Is the bible under-written?

[Oregongrown]

Strange title, best I could do for now, and I really would like input.

I am reading along last night, then on parts that I just want to go into more depth on, I will go to my commentary (I like Dave Guzik's) but after I had read several chapters, including getting to the part where Joseph finally gets out of prison to interpret the dreams about the famine, I laid there and thought about what I'd read. Last night and this morning earlier, I felt like if I hadn't read the commentary, I would not have realized how horrible, for example, it must have been for Joseph. This is only one example, as I have read page after page of the slaughter of people, rape, guys sending their own daughters out to be raped to sinful crowds of men, and the list of atrocities goes on. But what I'm trying to get to here, is it seems like the bible is just information, without emotion sometimes, is it just me being without emotion?

I feel like everything is just so rushed through, and how all these names of geneologies are listed, but these were people like me, and I feel they didn't count, just names, or numbers, or cattle being pushed through. Like they didn't matter. I know that can't be true of my God that I cry out to, and believe He knows every hair on my head. But the bible is just a summary isn't it, just the main points God wants us to know? Maybe? I mean, here I am, about as soft-hearted as a person can get (I know I am onery too, but I do care about people) and I'm reading this stuff about Joseph, or Tamar, and I'm not crying my eyes out for them. Then I read the commentary and it reminds me what these people were actually suffering.

Ok, here's another example, John the Baptist gets beheaded, it's just so matter of fact, it doesn't tell how he felt, or who mourned him even, am I making sense? For you unemotional types it probably won't make sense, but if the bible is a summary, which I know it must be, I understand. God wanted us to see these events, but the bible isn't meant to be entertainment like a movies The Ten Commandments with Charlton, or The Robe, or The Passion. I am thinking, for me, I need those commentaries to open my eyes to what is "not" written. Not to add to the bible, but to explain it in more depth.

Ok, long-winded enough, lets see what my brothers and sisters in Christ have to say about all this. ysic

PS if anyone remembers my real name, I don't plan on using it anymore, on the forums so if you wouldn't use it either, I appreciate it you can use it in pm's for sure, God bless each of you today

[jayne]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Well, I surely get miffed sometimes when details are missing. Like - what happened to Joseph? When did he die? How old was Jesus when Joseph died.

Oh, well.

The Bible tells us exactly what God wants us to know. Here's an analogy that not originally mine, but I'm having to make up the details as best I can remember.

Let's say that you and I are good friends. And we are taking a walk in the woods. If I see a rattlesnake and you are going to step on it in a few steps - all I need to say to you is "Watch out! Snake! Back up!"

And ..... if I am relating this story to a third party whom I know is going to be walking through those same woods, I don't need to tell them every conversation you and I have ever had or every event in our lives. I just need to tell them enough for them to know what happened and for them to watch out for snakes, too.

They might really want to know other details, but I gave them the gist of what they needed to know.

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Well, I surely get miffed sometimes when details are missing. Like - what happened to Joseph? When did he die? How old was Jesus when Joseph died.

Oh, well.

The Bible tells us exactly what God wants us to know. Here's an analogy that not originally mine, but I'm having to make up the details as best I can remember.

Let's say that you and I are good friends. And we are taking a walk in the woods. If I see a rattlesnake and you are going to step on it in a few steps - all I need to say to you is "Watch out! Snake! Back up!"

And ..... if I am relating this story to a third party whom I know is going to be walking through those same woods, I don't need to tell them every conversation you and I have ever had or every event in our lives. I just need to tell them enough for them to know what happened and for them to watch out for snakes, too.

They might really want to know other details, but I gave them the gist of what they needed to know.

Good analogy, I wonder if God does mean us to dig deeper, He must, I am thinking He must anyway, since there is so much to read "between the lines". But I see the danger of filling in those blanks with our own ideas. The Holy Spirit must fill in those blanks, I mean with the thing He wants us to know. Like Joseph getting tossed in the pit, lets get a verse:

Genesis 5:24 NKJV
And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

God knows we are going to be curious, so is He challenging us to dig deeper here for example.

Or no commentary, no study, just accept "he was not, for God took him."

I guess what I am wondering, is it important to dig deeper in order to know God more intimately? Thanks Jayne, ysic

[Protective Angel]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Our main teacher in the word is the Holy Spirit.


The Holy Spirit fills in the "under-written" parts.

That's our relationship as we grow. To fill in the "blanks" as we grow.


Yes, I do remember your name and I will tell you, that mine is Roger. I have watched you growing. Your heart is very loving. Keep up the good work.

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Our main teacher in the word is the Holy Spirit.


The Holy Spirit fills in the "under-written" parts.

That's our relationship as we grow. To fill in the "blanks" as we grow.


Yes, I do remember your name and I will tell you, that mine is Roger. I have watched you growing. Your heart is very loving. Keep up the good work.

