False Pleasure

Proverbs 5:2 (NLT) Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned.

I am enjoying reading the New Living Translation this month, up to a point.  That point comes in verses like this.  I like the expression.  I think it points out a good thought.  My problem is that I don’t think it is accurate.  Compare this,

Proverbs 5:2 (KJV) That thou mayest regard discretion, and [that] thy lips may keep knowledge.

Do you see the difference?  The NLT has you sharing, other translations have keeping or guarding.  Both are good thoughts but one is a reflection of what God had written, the other is a paraphrase by a translator who thought he knew better.

So?  Enjoy a paraphrase.  Gain insight by the creativity of the writer.  Make sure you understand the truth.  

Wrong Word

(Psa 126:1 KJV)  A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

(Proverbs 15 also read)

There are times when the KJV just does not communicate.  This is one of them.  Compare this to the statement in the NASB,

(Psa 126:1 NAS77) A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream.

The phrase “brought back” (7725) or “turned again” is a very common Hebrew word, 1339 times, and is translated “again” most frequently with an English verb that is supplied often by context.

Make it a habit to compare translations.  Also note that a simple reading of this tells us it was written after the return from captivity.  The nonsense of theology comes from commentators who have a theological system that demand this to refer to the end times.  Beware of such nonsense.

So?  Read and compare.  Become your own Bible commentator based on what the Bible says rather than what the guru on the internet tells you. 

Whose Children

(Pro 14:26 KJV)  In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

To see both the weakness and the strength of a paraphrase compare this to the Living Bible,

(Pro 14:26 LB) Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.

As I read this today I found a resounding “Yes” developing in my heart.  I think there is some real truth in what the Living Bible says, yet it is just a paraphrase.   Is it a sound principle?  Obviously.  The idea that parents having a deep reverence for God will give their children an atmosphere to thrive in is solid.  

Do you notice the part that is assumption?   Read the KJV or NASB again.  When I read it that way it seems that the “children” are the Lord’s.  That is an encouraging understanding but it assumes that the “his” refers to God.   That is literal but the nuance picked up in the paraphrase could also be the emphasis.

So?  Let the Holy Spirit speak to you as you read.  This is an example where looking a little deeper, thinking a little broader and letting your imagination go to work can bring you greater truth.  It is a matter of addition, not substitution.  

Give Me Context

Proverbs 27:26 (KJV) The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

When you hear sheep and goats mentioned together you think of judgment and Jesus separating them, or at least I do.  Our conception is that sheep, or here lambs, are the righteous and goats are the bad guys.  Notice that does not apply here.

Be careful in your choice of words.  Even more important be careful of your interpretation of words.  They do not always mean the same.  Another example might be milk.  At one place you have the joy of a land of milk and honey.  At another you are urged to grow beyond the milk of the word as baby food.

So?  Never get complacent.  Be aware of the danger of drifting and not thinking.  God speaks but we need to listen.  

Daily Reminder

(Psa 119:125 KJV)  I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

I read in Psalms and Proverbs every day.  One of the dangers of regular Bible reading is that it becomes a routine that can dull our edge.  We can read and not understand.  I think we have all had that experience where we find we have read several pages and can’t remember a thing.  Sometimes we read it again and still can’t remember.  Our minds wander.  We can have the same experience with verses we have memorized.

Here the author is calling upon God to take him beyond the ability to read and quicken his mind so that he has understanding.  That is a good prayer for us to start every day and to renew many times.

So?  God puts His truth in writing for us.  He also wants to quicken it in our hearts.  It is not just a book on the shelf.  It is meant to change us.  

The Problem of Hands

(Psa 115:4 KJV)  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

I dialogue with several people who have as much exposure to the Bible as I do.  I say dialogue instead of argue although that is often the atmosphere.  In theory we are all seeking the truth but one of the mysteries is how we can come to different positions from the same Bible.  I use the NASB of 1977.  I started with it because I thought it was the most accurate in 1977.  I have stuck with it because my study notes are geared to it.  I like it because the Bible software available makes it easier to study the Greek and Hebrew.  I accept the validity of other translations and really, the differences with others that I experience are not based on the version we are using.  They are based on the traditions of men in regard to the scripture that we have been taught.

Which brings me to this verse.  God has offered us silver and gold in the written word.  We work to mine that in order to know and love our God.  The problem is not in the gold and silver of the idols but the fact that man has molded it with his hands instead of really seeking what it says.  Since I am aware that I have traditions lurking in the recesses of my mind I seek to find truth, not by accepting other traditions but asking what does the Bible actually say.

So?  Keep pouring over the written word.  Keep listening to the Holy Spirit.  Others may help.  They may steer you correctly or simply make mistakes obvious but keep on seeking.  God will work with you, and I hope with me.  

Irritation Check

(Psa 85:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

(Proverbs 8 also read)

There is a phrase here that I keep coming across that does not make any sense.  In the KJV it is “brought back the captivity” and in the NASB it is “restore the captivity.”  Neither one makes any sense.  “Captivity” (7622) is a word that means just what it says.  The problem is in the “restore”.  I checked through the translations I have and found they all follow this pattern.

