Sunspots 948

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing: Zoom, a company which helps a lot of people do some or all of their jobs on-line, believes that people working for them should come in to work, according to Gizmodo.

Environment: Gizmodo publishes the responses, such as they were, of GOP Presidential candidates to global warning, during the recent debate, which Trump did not attend.

Finances: A Conversation writer explains the bail bond system.

Politics: NPR on Rudy Giuliani and RICO crime fighting.

Science: (or something) A Conversation article discusses speed of talking -- how and why some people talk faster (or slower).

Another Conversation writer tells us why our fingers wrinkle when we've been in water a long time.

NPR reports on the discovery of groups of octopi, protecting their eggs, deep down in the ocean.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view

Thanks for reading.

With Christ in the school of prayer, by Andrew Murray, excerpt 193

This post continues a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I do this, not because I'm a powerful prayer warrior, but because I'm not. Murray was. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. His book is based on Mark 11:22-24. The previous post in this series is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color. Murray's book is based on Mark 11:22-24.

Such a use of the name of a person may be in virtue of a legal union. A merchant leaving his home and business, gives his chief clerk a general power, by which he can draw thousands of pounds in the merchant’s name. The clerk does this, not for himself, but only in the interests of the business. It is because the merchant knows and trusts him as wholly devoted to his interests and business, that he dares put his name and property at his command. When the Lord Jesus went to heaven, He left His work, the management of His kingdom on earth, in the hands of His servants. He could not do otherwise than also give them His Name to draw all the supplies they needed for the due conduct of His business. And they have the spiritual power to avail themselves of the Name of Jesus just to the extent to which they yield themselves to live only for the interests and the work of the Master. The use of the Name always supposes the surrender of our interests to Him whom we represent. 

Or such a use of the name may be in virtue of a life union. In the case of the merchant and his clerk, the union is temporary. But we know how oneness of life on earth gives oneness of name: a child has the father’s name because he has his life. And often the child of a good father has been honoured or helped by others for the sake of the name he bore. But this would not last long if it were found that it was only a name, and that the father’s character was wanting. The name and the character or spirit must be in harmony. When such is the case, the child will have a double claim on the father’s friends: the character secures and increases the love and esteem rendered first for the name’s sake. So it is with Jesus and the believer: we are one, we have one life, one Spirit with Him; for this reason we may come in His Name. Our power in using that Name, whether with God, or men, or devils depends on the measure of our spiritual life-union. The use of the name rests on the unity of life; the Name and the Spirit of Jesus are one.

Bible -- historical or not? Genres in Bible literature

Genres of scripture

Christians often think that the Bible is a lot like a history book -- it tells things as they happened, in order, giving just the facts. Some parts of the Bible are like that, but some aren't. They are still part of God's communication with us.

Genre: "A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content" - The Free Dictionary. (Pronunciation -- John-er).

The Wikipedia has an extensive list of genres found in the Bible. They include:

historical narrative

law

wisdom literature

psalms Many parts of the Psalms don't seem to be meant to be taken literally. 

From Psalm 23: are we really going to enter green pastures, and walk by still waters? Will we really sit at a table in the presence of our enemies? What is the valley of the shadow of death?

From Psalm 114: When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language, 2 Judah became his sanctuary Israel his dominion. 3 The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan as driven back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. 5 What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back? 6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs? (All scripture from the World English Bible, public domain, unless specified otherwise. Long quotations are in this color.)

apocalyptic literature (Revelation, much of Daniel)

the gospels: The Wikipedia list does not classify these as historical narrative. Other Bible scholars treat the gospels as mostly or entirely historical, although some parts of the gospels are prophecy, and some (Such as Mary's song in Luke 1:46-55) are poetry, or psalm-like. There is quite a bit of  non-historical material in the gospels. For instance, Nicodemus didn't understand the concept of new birth. Jesus, according to John's gospel, was (spiritually, not literally) the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, the Door, the Good Shepherd, and the Way.

