Crossing the Obstacles to Understanding – Part II

(Lesson Three)

Before beginning this lesson it is suggested that one should complete the previous lesson.  As well and from memory reproduce the following diagram which is how the last lesson was ended.

 If you cannot reproduce the diagram from memory, take a few minutes to study it and to get a feel for the layout of the various constituent parts of the Old and New Testaments.  Such will be important as we continue our travels through the Bible.  Also take a minute and look at the Table of Contents in the front of your Bible and see how the layout of the books compares to the diagram.

 Continuing the Look at Differences

In the previous post, consideration was given to the difficulties of crossing Language Obstacles, Cultural Obstacles, with the comment that further items would be considered in this lesson.

3.       TIME:  Time is also of concern when it comes to crossing from the times of the Bible to present day understandings.  Take for example the Gospel accounts of Jesus life.  We with our 21^st Century need for chronology see the chronological differences as inconsistencies. 

Said another way, writing in the manner of the West and of the Greek meant utilizing a linear format.  Such was not a high priority in that time and culture.  It is not so much that it did not matter but that arranging events in such a way to support the narrative was of higher priority.

4.       SETTINGS:  All of the writings of the Scriptures were within not just a cultural context but also were set in the real lives of people.  As well they were set within geographic settings.  Sometimes it was a combination of the two. 

An example is found in the City of Jerusalem.  It is the high point of Israel so it is that people went up to Jerusalem or when leaving went down to such and such a place.  Of course in our way of thinking up is not to a particular place but to the north.

You can see that crossing these challenges to understanding would be quite an undertaking.

Making the Scriptures Come Alive

Now to the Bible. In spite of these challenges, the Bible remains understandable to us today. Of course if one reads much of the background, it enlivens one's understanding but the basic and essential truths of the Scriptures may be grasped by any or all who care to read them. It is in every sense a breakdown of truth to suggest that one cannot understand the essential truths as set forth in the Scriptures.

Having said that then, it is equally true that there is a wealth of understanding available if one will take but a few minutes to seek understanding of the language, culture, times, etc. With the advent of the WWW, there is much available that will enhance one's understandings of the times, cultures, etc. in which the various books of the Bible were written.

God has a Dog in the Hunt

Maybe you’ve heard it said, “I don’t have a dog in the hunt.”  This in no way is meant to make trivial God’s interest in the Scriptures and in the individual but “God does have a dog in the hunt.”  He is invested in the project to make Scripture available to any and all who care to study.

Why is the Bible so available to us today? Another illustration will help with that question. Imagine that you write a love letter to someone dear to you. Would you not want them to be able to read and understand it? Well, suppose you couch your feelings in terms they cannot understand.

How preposterous a thought. Well then, consider that the Bible is the Word of God written to all mankind--those He loves--His love letter to each and every person on earth. Simply from the human view, were it beyond understanding would it not be like the just mentioned love letter?

From the child learning to read to the Godly scholar, the miracle of the Living Word being revealed in the Written Word is that it may be understood by all who will take time to read it!

 Looking Deeper

In terms of the diagram attention will now focus only upon the Old Testament. Again the graphic is going the change.

 To understand this diagram you will need to be looking once again at the index in your Bible.  What you will see is that the Old Testament list of books can be comfortably divided into two cycles.  However not every era is represented in both cycles. 

Cycle One:  Genesis through Esther.  Notice that in the first cycle the Period of the Dispersion is not represented in the listing.

Cycle Two:  Job through Malachi.  Notice that there is but one book (Job) in the Period of the Pentateuch and the Period of Entrance is not represented.

Assignment

The assignment this time is not so much to memorize the new material but simply to gain a feel for the material by making some general observations.  Look down the listing of Old Testament books in your Bible's Table of Contents and see if you can identify the following things. 

First, notice the two cycles.

Second, notice what book likely fit into which period in each cycle.

Third, notice which cycles are not represented.

It is not so much a matter of whether you can do it or not but that you are gaining some familiarity with the layout.  Do not worry nor feel overwhelmed if it still seems a bit mysterious.  By taking “baby steps” and reviewing, you will get there.

 

Crossing the Obstacles to Understanding

(Lesson Two)

To being review the following diagram.