Hi Roger, I want to grow, more than anything. Finally reached a place I never thought I would get to, because I just didn't try. I mean reading the bible, and I know it is God's timing, or I think that. I am glad you see growth in me, we don't see our own sometimes.

I believe it is the HS, it's funny because I sort of came to that as I was posting. I wanted to hear from others though, I like the interaction of christians, well, when we are mirroring Christ I like how you put it as Him filling in the blanks as we grow. It's like, maybe I could just read the Word, and accept what I believe the Holy Spirit shows me, then return and read it again. People say that when you read the bible, every time you read it, something new appears, so yes, I really think you are right on, God bless and thank you so much for the reply, ysic

[shock1964]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

God could have allowed his writers to include a lot more content than they did, but He gave us His word so we would know Him and how to find Him and serve Him. The Holy Spirit takes what has been revealed in the word and the experiences we have in life to further help us be His instruments here in this world. We are so culturally conditioned to be entertained that we feel cheated when we do not get the back story to many of the historical events God has revealed in the bible. The genealogies you mentioned are probably some of the driest portions of scripture, until you realize why they were included in the bible in the first place. They show Christ's lineage to King David and on back into history to establish His place as the fulfillment of prophecy and as the messiah.

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

God could have allowed his writers to include a lot more content than they did, but He gave us His word so we would know Him and how to find Him and serve Him. The Holy Spirit takes what has been revealed in the word and the experiences we have in life to further help us be His instruments here in this world. We are so culturally conditioned to be entertained that we feel cheated when we do not get the back story to many of the historical events God has revealed in the bible. The genealogies you mentioned are probably some of the driest portions of scripture, until you realize why they were included in the bible in the first place. They show Christ's lineage to King David and on back into history to establish His place as the fulfillment of prophecy and as the messiah.

I agree, thank you for the reply. The geneologies, I understand now, and really read them with interest as I look for names I recognize to be in Jesus "earthly family tree". Last night I was reading about Jacob. Before I started reading the Word, I never knew any of those that would be in Jesus lineage would be such blatant sinners, shows how much I "didn't" get by just going and listening to preachers, and biblestudies, and how reading it for myself is so enlightening, praise God!

Oh and you are so right about the entertainment, I know I grew up with movies, and admiring Hollyweird, reading fairytales. So yes, I have to admit there is a certain "expectation" to be way excited about all the "reading". Well, maybe I'm not, but I am excited at the things that I read that are jumping off the page, so to speak. God is showing me things I never knew Very exciting.

Thank you again for your reply

[Aviyah]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Actually it does say that Jesus mourned for John the Baptist in Matthew 14!:

"When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns."

He tried to be alone, but the crowds kept following Him.

But anyway, I think the main reason the Bible seems so matter-of-fact is because it isn't written to be a story or novel. Most of the books are historical, so they seem to be written in such a way that records history as it happened rather than how it seemed. The implications of what happened can usually be interpreted by the reader. Most history books even today can mention the Holocaust and cite statistics without conveying an emotion since the facts speak for themselves. But then there are the poetry books which aren't really historical at all and deal more with the abstract.

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

Actually it does say that Jesus mourned for John the Baptist in Matthew 14!:

"When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns."

He tried to be alone, but the crowds kept following Him.

But anyway, I think the main reason the Bible seems so matter-of-fact is because it isn't written to be a story or novel. Most of the books are historical, so they seem to be written in such a way that records history as it happened rather than how it seemed. The implications of what happened can usually be interpreted by the reader. Most history books even today can mention the Holocaust and cite statistics without conveying an emotion since the facts speak for themselves. But then there are the poetry books which aren't really historical at all and deal more with the abstract.

yes, I remember Jesus mourning. Your main paragraph is what I was looking for as well, and I think that continuing to read, while trusting God to teach me through the Holy Spirit in me, will produce more and more understand, as He sees fit to open my eyes too Thanks Aviyah, God bless your day, ysic

[ewq1938]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

One bible is enough for me. 100 bibles containing everything would be too much on a person to be able to handle IMO.

Joh_21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Strange title, best I could do for now, and I really would like input.

I am reading along last night, then on parts that I just want to go into more depth on, I will go to my commentary (I like Dave Guzik's) but after I had read several chapters, including getting to the part where Joseph finally gets out of prison to interpret the dreams about the famine, I laid there and thought about what I'd read. Last night and this morning earlier, I felt like if I hadn't read the commentary, I would not have realized how horrible, for example, it must have been for Joseph. This is only one example, as I have read page after page of the slaughter of people, rape, guys sending their own daughters out to be raped to sinful crowds of men, and the list of atrocities goes on. But what I'm trying to get to here, is it seems like the bible is just information, without emotion sometimes, is it just me being without emotion?

