KB: Likely so,
but we are not God, so that the best we can say is that it would seem
so. Hebrew 4:12 puts it that
the
text, under
these conditions, is like a double-edged sword that can not only
deliver God's word but cut your soul in
two. As I see it, that's the action of the Holy Spirit that
Jesus was talking about in John 14:26.
If so then obviously Barth did not accept
God's Word as is either. Hebrews
tells us that "The Word of God (not the Spirit of God) is quick,
powerful, and sharper than a two edged sword piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12)
In this
encounter, you experience the truth, God's truth, and this
can be be the
most convincing encounter of your life, and the Word actually enters
into you and changes you. But later, when
you fall back into the literal meaning of the words-- the best that you have is Man's truth -- truth on a level that you
can relate to yourself or others... that of text, words,
language, with all of their imperfections.
In Barth's opinion?
- Obviously his understanding is seriously flawed and he is
arrogant enough to correct God's Word with it.
"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his
nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isa
2:22)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: April 04, 2005 20:09
Subject: Fictitous interview with Karl Barth
KB:
Fine.
Stu:
Professor, you are considered by many to be one of the greatest
theologians of the twentieth century, if not THE greatest. The
founderof biblical theology.
KB: Well,
thank you, but.... [directing his gaze at a bible on his
desk]
Stu: I
suppose, being modest, you would attribute it all to the
Bible.
KB: No, not to
the Bible itself, but to what happens when I would read the
Bible.
Stu: Sorry.
Let's see if I have it right for the newspaper.
The Word of God was revealed to the biblical authors, who wrote them
down in the Bible, so the Bible must be true, word by word, and when
you read these words, the same true message originally sent by God
appears in your mind. Right ?
KB: No, not at
all.
Stu: Well,
weren't they inspired ?
KB: Yes, but
that's no guarentee that what the biblical authors wrote down was as
perfect. You see, no experience can be perfectly reproduced in
language.
Stu: So the Bible is not the literal truth of God
!?
KB: The short
answer is not always. But it's more complicated than that. I'll get
to that, but for now let me just say that it contains quite a few
errors of fact. The best that you can say in that regard is that it
is true as a whole.
Stu: What are
we to do, then--- if it contains errors !?
KB: You are
placing your faith in the text of the bible, printed in a book. The
book an object made of paper, ink and a cover. You want to be
careful not to worship such an object, for it's not God. It's just a
book.
Stu: But
that's all we have.
KB: Not at
all. If you can feel the spirit moving in you, you have faith in
Jesus Christ.
Stu: I don't
see the connection.
KB: [ picking
up the bible] Listen to this, from Jesus, in John 14:26. " I will
send you the Holy Spirit, who will teach you all things and bring
all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said said to
you."
Stu: So what's
true is not the text itself, it's the existential encounter with the
Holy Spirit, during the reading of the text, through which God's
message is transmitted to us.
KB:
Exactly.
Stu: I see.
....but if that's true, I don't even NEED the Bible ! I can just
commune with God !
KB: Not so
fast. How would you understand the meaning of those messages without
the Bible ?
Stu: Hmmm. I
guess we do need the Bible. But I still don't understand. You say
that although God inspired the Bible -- so that He is sort of a
Superauthor-- the message was, although inspired, still written down
by imperfect men in words, which are also imperfect by nature. By
the time I read it, with my imperfections, there's nothing left
!
KB: Absolutely
not. But it depends on what eyes you use to read it. If you read it
with the eyes of reason alone, such as you might read your chemistry
textbook, that's all you get. The words, imperfect as they may be.
But if you read it with the eyes of faith, you
get.....
Stu:
....voila!..... a linking to the original
inspiration...
KB: ...on the
wings of the Holy Spirit......
Stu:.... the
original truth !
KB: Likely so,
but we are not God, so that the best we can say is that it would
seem so. Hebrew 4:12 puts it that the
text, under
these conditions, is like a double-edged sword that can not only
deliver God's word but cut your soul in two. As I see it, that's the
action of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was talking about in John
14:26. In this encounter, you experience the truth, God's truth, and
this can be
be the most convincing encounter of your life, and the Word actually
enters into you and changes you. But later, when you fall back into
the literal meaning of the words-- the best that you have is Man's
truth -- truth on a level that you
can relate to yourself or others... that of text, words,
language, with all of their imperfections.
Stu: If that's
so, then what gives the Bible its authority ?
KB: Not the
text itself, which is public, but the private encounter of the
individual in faith. To non-believers, the text can sound wacky,
because they view it with the eyes of reason, like a textbook. But
believers who read it with the eyes of faith are really reading it
through the eyes of Jesus, sotospeak, and it makes great sense-- at
least to the soul. And the Word becomes part of your soul, cleansing
and lifting it up to God.
Stu: Wow .
I've felt things like that. It's more like a silent music, like a
great Hymn, than just words.
KB:
Exactly.
Stu:
wow.........[pause] ...tell me, Professor, speaking of hymns...do
you have a favorite one?
KB: Yes. Yes.
[smiling] "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me
so."
END