If you cannot reproduce the diagram from memory, then take a few minutes and work on it until you can do so.  It is foundational to further study.

General View of Obstacles to Understanding.

What follows is not meant to discourage the reader from studying the Scriptures.  What follows is meant to illustrate some of the complexity of translating from one time, culture, and language into another.  

 The Miracle of the Scriptural Message

Please note that the basic themes of the Bible travel across the previously mentioned barriers with perfect accuracy.  Not one of the essential doctrines of faith is missing, all are there.  As a matter of fact one of the functions of God, the Holy Spirit was and is to insure such to be so.  More about this will be discussed at a later time.

My Great, Great, Grandparent’s Diary

Just suppose that you are looking through an old trunk that has been handed down through a several generations. Among the things that you find are several diaries of your great, great...great grandparents. They of course lived in the old country and spoke the language thereof. In order to learn something about your heritage, you decide to read them.

Immediately you are faced with several challenges as noted in the previous blog.

1.    LANGUAGE:  First, you would face the challenge of language. Even if it were in your spoken language, words change in usage, idioms change, etc. "What did that word mean in the context of the day?" would be an oft repeated question in your mind.

Now imagine that you have to translate one language to another.  That opens another set of issues. 

Exact Equivalents:  Among them is the issue of exact equivalents.  Simply said in certain instances there are not exact equivalents between languages.  Take for example the four words for love in the Greek language.  Generally they are translated by one word in the English language. 

Word Order:  In the Greek language because of how the words are constructed, the most important word(s) of the sentence began the sentence.  Of course in English the language is phonetic and so in order to make the original sentence readable the sentence at times is rearranged.

Linear and Intensive:  In the Hebrew language verbs in some cases are in an intensive form.  Though not often this in some cases adds to one understands of the concepts being presented.  In the Greek language verbs may indicate a point in time action, a linear action, or both.  Much of this is lost to the one reading in the English language.

2.    CULTURE:  Second, as you translated from your great, great, grandparents language you would face the added burden of the cultural setting in the old country. What elements of culture would be present and yet misunderstood or totally missed if viewed with today's cultural understandings?

Again it is difficult for one to cross from one culture to another.  For example, in that day Jews had been dispersed throughout the known world.  There resulted from that dispersion the Synagogue System.  That meant that wherever there were seven Jewish males a Synagogue could be established.  The Synagogue was presided over by a Rabbi among his duties was instruction.  Students of promise were pushed up through the system and thus we find the Rabbi Saul of Tarsus having progressed through Judaism beyond his peers to the point he studied under the tutelage of Rabbi Gamaliel.

There are other matters to study and such will be considered in the next lesson. 

MODIFYING THE BASIC DIAGRAM

 Focusing on the diagram there are two changes to be made.

First, since our focus is upon the panoramas of Scripture no attention will be given to the eternal past.

Second, creation will be considered later so the diagram will be modified to reflect same.

Third, since the Inter-Testamental Period will be considered later in the study it will be reduced to ITP.

PUSHING DEEPER

The next level is to further divide the diagram as follows.

OLD TESTAMENT:  What you now see is that the Old Testament is divided into five periods each of which has a distinct personality.  The word “Pentateuch” means five and is an easy way to refer to the five books of Moses.

“Entrance” is when the Jews enter the Promised Land first to be ruled by one leader, then by the Judges.  The “Kings and Prophets” tell of their life under a monarch.  The “Dispersion” is when their land was conquered and they were carried off into captivity.  The final section, “Return” tells of their reoccupation of the Land of Promise.

NEW TESTAMENT:  What you see is that the New Testament is divided into four periods.  First comes the “Gospels” which simply means good words or good message.  It tells the story of Jesus from four different perspectives and for four different reasons.

The “Acts of the Holy Spirit” tell of the Holy Spirits action in establishing the Church.  Some books are written to specific congregations can be fit into this period.  There are some general letters (books) that will follow the ending of the Book of Acts.  Then comes the “Period of the Church” which will be discussed later on.  Finally the Bible closes with the "Book of Revelation." 

PROJECT

In addition to memorizing the layout and the various elements thereof, take a moment, turn to the index in the front of your Bible and look down the listing of books.  What you will see is that already with the small amount of information studied to this point; you will have a greater understanding of the layout of the Bible.