The Bible For Normal People [Bible] Episode 232: David Lambert - Is the Bible “Scripture”?
Feb 13, 2023
Scholar David Lambert discusses the evolving definition of scripture and how communities shape biblical texts. They explore interpreting ancient texts in modern contexts, the impact of Philo of Alexandria on biblical interpretation, and the importance of understanding historical contexts when interpreting the Bible.
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Bible as an Ongoing Process
- The Bible did not become scripture at one moment but is always in a process of becoming.
- Its meaning and authority change with each community and historical context that assembles it.
Genesis Stories as Tribal History
- Genesis stories originally explained tribal relations and alliances in ancient Israelite society.
- They were not simply moral lessons but reflected geopolitical realities of that time.
Philo's Transformative Reading
- Philo of Alexandria reinterpreted Genesis philosophically to resonate in a Greek context.
- This shifted the text’s meaning from political origins to moral exemplars, illustrating how scriptures evolve.