As we start to go further in discussing the Canon, we will run across common references to other sources. One of these is the abbreviation "MT" for the "Masoretic Text." [Note: I will probably be adding to this definition as we go along.] The Masorah (also spelled Massorah) is technically a "system of critical notes on the external form of the Biblical text. This system of notes represents the literary labors of innumerable scholars, of which the beginning falls probably in pre-Maccabean times and the end reaches to the year 1425" (JewishEncyclopedia, Masorah). The Masoretic Text "is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Tanakh for Rabbinic Judaism." The official version of the Hebrew Old Testament as it exists today (Evan & Tov, p.21). 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. In other places, though, the LXX has proved to have been closer to "the original meaning" (entire books on textual criticism can be looked into if you are interested in this subject). The material for these posts will probably end up filling many pages when I'm done, but I'll be posting as I go along in "quick bites" for people who are interested in such things. But this means that I won't have read everything or know everything (if such a thing is possible) when I write each blog post. I'm learning as I continue to research. Should you find an error, please let me know! Please, please, reference "Canon History" for the most up-to-date, accurate information!
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The Healing of a Paralytic 1 He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings. The Call of Matthew 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” The Question about Fasting 14 Then the disciples of John approached him and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. 17 People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” The Official’s Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage 18 While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” 22 Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured. 23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. 25 When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. 26 And news of this spread throughout all that land. The Healing of Two Blind Men 27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. The Healing of a Mute Person 32 As they were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, 33 and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” The Compassion of Jesus 35 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; 38 so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” I had some debate over the title for this post. It also could have been "Why Layman Should Study Theology" or perhaps "Why We Shouldn't Leave it to the Experts" or even "Theology: Why YOU Should Care!". All of those are accurate but, in the spirit of this website, I decided to keep it simple and clear. So, why should we, as layman/ non-experts/ average person (pick your favorite term) go beyond just reading the text in the Bible? Why should we go further: into the history of the canon, or exploring the meaning of all those footnotes, or trying to answer Bible questions in a new, modern way that still retains what the Bible means? I've been reflecting over this topic for the last week or so. The reason I've been reflecting is because it was flat-out stated in one source: "this topic [history of canon] is best left to the experts." Huh? Shouldn't I, as a Christian, passionate about the faith, also be "allowed" to study the very formation of the books we deem Scripture, the inspired Word of God? The answer is 'yes.' I've found a few good reasons and listed them below. But I would also like to hear why YOU continue to study the Bible...and yes, beyond it.
8:2 Jewish law provided for the cleansing of lepers (or those with skin disease) before they were allowed back into the religious communities. We see Jesus healing and the assumption they will be received back without any other cleaning rituals required. 8:3 Touching a leper made one unclean by Jewish law. Jesus touching the leper- he could have healed via a word as he does elsewhere- shows a disregard for said law; that his healing is above the old law. 8:5-13 Extremely detailed arguments continue over whether the similarities to other gospels here reflect a common oral tradition or a common literary source. The cure of the centurion's servant "is a foretaste of the Gentile mission" (Brown et al., p.648). 8:5 A centurion was a military officer commanding a hundred men. He was probably in the service of Herod Antipas (see "people" page). 8:8 Centurion's words show not only humility, but also the awareness of the sensitivity of Jewish customs regarding entering the homes of Gentiles. 8:10 Codex Sinaiticus has the identical wording of Luke 7:9 "not even in Israel," but seems due to harmonization. 8:11-12 Luke 13:28-29 has same phrase "There will be wailing and grinding of teeth." Phrase used frequently to reference final condemnation. "Matthew inserts into the story a Q saying about the entrance of the Gentiles into the kingdom and the exclusion of those Israelites who...refused to believe in Jesus" (Catholic Book Publishing, 8:11-12 note). A warning against religious complacency. 8:14-15 Mark has a request for healing rather than one at Jesus' initiative, and in Mark, she rises to serve "them," not "him." 8:17 This fulfillment of prophecy citation follows the MT version of Isaiah 53:4, not LXX. 8:18 "the other side," i.e. Sea of Galilee. 8:20 "Son of Man" is a peculiar phrase found rarely; it is found only on the lips of Jesus, "save possibly for Mark 2:10 and parallel passages, a fact which probably reflects an authentic tradition that Jesus did refer to himself in this way" (Brown et al., p.648). 8:22 Burying ones' parents was considered a duty of highest import in both the Jewish and Hellenistic cultures. 