Comments on the merge: Review of Jesus Interrupted by Bart Ehrman

Among top-notch scholars...the opinions are not as...

2009-05-15T14:11:00.000-04:00

Among top-notch scholars...the opinions are not as varied as many would have you believe. The problem is that the people who have committed their lives to studying and understanding the original manuscripts and culture of the Bible disagree with joe-schmo church person who hasn't studied anything in depth. But it is the person who hasn't studied that gets all recognition because of a mistrust of scholars.

Ehrman does not offer a scholarly basis for his work. Ben Witherington is a fabulous scholar, and, while lengthy, his posts offer great insight.

There will always be some differences but if I have to choose between someone who has only studied the Bible and someone who has studied both the Bible and the culture and language...I think the latter is more qualified to tell us what it really means.

That doesn't mean that God doesn't speak to us through it if we don't have all that stuff, but what He says must be confirmed by in-depth study. If it is worth God saying...He will often expect us to work a little to get it. For example see the Parables...Jesus didn't give the interpretation He wanted people to search it out and study it.

This is a good discussion. Thanks, Cyndi!

Oops, copied the wrong link: http://www.cnn.com/20...

2009-05-15T13:32:00.001-04:00

Oops, copied the wrong link:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/05/15/bible.critic/index.html

So controversial, it made cnn.com: http://www.them...

2009-05-15T13:32:00.000-04:00

So controversial, it made cnn.com:
http://www.themergeblog.com/2009/05/review-of-jesus-interrupted-by-bart.html

There's so many opinions out there about how to interpret the Bible, I won't/don't trust them unless they reference other parts of the Bible to uphold their beliefs. I don't mind hearing other's opinions, I find them very interesting and sometimes they even change my point of view. However, I just don't feel like paying money to read someone's opinion unless I trust where they're coming from.

I guess I just have a lot of mistrust for those who write books about their experience or opinion of God and his word. If I don't understand something in the Bible, I look to other parts of the Bible and I pray about it. I may ask the pastors what they think, but I don't believe it until I feel it's confirmed by God. (Not sure if that makes sense.)

Thanks for commenting. I have not read The Shack. ...

2009-05-15T10:55:00.000-04:00

Thanks for commenting. I have not read The Shack. I plan to because there is such a wide divide between those who hate it and those who love it.

Cyndi, I would make one caution. I think people need to read both the Bible and books about the Bible. Translation and interpretation issues, and deeper knowledge of the language and culture of the people and the writers is absolutely necessary to understanding what the Bible really means. There have been so many misunderstanding and misinterpretations (some actually making the Bible say the opposite of what it says) because they didn't do the leg work for proper interpretation. They simply rested on their ability to read the Bible. That is actually some of the problem that comes from this book. His method is just wrong.

Eric

This is a comment on croneandbearit's comment, not...

2009-05-15T10:49:00.000-04:00

This is a comment on croneandbearit's comment, not on your post. My apologies.

I'm so glad to see someone else who had issues with The Shack. I didn't even read it and probably never will. My small group changed from a Bible study to a Shack study last summer. They kept pushing us to read it so what they were saying would make sense to the rest of us. Everyone else gave in except the hubster and I. I'm turned off to it now. I was showing up for a BIBLE study, not a book review.

I also have a problem with people who spend more time reading books to help them understand the Bible than actually just reading the Bible.

Thanks for the insight and review so now I don't h...

2009-05-15T10:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the insight and review so now I don't have to waste my time reading this. I went through something similar as I read The Shack. The whole world went nuts over that book and so much was just unbiblical and even heretical I couldn't believe people would give this book such credence ..."This book changed my life". Oh come on. Now if it made them think about God and want to be closer to God, that's a good thing, but we must always be careful what we read and what we take as true. Cheers.