You Can Understand the Old Testament (2 Simple Ideas Help!)
This session is from the BibleProject Classroom class Introduction to the Hebrew Bible taught by Dr. Tim Mackie. The entire class is available for free on the BibleProject app at https://classroom-beta.bibleproject.com/introduction-to-the-hebrew-bible.
How can we read the Old Testament and understand the meaning its ancient authors intended?
These two simple ideas are at the core of the process.
1. The Old Testament is an ancient text.
2. A text is intentional literary communication.
We interpret every text we read through the lens of our mental storehouse, or the “encyclopedia” of words, ideas, images, and stories stowed in our memories. But the biblical authors have their own encyclopedias from which they produce texts. So if we want to understand the authors’ intended meaning, we will adapt our “encyclopedia of reception” by learning about the authors’ “encyclopedia of production.” Dive into this class session with Dr. Tim Mackie and start developing tools for encountering the Old Testament on its own terms.
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Cultures may vary incredibly around the world, we get astounded by the differences. And while hopefully we may respect and appreciate the differences, yet the work of true ‘reading’ is about discovering the similarities, behind alla appearances. To discover oneness underneath multiplicity.
In sacred texts like the Bible there is the essential message which matters, not the laws of men that come with the authority of God.
The essential message is what can unites us all. We need to learn to ‘read’ that same essence im everything and everyone.
Yawn.
Thank our God forever❤❤❤❤God , teach us how to study your bible properly and gracefully❤Hallelujah
Amo este formato, si pudieran hacer los mismo en el español, me encanta vere estas clase en lo que entiendo de los subtítulos, si también pudieran hacer los podcast con videos MP4, así sea las personas hablando o mostrar gift entre la grabación ❤
thank you Lord for this group of people who help us understand your word better!
great discussion! I am really enjoying these deep dives into how to explore the Bible more authentically!
Sounds a lot like the Catholic understanding the literal sense—that which is inspired in the Bible is the author's intention in writing the text, and any spiritual senses build off of that literal sense. For much of the Bible, this is an historical rendering, but for certain passages this is not certain, and even in the historical passages we should expect that events are compressed or rearranged in a non-chronological ordering.
Another light of wisdom turned thanks it's truly a new perspective.
I read the Old Testament and didn't like it. It was too barbaric and contained too many contradictions. I prefer the Natural world that surrounds me for the truth.
1John 4 :1-7
Test the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Romans 1:
God's Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
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Verse 32, they give approval to those practicing sexual immorality. Oh my heart breaks. Do not listen to them, they are not of God if they disagree with His Word.
Wait, Tim! Are you trying to offend half your audience with that Marvel Universe joke? 😅 Clearly, you haven’t seen some of the best they have to offer (Winter Soldier, Guardians 1, Ragnarok, Infinity War and End Game- just to make a few. Now if you are talking about the last two years, you may have a point.
I love the example given about the cultural tropes of Bollywood movies. I have learned so much about the Old Testament simply from deepening my friendships with my Hindu friends. Many of their cultural practices in the Bible are still being practiced today in India. It is fascinating. Those friendships have helped me understand our Eastern Holy Book a little better.
Just thank you. You really are making a big difference to our understanding
Vídeos like that makes the bible more easy to undustand
I would like to see the same type of vídeo but about the New testament
1 – it's written by and for a nation of people, who were chosen by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2 – If I or someone else considers themself a foreigner, adopting these laws and statutes will allow me or them to sojourn with that nation. Just as a foreigner would need to get naturalized in order to become American.
As a child, I didn't know these two things so I had no idea what I was reading in Ruth and why it was even in the Bible.
you are saved by faith not works grace not law least any man boast read paul romans
This is what Christianity asserts is the truth:
That the Creator of the Universe, 13.8 billion years ago, decided to crawl up inside a virgin girl's poon hole in ancient Palestine, 2,000 years ago, and deposit his cosmic seed into her quivering uterus. Because apparently God felt fatherhood calling for the first time in nearly 14 billion years. Yep, God wanted to be a dad. And apparently none of the female Homo Sapiens who walked the Earth during the previous 300,000 years had poon-tang with a sweet enough smell to attract YAHWEH and arouse his mighty penis.