Some parts of the Bible are clearly some sort of fiction. See verses 8-15 in the story below (Jerubbaal is another name for Gideon):

Judges 9:1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”

3 His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him. 5 He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

9 “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

10 “The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

11 “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

12 “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

13 “The vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

15 “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

16 “Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands 17 (for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18 and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother); 19 if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; 20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”

21 Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Other parts of the Bible, including parts of the gospels, may have been either historical, or fictional. Was there a real prodigal son, or did Jesus just tell this story to show God's love? Was there a real Good Samaritan, or did Jesus just tell a story to point out that giving help to those who need, even if not from our ethnic group, is important? The parables make their point as well if they are narratives of something that really happened, or were told as fictional stories with an important meaning. Some parts of the gospels are clearly meant as non-historical. Nicodemus asked if a person could be physically born again. He missed the point. Jesus said that He was the Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, and the Bread of Life, in John's gospel. He said that the Holy Spirit was living water. These descriptions were not meant to be taken as history.

Not all Bible scholars would agree with the Wikipedia's list of genres, or would agree with which Bible parts are of which genre.

In a later post, I hope to discuss the interpretation of Genesis 1-2.

Thanks for reading! Please comment, if you can figure out how to do so.

Sunspots 947

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing: Gizmodo tells us some interesting, and maybe useful, things you can do with Google searches.

Gizmodo says that dating apps may be preventing users from seeing their most likely partners.

Politics: The Conversation has posted an article which claims, based on the Constitution, that Donald Trump has already disqualified himself for appearance on the 2024 Presidential ballot.

Another Conversation writer discusses the use of "um" and "uh" and related sounds in a debate.

Health: A Conversation article on the importance of sleep. (Caffeine doesn't really make up for lack of sleep.)

Science: Birds and reptiles lay eggs with a yolk, which provides nutrition for the embryos until they leave their shells. Humans, and other mammals don't need a yolk for food. Science alert reports on the important functions of our embryonic yolk sac.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

With Christ in the school of prayer, by Andrew Murray, excerpt 192

 This post continues a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I do this, not because I'm a powerful prayer warrior, but because I'm not. Murray was. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. His book is based on Mark 11:22-24. The previous post in this series is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color. Murray's book is based on Mark 11:22-24. 

And what is it when Jesus gives us power over His Name, the free use of it, with the assurance that whatever we ask in it will be given to us? The ordinary comparison of one person giving another, on some special occasion, the liberty to ask something in his name, comes altogether short here,—Jesus solemnly gives to all His disciples a general and unlimited power of the free use of His Name at all times for all they desire. He could not do this if He did not know that He could trust us with His interests, that His honour would be safe in our hands. The free use of the name of another is always the token of great confidence, of close union. He who gives his name to another stands aside, to let that other act for him; he who takes the name of another, gives up his own as of no value. When I go in the name of another, I deny myself, I take not only his name, but himself and what he is, instead of myself and what I am.

Sunspots 946

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing: VentureBeat discusses the problem of getting artificial intelligence to forget information.

Politics: Vox discusses the Supreme Court's past and present on church and state matters.

Environment: A USA Today story tells us that feeding birds is not always good for the birds.

Food: Low-paid migrant workers do much of the dangerous preparation of food for sale, for example fixing crabs for eating, according to a Conversation article.

Another Conversation article explains how carbonated drinks are made, and their effect.

Health: NPR reports that doctors lose a percentage of what they get paid. It's put into the coffers of financial middlemen.

Science: The Guardian reports on a study which indicates that there are a lot of organisms that live in the soil, but are not known well, if at all.

TheScientist (and other outlets) report on nematodes that have lived in suspended animation for over 40,000 years.

Gizmodo reports on the discovery of a large brown dwarf star.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

With Christ in the school of prayer, by Andrew Murray, excerpt 191

This post continues a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I do this, not because I'm a powerful prayer warrior, but because I'm not. Murray was. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. His book is based on Mark 11:22-24. The previous post in this series is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color. Murray's book is based on Mark 11:22-24. 

