Ten Outstanding Bible Interpreters. Bible with explanations Bible with explanations and commentaries orthodoxy

Hello brother Ivan!

I had the same thing at first. But the more time I devoted to God: service and His Word, the more clear it became to me. I wrote about this in the chapter "The Bible Must Be Studied" of my book "Returning to the Origins of the Christian Doctrine". To understand the Bible correctly, you need to follow certain rules when interpreting it, which can be read by clicking on the link. However, knowing how important this issue is, we will speculate about it a little more.

Bible interpretation- not a simple matter. Scripture needs to be analyzed and understood in context. Today, many Christians are accustomed to paying attention to individual Bible verses, and even often a doctrine is built on a single text. However, these verses often tell a different story when looked at in the context of nearby chapters or the epistle as a whole. Previously, there was no division of texts into verses and chapters, they were read as indivisible books (scrolls). Therefore, attention was rarely focused on individual verses without taking into account the entire message. Also, when interpreting the Bible, it must be borne in mind that these words were pronounced in a different historical setting. The messengers of God spoke not only to future generations, but also directly to those to whom they spoke. Real people spoke with real people in their language, taking into account their mentality inherent in that time and that area, and naturally understood each other. So for us to understand (interpret) the Bible correctly, we need to delve into the nuances of their life and everyday life as much as possible. And then a lot will become more understandable to us.

Therefore, my advice to you is to seriously study the Bible, not forgetting to familiarize yourself with the history of the peoples about which it tells. And at the same time, do not “get hung up” on individual texts, but look at them solely taking into account the context. And of course, he prays before reading the Bible with a request to God for the gift of wisdom to interpret the Bible, understand and memorize His Word.

Today, the spiritual authorities of mainstream churches claim that they alone have the right to interpret the Bible. They say that such an important matter as understanding Scripture is possible only within the church by its faithful holy subjects. And of course, each denomination believes that only their spiritual teachers correctly interpret the Bible. The flock of these churches believes their spiritual mentors that they are the ones who correctly understand the Word of God, while other Christian churches are mistaken. It turns out a strange picture: there are many churches, there seem to be many positive "holy" people in them ... But they all interpret the Bible in different ways. One gets the impression that it is generally impossible to understand the Holy Scriptures, since so many educated theologians argue over its texts.

However, it is not. It's all about authority - setting priorities. It was not for nothing that Jesus warned that believers should consider their true teacher and mentor (see Matt. 23 chapter) not any person (or a group of people), but directly God - His Word. Then it would be difficult for believers who study the Bible to be led astray, since the authority for them would not be their spiritual mentors, but the Lord. Meanwhile, the interpretation of the Bible was taken over by "sinful" mortal people, and other people recognized this right for them. As a result, different teachers took their flocks in different directions. This problem is not new to Christianity, it was inherent in the Jews as well. Remember how Jesus repeatedly rebuked the spiritual leaders of the Jewish people (the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes) for misinterpreting Scripture. Then (and still) any Jew, expressing his thought about the teachings and the text of the Holy Scriptures, had to refer to the words of some famous rabbi. Does it remind you of anything? Today in widespread churches it is also customary to quote the holy fathers in support of their statements about the teachings of the Bible. So it turns out that people themselves do little to delve into the essence of the Word of God, and each trust their spiritual mentors. It is also worth noting that both earlier and still in Judaism there are many currents, each led by their own teachers. The New Testament mentions the Pharisees, Sadducees. Also in those days there were large religious groups of Zealots and Isseans. So the division into confessions is not new for Christianity.

Meanwhile, both the Old Testament and the New were given not to teachers for teaching and interpretation to the flock, but to ordinary believers. The Word of God was to be studied by everyone - kings and common people, including women and children. All this is clearly seen from the texts of the Old and New Testaments, which is discussed in the chapter The Word of God you need to know. How to Study the Holy Scriptures of the book "Returning to the Origins of the Christian Doctrine"). The interpretation of the Bible is not a magical and esoteric secret knowledge, but the result of a simple knowledge of all the books of Scripture and analysis of their texts, taking into account the fact that it is necessary to interpret the biblical controversial phrases taking into account the context of the entire message, while realizing that the Bible is one and cannot itself contradict. That is, when understanding the Holy Scripture, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that its texts during interpretation do not conflict with its other texts. After all, the Bible is whole, and its author is one, "with whom there is no change and not a shadow of change" (James 1:17).

Valery Tatarkin

Other

Tags: understanding Scripture, INTERPRETING THE BIBLE

Not only interesting, but also correct ... It is important not only to read the Bible, but also to understand it correctly. Today we want to present you a chapter from Steve Kinnard's book.

Principles of Bible Interpretation

"God's Word in the Bible is like soul in body." Peter Taylor Forsyth, Congregational theologian

When my family and I lived in Jerusalem for a year, I spoke with many of the archaeologists living there. I spoke with a geologist who was studying new data from Hezekiah's tunnel in Siloam. I spoke with the chief archaeologist at the Palestinian Caesarea site. I spoke with the archaeologist who oversaw the work at Bet Shin during the summer. Archaeologists often find it difficult to excavate. They find data in separate layers of the earth that contradict already existing theses. When they find themselves in such a dead end, they have a tried and tested method to find a solution to the dilemma of digging deeper. In archeology, when you need an answer, you dig deeper.

The same applies to Bible study. When you find material in a text that you don't understand, dig deeper. But what tools should we use to dig deeper into the Bible? Below are four principles for interpreting (interpreting) the Bible to help you delve deeper into the text. Examples are provided to clarify these principles. Enjoy your dive!

The first principle of Bible interpretation:
Interpret the Passage in the Light of Its Context

A passage of Scripture must always be viewed in its context. An elderly village preacher once told me, "A passage taken out of context is an excuse." You can prove anything by taking passages out of context. You may have heard the story of a man who told God that he would open the Bible and point his finger at three passages. Whatever those passages said, the man was going to prove his faith in God by immediately submitting to those three random passages. In the first attempt, his finger pointed to a passage that says Judas "went out, went and hanged himself." In the second, it opened: "Go, and you do the same." The third attempt pointed to the ominous words: "What you do, do it quickly." The moral of the story: we strangle ourselves by taking passages out of context.

Near context

When reading a passage, first look at the passages immediately surrounding the verse in question. This simple procedure will often help you understand the meaning of the verse. Isaiah 58:11 can be used to say that if a person is part of God's kingdom, his troubles will end. I have heard religious Israelites use similar verses, claiming that God himself ordained that the Israelites should control the territory of Palestine.

"The Lord will always guide you, He will saturate your souls in dry lands and give you strength, you will be like a garden by the water, like a stream that never runs out." 2

But when you look at the immediate context, you will see that this promise is based on the conditions in verses 9-10. A careful reading of the near context can help clarify this verse:

“You must no longer bring misfortune to people, you must not blame others and speak bitter words. You must feel compassion for the hungry and give them bread, You must help people in distress, Then your light will shine in the darkness, your sorrow will pass, and you will shine like the midday sun ”(Isaiah 58: 9-10).

Far context

The “distant context” is the context for the entire Bible. Consider how this passage or verse fits into its entire context. Verses 16-17 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 are often used as evidence that there will be two resurrections, one for the righteous and later the other for the wicked. They are also used as proof that after the first resurrection, those who remain on earth will face a time of trial and tribulation. However, it is necessary to consider both the near and far context of these verses.