I feel like everything is just so rushed through, and how all these names of geneologies are listed, but these were people like me, and I feel they didn't count, just names, or numbers, or cattle being pushed through. Like they didn't matter. I know that can't be true of my God that I cry out to, and believe He knows every hair on my head. But the bible is just a summary isn't it, just the main points God wants us to know? Maybe? I mean, here I am, about as soft-hearted as a person can get (I know I am onery too, but I do care about people) and I'm reading this stuff about Joseph, or Tamar, and I'm not crying my eyes out for them. Then I read the commentary and it reminds me what these people were actually suffering.

Ok, here's another example, John the Baptist gets beheaded, it's just so matter of fact, it doesn't tell how he felt, or who mourned him even, am I making sense? For you unemotional types it probably won't make sense, but if the bible is a summary, which I know it must be, I understand. God wanted us to see these events, but the bible isn't meant to be entertainment like a movies The Ten Commandments with Charlton, or The Robe, or The Passion. I am thinking, for me, I need those commentaries to open my eyes to what is "not" written. Not to add to the bible, but to explain it in more depth.

Ok, long-winded enough, lets see what my brothers and sisters in Christ have to say about all this. ysic

PS if anyone remembers my real name, I don't plan on using it anymore, on the forums so if you wouldn't use it either, I appreciate it you can use it in pm's for sure, God bless each of you today

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

One bible is enough for me. 100 bibles containing everything would be too much on a person to be able to handle IMO.

Joh_21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

I understand that as well, I think some of my earlier posts/replies show that. I think the answer that helped me most to see the "whys" is the one that tell me the Holy Spirit will reveal more to me as I grow in Him. I just think the OT is the hardest for me to get through, but yet I see it as essential, for me. I know some folks don't even go there, but if I didn't read it, I would constantly be going back in search of meanings of OT things that are referred to in the NT. It's just all part of growing up, and here at 60, thought I was there already Surprise, I'm just a baby comparatively speaking

[Bnjmn]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

God tells us everything we need to know. If there was more that God had intended for us to know, it would have been added into The Bible.

The mystery of the missing years of the life of Christ are intriguing, but is there anything that could have taken place in that time that could make a difference to our belief?

If God truly wanted us to know about his childhood, or the other years that are left out of The Bible, it would all be there in the good book. God would never want us to assume anything about the life of Christ, and believe false truths that there is no evidence of.

[carboy]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

You used Joseph as an example of certain facts so let's look at a few.
He was betrayed by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles.
He was wrongly accused and wrongly convicted of a crime and sent to a place of condemnation.
In that place of condemnation he was with two men one of which was given life and the other death.
He went from a place of condemnation to a place of exhalation and given rule over all the land.
The first time his brothers saw him they didn't recognize him but the second time he revealed himself to them. H

There is a reason for what is written. The narratives and poetry are full of these types. The word is so integrated and so much more than any literature ever written.

Just wait when one night you're reading one of the prophets and you start relating and almost hear the people, the animals, the smells and feel the plight of the prophet and understand the message and heart of the prophet.

[Dani]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

yes, I remember Jesus mourning. Your main paragraph is what I was looking for as well, and I think that continuing to read, while trusting God to teach me through the Holy Spirit in me, will produce more and more understand, as He sees fit to open my eyes too Thanks Aviyah, God bless your day, ysic

You have grown since I became a member! I remember some of your posts when I first came- especially about the OT. Then, you took a turn for the .....better! You really got serious about really reading TO understand. You went back to Genesis, if I emember correctly, and got very emotional about your reading.

Before I begin reading I ask God to open up something new to me; something I have maybe overlooked- many times & many times, He does.

Other times he shows me through a thread here, or even a TV preacher. When that happens, on TV I mean, I get my bible and pray that He will show it to me the way He wants it believed by me.
Mostly here, the scriptures are posted or references given.

I have discovered that PRAYER, before we begin reading, is the answer to unlocking what God wants us to see. I think you are very studious and are learning rapidly.

God Bless, ummm. oops! I seem to have just forgotten your name

Dani

[Oregongrown]

Re: Is the bible under-written?

You used Joseph as an example of certain facts so let's look at a few.
He was betrayed by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles.
He was wrongly accused and wrongly convicted of a crime and sent to a place of condemnation.
In that place of condemnation he was with two men one of which was given life and the other death.
He went from a place of condemnation to a place of exhalation and given rule over all the land.
The first time his brothers saw him they didn't recognize him but the second time he revealed himself to them. H

There is a reason for what is written. The narratives and poetry are full of these types. The word is so integrated and so much more than any literature ever written.

Just wait when one night you're reading one of the prophets and you start relating and almost hear the people, the animals, the smells and feel the plight of the prophet and understand the message and heart of the prophet.

Thank you for this, it's Jesus, it's a picture of Jesus. I think there are many in the OT chapters I've read, this was really wonderful to read before I go to bed to read the Word. God bless, ysic