The Words of Words
If a lion could talk, we could not understand him. Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations
Understand – You won’t find this sentence in the Bible, so don’t bother to look. But you will find the idea behind Wittgenstein’s insight.[1] The idea is that the meaning of words cannot be fully explained with other words. What is conveyed in words depends on a whole host of shared life forms. Culture, context, expectation, intonation, physical and emotional nuances, and most of all, common ways of living. What you mean is not what you say. It is what you intended to communicate from your whole worldview. But what I hear is what the words mean to me from my worldview. And most of the time, your intention and my hearing are not the same even if I know the words.
My wife says to me, “I thought we agreed on this.” What do I hear? I hear, “You aren’t living up to your promise. You have disappointed me again. You are not trustworthy. You are inadequate.” What she intended is this: “I was under the assumption that we had settled this issue. I’m surprised that we haven’t. We need to talk about it some more.” I am sure you can add dozens of your personal examples. The problem is what we hear! We don’t ask, “Help me understand what you meant.” We assume we know because we are familiar with the words. But the words don’t convey the meaning because we do not share the same perspective. If a lion could talk, we could not understand him because his worldview isn’t anything like ours. His perspective on the way the world works, what matters and what doesn’t, what is expected and what isn’t, what life means is not our worldview. The only reason Disney lions speak and we do understand them is because Disney lions aren’t lions. They are humans clothed like lions.
The words of the Bible are not just words. We don’t understand them as words. They are ways of being in the world. They come with a particular worldview, with a way of thinking about the way the world works, what matters and what doesn’t, what is expected and what isn’t, what life means. They depend on nuance, intonation, emotion and, most of all, shared living. Nothing in the Bible is written on a blank slate. Nothing is ubiquitous. Even the Pauline claim, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” still depends on a culture that understands “sin” and “glory” in a particularly Hebraic way. Sin is not a universal concept. Neither is grace. Or even God.
The Bible assumes a particular worldview. Read from any other perspective, it will mean something else if it means anything at all. In order to understand a lion, we must become lions. In order to understand the Bible, we must become the ones who stand in the presence of YHVH. Frankly, there is no other way.
“This is our problem: We have eyes to see but see not; we have ears to hear but hear not (Ezekiel 12:2). There is a God, and we do not understand Him; there is His word and we ignore it. This is the problem for us. Any other issue is relevant as far as it helps us solve that challenge.”[2]
If God could speak, we would not understand Him—unless, or course, we share His point of view. Just don’t imagine you do share it simply because you can read the words.
Topical Index: Wittgenstein, lion, words, Bible, meaning
[1] Philosophical Investigations, p. 223e, Third Edition (Macmillan, 1958)
[2] Abraham Heschel, Man’s Quest for God, p. 144.
Thanks Skip. Last week, I shared with Matt that no one in my life (past or present) challenges me to reconsider the worldview and approach to scripture I’ve had for years. At times, I don’t know if I’m challenged with what you’re saying (because it’s challenging me to look at life differently) or with how you’re saying it (because, well you’re Skip.). What I do know is that without your teaching I would still be “drinking the Kool-aid” of denominational perspectives and practices. There’s so much I feel I’m still trying to resolve, but I’m glad I’ve embarked upon this journey. Grateful and Growing… Thanks again for being who you are and “my” teacher at this stage of my journey.
I have so much to learn. You are teaching me. Thanks.
I feel quite similar, Henry. Thanks for expressing that observation.
Caution: the following is written by using many words to try and testify of:
Amazing, Abounding, Assiduous Grace
Yes. There is only One. He has been revealed to be THE God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And may I say, He also is holy. Holy, just, and compassionate. He remembers our frame, He knows we are but dust. Frail, fragile, “limited edition” carbon units.
“Sin is not a universal concept. Neither is grace. Or even God.” Oh, how I disagree with this. I vehemently, passionately disagree with this statement. “All” have sinned is not “some” have sinned, it is “all.” And if, (no, – “since”) “All” have sinned, “all” are in need of a Savior. And friend, the good news is — a Savior/Redeemer/Mediator/Friend has come.