In a near context, we see Paul addressing a question raised by the early church about what would happen to their deceased brothers and sisters. He says that the dead in Christ will be resurrected first. Then all who live will be taken up with them in the clouds. In other words, there will be one resurrection for the dead and the living. First the dead will be resurrected, then the living will be taken to meet God. Continuing to read the following verses (5: 1-3), we see that on the same "day of the Lord" "suddenly overtakes them (that is, the wicked) destruction." In context, it is clear that the resurrection of the righteous and the judgment of the wicked will take place on the same day and that no one will remain on earth. Now compare this passage with its distant context in the rest of the Bible. Jesus describes the resurrection in John 5: 28-29 as one resurrection of both the wicked and the righteous. Jesus says:

“Do not be surprised at this, for the time is approaching when all those lying in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of Man and will rise from their graves. Those who have done righteous deeds will be resurrected to live; those who have done evil will be resurrected to be judged ”(John 5: 28-29).

The distant context of the passage supports the claim that there will be one resurrection, not two. Therefore, 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17 must fit into the context of the rest of the Bible.

When we talk about looking at Scripture in the light of a distant context, we advocate that Scripture should interpret Scripture. Here are some basic principles.

No portion of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to contradict another. Always interpret a less clear passage in the light of a more understandable one.
Read the Bible a lot and study it regularly so that you know its main ideas.
Perhaps the most important question to be asked continually when studying Scripture is the question of context: "What does this passage mean in its context?" If you answer this question, the most difficult verses will become clear.

The second principle of Bible interpretation:
Interpret According to the Correct Meaning of the Words

Words can have several meanings. For example, the word “heaven” can mean heaven above us, or it can mean an eternal home for the righteous. To interpret Scripture correctly, we must understand the correct definition of the words in the passage.

Inappropriate change of concept

Matthew 24:34 is a basic verse for understanding Jesus' teaching about the end time. If you study Matthew 24 carefully, you will see that Jesus answers two questions: (1) what will be the signs of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem; and (2) what will be the signs of the end time? Jesus answers the first question and then moves on to answer the second. Verse 34 is the transition from the first question to the second. Jesus says: "Truly I say: all this will happen during the lifetime of this generation." “Generation” is a thirty to forty year span of time. This is how the word is used consistently throughout the Bible. All the signs that precede this verse — wars and rumors of war, famines and earthquakes — refer to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The proponents of the millennial reign of Christ 3 attribute the aforementioned signs to the second question about the end times. They constantly monitor political events around the world, trying to predict when Jesus will appear and establish what they call His "millennial kingdom" on earth. However, verse 34 creates a problem for them. If the signs preceding verse 34 are from the generation of the early disciples, then they cannot be applied at the end of time. Therefore, they gave a different definition to the word "generation". For them, “generation” becomes the distribution of historical periods 4. They reject the usual, normal definition of the term (a definition that makes sense in the context of Scripture) and revise it to fit their doctrine. This is an example of how puns can lead to false doctrine. But what are the basic principles for defining words?

Context, context, context

Often the context (words immediately preceding or following the word in question) defines the word. For example, 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 in the synodal translation reads like this:

Almost every time I studied this verse with someone, people saw an obvious contradiction between Jesus' words and His character. Literally, Jesus says that his disciples must hate their families and themselves. But literal interpretation of this passage contradicts everything we know about Jesus. How do you explain the use of the word "hate" here? Jesus knew that the greatest deterrent to discipleship would be our closest relationships and our selfish dispositions. If one does not touch us, then another. Jesus uses a harsh, harsh word to make us wake up and pay attention to what He is saying. He uses a figure of speech called hyperbole: a glaring exaggeration. It does not mean that we literally have to hate (that is, be bitter, resentful, or vindictive) our families or ourselves. Jesus teaches us to love everywhere - even our enemies. But He wants us to be aware of the powerful influence of relationships and selfishness. 12

Grammar 13

When you read the Bible, you are reading it in a specific language. Each language has its own grammar rules. Knowing these rules can help you understand what was written and facilitate interpretation. For example, KJV translates 1 Corinthians 11:27 as: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

In context, Paul writes about the Lord's Supper in churches. Some use this passage as proof that ours should be “closed,” literally, that only Christ's disciples can participate in communion. Could this passage be used to support this idea? Does the word "unworthily" describe a person participating in the communion? No, it doesn't. "Unworthily" is an adverb, not an adjective. It does not describe a person, place, object, or idea - it does an adjective. The adverb modifies the verb. "Unworthily" describes how we partake. We must test our hearts and partake appropriately — focusing on the cross and the resurrection of Jesus. Other translations help in this case by translating "unworthily" as "in an unworthy manner." This makes it clear that an adverb is being used here, not an adjective.

The third principle of Bible interpretation:
Interpret Scripture in Light of Historical, Geographic and Cultural Context

Of all the principles, interpreting Scripture in light of the historical, geographical, and cultural context of Biblical times is the most difficult to practice. This means going beyond the confines of the Bible and delving into texts about the history, geography, and culture of Bible times. It takes time and work, but of all Bible study principles, this one can pay the most. The Bible can come alive for us as never before. For example, when we realize how Abraham lived, or what the political climate of first century Palestine was, or how the crucifixion took place in the first century, all of this greatly enhances our understanding of the Scriptures.

Distorting glasses

For the average Bible reader today, perhaps the biggest problem is that we are reading the Bible through the spectacles of Western thinking in the twenty-first century. The Bible is an oriental book written between 1500 BC. e. and 100 AD. To properly understand the Bible, we must turn off our 21st century critical, historical, Western thinking and immerse ourselves in the world of the ancient Middle East. John Stott, a Protestant writer, argues that we need to go back in time to understand the Bible. Life in the first century was different. Views on the world, science, history and society were different. Of course, their culture and daily life is in stark contrast to ours. If we are aware of these differences, we can come closer to understanding what the Bible tells us in its context.

A good illustration of our tendency to interpret the Bible through our own context is Leonardo da Vinci's wonderful painting The Last Supper. Da Vinci depicted the apostles sitting around Jesus at a table in chairs, enjoying a dinner together. In the first century, people reclined on pillows while eating. The tables were no more than 45-60 centimeters from the floor. Da Vinci took the biblical story and put it in his own context. We must do the exact opposite. We must leave our situation and enter the context of the Bible story.

Valuable details

As we delve deeper into the context of the Bible story, the Bible comes to life. Consider the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16: 19-31) in light of some historical details. In the parable, a beggar named Lazarus is at the door of the rich man. He's hungry for the crumbs that fall off the table. Historically, we know that some of these falling pieces are yesterday's bread, which was used as napkins: people used them to wipe their faces with them. They could take these pieces and throw them to the dogs. That's what Lazarus wanted to eat. In addition, the tables were about 45-60 cm from the floor. Lazarus wanted to crawl under one of these tables and eat the rich man's crumbs and used napkins — food for dogs. The dogs, however, were not interested in such food. They were more interested in licking Lazarus' wounds. To eat, Lazarus had to fight off the dogs to get to the food. It is a pitiful hopeless picture. However, the rich man did not spare Lazarus. He turned his back on his need. Among other things, the end of the story shows the condemnation of such people.

