whirlingmerc
Well-Known Member
I think the Bible is true in what it claims, but there is such a thing as literary genre and true in the sense of the literature It may be literally true in parts, proverbially true in parts, poetic in parts, could use hyperbole or other devices in parts. I take it historically true in the historical parts
Wooden literal? not always.
Take for example in the book of Acts Paul goes back to Jerusalem and is told by a prophets if he does 'the Jews will hand him over to the Romans' well some Jews trying to have a plot against Paul cause the Romans to take Paul and imprison Paul, trials appeals and appeal to Caesar. God superintended a situation where Paul would speak to kings and rulers and the gentiles. Not 'handed over to the Romans' in a wooden literal sense but in a figurative sense.... and so.... consider the sense of the literature... wooden is not always the way to go
I would take lady wisdom and lady folly in proverbs as allegory and proverbs either true in ensemble or in some maxim rule of thumb sense individually.
I would take the book of Jonah as historical (but poetic, with a real sea creature etc... that really swallowed Jonah ) I would take the fire, ground opening, and snakes killing people are historically true.... and .... yes, plagues, long day, sea parting, walls falling.... yes... historically true
I would take the laws as sometimes case law to be considered how it might be approved in similar but not quite the same cases or what it might say about God or justice
The main things remain the plain things and the plain things remain the main things, in the sense of perspicuity of the scriptures where a child hearing the story will likely hear the main things
Wooden literal? not always.
Take for example in the book of Acts Paul goes back to Jerusalem and is told by a prophets if he does 'the Jews will hand him over to the Romans' well some Jews trying to have a plot against Paul cause the Romans to take Paul and imprison Paul, trials appeals and appeal to Caesar. God superintended a situation where Paul would speak to kings and rulers and the gentiles. Not 'handed over to the Romans' in a wooden literal sense but in a figurative sense.... and so.... consider the sense of the literature... wooden is not always the way to go
I would take lady wisdom and lady folly in proverbs as allegory and proverbs either true in ensemble or in some maxim rule of thumb sense individually.
I would take the book of Jonah as historical (but poetic, with a real sea creature etc... that really swallowed Jonah ) I would take the fire, ground opening, and snakes killing people are historically true.... and .... yes, plagues, long day, sea parting, walls falling.... yes... historically true
I would take the laws as sometimes case law to be considered how it might be approved in similar but not quite the same cases or what it might say about God or justice
The main things remain the plain things and the plain things remain the main things, in the sense of perspicuity of the scriptures where a child hearing the story will likely hear the main things
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