Results of Biblical Quotes Survey
If you read Session 19 http://rjr.richardross.annaerossi.com/?p=387 and scroll down to the Biblical Quotes section, you can review the five quotes from Scripture that were the basis of our group’s exercise. People regularly quote the scripture often to bolster their argument. But they often are not conscious of the fact that the scripture develops over time. And because there is development previous passages acquire new meaning in light of that development. Our group performed an exercise which I asked you to do as well. Read each of the five quotes and rank them according to how you would evaluate their more or less adequate expression of what a Christian should be.
Below is a chart of our group’s responses:
|
Quote / Value |
1.00 |
2.00 |
3.00 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
|
1.00 |
2.00 |
2.00 |
4.00 |
6.00 |
1.00 |
|
2.00 |
1.00 |
3.00 |
6.00 |
5.00 |
0.00 |
|
3.00 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
12.00 |
|
4.00 |
4.00 |
6.00 |
3.00 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
|
5.00 |
8.00 |
3.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
To help you understand the chart, the first column lists the quotes in the order that they appear, the first row lists rankings from 1, most expressive, to 5, least expressive. So in our group, for example,
- Two persons selected the first quote “You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.” – Ex. 20:14 – 15 as most expressive and one as least expressive.
- Two other examples: twelve members selected the third quote “Do not show pity. Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot!” – Dt. 19:21 as least expressive
- While eight members selected the fifth quote, “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’“ – Mt. 15:34-40 as the most expressive.
Here are a few other comments that group observed from the exercise:
Ken remarked that we think we think like others but in this exercise we find out others don’t think like us. Diversity of thought is a given but we still tend to think that others think like us.
Roseann observed, as other did as well, that as she has grown older her understanding has grown, she is more critical of the thoughts she had as a younger girl.
Michael responded back though that we don’t always grow wiser as we get older. It also happens that life can harden us. We can become smaller, meaner.
If you were to force rank our five quotes how would you rank them in terms of more to less adequately expressing what a Christian should be? How does your ranking compare to our group’s responses? What have you learned from this exercise?