Reading the bible.

A while ago I posted my first comment on RPK's website. Someone was saying why the bible is such and such..... misquoting it.

Actually many ppl misquote it. Including many christians and me! :) Anyway I'll just post here what commented there:

http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/5551/84/

The bible are often misquoted (even by christians) because many times context is not taken into account. Without context, you can make the bible say anything you want. As an example the Bible tells us: 'There is no God'.

What in the world am I smoking? But when we read it further it says Psalms 14: To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."......

The bible is a 'story' gathering many years old and contary to popular believe it's not written in english. it's a Jewish book. Written by Jews in Hebrew and Greek (in the NT). So in order to understand them, one has to really study the culture of the time, the language of the time, and the context of the text.. and follow the story (time/era is important).

For example, (for the purpose of this comment), the main era can be seperated into pre-law (abraham's time), law (moses' time), post-law (jesus' time). Each period is marked by a covenant God has cut with man. Hence we have the NEW testament which is a NEW covenant made by Jesus. So when the NEW covenant was made, the OLD is past. Not that the OLD is not relevant but a NEW covenant was made on top of that, one that supersede the old. Much like renewing a agreement with new (less) terms - in which Jesus fufilled the law and paid the price of the law which is death. The book of Hebrew in the NT explains the connections between the New Covenant and the one concerning the Law.

Other speeches of Jesus, parables of jesus, epistles (or letters in modern day) like the one he quoted about dogs and hands can be better understood this way.. by reading into the context, who he is talking to, why was he saying it, what point was he trying to make and some the lingo of the day.

In modern day we can hear a father telling to a child: do not play with fire or else you won't have dinner! The context of such a sentence was that it was spoken to a child about maybe 4 years old? The same father could tell the same child of 18 years old: Go light the fire in the charcoal, we need to get this bbq going! Was the father inconsistent? No. He was simply speaking to a different 'crowd'.

Lastly, the bible is not written in English. As a random example, the writer quoted:

1 Timothy 5:5-6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

This NT is written in greek which means: But she that liveth in pleasure - Ἡ δε σπαταλωσα· She that liveth delicately - voluptuously indulging herself with dainties, it means one who indulges herself in good eating and drinking, pampering her body at the expense of her mind. The word is used in reference to spoiled children.

Dead here also means: θνήσκω thnēskō
Thayer Definition:
1) to die, to be dead
2) metaphorically to be spiritually dead

So it's not saying that they live as 'naughty girls' or a person who can' t be 'merry'. But as a person with cares for mostly about eating and drinking and without much on top, without a purpose in life, like spoiled children is spiritually dead.

Well, in any case I hope this help the writer start reading the bible better. I would recommend him/her to read a book on 'how to read the bible' by JI packard' before s/he studies the bible.