August 30, 2024
I can easily get the Bible’s meaning?
-Meaning is a tricky concept
-Statements can be misinterpreted, spread incorrectly
-Need verification by checking by checking with person who made the statement
-How do you consult a person about a statement after they are dead?
● How about 50, 100, 150 years ago after their death?
-Who gets to decide the meaning of the statements for the future generations?
● The present meaning does not always reside with author
● Later gen plays a part in deciding what something means
-How does one know if they are assigning the correct meaning?
● Work backwards
● Try to understand
Why is meaning tricky?
-language is ambiguous
-language doesn’t translate word for word
● Language is a social construct
● Created by humans to communicate
● Flawed means of communication
, September 4, 2024
CONT…
I CAN FIGURE IT OUT, I KNOW ENGLISH
-some obstacles
● Ancient copies not in english
● Nochapter and verse divisions
● No punctuation marks
● No division of words
-This can cause confusion/ challenges to translation
-leads to variability of meaning
Why did a perfect God choose to communicate through an imperfect means?
-from beginning God has wrecked through imperfect human beings
- God’s message and spirit still influences the world for good
The Bible
● Same principle applies
● Good uses imperfect medium of human language to communicate His Word
● We constantly need to interpret the words of the bible
● Not always guaranteed as appropriate
I can easily get the Bible’s meaning?
-Meaning is a tricky concept
-Statements can be misinterpreted, spread incorrectly
-Need verification by checking by checking with person who made the statement
-How do you consult a person about a statement after they are dead?
● How about 50, 100, 150 years ago after their death?
-Who gets to decide the meaning of the statements for the future generations?
● The present meaning does not always reside with author
● Later gen plays a part in deciding what something means
-How does one know if they are assigning the correct meaning?
● Work backwards
● Try to understand
Why is meaning tricky?
-language is ambiguous
-language doesn’t translate word for word
● Language is a social construct
● Created by humans to communicate
● Flawed means of communication
, September 4, 2024
CONT…
I CAN FIGURE IT OUT, I KNOW ENGLISH
-some obstacles
● Ancient copies not in english
● Nochapter and verse divisions
● No punctuation marks
● No division of words
-This can cause confusion/ challenges to translation
-leads to variability of meaning
Why did a perfect God choose to communicate through an imperfect means?
-from beginning God has wrecked through imperfect human beings
- God’s message and spirit still influences the world for good
The Bible
● Same principle applies
● Good uses imperfect medium of human language to communicate His Word
● We constantly need to interpret the words of the bible
● Not always guaranteed as appropriate
