the bible is confusing it reads like a riddle sometimes
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There are chronological Bibles that you can buy and there are chronological readings that you can find on the internet for free.
There are also many teaching programs on the web where a pastor will go verse by verse and teach you the entire Bible.
"Understanding the Bible in 30 Days" by Max Anders can be googled and found for free in .pdf format on the internet.
There are other books that people have suggested.
You are actually studying thousands of years of history in the Bible from forty authors or so.
There are also many teaching programs on the web where a pastor will go verse by verse and teach you the entire Bible.
"Understanding the Bible in 30 Days" by Max Anders can be googled and found for free in .pdf format on the internet.
There are other books that people have suggested.
You are actually studying thousands of years of history in the Bible from forty authors or so.
Well, the bible is confuding for several reasons.
Here is what biblical scholars agree on:
The reality is that we do not have the actual word of God in the Bible, since we do not have the originals and in some places we do not know what the originals said.
There are flat out discrepancies among the books of the NT. Sometimes these discrepancies can be reconciled if one work hard enough at it with pious imagination, but other times the discrepancies can not, in my judgement and according to many serious biblical scholar I've read, be reconciled, however fanciful the explanation. (i.e. : Jesus dies on different days in Mark and John).
Sometimes the differences are not only on small details, but sometimes different authors have completey different understandings of important issues : was Jesus in despair on the cross (Mark) or calm and in control (Luke) ? Did Jesus death provide an atonement for sin( Mark and Paul) or not (Luke) ? Did Jesus perform signs to prove who he was (John) or did he refuse to do so (Matthew) ? Must Jesus folowers keep the law if they enter the kingdom (Matthew) or absolutely not (Paul) ?
Many of the books of the NT were not written by the people to whom they are attributed (Matthew and John) or by the people who claimed to be writting them (2 Peter, 1 Timothy). Most of the books of the NT were written after the apostles themselves were dead, only 8 of the 27 books of the NT are almost certain of having been written by the people traditionally thought to be their authors.
The gospels contain stories that had been in oral circulation for decades before they were written down. This makes it very difficult to know what Jesus actually said, did and experienced. The reality is that the Jesus portrayed in the gospels represents a later understanding of who Jesus was, not a historical account of who he really was.
There were lots of other gospels available to early christians, as well as epistles, acts and apocalypses. Many of those claim to have been written by apostles and those claims are no more or less plausible than the claims of the books who eventually made it in the NT. It makes one wonder who made the decisions of what books to include and on what grounds. Is it possible that books that should have been included were left out and that some that are in the NT shouldn't be in it ?
Important doctrines, such as that of a suffering Messiah, the divinity of Christ, the trinity and the existence of heaven and hell are clearly not teachings of Jesus, but later inventions of the early church and were not included in the early manuscripts.
As a result of all this, we can conclude that the bible is a very human book and christianity is a human invention. The bible did not descend from on high. It was created, down here on Earth, among the followers of Jesus in the decades and centuries after his death and is radically different from what Jesus most likely preached as an apocaliptyc jewish prophet.
That is why I do not think scriptures are a viable tool to gain certain knowledge of God and it also explain why the bible is so confusing.
Here is what biblical scholars agree on:
The reality is that we do not have the actual word of God in the Bible, since we do not have the originals and in some places we do not know what the originals said.
There are flat out discrepancies among the books of the NT. Sometimes these discrepancies can be reconciled if one work hard enough at it with pious imagination, but other times the discrepancies can not, in my judgement and according to many serious biblical scholar I've read, be reconciled, however fanciful the explanation. (i.e. : Jesus dies on different days in Mark and John).
Sometimes the differences are not only on small details, but sometimes different authors have completey different understandings of important issues : was Jesus in despair on the cross (Mark) or calm and in control (Luke) ? Did Jesus death provide an atonement for sin( Mark and Paul) or not (Luke) ? Did Jesus perform signs to prove who he was (John) or did he refuse to do so (Matthew) ? Must Jesus folowers keep the law if they enter the kingdom (Matthew) or absolutely not (Paul) ?