Why do we need to spend time studying the socio-historical background of the Bible? The Bible was written in a cultural context. God chose to give universal truths by placing them in specific cultural frames. We must be able to separate cultural phenomena from universal truth, but when we separate the images of the Bible from their cultural framing, it is like taking a play out of its historical context - the play loses its meaning.

John Stott observed: “Although God's revelation is addressed to all people at all times and in all countries, each part of it was primarily addressed to specific people at specific times and in a particular country. Therefore, the unchanging and universal message of the Scriptures can only be understood in the light of the circumstances in which it was originally given. 14

History and politics

What should we consider as we approach the Bible from a historical and socio-political point of view? We must take into account the history of the group to which the passage was originally addressed. We can better understand the ceremonies of the Israelites when we have an understanding of their historical circumstances. It is necessary to study the physical and material parts of the environment. Knowledge of the geography of the Holy Land is very useful and can add to our study of the Scriptures. Language and material culture (houses, household items, tools for work and tools for obtaining food, clothing, weapons, vehicles and other items used in everyday life by people) are also subject to study.

We must take into account the political climate of those days. We need to know if Israel was free or enslaved when we read the Books of the Minor Prophets. We must investigate economics - what was the economic situation of the Jerusalem Church in the first century? We must study the religious, moral and philosophical setting. All of these aspects need to be taken into account when examining the historical attitudes of the Bible stories.
What principles should be followed when examining the historical background circumstances? Here are some of them.

Cultural differences within the Bible. Moving from one book to another, we must change one cultural environment for another. For example, we should be familiar with the changes in Judaism during the Babylonian captivity. Judaism of the first century AD was significantly different from Judaism until 586 BC, the time of the destruction of the temple.
Biblical culture versus modern culture. We must compare the culture of the studied text with the modern one. By comparing these two different cultures, we can separate cultural manifestations from universal truth. There will undoubtedly be some ambiguities and gray areas, but the serious Bible student must seek universal principles among cultural phenomena.
Unclear and confusing places. Consult external sources to find out the meaning of the unknown term. Look for direct, internal evidence in the Scriptures to define specific cultural terms or to identify historical places or events.
Initial, historical circumstances. Place yourself in the history of the text to determine what the passage meant to people at the time. Only then can you move on to applying the passage to your modern life. This is a very important step. If we miss it, we will misinterpret Scripture.
Strive to understand how this meaning applies to modern culture, and do so. If we are going to change our lives and influence our society with the Word of God, we must discover the truth from the Bible and apply it.

Helpful hints. T. Norton Sterrett, in his excellent book How to Understand Your Bible, provides the following helpful insights for identifying the cultural, historical context of Bible material.

Study the Bible. Read it, read it, read it. The more familiar you are with the entire Bible, the more knowledge you will have to help you understand it.
Take notes as you read. Write down details of biblical figures, customs, and countries.
If you have a Bible with parallel links or indexes - use them.
Use the maps in your Bible to locate geographic points.
If there are other books available, use them. The first is Bible dictionaries. They explain many cultural terms. 15

Cultural or universal truth

One of the most important challenges facing the Bible student is the need to recognize the differences between temporal, cultural phenomena and unchanging universal truth. God decided to reveal His commandments through people in a particular cultural environment. The student must distinguish the cultural obligations of the passage from the universal ones. Must separate cultural manifestations from universal truth, for which it is necessary to investigate the cultural environment of the passage.

We must understand the cultural phenomena in the Bible so as not to carry over such teachings from the history of Israel as the responsibility of modern people. How can a student distinguish a cultural teaching from a universal one? One of the resources required to use this is common sense. Another rule of thumb is to remember that if a prescription is culturally related then it is temporary in nature. When a prescription is given in intercultural language, it is permanent.

For example, in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul uses cultural terms to convey a general principle. He uses phrases and terms like “veil,” “shaved head,” “hair is honor,” 16 and other cultural phenomena to show that there are different roles in society for men and women to take. Men should be husbands and fathers, and women should be wives and mothers. When these roles are confused, everything falls apart.

The veil in Corinth in the first century was a long piece of cloth that sometimes reached the ground. It was similar to the veils worn today by women in many Islamic communities. They were used to show chastity and respect for authority. If we were to say that women should wear them today, we would have to be consistent and wear the same veil as in the first century. The modern example of women from some denominations wearing cloth the size of a small napkin on their head is not even close to what was then worn.

What about the length of our hair? The prostitutes of Corinth did not wear veils. They often shaved their heads or were forced to shave them. This became a sign of their activity. The women in the church were not supposed to want to look like such ritual prostitutes. Therefore, in Corinth in the first century, long hair was the glory of a woman. The same is true for some of the societies in the world today.

Paul uses cultural elements and customs (cover and length of hair) to teach a universal principle (women should be decorous). Note that he states that nature or custom teaches that hair is glory and that society teaches that veil is glory. Both are obligatory only in Corinth of the first century. Today, in most of the countries where Christians live, we have no traditions equivalent to the veil or length of hair, but the universal truth certainly applies to God's people. These types of cultural issues are important to our understanding when reading the Bible.

The fourth principle of Bible interpretation:
Look for Practical Application of the Passage: "What Does the Passage Tell Me Today?"

"It's one thing to say the Bible has authority because it is inspired, and it's another to feel like the heart is leaping out and grasping its truth." Leslie Weatherhead, British minister and writer.

Imagine a person visiting a doctor because of an illness that is causing immense pain. The doctor does not find the cause of the pain and prescribes a series of tests, trying to find both the source of the pain and the remedy for it. After numerous tests, the doctor finally identifies the source of the pain and prescribes a pill that will fix the problem and help the patient. Now imagine that a patient who endured all the trials, paid medical bills and spent time with the doctor, forgot to take the pill and continues to suffer. The question would arise - is he a masochist striving for pain? It’s strange to go through all the tests to ignore the treatment.

Likewise, it is ridiculous to spend time and effort studying the Bible and then not apply the Bible to your life. I went through seminary and doctoral-level Bible classes taught by professors who knew more about the Bible than I ever hope to learn. They possessed knowledge of the Bible in Hebrew and Ancient Greek. They wrote books about the Bible. But from the lives of many of them, you would never know that they ever touched the Bible. For them, Bible study was just an academic discipline. They failed to apply the Bible to their own lives.

Bible study must end with the application of the Scriptures. Ask yourself, "What am I going to change in my life today from this Bible study?" During the day, take time to meditate on your Bible, study, and allow it to change your life. After all, the goal of Bible study should be a changed life.

Why bother?

We live in a world torn apart by religious differences and divisions. There are hundreds of denominations that teach dissimilar ideas about the Bible. Sometimes they look like trivial questions, but upon closer examination, they are not so trivial. The churches are divided in teachings about salvation, baptism, the essence of God, divinity, inspiration from the Bible, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the importance of the church.

How can you make your way through such rough waters? Based on the Bible. If we know what the Bible says, then we can confidently state what we believe in doctrinal matters. Paul said to Timothy:

Do everything in your power to earn God's approval as a worker who has nothing to be ashamed of and who brings the word of truth in all frankness. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Jesus said:

“You will comprehend the truth, and the truth will bring you deliverance” (John 8:32).

He also said:

“He who rejects Me and does not receive My word will be judged by something else: My word will judge him at the last day” (John 12:48).

We can draw three conclusions from these verses. First, there is a right and wrong way to interpret the word of truth. We must be careful to handle it correctly. Second, we can know the truth. Third, the Scriptures apply to us because we will be judged by them (also Acts 17: 30-31). Since Jesus' Word will judge us on the last day, doesn't it make sense to live according to His Word every day?