“Whoseover will” may come, includes (er-uh) “whosoever will.” Don’t even start to think “salvation” or “deliverance” or “freedom” is exclusive to any one people group or even official “religion” for that matter. Friend, “God so loved the world,” includes (now, hold on to your hat) – “the world.” The scope of salvation is much larger than we know (or worse yet, assume!). Every single living and breathing human being on this green planet is a potential candidate for “so great salvation!”
Yes, “all have sinned” (self included of course), but now for some really good news.. “Christ died for sinners” – every single one of “us.” And He died for “ALL,” that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.”
Friend, it goes like this: He died for me, —I will now live for Him. Why? Because He first loved me! I absolutely refuse to reject “so great salvation!” I will join with the millions (not minions!- lol!) and will also “glory in the cross!”
I truly do not understand how so many can be so blind. But, there will come a day, a glorious day according to Isaiah:
~ In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see ~ (Isaiah 29:18)
What if “that day” were “this day?” O glorious day!
Sing it! Shout it! Tell “all” about it! We’ve a story to tell to the nations!
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Wonderful grace, all sufficient for me, for even me.
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame,
O magnify the precious Name of Jesus.
Praise His Name!
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost.
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God’s dear child,
Purchasing peace and Heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Grace, grace, — God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
~ but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more! ~ (Romans 5.20)
I guess this is why the Bible was given to us with an Interpreter. The Holy Spirit must translate for us. This is not a bad thing, to me, for it makes that Word a living document, an actual encounter with its Author. It also means that every time I read it, its like I am reading something new. The last time I read it, my worldview conformed to it more, so this time I read it, I see meanings that I missed before I saw the world that way. “By beholding, we become changed”. Exposure is a form of complicity. I am susceptible to being influenced by all I am exposed to. Look at any child. The way they turn out is determined by the context they got raised in. That is why it is so hard to erase early childhood paradigms, including that paradigm of abuse or neglect. Experience writes a powerful script, for sure. Torah gives us the truth, but because it requires action based upon that truth, living it changes us. Living it gives us a new experience that erases the poor experience we were stuck with before.
I have come to think that all living things have an adaptability feature that allows them to conform to their surroundings, and to the other living forms around them. This allows everything to be able to connect (relate) with other living things, instead of competing with them. Competition (covetousness) is a myth people made up ABOUT the world. When I go look at nature without that lens, I do not see it carry across. I see nature, without the evil heart of man superimposing itself, getting along with, and contributing to, itself just fine. Only sin creates scarcity and net loss. We make it hard on nature, and it groans because of us, that is true. Covetousness (competition) is a way of seeing the world; a way of believing things about the world, that causes us to do all that other sin. Not for nothing are we told that it is the “root of all evil”. It is a lie that keeps us from walking in that truth – the truth that there is enough to go around, and what I need is not in someone else’s mouth.
Sin is a lens – a belief system – through which I filter reality. The more falsehood I believe, the more distorted I see that reality. A sinner is someone who just cannot see, which is why the Bible calls them blind! This is why I have learned to not quote the Bible to unbelievers. It was not written for them. What they need to EXPERIENCE is my witness. Others can see Torah when I walk it. We were created to be living epistles.
Amen! Isn’t it wonderful, “the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us.” Our Example and Exemplar is He! In His own words, “Follow Me!” “Do as I do..”
The more words I use the less I am understood because the less others listen….Ecc 6:11
Perhaps this is evidence that we should place more value on the ancient pictographs? After all, these images were chosen to convey the essential concepts of our creator’s intent toward man, weren’t they?
Yes we should Gary, I might add that desiphering them is a somewhat lenghty and tasking adventure. Keeping in mind that the “picture” is describing an activity, versus an object helps that endeavor immensely. God bless you in your searching and please come and share your discoveries with us.