KB: Likely so, but we are
not God, so that the best we can say is that it would seem so. Hebrew 4:12 puts it that the
text, under these
conditions, is like a double-edged sword that can not only deliver God's word
but cut your soul in two. As I see it, that's the
action of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was talking about in John 14:26.
If so then obviously Barth did not accept God's Word as is either. Hebrews tells us that "The Word of God
(not the Spirit of God) is quick, powerful, and sharper than a two edged sword
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12)
In this encounter, you
experience the truth, God's truth, and this can be be the most convincing
encounter of your life, and the Word actually enters into you and changes you.
But later, when you fall back into the literal meaning of the words--
the best that you have is Man's
truth -- truth on
a level that you can relate to yourself or others... that of text, words, language, with
all of their imperfections.
In Barth's opinion? - Obviously his understanding is
seriously flawed and he is arrogant enough to correct God's Word with it.
"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for
wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isa 2:22)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: April 04, 2005 20:09
Subject: Fictitous interview with Karl Barth
KB:
Fine.
Stu: Professor, you are
considered by many to be one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth
century, if not THE greatest. The founderof biblical
theology.
KB: Well, thank you,
but.... [directing his gaze at a bible on his desk]
Stu: I suppose, being
modest, you would attribute it all to the Bible.
KB: No, not to the Bible
itself, but to what happens when I would read the Bible.
Stu: Sorry. Let's see if
I have it right for
the newspaper. The Word of God was revealed to the biblical authors, who wrote
them down in the Bible, so the Bible must be true, word by word, and when you
read these words, the same true message originally sent by God appears in your
mind. Right ?
KB: No, not at
all.
Stu: Well, weren't they
inspired ?
KB: Yes, but that's no
guarentee that what the biblical authors wrote down was as perfect. You see,
no experience can be perfectly reproduced in language.
Stu: So the
Bible is not the literal truth of God !?
KB: The short answer is
not always. But it's more complicated than that. I'll get to that, but for now
let me just say that it contains quite a few errors of fact. The best that you
can say in that regard is that it is true as a whole.
Stu: What are we to do,
then--- if it contains errors !?
KB: You are placing your
faith in the text of the bible, printed in a book. The book an object made of
paper, ink and a cover. You want to be careful not to worship such an object,
for it's not God. It's just a book.
Stu: But that's all we
have.
KB: Not at all. If you
can feel the spirit moving in you, you have faith in Jesus
Christ.
Stu: I don't see the
connection.
KB: [ picking up the
bible] Listen to this, from Jesus, in John 14:26. " I will send you the Holy
Spirit, who will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance
whatsoever I have said said to you."
Stu: So what's true is
not the text itself, it's the existential encounter with the Holy Spirit,
during the reading of the text, through which God's message is transmitted to
us.
KB:
Exactly.
Stu: I see. ....but if
that's true, I don't even NEED the Bible ! I can just commune with God
!
KB: Not so fast. How
would you understand the meaning of those messages without the Bible
?
Stu: Hmmm. I guess we do
need the Bible. But I still don't understand. You say that although God
inspired the Bible -- so that He is sort of a Superauthor-- the message was,
although inspired, still written down by imperfect men in words, which are
also imperfect by nature. By the time I read it, with my imperfections,
there's nothing left !
KB: Absolutely not. But
it depends on what eyes you use to read it. If you read it with the eyes of
reason alone, such as you might read your chemistry textbook, that's all you
get. The words, imperfect as they may be. But if you read it with the eyes of
faith, you get.....
Stu: ....voila!..... a
linking to the original inspiration...
KB: ...on the wings of
the Holy Spirit......
Stu:.... the original
truth !
KB: Likely so, but we
are not God, so that the best we can say is that it would seem so. Hebrew 4:12
puts it that the
text, under these
conditions, is like a double-edged sword that can not only deliver God's word
but cut your soul in two. As I see it, that's the action of the Holy Spirit
that Jesus was talking about in John 14:26. In this encounter, you experience
the truth, God's truth, and this can be be the most convincing
encounter of your life, and the Word actually enters into you and changes you.
But later, when you
fall back into the literal meaning of the words-- the best that you have is
Man's truth -- truth
on a level that you can relate to yourself or others... that of text, words, language, with
all of their imperfections.
Stu: If that's so, then
what gives the Bible its authority ?
KB: Not the text itself,
which is public, but the private encounter of the individual in faith. To
non-believers, the text can sound wacky, because they view it with the eyes of
reason, like a textbook. But believers who read it with the eyes of faith are
really reading it through the eyes of Jesus, sotospeak, and it makes great
sense-- at least to the soul. And the Word becomes part of your soul,
cleansing and lifting it up to God.
Stu: Wow . I've felt
things like that. It's more like a silent music, like a great Hymn, than just
words.
KB:
Exactly.
Stu: wow.........[pause]
...tell me, Professor, speaking of hymns...do you have a favorite
one?
KB: Yes. Yes. [smiling]
"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
END
