Tuesday, September 20, 2005
more on Biblical Interpretation
Been away for a spell, forgive me.....
I'm still on the theme of ‘what does the Bible mean?’ and I have been doing a survey of early Christianity – Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox.
Here is my model for inquiry:
Christianity has a single source – Jesus Christ
The Gospel or ‘kerygma’ was formally entrusted to twelve men – The Great Commission – who were ordered to wait for the Holy Spirit because they “would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on (them), and then (they) will be (Jesus’) witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 Jerusalem Bible (JB).
This was the same Holy Spirit who would “…show the world how wrong it was about sin and about who was in the right and about judgment…” John 16:8 JB. Also He would “…lead (them) to the complete truth, since He will not be speaking as from Himself but will say only what He has learned…He will glorify (Jesus), since all He tells (them) will be taken from what is (Jesus’).” John 16:13-14 JB.
The Holy Spirit is the transmitter and verifier of this Gospel but not only the Gospel but the ‘complete truth’.
In summary – Jesus is The Truth. This truth is transmitted to the twelve by the Holy Spirit who not only transmits, but becomes the ‘canon’ for truth.
Jesus on the last day of the Great Feast (Tabernacle) said “If any man is thirsty, let Him come to me! Let the man come and drink…As the scripture says: From his breast shall flow fountains of living water.” John 6:37b-8. An inspired John, editorializing, explains that “He (Jesus) was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive…John 6:39a JB.
The Holy Spirit is that fountain which becomes a river, the “eternal continuum” in which the whole church swims – Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox. The Holy Spirit becomes all-permeating, in the true sense of the word…like the oxygen the body breathes in, which dissolves in the blood and is carried in the bloodstream to the organs to give the energy that maintains life.
Different parts of the body have different perspectives on the whole and indeed, on life. The test of the church then, becomes how to deal with these different perspectives while continuing to be one body. Recall Jesus’ words in John 17:21a JB ”…May they all be one…” JB. Jesus prefaces this with “…I passed Your word on to them…” v 14a and “…Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. v17 JB.
This is where it becomes murky…How do we find out God’s word?
more anon….
I'm still on the theme of ‘what does the Bible mean?’ and I have been doing a survey of early Christianity – Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox.
Here is my model for inquiry:
Christianity has a single source – Jesus Christ
The Gospel or ‘kerygma’ was formally entrusted to twelve men – The Great Commission – who were ordered to wait for the Holy Spirit because they “would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on (them), and then (they) will be (Jesus’) witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 Jerusalem Bible (JB).
This was the same Holy Spirit who would “…show the world how wrong it was about sin and about who was in the right and about judgment…” John 16:8 JB. Also He would “…lead (them) to the complete truth, since He will not be speaking as from Himself but will say only what He has learned…He will glorify (Jesus), since all He tells (them) will be taken from what is (Jesus’).” John 16:13-14 JB.
The Holy Spirit is the transmitter and verifier of this Gospel but not only the Gospel but the ‘complete truth’.
In summary – Jesus is The Truth. This truth is transmitted to the twelve by the Holy Spirit who not only transmits, but becomes the ‘canon’ for truth.
Jesus on the last day of the Great Feast (Tabernacle) said “If any man is thirsty, let Him come to me! Let the man come and drink…As the scripture says: From his breast shall flow fountains of living water.” John 6:37b-8. An inspired John, editorializing, explains that “He (Jesus) was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive…John 6:39a JB.
The Holy Spirit is that fountain which becomes a river, the “eternal continuum” in which the whole church swims – Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox. The Holy Spirit becomes all-permeating, in the true sense of the word…like the oxygen the body breathes in, which dissolves in the blood and is carried in the bloodstream to the organs to give the energy that maintains life.
Different parts of the body have different perspectives on the whole and indeed, on life. The test of the church then, becomes how to deal with these different perspectives while continuing to be one body. Recall Jesus’ words in John 17:21a JB ”…May they all be one…” JB. Jesus prefaces this with “…I passed Your word on to them…” v 14a and “…Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. v17 JB.
This is where it becomes murky…How do we find out God’s word?
more anon….
# posted by subjective object @ Tuesday, September 20, 2005 
