Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 57

THE USE OF BIBLE HELPS

The Bible is a grand history spanning 7,000 years of human life, in addition to an account of creation reaching back into time many thousands of years prior to man's existence. Many different witnesses of Jehovah were used in recording the Bible, and these men wrote at widely separated periods of time. The writing of the Bible was spread over sixteen centuries. Much of it was written in symbolic language foretelling things of a time far removed from the setting in which the record was written. For the most part, events are presented in chronological order, and particular subjects and doctrinal points are discussed only as they enter into the account. This means that to fully develop a given subject one must gather texts scattered throughout the Bible bearing upon the point. The desired Scripture texts may be in Genesis or Revelation, or any one or several of the 64 books in between. Not every time one desires information on a subject can he read the Bible from cover to cover. Time-saving Bible helps are needed.

One Bible help is the marginal reference. In the Watchtower edition of the King James Version it has two general divisions: references marked with small superior letters and those marked with superior numerals. Alphabetically marked references are a help in collecting associated texts. For example, suppose one desires to consider the sub-

ject of "vows". He knows the discussion of vows as given in the 30th chapter of Numbers; but he desires further texts upon the matter, texts which he does not recall at the moment, or perhaps texts with which he is not even acquainted. He looks up Numbers 30:2. In that verse there are three small superior letters, two of which have to do with vows, namely "b" and "d". These two references yield eleven additional texts on vows. The searcher looks them up, and in the new texts he also notes additional marginal references to still other texts discussing vows. The new scriptures they yield are likewise checked for further cross references; and so the search continues until all marginal references on vows are exhausted. A checkup in an exhaustive concordance shows that through the use of these references alone all of the important scriptures on vows have been run down.

The numerically marked references give different translations for the original words and phrases; which oftentimes helps to an understanding of the text. James 2:26 illustrates this. It reads: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." The marginal rendering, however, clears up the meaning of the word "spirit" when it substitutes therefor the word "breath"; hence reading, "For as the body without the breath is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Many other scriptures have useful marginal translations. (Gen. 1:20, 30; 4: 26; Lev. 16: 8, 16, 21; Judg. 11: 39; Job 9: 33; 12:10; 36:6,15; Pss. 49:15; 55:15; 86:13; Isa. 14:9; Jer. 10: 10; Jonah 2:2; Matt. 6: 34; 1 Cor. 10: 6,11; Rev. 20:13) Also numerical marginal references sometimes give the meaning of proper names and places. These definitions are helpful, but are not always reliable. Check them with definitions given in the Society's publications.

Another Bible help that is essential to the Theocratic minister is a concordance. Exhaustive concordances, such as Strong's or Young's, are often needed for thorough study of a given subject; however, of great use to Theo-

cratic ministers as they preach this gospel of the Kingdom are the small concordances in the Watchtower Bible editions. A concordance may be used to locate a familiar text, or to gather information on a given subject, to assemble texts not known by the gospel-preacher. For example, a question concerning "Zion" might be raised. Checking under this word in a concordance would give the principal texts relating thereto. It may even be that one wishes to develop a subject, such as "free education". The word "education" does not appear in the Bible, yet if one looks under synonyms for "education" a wealth of material can be gathered. Look up "instruct", "instruction," "taught," "teach," "teacher," "teaching," "study," and similar words. Thus much information can be gathered on "education" even though that word itself does not appear in the Bible; and if one will then look up the words "free" and "freely", he will find texts to develop the thought of "free education".

Another Bible study help from which much information may be obtained is the Bible dictionary. When it deals objectively with such matters as history, nationalities, religious formalisms, animals, vegetation, dress, and such matters, they are reliable and can give much assistance. Bible dictionaries brought forth in former years, such as Brown's and Smith's, stick faithfully to the Bible. However, more recent dictionaries, though based largely on Smith's, lean more to higher criticism, modernism, and evolution, and in collecting material from such Bible helps this material must be eliminated. To illustrate the point, note what three Bible dictionaries say about Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

John Brown's Bible dictionary (12th edition, published in 1844), speaking of the authenticity of Genesis, says: "No history but this affords any probable account of ancient things, and this has concurrent testimony of almost every authentic historian we have." William Smith's unabridged Bible dictionary (1863) says of the book of Genesis: "The great subject of this history is the establishment

of the Theocracy. The book of Genesis then . . . describes the steps which led to the establishment of the Theocracy." But the higher critics of the twentieth century have this to say in ridicule of the Genesis account: "The ultimate sources of Genesis were separate traditions, legends, or even myths, mainly oral rather than written, each having its specific occasion and independent history before being taken in hand, altered and adjusted to a place in a group of more or less closely connected traditions." (Quoted from Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Bible Dictionary, 1925 edition) The two older dictionaries show proper respect for the Bible as God's inspired Word, whereas the recently published Bible dictionary treats the divine Record very lightly, even as mythical.

There is one other group of Bible helps to be mentioned, namely, the Watchtower publications. The physical facts prove that Jehovah has used this Society as the publishing organization for his "faithful and wise servant" class. Through this channel he has brought forth 'meat in due season" for his earthly servants. Through these Bible helps he has caused his Word to unfold in a clear revelation and enabled his followers to see the physical facts in fulfillment of divine prophecy written thousands of years ago. In the preparation of the Bible study helps issued by the Watchtower, all available other aids to Bible study have been consulted. The Society's publications have gleaned from these other sources the best they have to offer, and in this compiling work Jehovah's spirit has directed those of his "faithful and wise servant" body. Hence, the Watchtower Bible helps are the best available today.