Creating Transparency in Bible Studies: Seeing What’s in Plain Sight

 

Exploring Biblical Heritages creates transparency in Bible Studies and Belief Systems. Transparency in Bible Studies begins with an awareness of the relationships between the three types of biblical texts pictured above. The biblical texts most explorers use are English translations. However, it is important to keep in mind that English translations are made from Hebrew texts (#1) and Greek texts (#2).

 

There are many things you can discover using an English translation, but there are some things that can only be seen in Hebrew or Greek texts. My job is to be you Tour Guide and always keep my eyes on the Hebrew or Greek texts. I will alert you to things that will help you more accurately understand the verses we are exploring.

 

It is important to remember that we all bring preconceived ideas (beliefs) about the biblical texts. Some view biblical texts as “the inerrant and infallible Word of God,” while others view them as “complete fiction.” I ask everyone put those beliefs aside for a while and simply focus on the words on the page we are reading. We made some of our most discoveries that way.

 

Now let’s explore the introductions to the first two stories in Genesis. The verses below are from the New King James translation. Our first stop is Genesis 1:2a-b.  

 

^2a And the earth was without form, and void;

 

The ancient author or those who heard his words did not visualize “a blue planet in space” that modern readers see in their minds. “The earth” in this verse is the name God gave the “dry thing” that appeared after the waters moved aside in verse 9. The phrase “without form and void” in Hebrew means “did not exist.”

 

^2b and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

 

After learning what did not exist, the text reveals what does exist. “The deep” is a “shoreless body of deep water.” The first story begins by revealing that before anything was created only darkness, a shoreless body of deep water, and God existed.

 

Now let’s turn to the introduction of the second story (Genesis 2:4b-5).

 

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

and every plant of the field before it was in the earth,

and every herb of the field before it grew:

for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth,

and there was not a man to till the ground.

 

In this story, before anything is done, no plants or herbs existed because there was no water.

 

● In the first story water was everywhere and a dry place did not exist.

 

● In the second story dry ground was everywhere and water couldn’t be found.

 

I had always been told that the first two stories in Genesis were simply two versions of the same story. Based on what we have already discovered, what I had previously believed was wrong. My beliefs about the text keep me from seeing what was in plain sight.

 

This was an ancient wisdom long before it a biblical text. Ancient people were taught how to find the wisdom principles embedded in stories. One way is by identifying things that are the same and things that are different in the stories above. Finding wisdom is a lot like purring a puzzle together. As the context unfold before our eyes, we find more pieces and discover how they fit together.

 

Thank you for exploring with me. Please share, explore and discuss it with others.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers 

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Who Will Be Saved?

 Exploring Biblical Heritages and most Bible studies are two different things. Bible studies are usually “echo-chambers,” like we find on social media, which are opportunities to reinforce and confirm what participants believe. Exploring Biblical Heritages, on the other hand, often exposes problems in what participants believe.

 

● We ask all participants to agree to follow the BHC Primary Guideline – “My belief system will be large enough for all facts, open enough to be examined and questioned, and flexible enough to change if errors or new facts are discovered.”

 

Our first task is to identify the Primary Source (speaker or writer) of the words we are exploring using BHC Linguistic Guidelines.

 

● A word consists of symbols/sounds with attached bundles of associations that include the Source’s culture and personal experiences.

 

● Words must be examined in the complete context in which they appear. Context plays a major role in determining the Source’s meanings.

 

● The more we know about the Source’s culture, the more accurate our understanding of the Source’s words. Culture is a group’s collective memories.

 

In my last email, I discussed the parable of Jesus about the Great Day of Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus spoke those words around 30 CE and he lived in the Jewish culture of the Late Second Temple Period. He made key two points in the parable.

 

● Nations that did acts of justice were rewarded with eternal life.

 

● Nations that did not do acts of justice were sentenced to eternal punishment.

 

Jesus repeated those ideas in other parables and teachings. That’s how important “acts of justice” were to Jesus. That indicates his followers learned a lot about “acts of justice.” So what did “acts of justice” mean to Jesus? They were acts members of nations did for the least members of their nation:

 

Food was given to the hungry, drinks were given to the thirsty,

shelter was given to strangers, clothes were given to the naked,

the sick were visited, and those in prison were visited.

