What If We Didn't Have Commentaries And Other Non-Bible Tools?

Even if there were no commentaries, I believe the Spirit of God would reveal truth through His Word.

And eventually, the commentaries would come, because Christian people share with each other what God has shown them. I believe that your hypothetical situation therefore is in the very least improbable.

It's impossible to not talk about it, write about it, share about it.

 

The BIBLE yes that's the book for me! I stand, alone on the Word of God....

Diane Tavegia

 

I have to concur with Brother Matt. God has given man an innate need to share information. We would still collaberate and work to show others what thee Lord has shown us.

 

I only use commentaries after doing my word studies. I do believe we would still be able to proclaim God's Word, perhaps with less man and more Holy Spirit.

Please, this IS NOT an attack on commentaries, I use them in sermon prep all the time.

 

The Gospel was preached before commentaries, but I think that all study aids assist preachers and teachers in sharing and teaching the Bible.

When learning and teaching, I research commentaries, study aids, and different versions of the Bible. I really like the literature that we use in Sunday School that we receive from Lifeway.

Of course, we could teach without them.

 

What IF we had to dig a hole, and we had no shovel? What IF we were in the dark, and we had no torch? What IF we had NO learning, and we had to teach others?

The what IFs can go on forever. Certainly we would muddle through, but the infinite errors that man is wont to make, would be there. We could find a stick to dig a hole, but it would be less efficient than using a pickaxe and shovel. We could strike a flint and light a twig. Basic Boy Scout stuff, but it would be dimmer than a torch and we would miss the details in the night. Many a person learned to read by using the Bible, but it would be a slow lesson.

In this modern era, it is impossible to even imagine the What ifs; to study without the tools, to preach without the prior understandings of man.

Even a fool can understand the simple gospel..even Jesus, unless you become as children....I think that says something.

Whilst some of the disciples were learned, and brought up on the scriptures (Old Testament) most were common labourers. I should imagine they learned by word of mouth. Common fishermen, shepherds and labourers, not known for their book learning. They told about what they had learned, and we would do the same.

I can't fathom the what ifs, but many a person has managed to learn of Him, led by the Holy Spirit, and led others to Christ and great knowledge. We would manage our way with just a Bible.

Thank God for the people of old who took the patience to write down what they had learned.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Amen Bro Jim, Amen

 

Luke 19:40 But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

 

Read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation a few times. Up to 5 times per year. During you are a Christian, you will learn new things through the Holy Spirit teaching you. (1 Cor. 2:13 KJV)

Write on a paper after you read the Bible. Just use the outlines, charts or your own notes.

During you study your Bible, write your own commentary or research.

Without the dictionaries, how would you understand the word that you do not know? Use this dictionary -- Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary

 

Use your hands with fingers -- you can dig!

Follow the moon -- you will not lose your direction!

If you do not follow the moon, Go to sleep -- you can wait until the sun rises!

Use your sense -- your brain -- thinking -- you can teach others!

 

For two thousand years, we've had non-canonical wtitings such as the gnostic gospels, deuterocanonicals and apocrypha. Yet few of us have red them. But many of us will happily pick up the latest and greatest commentary by the expert of the day.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with commentaries, but commentaries are just that: commentary. If we want real commentary about the early church, we should start by first reading these 2000 year old writings first.

 

Dear Askjo,
I knew a woman who was so excited because she had accomplished reading the Bible in 38 days. Her testimony was that she just kept picking up the Bible whenever she could, never quiting.
I find that amazing because I seem to get so distracted, often jumping around even though I start out with good intentions. I applaud anyone who consistently stays on track and goes through the Bible time and time again. I'm a jumper! I need those checkoff sheets to keep on track. (grin) Askjo, have you been reading the Bible up to five times a year?

 

To read the Bible up to 5 times is not easy. I failed to read it up to 5 times due to my weakness. My good friend told me that he read twice time per year. A man whom I know from a church read it up to 5 times per year. You can read it up to 3 times per year.

A woman shared with me her testimony concerning reading the Bible. When she gets up from the bed in morning, she read the Bible before gone to work. At lunch she read it. Before she goes to bed, she read it. She could read it up to 2 or 3 times. She read it short hours.

A man read it up to 5 times per year because he read it long hours and reached 5 times!

I read the New Testament and completed it in 4 months because I read it 1 1/2 hours per day. I read the Old Testament and completed it in a full year because I reduced how many hours to read it.

 

Dear Askjo,
That is so very great.
I tend to meditate as I read, so I am pretty slow going. But when I get involved sometimes in that game Bible Trivia, I am sometimes pleasantly surprised at what I do know. (grin) The Lord has brought me a long way, and for this I rejoice.
I think you are very wise to go through the Bible so often, for this helps one see the whole Bible as a whole which makes usually for good theology, yes?
However, and sadly, I knew some people who knew the Bible so very well, and had so many verses memorized, yet they were suicidal or were so very lost. These things have never made any sense to me.
Keep up the good work!
God bless you!

 

I was just in Moscow and Kiev in October training Russian and Ukrainian believers in the Scriptures. For well over 2 generations many Baptists behind the Iron Curtain did not have formal training nor did they have access to concordances, commentaries, etc. and yet they have survived and are now growing. Sure there are some doctrinal quirks which have surfaced there, but consistent teaching is dealing with them. Strong's Concordance has been translated into Russian and is being made available to believers there.

Another point that Dr. Bob made is an excellent one. Commentaries are a tool which help us to build in the doctrinal understanding of others. The person who refuses to use the past writings of the Church Age (Church Fathers up to modern commentaries) is going to fall into some of the errors of past generations. Our current doctrinal positions are based on 20 centuries of believer's interpretation through the illumination of Scripture.

Like others above we should do our word studies, diagrams and interpretations and then afterwards use the commentaries to focus and direct our thinking. This will help keep us from making the same doctrinal mistakes of the past.