8:23-27 "From this allegory of the ship and the storm, we may take occasion to speak of the various senses in which the words of Scripture may be occasionally taken" (Haydock). This allegory is carried forth is many homilies by later men. "The author's handling of this miracle shows that he interprets it as an allegory for following Jesus" (Attridge). 8:23 "disciples," learners, those willing to sacrifice everything to follow Jesus. The above examples underline the requirements of discipleship. 8:25 Matthew and Mark contrast sharply: Matthew shows the disciples as pleading for help while Mark shows them almost rebuking Jesus for not helping them. 8:28 "Gadarenes" as the location is not certain. Various early versions of the Bible we have (Codex Vaticanus & Codex Sinaiticus) have different places that are similar in spelling. 8:29 "before the right time"- Apocryphal literature (e.g. Enoch) support the idea that evil spirits/demons were allowed to afflict human beings until the time of final judgement. 8:32 There are many hypothesis on why Jesus allowed the demons to be released into the swine. Bluntly, we cannot know. As part of our "Bible Questions" series, today we'll look at the question of: did Eve fall alone? Or was it the fall of Adam and Eve? Note: Not certain I, personally, 100% agree...but thought this was an interesting perspective. Katharine Doob Sakenfeld, professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, has dedicated her life to understand the Bible and sharing that knowledge with others. I am going to quote her directly out of my respect for her learning…..my paraphrasing would be insult to her concise and well-reasoned arguments. I went back and double-checked the Bible verses myself. She’s right…the Bible specifically states that they WERE together when the serpent spoke to them; God DID create them as equal; and they were BOTH cursed/punished, not just Eve. Anyway, in her own words: “According to the the account in Genesis 2-3, the woman is created to be a companion corresponding to (not originally subordinate to) the man. Because the two of them eat the forbidden fruit, the man is destined to toil as a farmer in fields of thorns and thistles, and the woman is destined to suffer pain in childbearing. It is in the aftermath of these divine pronouncements that the man names the woman as he had earlier named the animals, thus indicating dominion over her. Both Jewish tradition and the New Testament offer a very negative view of Eve, presenting her as representative of the alleged weaknesses of women. Paul feared that the Corinthian Christians would be led astray from Christ as Eve was deceived by the serpent (2 Cor 11.2). In 1 Timonthy 2.13-15, Eve’s deception by the serpent and also her creation subsequent to the man are cited as reasons that women must keep silent in church (cf 1 Cor 14.34-35) and hold no authority over men. Early Christian theologians contrasted Eve’s sinfulness with the perfection of the “new Eve,” Mary, the mother of Jesus. This traditional emphasis on the gullibility of Eve and her tendency toward sin is one possible interpretation of the Genesis narrative itself. Genesis 3 gives no indication why the serpent addressed the woman and even indicates that the man and woman were together when the serpent spoke. It has been suggested that the serpent might have addressed the woman as provider of food or as theological thinker, not as the more gullible of the couple, and that the woman’s addition to the divine prohibition about the fruit (“we may not touch it”) represents not a lie, but a desirable exaggeration meant to make sure that the basic command would not be broken. The man and woman together discover their nakedness, together make fig leaf garments, and together hide from the deity. Both are destined to a life of pain (neither is cursed) because of their actions, and together they are expelled from the garden. Thus, once the reader sets aside the portrait of Eve based on later tradition, the great skill of the Genesis narrator in presenting a character open to diverse interpretation becomes apparent.” I hope she doesn't mind my using her answer to this question. But I thought this was an interesting take on the question of if it really was the fall of Eve. Or if perhaps Adam was there as well. • If you have your own Bible questions -or- a different take on how I've answered a question, please let me know! I'll link back to your site if you have a good answer and/or something to add. Before we go further in our study of the Old Testament, the Septuagent, and the Apocrypha, we need to accept one fact. It must be addressed by both Catholics and Protestants and is often overlooked in the arguments over the "when, where, what, by who" of books being added/used/confirmed by various scholars, both Jewish and Christian. Yes, the debates will get that detailed. (I know, you're breathless with anticipation.) This fact is: we have to decide which books are canonical somehow. The Bible does not - cannot - do so on its own. So we (all Christians: Catholics and Protestants) must look to both authority and criteria. But which authority do we choose? Christians disagree. For now, let's look at the criteria for what is canon. And what it is not. The word "canon" comes from the Greek "κανών", meaning "rule" or "measuring stick". The concept is believed to have predated Christ, though. First we'll look at a couple of criteria that are often cited, but are invalid. • Is it divinely inspired? No book of the Bible claims itself to be divinely inspired. Jesus never left a list of Old Testament books to be followed (nor a list of New Testament books…which would be out of order choronologically…but not impossible for God). "The term 'inspired' (Greek, theopneustos) only occurs once in the Bible (2 Tm 3:16), where we are told that all Scripture is inspired. We first know that something is Scripture and then infer that it is inspired; we do not first know that it is inspired and then conclude it is Scripture" (Catholic Answers, ref. 1). Now, other sections of the Bible may indicate previous sections were inspired (by saying "God spoke" or "the Spirit spoke"), but we must acknowledge that something can claim to be inspired, but not actually be so. (The Book of Mormon, for example). • Does it agree with doctrine? This is a circular argument. Some people don't like the idea of praying for the dead, for example, so they point to 2 Maccabbees and say "it isn't canon." Here is the thing, though: just because someone doesn't personally like a practice or doctrine in the Bible doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the Bible. We get our doctrines and beliefs from the Bible; not the other way around. However, there is some merit to the argument. If doctrine clearly disagrees with another section of the Bible (a section which is generally deemed to be of high authority), then we can start to consider it a valid argument. Even then, we have to realize this is a complex argument. James 2:24 and Romans 4:3 (accepted by all Christians as canonical) teach different things: salvation by faith or by faith plus works? Many things appear contradictory in scripture; Christians attempt to reconcile these things all of the time. The following are canon requirements that are generally agreed upon, but still with reservations. The debate comes in when we start arguing over who/what/when. • Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? Or in the OT, what the author a prophet or have a close connection with a prophet? The argument comes in as to who "qualifies" as a prophet or apostle and what defines as "closely connected" with them. We also have the slight problem of Esther, who wasn't a prophet, but the book is universally accepted. And the Book of Wisdom, not accepted by Protestants, has prophecy in it. • Did the book bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit? Does it "ring true" with the reader? (Sometimes states as the book "transforms" the reader). This is almost entirely subjective, thus while it makes sense to have as criteria, it usually does not lead to consensus among Christians. • Is the book being accepted by the body of Christ at large? (There will always be individuals who do not agree; what do Christians as a whole- especially those who are learned- think?) This is where the debate comes in, as well as the "we must accept authority." We will address these questions- at length- below. Along with discussions of what various individuals thought. There is an entire (in progress) page dedicated to lists of canon at various times. The major ones will be listed at the top in chronological order, with the others listed alphabetically. See: "Canon Lists Throughout History" page for this. Thus, after looking at this subject, we find that the Bible does not (and can not) state what is Scripture. More bluntly, the Bible didn't come with a table of contents. And Jesus didn't leave us "to read" list of books. Thus, we will turn to authority. Our best authorities are those closest to Christ. So…we shall look to history. ****Note: The material for these posts will probably end up filling many pages when I'm done, but I'll be posting as I go along in "quick bites" for people who are interested in such things. But this means that I won't have read everything or know everything (if such a thing is possible) when I write each blog post. I'm learning as I continue to research. Should you find an error, please let me know! Please, please, reference "Canon History" for the most up-to-date, accurate information! The Cleansing of a Leper 1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The Healing of a Centurion’s Servant 5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour [his] servant was healed. The Cure of Peter’s Mother-in-Law 14 Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. Other Healings 16 When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, 17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” The Would-be Followers of Jesus 18 When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side. 19 A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 21 Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” The Calming of the Storm at Sea 23 He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. 25 They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniacs 28 When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. 31 The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. 33 The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. One thing that happens in apologetics is that when you continue to research, you continue to learn. Yes, this is shocking, I know. I post as I learn about many things. Right now I'm studying the Septuagint and the development of Scripture. This will probably end up filling many pages when I'm done, but I'll be posting as I go along in "quick bites" for people who are interested in such things. But this means that I won't have read everything or know everything (if such a thing is possible) when I write each blog post. So, forgive the errors you run across in archived blog posts. If you run across an old blog post on here that doesn't seem quite right, please go check the site page it's copied onto. Or contact me. You might have found something I need to look into! As always, God is the reason for doing this. God is the reason I spend my time studying the Bible and why (I hope) you spend your time reading things like this site. Things will be updated and corrected on this site. I'm sure even after this site is long gone, people will continue reading the Bible and all the commentary/apologetics about the Bible and correct each other over things said by men (or women) centuries ago. And I hope we all- both as Christians and humans- spend our time not only reading God's word, but loving Him and each other. *Note: Expanded definitions from the ones previously posted. These updated and expanded definitions will be posted on the "People" page under the "Beyond the Bible" tab. • Pharisees- Greek 'Pharisaioi' is 'separate ones.' In Hebrew means "separatists." According to Josephus, there