Ministry and Music - Seeking the Old Paths: Reading

Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts

Friday, November 29, 2024

The writing culture of early Christians

How the First Christians Challenge Us to Be Bible Readers

According to Glenn Paauw, there about 14,000 examples preserved of ancient Roman papyrus letters. He says the average length of such letters was about 87 words. “Even the more literary letters of someone like Cicero ranged only from 22 to 2,530 words.” This is a distinct contrast to Christian theological letters. Paul’s shortest preserved letter is the letter to Philemon. It has 339 words in Greek (TR, 429 in KJV). The letter to the church in Rome has over 7,000 words!

“…the use of letters in ancient Rome, which were common enough, yet almost always very short. In contrast, the early Christian letters were lengthy, seeking to provide whole congregations with a significant amount of instruction and teaching. Ordinary papyrus letters averaged about 87 words (we have about 14,000 examples preserved). Even the more literary letters of someone like Cicero ranged only from 22 to 2,530 words. In comparison, Paul’s shortest preserved letter, Philemon, is 395 words in Greek and his longer ones are off the charts (Romans is over 7,000 words…”

We should not anachronistically read our experience back into the Bible. We live in a day when every Christian family member likely has a Bible – even the youngest grandchildren who are yet too young to read. It was not like that in prior times. However, some have turned this around into an ahistorical world didn’t have books, even a Bible. That is a false understanding or expectation as well.

Have ye not read (Matthew 12:3, 5: 19:4; 22:31; Mark 12:10, 26; Luke 6:3)
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
…a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. (Acts 8:27-28)
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:19)
The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. (2 Timothy 4:13)
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)

Another related writing: Paul and First-Century Letter Writing

Tuesday, January 02, 2024

The Acts 21:37 Test: ἑλληνιστὶ γινώσκεις

“And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?”

The Acts 21:37 Test. Do you know Greek?

We often, in Christian circles, banter around the words “know Greek” or “read Greek.” Most often that only means we have had some Greek courses and can “read” Greek in a minor sense – that we know the letters (alphabet), how they make words, know some of the words (vocabulary), some things about mood, tense, voice (conjugation), and so on. With the help of good tools, we can figure out what sentences in the Greek New Testament say. This is not really reading Greek. It is a good skill and a good tool, but honesty calls us to admit that we are doing a lot of studying with helps (in itself, not a bad thing) and not much reading. I have had a little study in five different languages, and I can only read and speak one – English (and not always well, at that).

Without looking at or using any helps, write the Greek words or phrases that correspond with the following common English words or phrases:

Maybe ______________
Table ______________
Wolf ______________
Eight ______________
Chicken ______________
Yellow ______________
Hot ______________
Elbow ______________
To shout ______________
To swim ______________
Bonus: “Goodbye, God bless you.” _______________________________

(With acknowledgement to Daniel Streett for the idea)

Without looking at or using any helps, read, understand, and translate the following sentence:

Πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου δεχθήτω· ἔπειτα δὲ δοκιμάσαντες αὐτὸν γνώσεσθε, σύνεσιν γὰρ ἕξετε δεξιὰν καὶ ἀριστεράν.

Don’t post your results. There is no way we can know whether you worked from what was in your head, or used tools to cheat (from lexicons to online translators), or some combination of both. Just be honest with yourself and maybe benefit from the exercise. This is for personal growth; only in a live setting would we know for sure of the results.

The results for most of us should make us aware of at least two things.

We should not represent ourselves as seeming to know more than we really know.
If we have a limited knowledge of a language we cannot read or speak, we may lead ourselves or others astray with what we think we know.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Reading the Bible aloud

Reading the inspired words of Scripture aloud to and in the congregation is too often a subject met with indifference in our churches. How often do we read Scripture for the sake of reading Scripture? When we read Scripture, do we read with respect, gravity, and attention to detail? Indeed, considering our failings along these lines, we need to read the Scriptures aloud more often, and we need to read them aloud more effectively! This is an important point for those of us who support and promote the King James translation as the one Bible that we should use. Do our actions actually accord with that affirmation? Does reading the Scriptures seldom and sloppily declare loving and honoring the Word?

We tout the King James Version as the best. We point out problems in modern versions. If we do not read it at all, how much does it matter what version we have? If we read it so sloppily that hearers cannot comprehend what it says, did we not practically change it into a different translation?

In the King James Version, we have a Bible that was translated with an “ear” for its hearers. The title page (see HERE) tells us that it is “Appointed to be read in Churches.”[i] The first printings by the King’s Printer Robert Barker were large folio pulpit Bibles (about 16 inches tall).[ii] Even enemies of the King James Bible often recognize its sonorous sounds for remarkable reading to the ear better than its friends. The Anglican-turned-Catholic Frederick W. Faber wrote, “It lives on in the ear like a music that can never be forgotten, like the sound of church bells which the convert hardly knows he can forgo.” [iii] “The KJB has rhythm, balance, dignity, and force of style that is unparalleled in any other translation,” declares modern Bible and texts proponent Daniel B. Wallace.[iv]

We preachers can make a mess reading aloud.[v] If we believe the King James Version is God’s Word, it behooves us to treat it as such, honor it, and to read it out loud to the best of our abilities.