 

Each nation was judged by how its members made sure the basic requirements for life were met, down to the least members of the nation.

 

Being a follower of Jesus meant being actively engaged in ensuring

basic requirements for life are being met in people you encounter.

 

● In America, most people – including Christians -- view those problems as “social problems” that the government is supposed to resolve.

 

● For “followers of or believers in Jesus,” those are your problems; you are to be actively engaged in resolving them.

 

● For Explorers of Biblical Heritages with Christian Biblical Heritages, this raises a very important question – how does information affect our beliefs about salvation?

 

I had a Protestant Christian Biblical Heritage with this salvation belief –

 

“Individuals are saved by grace through faith alone

without need of any good works.”

 

My belief was created by Martin Luther, a German Catholic in the 16^th century after he had been excommunicated and “lost his salvation.” It had never existed before. It was created 1,500 years after Jesus taught the parable above. When I compared Luther’s doctrine to what Jesus taught, I discovered the following differences.

 

● Individual salvation replaced collective salvation.

 

● Faith, meaning believing, replaced doing acts of justice.

● Good works (acts of justice) became irrelevant.

 

● The way “believers” treat other people is unrelated to their eternal destines.

 

Luther’s doctrine is called “justificatio sola fide,” meaning “justification by faith alone.”

 

● It is a Christian theological doctrine commonly held to distinguish many Protestant denominations from the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches.

 

● It asserts that it is on “the basis of individual faith” that believers are forgiven their transgressions (past, present, and future) of the law of God rather than on the basis of good works which they have done. 

 

For Explorers of Biblical Heritages, the above information brings them back to the Primary Guideline above. In my case, flaws in an important belief model of mine had been exposed. I had to resist the urge “to simply change the belief.” Knowing that parables often use extreme example to make key points helped.  In another parable, Jesus taught that “people who become angry should be tried in courts like murders.” He did not mean for his words to be taken literally – he said it to highlight a key point.

 

● I was now aware that I needed more facts to upgrade my Belief System.

 

● I was also more aware of whether people I encountered in the normal course of life had their basic requirements met.

 

Thank you for Exploring Our Biblical Heritages. Please share and discuss it with others.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers 

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Christians Call it “Charity,” but Jesus Called it “Justice”

 The January 2021 issue of our monthly newsletter, Discovering the Bible and Exploring Our Biblical Heritages, in now online:

 

Reconnecting Jesus to His Jewish Culture

and Impacting Our Lives in 2021

 

This is one of the most important newsletters I have written in the past 35 years. It specifically addresses the single most important subject for Christians:

 

Salvation

 

The graphic above provides the answer. If you want to understand it –

 

Click Here and read the newsletter.

 

Which would be more important to Jesus:

People doing acts of justice or believing man-made doctrines about him?

 

How could this “belief change” impact our lives and society:

70% of the American population committed to doing acts of justice?

 

WWJD?

 

Thank you for Exploring Our Biblical Heritages. Please share and discuss it with others.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

 

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Three Different Stories About the Ten Commandments in the Bible

 One thing Judaism and Christianity both value is The Ten Commandments. But did you know there are three stories about the Ten Commandments in the Bible -- and they have important differences? Today, I am going to focus on the commandment related to Day Seven.

 

The three stories are found in Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 34:21, and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Based on our work, we believe the order below reflects the order in which they originally appeared.

 

Six days you shall work, but on the Seventh Day you shall rest;

in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

(Exodus 34:21)

 

The meanings reflected in this version appear to be very straight forward. Notice how the second story expands the commandment.

 

Remember the Shabbat Day, to keep it holy.

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

but the Seventh Day is the Shabbat of Yahweh your God.

In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter,

nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle,

nor your stranger who is within your gates.

For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea,

and all that is in them, and rested the Seventh Day. Therefore,

Yahweh blessed the Shabbat Day and hallowed it.

