Does the Holy Spirit need help?

[stilllearning]

The help that I am talking about is higher criticism.

I recently read an article about exegesis, and how higher criticism uses information about the time period of the writings, to determine what the people at those times were thinking, so as to determine what the writer meant to say to them.
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While I was reading, I saw that higher criticism does not depend upon the Holy Spirit at all and I realized how foolish this was............
1 Corinthians 2:14
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t ignore any information I can acquire about the times of the Scripture writings, I just don’t let it “gum up” what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me.
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I believe that the Holy Spirit needs no help, in teaching us what God has to say to us.

All a Christian needs is a Bible. (An English dictionary & a Storng’s concordance wouldn’t hurt either)

But detailed information about what was going on in the 1st century, will not help us at all, because God Word transcends time & circumstances.

 

[annsni]

I think you're right and wrong. The Bible says what it says but sometimes understanding some things behind the scenes really adds to the understanding. Like knowing the culture of the New Testament world that people lived in and the persecution of Christians really sets a light on the early church. But you could learn plenty just reading the Scripture without that as well.

 

[menageriekeeper]

No, the Holy Spirit doesn't need help, but we humans certainly do! :laugh:

 

[jrscott]

I look at HC the same way I look at philosophy. It's not the science or techniques that is necessarily always going to be the problem. It is the biases and presuppositions people bring into them.

As far as the discipline itself goes, CS Lewis said it best - "Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, to answer bad philosophy." Good critical work on the Scriptures must exist, if for nothing else, to answer bad critical work.

Just my thoughts.

Randy

 

[Greektim]

But detailed information about what was going on in the 1st century, will not help us at all, because God Word transcends time & circumstances.

If that is not a stupid statement then I don't know what is. They don't call it historical-grammatical interpretation for nothing!!! While the truths of God found within His Word are transcendent, the meaning of the text is time-bound. A text cannot mean what it never meant. And gaining the history and culture is big. Without knowledge of customs and practices of the day, we tend to read our own culture into the text. That is a big error. We would have David shooting a stone from a Y shaped sling-shot, for example.

 

[Tater77]

Looking at Scripture like this gave me a greater understanding !!! For example, "salt of the earth" actually means something a little different than what I've always been taught.

 

[kyredneck]

I look at HC the same way I look at philosophy. It's not the science or techniques that is necessarily always going to be the problem. It is the biases and presuppositions people bring into them.

As far as the discipline itself goes, CS Lewis said it best - "Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, to answer bad philosophy." Good critical work on the Scriptures must exist, if for nothing else, to answer bad critical work.

Just my thoughts.

Randy

Sound reasoning, outstanding post. Thanks.

 

[HankD]

I believe that the Holy Spirit needs no help, in teaching us what God has to say to us.

All a Christian needs is a Bible. (An English dictionary & a Storng’s concordance wouldn’t hurt either)

No, the spirit needs no help but it is His will to provide and administer His help through human beings He has gifted.

1 Corinthians 12

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:​

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
...

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.​

HankD