Thoughts from class #2 (Introduction to the New Testament)

• Should Esther be considered canon, that is, divinely inspired by God and meant to be in the Bible?  The main reason why some doubt Esther's inclusion is that the book does not mention God.  Does that mean that God is not present in the book?  An interesting dilemma, only solved by a close reading of the text.  Understanding the bloodlines of both Mordecai and Haman and how the conflict between Haman and the Jews connects with both Saul's "interaction" with Samuel in 1 Samuel 15 and also the Amalekite attack on the Israelites in Exodus 17 (paying special attention to verses 14 and 15).  After pursuing the issue in this way it will be quite difficult (if not impossible) to argue that Esther should not be a part of the Bible.
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• Interesting how Alexander the Great's conquests spread Greek culture, and more importantly language, in a way that made the spread of the early form of the Bible (New Testament and Greek Old Testament) incredibly thorough, in that most people of the then known world could speak/understand the language the Bible was written in.  Crazy how God works sometimes.  :)
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• There is an odd rejection of deeper biblical learning and thought amongst many of us who call themselves Christians.  But to the extent that seeking greater wisdom concerns learning more about God, why is that such a bad thing?  Why do we so easily reject the wonders of learning, especially concerning God?  There are many variables at play in regards to this issue.  But, with that said, we cannot deny that what we know, we are accountable for.  The greater our understanding of God, the greater our accountability to Him.
  
  Are we afraid of knowing God more deeply because we, somewhere within us, know that He will ask of us things that we do not wish to give?
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• Knowing the historical setting of the Bible (both Old and New Testament) is so amazing!  For example, understanding Jewish culture, both in Roman-held Israel and throughout the New Testament world brings an awareness of a greater depth within the scripture.  So interesting!
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• There is no such thing as a balance between Good and Evil, implying that there could ever be such a thing as too much good (thus the "need" for balance).  This reminds me of a time when someone I know said something about God and also referenced karma in the same sentence.  What?  You either believe in the Christian God, or you believe in karma, they cannot both be true.  There is a weird mixing of superstitions, religions, and personal experiences amongst Christians, often times so much so that some of us have formed our own religions based on our own, self-appointed authority.  Essentially, many of us come dangerously close to declaring ourselves God.  A mistake that has been repeated time and again, without fail and without truth, throughout history.
  
  I am not God.  Thank God that only God is God, and that God is the only God.