<![CDATA[Walk Into the Bible - Blog]]>Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:54:02 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Genesis: Chapter 6: Notes & Discussion]]>Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:25:48 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/04/genesis-chapter-6-notes-discussion.html6:5-8: The St. Joseph edition has this to say about the flood: “The story of the great flood here recorded is a composite narrative based on two separate sources interwoven into an intricate patchwork…Both Biblical sources go back ultimately to an ancient Mesopotamian story of a great flood, preserved in the eleventh tablet of the Gilgamesh Epic.” (The first sentence referring to sources is going off of the Documentary Hypothesis, a widespread theory that is losing favor slowly among some scholars.)


Cultures from around the world have flood narratives in their ancient histories, with multiple similarities. Pursuing a study of the various narratives is an interesting task but beyond the scope of this website. For those interested, I would start with the Mesopotamian, Akkadian, Sumerian, and Egyptian versions, and then work from there.

]]><![CDATA[A Lighter Side]]>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:00:12 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/03/a-lighter-side.htmlWhew! I have to admit that constantly doing in-depth Bible study is hard work. And while I will continue to do it (after all, I love it!) I am going to incorporate a lighter side to this blog. So, look for more frequent posts and a bit of lighter content. 

GOOD SAMARITAN

A Sunday school teacher was telling her? class the story of the Good Samaritan. She asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?"

A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, "I think I'd throw up.."
]]><![CDATA[Creation Stories: Hebrew]]>Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:53:39 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/02/creation-stories-hebrew.htmlAs there were multiple cultures, countries, and cities in the early days, it also follows that there were multiple creation myths.  While fascinating, it is also important to have an overview of these various stories.  They were stories that the Hebrews would have been familiar with.  People that lived around them would have subscribed to these stories just as much as the Hebrews subscribed to their beliefs.  While a complete description of all creation myths could fill a book, I’m going to try to give a brief overview of some of the major beliefs that the Hebrews might have come in contact with. In today’s post, we’ll cover the basic Hebrew creation concept. Future posts will cover Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman beliefs. Picture
From St. Joseph: “God’s heavenly seat rests above the superior waters.  Below these waters lies the firmament or sky which resembles an overturned bowl and is supported by columns.  Through the openings (floodgates) in its vault the superior waters fall down upon the earth in the form of rain or snow.  The earth is a platform resting on columns and surrounded by waters, the seas.  Underneath the columns lie the inferior waters.  In the depths of the earth is Sheol, the home of the dead (also called the nether world).
While studying the Hebrew conception of the world, we have not only do have the Biblical example of creation to read, but graphics developed by scholars. Genesis: Chapter 1 has a description of the formation of the world, giving an outstanding view of how the Hebrews would have viewed the world. I suggest reading various Bibles to see how the word descriptions vary (not to argue about various points, but to appreciate the adjectives, and expand ones’ view).

From the “Archaeological Study Bible, p. 5, ‘Ancient Creation Narratives’” (which I recommend to everyone to buy! This is an indispensable resource!) “The Genesis account implicitly challenges the claims of these ancient creation myths by affirming God’s unity and sovereignty, by portraying the heavenly bodies and great sea creatures as his creations and by presenting humans as God’s stewards—and indeed image bearers—rather than as an after-thought born of divine need or laziness.”


Sources:
Catholic Book Publishing, “St. Joseph Edition, New American Bible.” New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing.

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, “New International Version: Archaeological Study Bible.” Zondervan Corporation: Grand Rapids, MI, 2005.
]]><![CDATA[Frugal Dad: Reputable Coupon Codes & More]]>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:53:03 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/02/frugal-dad-reputable-coupon-codes-more.htmlAbout a year ago, I published a devotional in a book called “Faith and Finances.” The book focused on what God teaches us about money- the basic being that money itself is not evil. However, Christians must learn to balance between squandering our money and hoarding our money. An added benefit of saving money is that one can give more, a valuable and good thing, provided we verify that our charity is going to beneficial causes.

So, how does one save money? One way is to spend the time to make use of the many resources online. Online resources include printable coupons, shopping for “points” or “cash back” which you can trade in. (Literally, I’ve gotten back over $250 from collected points!)
Another way to save money is to use physical coupons. Yes, I still get the Sunday paper…and I get it just for the coupons. Also, many stores are starting to put a ‘coupon basket’ by the front door in which customers drop off coupons they don’t want and search through looking for coupons they do want.

