Study 4 Problems with and Praises for the Bible
In the Bible we have history, poetry, genealogies, letters both personal and general, proverbs, parables and prophesies. There are lists of commandments, woes and blessings, teachings about the past, present and future, apocalyptical writings (like The Revelation to John) and liturgical directives; etc.
It was written over a period of about 1500 years. It was written by numerous authors, both men and women, young and old, prophets and priests, people who had a very narrow perspective and others who took a very broad view of their world and humanity. Some were motivated by religious ceremonies and others thought ethics were paramount. Some authors were philosophers, poets, theologians or story tellers.
There are ancient stories handed down from father to son for hundreds of years by word of mouth before they were ever written down. Many bodies of material that have been edited and re-edited before they reached the form in which we have them now. There is also written material that has been changed very little, if at all, from its original writing. These are some of the conclusions gained from Biblical scholarship over the past few hundred years.
There is an incredible range of different stories in the Bible, just like the incredible range of colour we can see if we are lucky enough to have sight and are willing to use it.
There are many beautiful stories of courage, compassion, and love. There are inspiring stories of great personal victory, community growth and national decision. There are also horrible stories of vicious physical, sexual and psychological abuse, stories of horrendous inhuman massacres, stories of' deceit, murder, rape and incest, some with such detail as to make them very appropriate material for ‘R’ or even ‘X’ rated movies today.
There are statements which are of gems of encouragement, such as in Numbers 6:22‑26 -
The Lord spoke to Moses and said, "Speak to Aaron and his sons in these words: ... 'The Lord bless you and watch over you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look kindly on you and give you peace."
There are also statements which belong to, and are best left back in the horror days, when people could be stoned to death for gathering firewood on the Sabbath, such as in Numbers 15:32‑36 -
During the time that the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. Those who had caught him in the act brought him to Moses and Aaron and all the community, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clearly known what was to be done with him. The Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; he must be stoned by all the community outside the camp.” So they took him outside the camp and all stoned him to death, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
There are concepts of God in the Bible stated in wondrous affirmations, such as in Exodus 34:6-7 -
Then the Lord passed in front of him and called aloud, “Jehovah, the Lord, a god compassionate and gracious, long suffering, ever constant and true, maintaining constancy to thousands, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin, and not sweeping the guilty clean away.”
Psalm 40:1‑2 -
I waited for the Lord, he bent down to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the muddy pit, out of the mire and the clay; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm footing; and on my lips he put a new song.’
Isaiah 6:5 -
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.
Ezekiel 34:7-16 -
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the words of the Lord. “As surely as I live,” says the Lord God, “because my sheep are ravaged by wild beasts and have become their prey for lack of a shepherd, because my shepherds have not asked after the sheep but have cared only for themselves and not for the sheep - therefore you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. I am against the shepherds: they shall care only for themselves no longer; I will rescue my sheep from their jaws, and they shall feed on them no more. .....
"I myself will tend my flock, I myself will pen them in their fold." says the Lord God. "I will search for the lost, recover the straggler, bandage the hurt, strengthen the sick, leave the healthy and strong to play, and give them their proper food.”
Matthew 6:26 -
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap and store in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are worth more than the birds.
John 3:17 -
It was not to judge the world that God sent his son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.
1 John 7-9 -
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God. Everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God, but the unloving know nothing of God. For God is love; and his love was disclosed to us in this, that he sent his only son into the world to bring us life.
Revelation 21:3-4 -
Now at last God has his dwelling among men. He will dwell among them and they shall be his people, and God will be with them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes;....
There are also concepts of God that engender only fear and, sometimes, maybe even contempt or disgust, such as in Exodus 12:28‑29 -
The Israelites went and did all that the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron; and by midnight the Lord had struck down every first-born in Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh on his throne to the first-born of the captive in the dungeon, and the first-born of cattle.
Numbers 21:6 -
Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people and they bit the Israelites so that many of them died.
Deuteronomy 28:63 -
Just as the Lord took delight in you, prospering and increasing you, so now it will be his delight to destroy and exterminate you and you will be uprooted from the land which you are entering to occupy.
Joshua 7:23‑26 -
They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the Lord. Then Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, with the silver, the mantle, and the bar of gold, together with his sons and daughters, his oxen, his asses, and his sheep, his tent and everything he had, and he and all Israel brought them up to the vale of Achor. Joshua said, “What trouble you have brought on us! Now the Lord will bring trouble on you.” Then all the Israelites stoned him to death; and they raised a great pile of stones over him, which remains to this day. So the Lord’s anger was abated.
1 Samuel 5:6 -
Then the Lord laid a heavy hand upon the people of Ashdod; he threw them into distress and plagued them with tumours, and their territory swarmed with rats. There was death and destruction all through the city.
