Was completely wrong about men of the Bible being unemployed even after acknowledging they were employed as fishermen and tax collector. He equated dope smoking to murder/adultery and you think he hit a nerve with me??? What a bizarre conclusion on your part! I think if those men were standing in front of him now it would hit a nerve with them but I personally don’t like to see lies written about what scripture says.

 

[Joseph77]

Your posts show otherwise.
The tradition that apparently you accepted and believe in, from your posts posted by you, your own words,
is not in line with this post now: (or did someone hijack the userid , and this is not the same poster as in the past?)

don’t like to see lies written about what scripture says.

 

[Heart2Soul]

It's remarkable how similar the vocabulary is between John's Gospel, John's First Epistle and Revelation.

They are all written by him...aren't they? My Chronological Bible has a section called the writings of John and they are all in there.

 

[Heart2Soul]

:):)

A band of hippies with guitars are IMO generally considered unemployed, dope smoking homeless shabbily dressed bums soooo I think the writers of scripture would be offended by your description .....just sayin.

Well now you have just hurt my feelings that you think of my family and friends in such a way. And all we ever tried to do was make peace and not war!:)

 

[Joseph77]

And I would suggest that numerous hippies formed the nucleus of the 1970s global revival which spawned musicians such as Chuck Gerard and Keith Green

The revival lasted a while, eh!?

Keith Green's songs are still true Gospel, convicting, leading to truth, to Godly Sorrow, Pain, Grief, leading to repentance, when someone is appointed to be resurrected in life....