Many of the books of the NT were not written by the people to whom they are attributed (Matthew and John) or by the people who claimed to be writting them (2 Peter, 1 Timothy). Most of the books of the NT were written after the apostles themselves were dead, only 8 of the 27 books of the NT are almost certain of having been written by the people traditionally thought to be their authors.
The gospels contain stories that had been in oral circulation for decades before they were written down. This makes it very difficult to know what Jesus actually said, did and experienced. The reality is that the Jesus portrayed in the gospels represents a later understanding of who Jesus was, not a historical account of who he really was.
There were lots of other gospels available to early christians, as well as epistles, acts and apocalypses. Many of those claim to have been written by apostles and those claims are no more or less plausible than the claims of the books who eventually made it in the NT. It makes one wonder who made the decisions of what books to include and on what grounds. Is it possible that books that should have been included were left out and that some that are in the NT shouldn't be in it ?
Important doctrines, such as that of a suffering Messiah, the divinity of Christ, the trinity and the existence of heaven and hell are clearly not teachings of Jesus, but later inventions of the early church and were not included in the early manuscripts.
As a result of all this, we can conclude that the bible is a very human book and christianity is a human invention. The bible did not descend from on high. It was created, down here on Earth, among the followers of Jesus in the decades and centuries after his death and is radically different from what Jesus most likely preached as an apocaliptyc jewish prophet.
That is why I do not think scriptures are a viable tool to gain certain knowledge of God and it also explain why the bible is so confusing.
By the Holy Spirit we can understand the word of God,but someone led by the Spirit,still might not understand some things of the Bible,for insufficient amount of information concerning some things of the Bible,for while the Spirit teaches us the word,we still have to come across that information for the Spirit to relate it to us.
This happens to everyone,and I mean everyone,so do not feel like there is something wrong with you,for everybody that started reading to word of God,went through the same thing.
It is because when you first read the Bible,or getting interested in the Bible,not knowing anything beforehand,and you read a little bit,it is like someone throwing you one piece of a puzzle,of a 1000 piece puzzle,and saying what is the big picture concerning this,or someone throwing you a carburetor,and trying to understand the whole motor,from that one piece of the engine.
Of course it is easy to grasp Jesus,and Him crucified,for we can do that before we receive the Spirit,and we can only do it that way before we receive the Spirit,because we cannot receive the Spirit,until after we accept Christ,but then no man comes to the Father,unless the Father draws them,but there are a lot in the Bible that cannot be pieced together,without reading the Bible to get the sufficient information.
The main thing is to come to the realization that Jesus is Lord,and Saviour,and His shed blood,and be saved,and receive the Spirit,and then let all the rest fall in to place,and as you read it will all come together,but like I said,even someone led of the Spirit,might not understand some subjects of the Bible,for you have to come across the information first,before the Spirit can relate it to you.
Which there is a map of understanding the Bible,of people that know the Bible,and can give you an outline of it from Genesis to Revelation,which should not,and would not,be according to the teachings of their denomination,and what they believe,but of the subject matters all through the Bible,breaking it down so people can get a good understanding first,of the basics of it.You can even download a Bible program,that will have it broke down for you,from subject matter from Genesis to Revelation.
The truth is none of us can understand the Bible,more than any other person,except in what we study,and God gives to all men liberally,so all can understand equally well,but we only know what we study,and some have lack of information so they may fall short of understanding some things,and Joseph,and Daniel,when interpretating dreams,said they do not have any more wisdom than anybody else,for it is God that gives them the interpretation.
Some people understand the Bible quite well,because they have studied it a lot,possibly read through it,where some people might not read it,but only go to Church,or skip around in the Bible,so they might not understand all subject matters.
But everybody went through what you are going through,for how can you know until you start applying yourself to it,but the main thing is to get saved,and let the rest fall in to place,and if you do not understand all,lack in some subjects,apart from Christ,and Him crucified,and being led of the Spirit,you are alright,for if you do not understand the whole of Jewish history,or all the physical laws of Israel,you are alright,as an example,which we should try to understand all of God's word,but not understanding some things will not have a bearing on us not being saved,which Jesus told the Church in Thyatira because of the deception that was going,that which you do have already hold fast until I come.
