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But you have the benefit of experience. Don't you know a crock when you hear it most of the time? Likewise, don't you know a crock when you read it? I read five commentators. I picked them, because they're "classics," i.e. trusted for decades and/or centuries. I still don't buy crocks, even if from them. I'm fine disagreeing with the likes of John Gill, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, and JFB. (I don't recall disagreeing with Matthew Henry yet. lol) If they're wrong, and I can prove it, they're wrong. I trust commentaries more than Bible studies with friends or even just reading the Bible for myself, because I absolutely know I'm no bible scholar. Some of my friends were, but not back in the days when we had informal Bible studies. It was just a handful of people who didn't even know there was such thing as a concordance guessing what we got from reading it on our own.
I've learned a lot of dumb stuff guessing. I use commentators to correct my guessing mistakes of the pass. I'm also inherently suspicious, enough to call people on stuff they say. (And that's where "At what cost?" came from. lol My other repeat is "prove it.")
Also, how do you study when there's nothing to do but read words on a page? Like exactly what do you study if you're reading a slew of begats? Just names on the page unless someone can guide me (aka Bible aids and commentaries) to who is that dude? How do you know what John was telling any of the seven churches if you don't have anyone telling you who in the world were those seven churches? And, yeesh! How do you know what a rabbit is considering there were no long ear rodents anywhere near the Sinai region 3000 years ago? How do you study just by reading?
Not arguing, but this looked like a good place to ask the questions I've always wanted to ask someone who just reads. lol
I've learned a lot of dumb stuff guessing. I use commentators to correct my guessing mistakes of the pass. I'm also inherently suspicious, enough to call people on stuff they say. (And that's where "At what cost?" came from. lol My other repeat is "prove it.")
Also, how do you study when there's nothing to do but read words on a page? Like exactly what do you study if you're reading a slew of begats? Just names on the page unless someone can guide me (aka Bible aids and commentaries) to who is that dude? How do you know what John was telling any of the seven churches if you don't have anyone telling you who in the world were those seven churches? And, yeesh! How do you know what a rabbit is considering there were no long ear rodents anywhere near the Sinai region 3000 years ago? How do you study just by reading?
Not arguing, but this looked like a good place to ask the questions I've always wanted to ask someone who just reads. lol
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I said that if you use a commentary with suspect (prove it with the Word) and it helps you, than do so.
What I have seen over the years is that many believers, especially new believers, simple repeat what they have read when asked what they believe. They trust commentaries more that the Word.
In my early days as a believer I read a lot of commentaries, but as I learned how to PROPERLY study the Bible, I found them to be of little help, and realized that some were heresy.
I have two very good friends and fellow church members who ave very knowledge in the Word, and we often question each other as we study. All three of us have a much better understanding through this process.
My concern is for those who believe a commentary without question because the writer is considered an expert and those who ALWAYS study alone. Those who do so are sometimes lead into untruths.
What I have seen over the years is that many believers, especially new believers, simple repeat what they have read when asked what they believe. They trust commentaries more that the Word.
In my early days as a believer I read a lot of commentaries, but as I learned how to PROPERLY study the Bible, I found them to be of little help, and realized that some were heresy.
I have two very good friends and fellow church members who ave very knowledge in the Word, and we often question each other as we study. All three of us have a much better understanding through this process.
My concern is for those who believe a commentary without question because the writer is considered an expert and those who ALWAYS study alone. Those who do so are sometimes lead into untruths.