Matthew 25:46 -
And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life.
The Bible has numerous laws, commandments and rules some of which stand well for all societies in all ages, such as in Exodus 20:13 -
You shall not commit murder.
Leviticus 19:18 -
You shall love your neighbour as a man like yourself.
Luke 6:31 -
Treat others as you would like them to treat you.
There are other laws, commandments and rules that reflect a compassion of the times in which they were operative, such as Leviticus 23:22 -
When you reap your harvest in your land, you shall not reap right into the edges of your field, neither shall you glean the fallen ears. You shall leave them for the poor and for the alien. I am the Lord your God.
Maybe somewhat quaint for today. Deuteronomy 20:5-9 & 24:5 -
Then the officers shall address the army in these words: “Any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it shall go back to his house; or he may die in battle and another man may dedicate it. Any man who planted a vineyard and has not begun to use it shall go back home; or he may die in battle and another man use it. Any man who has pledged himself to take a woman in marriage and has not taken her shall go back home; or he may die in battle and another man may take her.” The officers shall further address the army: “Any man who is afraid and lost heart shall go back home; or his comrades will be discouraged as he is.” When the officers have finished addressing the army, commanders shall be appointed to lead it.’ When a man is newly married, he shall not be liable for military service or any other public duty. He shall remain at home exempt from service for one year and enjoy the wife he has taken.
Deuteronomy 24:17‑22 -
You shall not deprive aliens and orphans of justice nor take a widow’s cloak for a pledge. ......... When you beat your olive trees, do not strip them afterwards; what is left shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. ...... When you gather the grapes from your vineyard, do not glean afterwards; what is left shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I command you to do this.
There are yet other laws, rules and commandments that are best forgotten or at least not heeded and left in the ancient historical context in which they were created, such as in Exodus 21:15,17,23‑25 -
Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death.
Whoever reviles his father or mother shall be put to death.
Wherever hurt is done, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.
Leviticus 19:19 -
You shall keep my rules. You shall not allow two different kinds of beast to mate together. You shall not plant your field with two kinds of seed. You shall not put on a garment woven with two kinds of yarn.
Leviticus 24:16 -
Whoever utters the Name of the Lord shall be put to death; all the community shall stone him; alien or native, if he utters the Name, he shall be put to death.
Deuteronomy 17:12 & 25:11‑12 -
Anyone who presumes to reject the decision either of the priest who ministers there to the Lord your God, or of the judge, shall die.’
When two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes near to drag her husband clear of his opponent, if she puts out her hand and catches hold of the man’s genitals, you shall cut off her hand and show her no mercy.
There are many injunctions regarding our behaviour in society which are compassionate and helpful, such as in Deuteronomy 15:11 -
The poor will always be with you in the land, and for that reason I command you to be open-handed with your countrymen, both poor and distressed, in your own land.
Romans 12:17 -
Never pay back evil for evil. Let your aims be such as all men count honourable.
Ephesians 4:32 -
Be generous to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.
There are other injunctions regarding our behaviour in society that are best left to the age in which, and for which, they were written, such as in Leviticus 13:45‑46 -
One who suffers a malignant skin-disease shall wear his clothes torn, leave his hair dishevelled, conceal his upper lip and cry “Unclean, unclean.” So long as the sore persists, he shall be considered ritually unclean. The man is unclean: he shall live apart and must stay outside the settlement.
Colossians 3:22 -
Slaves, give entire obedience to your earthly masters, not merely an outward show of service, to curry favour with men, but with single-mindedness, out of reverence for the Lord.
Titus 2:9‑10 -
Tell slaves to respect their master’s authority in everything, and to comply with their commands without answering back.
1 Timothy 2:11‑15 -
A woman must be a learner, listening with due submission. I do not permit a woman to be a teacher, nor must a woman domineer over a man; she should be quiet. .... Yet she is saved through motherhood - if only women continue in faith, love and holiness with a sober mind.
There are many comments about the worship of, and our approach to God, some of which are helpful, such as in Amos 5:21‑24 -
I hate, I spurn your pilgrim-feasts; I will not delight in your sacred ceremonies. When you present your sacrifices and offerings I will not accept them, nor look on the buffaloes of your shared-offerings. Spare me the sound of your songs. I cannot endure the music of your lutes. Let justice roll on like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Micah 6:6‑8 -
What shall I bring when I approach the Lord? How shall I stoop before God on high? Am I to approach him with whole-offerings or yearling calves? Will the Lord accept thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my eldest son for my own wrongdoing, my children for my own sin?
God has told you what is good; And what is it that he Lord asks of you? Only to act justly, to love loyalty, to walk wisely before your God.’
