Who Decides the Right Interpretation of the Bible?

[Jerry N.]

well yes ... a seed time and harvest ... from where i see the scripture have patterns and these seen in numbers as these numbers speak to the patterns that reveal the process of this sowing and reaping ... and by this meaning our souls journey of a there and back as in the gospel of good tidings ...

in scripture it starts out as two as in a division of one these two came out of and these two take on a myriad of forms first seen in the very first verse ... Jesus making these two one again ..

That is brilliant. You have Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers (The 11 act as one), and Moses and Aaron, the two kingdoms of Israel. Babylon and the Kingdom of God, and many more, and all will be resolved into one. The pairs are different, but the pattern is there.

 

[trophy33]

That is brilliant. You have Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers (The 11 act as one), and Moses and Aaron, the two kingdoms of Israel. Babylon and the Kingdom of God, and many more, and all will be resolved into one. The pairs are different, but the pattern is there.

Persian dualism (Zoroastrianism)?

 

[honey badger]

That is brilliant. You have Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers (The 11 act as one), and Moses and Aaron, the two kingdoms of Israel. Babylon and the Kingdom of God, and many more, and all will be resolved into one. The pairs are different, but the pattern is there.

well yes ... two witnesses that speak as one ... understanding Cain and Abel are the two sons\perceptions of Adam ... and in picture the two seeds that he sows in his garden\mind relating to thought as in one not labored for and one labored for ...

 

[Jerry N.]

Persian dualism (Zoroastrianism)?

If I understand Persian dualism correctly, I think that the Zoroastrians saw this dualism in many things and were searching for the truth that can be found in the Scriptures.

 

[trophy33]

If I understand Persian dualism correctly, I think that the Zoroastrians saw this dualism in many things and were searching for the truth that can be found in the Scriptures.

I mean, do you think that the OT authors were influenced by the Persian dualism and that is why they created the pairs of "good and evil" in their stories?

 

[Jerry N.]

I mean, do you think that the OT authors were influenced by the Persian dualism and that is why they created the pairs of "good and evil" in their stories?

The Persians were more influenced by the OT than the other way around, as evidenced by the Magi knowing the prophecies of the OT. However, the major source of influence on Zoroastrianism was from the east, but they probably came up with most of their ideas all by themselves.

 

[trophy33]

as evidenced by the Magi knowing the prophecies of the OT

Well, the historicity of the narrative about the Magi is disputed among theologians and biblical scholars. It is hard to speculate, if they existed, what they knew or not and from where... their reasoning in the text seems to be purely astrological, no reference to any prophecy.

 

[honey badger]

The Persians were more influenced by the OT than the other way around, as evidenced by the Magi knowing the prophecies of the OT. However, the major source of influence on Zoroastrianism was from the east, but they probably came up with most of their ideas all by themselves.

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

The 12 signs of the zodiac have Hebrew names that define them as the tribes of Israel and depict the truth of the gospel that is written in the heavens ... all things declare him, just as much as we will come to a time where we understand he fills all things presently.

 

[Jerry N.]

Well, the historicity of the narrative about the Magi is disputed among theologians and biblical scholars. It is hard to speculate, if they existed, what they knew or not and from where... their reasoning in the text seems to be purely astrological, no reference to any prophecy.

You are using a trick that skeptics use all of the time, i.e. question if anything in the past can be proved, unless it fits their views. From questioning the moon landing to the holocaust, one can always use this trick to look knowledgeable to people who don’t know better. I could question whether Socrates existed with more credibility than questioning whether the Magi existed. If you want to see the speculations on how the Magi knew a King of the Jews was born, they are easy to find. There is even a theory that they were descendants of Jews that never returned to Israel but were waiting for the Messiah.

 

[Jerry N.]

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

The 12 signs of the zodiac have Hebrew names that define them as the tribes of Israel and depict the truth of the gospel that is written in the heavens ... all things declare him, just as much as we will come to a time where we understand he fills all things presently.

I wish everyone could see how all of creation declares the glory of God.

 

[honey badger]

I wish everyone could see how all of creation declares the glory of God.

this is the sole purpose of the creation ... knowledge of good & evil births the image we turn from ... a necessary part of the process ... we all must choose a Devil\serpent ... God chose an Esau Israel chose a Dan and Jesus chose a Judas ...

nothing is out of order

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

... ... Revelation is the correct way we can know what the Bible means. However, I find so few people are given this kind of revelation. Don't know if I can even claim myself to have this kind of revelation.

I read the bible as an accompaniment to my faith, but it's not the main act.

God is the main act, I talk and listen to god through prayer (does that make me a contemplative???). I read the bible because i think it's sacred, a gift from god. I read it and ask god to show me what he would like to say ... I guess thats why i dont cut/paste bible verses to people. That would be inappropriate most of the time.

Below is an assumption i make - having never read the history of christianity ...
I suspect that a group of christians assembled a load of special books and rejected others.
I assume they then read the books, interpreted them and told everyone what to do and what to think - which was probably pretty easy since no one else could read.
Then, i guess people said they dont need the authority to tell them what to believe and what to think ???
They will read and interpret the scriptures themselves??
Then,
i suspect that the religion got a little overly dry and legalistic.
It seems to have filled up with amateur lawyers who quibble over the tiniest details of text.
Seems to me that this approach is a little unbalanced. You start having these weird arguments like "do unbelieving babies go to hell?". Quibbles over things that common sense should give you the answer to
Ive heard someone say that your walk with christ stopped being about an inner experience and started being about what you believe.
note: Please if someone knows great books and historians that think differently - let me know