Annotated bible for dummies?

[tomo0862]

While sitting with my wife in a non-denominational (slanted towards AG) service yesterday the pastor asked the congregation to hold up their bibles and repeat after him, "This is my bible", "Every word is true" (or, "It's all true", can't remember which). This was our first visit to this church and the first time that I've ever witnessed this declaration.

With that in mind and after reading through such threads as "Why so many interpretations", I have the following request for help.

Is there a bible on line, or in print, that differentiates between which passages are parable, etc. and which passages are to be taken "literally"?

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Not as far as I know... e-sword is about the most comprehensive resource I know of, and it's largely free, which is even better.

The thing is, there is no set answer in terms of which is literal and which is parable or allegorical. To be honest, I've never heard of that sort of "oath" being taken in a church before... I must say I'd find it rather prohibitive.

But different denominations and groups (liberal, conservative, fundamentalist) believe differently, so any book that presumed to decide would only be correct for those that already adhere to that belief.

Not very helpful, am really sorry. There are other people who will be much more helpful - but I don't think there's a book or Bible that specifies in that way.

 

[synger]

I'm with GM... I'd be a little concerned by the expectation of such a declaration in a church service. Even if I agreed with it. It just raises my "that's rather weird" flag. But maybe that's just me.

You probably won't find a bible that has things noted as parable, allegory, history, wisdom, prophecy, letter, etc. But there are many Bible commentaries out there (some also available through e-Sword, if you use that program) that are happy to give you someone else's interpretation. It depends on who wrote the commentary whether you'll get the interpretation that Jesus actually miraculously created enough loaves and fish to feed the 5000, or whether the boy's selfless act in giving up his lunch might have been the example for others to do so as the baskets were passed. One is a clearer, straightforward explanation of the text. The other is a rationalization. In other stories, the contrast is not so clear.

For instance, my mother fully believed that the story of Jonah and the whale was an allegory. I believe it actually happened. Neither interpretation really impacts the truth of the story for a Christian... whether it literally happened or not, it shows God's plan for his prophet, and it foreshadows Christ.

Thus someone could actually believe "Every word in it is true" and not mean that every word in it is history. My mother believed that every word was true... that it was God's revealed word to us, with preserved doctrines through the ages. But how those doctrines are interpreted and explained, and their impact and authority on us as Christian women today, was very different between the two of us.

 

[salida]

Well, I went to a church and this happened to me. Normally is a good sign though and not the what I consider a "weird flag" - because most likely they take the bible seriously and practice what they preach as a whole. Unfortunately are many churches of all flavors and kinds and they play churchianity- and thus, they arn't on the same page concerning the bible. This is very sad because its the Word of God and it declares itself to be so. It isn't suppose to be cherry picked according to our self serving whims and what feels good only. When this happens, the salt of a christian isn't all that effective anymore and looses its savor. The bible becomes a secondary book and they act just like the world. Maybe visit CRI (christian research institute) - www.equip.org to help in understanding bible. Or email me seriously - I know the fundamentals and more.

Who is right? Is the Holy Spirit in the church? Without the works of the Holy Spirit - God simply isn't there and it evolves into a christian country club without God. This is like having a car with no engine - it won't work. At the same time intellectually, one must understand why this specific book was written and what the author intended. Feel free to email me and/or you may want to visit CRI (christian research institute).

****As long as you don't let yourself fall into the Itching Ear Syndrome, 2 Timothy 2:15 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. Greek word "knetha" - from itching ears in english is defined as - being desirous of hearing something pleasant. Thus, what feels good to the ears.

 

[tomo0862]

Thanks folks!

These look like a couple of great places to look into. Up until now I've been all over the map trying to grasp an understanding.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Thanks folks!

These look like a couple of great places to look into. Up until now I've been all over the map trying to grasp an understanding.

Did it affect what you believe constitutes Christianity? I just wanted to reassure you that many of us believe that the Bible is absolutely God-breathed, but not necessarily literal from cover to cover - that's not what makes someone a Christian; it's not all or nothing.

 

[tomo0862]

Did it affect what you believe constitutes Christianity?

Nope - It was just a clue into the thoughts of that particular church.

If I had faith in the Christian God, then I suppose that I would also believe that "Every word is true" and it being "God-breathed".

...however...

As I seek, it makes my head spin trying to figure out what should be taken as literal, as history, parable, etc. We plan on attending this church again (we've tried out several in our area) and, if my wife would like for us to become regular attendors / members, would you recommend that I get hooked up with a bible study group right away?

I printed off the outline for the LEGACY reading plan on the site recommended by Salida. Is there an online commentary to accompany the program? If not, would you recommend the LEGACY study bible? Or, would you recommend following the commentary on e-sword?

