Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Set them aside!

“...to understand an ancient text on its own terms, interpreters must set aside their modern assumptions about emotions, removing the blinders that obstruct the associated common-places inherent in the text’s original language and culture. As much as possible, interpreters must draw attention to the various associations that particular terms carry with them in the source language.”— From Fratricide to Forgiveness: The Language and Ethics of Anger in Genesis , page 25

<idle musing>
I would broaden that to say, as much as possible, interpreters must set aside their modern assumptions—Period! I know it is impossible to be totally objective, but we must allow the Holy Spirit to surface our hidden assumptions...
</idle musing>

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