Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “John Wycliffe”, pages 79-96; “Luther Before the Diet”, pages 145-170 in The Great Controversy; Also read section 4.a. — j. from the document “Methods of Bible Study”, which can be found at the following link: www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/bible-interpretation-hermeneutics/methods-bible-study.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“In His word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. … Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men through His word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings. And since it was the Spirit of God that inspired the Bible, it is impossible that the teaching of the Spirit should ever be contrary to that of the word”. — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 9.
Discussion Questions:
- Regardless of how many translations of the Bible exist in your language, what can you do to make the most of what you have? How can you learn to cherish the Bible as the Word of God and to seek, by faith, to obey what it teaches?
- Think about the difference between what the Word of God teaches about human origins (that we were created by God on the sixth day of Creation), and what humanity itself, under the name of “science”, teaches, which is that we evolved over billions of years. What should this vast contrast between the two tell us about how important it is to stick to what the Bible teaches, and how far off humanity can get when it veers away from the Word of God and what it plainly teaches?
- What Bible tools, if any, are available to you that can help you better understand the Bible? And even if you don’t have any extra tools, how can you learn to apply some of the lessons learned this week about how to interpret the Bible?
- The children of Israel were told to teach their own children the great truths committed to them and to retell the stories about God’s leading in their lives (Deut. 4:9). Putting aside the obvious benefit of passing the faith on, what is it about the teaching and the telling of stories about God’s leading in our lives that tends to increase our own faith? That is, why is sharing biblical truth with others beneficial to ourselves, as well?
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I just read the part in Great Controversy suggested for today. I’ve read it before, more than twice, and it still is amazing to read about how eager the people of England were to have a copy of the newly translated bible. What would our world look like today if all were that eager to read what is so readily available to everyone?
God’s word is the living word. It is not something which was written 2000 years ago for pre scientific world but is applicable for us today. Science is proving the written Word of God and the counsel given to his people.
Bible - Today, the world’s most translated book is The Bible. At least one book of the Bible has been translated into 2,883 languages; the New Testament has been translated into 1,329 languages; and the Old and New Testaments together have been translated into 531 languages. https://www.tomedes.com/translator-hub/which-worlds-most-translatedimage-book.php
Live longer - Seventh-Day Adventists live longer and have 30% lower cancer risks compared to other Americans thanks to the religion's strict diet and lifestyle practices, study finds
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7731947/Seventh-Day-Adventists-longer-life-expectancy-lower-cancer-risk-study-finds.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7731947/Seventh-Day-Adventists-longer-life-expectancy-lower-cancer-risk-study-finds.html
Translation – Know and understand if a bible verse does not make sense read that verse close to its original language to get the depth of meaning intended by writer. Know the limitations of translations to helps us not to arrive at the wrong conclusions regarding the character of God.
Punctuation - "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43 "Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43 What is the difference between these two statements? A misplaced comma by the translators. Theology is built upon the misplaced comma to represent those who die immediately enter into heaven.
Fools – If you believe in creation the earth calls you fool; however, there will come a time when those who believed the greatest mind have to run for cover because One who created everything will come in his glory.
Message – “There is no question that Jesus is central to the Scriptures” https://ssnet.org/blog/sunday-christ-center-of-daniel/ Then the author goes onto explain how Jesus is revealed in each of the chapter.
You can read what would happen to someone who would approach the bible without faith by reading the Thomas Jefferson Bible. He thought any writing that did not fit into reasoning should be eliminated from the bible. Thus, he removed resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven which is the basic foundation of Christian faith. All the miraculous work of Jesus was removed from the scriptures.
Do you box God into your own thinking?
Our lessons this quarter are to open our understanding that we might comprehend the Scriptures, Luke 24:45
I have found that my understanding has not been completely 'opened'all at once, I started with 'the elementary principles of Christ' Heb 6:1 and have progressively learned more and more of character of the LORD. For instance someone brought to my notice Rev 4:11 and in the translation he used, it said: "O LORD ... for thy pleasure they were created" What an amazing thought! Humans were created for the LORD's pleasure! This led me to discover deeper meaning to the texts that say the LORD wants to dwell with us. Now the word 'dwell' stands out to me all over the Word of the LORD. Just a few examples are, Ex 25:8 make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell with them, John 14 & 15 talk about Jesus and His Father making their home with us, John repeatedly uses the words abide with me, John 1:14 the Word dwelt among us, then my favorite is in the Everlasting Covenant the LORD says: I will be your God, you will be My people and I will dwell with you!! Lev 26:11-12
What 'light bulb' moments have you experienced in your journey with the LORD and His Word?
Deut.Ch.4 through Ch.13 speaks to the Israelite people and in extension to all who believe about the need for mankind to actively seek closeness with his Creator or suffer the loss of this contact with Him which has negative consequences.
We stay close to Him by loving Him with our whole heart, mind and soul - seeking His righteousness as embodied in Jesus.
Israel was at the point of being given the promised land. The key to living a prosperous life in this land lays in staying close to their God.
They were admonished again and again to receive God with their heart, mind, eyes, ears - soul.
Deut.4:9,10 points out the how and why it was done.
v.10 - ..'and I will make them 'hear' my words that they may learn to 'fear' me ...
v.29 He wrote the new Covenant upon the tablets of stone as well as on their hearts.
v.34,35 declares what God's mighty hand and strong arm did for the people to show 'so that they may know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.'
v.40 - again, this was done ..'that it may go well with thee' because, one day, man would inherit the earth'.
Ch.5:29 - God points to the heart's need to desire .. 'so they would fear me and keep all my commandments always.
Ch.6 :5 - And though shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Ch.7:6-8 - The Covenant was with .. thou art an holy, special people unto the LORD thy God, above all people that are upon the face of the earth, which the LORD loved.
Ch.8:10-20 - Contains again a warning what would be the consequence ..'if thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God...'.
Ch.9:4 - warns Israel to guard their heart so they should not say ... 'for MY righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land; but it was for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.'
Ch:10:12-15 - Another admonishment ...'to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Ch.11:13,14 - re-affirms that blessings come to the one that loves God with a ready, willing heart and soul.
Ch.12:8,9,11 - God establishes a place were people can worship Him. ..'to cause His name to dwell there'..
Ch.13:3 - ..God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all our heart and with all your soul.
Ch.13:4 - Ye shall walk after the LORD your God and fear HIM, and keep HIS commandments and obey HIS voice and ye shall serve HIM and cleave unto HIM.
Matt.22:37-40 - Loving God with all our heart, soul and mind is still the directive that will open the gates of Heaven to pour out its blessings for us today, or shut the Heavens when ignored.
Yes, the Creator delights in His perfect Creation - He delights in what He manifested - Himself.
We are awash in bibles today. It is amazing that there was a time when men risked their lives to translate the Word into common language for the common man. I wonder how we would feel if our bibles were no more?