Words/names matter... and moving between languages, eras and cultures requires study/patience. Today's "Christian Nationalists" quickly and conveniently bypass that essential awareness.
I don't remember that story, but now of course I will read it. Thank you for explaining the context that gets lost in translation. And the flannelgraph/colonoscopy connection is chef's kiss perfect.
But I do wonder about the bears! I wonder whether bears ever really lived where that story took place. I wonder why this prophet used just two bears against more than 40 people, when surely he could have commandeered more bears, or lightning, or something. I wonder what happened to the bears.
Thanks for this translation/interpretation of this story. I don’t remember ever hearing or learning about this story in Sunday School or church sermon. Maybe I need to go back and re-read some of those Old Testament stories to refresh the memories, and yes, many of my Sunday School lessons were brought to me by way of a flannel board 😁.
Oh Joseph, how quickly people forget that yes, even the KJV is a translation. Lord, deliver us. I try to mix up what I use on Sundays. I like clarity and I like for people who hear the words to have clarity. . .even a chuckle. . .with the readings. I was remembering a children's choir anthem that came out years ago; "Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear." It was a little story about a child hearing about bearing the cross. At the end of the song the bear's name was Gladly. Love God, love your neighbor. Oh how we've messed that basic message up with all our probing, pondering, and publishing.
Thank you, Joseph. This story has always disturbed me, and your thoughts on it are very helpful. Clear memories of flannelgraph from Sunday School days! Although I don't think we did the bear story.
A friend is preparing to do the story of Jael and the tent peg for the upcoming all-ages Mother's Day service, a choice I would never make myself! If you ever want to do a piece on that passage of Scripture, I'd be very interested!
Words/names matter... and moving between languages, eras and cultures requires study/patience. Today's "Christian Nationalists" quickly and conveniently bypass that essential awareness.
I don't remember that story, but now of course I will read it. Thank you for explaining the context that gets lost in translation. And the flannelgraph/colonoscopy connection is chef's kiss perfect.
But I do wonder about the bears! I wonder whether bears ever really lived where that story took place. I wonder why this prophet used just two bears against more than 40 people, when surely he could have commandeered more bears, or lightning, or something. I wonder what happened to the bears.
I’m too literal for scripture, clearly.
So much more insight!
Thanks for this translation/interpretation of this story. I don’t remember ever hearing or learning about this story in Sunday School or church sermon. Maybe I need to go back and re-read some of those Old Testament stories to refresh the memories, and yes, many of my Sunday School lessons were brought to me by way of a flannel board 😁.
Oh Joseph, how quickly people forget that yes, even the KJV is a translation. Lord, deliver us. I try to mix up what I use on Sundays. I like clarity and I like for people who hear the words to have clarity. . .even a chuckle. . .with the readings. I was remembering a children's choir anthem that came out years ago; "Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear." It was a little story about a child hearing about bearing the cross. At the end of the song the bear's name was Gladly. Love God, love your neighbor. Oh how we've messed that basic message up with all our probing, pondering, and publishing.
Thank you, Joseph. This story has always disturbed me, and your thoughts on it are very helpful. Clear memories of flannelgraph from Sunday School days! Although I don't think we did the bear story.
A friend is preparing to do the story of Jael and the tent peg for the upcoming all-ages Mother's Day service, a choice I would never make myself! If you ever want to do a piece on that passage of Scripture, I'd be very interested!
So good!