And the reason for God desiring a son was because he needed the proper human to be nailed to a chunk of wood and be savagely beaten to death as some kind of idiotic and revolting blood sacrifice for the supposed sins of his own creation. Because nothing says forgiveness quite like the blood of a barbaric human sacrifice. Right?…… Don't 'ya just feel the love!!?
So then, supposedly 3 days after the sadistic human sacrifice, the Creator of the Cosmos reanimated the carcas of his son so he could trot around among a small group of ignorant, superstitious peasants as though to say.."Hey fellas, lookie here what I just did! I just brought a 3 day old sack of bones back to life! Aren't you impressed!!? And if you want, I can crawl up inside another virgin's poon hole and do it all again for you!"
This, Christians, is your pathetic story. And if any part of this preposterous, idiotic pile of horse manure seems even remotely sane and reasonable to you, I implore you to find the nearest physician that specializes in lobotomies and schedule your appointment immediately. Perhaps they will offer you a discount due to your mental illness.
May Zeus bless you!
milk
Nice for them all Tim.
I was just 24 Tim.
Am I not allowed to sleep Tim.
Explain to us about theft Tim abuse.
To understand anything in scripture, get that cancer called reformed theology AKA Calvinism out of your head.
Then you'll actually be able to track and understand what's happening in the Bible
I like the new hair cut 👍
How did King Saul die? Which of the 4 verses is the real one?
1SA 31:4-6 Saul killed himself by falling on his sword.
2SA 1:2-10 Saul, at his own request, was slain by an Amalekite.
2SA 21:12 Saul was killed by the Philistines on Gilboa.
1CH 10:13-14 Saul was slain by God.
Remember God is not the author of confusion. 1 Corin 14:33
1 Peter 3:15 says always give an answer.
1 Thess 5:21 says prove all things.
So please give me the real answer as the bible instructs you to do so.
We have access to the author, and His name is Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. His words are in the four Gospels, as well throughout the Bible. And there aren't any culture boundaries going on, because what was happening then, is happening now. Even over here…
I thank God for this conversation ❤
God bless you.
Us who are saved understand the scriptures thanks to the Spirit of God that is in us. "You will know them by their fruits". Your teaching is exposing you – those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
No one in premillennialism can understand the OT.
I believe…
(Sorry Brethren, for the VERY long "comment". But I believe it NEEDS to be espoused)
The Old Testament, from what I have read (All of it), and heard it narratived KJV (ALL of it)…and another narrative in the NIV; that I believe, it can be understood. IF one gets on their knees; and sincerely prays to Jesus ONLY; for Him to help them to undersand the OT.
And Better: Pray sincerely, to Jesus for "Wisdom, Understanding and the Truth". Because Jesus is the ONLY "inerrant and infallibe" Being, there wil ever be. Praise Jesus. And IF one does not have Jesus' Holy Spirit guiding them; satan will laugh them to the end of the world. Oh yes, but very sad.
Because satan has promulated over 45,000 different Denominations; all over the world. And most of them say, 'We are Right and the others are Wrong! Because. WE get OURS from the bible!". How foolish and silly is that! May Jesus have mercy.
And IF any Born Again Christian (that is a MUST first) wants to know the truths about anything; they MUST pray to Jesus (as above). Or they will just make another satan's Denomination. Sad, Sad and SAD! May Jesus have mercy.
So, back to understanding the OT…and you are Born Again Christian (NOT just a Christian); and you have prayed to Jesus ONLY; for those 3 must requirements; you will find things you have never seen or heard. Sad, but true. And good for them. Believe me. For it took 75 yrs of my 91 Yrs to realize; that IF I want true Understanding; I must go to Jesus…
So, the OT is broken into two major 2,000 "periods". The first 2,000 yrs was taken up with God's Creation, the Adam and Eve sins, and causing an incredible population in the world.
