Am reminded today of my great need for humility.  As Gordon Fee puts it,

"The ultimate aim of exegesis...is to produce in our lives and the lives of others true spirituality, in which God's people live in faithful fellowship both with one another and with the eternal living God and thus in keeping with God's own purposes in the world.  In order to do this effectively...true "spirituality" must precede exegesis as well as be the final result of it.  We must begin as we would conclude, standing under the text, not over it, with all of our scholarly arrogance intact."

'Standing under it' -- as in humility.  There will never be a time and place where I will master the Word of God -- know it all.  The goal is not mastery or expertise, it is true spirituality.  The goal of seminary is not a degree, it is true spirituality.  And it is to know better how I might approach His Word, how better to understand, how better to divide the Word of Truth correctly to reveal His heart and His meaning the way He intended -- without distortion.

Looking back to the past, I feel embarrassed and ashamed - and sorry - for the ways I have mishandled His Word.  How appalling to realize that I had not properly considered the literary and historical context of the Scripture and therefore misinterpreted His Word - thinking that every word was written to me - not understanding that it's not written to me but for me -- and therefore resorting to inconsistencies in how I handled the Scriptures as I ignored some parts that made no sense to my plain-text-reading method while inappropriately embracing other texts at face value because it seemed to work in our culture... and then taught and proclaimed it to others.  I am humbled by my lack of understanding.

And how I pray that this day forward, I could be a better student of the Word -- hearkening to historical, literary and cultural context and to the Holy Spirit's guidance, as I bow before the Lord in my approach to Scripture, with all humility, as one who knows that she knows nothing.  Lord, I long for true spirituality.  Forgive me for my arrogance.

So we've had two classes of Hermeneutics with about 150 pages of reading already, and I've learned that when we approach the Bible, we need to ask what the author's original intent was in writing to his original reader.  We need to remember that the Bible was NOT written to us, it was written to a certain reader during the author's time.  To ask the question, "What does this passage say to me?" is the wrong way to approach it.  The Bible wasn't written to you, but it's written for you.   We need to ask:  What did the author mean to say to his original readers? -- and then, How is that significant for me today?

Sam and I didn't worship at church today.  We were about to leave but I started feeling so nauseous from the vicodin I've been taking for my wisdom teeth extraction that we ended up staying home.  We held worship service in our home - worship on the guitar, followed by a good hermeneutical study of the book of Haggai.  In context.

This reminded me that it wasn't too long ago that we were doing Bible study poorly.  Didn't we have everyone sit in a circle and say what they think the passage means and approve everyone's interpretation as valid?  Ugh, that was bad.

Mary Ann:  Man, this means I've been leading Bible studies poorly for the last ten years.  How come nobody told me?
Sam:  Because Navigators don't go to seminary.
Mary Ann:  OH.  Tru dat.

I can't wait to lead Bible studies better than I've ever done before. 

My husband loves the TNIV -- and so do I!

Here he is hugging his TNIV Bible affectionately.

About two weeks ago, we went to the local Christian book store and purchased a TNIV Bible for Sam.  He's made the switch from NKJV to TNIV!

A lot of controversy surrounds the TNIV.  When I first heard about this translation it was from misinformed individuals who had misconceptions about this translation, and like a blind fool, I believed them at face value!  I was falsely told that the TNIV is a "gender neutral" Bible (it's not 'gender neutral'; it's 'gender inclusive').  I was falsely told that it was a feminist Bible (it's not at all).  I was falsely told that it was a "politically correct" Bible (backed by a liberal political agenda).  I was falsely told that it called God "he/she" and sometimes "she" (this never happens in the TNIV).  I only found out recently that all of these assertions are incorrect!!!

After doing some reseach on the TNIV, I was surprised by the truth.  And I realized, too, that I was guilty of what most of us tend toward -- it's just human nature to accept what others say (especially those who seem to be in positions of authority or knowledge), because we are too lazy to discover the truth for ourselves.  We need to do the research before we make conclusions about things and not base our beliefs on what such-and-such pastor or traditions or people say -- especially when there is some controversy involved (and when there are other pastors and people with different positions).  What is the truth?

The other week we purchased Season 4 of The Flintstones, a childhood favorite.  There's a part in the intro song which goes, "When you're...with the Flintstones, you'll have a gay ol' time!"  Gay ol' time??  What the songwriters meant is that "you'll have a happy/fun time."  Of course, these days, we think something different when someone says "gay."  Language changes as time changes, because language is dyanamic just as people are dynamic.   That lesson was repeated over and over again like a broken record in my linguistics classes in college.  Words are invented and reinvented as time progresses.  Dictionaries need to be updated to include new meanings and ways of saying things.  Bibles need to be updated too, so that God's message continues to come across as clearly as possible. 

This was the goal in the translation of the TNIV -- to faithfully communicate the timeless truths of God's Word with the usage of language that is standard today.  The TNIV translation team consists of board of diverse Bible scholars who are 'experts' in different areas (such as hermeneutics, Old Testament, New Testament, etc).  Most of them are conservatives and complementarians (so do not have a liberal agenda).  And the more I learn about correct hermeneutics, Bible translation and "original" Biblical manuscripts, etc, the more I am convinced that they did things just right.  They were faithful to translating God's meaning from the original -- and communicating it clearly to us!  The debate we heard and read about between Wayne Grudem (editor of "Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood") vs. Mark Strauss (New Testament Professor at Bethel Seminary) helped us understand the strengths and weaknesses to those who were against the TNIV and those who were for it.  And in terms of formal debate, I believe the pro side won.  Sam & I, who began listening to the debate leaning more toward the con side, were convinced!

On a personal note, I have been reading the NIV since before I was a Christian.  (I tried the KJV prior to that and was so confused at why Jesus said to "suffer the little children".)  Like most, when the Bible said, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law", I knew I was included in those who were justified by faith.  When the Bible said, "Finally, brothers...offer your bodies as living sacrifices," I knew I was included in that exhortation to offer myself fully to God.  I translated "man" to mean "people" and "brothers" to mean "brothers and sisters" in my mind.  The TNIV does this for us!  And it is so beautiful!  It's like when someone you respect actually calls you by name.  Example, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."  Wow, I am included in this!  It's not just the prayer of a righteous man that is powerful.  Wow!  These words hit me very personally and very powerfully as I read them in the TNIV for the first time a few weeks ago. 

I love the TNIV (and am envious of Sam's Bible).  It is accurate, it is inclusive and therefore personal to me, it is powerful, and it is refreshing.  If you love it too, join the TNIV blogring!    If you don't, please consider researching more information about it before dismissing it for the wrong reasons.  (Listen to the debate.)

On another note, Sam & I visted Julian the other week...

"If we are out of our mind (nuts!!), it is for the sake of God...For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all..."  (2 Corinthians 5:13-21)