Why read commentaries about the Bible?

Well, you survived my paragraph about using AI as a tool, so here goes something that you might or might not be ready for...

I drafted this little drama sketch, with the help of Artificial Intelligence.... and here was my prompt, and here's what I got... (my own, personal, creative additions are italicized.)

Write me a humourous drama between an elderly, but new Christian, who just heard that we aren't supposed to add anything to the Biblical text, and is scared of reading commentaries, and a seasoned, and vetted Christian, who is physically young, like the Biblical figure Titus, who has studied theology and is encouraging the new believer to read commentaries in order to broaden and deepen their understanding of the Biblical text, especially when learning the linguistical context and hermaneutical application of scripture.

Title: The Commentary Conundrum
Characters:

• Ethel: An elderly, newly converted Christian, spirited but cautious about her faith.
• Titus (Ty): A physically young but wise and seasoned Christian, well-versed in theology and passionate about teaching.

[Scene opens in Ethel's cozy living room, filled with knick-knacks and framed pictures of family. A Bible rests on the table, slightly dusty from neglect. Ethel is perched on her armchair, clutching her Bible as if it were the last lifebuoy on a sinking ship. Ty saunters in, Bible in one hand and a stack of commentaries in the other.]

Ty: (enthusiastically) Ethel! You won't believe the insights I found in these commentaries! They’re like a treasure map for understanding the Bible!

Ethel: (frowning) Treasure map? More like a landmine! I just heard we aren’t supposed to add anything to the Biblical text. What if I accidentally blow something up? (eyes wide) I’ve read enough spy novels to know that exploding can happen at any moment!

Ty: (laughing) I promise, these aren’t coded messages from the CIA. Commentaries are tools, Ethel! Like glasses for seeing better. Ever tried reading without glasses? It’s a squinty business!

Ethel: (clutching her Bible tighter) Oh, I don’t know, Ty. What if I read something that doesn't match up with the “true” text? I might end up like one of those characters in a horror movie, chasing after rogue verses! Or a demon might pop out of the book and then I'll be haunted for an eternity, because I shouldn't have questioned things too deeply.

Ty: (rolls his eyes, and says charmingly) Trust me, the only thing you’ll be chasing is knowledge! You know more than you think, and with a bit of context, it’ll be like having a coffee date with the authors of the Bible. (winks) And the Holy Spirit will guide you into truth, while we gather together and plant ourselves in a few different schools of thought...

Ethel: (snorting) A coffee date? I can barely stay awake past my afternoon tea! You think at this coffee shop they’ll serve scones while I discuss plots with Moses?

Ty: (grinning) Absolutely! “So, Moses, tell me about that burning bush! Was it spicy?” The commentaries reveal the historical and cultural context, Ethel. They’re like the extras on a DVD—who doesn’t want behind-the-scenes goodies? We miss out on so much only reading scripture in English, and commentaries provide a more accurate cultural context.

Ethel: (sighs) You young people and your gadgets. DVD's indeed, but who even uses those anymore! What's that word people say when they watching something on the world wide web? Rivering? Streaming? Back in my day, we didn’t need commentaries. We had the Holy Spirit and grape juice for communion! At least, that's what my neighbour used to shout when getting out of the car on their way home from church.

Ty: And grape juice is delicious! But think of it this way: the Holy Spirit can’t always be your only study buddy. Sometimes, He sends in reinforcements! We aren't meant to go this alone, and it's when two or three are gathered in His name, the name of Jesus, who left His Spirit, His Holy Spirit behind for us, that we get to feel Him move, and live through us, and have His being within us, revealing scripture in a deeper way than we can on our own. That's why scripture was meant to be read out loud, not just in our heads. Our words, our gathering is His reinforcements.

Ethel: (looking suspicious) Reinforcements? Sounds more like a battalion! What if they distract me? I might get mixed up and think the Book of Job is a self-help manual!

Ty: (playfully) You might end up with the best advice ever, Ethel! “Dear Job, don’t worry. Your life is still on track; just a bit of a detour!”

Ethel: (chuckling) Well, Job did have a lot going on—and posthumously, no less! But what if I read a commentary that’s… (gasp) “incorrect”?

Ty: (leans in with faux seriousness) Ethel, calling a commentary incorrect is like calling your cat’s meow a serenade! Analyze it, filter it through prayer, and let the Spirit guide you. And talk about it with church leaders you trust, and Christians that you really see and believe to have a well-rounded, compassionate, truthfully firm grip on reality.

Ethel: (fiddling with her Bible) You really think I should dive into this mess of commentaries?

Ty: (nods enthusiastically) Yes! It’s a delightful mess! Like a jigsaw puzzle in a cake shop! You’ll get a little confused, maybe a bit sticky, but it’ll be delicious once it’s all put together.

