The Bible as a Book
All through high school I took Advanced Placement (AP) English classes, not necessarily because I was best suited for the class, but because I enjoyed the discussions. You see in the advanced (AP) classes, we got to discuss the meaning behind literary works instead of simply pushing vocab and grammar and being spoon-fed Hamlet. To understand meaning though, you must first understand the how or writing. How do you get your point across? How do you take the thoughts that are circling in your head, and put them in an arrangement so that others can understand your meaning in a crystal clear sense?
We had to extensively study figurative language; that is the art of writing.
Have you ever heard of metaphors? How about similes? Symbolism is a biggy. Irony, paradox, and diction are other good examples.
You can use these tools, and many others, to study any book you wish to. I mean it; you can apply these tools to any piece of literature.
Then why are we so afraid to apply these tools to the Bible? Are we afraid that if we treat the Bible as a work of literature we are betraying the sacred divinity of its contents? Is taking this tangible piece of art and trying to actually analyze it a desecration?
I say no. The Bible is a compilation of letters, biographies, songs, proverbs, and history. The Bible was written by people. The people who wrote the Bible didn’t go into a trance and lose control of the bodies as the Holy Spirit seized control and forced their hands to write out those precious words.
This is where I’m treading in dangerous waters. Is the Bible infallible, divinely-inspired, man-made, or inerrant?
My personal belief, as you may have already guessed, is divinely-inspired. “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV.
That for me says it. The Bible was divinely-inspired and written down by us mere mortals. Therefore why are we so afraid to take this very real book and analyze it so?
Leave a comment, you know how.
We had to extensively study figurative language; that is the art of writing.
Have you ever heard of metaphors? How about similes? Symbolism is a biggy. Irony, paradox, and diction are other good examples.
You can use these tools, and many others, to study any book you wish to. I mean it; you can apply these tools to any piece of literature.
Then why are we so afraid to apply these tools to the Bible? Are we afraid that if we treat the Bible as a work of literature we are betraying the sacred divinity of its contents? Is taking this tangible piece of art and trying to actually analyze it a desecration?
I say no. The Bible is a compilation of letters, biographies, songs, proverbs, and history. The Bible was written by people. The people who wrote the Bible didn’t go into a trance and lose control of the bodies as the Holy Spirit seized control and forced their hands to write out those precious words.
This is where I’m treading in dangerous waters. Is the Bible infallible, divinely-inspired, man-made, or inerrant?
My personal belief, as you may have already guessed, is divinely-inspired. “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV.
That for me says it. The Bible was divinely-inspired and written down by us mere mortals. Therefore why are we so afraid to take this very real book and analyze it so?
Leave a comment, you know how.
posted by theboythatis at 9:12 PM
1 Comments:
Hey! It's me Becca....I left ya a comment on the one about God camp. I REALLY like this blog here!!! WOW! you're right!
♥
-Becca
Post a Comment
<< Home