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What Does This Mean?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Aaron, Dec 5, 2009.

  1. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Several threads pop up asking this question about one verse or another. My question is, doesn't anyone invest is a good set of commentaries anymore?

    When my girls ask about something, I've trained them to go to our concordance, our set of Bible encyclopedias and the various commentaries on our shelves. My oldest recently stated, Matthew Henry is "magical."
     
  2. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    Are people asking questions on BB because they want to know, or are they asking because they think they already know and they want to show others their knowledge?
     
  3. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Are you wanting to know, or do you know already!... LOL... GOTCHA!


    Good question Aaron... I for one have many, many commentaries.. but it is always nice to hear the differing answers.

    For instance, if I ask a question... I know enough about the posters here on BB to know which ones are conservative, liberal, fundamental, etc.. so when they answer, I can categorize the answers and filter the results based upon my own bias toward the poster...

    That way, I can gauge the question and answer as to where the answer fits on the conservative/liberal spectrum.

    Also, I pay more attention to some poster's responses more than others because those posters seem to think like I do... and if a poster who I agree with 90% of the time disagrees with me over the answer.. I tend to reevaluate the answer I thought was right, as opposed to a poster whom I agree with 10% of the time...

    For instance, if I have a question about a CCM song.. you (Aaron) and I do not agree... so naturally I expect you to be against the song.. and I admit, ignore you... but if rbell (whom I agree with 90% of the time on CCM) says it's a bad song.. I will reevaluate my stance.

    Now when it comes to politics.. If you say something, I usually agree with it.. and if you disagree with me in politics.. I pay attention and reevaluate my stance.. as, say opposed to Kenh.. or MP...
     
  4. Johnathon E

    Johnathon E New Member

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    Maybe I'm giving people too much benefit of the doubt, but could it be that - after consulting their reference books - they are trying to put the meaning in their own words to make sure they understand it?

    I know after I have learned something, I find it sticks with me longer if I restate it as if I am explaining it to someone else. If I then restate this to someone I trust with good knowledge on the subject then they can help me to find errors or shortcomings in my understanding.

    Anyway, just a thought. I can not and do not claim to know the heart of people asking questions.

    Johnathon
     
  5. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Personally, the few times I have done it, I have checked the commentaries, dictionaries and areas of gray matter and want to see if there is anything I've missed - usually due to the fact that I am not totally comfortable with the answer that I have arrived at.
     
  6. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    I was born to be a straight man!
     
  7. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Commentaries were written by humans.

    There are lots of humans on this board, with the added benefit that the majority are Baptists and live in our world and, for the most part, in our current culture.

    There is a benefit to that when asking about the interpretation of a verse and how it can be applied to modern times.

    It's also beneficial to hear a number of replies and maybe even the same reply repeated in different ways. I can be told the same thing in ten different ways, but not understand until the tenth person words it just right.
     
  8. John Toppass

    John Toppass Active Member
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    HMMMMM So you admit........ your biased toward the posters in here. :laugh:
     
  9. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Yes, the posters in here are the best in the world!
     
  10. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    One can never know all the answer to Bible questions. It is interesting to read what modernity has to say and how they apply each verse.

    I am also amused at how folk are labelled. I have been everything, over the years, from ultra-conservative to liberal, but seldom has the label been correct.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
  11. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

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    Aaron, I think it is very appropriate to invest in a good set of commentaries. Sure we need His word everyday, but to study some of the theological giants that have come before us is healthy IMO. I'm slowly acquiring John MacArthur's commentaries of the New Testament. He has the best commentaries I've ever seen and I know I can trust he isn't going to lead anyone astray, at least on purpose.
     
    #11 SolaSaint, Dec 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 5, 2009
  12. asterisktom

    asterisktom Well-Known Member
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    May I suggest that a variety of commentaries is actually better than from one person, however good he may be. I can't place the verse right now but there is one in Proverbs that says one person seems right until another comes and examines him. It is this way with commentaries; a wide range of opinion and studious conclusions can be found from good, but fallible, conservative writers.
     
  13. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

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    Tom,

    I agree. I also use Albert Barnes, Matthew Henry and Robertson's Word Pictures from E-Sword, but Mac's commentaries are the only paper version I have, although I couldn't afford multiple paper versions. I would also add that I believe it is better to acquire a commentary set and not a one volume condensed version. A good systematic theology is good for our libraries also; I like Grudem.
     
  14. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    I, too, consult a variety of commentators.
     