But one of my favorite ways to save money is to use coupon codes when I shop online. Did you know that when you buy from a store, a good portion of them have coupon codes? Coupon codes for a certain percentage off, free shipping, or other deals (such as 2 for $20 video games). Almost all of the major retailers have coupon codes online: Wal-Mart, Target, Macy’s, etc.

So, where to find these online coupon codes?

Frugal Dad is one of my favorites. First, it is reputable. It has been featured in ‘The New York Times,’ ‘The New Yorker,’ and ‘Kiplinger’ among many others. (I personally verified ‘The NY Times’ feature, making me certain I can trust the others.) Speaking of the site being reputable, it has archives going back to 2007! Trust me, the longer a site has been around, the better it is in general. It shows the site owner is dedicated to what they are doing and are very familiar- probably an expert- with the topic they are writing about.

It has coupon codes for a large variety of stores, including coupon codes from Walmart.  Just a few of the other stores he features coupon codes for is Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Macy’s (among many, many others). My advice: if you’re looking for coupon codes, check out Frugal Dad, located at: http://frugaldad.com/


]]><![CDATA[Psalms: Psalm 2]]>Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:42:25 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/02/psalms-psalm-2.htmlPsalm 2:
A Psalm for a Royal Coronation

1 Why do the nations protest and the peoples grumble in vain?
2 Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the Lord and his anointed:
3 "Let us break their shackles and cast off their chains!"
4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord derides them,
5 Then speaks to them in anger, terrifies them in wrath:
6 "I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain."
7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord, who said to me, "You are my son; today I am your father.
8 Only ask it of me, and I will make your inheritance the nations, your possession the ends of the earth.
9 With an iron rod you shall shepherd them, like a clay pot you will shatter them."
10 And now, kings, give heed; take warning, rulers on earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear; with trembling bow down in homage, Lest God be angry and you perish from the way in a sudden blaze of anger. Happy are all who take refuge in the God!
]]><![CDATA[Beyond the Bible: Biblical Misconceptions]]>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:48:55 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/01/beyond-the-bible-biblical-misconceptions.htmlIn my opinion- which is by no means a universal opinion- studying the Bible only begins with the Bible. It goes far beyond the actual words of the Bible. Without understanding the literary styles used at the time the Bible was written, the lifestyle and daily habits of those living in those times, and the political and sociological circumstances (among many other things), one can easily misunderstand, misinterpret, or misapply the Bible. Another part of Bible study- again, in my opinion- is listening to the opinions of others. It doesn't matter if one agrees or not. One must just listen.

So, today, I invite you to visit the CNN Belief Blog & read the article "My Take: The 3 biggest biblical misconceptions" by John Shelby Spong.  Link is: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/29/my-take-the-3-biggest-biblical-misconceptions/.

The three misconceptions he expands upon are listed below:
1) The Bible accurately reflects history.
2) The Bible is the literal "word of God."
3) The Bible is static and unchanging.

As always, I love my reader's opinions!  Do you believe the above statements are true?  Or misconceptions? 
(And, of course, I would love to hear WHY you think so.)
]]><![CDATA[Genesis: Chapter 6]]>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:56:34 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/01/genesis-chapter-61.html
Picture
1 When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of heaven saw how beautiful the daughters of man were, and so they took for their wives as many of them as they chose.
3 Then the Lord said: "My spirit shall not remain in man forever, since he is but flesh.  His days shall comprise of one hundred and twenty years."
4 At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later), after the sons of heaven had intercourse with the daughters of man, who bore them sons.  They were the heroes of old, the men of renown. 
5 When the Lord saw how great was man's wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil,
6 he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.
7 So the Lord said: "I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them."
8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.
9 These are the descendants of Noah.  Noah, a good man and blameless in that age,
10 for he walked with God, begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 In the eyes of God the earth was corrupt and full of lawlessness.
12 When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals led depraved lives on earth,
13 he said to Noah: "I have decided to put an end to all mortals on earth; the earth is full of lawlessness because of them.  So I will destroy them and all life on earth.
14 "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood, put various compartments in it, and cover it inside and out with pitch.
15 This is how you shall build it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16 Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and finish the ark a cubit above it.  Put an entrance in the side of the ark, which you shall make with bottom, second, and third decks. 
17 I, on my part, am about to bring the flood [waters] on the earth, to destroy everywhere all creatures in which there is the breath of life; everything on earth shall perish. 
18 But with you I will establish my covenant; you and your sons, your wife and your sons' wives, shall go into the ark.
19 Of all other living creatures you shall bring two into the ark, one male and one female, that you may keep them alive with you.
20 Of all kinds of birds, of all kinds of breasts, and of all kinds of creeping things, two of each shall come into the ark with you, to stay alive. 
21 Moreover, you are to provide yourself with all the food that is to be eaten, and store it away, that it may serve as provisions for you and for them."
22 This Noah did; he carried out all the commands that God gave him.
]]><![CDATA[Dictionary & Facts: Masoretic Text and Septuagint]]>Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:28:02 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2012/01/dictionary-facts-masoretic-text-and-septuagint.html_ Once one starts serious Bible study, it isn’t long before they run across the terms “Masoretic Text” and “Septuagint.”  So, what are these documents? 