I am sorry.  It does not work.  If you go to your software you find that there are meanings that would work just fine, for instance “reverse”.  Why are they not used?

So?  When you find something that does not make sense spend a little time and look deeper.  You may not figure out what was on the mind of the translators but you should be able to understand what God is saying.  

Telling God What to Do

(Psa 75:7 KJV)  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

(Proverbs 28 also read)

Serious Christians would agree with this statement, at least on the surface.  Underneath they begin to waffle a bit.  This is usually done by stuffing God into the box of their theological system.

You have some systems that read this and have a glory fest.  They point out the sovereignty of God and how He predestines whom shall be saved.  Usually they include themselves on that list but say it is a mystery how God chooses whom He will save.  They might quote this verse as verification but they are making an assumption.  While it gives God the power and position of Judge it overlooks the fact that judging involves justice, not just mercy.  The fact that we all deserve hell and can’t earn our salvation does not mean that God does not look for certain attitudes or applications in order to make His judgement.  There is a big difference between a God who says, “I see the desire of your heart and will honor it” and a God who closes His eyes and says, “Eeny, meeny, miny moe...”

The second distortion is just the opposite.  They would claim since God is love that none will really be put down.

So?  Develop your theology by reading the whole scripture and letting God be God. 

Zion Paradox

Psalm 46:5 (KJV) God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

This verse is referring to Jerusalem, Zion.  It’s in the middle of a great passage that we all love to quote.  As you can see, this seems to be a promise that desire will be eternal.  Recently, I read another passage where God basically said that He was going to do away with Zion.  This brings to mine that old question, “Can God make a rock big enough that He can’t move it?”

We see these kinds of things fairly frequently.  Of course in things like this much of the answer is that figurative language is not to be taken literally.  The other side of that is that literal statements are not to be taken figuratively.  We love to do both.  When we read scripture, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to make it clear to us if it is speaking figuratively or literally.  Sometimes it can be taken both ways.  Sometimes we are allowed to spiritualize it for applications to us today.

So?  Read and study.  Keep your mind open to what God has to say to you.  Be honest in your application.  The rewards are not only great, they are eternal.  

Scholar for a Day

Psalm 18:1 (KJV) [[To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,]] I will love thee, O LORD, my  strength.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

My recent meeting with this Psalm was in II Samuel 22.  It is repeated there word for word as far as I can tell and is very confusing if you don’t stop and consider . It is a bit clearer here and gives us an opportunity to be Bible Scholars. 

When you interpret scripture you always have certain questions that you need to ask.  Who is writing?  When is he writing?  What are the circumstances that are being addressed?  There are more but those can be answered by you the reader without doing a lot of digging.

The thing that might pass under or over your radar is that David wrote this around the time that he was being hounded by Saul.  This was in that time between being a shepherd boy and sitting on the throne.  Read it in that understanding.

So?  There are a lot of things you can figure out for yourself without a Ph.D or a commentary.  Read, think and allow God to speak to you.  

Thinking Cap

Psalm 137:1 (KJV) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.  

(Proverbs 9 also read)

It is time to pay attention.  Most of the time we have a default position that David wrote the Psalms and Solomon wrote the Proverbs.  The only problem with that is that it is not true.  It is okay for kindergarten Sunday School but not for grown up believers.  Read with your mind turned on.

When would the author have been sitting by the rivers of Babylon remembering Zion?  Not during David’s life.  This is clearly the time of the captivity, 500 years after David.  It could have been written by Daniel or Ezekiel.  Jeremiah could have written it, but not David.  It is still scripture and God can speak to you through it.

So?  Be aware.  Someday a non-believer may claim that David didn’t write this.  Agree with him and your honest knowledge might open doors to his heart. 

A Place to Start

Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The fear of the Lord is a vital foundation for our journey of life if we desire to live righteously. But notice that word “beginning”.  Fear of God is not the goal, although many people act like it.  It should be the place we start.

Because of that it bears repeating.  Indeed, Proverbs repeats similar formulas several times during the compilation.  I would imagine that the thought kept coming back to Solomon and the other authors.  It would be good if it would keep coming back to us also.

So?  Spend some time thinking about what Biblical fear means.  Focus on words like “awe” and “respect” more than secular concepts like terror.  God is only a terror to those living in disobedience.

Watch the Twist

Proverbs 4:5 (KJV) Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

I was confused by the word “decline” in the KJV.  The NASB has “turn away”.  So I did a little digging and found that one of the possible meanings of the Hebrew is to twist or warp.

It does not do any good to read truth if you forget it.  Even worse is the way in which we can take clear statements and twist them to fit in our personal agenda or belief system.  How many teachers and preachers take the Bible and pervert it for their own agenda?  More than I would like to admit.  Sometimes it is relatively harmless and other times it does major damage.

So?  Read for yourself.  Does the preacher give you a text for the sermon?  Read it yourself.  Does the author tell you, “The Bible says”?  Look it up.  God offers wisdom but even gold coins can be clipped and debased.  

