God’s words in humans words can be understood in many different manners. For example, at the beginning of this semester, we learned that a majority of the time when someone refers to “God’s words in human words” they mean holy scripture, that from the Bible. Another understanding of the phrase is rather that it is through people like saints, the Pope, or your parish priest that we can come to understand God’s words. An interesting point to bring up would be the question of why God’s words are different than that which we can understand. Rather, why does God’s words need to be ‘translated’ so we better understand them? To somewhat answer the question posed, people are always asking God for a sign when trying to make a tough decision. Many …show more content…
If this is not a sign, then everyone must be misinformed. This is similar to the story of Joan of Arc, where she literally heard God speaking to her in a field. That is a sign. Little boys want to run around and play rough, not stay inside and talk about what God has to say. However, Antony did sell all of his possessions and put his sister in a convent after hearing God tell him to join the religious life (9-10). That is maybe taking God’s words into human words a little too seriously. When tempted, Antony justly refused; after being referred to as the “soldier of Christ” (12) and a boy - a demon - essentially throwing himself at his feet, he “speaks for God” and recites scripture, saying “‘you are utterly despicable and contemptible, for both your blackness and your age are signs of weakness. You do not worry me any longer. The Lord is my helper and I will exult over my enemies.’” (13) With this, the boy - demon - disappeared. This is surely showing that he is speaking God’s words, because according to my understanding from the show “Supernatural” starring the amazing Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, all one has to do to banish a demon or exorcise someone is to read to them from the Bible …show more content…
After that, he started performing an extreme form of asceticism, by locking himself away in the catacombs, where all the dead bodies were. He had people bring him food and water at specific intervals, but he essentially remained praying all the day (14). Possibly due to the little food and water that he imbibed throughout the day, he started speaking to the devil and other demons to appeared in many forms - pouring through the walls, turning into spirits and into the shapes of wild animals. The Penobscot Nation Native American tribe in northern Maine has a similar type experience when they go on vision quests where they too, are put into an isolated situation (like the catacombs), are given very little to eat and drink, and they see devils appear to them in the form of animals. When Antony would experience this, he would repeat “If they place an encampment against me, my heart will not fear” (15) which is a line from the 27th Psalm. He would use God’s words like a mantra, repeating it over and over again, and although he would be physically harmed, he spiritual well-being and his mind remained at ease. The same would go for the Penobscot Nation Indians. They would tell them that if you are a
to an understanding of God’s dealing with humankind. In the english translations of the Bible,
Regardless of the fact that Julian and Anthony did not practice the same religion, they both shared a particular devotion to their beliefs. From a very young age, Antony was exceptionally religious. As a child, he delighted in going to church to be closer to God unlike other children that would prefer playing outside. The entirety of his life was devoted to God’s word. God told him to sell all of his possessions and move away from home, consequently he did. Every time he would be asked to do something by God, he would never hesitate. Antony was an extremely devoted man. For numerous years, he was alone in the deserts of Egypt, spending his days praying. Frequently, the devil endeavored to tempt him with many methods although Antony would resist his attacks by constantly praying and fasting. With time the attacks became more severe and after resisting one of the attacks, Antony questioned if God was really looking out for him and God said,
In O’Connor’s Mystery and Manners she says the following: “From my own experience in trying to make stories ‘work,’ I have discovered that what is needed is an action that is totally unexpected, yet totally believable … and frequently it is an action in which the devil has been the unwilling instrument of grace.” O’Connor wants to represent the action of God’s grace in the world, a world that is “enemy territory,” and with characters who repel His grace, but eventually surrender to it; this is precisely what Asbury does in the “Enduring Chill” (O’Reilly). Overall, I hold the belief that God can move us to Him, even using our “defective wills.”
and to deny that its meaning is not completely true in all senses is a
For thousands of years there have been many transcriptions and changes to the words of God, For example, just in the last thousand years there has been three different transcriptions, The New Testament, Homer, and also Sophocles. For a person not to look for their own interpretation of the lord’s book is
He uses specific and powerful wording to portray the effects of not undergoing a conversion. Edwards horrifies the people when he uses powerful, frightening words to portray these effects. He speaks of the notorious Devil, whose name makes people shutter; they will do anything to escape from the Devil, even undergo a conversion. Edwards states, “The Devil is waiting for them,” as in the ones whom do not undergo conversion. Edwards also explains to the congregation that not only will they be greeted by the devil if they do not convert, but they will also be endangered by their own God. Their God will be outraged of those who do not undergo a conversion. He explains, “You are in the hands of an angry God.” Edwards’s explanation of this outraged God urges the congregation to undergo conversion fast. Moreover, Edwards uses one last horrific wording to convince the congregation to undergo conversion when he speaks of how some may not escape this dreadful future; this ultimately urges others to hurry in undergoing an emotional conversion. Edwards states, “There are many in this congregation … that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity.” To conclude, Edwards’s use of negative diction on the outcome of not undergoing conversion urges the congregation to undergo an emotional
The Bible for many has several interpretations, and meanings. There is not one interpretation or meaning in which Christians all believe identically. Each part of the Bible has its own symbolic meaning to each faith, and their ways to interpret those meanings may differ from other Christians. In Having Words with God: The Bible as Conversation by Karl Allen Kuhn, Kuhn describes the Bible as a conversation between several and God. In this essay there will be a different approach to the same metaphor effect describing the Bible but, as a Pizza. The Bible is like a Pizza in the ways of having many toppings (topics) and layers (depths within the text), not to mention the types or styles just like there are many styles of scripture
Harris, Stephen. Understanding The Bible. 6 ed. New York City: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2002. Print.