1. "A scripture taken out of context is a pretext" - approx. per.
2. Hereinafter - unless otherwise indicated - Modern translation WBTC - approx. per.
3. Teaching premillennialism - approx. per.
4 Teaching of Dispensationalism - approx. per.
5 Ie - "perfect" - approx. per.
6. Translation published by the World Bible Translation Center (WBTC).
7. Translation of RBO 2011 - approx. per.
8. In a modern translation it sounds like: "Rachel was a beauty, Leah had a gentle gaze." - approx. per.
9. Synodal translation - approx. per.
10. The rule of thumb is a decision-making rule according to which decisions are made based on the best available at this moment option. - approx. per.
11. Synodal translation - approx. per.
12. A popular explanation for this passage is that the word “to hate” is used in Greek to mean “to love less.” This is not true. Comparing this text with Matthew 10:37 might lead to this conclusion, but in Luke 14 Jesus uses the common word “hate,” but in an exaggerated manner. - approx. per.
13. In this section, the translator leaves examples in English without analogy in Russian - approx. per.
14. John R. W. Stott, Understanding the Bible (Minneapolis: World Wide Publication, 1972), 224.
15. T. Norton Sterrett, How to Understand Your Bible (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), 81.
16. These specific terms are from my own translation. (Author's note)

Steve Kinnard

Chapter from the book "Getting the most from the Bible"

Translation: Alexey Chernikin

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Commentaries on the Bible. We asked - we answer, p. 2

ASKES TATIANA
Did the people know God's law before God gave the commandments to the Jews on Mount Sinai?

ASKING STANISLAV
Please help me figure it out. Jehovah's Witnesses quite logically prove by the Bible that Jesus Christ was not born of God, but created by Him.

ASKING NATALIA
Are Jehovah's Witnesses right when they say that only God the Father is worthy of true human worship?

ASKING OLGA
Jehovah's Witnesses talk a lot about God's name and Scripture substantiate its importance. Are they right? Help me to understand

ASKING RAIS
You can hear the interpretation of the Beatitudes of Jesus Christ - the Gospel of Matthew 5 chapter from 3 to 12 verses

ASKING DENIS
I would like to learn from you about the gift of other tongues, in our church they practice it all the time. How does it relate to prayers in other tongues?

BIBLE QUESTION FROM SERGEI
Hello. Points of Interest: Jude verse 20, what does this verse teach? Are we talking about other languages here?

ASKED BY SERGEY
I have read your articles on the Holy Spirit and prayer in other tongues and I have a question: Rom. 8:26 “Likewise, the Spirit also strengthens us in our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for, as we ought to, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings unspeakable. " How to consider the indescribable sighs?

ASKED BY JULIA
What does the phrase in the fourth commandment mean: "A stranger in your house should rest on the Sabbath day"? I am interested in specifically who is meant by the alien? thanks!

ASKED BY ALEXANDER
Any tips for studying the Bible?

ASKED BY SERGEY
When, in your opinion, did the Christian church begin to deviate from its original foundations?

ASKING IGOR
What does the Bible say about the dangers of smoking as a sin? more about it

ASKING ALEKEY
I would like to ask one question about the Bible's relationship to meat. There are Scriptures that show a negative attitude towards killing animals and eating their meat. So vegetarians are right that they don't eat meat?

ASKED BY ALEXANDER
The resurrection of the dead is the day that will take place at the second coming of Christ or is it a process that happens to the believer while he lives his life in his physical body as it is written “rise up sleeping rise from the dead may Christ sanctify you” and this process stops with the death of a person?

ASKING OLGA
Why did Noah curse not Ham, but Canaan?

ASKING YURI
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' Will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven”?

ASKES LOLITA
Why and in what other form did Christ appear to his disciples after his resurrection that they did not recognize him? And why did you have to change your appearance when it comes to the physical body?

ASKING VASILY
Investigating the Bible raises questions. Here are some of them: Is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire taking place now, and what is it?

ASKING ARTHUR
I am just starting to read spiritual literature, to know God. I have formed such an opinion about God, about the attitude towards Him. I would like to know your opinion. Is our life reduced to constant work, continuous knowledge and search for God? If we constantly work and gain knowledge, will we reach the “divine” state and His disposition? Otherwise, why did He create the Universe and us in His own likeness, why did He endow us with thinking and consciousness?

ASKES EVGENIYA
Please answer in the Gospel of John, chapter 9, while healing a blind man, Jesus did not just heal, but sent him to the pool to wash, why? The pool is called the Sent one, is it to the point that Jesus is the messenger of God?

ASKING ELIZABETH
We are told in the church that only we are the one church of God. Therefore, I do not understand, does this mean that besides our parishioners, believers from other churches will not be saved?

ASKING FAITH
In answering questions about who will enter the Kingdom of God, you often refer to the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. The question arises: Who can be saved?

ASKING HOPE
What really happened to the inhabitants of the Rabbah and the cities of Ammonites? In 2 Kings. 12:31 and 1 Chron. 20: 3 in the Synodal translation it is written that they were placed under saws, iron axes and kilns. And in the modern translation of the Russian Bible Society it is written that David took them captive, and destroyed the city itself with saws, iron spades and axes.

ASKES OKSANA
Hello, I have been looking for a very long time where you can get answers to your questions and it seems that I found))) You have reasoned enough answers that are based on the Bible, this is important to me. Please tell me what the Bible means in Gen. 6: 1-4 under the names "sons of God" and "daughters of men" - who are we talking about?

ASKING ALEXEI
Hello, please answer, why is there so much evil in the Bible? God allows evil, murder, and even brings calamities Himself. What does it mean?

ASKES GENNADY
In 1 Cor. 10: 2 is written about baptism in Moses. How can you be baptized into a person? How is this passage translated in the modern Bible or in other translations? Thank you.

ASKING GALINA
Good day! I can't figure out what can and cannot be done on Saturdays. Thanks!

ASKING GREGORY
Greetings! I am concerned with the topic of predestination. Do you have anything for this?

ASKES TATIANA
Can't figure out how to do the right thing in the Bible? Many people say that women need to cover their heads in church, and in some churches this is not the practice. And in general it is not clear why there is a difference for men and women?

ASKED BY ANATOLY
The first part of Jer. 48:10 "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord carelessly, and cursed is he who keeps His sword from blood!" often acts as a Christian "horror story". So why and to whom was this word said?

ASKES OKSANA
My husband became addicted to the computer, he plays computer games. At the same time, he considers himself a believer and regularly attends church. Is there any therapy similar to drug addiction therapy?

ASKING NATALIA
According to Matthew 4: 1, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. I cannot understand what kind of Spirit? Is it the Holy Spirit? What for?? No, I understand why, for temptation, but why?

ASKING DAVID
The question is about dreams. For the first time in my life, dreams manifest themselves in such a way that somehow come true or maybe I didn’t pay attention to it before? I cannot understand what all this means and how to proceed? If possible in detail.

ASKING DANIK
When Moses led Israel out of Egypt, he told Pharaoh that they were going to the wilderness for sacrifice for 3 days' journey. But Moses knew that they were leaving for Canaan forever, how did he say so? It turns out that God permits lies for salvation?