When we read when we are new to the Bible,given time,we start to understand the theme of it,but at first it will be kind of confusing,because we do not know exactly what it is about,except God loves us,and Jesus died for us,which practically everybody heard of at least that,before they started reading the Bible.
This happens to everyone,and I mean everyone,so do not feel like there is something wrong with you,for everybody that started reading to word of God,went through the same thing.
It is because when you first read the Bible,or getting interested in the Bible,not knowing anything beforehand,and you read a little bit,it is like someone throwing you one piece of a puzzle,of a 1000 piece puzzle,and saying what is the big picture concerning this,or someone throwing you a carburetor,and trying to understand the whole motor,from that one piece of the engine.
Of course it is easy to grasp Jesus,and Him crucified,for we can do that before we receive the Spirit,and we can only do it that way before we receive the Spirit,because we cannot receive the Spirit,until after we accept Christ,but then no man comes to the Father,unless the Father draws them,but there are a lot in the Bible that cannot be pieced together,without reading the Bible to get the sufficient information.
The main thing is to come to the realization that Jesus is Lord,and Saviour,and His shed blood,and be saved,and receive the Spirit,and then let all the rest fall in to place,and as you read it will all come together,but like I said,even someone led of the Spirit,might not understand some subjects of the Bible,for you have to come across the information first,before the Spirit can relate it to you.
Which there is a map of understanding the Bible,of people that know the Bible,and can give you an outline of it from Genesis to Revelation,which should not,and would not,be according to the teachings of their denomination,and what they believe,but of the subject matters all through the Bible,breaking it down so people can get a good understanding first,of the basics of it.You can even download a Bible program,that will have it broke down for you,from subject matter from Genesis to Revelation.
The truth is none of us can understand the Bible,more than any other person,except in what we study,and God gives to all men liberally,so all can understand equally well,but we only know what we study,and some have lack of information so they may fall short of understanding some things,and Joseph,and Daniel,when interpretating dreams,said they do not have any more wisdom than anybody else,for it is God that gives them the interpretation.
Some people understand the Bible quite well,because they have studied it a lot,possibly read through it,where some people might not read it,but only go to Church,or skip around in the Bible,so they might not understand all subject matters.
But everybody went through what you are going through,for how can you know until you start applying yourself to it,but the main thing is to get saved,and let the rest fall in to place,and if you do not understand all,lack in some subjects,apart from Christ,and Him crucified,and being led of the Spirit,you are alright,for if you do not understand the whole of Jewish history,or all the physical laws of Israel,you are alright,as an example,which we should try to understand all of God's word,but not understanding some things will not have a bearing on us not being saved,which Jesus told the Church in Thyatira because of the deception that was going,that which you do have already hold fast until I come.
When we read when we are new to the Bible,given time,we start to understand the theme of it,but at first it will be kind of confusing,because we do not know exactly what it is about,except God loves us,and Jesus died for us,which practically everybody heard of at least that,before they started reading the Bible.
Anybody who find follow the teachings of the bible should try to learn more about the bible.
I recomend reading critical history of the bible, such as this one:
The Bible And Christianity -- The Historical Origins
Maybe the bible will make more sense once you understand who wrote it , when, and under which circumstance
I recomend reading critical history of the bible, such as this one:
The Bible And Christianity -- The Historical Origins
Maybe the bible will make more sense once you understand who wrote it , when, and under which circumstance
R
Luke 24
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
before you read pray and ask that word may be revealed to you.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
before you read pray and ask that word may be revealed to you.
P
God purposely made it to where you have to use muscle and a shovel, and dig deep studying His word. But He says if you ask, seek, and knock, the door of understanding will be opened to you. He uses physical things we understand to show us the likeness in the spiritual things we don't understand. The bible says things in one area, then explains them in another area. I just simply takes a lot of study, but whoever searches for the truth will find it.
Attachments
T
Try the English Standard Bible (ESV) or the New Living Translation (NLT), or the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) or the New English Translation (NET). Anything really, except the King James Version. That's a terribly tough translation for most people (that's why many find it to be a riddle).
Here's the online NET Bible:
https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Genesis+1:1
Here's the online NET Bible:
https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Genesis+1:1
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