The Masoretic Text is the standard version of the Hebrew Old Testament as it exists today.  Until the sixth century A.D. only the consonants of the Hebrew OT were written down; the language contained no vowels.  The tradition of correct pronunciation of ancient Hebrew words was passed down orally.  Between A.D. 500 and 1000, a group of Jewish scholars known as the Masoretes (from maser- to hand down, transmit) developed a system of adding vowels, accents, and notes that guaranteed more accurate reading and copying of the ancient text.  No other text from the ancient world was as carefully safeguarded as the Masoretic Text.  Its tradition came to be regarded as authoritative and can still be considered highly trustworthy.  The Masoretes themselves date from the early Christian period until the Middle Ages
In existence today:
The earliest complete Masoretic manuscript, the Leningrad Codex (A.D. 1009) is used for the standard edition of the Hebrew Bible. 
Another source states that the standard for Hebrew Bibles printed today is the Masoretic Text from A.D. 1088, currently housed in the Saint Petersburg Public Library.
Another ancient copy, although partially lost, is the Aleppo Codex (A.D. 925)

The founding of the Dead Sea Scrolls has shown amazing consistency between the Masoretic Text and the original scrolls, even though they are separated by 1,100 years.  This gives much credence to the idea that the Masoretic Text is a reliable copy that is faithful to the original meaning intended by the writers of the OT. 

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament (both Hebrew and Aramaic), along with a number of noncanonical Greek works known by Protestant Christians as the Aprocrypha.  The title “Septuagint” is Latin for “seventy.”  Legend/tradition holds that 72 elders, working independently of one another, each produced an identical translation of the Hebrew Pentateuch into Greek around 285 B.C.  Originally designed for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt, the Septuagint was completed by various translators in or around Alexandria between the third and first centuries B.C. 

It came to have great authority among the non-Palestinian Jews, and allowed the Greeks to read the divine revelation in their own tongue.  The Bible of the early church, it is frequently quoted in the NT and by early church fathers.  It is still the official text of the Greek Church.  The Septuagint is organized in the following order: the Pentateuch, followed by the historical, poetic, wisdom, and prophetic books.  The order is loosely followed by our English translations.  Due to the fact that various translators at various times with varying capabilities and styles. 

At times, when translated into English, the two versions are almost identical.  Yet, in other places, they can be quite different.  One example of this is in the book of Jeremiah.  However, several partial Jeremiah manuscripts found in Hebrew among the Dead Sea Scrolls may help provide some answers to this complex issue.  Two significant manuscripts agree with the Masoretic Text, but another text reflects the wording of the Septuagint.  This evidence suggests not that one or the other of the MT or Sep. has errors, but rather that two distinct Hebrew editions of the book of Jeremiah were in circulation. 

This can also cause confusion for some reading the NT.  Quotations from the OT appear, and when the reader goes back to the OT to read the actual text, they might discover that it is quite different.  This is due to the fact that the OT was translated from the Masoretic text, whereas the NT is citing the same passage as it appears in the Septuagint.  The Septuagint was used by Hellenistic Jews and by the early church. 