We need to read aloud more often.

The Scriptures, in both the Old and New Testaments, emphasize reading the Scriptures aloud, as well as being ready to hear “when thou goest to the house of God” (Exodus 24:7; see also Ecclesiastes 5:1). Jesus himself stood up to read the Scriptures aloud in the synagogue (Luke 4:16). Paul charged the first Thessalonian epistle be “read unto” others (i.e. aloud, 1 Thessalonians 5:27). The book of Revelation pronounces a blessing on “he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy” (Revelation 1:3). See also Deuteronomy 31:11; Joshua 8:34–35; 2 Kings 23:1–2 (Cf. 2 Kings 22:8); Jeremiah 36:13; Colossians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:13.

We need to read aloud more effectively.

The text of Nehemiah 8:1-8 shows Ezra the scribe (and others with him) reading the book of the law of Moses. This provides a striking example of how we might approach public Scripture reading. The people were gathered to hear the reading of the book of the law of Moses (v. 1). The people listened attentively (v. 3). The leaders read in the book in the law of God distinctly (v. 8). The people gathered purposefully, and listened attentively while the book was read distinctly (clearly, with definiteness). There was clarity in the reading itself, with commentary to help the hearer understand. This shows due respect and reverence for the Word of God.

Writing of the weekly worship of Christians in his day, Justin Martyr (circa AD 100 – circa AD 165) indicates that Scripture reading, instruction, and exhortation were an integral part of early post-apostolic era gatherings.

“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.” (Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter LXVII)

The preacher or reader is not authoritative – but the book is! Texts should be read for themselves, and they should be read as part of Bible lessons. When preaching, we should not move through the text hurriedly and carelessly as if it is less important than what we have to say. Treat the book respectfully and authoritatively. If it were not for the Scriptures, we would have nothing to say!

[i] Bold emphasis mine.

[ii] What we might consider a “normal” or “personal” size Bible (roughly 6" X 9") came off the presses about a year later.

[iii] The Life and Letters of Frederick William Faber, by John Edward Bowden, p. 372.

[iv] And continuing writes, “Or, as Leland Ryken says, its touchstone is memorability. No translation today lingers in the mind like the King James of old does.” The Reign of the King James, by Daniel Wallace.

[v] I am not talking about those who are doing the best they can. I am talking about being haphazard or careless.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Seeing Red, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

Red Letter Bibles -- "Red letter editions seem to me to be an example of how misplaced piety can get in the way of what's really important -- in this case, a readable text."
Red Letter Bibles Again -- "It is sometimes difficult to determine where Jesus’ words begin and end..."
Red-Letter vs Black-Letter -- "I own and use both red-letter and black-letter editions of the Bible. I don’t really have a favorite between the two for several reasons."
The Origins of the Red-Letter Bible -- "In the Red Letter Bible, more clearly than in any other edition of the Holy Scriptures, it becomes plain that from beginning to end, the central figure upon which all lines of law, history, poetry and prophecy converge is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world."
The Story Behind: Red Letter Bible Editions -- "It is a surprisingly recent innovation, instigated by Louis Klopsch (1852-1910), an enterprising immigrant journalist."
Usage Determines Meaning (Applause Please) -- "When my three-year-old son asks while we sit in a large crowd, “Why are the people clapping?” he’s essentially asking, “What is the meaning of this applause?”"
What To Do When You Don't Understand What You're Reading -- "If you find important words that you do not know and cannot figure out from the context, then stop reading and look them up in the dictionary."
When We Read, We Recognize Words as Pictures and Hear Them Spoken Aloud -- "Words are not encoded in the brain by their meaning but rather by simpler attributes such as sound and shape."
Why I’m Not A Red Letter Christian -- " I mean it in a very literal sense: I don’t like red text in my Bible."

"Meaning is determined by the author; it is discovered by readers." -- Ron Rhodes (possibly not original)

Wednesday, February 07, 2018

A Reader’s Bible

The Holman KJV Reader’s Bible (ISBN: 9780805489606) has the full King James Bible text, presented in paragraphs and single column, without any chapter or verse divisions/headings in the text of the writing. The chapter (or chapters, as applicable) is listed at bottom of page, inside the page number. Paragraphs are indented, and there is a space between chapters.

Initial impressions of the Holman KJV Reader’s Bible.