  15. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    You, Jim, are an enigma to me. When you express your theology, you make perfect sense. You're lucid and succinct. You speak volumes with few words.

    But your politics . . .

    Ah, well, I still love your theology. There's no question to me that you know Christ.
     
  16. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    I never thought of you as any of those labels, just plain old.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. Forgiven777

    Forgiven777 New Member

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    We tend to often times do both "over and under our expectations of ones spiritual knowlege '.....and understanding of Gods message

    Sometimes we embrace what we read in them " Because we ( Christians in general ) find one that more agrees with our understanding ; in other words,what agrees with us (in general )

    I found out long ago,I don't know everything, and will understand less,if I read with my flesh..
    God does not commune with our flesh,we can not possibly understand the things of God in our physical conscious,its reading the same way we pray,in the spirit,being spiritual conscioius,God would not hear a fleshly prayer,and does not give us understanding of His Holy Word,if we read with our mind only,thats knowlege of what we read,but to have a full depth of understanding,we need God to explain it to our spirit.

    Our flesh can not give us understanding of things above,they are spiritual.
    I also learn that though reading spiritually conscious,God only gives according the level of ones mature readiness.

    To explain to you what I mean ,I'll use how I put food on the plate of my son when he was a little tot.
    I only put on the amount of food I knew he would actually eat,or could hold,anymore than that would be wasted,or seeing so much on his plate, he may be so overwhelm,not to eat what he could hold..

    Its like this also,my son was disappointed in his son,not being where he thought he should be ,he compared his son to what he had
    accomplished..I had to reminded him,the mountain he was puting
    before his son to climb,expecting him to be at the top,I reminded him ,that he climbed that mountain one hill at a time
    "God gives us what we are ready for,or will use"

    I personally believe the Holy Spirit is best equiped to give us understanding of His Word,after all, He writ it,for ALL Scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God,man did not write one Book, chapter,verse of their own physical will,it was all written by the will of God communed to their spirit and was written,flesh did not play a part in it, the Bible is all Spiritual ,and only God can give understanding of it..
    of course those to whom God has given understanding can share understanding,but need not to mix it with their own thoughtswhen writting
    their own books..
    I have read good books by Christian Authors,and I can tell when the writer drifted from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit ,and plugged his own ideals..

    For example,my first Pastor ( one that led me down the Romans road to the Cross of Christ )
    was preaching and I would be smiling,my heart laughing with joy,then he would leave off from,but yet be preaching from the Word,but not quite the same,after Service one morning I ask him why he would do this,he said " I've been told I get to radical" I said "get radical, the Holy Spirit is a better Preacher "
    I was sitting up front,so maybe someone in the back rows were giving him the disaproval eye..


    Well, I must go, but before I do,I have a prayer request for a lady on PNW ( Prophecy News Watch)
    I have been a member there for years..
    This lady started a thread Titled "HELP" some man at her employeement had given her a CD told her she was ready for it,he said its " Beyone the Bible" and not for everyone"
    I told her to not listen to it, and not return it but destory it..

    Nothing and no one is beyone God,the Bible is His written Word,no man
    knows more than God and boasting that the message on the CD was beyone the Bible was claiming it above God.
    The lady is angry with me, I actually thought she wanted our opinions, sound ones, it seems she only wanted those who agreed with her desire to listen to this CD..
    so you see when people read other books for understanding ,often times its looking for those that aprove and or agree with their reasoning..they do not always want the truth,not wanting an understanding that differs with their own..
    Please pray for all brothers and sisters on PNW ,because some are encouraging her to listen and some want the CD..
     
  18. thegospelgeek

    thegospelgeek New Member

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    I , like many of you, consult the commentaries, but would like to here some other thoughts. Being one of the few non-calvinist on the board, most of you callenge my beliefs and force me to examine what I beleive and why I believe it.

    Like some have already said, I am familiar enough to know who are liberal, conservative, etc (execpt Marcia, she always suprises me)
     
  19. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Commentaries aren't gospel. Neither are commentaries necessarily accurate in regards to translational context. Take commentaries on Revelation. They're all over the place theologically, often based on the commentator's position on pre/post trib and pre/post/amill.
     
  20. Timsings

    Timsings Member
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    I have three sets that I use for the SS lessons that I teach: a complete set of Broadman, most of a set of the Anchor Bible, and a few volumes of The New Interpreter's Bible which I just began acquiring this year. I also have several individual commentaries on specific books. They are a great help to me.

    Tim Reynolds
     
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