Also, that the subject matter is NOT humanity, but GOD!
Along those lines, I was thinking this morning: the purpose of the various and often disparate stories in the bible is not necessarily to teach us the nature of humanity -- be it good or bad. While it must do just this -- having been written by human hands and colored by their world and world views - if this were their only purpose, it would be just another group of stories.
But so many that I know believe this is the main purpose of the bible, even if they don't realize it. They think the bible is supposed to show us the "right" way to be and live. And while this can (and maybe even should) be a result of living a life influenced by the bible -- I don't believe that we will ever be the same people as the original authors of the bible, nor should we strive simply to mimic them. Therefore, I don't believe the bible's ultimate purpose is simply to show us how to live.
I can tell you a story about myself and those who live around me -- what their lives look like, what they do and how they act. I can label those actions that benefit my society at large, those actions that are considered selfish, what it takes to live a life of contentment where I live, what those people do that my part of society doesn't much care for -- and you will know something about my part of the world.
That does not mean you will know a single thing about the people that live 2000 miles away from me -- or anything at all about their world. Or more importantly, what is right and good in their lives. In my story, I may or may not have given those people anything truly TRUE. I might have --but then again, I might not.
But if I tell you a story of how GOD has worked in my life and in the lives of those who live around me, what God means and how God influences our lives -- the people who live 2000 miles away will definitely learn something. And vice versa. The TRUTH of who God is, how God works, what God promises -- now, that is something that all can be given regardless time, space, world view.
That is what I believe the bible gives us. An unchanging, unified picture of God.
That is how and why I read the bible -- to learn about God. Period.
All the rest that happens because I read the bible is secondary benefit. Just like the story of Esther.
A post for another day.