ELENA ASKS
A person pays with death for his original sin and sins committed during life, but why do animals, birds, insects die? - they are sinless. The question is not for doubt, but for the strengthening of faith.

ASKING MAXIM
The New Testament says that believers now enter the sanctuary with boldness. What does this mean?

ASKING YURI
In Matt. 11:17 says: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang sad songs for you, and you did not cry. ”What is it about?

ASKES TATIANA
At 1 Corinthians 6:12 it says, “All things are lawful to me ...” Why then do you write about unclean food on your website? Thanks in advance!

ASKING NATALIA
There are many examples in the Bible that when a city, or rather the people living in it, sin, He leaves them ... Ukraine probably deserves this ... Half of the people simply do not understand, or do not want to understand what is happening. .. people are divided, and everyone thinks that he is right. Where is the greater evil?

ASKENIA
Hello! Please write down what prayers it would be desirable for a believer to know by heart? Thank you in advance.

ASKES EVGENIYA
In our church they teach that the law is no longer needed for Christians. But I know that many Christians continue to honor God's law. Who is right? Help me understand. Thank you

ASKING RUSTAM
Hello, brother Valery. I thank you for the book that I downloaded over the Internet to my tablet. I have a question for you about Kabbalah. How do you feel about the teachings of Kabbalah? I think this teaching is equated with fortune telling. Thanks in advance

ASKING ELIZABETH
Hello. Tell me who needs to pray? Tell me your opinion, everyone says different things about it. Thanks to

ASKES ANDRIAN
Why do you write that the law of Moses is relevant. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus changed the law of Moses beyond recognition. "It is written in the law .., and I say .." "It is written - fulfill your oaths before God, but I say - do not swear at all." Those. With these words, the commandment to swear from the law is actually REMOVED!

IRINA ASKS
How can I know God's will if God is silent or I cannot hear him? Can I make my own choices without waiting for His answer? The choice concerns the profession. But for me, a profession is like a vocation. How to figure it out?

ASKING STANISLAV
How to explain the fact that people in a coma fly away from their bodies and tell that they were somewhere in a wonderful bright world and saw the room where they lay and even themselves from the side?

ASKING BENIAMIN
My mother is not a believer, but very decent. There are also many excellent people among the believers of other religions. Who do you think will be saved?

ASKES TATIANA
It is not clear what kind of a goat as a sacrifice for the sin of the people is described in chapter 16 of the book of Levites and what is a scapegoat? Why were other sacrifices needed if people constantly offered sacrifices for their sins in the sanctuary?

ASKING IGOR
There are many churches and everyone says that they have the truth, that they are the people of God. I heard that the Bible mentions God's remnant. I wonder who belongs to him?

ASKED BY DMITRY
Recently I heard such a version that when receiving a new passport, where biometric data are taken, we give our consent to voluntarily draw us three sixes, the sign of the devil. Should we take this as something very dangerous?

ASKING ROMAN
Answer my question: why Jesus, when he drove out demons from the possessed, put them into pigs and they threw themselves into the sea, this question is very worried.

ASKING VLADIMIR
The words from the Gospel "From the days of John the Baptist to the present" imply a period of time for the gospel. And the Kingdom itself, probably, came at the time of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the day of the Five Ladies. Have these fragments been correctly interpreted by me?

ASKING LYUDMILA
My relative attends a popular church and says that the church I attend is not true, as it was formed just a few centuries ago. How can you determine how true the church is?

QUESTION FROM PETER
How to understand that those who have wives should be as if they had not? Is this a call to celibacy? Also confusing is the text from Revelation about 144,000 virgins. Is celibacy pleasing to God?

QUESTION FROM ANATOLY
Greetings! I am interested to know your account of the rebirth from above. Can you introduce me to them?

QUESTION FROM EVGENIY
Peace to you! Why can't we understand the heavenly tabernacle and the ministry therein simply as a symbolic reference to the human spiritual?

QUESTION FROM DMITRY
Look at Rev. 14:11 "they will have no rest day or night." You write in your book that fire and smoke will be eternal, not suffering, and this verse says that torment will be eternal.

For our readers: an explanatory Bible with detailed descriptions from various sources.

New Testament

Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Luke
Gospel of john
Acts of the Apostles
The Epistle of Jacob
1 Peter
2 Peter

1 John
2 John
3 John
The Epistle of Jude
Romans
1 Epistle to the Corinthians
2 Epistle to the Corinthians
Galatians

Epistle to the Ephesians
Epistle to the Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Epistle to Timothy
2 Timothy
Epistle to Titus

Epistle to Philemon
Epistle to the Hebrews
John's revelation

Old Testament

Genesis
Book of Exodus
Book of Leviticus
Book of Numbers
Book of Deuteronomy
Book of Joshua
Judges
Book of Ruth
1st Book of Kings
2nd Book of Kings

3rd Book of Kings
4th Book of Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Book of Ezra
Book of Nehemiah
Book of Esther
The Book of Job
Psalter
Book of Proverbs of Solomon

Book of Ecclesiastes
Book of Song of Songs
Isaiah
Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Lamentations of Jeremiah
The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
The Book of the Prophet Daniel
The Book of the Prophet Hosea
The Book of the Prophet Joel
The Book of the Prophet Amos

The Book of the Prophet Obadiah
The Book of the Prophet Jonah
Book of the Prophet Micah
The Book of the Prophet Nahum
The Book of the Prophet Habakkuk
The Book of the Prophet Zephaniah
The Book of the Prophet Haggai
Book of the Prophet Zechariah
Book of the Prophet Malachi

This Interpretation of the Bible has been compiled from research conducted by scholarly theologians at Dallas Theological Seminary.

About edition:

The books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, canonical, in Russian translation with an explanatory introduction to each book of the Bible and notes by Ch.I. Scofield from the 1909 English edition.

Distinctive writings of this edition of the Bible:

If necessary, the reader on each page can check the supporting material with the texts of the Holy Scriptures.
All subjects related to each other by a common theme are placed in an analytical summary, in which the reader will find everything that the Bible says on this issue.
The most important concepts of the Bible are conveyed in simple accessible language.
To facilitate the study and assimilation of the Holy Scriptures, each of the 66 books of the Bible is provided with an introduction and analysis with a corresponding subtitle.
The entire Bible is divided into paragraphs with special subheadings. At the same time, the traditional division into chapters and verses has been preserved.
The explanatory notes provide the results of a modern study of the books of the prophets.
The most important covenants of God, those that determine human life and divine redemption, around which the entire Bible is centered, have been subjected to special analysis. revealed the relationship between these covenants and the teachings of Christ.
From the above footnotes and summaries, the reader will be able to understand what are the periods of God's economy, how God's relationship with humanity has progressed.

The Bible is a collection of the sacred texts of Christians and Jews. On our website, we provide you with a great opportunity read the bible online.

Why read the Bible?

For every person, the Bible has its own meaning, its own meaning. For believers, this is a code of norms and rules, a source of faith and meaning. For people of culture, it is a masterpiece of world culture, the literary heritage of our ancestors. For creative people, the Bible can become a source of inspiration, inexhaustible, endless ... How often and for what purpose to read the Bible is everyone's business, but any person who considers himself intellectual and spiritual should read the Bible at least once in his life. We provide you with a good opportunity to read the Bible online. Our online Bible is replete with paintings by famous artists on Bible motives. We have selected pictures carefully and scrupulously so that you can fully immerse yourself in the meaning of each chapter of the Bible.