‘In my Name;’ Or, The All-prevailing Plea.
‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do. If ye shall ask me anything in my Name, that will I do. That whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, He may give it you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in my Name. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name: ask, and ye shall receive. In that day ye shall ask in my Name.’—John xiv. 13, 14, xv. 16, xvi. 23, 24, 26.
HITHERTO the disciples had not asked in the Name of Christ, nor had He Himself ever used the expression. The nearest approach is, ‘met together in my Name.’ Here in His parting words, He repeats the word unceasingly in connection with those promises of unlimited meaning, ‘Whatsoever,’ ‘Anything,’ ‘What ye will,’ to teach them and us that His Name is our only, but also our all-sufficient plea. The power of prayer and the answer depend on the right use of the Name.
What is a person’s name? That word or expression in which the person is called up or represented to us. When I mention or hear a name, it calls up before me the whole man, what I know of him, and also the impression he has made on me. The name of a king includes his honour, his power, his kingdom. His name is the symbol of his power. And so each name of God embodies and represents some part of the glory of the Unseen One. And the Name of Christ is the expression of all He has done and all He is and lives to do as our Mediator.
And what is it to do a thing in the name of another? It is to come with the power and authority of that other, as his representative and substitute. We know how such a use of another’s name always supposes a community of interest. No one would give another the free use of his name without first being assured that his honour and interest were as safe with that other as with himself.

Sunspots 945

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Environment: (or something) A Conversation writer tells us why our houses often feel hotter than the thermostat says.

Health: Gizmodo reports that as little as 4000 steps a day will probably add to your length of life.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight discusses how Trump's indictments and trials are likely to affect his presidential campaigning.

Conversation reports on a study about the effect of living near confederate monuments.

Some Conversation writers argue that Trump is being treated much better than the ordinary accused criminal. That's not what he says.

Science: A Conversation report discusses using pig heart structures as sources of heart transplant material.

Gizmodo reports on some strange-looking animals, from around Antarctica, discovered for the first time.

Another Conversation report details another approach to treating cancer

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

With Christ in the school of prayer, by Andrew Murray, excerpt 190

This post continues a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I do this, not because I'm a powerful prayer warrior, but because I'm not. Murray was. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. His book is based on Mark 11:22-24. The previous post in this series is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color. Murray's book is based on Mark 11:22-24.

Blessed Master! teach me to apprehend fully what I only partly realize, that it is only through the will of God, accepted and acted out in obedience to His commands, that we obtain the power to grasp His will in His promises and fully to appropriate them in our prayers. And teach me that it is in the path of fruit-bearing that the deeper growth of the branch into the Vine can be perfected, and we attain to the perfect oneness with Thyself in which we ask whatsoever we will.
O Lord! Reveal to us, we pray Thee, how with all the hosts of heaven, and with Thyself the Son on earth, and with all the men of faith who have glorified Thee on earth, obedience to God is our highest privilege, because it gives access to oneness with Himself in that which is His highest glory—His all perfect will. And reveal to us, we pray Thee, how in keeping Thy commandments and bearing fruit according to Thy will, our spiritual nature will grow up to the full stature of the perfect man, with power to ask and to receive whatsoever we will.
O Lord Jesus! Reveal Thyself to us, and the reality of Thy purpose and Thy power to make these Thy wonderful promises the daily experience of all who utterly yield themselves to Thee and Thy words. Amen.

 

Sunspots 934

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing and Politics: Gizmodo talks to a member of Congress who wants to require acknowledgment of such when deepfake (computer-generated material masquerading as the real thing) technology is used.

Environment:  (and Politics) The Guardian reports on a detailed plan, for an incoming Republican President,  to eliminate the effectiveness of the Environmental Protection Agency, and other such governmental entities.

The heat is so high, in Arizona, that even saguaro cactus plants are dying.

Food: Does Subway's tuna really contain tuna?

Health  (and Politics): Gizmodo reports that Republican people have been more likely to get COVID than Democrats, at least partly because of misinformation about the vaccines by prominent Republicans.

Science: The Associated Press and other outlets report that the  family of Henrietta Lacks has been compensated for the use of her cells, which were taken without her knowledge or permission. They have been used widely in science.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.