SEE AND HEAR . . . 16 mm. Sound — ■Color Films I SAW PETRA Rose-Colored City Of The Dead. Bible Prophecies fulfilled before your eyes — Tyre, Sidon, Ammon, Moab, and Petra. A startling and unusual film. Time: 35 minutes INDIA 'S SORROW Burning Ghats, Holy Men, Child Windows, Monkey Curse, Lepers, Taj Mahal, and Gospel and Missionary Challenge. Time: 35 minutes JUNGLE IND IANS Filmed in Peru. Bird Islands, Jungle Life, Indians, Gospel Plane, Head Binding, Mis sionary Jungle Comp. Time: 30 minutes I SAW BORNEO Beautiful Scenery, Former Headhunters, Jungle Dentistry, Native Headhunter's Dance, Miracles of Grace in the Heart of the Jungle. Time: 28 minutes SIAM Land of Fabulous Temples. Colorful Tem ples, Fascinating River Life, Exquisite Mosaics, Ceremonial Dances, Gospel Chal lenge. Time: 30 minutes HOW TO OBTA IN THESE FILMS They are available to any group on a free will offering basis; that is, each time the film is shown an offering is to be taken for the work of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in training young folks for world wide Christian service. Please send me the following films to be shown on a freewill offering basis: FILM DATE OF SHOWING □ I SAW PETRA...,........................... □ INDIA'S SORROW .......................... □ JUNGLE INDIANS .......................... □ I SAW BORNEO............................ □ SIAM ..................................................... Your name.................................................. Church..................................— .................. Pastor's name............................................ Church address........................................... City....................................... State.............. FILM DEPARTMENT TH E BIBLE IN S TITU TE OF LOS ANGELES 558-B South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California
Theologically
Thinking
Gerald B. Stanton, Th.D. Prof, of Systematic Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary
may well be illustrated by the con troversy raised by the Revised Stand ard Version and its treatment of Isaiah 7:14. The Word Virgin in Isaiah 7:14 The problem raised by the R. S. V. translation is this: Should the He brew word almah be translated by the word virgin, in accord with the older translations and the settled convictions of conservative theology, or should almah be translated as in this new version by the words young woman, which translation is automa tically in accord with the liberal, antisupematural thought of the day? While most conservative scholars seem agreed that the linguistic back ground of almah demands the trans lation virgin, one or two equally con servative scholars have arisen in de fense of the young woman render ing, claiming from their linguistic study of the Hebrew roots and cog nate languages involved that the R. S. V. translation is completely jus tifiable. We see, then, the strange phenomenon of reliable scholars ar riving at opposite conclusions on this point, and both on the basis of the linguistic background of the Hebrew words involved. Are we at an im passe, or is there an entirely dif ferent basis on which this most im portant issue can be decided? While the writer is not willing in the least to grant that the problem may not be resolved in favor of the transla tion virgin on the basis of linguistic proof alone, he is convinced that an other important basis of settlement has been largely overlooked. The theological context involved is over whelmingly in favor of the word virgin. In brief /form, the proof is twofold. The Immediate Context That which “ goeth before and what followeth” constitutes the im mediate context or setting of any word under consideration. In Isaiah 7:14, the words which precede are these: “ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign,” and this in continued on page 33
Watch Your "Theological Context" I t shall greatly helpe ye to understand Scripture, If thou mark not only what is spoken or wrytten, But of whom, and to who, With what words, at what time, Where, to what intent, with what circumstances, Considering what goeth before and what followeth. These wise words from the.pen of Myles Coverdale express several principles of Biblical interpretation which have been tragically neglected by many expositors of this present day. The Bible is a unified message; it is not merely a collection of in teresting texts but is an orderly rev elation given by God to man. It is not a theological grab bag designed to bolster the prejudices of men who read solely to find that which seems to substantiate their preconceived no tions. The Bible will speak for itself and prove to be self-interpreting to any Spirit-taught believer who ap proaches the Sacred Text with an at titude which inquires, “What is here to teach my heart and guide my life?” To all others it will remain a closed Book, whether they be mem bers of modem cults leading multi tudes astray by forced and weird exegesis, or whether they be liberal teachers, “ blind leaders of the blind,” who rend the Scriptures because their darkened hearts are unprepared to receive its message. It has been rightly said that “ A text without a context is a pretext Context means more than under standing a verse in the light of the action of the accompanying narra tive. It means more than a gram matical analysis by which pronouns and other parts of speech are deter mined by due identification of their antecedents. There is yet another phase of a context which must be con sulted, and not a few weighty problems of Bible interpretation break down when one remembers to watch his “ theological context.” This
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