The Bible is a book of books.

The very word Bible or βιβλία is translated from Greek as "book", and therefore it is often called a book of books. 66 books of the Bible are canonical for all Christian denominations. To be precise, Protestants consider 66 books canonical, Catholics - 73 books, and Orthodox - 77 books.

Bible books

The Christian Bible consists of the Old and New Testaments, while the books of the New Testament are the same for all denominations. The Old Testament consists of the books of the Tanach - the Hebrew Bible and additional ones. The number of books in the Old Testament differs depending on the denomination.

Additional books of the Old Testament are called non-canonical in the Russian Orthodox Church, recommended reading in the Greek Orthodox Churches, Deuterocanonical in Catholicism and apocrypha in Protestantism. Not only does the number of books in the Bible differ, but also their sequence.

The Bible is Holy Scripture.

The Bible is often referred to as Holy Scripture or Holy Bible. The entire canonical text of the Bible, and especially the book of Leviticus, is permeated with the idea of holiness. The Bible texts are divinely revealed and inspired, which means they were written under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Thus, reading the Bible means getting acquainted with the primary source and fundamental rule of faith.

In the XIII century the English theologian Stephen Langton divided the books of the Bible into chapters. In the 16th century, Robert Etienne, a French book printer and lexicographer, divided the Bible into verses. Today the Bible is quoted by book, chapter, and verse. On the site, we adhere to a similar approach, therefore, you will be able to read the Bible online convenient and familiar.

The language of Holy Scripture.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, with the exception of some portions in Aramaic. The New Testament is written in ancient Greek. For a long time, the Jews managed to preserve the original text of the Holy Scriptures without distortions in content and language. However, after the Babylonian captivity, the original text of Scripture became incomprehensible to the Jews, who by that time had begun to speak Aramaic en masse. This was reflected in the texts of Scripture, which began to be translated / created in Aramaic.

Despite this, the ancient Hebrew language, no longer used in everyday life, remained the language of religion and the prophets who lived after the captivity wrote sacred texts in Hebrew.

Creation time and authorship.

The Bible has been written since the 15th century. BC e. to the 1st century n. e. (Some scholars date the Bible to a later period.) The Bible is a collective work, with at least forty authors believed to be the authorship. According to scholars Most of the books of the Old Testament and all of the Gospels were written by anonymous authors, and authorship was attributed to them in the second century.

Scholars believe that the books of the Old Testament were brought together by the inspired scribe Ezra, who lived approximately 450 BC. e. The books of the New Testament were canonized by the Christian church at the Ecumenical Councils.

The most ancient manuscripts of the New Testament are considered to be the codes of the 4th century. n. BC, written in Greek:

Alexandrian Codex
Vatican Codex
Sinai Codex

Bible translations

On the English language The Bible was translated in 1380 by John Wyclif, a professor at Oxford.

The Bible was first translated into Armenian in 431.

In the 9th century, Cyril and Methodius translated the Bible into a language understandable to the Eastern Slavs. Unfortunately, not a single text translated by Cyril and Methodius has survived, and therefore it is not known for certain which of the Slavic languages the missionary brothers translated the Bible into. It was probably one of the variants of the Old Bulgarian. The fact of translating the Bible into one of the East Slavic languages undoubtedly contributed to the baptism of Russia.

The Bible was translated into Western Russian by Francis Skaryna in the first half of the 16th century

The Bible in Modern Culture.

Several interesting facts about the Bible.

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time (about 100 million copies sold annually);
The Bible is the first example of mass literature;
Bible stories are the most cited in world literature;
The name Bible is not in the Bible itself, such a name appeared in the IV century, it was used by John Chrysostom and Epiphanius of Cyprus.
The current system of chapters and verses first appeared in the English Bible in 1560.
Other religions also draw inspiration from the Bible. For instance. In Unitarian universalism, it is considered an important scripture.
Bible translated into 2,377 languages and published in full in 422 languages
The list of biblical characters has over 1000 names
The Bible has had a tremendous impact on European music, both religious and secular. There are more masses, oratorios, cantatas, operas, and other pieces of music dedicated to biblical themes than any other theme.

Reading the Bible online is an easy way to get acquainted with this phenomenon of world culture, get in touch with the history of ancestors, plunge into imperishable biblical plots, which for some became the basis of faith, and for others can become lessons of simple morality.

Explanatory Bible Lopukhin(Russian pre-doc. Explanatory Bible or commentary on all the books of the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament edited by A.P. Lopukhin) is a popular biblical commentary published in 1904-1913. first under the editorship of AP Lopukhin (only the Pentateuch of Moiseevo), and, after his death, by his successors in the form of an appendix to the magazine "Wanderer" (as part of the "Public Theological Library").

Description

The preparation and publication in 1876 of a complete translation of the Bible into Russian posed a new task for Russian biblical scholars - to provide this text with popular scientific and theological commentaries in order to “give the pastors of the church, like all lovers of reading the Word of God in general, a guide to the correct understanding of the Bible, justification and protection of the truth from its distortion by false teachers, as well as a guide to the understanding of many unclear places in it ... ". In 1903, the outstanding Russian biblical scholar, professor of theology Alexander Pavlovich Lopukhin took on this task, who managed not only to assemble a highly professional editorial team (professors AA Glagolev, F.G. Eleonsky, I.G. Troitsky, Archimandrite (later Bishop) Joseph ( Petrovykh), A.I.

The editor and his successors see the publication primarily as an educational role, therefore they deliberately reject both exclusively theological and exclusively scientific commentary, trying to synthesize the interpretation of St. fathers with modern (at the time of publication) data of biblical science. This innovative method is the secret of the longevity of the “Explanatory Bible”: “unlike most works on biblical studies, which annually lose their relevance in the light of new discoveries of scholars, the patristic“ backbone ”of the Lopukhin text cannot be outdated by definition." Despite the fact that the work is intended for a wide range of readers, its general availability does not in the least reduce the high scientific and theological level.

In 1988, the second, reprinted edition of Lopukhin's "Explanatory Bible" was published in Stockholm, timed to coincide with the celebration of the millennium of the baptism of Rus. This interpretation of the Bible was aimed at re-acquainting the wide readership of the Soviet Union with the summit achievement of the Russian biblical-historical science of the pre-revolutionary time. The publishers did not set themselves the goal of making any changes to the text of the comments, limiting themselves to changing the format of the publication - for example, all twelve volumes of the original edition were placed in three volumes due to the use of extra thin paper, while preserving the old pagination.

The founder of the Institute for Bible Translation, Dr. Borislav Arapovich recalls:

In the summer of 1987, the Institute sent a letter to the Russian Orthodox Church, offering it 150 thousand sets of the reprinted Explanatory Bible as a gift from the peoples of Northern Europe for the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Christianity in Russia ... required about 20 million SEK and therefore we turned to the Bible Societies of the Nordic countries - Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands and Finland, which organized a fundraiser in their countries. In addition, the Danish government added DKK 3.5 million, the Norwegian parliament allocated NOK 3 million and the Faroe Islands parliament 150,000 DKK. The Institute organized the printing and transportation of books to Moscow, and also entered into official contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church, which transferred part of the gift to other churches and various scientific organizations in the Soviet Union. So the Bible in this gift united the peoples of Northern Europe and helped to strengthen their friendship with their eastern neighbors.