Matthew 6:5‑6 -
Again, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogue and at street-corners, for everyone to see them. I tell you this: they have their reward already. But when you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is there in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’
Romans 12:1 -
Therefore, my brothers, I implore you by God’s mercy to offer your very selves to him: a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for his acceptance, the worship offered by mind and heart.’
There are other comments about the worship of, and our approach to God, that belong to the past, to say the least, and should not be taken as guidance regarding our worship practices today, such as in Leviticus 7:1‑10 -
This is the law of the guilt-offering: it is most sacred. The guilt-offering shall be slaughtered in the place where the whole-offering is slaughtered and its blood shall be flung against the altar all round. The priest shall set aside and present all the fat from it: the fat-tail and the fat covering the entrails, the two kidneys with the fat on them beside the haunches, and the long lobe of the liver with the kidneys. .....’
I won’t continue. You can read on if you wish!
1 Corinthians 14:34‑35 -
As in all congregations of God’s people, women should not address the meeting. They have no licence to speak, but should keep their place as the law directs. If there is something they want to know, they can ask their own husband at home. It is a shocking thing that a woman should address the congregation.
The choices I have made regarding the variety of material in the Bible, show my biases and prejudices particularly when I comment that some are helpful, others are to be left in the age in which they were written and yet others ignored or rejected completely.
The comments I have made about various passages are governed by my basic approach to the Bible and to life. If you believe that God wrote the Bible and it is infallible, then you will probably conclude that this series of studies is based on an erroneous understanding. Hopefully, however, the information I provide will prove helpful irrespective of your particular stance.
One way we can deal with the difficult passages, some of which are listed above, is by placing them in their cultural and historical context, back two millennia and in a very different culture to our own. However this will not erase them from the sacred book of Christianity. We will talk about this in a later study.
It is necessary at this point to say that the Bible presents a great variety of ethical and religious teaching and promotes of a great variety of concepts of God. Some of these concepts and teachings are easy to relate to our present day and our own experience, while others we may consider extremely difficult or irrelevant.
Different people will, because of their biases and prejudices, categorise the above Biblical passages differently, giving more or less importance to each. That poses the problem, ‘From whom should we take notice?’ This set of issues could be regarded as issues for the brain. Another way of looking at the Bible could be, ‘It's not the difficult passages of the Bible that are the most trouble to me. The passages I have most trouble with are the ones I do understand.’ These raise the issues of our commitment to what we do know.
They are issues of discipleship, issues for the heart. Jesus is the person of the Bible for Christianity. The important questions for the Christian, have to do with Jesus and not the detail of the text of the Bible. The basic questions here become, ‘What am I to do with this man called Jesus? How do I respond to his call to discipleship?’
The first set of issues has to do with our responses to the content of the Bible. The second has to do with our responses to the person, Jesus, who speaks to us from that content. How we respond to the content of the Bible will certainly affect how we respond to the person, because it is through the content that we can learn more about the person.
Whatever our commitment to discipleship, the way we respond to Jesus, should not determine the level of logic and serious thinking that we bring to our study of the content of the Bible.
It is quite obvious that many people who are deeply committed to the person have very different attitudes and opinions about certain parts of the content. It follows that the level of commitment to the person does not, and cannot, specify or define one, and only one, correct way of understanding the content. Other matters are important and influential.
How we respond to both the content and the person Jesus, will be determined to some extent by what we are looking for, what our past experiences are, what future plans we have, what sort of study and reading we have done, what our present situation is, who are and were our Christian teachers, as well as many other factors.
In Australia, a non‑Christian country, where most people have virtually no Christian memory, or at least very little, i.e. they have been taught little if anything about Jesus, even to the extent of not associating Easter with any significant religious happening, ‑ it is important how we respond to the content so that, in turn, we will present the person in a 21st Century way.
Quotatins and questions for discussion
The Bible is primarily a divine book and therefore it is characterised by perfect unity and infallible teaching. Its teachings have the same binding authority today as when they were written. What do you think?
The Biblical text is set within the past and the reader resides within the present. A major task is to bridge this gap, and this is done by the reader becoming acquainted with the earlier historical period, its languages, customs, and political and social history. Is this suggestion helpful?
The Biblical writings represent the best, most earnest efforts of inspired, but nevertheless flawed human beings, bearing witness to God’s presence and work.
Bridging the gap between those who believe the Bible to be infallible and those who don’t, is a major task for the church. How can we help this happen?
I didn’t know such horrible material was in the Bible. How can I continue to regard it as a sacred book?
God must have changed from the time of the Old Testament to that of the New Testament because the things that God said and did in the Old Testament are so different to the things God said and did in the New Testament. But I have always been taught that God is unchangeable!
Print Booklet (Download and print double-side, flip on short edge) The text above has the text of the bookblets edited somewhat and because there are many pictures in the booklets, all reference to them has been omitted.