The Bible is a “Leather-look” hardcover. It looks nice, though I would have preferred a leather cover. Currently, preferences do not matter. This is the only cover – and only KJV Reader’s Bible –available.
The pages are a little thin, with some “bleed-through” – that is, you can see the “ghost” of the type on the reverse page. This isn’t unusual in Bible paper, necessarily, but it is still a negative feature.
In the back there are eight pages of maps.
The Psalms are in paragraph format, just like the rest of the Bible. Since these are songs rather than prose, I would like to see them formatted differently. Not a major drawback for reading, but formatting that looks more like a song/hymn would be better, in my opinion.
One black ribbon bookmark.
Oddly, the advertisement says this Bible has 1840 pages, but there are only 1704 – 1681 pages of text, 8 pages of maps, 7 blank pages between the Bible and the maps, 2 unnumbered pages before Genesis, and 6 pages with small Roman numerals in the front.
Despite all the pictures I have seen, the edges of the cover are square rather than rounded.
About $35 to $40 most places (actually may not be that easy to find; several places – including Lifeway! – list it as out of stock today, 7 Feb 2018.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Saturday, November 02, 2013

Will you pray?

"If the average American Christian can’t explain why they should care about all the members of their own local church, why would they ever care for their brethren around the world?" -- Steve Meister

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is designated Sunday, November 3rd in some countries and Sunday, November 10th in others. A "day of prayer" is easy to understand, but what of "the persecuted church"? Many write about this but don't clearly define it.* The "persecuted church" is basically a shorthand term to refer to Christians in any country that restricts their worship, in which they pay a price for obeying God rather than men. Some might gather secretly, even avoiding singing for fear of being heard and reported. Some might be arrested and imprisoned. Some are even put to death for naming the name of Christ.

Many use the entire month of November to highlight the existence of persecution of Christians around the globe. The persecution of Christians is real, unrelenting and often horrific. Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs says there are over 60 countries where Christians face some major form of harassment or persecution. Our minor discomforts and annoyances pale in comparison. Yet most of us are not activists, and at times may be overloaded with all the other tasks we've taken on.

What can we do? We can educate ourselves and others to the problem. Some may want to support groups like the Barnabas Fund, Christian Solidarity International, Open Doors, Rescue Christians, and Voice of the Martyrs.** We can urge our government to exert influence when and where it can. Write appropriate officials. Some may want to write persecuted Christians to encourage them.*** Some might be led to volunteer in some capacity, and a few might even be able to travel to meet persecuted Christians. We all can pray.

Will you pray?
Pray for relief for and peace of persecuted Christians. Pray for stable governments that are conducive to peacefulness (Cf. Jeremiah 29:7).
1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Pray for release of the imprisoned (Cf. Philemon 22).
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Pray for the furtherance of the gospel in the midst of trials (Cf. Colossians 4:3).
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Pray with empathy for our brothers & sisters, doing for them what we would wish for us in the same circumstances (Matthew 7:12; Romans 12:15).
Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Pray, and then do as enabled (Cf. James 2:15-16).
Matthew 25:35-36 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Further reading
* 3 Things that are NOT Persecution -- "...I have continued to see similar behaviors and activities crop up in the lives of some Christians. They act rudely at work, irresponsibly in their neighborhood, arrogantly with their family, and when people react negatively to their behavior, the Christian chalks it up to “persecution”."
* 9 Things You Should Know About Persecution of Christians in 2013 -- "With the exception of four official state-controlled churches in Pyongyang, Christians in North Korea face the risk of detention in the prison camps, severe torture and, in some cases, execution for practicing their religious beliefs."
* A Global Slaughter of Christians, but America’s Churches Stay Silent -- "Christians in the Middle East and Africa are being slaughtered, tortured, raped, kidnapped, beheaded, and forced to flee the birthplace of Christianity. One would think this horror might be consuming the pulpits and pews of American churches. Not so. The silence has been nearly deafening."
* Do American Christians care about persecuted Christians? -- "If the average American Christian can’t explain why they should care about all the members of their own local church, why would they ever care for their brethren around the world?"
* Killing Christians With Impunity? -- "When I was a child, I somehow picked up the notion that persecution against the Christian church basically ended with the collapse of the Roman Empire."
Prayer: Taking Sides -- "Some Christians refuse to listen to the stories of the persecuted church. From the physical perspective, they say such stories are depressing."
* The Myth of the Persecuted American Church -- "It's not that Christians are not occasionally persecuted in America. There are instances—such as an incident this summer in which Evangelical Christians were labeled as "extremists" in a Pentagon training session—that we ought to take seriously."
* The persecuted church and the distracted church -- "...my eyes were opened wide to two types of Christians: those who face the fires of affliction for their faith in their hostile homelands and those who enjoy the freedom to worship Christ openly as citizens of the United States. Both face testings. Both are under attack by the evil one. But the points of assault are distinct."
* The Persecuted Church, Prayer, and the Book of Revelation -- "One of the main emphases of Revelation is the persecution and martyrdom of fellow believers in Jesus Christ, and the encouragement to stay faithful in the midst of persecution, as well as to pray for those who are suffering persecution."
* What is persecution? -- "...persecution as a term needs to be understood in its biblical sense. Persecution in the Bible manifests itself within a broad spectrum ranging from mildly hostile to intensely hostile actions."
Both/And: Fight Persecution Abroad and At Home -- "Those who profess to follow Jesus should be able both to fight religious persecution abroad and oppose religious repression here at home."