(Exodus 20:8-11)

 

● In front of the opening words of the first story, we find the words “Remember the Shabbat Day, to keep it holy” in the second story.

 

● After the word “Seventh Day” in the first story, we find, “the Shabbat of Yahweh your God” in the second story.

 

● The second story adds a list of people and animals that are not to work. Be sure to note that “your wife” is not listed.

 

● The second story adds a reason that “Yahweh blessed the Shabbat and hallowed it.

 

For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea,

and all that is in them, and rested the Seventh Day.

 

Now let’s consider the third story.

 

Observe the Shabbat Day, to keep it holy,

as Yahweh your God commanded you.

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

but the Seventh Day is the Shabbat of Yahweh your God.

In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter,

nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox,

nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger

who is within your gates, that your male servant and your

female servant may rest as well as you.

And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt,

and Yahweh your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand

and by an outstretched arm; therefore Yahweh your God commanded

you to keep the Shabbat Day.

(Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

 

When we compare the second and third stories, we find these differences.

 

● The second story opens with “Remember the Shabbat Day,” while the third opens with “Observe the Shabbat Day.”

 

● The third story adds – “Yahweh your God commanded you.”

 

● The third story gives a different reason they are to remember the Shabbat Day – “you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm.”

 

● After that reason, this story repeats -- “Yahweh your God commanded you.”

 

In our opinion the three stories represent three different time periods in which the words were written.

 

● The first story reflects the period at the beginning of the Exodus journey when Moses received the two stone tablets.

 

● The second story reflects the reflects the end of the Exodus journey before the Israelites entered the Promised Land.

 

● The third story reflects the period after the Northern Tribes of Israel had been defeated by the Assyrians, but while the First Temple is still standing in Jerusalem.

 

Keep in mind those are opinions based on our studies, but the differences in the stories are FACTS. They are points that we will explore and discuss in future emails. Thank you for reading this educational email. Please share and discuss it with others.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

 

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Are All Scriptures Given By Inspiration of God?

 

2 Timothy has traditionally been viewed as a message from Paul to Timothy. Today, many scholars view it as a document written by followers of Paul about forty-years after he was executed by the Romans.

 

The first part of verse 3:16 has been used by Christian institutions as a “proof-text” to support doctrines about the “inerrancy and infallibility of the Christian Bible:”

 

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God . . . .”

 

Biblical Heritage Explorers know that taking verses out of their immediate contexts can destroy the original meanings of the words.

 

Our first task is to establish the immediate context.

 

It is 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and we find important information about the meaning of “the Scripture” in those verses.

 

● You have known the Holy Scriptures from childhood.

 

● The Holy Scripture are able to make you wise for salvation.

 

● They are given by inspiration of God.

 

● They are profitable for doctrine.

 

● They are profitable for reproof

 

● They are profitable for correction.

 

● They are profitable for instruction in righteousness.

 

● They are given so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

Those statements make the meaning of Holy Scripture important for Christians. I grew up seeing preachers hold their King James Version up as they quoted 2 Timothy 3:16a. I did it myself when I was a pastor! Needless to say, it came as a huge surprise for me to discover I was wrong.

 

“Holy Scripture” is a reference to “Jewish Scriptures.”

No New Testament existed when 2 Timothy was written!

 

With that information I knew I needed to re-examine my beliefs about “salvation, righteousness, and the importance of good work.” I decided to do two things:

 

● See what Jesus said about salvation, righteousness, and good work in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and identify verses from the Jewish Scriptures that he quoted.

 

● Make reading the Jewish Scriptures that Jesus read a top priority in my Bible reading schedule.

 

I would recommend that you consider doing those things too. In addition, read my articles on the canonization of the Tanakh (Jewish Scriptures) and differences between the Tanakh and Christian Old Testaments. Go to the Tours page on the BHC website – Click Here.

 

Thank you for reading this and please share it with someone else.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

 

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Welcome to Exploring Our Biblical Heritages 2021

 America has a big problem! How would you like to live in a society with networks of trusted friends and neighbors – with reliable sources of information? We don’t! That sums up the problem. Levels of trust in this country — in our institutions, in our politics, and in one another — are in precipitous decline. Few people consider the media as reliable news sources. The potential consequences of that toxic mix are well-known:

 

When social trust collapses, nations fail.