 

[synger]

You know, the more I think about your questions, the more I think about my copy of the LIterary Study Bible. You might find a Bible like this useful, because its notes focus specifically on the FORM of the writing, not so much on the historical background that other commentaries might focus on.

Here's a section of the Preface:

The idea of the Bible as literature began with the Bible itself. The writers of the Bible refer with technical precision to a whole range of literary genres in which they write—proverb, saying, chronicle, complaint (lament psalm), oracle, apocalypse, parable, song, epistle, and many another.

Furthermore, some of the forms that we find in the Bible correspond to the literary forms that were current in the authors’ surrounding cultures. For example, the Ten Commandments are cast into the form of suzerainty treaties that ancient Near Eastern kings imposed on their subjects, and the New Testament epistles, despite unique features, show many affinities to Greek and Roman letters of the same era.

Mainly, though, we can look to the Bible itself to see the extent to which it is a literary book. Virtually every page of the Bible is replete with literary technique, and to possess the individual texts of the Bible fully, we need to read the Bible as literature, just as we need to read it theologically and (in the narrative parts) historically.

 

[ebia]

While sitting with my wife in a non-denominational (slanted towards AG) service yesterday the pastor asked the congregation to hold up their bibles and repeat after him, "This is my bible", "Every word is true" (or, "It's all true", can't remember which). This was our first visit to this church and the first time that I've ever witnessed this declaration.

With that in mind and after reading through such threads as "Why so many interpretations", I have the following request for help.

Is there a bible on line, or in print, that differentiates between which passages are parable, etc. and which passages are to be taken "literally"?

Life isn't that simple. The bible is almost entirely narrative - one huge meta-narrative with various layers of narrative going on underneath that. Even the bits that aren't, at face value, narrative in themselves fit within that meta-narrative and carry all sorts of implied narratives along with them.

Whether a given passage is some sort of fiction (myth, parable, whatever) or an account of an historical event sometimes matters, but "taking it literally (or not)" never gets you where you need to go.

If one wants a book that one can say "fact", "figure of speech" or "falsehood" to each verse, try the Koran. The bible simple isn't the type of book for which that question tells you what you need to know. Sometimes it's a useful question to ask on the way to considering the importance of a passage. Sometimes it isn't. Very often it's an excuse for using the passage to talk about something it was never written to talk about. And, to get to back to your main question, it's always going to be a question to which you get a huge variety of answers - all of which amount to "it's factual except when the implications of that don't fit the rest of what I think".

 

[tomo0862]

Thank you all for your continued contribution to my inquiry. It’s very evident that you’ve all come to understand the essence of the bible through much study and prayer. I am also willing to put in the time, effort, and focus necessary to gain greater understanding.

All of the responses so far are summed up nicely by ebia. It seems that, to truly understand the essence of the bible, one either needs to become a biblical scholar or be able to read the bible with a certain mindset (heart-set?). The crux of Christianity is easily enough understood &#8211; crucifixion, resurrection, atonement, etc. <<==That, I get. What I don&#8217;t get yet is how a book written as described above as &#8220;almost entirely narrative - one huge meta-narrative with various layers of narrative going on underneath that. Even the bits that aren't, at face value, narrative in themselves fit within that meta-narrative and carry all sorts of implied narratives along with them.&#8221;, is supposed to somehow be the proof that the crux of Christianity is indeed true. It&#8217;s simply not written in plain English (or Hebrew or Greek). I&#8217;ve had next to zero religious education since childhood. How does a 46 year old, who IS willing to believe, wrap their head around the immense complexity that is the bible - the proof of the veracity of Christianity?

 

[synger]

What I don’t get yet is how a book written as described above as “almost entirely narrative - one huge meta-narrative with various layers of narrative going on underneath that. Even the bits that aren't, at face value, narrative in themselves fit within that meta-narrative and carry all sorts of implied narratives along with them.”, is supposed to somehow be the proof that the crux of Christianity is indeed true. It’s simply not written in plain English (or Hebrew or Greek). I’ve had next to zero religious education since childhood. How does a 46 year old, who IS willing to believe, wrap their head around the immense complexity that is the bible - the proof of the veracity of Christianity?

*comfort* It sure can seem overwhelming, can't it? Don't worry, you're definitely not alone. I teach adult Sunday School, and I've talked to folks born and raised in the church who are intimidated by Bible study. It intimidates me at times!

It's 66 books, spanning a couple of millennia at least, each written by a differnent author, to different readers, about different subjects, in different styles (prose, poetry, prophecy, history, etc.).

But there is a uniting purpose... what you might call a "story arc"... and a uniting Spirit working through the writers, guiding them.

While it may seem complex at first, if you take it a chunk at a time it becomes clearer. I'd suggest attending adult Sunday School (or Lay Education, or whatever they call it) at your church, and asking lots of questions. Our church has not only book-by-book studies, and subject/topic studies, but Pastor offers overarching studies using the Crossways courses, that give you the bigger picture over multiple books (say, From Creation to the right before the Exodus, or The Prophets before and during the Exile).

