hello, i just wanted understand some things. Everytime i read the bible, there is always some things i don't understand. Wheather it's a verse or 2 or the whole chapter. i really don't feel comfortable not knowing what i read. can anyone help me?
Something that helps me personally, is that before i read the Bible i always say a quick prayer asking for God's guidance and that usually does it for me. i am just like God please let me understand what i am about to read and open my mind and heart to accept what is being said to me.
Fr. Malaty's commentaries are excellent, and if you can get them to be preferred to the more common Matthew Henry ones. Dr. Henry was a God-fearing man whose views command respect, but he was not an Orthodox Christian working in that tradition; Fr. Malaty is, of course, and his works are excellent - so JYdeacon gives, as always, excellent advice.
If you can get access to The Orthodox Study Bible that also has some excellent commentaries, and although coming from the Eastern tradition, can be read with no conflict by members of our Church.
Of course it is right to pray for guidance, and we should always read the Bible in a spirit of humility and love; but it helps these things if we read what our own Church has said on it - because over nearly 2000 years it has said many insightful and spirit-filled things. We should never forget that Alexandria was the great centre of Christian learning in the ancient world - far more so than either Rome or Constantinople; this caused much jealousy - but we shan't go into that here.
Comments
that's pretty col.
thank u so much. ill try that.
A good bible commentary and concordance can come in handy as well. I know the most common commentary used is the Matthew Henry Commentary.
Fr. Malaty's commentaries are excellent, and if you can get them to be preferred to the more common Matthew Henry ones. Dr. Henry was a God-fearing man whose views command respect, but he was not an Orthodox Christian working in that tradition; Fr. Malaty is, of course, and his works are excellent - so JYdeacon gives, as always, excellent advice.
If you can get access to The Orthodox Study Bible that also has some excellent commentaries, and although coming from the Eastern tradition, can be read with no conflict by members of our Church.
Of course it is right to pray for guidance, and we should always read the Bible in a spirit of humility and love; but it helps these things if we read what our own Church has said on it - because over nearly 2000 years it has said many insightful and spirit-filled things. We should never forget that Alexandria was the great centre of Christian learning in the ancient world - far more so than either Rome or Constantinople; this caused much jealousy - but we shan't go into that here.
In Christ,
John