were three major sects within Judaism at the time of Jesus: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. There were also the "Zealots, and probably many lesser sects. Even though they tolerated each other's existence, each saw itself as the most authentic expression of Jewish identity" (MacCulloch, p.72). They helped to develop an elaborate system of oral laws to apply to the written law of Moses to Jewish life after the destruction of the temple and the Roman conquest of Israel. Thus, they were known for devotion to the law, written and oral. The law was rigorously applied to everyday life. Scribes, experts in the law, belonged predominantly to this group. Many people, having lost respect for priesthood due to corruption, looked to the scribes, who were often pious and disciplined (Lockyear, p.830). While relatively small in number (due to their exclusivity), they nevertheless enjoyed prestige and respect of the people and could affect both popular opinion and national policy at times. "If they [Pharisees] despised the Herods and the Romans, they hated Jesus' doctrine of equality and claims of messiahship with equal fervor" (Green, p.475). Other sources say that while the Pharisees were not always unfriendly to Jesus (and Mark has them taking no part in his death), Jesus criticized them severely precisely because their religious leadership was so serious. Originally helping to save Judaism (a noble thing), it had degenerated over time and become too rigid/exclusive. • Sadducees- Greek 'Saddoukaioi' means 'followers of Zadak,' perhaps 'righteous.' According to Josephus, there were three major sects within Judaism at the time of Jesus: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. There were also the "Zealots, and probably many lesser sects. Even though they tolerated each other's existence, each saw itself as the most authentic expression of Jewish identity" (MacCulloch, p.72). Priestly, wealthy, aristocratic class, centered in Jerusalem. "They enjoyed privileged positions in society and managed to get along well under Roman rule" (Lockyear, p.936). They were the most flexible/allowing in regards to relations with outsiders. In contrast to the Pharisees (in Mark), as the priestly party connected with the Temple, the Sadducees are more directly involved in the death of Jesus, probably due to the fact that they were much more politically minded. Despite their central role in Jesus' death, they did not enjoy the influence among the people that the Pharisees did. "They accepted as scripture only the first five books of the Old Testament, followed only the letter of the law, rejected the oral legal traditions, and were opposed to teaching not found in the Pentateuch, such as the resurrection of the dead." (Senior et al., Matthew 3:7). The Sermon on the Mount covers Chapters 5 through 7, and is one of the five major discourses that are the bulk of Matthew. We see three major themes in these chapters. I. The teaching about the law and the teaching for a new age. Some read the section to mean that all should follow Jewish laws until the end of days. But further reading indicates this is not so.
Due to the multiple positions/understandings of this topic, it will be covered much more thoroughly under the "Bible Questions" section, specifically answering the questions of if the 10 Commandments still apply to Christians today. II. Proper action, attitude, and motives. A second major theme of this section is the supreme law of law expressed in committed action. Aka- we are to not only love, but it must be expressed in action, not just felt. This is as applicable today as it was then. Conversely, we see giving, praying, and fasting be done: but to be done with love and with the right attitude.
III. Guide for living. A third theme of this section (related to the above theme) is that it is a guideline for living. It is not a strict ruling of impossible ideals which we cannot fulfill, but teachings that we should strive towards. No simple set of rules, but rather an attitude/outlook towards life which should transform us. |
Jennifer Becker Landsberger
Who am I? Freelance writer (magazines, websites, & copywriting), Catholic, military wife, and Mensan. Double Bachelor's in History & Psychology. Witnessing by charity and love are above all. Studying the Bible and beyond helps me on this quest. Feel free to join my walk into the Bible.
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If you found the information helpful, even a small donation would be wonderful! Thank you & God bless you. ~~~Prayer before Writing-
Oh creator of the universe, who has set the stars in the heavens and causes the sun to rise and set, shed the light of your wisdom into the darkness of my mind. Fill my thoughts with a loving knowledge of you, that I may bring you like to others. Just as you can make even babies speak your truth, instruct my tongue and guide my pen to convey the wonderful glory of the Gospel. Make my intellect sharp, my memory clear, and my words eloquent, so that I may faithfully interpret the mysteries what you have revealed. Categories
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To my readers & fellow writers,
I promise: 1. I will pray that God's grace helps illuminate all of our interactions- both those of simple reading and more active conversations. 2. I will communicate with you respectfully and civilly. These are (rightly) issues which we feel passionate about. But even in disagreements, I will respect you fellow "seekers of truth." 3. I will not fall into negative behavior or words, such as insinuations, exaggerations, blames, or personal attacks. I respectfully ask you to do the same. 4. I will pray we will all find the truth and strive to fulfill the two greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31) This site will occasionally feature paid posts! I always 100% verify everything I endorse. You will not see posts for products or sites I would not use myself.
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