 

Exploring Biblical Heritages provides a way to deal with both problems. The first step is incorporate the BHC Primary Guideline in your life! It is based on science, not on institutional authority.

 

(1) My Belief System will be large enough to include all facts.

 

● Each Explorer focuses first on examining his or her own Belief System.

 

● They learn to make clear distinctions between Beliefs and Facts.

 

● Learning how to consciously label statements as fact-based or belief-based can be used on all information, not just religious beliefs.

 

(2) My Belief System will be open enough to be examined and questioned.

 

● Explorers give each other permission to examine their Beliefs and ask questions.

 

● This creates open safe environments for Explorers to interact.

 

● Asking questions is much better than arguing or defending conflicting beliefs.

 

● Those questions often lead to future Exploration Tours in which participants work together to find fact-based answers.

 

(3) My Belief System will be flexible enough to change if errors

or new facts are discovered.

 

● This increases trust between Explorers.

 

● It creates Transparency in Belief Systems.

 

● It is the right thing to do.

 

I created the Guideline in the late 1980s and I know from personal experience that it transforms mutually exclusive theology-based belief conflicts into mutually inclusive values-based relationships. One thing I have heard from participants over the decades is this:

 

I wish I could talk to other people the way we do in our meetings!

 

That is the result of members of the group trusting each other and knowing their decisions are based on reliable information.

 

Today, over 73.5% of the population of America have Biblical Heritages. We have an amazing opportunity to demonstrate something very important to the remaining 26.5% of the population:

 

We are willing to create transparency in our Belief Systems

by examining our most trusted Beliefs.

 

People of every skin color, race, gender and age have Biblical Heritages. Exploring Biblical Heritages creates an amazing opportunity for us to identify beliefs, values and standards we all share!

 

Bibles are found in homes across America and they are available online for free to everyone. Access to Exploring Biblical Heritages Information is online and free, too at our website.

 

Let’s make 2021 the year that new networks of trust

and reliable information go viral!

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

A Crazy Question Popped Into My Mind: What if Christians Worked Together?

 I am a “numbers guy” who “loves facts.” Amazon delivered “The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2021” to my back porch on Saturday, so you can probably guess how happy that made me. One of the first sections I always visit is the religion section. When I added the new information to what I already knew, this is what I visualized in my mind.

 

30 CE (Globally)

One Jesus with One Group of Followers.

 

1970 (Globally)

1,130,000,000 Christians & 18,630 denominations/paradenominations.

 

2000 (Globally)

1,888,000,000 Christians & 33,820 denominations/paradenominations.

 

2020 (Globally)

2,545,579,000 Christians & 40,000 denominations/paradenominations.

 

Next, I checked the number of Christians in America as we prepare to enter 2021.

 

245,264,000 (73.5% of the Total Population)

 

As I focused on the trends above, a seemingly crazy question popped into my mind:

 

What would happen if Christians found ways to work together?

 

And then another question popped into my mind:

 

What will happen if they don’t?

 

Answers to questions like those can be found by Exploring Biblical Heritages. Beginning in January 2021 we will upgrade the information delivery models subscribers to our mail list receive. Our educational emails will include blocks of information:

 

● Easier to understand with more graphics.

 

● That build on each other and create better overviews of history.

 

● Designed to create relationship building and networking opportunities.

 

We do not live in nice little compartmentalized boxes in which religion, politics, and money occupy independent spaces. They are part of daily life and exist together in billions of neural connections in the human brain. But now two words have ripped holes in the old institutional barriers that divided and polarized Christians for centuries:

 

Google it!

 

We are no longer dependent on mutually exclusive institutional sources for religious  (or other) information. Anyone with a smartphone has access to more information than has ever existed before in the history of the world. Our primary goal is to help you find diverse sources of accurate information.

 

We are entering 2021 with lots of good things working for us –

and one of those things is Exploring Our Biblical Heritages!

 

May You Have a Happy, Safe & Enlightened 2021!

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

 

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