Most good study Bibles nowadays will provide an outline of each book, and maybe even a bit about how it fits into the overall narrative of God's plan of salvation.

Please, don't be intimidated. There is an old saying that the Bible offers water shallow enough for a child to wade in and deep enough for an elder to swim forever. In many ways, I will always be that wading child, finding and revisiting the basics of the faith year after year, while also swimming deeply in some currents. So don't worry too much about it. God will guide you as you earnestly seek to understand his love and his plan.

 

[heron]

I suspect the pastor was doing his own spin on Joel Osteen's "...I am what it says I am..."

one huge meta-narrative with various layers of narrative going on underneath that.

Start your logic simpler than that. Even being the Word of God, it is safe for a believer to admit that in the Bible, human beings wrote about their experiences, their interactions with God and supernatural beings, their insights, and their hopes.

Generations of believers cherished these writings, and used them to draw closer to God. To understand His heart for people and to follow His guidance. The book was not one big book until hundreds of years AD.

Picture how Christians write books today. I don't want to minimize the Bible, but there are similarities. They tell about their experiences, give advice, talk about miracles God has done for them, analyze previous writings... narrative or not, God still speaks through them.

Many Christians are offended when hearing talk like this, how humans did the writing, but I don't see it as any less the Word of God -- because He is the God who chooses to dwell within us. He sent His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort, empower and enlighten. So being human and a writer does not make our written expressions completely human, or completely divine.

As for all parts being literally true, just start with it being a respectable historical document. The creation story has similarities to stories of other early civilizations -- same planet. Archaeology has proven some of the stories true, and many of the miracles naturally credible.

Be careful if someone is pressuring you to believe something that you have not found the logic for. That is how cults get a foothold. Ask God to help provide the logical connections, and He will lead you to readings that help make sense of things.

God asks that we follow and trust, not that we brainwash ourselves and disrespect the brains God gave us. Once we give up our right to make decisions, we also lose our grounding to discern beneficial from detrimental.

 

[Secundulus]

Thank you all for your continued contribution to my inquiry. It’s very evident that you’ve all come to understand the essence of the bible through much study and prayer. I am also willing to put in the time, effort, and focus necessary to gain greater understanding.

All of the responses so far are summed up nicely by ebia. It seems that, to truly understand the essence of the bible, one either needs to become a biblical scholar or be able to read the bible with a certain mindset (heart-set?). The crux of Christianity is easily enough understood – crucifixion, resurrection, atonement, etc. <<==That, I get. What I don’t get yet is how a book written as described above as “almost entirely narrative - one huge meta-narrative with various layers of narrative going on underneath that. Even the bits that aren't, at face value, narrative in themselves fit within that meta-narrative and carry all sorts of implied narratives along with them.”, is supposed to somehow be the proof that the crux of Christianity is indeed true. It’s simply not written in plain English (or Hebrew or Greek). I’ve had next to zero religious education since childhood. How does a 46 year old, who IS willing to believe, wrap their head around the immense complexity that is the bible - the proof of the veracity of Christianity?

The method I have found most useful in understanding the Bible is not to, at least at first, try to determine whether something is factual or allegory. The reason is that the Bible is primarily a theological text and as such, seeks to impart theological truths. Sometimes it does this with history, sometimes with allegory, sometimes with parable, sometimes with poetry, etc. Start out reading it with a mind to understanding the meaning of the story. What does it say about man and God.

Even if you don't believe it at the moment it is possible to come to understand what it means. In the beginning, at least, a commentary of some sort might be useful.

To answer another part of your question, understanding the Bible is not proof of Christianity. Proof of Christianity simply lies in your faith that the Christ is God and that if you follow him he will grant you eternal life with him. In the beginning, for most, this is simply faith without proof. Later, at least for me and I think most others, God will give you all the proof you need in response to your faith.

Does faith mean that no doubt at all remains? No. Some, or even much doubt is normal, especially in the beginning. Faith simply means that you are willing to trust that the promise of Christ is true.

Once you are willing to trust, then what you read and understand in the Bible can provide a guide as to what this trust entails in how you behave towards God and towards others.

 

[heron]

Start out reading it with a mind to understanding the meaning of the story. What does it say about man and God.

That really will make a difference.
For instance, if you jump into the middle of Job it can be very confusing -- where believers are saying opposing things to each other. But if you read the whole book, the story line spreads out a series of events where a righteous man is given bad advice, and in the end needs to pray for them and face God with humility.

About literal Bible delineation -- maybe you should start one!

 

[tomo0862]

Thanks folks! My wife is going to pick out a study bible & commentary for me. With a whole lot of hand holding, I might just get it.