tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post3303282325806640432..comments2023-06-16T07:01:52.541-07:00Comments on The Blog of Dr. T. Michael W. Halcomb: Faith Comes By Reading: Studies in Mark, Pt. 31TMWHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807155020816222182noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-53468092155824415802007-11-21T10:51:00.000-08:002007-11-21T10:51:00.000-08:00John,Thanks for you kind words. As per your comme...John,<br><br>Thanks for you kind words. <br><br>As per your comments regarding "widespread" literacy, I was not trying to make that case. I was simply entering into a conversation with someone who was making that argument. I do think it was probably 10-20 percent or less.<br><br>As far as Jesus reading, I'll have to re-look at Mark for this. <br><br>Pertaining to the David & bread eating scene, there are do seem to be some inconsistencies but I think those are on the surface. One reading of the Greek, however, wipes away those seeming inconsistencies and thus, Jesus did not get it wrong. I will try to explain this in another post; I should have already done this!<br><br>Thanks for commenting, please keep up the challenging and engaging!T Michael W Halcombhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119080394574322124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-57026150526079768572007-11-21T10:47:00.000-08:002007-11-21T10:47:00.000-08:00Nick,If you email me at: halc dot 40dp at mailcity...Nick,<br><br>If you email me at: halc dot 40dp at mailcity dot com<br><br>I will give you the article info, I'd rather not say names in this instance.T Michael W Halcombhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119080394574322124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-31767974567417835032007-11-21T08:15:00.000-08:002007-11-21T08:15:00.000-08:00Michael,I'm glad you had a fruitful trip to Sa...Michael,<br><br>I'm glad you had a fruitful trip to San Diego. My last week was spent at a Philantropy conference in Charleston learning how to raise money with FaceBook and text messages. I think I would have had more fun in California. <br><br>Far be it for me to make the case that "reading" the scripture is unimportant. But I am not sure that making that case builds the case for widespread 1st century literacy. While Luke suggests that Jesus reads, I don't think that case has been made in Mark. In fact, I might think that Jesus' comment asking whether religious leaders had read might be laced with sarcasm, especially if they had raised the question of Jesus' authority when he didn't read. Mark's problem is that it appears that he doesn't read, or at least very carefully, as he doesn't have the details about David correct. Apparently one doesn’t have to be a priest to eat the bread. When we read the text, we find out that David doesn’t even raid the tent. And it is Ahimelech that gives him the bread, not Abiathar.John Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030741092000188820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-35025961063191611532007-11-20T21:09:00.000-08:002007-11-20T21:09:00.000-08:00"By the way, you'[r]e sounding lik[e] you...<i>"By the way, you'[r]e sounding lik[e] you beleive only faith can come from "reading" a written NT. I don't share this view either (that is, if it is even a view you're espousing)."</i><br><br>That's not my view at all. I believe that faith can come by hearing the word preached, by hearing the word read aloud, by reading the word to yourself, etc. I also believe that faith can come from a direct witness of the Spirit. <br><br>But the particular argument that I was dealing with from the gentleman in the chat room where the topic came up was that without an inerrant NT there can be no faith - Romans 10:17 was his 'proof' text.<br><br>But I'm still going to have to say that the argument does work in certain contexts. For example, what did everyone do before scripture? Before the first writing of the Tanakh was relegated to paper where did faith come from? It couldn't have come from 'reading' scripture, could it?<br><br>BTW, would it be possible to find out which article you were reading that piqued your interest in this argument?Nick Norellihttp://rdtwot.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-49299563252318439752007-11-20T16:11:00.000-08:002007-11-20T16:11:00.000-08:00Nick,I read that post of yours. I must say that I...Nick,<br><br>I read that post of yours. I must say that I have to disagree with you on this one. It is my thought that there is no context in which this argument works.<br><br>By the way, you'e sounding lik you beleive only faith can come from "reading" a written NT. I don't share this view either (that is, if it is even a view you're espousing).T Michael W Halcombhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119080394574322124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839131113481621095.post-42851803120082372022007-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:002007-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:00"It is quite common these days to hear person...<i>"It is quite common these days to hear persons make the following argument (usually related, in some way to the issues of inerrancy, inspiration or the Bible’s authority): “Faith comes by hearing not by reading.” In fact, it is my belief that this point is argued so often that it has now become mainstream."</i><br><br>I think this is a valid argument depending on the context in which it is used. I recently used it against a man who suggested that without a belief in strict inerrancy, I had no foundation with which to believe in Christ. He cited Romans 10:17 in support of his position, but this verse doesn't have reference to a written NT and the <i>word</i> in question is referring to the <i>word</i> as it is spoken or preached. <br><br>But I don't know many people who would argue that faith can't or doesn't come by reading -- to read or be read to <i>is</i> to hear.Nick Norellihttp://rdtwot.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com