Sources:
-Catholic Book Publishing, “St. Joseph Edition, New American Bible.” New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing.
-Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, “New International Version: Archaeological Study Bible.” Zondervan Corporation: Grand Rapids, MI, 2005.
-Green, Kevin (compiler), “All-In-One Bible Reference Guide.” Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008. 
]]><![CDATA[Genesis: Chapter 5: Additional Notes & Discussion]]>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:54:37 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2011/12/genesis-chapter-5-additional-notes-discussion.html_Did people actually live for centuries?

The New American Bible has this to say on the subject: This chapter…together with Gn 11, 10-26, its primary purpose is to bridge the genealogical gap between Adam and Abraham.  Adam’s line is traced through Seth, but several names in the series are the same as, or similar to, certain names in Cain’s line.  The long lifespans attributed to these ten antediluvian (of the time before the Biblical flood or ancient) patriarchs have a symbolic rather than a historical value.  Babylonian tradition also recorded ten kings with fantastically high ages who reigned successively before the flood. 

The Archaeological Study Bible states: It is uncertain whether the large numbers describing human longevity in the early chapters of Gn are literal, serve a literary function, or both.  The fact that there are exactly ten names in the list (as in the genealogy of Gn 11:10-26) indicates that it almost certainly contains gaps, the lengths of which are summarized in the large numbers.  Other ancient genealogies outside the Bible exhibit similarly unrealistic figures and also contain exactly ten names. 

St. Jerome’s Commentary, an extremely detailed and complex study of the Bible, notes the fact that the Mesopotamian tradition has seven ‘apkallu’s,’ the seven sages prior to the flood, who were believed to have founded the elements of culture (writing, artistic skill, etc.) The pre-flood list of Sumerian kings later became standardized to 10, a number that the Biblical writer adopts.  Some Mesopotamian lists attempt to correlate the seven sages and the 10 kings.  Segmented genealogies (both Biblical and non-Biblical) were generally not for conveying historical information but for determining domestic, politico-jural, and religious matters. In the case of early Bible genealogies- showing a line of sin, a line of “blessing of progeny and land,” a line of God’s undiminished commitment to the blessed, etc.

On the other hand, some….uh…scholars with a more literal view (such as those writing “Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses”) believe that prior to the flood, a water canopy surrounded the earth and protected the inhabitants from harmful radiation in outer space.  (They don’t mention exactly how LIGHT got through).  And, people might have been vegetarians, contributing to their longer lifespans. 

Other scholars do have various explanations, of which you may study in your own time.  If I don’t cut off this post, I’ll still be writing it into the next year.  

Sources:
Brown, Raymond E. (S.S.), Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (S.J.), & Murphy, Roland E. (O. Carm). (1990) Genesis. “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.” Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Catholic Book Publishing. (various) Genesis: Chapter 5 Notes. “St. Joseph Edition, New American Bible.” New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing.

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. (2005). Genesis: Chapter 5 Notes. “New International Version: Archaeological Study Bible”. Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, MI.

Rhodes, Ron. (2008). Genesis 4:17. “Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses.” Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers.”

]]><![CDATA[Blue Sky Scrubs: Head to... Ankle Fashion]]>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:54:47 -0800http://www.walkintothebible.com/1/post/2011/12/blue-sky-scrubs-head-to-ankle-fashion.htmlDespite the fact that a lot of people seem to be wearing scrubs these days, scrubs are most often- and rightly in my opinion- associated with the medical industry.  And not just any medical personnel, but those working hands-on with patients, in hospitals (and clinics), and those who need to quickly be identified as medical personnel. 

Another part of being in the field of medicine is often long hours and back-to-back shifts.  Shouldn't you be comfortable?  That's where Blue Sky Scrubs come in.  They search for the finest options available in the cotton & poly/cotton world of fabrics, making them comfortable as well as practical.  You can find Blue Sky Scrubs at the following web address: http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/

However, comfortable materials are only part of it.  Shelby Marquardt, the creator of Blue Sky Scrubs, went a step further and made these scrubs fashionable.  From hats to lab coats to scrub sets, there are a variety of styles- regular cut to low-rise urban cut, among others- available.  Nursing uniform scrubs, scrubs for men, as well as shirts and lab coats are all options on the site.  Unique (as well as traditional) colors and various patterns make it easy to find a set that fits your personality. 

On a final note, Blue Sky Scrubs is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, making it easy to confidently and comfortably shop, knowing you are ordering from a reputable company.


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