Logos
There are many references and commentaries written about the Bible. These commentaries examine an incredible range of diverse thought processes. It can be difficult to find which commentaries give a fundamental view of scripture and which ones digress from “proper” gospel.
Yet, even the most faithful commentaries and study guides have pre-set ideologies built into them. The person(s) who compile these writings have a view point they are trying to express. Whether they are trying to be as honest and faithful as they can be is immaterial.
This is why so many Christians get caught in between denominational lines. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, etc., all get wrapped up in their differences through the line of education. This education requires supportive materials. Those materials are written by men, who in turn, have subscribed to the particular denominational interpretation.
In order to support these interpretations scriptures are used. Excerpts from the writings within the Bible are extracted to support the case the authors are trying to make. This leaves all persons who write materials about the Bible open to an attack by the opponents of Christianity. The Bible itself is written by men. Who’s to say that the Bible itself is merely a commentary written by someone who has cherry picked stories to support their own particular view of the world?
The answer to all of these issues lies not with the words of the scriptures, but in the Logos Himself.
Jesus proclaimed that He is “the way, the truth and the life.1” If you look at these words literally then you see that Jesus has proclaimed himself as three essences, in one being. The way is the Son. The truth is the Father. The life is the Spirit.
If you accept that God exists, then you must decide whether He is active, or passive within His creation. If you accept that He is active, then you must decide whether or not He has given us specific understanding of His activities. If you decide he has given us specific understanding of Himself, then you have to decide which description is the correct understanding. If you truly investigate the different descriptions then you will find profound differences between them all. Only one of those descriptions gives us the promise that God will write the law on our hearts and here lies the rub.
The Bible is not an examination of doctrine, or of philosophy, or of theology. These terms were invented by men to describe the concepts that they had gleaned from the Bible. The Bible is a collection of stories that tell us about God’s interaction with his creation and how men have perceived those interactions. The scriptures give us a historical perspective on the activities of others, which gives us a good, clear picture of the unchanging character of God. But, the key is God, not the scriptures.
If you want to understand the scriptures, don’t look to the scriptures. Rather, look to the author of the scriptures who’s actions caused those words to be written. The whole of creation is patterned after the Word. He is the meaning and essence of everything within our cosmos. When the Spirit was removed from Adam after sin entered into creation, that creation was put into subjection to vanity so that men would have to look to God for their life, and that life comes only from the Spirit. It is the Spirit that writes the words you need to understand on your heart.
Commentaries are fine when you balance them against the Spirit. Reading the Bible is important, as long as you understand that it’s pages are simply there to reflect the Logos.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
- “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – KJV John 14:6
Loading ...