Can anyone explain?

[Artemus Prime]

I have to admit, reading this last post sent little warning bells going off in my brain...and here again, allow me to refer you to a source that can word it much better than I. The following is from Fee and Stuart's How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Third Edition, Chapter 1 pg. 18-21ff:

"The first reason one needs to learn how to interpret [scripture] is that, whether one likes it or not, every reader is at the same time an interpreter. That is, most of us assume as we read that we also understand what we read. We also tend to think that our understanding is the same thing as the Holy Spirit's or human author's intent. However, we invariably bring to the text all that we are, with all of our experiences, culture, and prior understandings of words and ideas. Sometimes what we bring to the text, unintentionally to be sure, leads us astray, or else causes us to read all kinds of foreign ideas into the text..."

"For instance, most Protestants, and Catholics as well, when they read texts about the church at worship, automatically envision people sitting in a building with "pews" much like their own. When Paul says, "Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:14 NKJV), people in most English-speaking cultures are apt to think that "flesh" means the "body" and, therefore, that Paul is speaking of "bodily appetites."

"But the word 'flesh,' as Paul uses it, seldom refers to the body--and in this text it almost certainly did not--but to a spiritual malady sometimes called 'the sinful nature,' denoting totally self-centered existence. Therefore, without intending to do so, the reader is interpreting as he or she reads, and unfortunately all too often interprets incorrectly..."

"Given all this diversity, both inside and outside the church, and all the differences even among scholars, who supposedly know "the rules," it is no wonder that some argue for no interpretation, just reading. But as we have seen, this is a false option. The antidote to bad interpretation is not no interpretation but good interpretation, based on common-sense guidelines."

Agreed Artemus

Also, let me throw another log on this fire ... I've heard that this is the only passage in the Bible that refers to a 'seed' from "her" ... in all others the seed is from a 'man' ... and that it is not plural so therefore it couldn't mean all of humanity as in seed(s) ... but singular as in Christ.

... food for thot...

Most assuredly...that's part of what we discussed while I was still in my Undergrad. studies at school...

[patricia1]

elbit~~~excellent observation....it shows as well that God had the plan in his mind already.

David~~ I agree but I want to understand you better...so I ask this question.

Do you believe that many different sermons can come from the same scripture? are you just talking about the yea and amen scripture, For instance I believe the word of God is as fixed as the our great cornerstone , the foundation our believe is base on. and yet many teachings and sermons can be expounded on from one scripture.