Several months ago, we looked at tools to better help us clarify our understanding of what God is saying to us through the Bible. We discussed how to REAP from God's word-
Read it prayerfully and carefully
Explore it by asking questions, clarifying terms, studying contexts, cross references, concordances and commentaries.
Apply it
Pass it on to others.
One way to also help clarify the meaning of a passage is to put it into your own words. So let's have fun doing so in Ecclesiastes chapter 10. I'll get us started. Here is 10:1 from the NIV.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Now here is my modern day paraphrase of it.
As one skunk ruins the sweet smell of roses,
so one dim-whit can ruin the careful whit and work of the wise.
If one dim-whit can ruin things, just see what three stooges can do! (This is an excerpt from one of my favorite episodes. My son and I have roared watching their amazing, creative antics!:)
Hope you enjoyed a good laugh watching such fools. You will notice Eccles.10 is dominated by contrasting fools and the wise. The fool is such a stooge, he shows everyone how stupid he is (10:2). He may get hired or put in a position for which he has no skill whatsoever (10:6). He is so dull that he doesn't figure the skillful way to do a job (10:10). Like the three stooges, his words are full of folly (10:13) and he doesn't know the most basic things (10:15). The house of his life leaks (10:18). He's so foolish, he thinks that money will solve all his problems (10:19). And his disrespectful talk is sure to boomerang on him (10:20).
1.- So read through Eccles.10 and pick out one verse and put it in a short, pithy saying as well.
This is different from sharing our thoughts about a verse. This is re-wording the verse. This forces us to think carefully about the verse and clarify its meaning to begin with. There are no right or wrong answers here. Go for it!
Paraphrasing a verse in your own words is helpful. But this brings up an important question. Should we use a paraphrase of the Bible? Here's how a good Christian question and answer site, Got Questions.org responded-
http://ift.tt/1SfargM
Question: "Should I use a paraphrase of the Bible?"
Answer:A paraphrase is a retelling of something in your own words. A paraphrase of the Bible is different from a translation in that a translation attempts (to varying degrees) to communicate as “word-for-word” or as “thought-for-thought” as possible. A paraphrase takes the meaning of a verse or passage of Scripture and attempts to express the meaning in “plain language” – essentially the words the author of the paraphrase would use to say the same thing. The most popular example of a Bible paraphrase would be “The Message” by Eugene Peterson.
Many people use paraphrases as their “reading Bible,” preferring to read straight through as with a novel. This can be particularly helpful in long narrative passages such as found in Genesis, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. Then they use actual translations—such as the New American Standard, New King James, and New International Version—for in-depth reading and study.
Should you use a paraphrase? A paraphrase of the Bible should not be used as a Christian’s primary Bible. We have to remember that a paraphrase is what the author thinks the Bible says, not necessarily what the Bible says. Eugene Peterson did a fair job on The Message, but there are many passages in The Message that do not accurately render the original meaning of the text. A paraphrase of the Bible should essentially be used as a commentary on the Bible, a way to get another perspective. A paraphrase can be used alongside a Bible translation to give insight into what the Bible means. A paraphrase of the Bible, though, should not be viewed as the Bible, but rather as an author’s idea of what the Bible says and what it means by what it says.
Just to clarify, when I got saved in 1976, my sister gave me a Living Bible. It was a very popular paraphrase by Dr. Ken Taylor. I devoured it! I also have Eugene Peterson's The Message and find it helpful in spots. Use such tools to help you dig into the Scriptures.
To further Clarify
We are on a serious mission, but there is a time and place for laughter. "A feast is made for laughter" 10:19. Solomon wrote in his previous book that a "merry heart does good like a medicine" Prov.17:22. Laughter has been proven to be so therapeutic. If you enjoy the humor of the Three Stooges, then here is the link to the full Plumbers episode entitled, The Vagabond Loafers (1949). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08sCJVa32ik Dudley Dickerson (the black cook) played in several other episodes with the Three Stooges. He is hilarious in this one:)
2.- What was a favorite TV show you liked as a boy?
For my Thoughtful Friends
The OT abounds with Hebrew poetry and word play. One technique used often in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes is contrasting thoughts. Here's an example of this in 10:6.
(A) Fools are put in many high positions,
(B) while the rich occupy the low ones.
What's worth noting is that the very next verse amplifies the same contrasting thoughts of v.6.
(A) I have seen slaves on horseback,
(B) while princes go on foot like slaves.
Bible scholars use that A,B,A,B method and other arrangements to help identify or clarify the poetic arrangement. Be on the look out for such.
Many believe he was one of the greatest preachers of modern times. What a voice! Who was he and what can he teach us from Ecclesiastes? Find out tomorrow.
Dave DeBoer has taken the opportunity to give some Greatest Minimovies cards out to custmoers of his floor cleaning business. He wrote, "I have been sharing the cards with the owners of a certain tattoo studio I've been cleaning." Way to go Dave!
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