Some Related Bible verses
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
John 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Romans 8:16-18 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

* The Cornerstone Church of Mabank, TX made a stab at defining "persecuted church" this way: “The Church, made up of people who have professed faith in Jesus, living in a restricted country, experiencing intense forms of persecution ranging from local violence and exploitation to the extreme, death.” To designate a particular category of people as a church is biblically and theologically problematic. We might also contend that the biblical views of some of these people are unbiblical. All this notwithstanding, we support both our brothers & sisters scattered around the world who are suffering persecution as well as the right of all persons to approach God in their own manner without fear of human intervention, persuasion, and persecution.
** This should not be considered an endorsement of any of these groups.
*** Unless you know someone specifically (and maybe even if you do) this usually needs to go through a third party to maintain security and anonymity.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

From Archaeology to Hebrews to Congress, 7 links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

* Hebrews Warnings -- "While they are still His children with His acceptance and provision, they lose specific blessing of the LORD now and forever."
* Holy Trollers: How to argue about religion online -- "Now that I’m all grown-up, I’ve discovered a new arena for combat: The reader’s comments section for stories about religion."
* Members of Congress arrested at immigration rally -- "Approximately 200 demonstrators were arrested, according to U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Lt. Kim Schneider."
* Rise and shine: the daily routines of history's most creative minds -- "The path to greatness is paved with a thousand tiny rituals (and a fair bit of substance abuse) – but six key rules emerge."
* We Are All Clergy -- "If you insist on using the word, “clergy,” you had best drop the contrast with “laymen.” According to the Bible, we are actually all clergy."
* What archaeology tells us about the Bible -- "What ancient potsherds reveal about the past is subject to interpretation, which is shaped by prevailing cultural views, history, religion, and politics."
* What Multitasking does to your Brain -- "When we multitask all day, those scattered habits literally change the pathways in our brains. The consequence, according to Nass's research, is that sustaining your attention becomes impossible."

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Lots to read; read you must

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

America’s Epidemic of Psychiatric Over-Diagnosis
Current, former officials back secret surveillance
Doing the Work of an Evangelist
E-mail habits to avoid
Ergun Caner Has Sued Witnesses Unto Me
Focusing Your Sermon
His Honor and the Sacred Harp
How to Create a Reading Plan
Jonathan Edwards as Preacher
Need Help Pronouncing Bible Words?
On “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Sacred Harp’s “Yodeling Schoolgirl”: The Story of “Little Lorraine”
Supreme Court punts on affirmative-action case
Supreme Court strikes down key part of Voting Rights Act
Why I Like to Read Biographies, and Why You Should too

Friday, May 03, 2013

Flesch-Kincaid and Bible versions

Every now and then I see the Flesch Reading Ease and/or the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level tests referenced in comparing different versions of the Bible -- someone usually trying to make the point that their version of the Bible is easier to read.

I sort of randomly* chose the second epistle of John to plug in to the Flesch-Kincaid Reading tests (using Microsoft Word). Here are my findings for 4 Bible versions.

New International Version
Words 291
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 6%
Flesch Reading Ease 82.2
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.2

King James Version
Words 298
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 0%
Flesch Reading Ease 81.4
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.2

New American Standard Version
Words 316
Sentences 12
Passive Sentences 8%
Flesch Reading Ease 82.3
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.6

Holman Christian Standard Version
Words 309
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 0%
Flesch Reading Ease 83.5
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.1

The Flesch Reading Ease test rates text on a 100-point scale. The higher the score means the easier it is to understand the document.

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test rates text on a U.S. school grade level. A score of 8.0 would mean that an eighth grader can understand the document.

All four Bible versions that I picked rated at sixth grade level for the epistle of 2 John. There was very little difference, with the New American Standard rating the hardest and the Holman Christian Standard rating the easiest.

The Flesch-Kincaid scale is a measure of sentence length/words-per-sentence, word length/syllables-per-word only. It does not measure vocabulary. Vocabulary and sentence structure, which Flesch-Kincaid does not measure, can change the readability of a document. The Flesch-Kincaid tests actually tell us very little about comparing the readability of various Bible versions.

* I picked this book because it is one of the shortest in the Bible and I knew it would be easy to copy and prep (check for errors and remove verse numbers).