Broaden Your Parameters

Proverbs 21:8 (KJV) The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

One of the topics that keeps coming up when it is ignored involves whether the saved must sin or whether it is optional equipment.  Is it like the heater in your car or a DVD mounted on the roof?  I welcome the discussions because it shows that we are wrestling with the truths that God wants us to consider.

Today I offer this verse to the discussion.  My question for you, if you are one of those that loves to misquote Paul on none being righteous, is, “If it is impossible to be pure, what is the point of this verse?”

I am not going to digress into the meaning of pure.  Whatever it means there are millions of believers and an uncounted majority of scholars who will tell you it is impossible, whatever it means.  Really?  Then was God just playing word games when He caused this verse to be in our Bible?

So?  Interpret it any way you want as long as you are seriously trying to deal with the expectations that God has for you, and rejoice on the journey.  

Important Distraction

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

I don’t know how many times in my life I’ve heard this verse quoted.  Sometimes it’s been in sermons.  Sometimes it’s somebody expanding their a bit of wisdom in Sunday school.  Sometimes it’s been in conversation.  Almost overwhelmingly, it has been quoted out of context and used as a tool to force scripture into fitting someone’s theological position.

Let me give you an illustration. What would you think if you read the following sentence?

   “Mordecai pressed the accelerator to the floor as he rushed through the intersection in spite of the fact that the signal was red.”

I’m sure you know where I’m going with this, at least some of you do.  But let me supply a little bit of context, which hopefully will change your understanding of the situation.

    “As the police blocked cross traffic, the ambulance with the critical patient in the back rushed down the hill and through the intersection.”

Do you see the difference?  It’s the same way in which people interpret this verse.

So?  Keep reading.  Keep studying.  Keep seeking understanding.  And while you’re at it be leery of proof texting.  

Lead On

Proverbs 12:26 (KJV) The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

A surface reading of this verse tends to imply a kind of arrogant superiority that we have trouble with when we think of humility.  So I looked a little deeper.  The “excellent” of the KJV is “guide” in the NASB.  Neither one of those makes a lot of sense so I looked deeper into the meaning of the word and it seems to have the idea of searching.

So I’m guessing that the idea here is that the righteous, which should be us, are qualified to lead because they have looked into the basics of life, they have searched out and found truth.

So?  Is that a description of you and me?  Have we spent serious time looking to see what is really true and then based our life on it?  I would hope so.  If not, now is the time to start.  

After the Curtain Comes Down

Psalms 88:10 (KJV) Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

One of the things that scholars can’t seem to agree on is the teaching of the Old Testament in regard to what happens after we die.  My understanding is that even in the days of Jesus the Sadducees and the Pharisees disagreed on whether there would be a resurrection.

This is the kind of thing we run into time and time again.  The assumption here is that these questions are answered with a “no”.  There are other verses, which seemed to cry out for an answer of “yes”.

Which is it?  I need to do some research but I’m wondering if this is another area where greater detail of God’s plan is revealed in the New Testament.  Jesus talks about the resurrection.  In Matthew 24 He talks about coming in the clouds and gathering His people together.  Paul of course makes it a major issue.

So?  You can rest assured that the issue was clarified.  There are going to be a number of mysteries or shadow areas that may seem to appear in the Old Testament but are clarified in the new.  Keep reading. 

Dating Scripture

Psalms 74:7 (KJV) They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

(Proverbs 29 also read)

Today you get to play scholar.  As you read this verse, what period in the history of Israel fits what you are reading?  Put aside your pre-conceived ideas.  Suspend your assumption that all Psalms are written by David.  When was God’s sanctuary burned to the ground?

It would seem to be speaking of the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians.  That would mean that the book of Psalms had additions at least that late in Israel’s history.

So?  Take the Bible as it presents itself, not as others interpret it for you.  Be your own scholar. 

Saucy

Proverbs 7:18 (KJV) Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

This person is a good example of the dangers of quoting the Bible out of context.  This sounds like the beginning of a romance novel.  If you get a chance, look over this whole section where the local whore is seducing the young fool.  It’s pretty graphic.  If you quoted just as verse, you might think that the Bible is approving

Obviously that’s not the case.  At least it’s obvious to me and I think to you.  It may not be obvious to the person who has not read their Bible at all.  Be leery of one-word proof text.  There are times when it works.  There are times when it is disastrous.  I have been in a lot of discussions lately, where people are taking quotes out of context and using them for their own purposes.  We must be alert.

So?  The more you read the more you are informed.  The more familiar you are with the real thing the easier it is to detect the false.  May God bless your thinking and your reasoning.  

Was Solomon Confused?

Proverbs 6:16 (KJV) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Notice how Solomon seems to change his mind halfway through the sentence.  He starts off talking about six things and then decides that there are seven.  Did he really change his mind or was he just using a literary device.  I think it was a literary device.

We need to be careful when we read to not take things literally which are designed to be taken figuratively.  This is a good example which does not necessarily affect any theology that might change your mind about how inspired scripture can be changed when people talk about God, not changing his mind.  They obviously don’t take into consideration things like this or how He repented of creating man when He was talking just before Noah.

So?  Read with discernment . Read with your brain turned on.  Yes I know there are times when we find ourselves reading in a zombie state.  That just means you have to back up and hit it again.