As a child, I was taught the bible rigorously over six years of primary, Catholic education.
I never needed “learned interpretations” then, and I surely don’t need them now.
Of course, plenty of religo-crats, including many here on FR, will provide multi-page “translations” of the most simple ideas.
I had eight years of nuns and four years of Jesuits . The only bible I ever saw was on the altar in latin. Wow ! You must have lived in a special place.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
You said — I never needed “learned interpretations” then, and I surely don’t need them now.
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Well, the thing about that, is that everyone has their “methodology”... It’s all there, with everyone — one way or another. Now, some may not know what that methodology is and simply take the word of the church that they’re hearing it from — but all churches do have a certain kind of methodology to use to “understand” the Bible.
It pays to know what that methodology is and know what the others are, and where they are coming from, and understand why you will use one certain methodology over another.
I’m with you. The Bible is the only book I know of where if it says “the sky is blue”, no small number of people can come up with all sorts of interpretations of what it “really” meant.
Heck, maybe it was an endorsement of blue helmeted UN soldiers. ;)
What do we suppose Jesus meant when he told the disciples to buy a sword?