After the collapse of the USSR, Lopukhin's Explanatory Bible was reprinted several times in Russia and Belarus. At the colloquial level, the Explanatory Bible firmly entrenched the name "lopukhinskaya". However, the name of Alexander Pavlovich was also preserved on the title pages of books published after his death - in all eleven volumes there is an inscription: "Edition of A. P. Lopukhin's successors."

Notes (edit)

Men A. prot. Explanatory Bibles // Bibliological Dictionary. - 2002 .-- T. 3. - S. 249.
"Wanderer". - 1903 .-- October. - S. 345.
Koskello A. Fighter for the People's Bible // Living water. - 2014. - No. 9.
Men A. prot. On the history of Russian Orthodox biblical studies // Theological works. - 1987. - No. 28. - S. 282.
Zverev N. Life and works of SPbDA professor Alexander Pavlovich Lopukhin // Christian reading. - 2006. - No. 26. - P. 158.

Edition

Edition of A.P. Lopukhin and his successors - in 11 volumes with additional. (1904-1913):

1st volume (1904) - Pentateuch of Moses.
2nd volume (1905) - Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Kings.
3rd volume (1906) - Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith and Esther.
4th volume (1907) - Books of Job, Psalter and Book of Proverbs of Solomon.
5th volume (1908) - Books of Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom of Solomon, Jesus the son of Sirach and the Prophet Isaiah.
6th volume (1909) - Books of the Prophet. Jeremiah, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Epistle of Jeremiah, Prop. Ezekiel and the Prophet. Baruch.
7th volume (1910) - Books of the Prophet. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
7th volume A (1913) - The Book of Maccabees and the Third Book of Ezra.
8th volume (1911) - the Gospel of Matthew.
9th volume (1912) - Gospels of Mark, Luke and John.
10th volume (1913) - the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the Epistles of the Synod of James, Peter, John, Jude and the Epistle of Ap. Paul to the Romans.
11th volume (1913) - Epistles of Ap. Paul: to the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon and to the Hebrews and the Revelation of St. John the Evangelist.

The Bible: the Word of God and the Word of Man

Artyom Grigoryan

“All Scripture is divinely inspired and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, prepared for every good work” (2 Tim. 3, 16.17). These famous words are known to almost every Christian. But in Scripture itself we do not find an explanation of what inspiration is. Is it the same as infallibility? Or even a biblical text could be flawed? If so, how can this be explained?

The rare Greek word θεόπνευστος translates as “inspired, breathed in by God” (in Plutarch “inspired by the gods”) and thus means that the true author of the Scriptures is God himself, despite the fact that all the books of the Bible are signed with the names of specific people: the prophets, evangelists and apostles. However, at the same time, it is impossible to discard the human aspect in Scripture, which is expressed in historical and chronological inaccuracies, anachronisms and discrepancies in the narrative. For example, if you read all four Gospels in a “horizontal method”, paying attention to the parallels, you will find considerable differences between the evangelists. Thus, Matthew and Luke describe the story of the birth of Jesus in completely different ways. Mark is mistaken in the name of the priest, and Matthew confuses the name of the prophet (Mk. 2:26; Matt. 27, 9). John and Mark call different times of the crucifixion of Christ (Mark 15:25; John 19:14). All four evangelists describe the Resurrection of Christ in different ways (number of eyewitnesses and angels, places of Christ's appearance, etc.). And the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews claims that in the Holy of Holies there was a golden incense altar, which actually stood in the sanctuary (Heb. 9: 4). For some Christians, this can be seriously perplexing.

Ten Outstanding Bible Interpreters

1.Ephraim the Sirin (306-373). His interpretations enjoyed extraordinary respect among his contemporaries.

2. Jerome of Stridonsky (342-420). His interpretations and commentaries on the books of the Old and New Testaments are valued for their historical context and knowledge of the original language.

3. John Chrysostom (347–407) - the most authoritative Orthodox interpreter of Scripture, nicknamed by tradition “the mouth of Pavlov”.

4. Augustine of Ipponsky (354–430) wrote four books on the consensus of evangelicals in which he tried to resolve the contradictions between the gospels.

5.Andrew of Caesarea (VI-VII centuries) went down in history as the only Orthodox interpreter of the Apocalypse in the East.

6. Isidore Pelusiot (d. C. 449) - a disciple of John Chrysostom, who wrote 2013 epistles containing a rich supply of aids for the historical and literal interpretation of sacred texts.

7. Theodorite of Kirsky (393-457). His interpretations on different parts of Scripture are distinguished by the brevity and accuracy of thought, and tradition puts interpretations on the Apostle in the first place after John Chrysostom.

8. Maxim the Confessor (580-662) in his writings, resorting to various methods of interpretation, gave a detailed teaching about God, the cosmos, man and their final reunification (deification).

9. Theophylactus of Bulgaria (XI century) wrote a complete commentary on all the books of the New Testament, with the exception of the Apocalypse. It relies on the explanations of the previous Church Fathers, especially Chrysostom, and brings its own valuable remarks.

10. Theophan the Recluse (1815–1894) wrote detailed commentaries on all the epistles of the apostle Paul. The value of his comments in bringing the best patristic interpretations and his own explanations, remarkable in depth of thought.

Patristic view

Each biblical book has an individual print of authorship expressed in a particular style. The Fathers of the Church were well aware of this. Commenting on the Epistle to the Ephesians of the Apostle Paul, St. John Chrysostom wrote: "It was rather vague that he expressed his thoughts because he wanted to express everything suddenly." “Jeremiah,” wrote Blessed Jerome, “seems rude in comparison with Isaiah and Hosea,” and Saint Gregory Dvoeslov noted that “Isaiah surpassed all the prophets with the beauty of his style.” Saint Dionysius the Great, discussing the books of the New Testament, noted that the Gospel of John and his Epistles "were written not only without errors against the Greek language, but also with special grace in expressions." (This applies equally to the refined style of the Epistle to the Hebrews, about which Origen wrote: “That the epistle is composed in good Greek is recognized by everyone who is able to feel the difference in style.”) Meanwhile, the Apocalypse, according to St. Dionysius, was written otherwise: "His speech and language are not purely Greek, but mixed with foreign expressions and incorrect in places." The saint believed that this difference may indicate that the authors of the books were different people. But even if we acknowledge one who wrote at different times, the very idea that the Word of God was transmitted to us in accordance with the linguistic characteristics of the author is important. The stamp of individuality - sometimes bright and unusual - lies on all the books of the Bible. The dry and austere style of the legislative sections bears little resemblance to the dramatic description of the life of David or the fiery speeches of the prophets.

The view of the writers of sacred books as their full-fledged authors is widely represented in patristic writing. However, the same church authors speak both about the state of ecstatic frenzy of the prophet who wrote the book, and about a clear awareness of the truths revealed to him. The image of the sacred writer, widespread among early Christian apologists, as a musical instrument on which a melody is played, reduces human participation to a minimum, and the gift of inspiration to divine dictation. This image is also widely represented later, for example, in the works of the blessed Jerome, who directly speaks of writing under the dictation of the Holy Spirit. But he also writes that the inspired translators of the Septuagint were afraid of the majesty of the Divine names assigned to the Child in the original Hebrew text of the prophecy of Isa. 9, 6, and did not include them in their translation. Judgments about dictation from above can be found also in the blessed Augustine, who, however, did not deny the share of the writers' personal labor. Medieval iconography of evangelicals and other sacred writers almost always includes the image of the Holy Spirit dictating the text. Church writers also mention the inspiration of the creation of one of the Church Fathers. For example, Gregory the Theologian wrote that Athanasius the Great "later gave divine inspiration about the Divinity of the Holy Spirit." This is not surprising: some of the patristic texts - especially the writings of the Cappadocian fathers or Dionysius the Areopagite - were to some extent comparable in authority with the Holy Scriptures. In general, it can be stated that the views of the authors of the patristic period on inspiration are not characterized by a specially worked out and systematic approach to this issue.

