A source of wisdom

I just read following inspiring commentary in a current telegram forum.

"If you lack understanding in something, go to God’s word.
All answers can be found there.
Don’t take word of man as final authority to anything."

This is undeniably good advice, and it seems simple enough to follow.

It's not!

I will explain why.

First:

Translations are NOT God's word!

They are at best reflecting the message our creator inspired in Heb, Aramaic and (koine) Greek. Although the intended "message" is preserved by God's spirit, the manuscripts upon which they were written on are not.

In the same manner the stone tablets Moses received are gone, but nonetheless God's commandments are still known to us.

Since these languages are more complicated than English, a translator is confronted with a variety of words to choose from just one Jewish term.

Additionally words/sentences are often subject to local dialect, vernaculars, idioms and are period relevant. A diligent translator will do his best but even he/she will not get it right every time.

At worst, a Bible verse can reflect the translators religious convictions who can choose to translate a term that reflect's his preferrences and can reflect choice of words that completely ignores the context whether by choice or for expediency.

As an examples some words have been completely banned from some (most) translations. This is prominently the case for the first of the ten commandments. In most modern Bible it states:

Exo 20:2-3 ...am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

That is NOT what God's finger wrote on the tablets, there is not the slightest indication that the title "Lord" was used, rather a "name" , JHWH, was written there.

Whether a translator finds the use of the original wording distastful or whether it undermines his/her personal belief structure should not influence an honest and accurate transliteration.

Since this particular name (JHWH) has been substituted over 7000 times in modern bibles for a entirely different word (Lord), it can undeniably confirm the assertion that individual Bible texts should only be accepted as the inspired word of God AFTER careful examination, especially when they are used to support controversial interpretations.

Secondly:

The Bible even when using precise translation is not easy to understand.

Heb 5:10-11 11. Of whom (Christ) we have many things to say, and hard to be explained.

The Bible has MANY terminologies and statements that can easily be misscontrued, they can only be properly interpreted by closely considering the context.

The interpretation has to be in harmony with following axioms:

with itself

with ALL other scriptures

with all other Bible doctrine

with God's character

with God's plan

with the ransom and sin offering

with facts

It is also evident we can not only rely on our understanding alone, we need the help from the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Act 5:32 ...and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Nonetheless, we still have to put forth the effort. Believing that the Spirit will fill us with knowledge, understanding and wisdom whilst we only casually peruse scriptures is "New Age" metaphysics that has no support in the Bible. Yes, it's true at Pentecost 120 disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit and were able to converse to all the visitors in Jerusalem in languages that they never learnt or knew, but this was prophesied hundreds of years in advance to introduce and start a newly founded hope for all Nations not only Jews.

According to Paul's letter to Timothy we have through the scriptures EVERYTHING we need, as the comment I quoted truthfully stated.

The Holy Spirit did the work of giving us the treasure of God's word, it is our work to separate the tare from the wheat.

Importantly what did the Apostle say about this ?

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Luk 13:24 ...Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.(Strive: ἀγωνίζομαι : to contend for a prize: to fight, struggle, work hard towards.)

The warnings in the Bible are not there to discourage us, but to make us aware that if we are going along with the majority we are likely walking on the broad comfortable road to destruction and to prepare us for the ire of the one that hates those that reveal his deception.
So!
What is the point of, I admit, my long winded speech?
I simply want to qualify the comment that I quoted at the beginning, and encourage a more critical acceptance of popular but unscriptural idéologies.

Well then that that is the end of the story. Since the majority of the human race does not read either Hebrew or Greek, we are all "in the dark" (according to you). Unfortunately your post a JUST A LOT OF HOT AIR.

Once more,, if God, Yahweh, wants anyone to understand anything from any version of the Word or even from a non religious writing, the Holy Spirit will give understanding.

The one who hates those who reveal his deception would be the enemy of God's people. You've mixed up your message here.

Amen.
Precious friend, those two words is where all the Confusion
and Complex "textual criticism" reasoning of men begins. When
believing God's Pure/Preserved Word (AV) should 'start' These Words:

1) God's Simple Will is first, then:

2) Obeying all God's Excellent Bible study Rules are next, then:

3) Humbly Handling The Word Of Life is simple enough to follow.

Why must men always change/complicate this

Amen.

consider 2nd Peter 1;20 & 21 & 2nd Timothy 3:16,17. there's no way God would keep us from discerning His true word from us. His Holy Spirit authored the Bible & we can rightfully discern it. 2nd Timothy 2;7,15 & John 16:13 & 14:26 prove we can KNOW god's word.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

( imagine if they were just speaking in ancient Hebrew or Aramaic how far the gospel could have spread )

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilæans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:4, 6-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬


God speaks all languages he created them after all

He did this

“Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

then this

filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.


It’s just silly really to think Gods word is limited to ehich language a person speaks sort of when we don’t understand what it says we come up with reasons why it’s not correct so. O one else will bother reading it …..but it says the same thing if your a Spanish reading person or English same message the Hebrew and Greeks of Jesus time heard and then shared

I agree with you in principle, but..there are some that like to complicate things.
Amo 5:10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

Hello,
I agree with your first sentence, but not sure where my message is mixed up.
Shalom

wouldn't that situation indicate English is a more complex language?

Good point, perhaps I didn't express that properly.
In Greek at times there are 4 or 5 term expressing different shades of meaning to only one word in English, I was told that in Hebrew this characteristic is even more pronounced.
We can imagine that this poses a great challenge for translators and is potentially a source of error.

Shalom

i apologize for snipping your post. the way you've expressed the Tetragrammaton here is a translation, of sorts, isn't it?

perhaps @JaumeJ can help me here, because my understanding is there is no "J" in Hebrew Bible?

Yod hay vav hay, there is no V either but the letter Vav is pronounced as a W. Yahweh. And so it goes. Accents ae accents.

You seem to think that the devil will be punishing unbelievers in hell. That isn’t what Scripture teaches.

Hello,
I have no idea why you would say that, can you explain ?

Hello,
It's a misstype, supposed to be a Y. Sorry :/

the J comes from German language, into which the Bible was translated long before English - it's pronounced as Y in our language