Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:13 am
Raum is SOOOOOOO on target here. Having studied both Greek and Hebrew, I can tell you there are shades of meaning and even direct meaning that never makes it to your English translation. One must also be knowledgeable about the time in which the particular book/passage was written to understand what influences there may have been in the life of the writer. There are some decent study guides out there that will help one do this (understand the meaning of the Greek/Hebrew, and understand the history), but you also have to understand that many of the writers of these study guides have their own agenda as well. It's best to get 2 or 3 with widely differing theological points of view (get a liberal translation, a moderate, and a conservative and see how they can each put their own spin on a "controversial" passage).
Most Bible translations are done by committee with many translators working together to work out a passage (not unlike when we'd parse out a passage in Greek class). Sometimes there are differences of opinion over what is meant and they will vote on the translation. Majority rules. Of course, the majority isn't always right.
The best thing to do if you have the time and inclination is to get a copy of the Bible in the original languages and get a good Classical Greek/English dictionary (don't get a Modern Greek dictionary, the language has changed a bit in 2000 years) and a good Hebrew-Aramaic/English dictionary. Study the languages to get a handle on some of the nuances of each language. Then do your own translations. Compare them to whatever copies of the Bible you have. Compare them to the study guides I mentioned earlier. Sometimes you'll be pretty damned close to what the "experts" came up with. Other times you'll have gone a completely different path. Who knows, maybe you're right and they're the ones who messed up.
The things that are happening with the weather and earthquakes and stuff are both cyclical in nature and influenced by what we've done with the Earth. We've sprayed so much Florocarbons in the air, we are rapidly losing our Ozone layer which allows more ultraviolet radiation through the atmosphere. We have pumped so much Carbon Dioxide into the air that we're slowly heating up the air which can both create more hurricanes and other severe weather, and create conditions by which the Polar Ice Caps melt throwing the balance of the oceans waters into chaos.
The Bible basically tells us (2 cent translation here) that we won't know when the end is coming. That we should live each day as if it may be the last, not to pull inside ourselves and our little communities and hide, but to spread the knowledge of Christ to everyone. Too many times has this passage that TT quoted been used to predict the "last days". It's happened all through history. Make a note to yourself... you're still here. It hasn't happened yet. If/when it does, you'll know it because it will be so far beyond anything anyone has ever experienced before in all of history. Chances are though that the world will still be kicking around long after you and I are gone. At least I hope so.
Most Bible translations are done by committee with many translators working together to work out a passage (not unlike when we'd parse out a passage in Greek class). Sometimes there are differences of opinion over what is meant and they will vote on the translation. Majority rules. Of course, the majority isn't always right.
The best thing to do if you have the time and inclination is to get a copy of the Bible in the original languages and get a good Classical Greek/English dictionary (don't get a Modern Greek dictionary, the language has changed a bit in 2000 years) and a good Hebrew-Aramaic/English dictionary. Study the languages to get a handle on some of the nuances of each language. Then do your own translations. Compare them to whatever copies of the Bible you have. Compare them to the study guides I mentioned earlier. Sometimes you'll be pretty damned close to what the "experts" came up with. Other times you'll have gone a completely different path. Who knows, maybe you're right and they're the ones who messed up.
The things that are happening with the weather and earthquakes and stuff are both cyclical in nature and influenced by what we've done with the Earth. We've sprayed so much Florocarbons in the air, we are rapidly losing our Ozone layer which allows more ultraviolet radiation through the atmosphere. We have pumped so much Carbon Dioxide into the air that we're slowly heating up the air which can both create more hurricanes and other severe weather, and create conditions by which the Polar Ice Caps melt throwing the balance of the oceans waters into chaos.
The Bible basically tells us (2 cent translation here) that we won't know when the end is coming. That we should live each day as if it may be the last, not to pull inside ourselves and our little communities and hide, but to spread the knowledge of Christ to everyone. Too many times has this passage that TT quoted been used to predict the "last days". It's happened all through history. Make a note to yourself... you're still here. It hasn't happened yet. If/when it does, you'll know it because it will be so far beyond anything anyone has ever experienced before in all of history. Chances are though that the world will still be kicking around long after you and I are gone. At least I hope so.