Two theories

Although the medieval scholastics were still engaged in the question of the inspiration of sacred texts, a special interest in it arose after the Reformation. With the development of the historical-critical method of Bible study, this issue became even more acute. All the many theories explaining the nature of inspiration can be reduced to two types: verbal, or mechanistic (biblical authors write down "under the dictation of the Holy Spirit" literally), and rationalistic (biblical books should be distinguished by the degree of inspiration, and the state of inspiration of writers should be understood rather as enlightenment of the mind by the Spirit, rather than as a direct suggestion). Both types of theories have their drawbacks. The first one cannot be reconciled either with errors that are present in the text of Scripture, or with textual data (multiple discrepancies in ancient manuscripts). The second creates insurmountable problems for theology: how to find clear and objective criteria for determining the inspiration of a text? How to determine what exactly in the text belongs to God and what belongs to man?

It is no coincidence that the Catholic Church in 1965 abandoned the previously proclaimed verbal theory of inspiration and, as a result, from the absolute infallibility of the Bible. Its official position reads: "The Books of Scripture firmly, faithfully and infallibly teach the truth that God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to seal in the Holy Writings." Thus, the absolute infallibility of the books of Scripture is affirmed here only in the matter of salvation.

Sacred dynamics

The Bible is the Word of God, clothed with human words. And this circumstance cannot but raise the question: to what extent are the words of Scripture - the words of God Himself?

Archpriest Georgy Florovsky wrote that "The Bible is essentially historical ... [in it] we hear not only the Voice of God, but also the voice of man ... Here lies the miracle and mystery of the Bible: before us is the Word of God - in human idioms." The voice of God and many human voices are combined in a single text of Scripture. No Word of God is written otherwise than in human words. Divine revelation did not take place in a vacuum, it is not given as pure gold, untouched by human breath. In order to communicate His will to a certain part of humanity, to point out the purpose of His revelation, God spoke through ordinary people, with all the limitations inherent in their language and knowledge. The great thinker Origen called the Bible God's "babbling" to humanity. St. John Chrysostom perceived Scripture as an expression of divine "indulgence".

God not only dictated words and phrases to the biblical author, but entered into personal contact with his entire being, giving him the opportunity to actively perceive, interpret and transmit His will to others in accordance with the measure of their language and understanding. Although all Scripture is inspired by God, it is not equally divinely inspired due to differences in human perception. The book of the prophet Isaiah differs on this criterion from Ecclesiastes, and the Gospel of John - from the Epistle of Jude. Those who take the Scriptures literally (primarily conservative and fundamentalist neo-Protestants) adhere to the concept of infallibility. They argue that the Bible is completely free of errors and thus force themselves to resort to artificial explanations and exaggerations. Turning a blind eye to the historical and narrative complexities and ascribing to Scripture an absolute character inherent only to God, many fall into a kind of "biblical worship."

The concept of the Bible as the Word of God refers primarily to the saving message of Scripture and cannot be applied to literally every word of every version of the Bible. Moreover, from a theological point of view, the mystery of the Living God is not expressed absolutely in the letter of Scripture. In revealing himself to us, God continues to remain hidden, for He surpasses human language and understanding. That is why the human factor is so important in the perception of revelation and the compilation of biblical texts. It is necessary to recognize for each author, as an active participant in divine-human interaction, his own personality, cultural context, understanding of phenomena, literary skill and the level of spiritual insight. This position can be defined as a dynamic view of the inspiration of Scripture.

A brilliant example of such a dynamic view is the discourse of Gregory of Nyssa about the biblical language of creation as functional, adapted to human capabilities and circumstances. For him it is “absurd and blasphemous” to think that God, creating the world, in fact uttered some words (one wonders, to whom and in what language ?!). Saint Gregory claims that God did not speak Hebrew or any other language when communicating with such people as Moses and the prophets, but communicated His will “to the pure mind of these saints, according to the measure of the grace with which they were partakers ". And they, in turn, communicated the will of God to people in their own language and in forms corresponding even to the "childishness of those who were given the knowledge of God."

It is important to note that inspiration encompasses not only the life of a particular author and the compilation of individual books, but also the religious community that stores these books, as well as the gradual separation of books into a sacred collection (biblical canon). After all, it is not enough just to inspire the writer; it is still necessary to preserve his creation and correctly interpret it.

The word of God and the word of man

Orthodox theology accepts neither the mechanistic nor the literal theory of inspiration. According to the words of the Apostle Paul, “the prophetic spirits are obedient to the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32), which means that a spirit-bearing prophet cannot be a passive puppet. “The Holy Spirit never deprives the mind of the one whom He inspires, otherwise such an action would be demonic,” says Saint Basil the Great. "For we are fellow workers with God" (1 Cor. 3: 9) - writes the Apostle Paul. It is the collaboration, or synergy, between God and man that creates the divine-human nature of the Holy Scriptures. In the theses presented for the First Congress of Orthodox Theologians in Athens (November 1936), the Russian biblical scholar Boris Ivanovich Sowe asserted: deviating into a kind of "Monophysitism", but must be corrected in the light of the Chalcedonian dogma of God-manhood. The participation of the human element in writing the Bible, with its limitations, explains the peculiarities of the Old Testament books as historical sources, their errors, anachronisms that can be corrected by extra-biblical data that have enriched, especially in recent decades, the history of the Ancient East. The false apologetic view of the Bible as an encyclopedia of history and natural sciences must be abandoned. Old Testament inspired writers are primarily theologians and teachers of the law. From this point of view, it is necessary to consider the teaching about the creation of the world, about the worldwide flood, etc. The value of the Bible in its theology. "

It is not entirely correct to say that Scripture is partly the Word of God and partly the word of man. It should be argued that the entire Bible is the Word of God and the word of man (Acts 4:25). Indeed, the most striking parallel to the dual nature of Scripture (of course, if we talk about analogy, and not about exact correspondence) is Jesus Christ himself, the incarnate Word of God (John 1:14). Although He is the eternal Logos and Son, after the incarnation of Christ it was possible to see and touch; He spoke and acted perfectly as a human being, including being able to experience hunger, grief and fear - but he was sinless (Heb. 4:15; 5, 7). And, as Christ, being one, had both divine and human nature, so the Holy Scripture, the verbal icon of Christ, combines both the divine and the human aspects. We find the divine aspect in the saving messages of Scripture about God, humanity, the Good News, the Church, grace, the commandments, the Sacraments and the hope of the coming Kingdom. This saving message does not proclaim abstract ideas, but reveals to us reality as the word of God, which, preached and received with faith, by the power of the Spirit becomes the living and transforming Word. The human aspect can be found in the specific human languages in which the Bible is written, in the various literary forms and skill of its authors and editors, in its cultural and conceptual characteristics inherent in any human activity.