Ethel: (smirking) A cake shop? Now you’re speaking my language! But bear with me, if I read something that raises an eyebrow, you're explaining it to my knitting group!

Ty: (laughs) Deal! I’ll bring the cake! Just remember, Ethel: Commentaries can be your guide, not your ruler.

Ethel: (finally relaxing) Alright, I’ll give it a shot. Just don’t expect me to be hosting theological debates anytime soon.

Ty: (grinning) Perfect! One adventure at a time. Now come on, let’s grab some commentaries and find out if the early church really had better snacks than we do!

[The scene fades with Ethel chuckling as she lets Ty toss a commentary onto her lap, and the two begin discussing scriptures over imaginary snacks.]

Recommended Commentary:

How To Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Fee & Stuart

“There are two basic kinds of questions one should ask for every biblical passage; those that relate to context and those that relate to content.  The questions of context are also of two kinds; historical and literary… It simply makes a difference in understanding to know the personal background of Amos, Hosea or Isaiah, or that Haggai the prophet after exile, or to know the Messianic expectations of Israel when John the Baptist and Jesus appear on the scene… or the customs of Jesus’ day...and you’ll need some outside help.”

What’s the point? - literary context (words have meaning in sentences, sentences in paragraphs, paragraphs in books; books in history)  

We question ourselves, when we question the text!  We question our culture!

After you've read a bit of it, here's some insightful things to ponder...

I asked AI... What are some insightful questions contrasted with some deep insights that the book "How to Read the Bible For All It's Worth, by Fee & Stuart, raise?"

...and here's what it said below... and my personal reflections are italicized and emboldened....

"How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth" by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart is a foundational text for understanding proper biblical interpretation. Here are some insightful questions and deep insights that the authors raise throughout the book:

Insightful Questions:

What was the original intent of the author?

This question encourages readers to consider the historical and cultural context in which each book of the Bible was written.

I actually really enjoyed their casual and informative writing style. It was easy to scan through, small enough to fit in my purse, and I actually came out with a better understanding of the whole Biblical story from start to finish.

How does understanding the literary genre of a passage affect its interpretation?

The book prompts readers to consider how distinguishing between poetry, narrative, or epistle shapes their understanding of the text.

Yup, it was cool to see how the various structures and styles of writing were heavily influenced by their authors. Yes, we get to see the true human experience reflected in the text, and we also learn how Levitical scholars were CHARGED and LEGALLY HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE TEXT PURE AND UNCHANGED over time. They do a really good job of explaining this.

Why is it essential to differentiate between the ancient audience and the modern reader?

This question leads to discussions about bridging the gap between the cultural contexts of biblical times and today's world, ensuring that interpretations are relevant yet respectful of the original meaning.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I"VE EVER LEARNED ABOUT THE BIBLE:

The Gospel transcends, in other words it totally rises above, every single culture on earth! Jesus came to seek and save the lost, everywhere, for all of time, and His Holy Spirit that works in and through us, continues to guide us into deeper love from Him, for Him, for ourselves, and for other people - right across cultural and denominational lines. If we can't truly love those who feel or think differently than us, because they come from a different culture, country, or we resent those from the past and judge them through our own egotistical lens, THEN we really put OURSELVES on the Mercy Seat, the very throne of Jesus Christ, actually accuse and withhold mercy entirely, and elevate our own understanding to a place of self-worship. .... a very dangerous place to be. Even when I'm guiding and teaching like this, I really do have a healthy fear of the Lord, and admit that in the light of eternity I might be very wrong about some things, and encourage everyone to study for themselves, seek out wise church leadership, read a variety of commentaries from opposing schools of thought and theologies, and wrestle through what the Holy Spirit is saying to each believer - are we called to continually lay down our comforts, victim mentalities, self-righteousness, and divisive natures in the light of the truth of God's word? Does it challenge us and encourage us and edify us, and embolden us to step out in areas of unfamiliar faith over our feelings? If not, are we really reading scripture for all that it's worth?

What are the implications of the grammatical structure of a passage?

This question invites readers to analyze the language and syntax used in scripture, which can reveal significant theological nuances.

It doesn't take long when flipping through the Bible to see that the Psalms are written very differently than the book of Exodus. And the Pauline epistles have incredibly long run on sentences, like legal jargon, in one translation (like the NASB), which are adjusted and changed for the reader's comprehension in other translations (like the ESV).

In what ways should our interpretations of Scripture be influenced by the entire context of the biblical text?

This raises awareness of the importance of interpreting individual verses within the broader narrative of Scripture.

