J
JustaServant
Guest
Lexzar…
The first thing you need to understand is the world the people who wrote various books collected into what we call ‘the Bible’. You are looking at the Bible with 21st century, post Enlightenment, post printing press eyes.
In order to understand the ancient world, we have to step out of our comfort zones and walk in their shoes.
Many times that means accepting things our age rejects. Other times we can see how fragile our ‘modern’ society is. Without our gagets and toys, we are no different than they were.
Even in parts of the world today family structure is the bedrock of the culture. Things like covenants still exist in what we so arrogantly call the ‘third world’. African and native American tribes had no written language, yet they were steeped in the history of thier culture far more than our so-called ‘enlightened’ society.
I say all this because I suspect you are looking at these ancient people, as I used to, through 21st century western eyes. That is a grave error. Because we are far from being superior.
Not everything was ‘on paper’. It was timely and sometimes expensive to do that. It was a society far more steeped in oral tradition, and that included pagan societies as well. They had great auditory skills in those days.
Communication was by listening. Even when something was put on paper. it was read ALOUD. Reading to oneself was almost unknown.
Repitition helped people remember. Look up some time the story of how Isaac got his wife in Genesis. The story is repeated three times.
Many Protestants assume if it is not in written form (a concept that did not arise until the post-printing press days of the Enlightenment) it must be discarded. Our anscestors would have laughed themselves silly at such a thought.
Civilizations have existed for years on oral history alone. Many ancient civilizations have no written history, all they have is oral.
So…should we discard what they say because no one tribe decided to sit down and write a book? Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would bring all things to our remembrance. He did, and in due time, the Apostles wrote it down.
The first thing you need to understand is the world the people who wrote various books collected into what we call ‘the Bible’. You are looking at the Bible with 21st century, post Enlightenment, post printing press eyes.
In order to understand the ancient world, we have to step out of our comfort zones and walk in their shoes.
Many times that means accepting things our age rejects. Other times we can see how fragile our ‘modern’ society is. Without our gagets and toys, we are no different than they were.
Even in parts of the world today family structure is the bedrock of the culture. Things like covenants still exist in what we so arrogantly call the ‘third world’. African and native American tribes had no written language, yet they were steeped in the history of thier culture far more than our so-called ‘enlightened’ society.
I say all this because I suspect you are looking at these ancient people, as I used to, through 21st century western eyes. That is a grave error. Because we are far from being superior.
Not everything was ‘on paper’. It was timely and sometimes expensive to do that. It was a society far more steeped in oral tradition, and that included pagan societies as well. They had great auditory skills in those days.
Communication was by listening. Even when something was put on paper. it was read ALOUD. Reading to oneself was almost unknown.
Repitition helped people remember. Look up some time the story of how Isaac got his wife in Genesis. The story is repeated three times.
Many Protestants assume if it is not in written form (a concept that did not arise until the post-printing press days of the Enlightenment) it must be discarded. Our anscestors would have laughed themselves silly at such a thought.
Civilizations have existed for years on oral history alone. Many ancient civilizations have no written history, all they have is oral.
So…should we discard what they say because no one tribe decided to sit down and write a book? Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would bring all things to our remembrance. He did, and in due time, the Apostles wrote it down.
And surely you know, He gave the keys to the kingdom to St.Peter,> singular. May I remind you St.Peters words reach us even today through the Spirit,from Jesus,in the chair of Peter.