|
Dr. Clark,
I don't know if you want me to split this off because people might get confused about there being an agreement between those that are raising a fair concern about one aspect (whether or not private reading is useful) while other's (Red Beetle) were just completely missing the boat.
We'll see how this develops.
I think to argue about whether or not people had personal copies of the Scriptures sort of misses the point about what it is we're supposed to be meditating on day and night. Believers have always been commanded to meditate on the Word of God regularly.
I know that those who may seem to disagree with you would completely agree that Sola Scriptura doesn't imply Solo Scriptura. Our study of the Scriptures and our growth toward the unity of the faith needs to be in the context of Pastors and Teachers and the Church per Ephesians 4:11-16. I believe private study that sees itself as standing outside any Ecclesiastical authority is a perilous path.
But to then argue about whether or not people had their own personal copies of Paul's letters or their own scrolls misses the point of what they did have available: their memories. It is well documented that Jewish and then Christian believers would commit large portions of the Scriptures to memory. This would be in keeping with the idea that they meditate on these things day and night.
I know part of my personal "study" sometimes is the calling to mind of certain verses of Scripture and meditating upon it within the context of all the great teachers I've had in the Church. I don't believe that the Scriptures reveal that study must inherently involve reading. This is not to diminish the importance of reading that we now have but it just seems to me that to argue over the issue of whether or not men or women had personal Bibles misses the point about whether we're supposed to be remembering what we were taught by the Word throughout the week and meditating on it constantly to inform what pleases the Lord in our walk.
In fact, I would argue that the availabilty of printed and now online media makes for some mental laziness that earlier believers could not afford. They may, in fact, have had an advantage over us in constantly keeping these things in mind because it is easy for us to pick up a book if we can't remember a verse.
Anyway, I don't know how helpful this is but I do want to try to re-direct the "debate" because I think arguing over copies of the Scriptures is sort of immaterial.
Blessings!
Rich
|