When Scholars Disagree,How Do We Know ?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Boy, you sure have to ignore other evidence in scripture that ties baptism to remission and removal of sins. Crafty, Sam.

what other evidence in Scripture?

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Sam

what other evidence in Scripture?

No time to get into this cat and mouse this morning. You know the scriptures. I've seen you wiggle through them all many of time. It's a LOT of wiggling that one needs to do as well.

Keyword search baptism and then read the scrips. Wrestle through that a little.

[Aquila]

Guys... this thread isn't necessarily about baptism and the remission of sins. This thread is what do we do when the Scriptures can honestly be read several different ways and the most knowledgeable scholars disagree as to it's meaning. How can we "know" what a passage truly means in this case?

Your quibbling over Acts 2:38 isn't addressing the question.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Boy, you sure have to ignore other evidence in scripture that ties baptism to remission and removal of sins. Crafty, Sam.

Could it be that instead of "crafty," Sam may simply be "sincere?"

Why do you attach a scheming motive to someone who is just honestly trying to understand a rather complex set of issues?

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Guys... this thread isn't necessarily about baptism and the remission of sins. This thread is what do we do when the Scriptures can honestly be read several different ways and the most knowledgeable scholars disagree as to it's meaning. How can we "know" what a passage truly means in this case?

Your quibbling over Acts 2:38 isn't addressing the question.

You're correct, but the thread starter was asked to give an example and that's the one he gave.

What's another example of a passage where trusted scholarly resources differ substantially over some Hebrew/Greek word meaning?

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

No time to get into this cat and mouse this morning. You know the scriptures. I've seen you wiggle through them all many of time. It's a LOT of wiggling that one needs to do as well.

Keyword search baptism and then read the scrips. Wrestle through that a little.

Don't have any other evidence? Or just taking a short cut?

Acts 22:16, is one verse that is often touted for this. However, a sincere reader might well ask, "Is Paul being told to 'wash away his sins' by being baptized or by 'calling on the name of the Lord'?"

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by pelathais

Don't have any other evidence? Or just taking a short cut?

Acts 22:16, is one verse that is often touted for this. However, a sincere reader might well ask, "Is Paul being told to 'wash away his sins' by being baptized or by 'calling on the name of the Lord'?"

Both, Pel, both.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by pelathais

You're correct, but the thread starter was asked to give an example and that's the one he gave.

What's another example of a passage where trusted scholarly resources differ substantially over some Hebrew/Greek word meaning?

Subjects such as the Rapture (and eschatology in general), Universalism, Annihilationism, etc. all present passages wherein notable scholars who know the language very well walk away with vastly different interpretations.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

Both, Pel, both.

Nah, it's gotta be "either or..." Everything around here is always "either or..."

"Either Genesis 1 is literal or we flush the Bible down the toilet."

"Either you can raise the dead and pay your past due bills with the 'power' of your uncut hair or you think women should wear flat-top crew cuts."

"Either you believe the '3 Stepper' doctrine or you support Barney Frank and the gay agenda."

It's gotta be "either, or..."

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Subjects such as the Rapture (and eschatology in general), Universalism, Annihilationism, etc. all present passages wherein notable scholars who know the language very well walk away with vastly different interpretations.

What are some good sources of scholarship for the average and 'above average' Bible reader?

Personally, before the advent of the rich assortment of computer assisted tools I really enjoyed using Wigram's Concordances. The advantage of these Concordances was that they line up verses together where the same underlying Greek or Hebrew word is used. Truth is, I often miss not having my Wigram's in an electronic format.

It's kind of like having a Strong's Concordance but instead of the English words being grouped together, you have the words in the original languages grouped together - but all in the English language for the English reader. No real Greek or Hebrew skills are required.

Wigram's Englishman's Greek

Wigram's Englishman's Hebrew

Another great tool is the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by R.A. Torrey. I have obvious (at least they should be obvious by now) differences with Torrey's theology - however this is a real work of scholarship in that it primarily deals with the Scriptural text and doesn't really promote any single ideology.

Torrey's TSK is also freely available with the free e-sword Bible study software and is also available for free use on line among the Bible Study tools at http://www.biblestudytools.com/ - the new Crosswalk.com on line Bible study area.

Logos.com has a free on line study Bible in Beta version. The tools are still kind of sparse but I'm watching this one. With the holidays coming up (Aquila ) you might make a note that I'd really like to get the Logos Scholar's Library: Gold. (Available for a mere $1,379.95).