We can't dismiss the Old Testament's revelation of God's nature, and how He related to His chosen people just because Jesus came along and did away with all the angry God stuff, and judgement and exile and difficult messy people. The New Testament people really weren't that different than the Old Testament people. They lived under another country's occupation, dreamed of a different life led by a different ruler, struggled with idolatry and adulterous cultural practices, and had a hard time getting along with each other. Uh, kinda sounds a bit like most people groups that lived through colonialism... and it sounds a bit like postmodern pluralists and spiritualists doesn't it? Humanity really hasn't changed that much. How God chose to relate to His people, a little bit more each time, shows how He really desired to love creation, but also loved us to not leave us where He finds us. That's why it's phrased, "He called them out," ...and I see this as Him calling them beyond where they were, to something new, a new land, a new depth of worship, new laws that were better than their neighbours' and then ultimately propheside of a new covenant and then fulfilled that promise in Christ and His church.

Deep Insights:

The Necessity of Context:

Fee and Stuart emphasize that understanding the context—historical, cultural, and literary—is critical for accurate interpretation, potentially preventing misunderstanding.

Compiling all of the books that we see, into a single "canon" it's called, was crucial for the early church. They were mainly led by Jewish men at the beginning, and hosted by wealthy Christian women in homes and secret gathering places. They would pass around whatever texts they had, carefully and painstakingly not altering the text, because ABSOLUTE TRUTH MATTERED ABSOLUTELY. And they took seriously the warnings from the Old Testament that if people defiled the words of God by changing them, God in His Sovereignty would punish them severely. The fear of the Lord really is the beginning of wisdom. The book of Isaiah, for example, was discovered in a cave in Qumran, in the 1900's..... and although there's evidence that it would have been written sometime around the time of Jesus, it was WORD FOR WORD THE SAME as the texts that had been preserved that had been written hundreds of years before it. This is why I really like studying the Bible in my LIfe Application Study Bible, in the New Living Translation. Do some research about how each of the translations were written, how many authors it took for each one, the education level the reader usually needs to understand each version, and read the following texts in these different translations:

I like to use Biblegateway.com for looking up passages on my desktop. For reading the Bible on your phone, you can do this on your browser, or you can download the YouVersion app. It also contains most of the biblical translations to English from the original languages.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205&version=NASB

NASB

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the [a]mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

3 “[b]Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the [c]gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.NLT

One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

3 

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 

God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 

God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
    for they will be satisfied.
7 

God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 

God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
9 

God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
10 

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.NIV

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

3 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 

Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 

Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 

Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 

Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 

Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

ESV

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Message

You’re Blessed

5 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS? What do you think their intent and target reading audience is?

The Role of Genre:

They highlight how different literary forms within the Bible (such as poetry, narrative, and epistles) dictate different approaches to interpretation, leading readers to be more discerning in their reading.

The Importance of the Original Language:

The authors detail how knowing the original Greek and Hebrew texts can enhance understanding, as translations may not always capture subtle nuances. Insights into word meanings and grammatical construction can shed light on deeper theological themes.

YOU NEED TO WATCH A FEW OF THE YOUTUBE REELS THAT I"VE UPLOADED FOR YOU!

The Principle of Application:

The book discusses the difference between interpretation and application, stressing that while understanding the text's original meaning is crucial, applying that meaning to modern life is equally important. Readers should ask how timeless truths are relevant today.

The Unity of Scripture:

Fee and Stuart argue for the coherence and unity of Scripture, which suggests that individual passages contribute to a larger biblical story and theological framework. This insight encourages readers to connect different parts of the Bible seamlessly.

There are so many really annoying, ignorant and uneducated voices in North America, regurgitating phrases and misquoted texts from atheists and academic leaders in universities that have an agenda to blind the masses to objectively seeking understanding from the Bible, in a way where it is studied on it's own terms. It's a basic lack of respect for different world views, and opinions, and while they purport liberalism it is essentially censorship and silencing of productive debate at it's very core. A lot of people that argue for inclusivity and diversity, use rhetoric that denies anyone with a different opinion, whether educated or not, to rationally and methodically present their thoughts in a respectful way.... it doesn't take long for someone with a properly rooted, peaceful and respectful attitude to graciously hear someone out like this, present the truth in a calm manner, before encountering emotionally charged, highly antagonistic, and disrespectful rhetoric from these types of atheistic academics. It baffles me how they really don't see how religiously zealous they are in their belief systems, namely their belief in the infallibility of science and organized faculty's right to authoritarian coercion and control - something that the Bible repeatedly shows growth away from as God draws people to Himself, and movement of humanity towards care, concern, respect, and deeper morality.

Historical and Cultural Relativity:

The authors bring attention to how certain cultural practices described in the Bible may not apply directly to today's world. This recognition fosters a more nuanced interpretation that respects the Scripture's transformative message while recognizing its particular historical context.

By engaging with these questions and insights, readers can develop a richer and more informed understanding of the biblical text, enhancing both personal study and communal discussions about Scripture.

...and that concludes my analysis and description of why I like using this commentary for studying scripture.