Processing

I think I'm going to process more of what I'm learning on here as opposed to putting down what happened during the day. That is, after all, why I started back up with my blog after about two years of non-bloggness. To have a place to jot down things that I'm hearing the professors say, discussions with other students, wife, etc. and to process those thoughts.

I'm finding I really enjoy studying historical-cultural data from the ancient middle east. It is fascinating as it opens up the world of the Bible so much more. Reading the Bible is like hearing an old radio broadcast; reading the original languages is like watching hi-def color tv. It adds so much texture and nuance to the text of Scripture. Learning the culture and seeing the Bible through the eyes of the original audience and their paradigm helps to add this texture and nuance. I am fascinated by it.

For example, ancient Israel had a paradigm that the worst thing that could happen to you was to be publicly shamed. It was the absolute worst thing; so for Jesus to go not once, but twice to his hometown and both times he was rejected is enlightening. The first time they tried to kill him, the second time they got uproariously angry. The text reveals on his second trip he was amazed at their unbelief. He was publicly shamed in his hometown. Have I been shamed by others? Yes. Jesus understands this first hand. Hebrews states this is one of the reasons he is a high priest who understands what we have gone through.

Also it was a culture of limited goods. They believed there was only so much to go around and if someone succeeds it would be at the expense of someone else. Upward socio-economic movement was not an option, for to move up financially meant someone else had to decrease financially. The idea of prosperity and the abundance mentality would be foreign to the ancient Hebrew mindset. The american dream was not in their paradigm. So when we read Scriptures like the parable of the talents, we miss the fact that the lord was an unscrupulous and ruthless slave owner. He had his slaves take advantage of their peers to take their 10 and 5 talents and increase the goods. We look at the parable of the talents as a reason to be good stewards and Jesus is trying to point out that to take advantage of others for gain is atrocious. We are missing the point because we don't understand the mentality and context of the Scripture.

Alright, I get to go pick up three of my babies from school. Until next time . . .