Bill wrote: > Put another way, David: If I said I didn't know > you any better than I know Vladimir Kramnik, > would you think there something amiss with my > faculties?
Yes. Bill wrote: > What do you think: > 1) Are you better equipped to determine the 'writerly intent' > of the biblical authors now, after all your many years of study, > than you were two months into your reading of Scripture? I probably don't have enough information to answer this. :-) There are many reasons for my Biblical studies, but understanding the author's intent is not real high on the list. I would say that Biblical study more often gives me more confidence about my understanding of the author's intent. Bill wrote: > 2) Why did Jesus command the disciples to "teach" > new disciples to obey everything he had commanded? Because people have a tendency to stray away from obeying him. Exhorting one another and urging one another to walk in love helps us keep on track. Teaching is helpful, but not necessary. Bill wrote: > And in conjunction with this: Why did he not > just say, Leave the teaching to me, since "I will > be with you always, until the end of the age"? Because we are his mouthpiece on the earth. He teaches through us. We teach primarily because he is with us always, until the end of the age. Bill wrote: > What would you want us to conclude about you, David: > 1) that you are better equipped now, after years of study > in God's word, to determine the writerly intent of the biblical > authors, or > 2) that you were better equipped two months into your study > than you are today? I don't see where being "better equipped now" means all that much in regards to the question of understanding the intent of the author. We have a very different perspective about this that is rather fascinating. I have been very surprised by your reaction to Lance mentioning your name, and even more so by the turmoil that you have raised over Terry's post. I can study for years, and then one day the Holy Spirit says, "David, I am going to teach you now about what I meant when I said ..." Well, I'm blown away. All the study in the world does not lead me to that understanding. My studies might confirm it, but study itself often leaves open many options concerning intent. It is only by revelation that we really know his intent. Bill wrote: > Tell me, David, knowing what I do about you, and this from > my time with you on TT, would you be insulted if I told you > that I didn't have enough information on either you or Vladimir > Kramnik to determine which of your observations would more > likely approximate 'writerly intent' (and this knowing -- > hypothetically, of course -- that he was only two months into his > study of Scripture)? No, I honestly would not be insulted in the least. Sorry. I think that perhaps the insult comes from your perspective that greater study means a better understanding of the author's intent. My perspective is that there are many factors to consider in knowing whether or not someone is going to grasp the intent of Scripture. Saying that you need more information to answer makes fine sense to me. Bill wrote: > Wouldn't you expect that my knowledge of you alone > should be enough to suffice in answering the question? No. I would hope this guy had such an encounter with God's Spirit that we both speak the same way and understand the Spirit's intent in the same way. I don't think he needs years of study in order to get that. I would hope that when I shared what I understood, the guy would say, "yeah, that is exactly what I see too!" When he shared, I would say, "Amen!" Actually, I have met men half my age and newly born again where I have had such experiences, so this is a little more than just hypothetical. Bill wrote: > Tell me, David, would you think my intent was to insult > you, if I responded, instead with, it's hard to tell based > on the limited information I have on either man? No, Bill, I would not think that you would be intending to insult me. We honestly have different perspectives about what it takes for a person to have a proper understanding of Scripture. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
