Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day
[Act 17:11 NIV]
to see if what Paul said was true.
For the last few years I’ve been studying various “new” topics. I write this as an introduction as I will be writing summaries of what I’m learning. The reason for this is I don’t want people to misunderstand that I’m just randomly throwing ideas together from watching a YouTube video or two. I don’t ride bandwagons. I’ve known the Lord about 40 years. I read a lot on the subjects, and spend a lot of time trying to understand the meanings of different matters. During the “shutdown,” I had more time to actually start putting to paper things I’ve learned, old and new. Some views I’ve had but never really dug into explanations. I’m not so presumptuous that I’m not willing to change previously held viewpoints, If need be. I may be wrong but please understand this: My whole motive is to attempt to take the Bible literally as much as possible. One such issue in our modern “advanced” day is looking into 3 tier Biblical cosmology, and I’m just attempting to side with the Bible. To align myself with God’s truth.
The Bible is my go-to source in everything, and these views should reinforce that. As it is called the canon, (I don’t why) the “measuring rod” or the “rule,” the Bible having all truth, still can be supported by other documents especially those that are synoptic to and line up with biblical truth. In all four Gospels, Peter cuts off the servant’s ear, but Mathew Mark, and John skip what happened next. It’s only when you go to Luke 22:51 you get the context that right away Christ healed the guy’s ear. Having areas of the Bible that do not have any corresponding passages, we can misconceive what happened and its meanings. It is sensible to go to other manuscripts that harmonize with the scriptures. I call them synoptic documents. If you think a real Bible view cannot include extra-biblical documents, then you should also consider throwing all your books, commentaries, sermons, and even doctrines away, cause at the end of the day, they are all extra-biblical.
Some pseudepigrapha will be weightier than others, and have some or much ancient manuscript backup, as does 1 Enoch while others have little, similar to a sermon you hear is weightier than another. That doesn’t mean the other is bad. Scripture is still the rule. I’m not asking people to agree with everything that I’m saying, but still just to hear me out. At the end of the day we are all still learning, and more than anything, learning to go to the cross, with all our imperfections, and failures, and sin. Only God has it all right; [Pro 16:11 NIV] Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making. We tend to put certain people on a pedestal but look down on others. [1Co 7:40b NIV] and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Besides online resources we are blessed to access multiple Bible versions, Interlinear, Septuagint, etc, at the click of a mouse, makes it so easy to find correct word translations and meanings. Finally bear with me, as I’m still learning to write, if you know what I mean. Some things still may be inconclusive, even as they seem to be pointing in a certain direction. [1Co 13:12 ESV] 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. Still a lot is still to be learned and useful in getting the bigger picture of Biblical themes. [Heb 6:1 NIV] let us move beyond the elementary….