So... in order to understand God, I would have to be a tree?
No, of course not -- but you just did a wonderful job using figurative language in order to help illustrate a point.
My contention is that the authors of the Bible has to do this quite a bit.
Yes, the Messiah Himself used much agrarian imagery. But, think about this...if He is indeed the Creator...well then, He created the vegetation first and then us...so, yeah,He would know the most fitting way to describe what His Kingdom is like. Consider this also, the terminology for agriculture, biology, and linguistics are all very similar...why is that? (
Linguistic Apologetics)
Jeremiah 17:8
"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Psalm 1:3 ESV / 237 helpful votes
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Job 14:7 ESV / 220 helpful votes
“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.
1 Chronicles 16:33 ESV / 145 helpful votes
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Matthew 7:17 ESV / 123 helpful votes
So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
Daniel 4:10-12 ESV / 112 helpful votes
The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
Genesis 2:9 ESV / 89 helpful votes
And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Revelation 22:14 ESV / 69 helpful votes
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
Revelation 22:2 ESV / 61 helpful votes
Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Colossians 2:7 ESV / 59 helpful votes
Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Psalm 52:8 ESV / 57 helpful votes
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
Proverbs 13:12 ESV / 53 helpful votes
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Ok... you say we have His words, so by His, you mean God.
However, the Second Epistle of Peter was, at best, written by St. Peter, or it was, as most scholars believe, pseudepigraphical.
In either case, it was written by a mere mortal, who would've faced the same limitations of language that you or I would.
Just like it says, "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit [Holy Breath of God]."
Do you agree that words are extremely powerful? Where do you think we obtained the capacity to speak?
Again, this epistle was written by Paul, not God, who was also a mere mortal.
(and Paul's issues with the other apostles -- those who heard the word of Christ in the flesh -- would make for high drama... but I digress)
That is the whole point. "Mere mortals" speak these words from the Creator...how else do you explain their power? Isn't that the message of the Messiah Himself...that He came down from above to speak and dwell among us...the Word become flesh?
And do those books firmly and completely encapsulate Who He is? Can He be contained by words?
I think not -- and I'd be skeptical of anyone who says otherwise.
No, this is why the Son said:
John 6
" Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me— 46
not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father."
And
John 14:28
"28
You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I."
But Messiah did "encapsulate" everything that is necessary for a relationship with the Father.
And your story is an inspiring one, and I wish you the best of luck as you continue down your path.
But your path will not be the same as mine.
Though they have crossed in this forum, and not without reason.
Ah, John... remember when I said all the NT authors but one identified as Jewish? Bingo.
John's non-synoptic Gospel has always been interesting -- I keep meaning to study it in more detail.
Feel free to share your findings!
Ah, ah, ah... "Word" as in Divine Logos, or "word" as in Bible?
Language can be a harsh mistress...
"Word" as in:
The Hebrew noun דבר (
davar,
Strong's #1697) is translated as "word." It is derived from the
parent root דר (
DR), which means "order." The verb form of דבר (
davar) is דבר (
D.B.R,
Strong's #1696) and is commonly found in the Biblical text meaning to "speak," as in the phrase
vayidaber YHWH el moshe l'mor (and YHWH spoke to Moses saying). The ancient Hebrew understanding of "speaking," or a "speech," is an ordered arrangement of words.
The noun דבר (
davar) is a masculine noun. The feminine form of this word is דברה (
devorah) and is the name Deborah, but also means "bee." A bee hive is a colony of insects that live in a perfectly ordered society...
...The verb דבר (
D.B.R) may better be translated as "order" as in the phrase "And YHWH gave orders to Moses saying". A commanding officer has formulated his action plans and has determined the best means to have these plans carried out. Once all of this is determined, he gives his "orders" to his troops. These orders are "an ordered arrangement"."
Hebrew Word Definitions - Word
And I wish you all the best on your path.
Thank you...and to use a phrase I picked up from the Catholics, "and also with you"!