[b]Bible
BI'BLE[/b], n. [Gr. a book.]

THE BOOK, by way of eminence; the sacred volume, in which are contained the revelations of God, the principles of Christian faith, and the rules of practice. It consists of two parts, called the Old and New Testaments.

The Bible should be the standard of language as well as of faith.

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Wonderful to see that an 'old' definition (Ye Old Websters of 1828) still carries this opening line in today's modern definition;

[i]The Book[/i]by way of eminence. It is almost unfortunate to underscore the one without the other. Right off the bat here, wish to be absolutely forthcoming. A great part of forwarding hopefully your attention is in counterpart to what is a skewered thinking in many ways. It is in part response to another posting with a unfortunate title even if the motives were only to draw attention to the "greater" aspects of 'Who' the very book is speaking of. Rather than concentrate on the perpetual cursing of the darkness and hammering away at the illiteracy rate so great amongst many a Christian, the furthered eternal translation debate, forever and onward these matters ... a different direction.

Just as well, will plead for some restraint in pulling this in the former direction, these things have their place and the coined phrase "Biblical illiteracy" is not without warrant. If I may play on words here, wish to go beyond [i]translation[/i] to translat[u]ed[/u], in David's word's;

[i] O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have [u]respect[/u] unto all thy commandments.[/i] Psa 119:5,6

My NKJV has the word "look" rather than "respect". I wish to do both and hope that it is the translated heart that might speak from and to, that it might be added here with this motivation and purpose. Your's, my own and the writers themselves, it segues nicely into this profound statement at the begining...

[u]By way of eminence[/u]

[b]Eminence
EM'INENCE[/b]

EM'INENCY, n. [L. eminentia, from eminens, emineo, to stand or show itself above; e and minor, to threaten, that is, to stand or push forward.]

1. Elevation, highth, in a literal sense; but usually, a rising ground; a hill of moderate elevation above the adjacent ground.

The temple of honor ought to be seated on an eminence.

2. Summit; highest part.

3. A part rising or projecting beyond the rest, or above the surface. We speak of eminences on any plain or smooth surface.

4. An elevated situation among men; a place or station above men in general, either in rank,office or celebrity. Merit may place a man on an eminence, and make him conspicuous. Eminence is always exposed to envy.

5. Exaltation; high rank; distinction; celebrity; fame; preferment; conspicuousness.

Office, rank and great talents give eminence to men in society.

Where men cannot arrive at eminence, religion may make compensation, by teaching content.

6. Supreme degree.

7. Notice; distinction.

8. A title of honor given to cardinals and others.

In all honesty, could but wish to take from these all pull together a more distinguished definition. The word itself has something more gripping to me in thought, perhaps it is a Biblical definition that is needed;

[i]Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the [u]preeminence[/u][/i]. Col 1:15-18

[b]G4409[/b]
πρωτεύω
prōteuō
prote-yoo'-o
From G4413; [b]to be first[/b] (in rank or influence): - have the preeminence.

Wonderful it is that this verse is self describing, "[i]Before all things", "by him all things", "in all things he might have the preeminence"[/i]. Something rises up within me to bring out my own definition culled from all this;

[i]"To show Himself above, The highest of height's, The summit and temple of honor, above every name that has been named. The first and the last, the place above men and by no merit may place a man on His eminence, but to make him conspicuous."[/i]

Could go on endlessly, but already the deeper sentiment is brought forth in drawing back to the beginning statement by camping on the middle section;

THE BOOK, [u][i]by way of[/i][/u] eminence.

[i]For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.[/i] Col 1:19,20

The question is manifold, but what is seen when you look into Gods Word or perhaps, what does Gods word see when it looks into us ... Why does the [i]Book[/i] have such a tremendous eminency?

_________________
Mike Balog

[i]The knowledge of God[/i] (2 Cor 10:3-6)

Wonder or complacency, familiarity. A wise friend and counselor has warned of the dangers of dismantling or extracting the text to examine and mull over and neglect to put it back where it was found (context). From a purely topical or etiquette standpoint, from the 'rules' of language, sheer responsibility and courtesy dictates these things in the course of normal, everyday
conversation.

This approach is startling by it's absence or perhaps forgetfulness.

[i] And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?[/i] Luk 24:32

How profound and inexpressible is this truth? What is the summary effect of this grand sentiment? Is it not, [i]wonder[/i]? Another friend amongst us here recently put forward a great point to ponder, will paraphrase it as, '[i]Are we not in need of some divine hesitation'[/i]?

From this simpletons perspective, with what seems to be a life long apprehension ... the years of running on a underlying thought of [i]"What do I have to do with Thee?"[/i] up to the now inexpressible present, there is something tremendous that is found...

Wonder. Wonder that even after some seven or eight years that [i]while he talked with us by the way[/i] the heart indeed burns within [i]while he opened to us the scriptures[/i]. When the head isn't clouded over with too much noisy commotion and the subconscious has registered that other wise approach of coming to the scriptures as if for the first time ... [i]Wonder![/i] Awe ...
Fear ... Wonderful fear! Devastating fear! Yes, the reverential fear, the fear that can destroy as well as overwhelm in [i]love[/i]. It is to come to the very place of recognition ...

God

There is this spurious comfortability amongst a great many of us, to draw on Ravenhills expression;

[i]Two years ago, God gave me a word, for the New Year. I don’t go scattering through The Book to find one. The Lord gave me a word: ‘Rejection’.
Great![/i]

It is that approach, but I wish not to dwell here...

Does it every strike you with a sudden realization that you are reading far more than recorded history, that alone is deserving of a great pause... [i]thankful[/i]?
Over awed to wonder at where we might be without it?
Ever suddenly arrested with the thought, "My God, no mere man cooks up something like this out of his own imagination" ?

[i] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.[/i] Psa 42:2-8

To extrapolate ever more from the great heart of Len ...

"[i]The more and longer I live, the more I find I don’t know.[/i]"

The road is indeed narrow, but the expanse is vast. This, is what I am finding, that the closer and more 'knowledgeable' is ultimately an opening into something that continues to grow more and more [i]wonder-full[/i], humbling and is if I know next to nothing by way of comparison. To eloquent and overstated? To sublime and abstract? Oh, no, no, no ... Oh that I have been so wrong about so much, that the face of this days "Christianity" is so ... [i]foreign[/i] in so many ways, how peculiar and out of touch, out of place I find myself with it, with it's methods and movements ... How that could be misconstrued ... Who am I to make comment? The amount of displaced, out of whack, unmediated thought of this mans head and heart displacement, fleshly notions and proclivities that need refining, how much is just [i]wrong[/i], how much is still being processed ... Oh it's an easy thing to let go, to hold much in a state of tension, [i]Oh Lord, Thou knowest[/i] ... What saving grace their is in that alone. It is something [i]other[/i] that just doesn't register, my opinion be damned and the notions with it, it's not that ...

Perhaps it's in the re-manufacturing process that goes on so much in our day. The attempts to craft things [i]for[/i] God, to build fear and awe and wonder or worse, to undermine, compromise ... I wonder if we are not too much in the way, too much in control, too far reluctant to relinquish ourselves of these things and let God be God, forsaking this notion of wielding the sword rather then;

[i] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [/i] Heb 4:12

I wonder ...
I wonder of the Holy Spirit
His place

_________________
Mike Balog