And 1,600 yrs in…God had to kill EVERY living creature (they are called Antediluvians) in the world; EXCEPT for 8 adult people…Noah, his wife; and His 3 sons and their wives. And for the nect 400 yrs; God let the earth repopulate, like it was. That takes us to the second 2,000 yrs.
(Remember their was NO commandments during the first 2,000 yrs.)
But beginning that 2,000 yrs; God created some unbelievable MAJOR "ways"; for man to live by loving others, etc! Like the Righteous Abraham.
And God gave incredible, awesome blessings and 10 Commandments, with Moses. Unbelivable! And God told Abraham: that He would bless them until the end of the world. And they would populate like the "Sands in the Sea". And the "Stars in the Sky"!
And so; that they wouldn't have another: satan-led, Godless Chicaneries, like Adam and Eve…and the Antediluvians…He gave Moses another 603 Commandments. That covered every "iota" of Life. Oh indeed. Praise God.
And Abraham's descendants were to be "Ambassodors" to the world. And God created 12 Tribles. That would cover the whole world; witnessing them to become the Abraham ways. And those tribes would be Forever. Praise God.
But, sad indeed…that NEVER came to fruition; to this day. But God tried; every thing He could do; to get them to be Righteous. But, sadly satan won. And by the last days of that 2,000 yrs; God's patiences…had ended.
And that takes us to the NT (and another 2,000 yrs). Where Jesus; IS the "Laws" through Faith IN Jesus. But that is for another time; and another satan-led, Godless Chicaneries, all over again. Sad but OH so True.
End of Story, and I rest me case…
In any case Brethren, Please Pray OFTEN and Praise Jesus OFTEN; for He is the ONLY true "God Almighty"; there will ever have been. And may Jesus bless you and yours always. AMEN!
Me gustaría en español la explicación gracias bendiciones
Simple for sure. Written by extremely cunning charlatans for the control of the simple. See? Simple.
I am an Indian and while I do not particularly appreciate the guy mentioning Bollywood songs as “ridiculous” things, I do appreciate Tim’s maturity in explaining the cultural context of things.
Please pray for my family. My husband of 27 years committed adultery. My whole family discovered their affair on our FAMILY VACATION!
Can you please do this 3days darkness.
The prophecy foretells three days and nights of "an intense darkness" over the whole earth, against which the only light will come from blessed beeswax candles, and during which "all the enemies of the Church … will perish." The prophecy parallels the Ten Plagues against Egypt in the Book of Exodus (Ex. 10:21–29).
I read the Bible nightly and presently on my 3d. reading. Original Bible was written in Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, etc. and there are words in those languages that we do not share in English. I have always felt if I were fluent (and I am Jewish) in Hebrew I could better understand the Bible. Reading the entire Bible the first time I do not feel it is possible for anyone to understand. I am only beginning to get it on don't get bored with what I can't understand. And culturally over 2000 years ago so very different. I remember in college studying "history" professor told me we don't read and study like we do other disciplines and I got to thinking about that. Gods words tells stories and the use of parables, and it is ALL connected.
I wish Tim were teaching local to me, he'd have to keep his skateboard nearby to escape my questions 🥳 Eventually he'd just wack me with a stick, tell me to go read it 100 more times and meditate so I could explain it to him next week 😭🤓🤠
I'm that alien cause I haven't watched TV in decades and have no idea who anyone is or what they're talking about and then people look at me like I'm insane for not caring about the Kardashians and I really don't think I'm the one that has lost their mind 🤔😬🧐
People are so strange. Always self obsessed. As soon as someone starts speaking I'm thinking "DID YOU REALLY JUST SAY THAT. MORE CONTEXT. OH NO. DON'T CALL ME EVER AGAIN" 😂