I’m listening to a man on a podcast who has written several important books on science, scientists, and research. He tries to report on verifiable scientific research. He has made a couple (maybe not many) wrong hypotheses in his career. That happens, as long as you go with the research and change your hypothesis.
I’ll never become a scholar of Greek. I don’t have enough time or energy left. But, I did get a couple of books because I curious about New Testament Greek grammar.
Grammar is how we think. I’m reading a book right now on the way of the Samurai warriors in Japan. It explains a bit about Japanese grammar. Fascinating how the grammar explains my experience working with Japanese companies and people over the past 40 years.
Back to Greek. I’ve read enough scholarship debating phrases and words in the Greek New Testament that I wondered about the grammar. Greek grammar is different from English and translating from Greek to English presents many challenges. Enough so that when we begin drawing lines in the sand over the interpretation of a word or phrase or line of reasoning, we should pause.
We should look at those interpretations as hypotheses, as in science. And then when evidence comes forth, we must consider that perhaps we held a wrong interpretation.
I’m not saying that we can’t know about God and the story of Jesus and the early movement of Jesus-followers. But I think that sometimes we argue over things that lead us astray. And maybe we’re both wrong.
And God is saying, “Children, children, stop with the bickering. What did my son teach you? Love one another as I have loved you.”
Faith Venture 
Leave a Reply