He does not feel that always of oral communication are bad just that they can misconstrue the message that needs to be sent at times. The written language is very clear into the point when it is expressed into the reader the truth about God’s word. “This way was more precise, more permanent, more subjective, and more easily disseminated and any other media he utilized” (Geisler & Nix, 2012, p.164). In the written form the writer can go into great detail thanks for the whole story without leaving anything out. In regards to oral communication often times there are parts that are missed because there is not time to fit them all in. “In addition, it militates against misinterpretation and mistransmission of the message” (Geisler & Nix, 2012, p.165). The written language will always be more accurate, because there is less of a chance for the words to be altering as they are during oral communication. “No matter how careful and oral communication is related, there is always a greater chance for corruption and alteration then with recorded words” (Geisler & Nix, 2012, p.165). When someone is translating a message they will always put things in their own words or alter it to fit the audience in which they are speaking to at that time. This can alter the meaning of that message that needs to be conveyed to the
The biblical narrative is one that is still going on to this day. The biblical narrative tells the story of God and how he reveals himself to us. Rhodes points out that “God comes to each through a historical event or series of events” (2). It is in this way that God reveals himself to us and this maintains the relevance of the biblical narrative in our lives. God reveals himself through formative stories in the bible such as Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall of Man, The Flood, God’s Covenant with Noah, and the Tower of Babel. From the very beginning of the biblical narrative we see that God relates to us on a personal level. He created us, he formed us, he created the world in which we live, and he has been an active participant in the narrative since before it began.
Creed are public statements of faith. The Apostles’ Creed is a statement of faith that describes the teachings of Jesus’ disciple. I believe that this Creed is an important one to commit to memory because it states the most basic beliefs of Christianity. Creeds are important still today because of the practical application that they provide. The Apostles’ Creed is broken up into three sections. Belief in God, belief in Jesus Christ, and belief in The Holy Spirt. These three sections make up the trinity.
Scripture holds a prominent role in the sermon. In 2 Timothy 4:2, it states to “preach the word in season and out of season”. The Greek word for preach is ‘Kerusso’. It means to be a herald (proclaim) and to preach (announce) a message publicly and with conviction (persuasion). In this verse, Paul gave Timothy and the others ministers a charge and a commission to preach the Word. In order to be an effective preacher, the Word of God must be the foundation. In 2 Timothy 3:16, it states that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. In other words, the Word of God was written by man, God-breathed and divinely inspired. The Scripture is important because it creates an argument or appeal that is persuading the audience to do something. The substance of our preaching must come from the Bible because the Bible comes from God. As messenger and ambassadors of God, we are obligated to speak the mind and thoughts of God.
First I will give you a background of exegesis. Webster's New World Dictionary(1990), defines exegesis as, the interpretation of a word, passage, etc., esp. in the Bible. This definition is a worldly. To understand the true meaning and background I looked in John H. Hays book called, Biblical Exegesis, for the answer. He says that the term "exegesis" itself comes from the Greek word exegeomai which basically meant " to lead out of." When applied to texts, it denoted the " reading out" of the meaning. The noun, therefore, could refer to "interpretation" or " explanation." Thus whenever we read a text or hear a statement which we seek to understand and interpret, we are involved in exegesis.
With the advent of the printing press and the protestant reformation in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Word of God became available to the common believer. Now, in the twenty first century, people all over the world, can read for themselves the scriptures in their own languages. Consider the Bible studies going on in any given country on any given evening, where people are encouraged to interact with the sacred scriptures. As encouraging as this may be, it may present a problem. Could discussions of what a scripture ‘means to me’ cloud out what the scripture originally meant? Is it even possible to know the author’s intent? Even if we could understand a first century text as its author intended, can we also grasp what it’s supposed to mean to us?
relevant to life, such as do not kill and do not steal. The bible also