In my studies of the bible, and the book of Mormon; i've pondered on the many words of scriptures and I realized a fatal flaw in the designs! I had been trying to understand the Bible from the point of view, or an ancient isrealite, who merely wrote in english! As I pondered on these things, I tried to think about all the things I had learned about the ancient isrealites! As I reflected on their culture, and how they would have understood the passage, or even how they would have written it, if they were writting the same thing, but in our cultural languge. The conclusion I came up with, was that they would have written it much differently had they been writting it for our time.
For example in the book of proverbs proverbs 28:26 Now in the english culture, the heart represents the center of emotion, and feeling. So, when I first read that scripture, I wasn't quite sure what they were trying to say. But lets take a closer look at this statement shall we? In the hebrew culture, well in any of the cultures, known more formally as the semetic culture, the heart is the center of thought or intellegence. (This would explain why the heart of the pharoh was preserved, while the brain was considred worthless, and typically tossed out). So, as we examine this scripture, to an ancient israelite, a more litteral translation, would be; "He that trusteth in his own intellegence, and mind is foolish". Which kind of makes the second half of that statement, make a little more sense! But whoso walketh wisely, shall be delivered"!
So, as I pondered on these things, I realized, that; in order to gain a more literal translation of whats found in these passages of scripture is, one would need to study the culture; in addition to the languge, in order to understand what was really being said. After all, inherent in every languge/culture, you will find small statements, that will not mean much to someone else; but through such minute statements, I like to call "Micro communication", you can communicate, threats, statements of love, Joy, or anything else that you might want to communicate to another person. The same is found in the bible; through out, you will find words, and phrazes uncommon to us, but completely natural, and common to the ancient children of israel.
So, the next time you study your scriptures, and you don't quite understand what is meant in them, or even if you think you know what is being said in them, ask god what it means! chances are, the cultures are completely different, and so the meaning has changed as it tries to cross the languge barrier. Try asking yourself, the 5 main questions that every writer has to ask themselves when writing a story, "Who wrote it"?, "What were they writing it for"?, "Where was it written"?, "Why did they write it"?, and "how does it apply"? As you do these things, the bible scriptures, I promise you, that this coupled with prayer, will open a light unto your feet, and the pathway through the scriptures will open unto you! The path will be iluminated before you, and you will never walk alone through the scirptures again!
I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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