“Go ye and learn what that meaneth” (Matt. ix:13). - (1)
Posted by Marvin Pagkanlungan on Saturday, June 21, 2014
(A series of studies on the importance of, and the comprehension of, “meaning”)
by Charles H. Welch
No.1. Meaning
The Holy Scriptures, even though they had been written in letters of burnished gold would not have been a revelation of God to man, if the meaning of those burnished letters was hidden from man. It matters not how fair the script may be, or whose hand wrote the lines—they may even be engraved by the finger of God Himself as were the Ten Commandments, yet they would still fail of their purpose if no meaning were attached to the holy symbols. Significance, meaning, intention, these are the spirit; the actual words used are but the body, and as the body without the spirit is dead being alone, so is a word divested of its meaning.
In order to be sure of the meaning of the Scriptures, we must give attention to grammar, to usage, to structure, to manner and custom, to time, place, circumstance and to the changing dispensations.
Before us as we write is a book which contains a “Form of service for the observation of the Passover”. Prayers preceding and following the search for leaven in the house are given, the disposition of the table, the cakes, shank bone, &c., is set out, the sanctification for the Passover is pronounced and prepared for, and then at the filling of the cup of wine the second time, the youngest child in the company asks: “Wherefore is this night distinguished from all other nights? On all other nights we may eat either leavened or unleavened bread, but on this night only unleavened bread; on all the other nights we may eat any species of herbs, but on this night only bitter herbs; on all the other nights we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice; on all other nights we eat and drink either sitting or leaning, but on this night we lean?” There is also provision “for him who hath not capacity to inquire” and the head of the family must begin to discourse, as it is said, “and thou shalt show thy son on that day”.
The Passover feast was never intended to be a mere empty ritual. Provision was made by Moses in the very day of its institution, that children should ask “What mean ye by this service?” (Exod. xii. 26). The same provision is found in connexion with the feast of unleavened bread (xiii. 8) and the setting apart of the firstborn. Another symbolic memorial which had attached to it the duty of explaining its meaning, was the erection of the twelve stones in the bed of the Jordan, for it is written, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them . . . . .” (Josh. iv. 6, 7).
When we ask the “meaning” of any word or thing, we use a word that is derived from the Anglo Saxon maenan “to intend”, and a word has no message or power, that has no meaning or intention. A dog, who has no ability to consult either a dictionary or a lexicon knows what his master intends, when he makes certain sounds, and if his master had always said “in front” when he meant “to heel” the faithful animal would have obeyed the intention regardless of the common usage of the words. Significance is everything.
In the eighth chapter of Daniel a vision is recorded, and after the record come the words “And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning”, that a voice commanded “Gabriel make this man to understand the vision” (viii. 15, 16), showing the Lord’s pleasure in this desire of his servant.
Zechariah the prophet manifests a vivid inquisitiveness, that is answered by the heavenly visitant, and his questions “What are these, my lord?” “What is it?” and “whither?” run through chapters iv., v. and vi.
We find when turning to the N.T. that the same concern that the “meaning” of the message should be perceived actuates both the Lord and His apostles. “Declare unto us” said the disciples, “the parable of the tares of the field” (Matt. xiii. 36), and a patient comparative explanation follows. Peter received a strange vision, and hears a yet stranger command to “Rise, kill and eat”, and while he pondered what the meaning of such a vision could be the answer is provided by the embassy from Cornelius (Acts x. 17).
The Apostle makes much of intention, significance and meaning, when he sought to guide and restrain the Corinthians in the use of the gift of tongues. Let us read Moffatt’s translation:
“Suppose now I were to come to you speaking with ‘tongues’ my brothers, what good could I do you, unless I had some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching to lay before you? Inanimate instruments, such as the flute or the harp, may give a sound, but if no intervals occur in their music, how then can one make out the air that is being played either on flute or on harp? If the trumpet sounds indistinct, who will get ready for the fray? Well, it is the same with yourselves. Unless your tongue utters language that is readily understood, how can people make out what you say? You will be pouring words into the empty air! There are ever so many kinds of language in the world, every one of them meaning something. Well, unless I understand the meaning of what is said to me, I shall appear to the speaker to be talking gibberish, and to my mind he will be talking gibberish himself. So with yourselves; since your heart is set on possessing ‘spirits’ make the edification of the church your aim in this desire to excel” (I Cor. xiv. 6-12).
As the body without the spirit is dead being alone, so the Scriptures deprived of their meaning are empty sounds and unedifying symbols.
In the O.T. “meaning” is the translation of either the word binah “to understand” (Dan. viii. 15), damah “to think, or devise”, from the root meaning “to be like” (Isa. x. 7); or chashab “to devise, to count”. In the N.T. “meaning” is expressed, either by parts of the verb “to be”, as esti “it is” (Matt. ix. 13); eie “it would be” (Acts x. 17); a combination of “to be” and “to wish” thelo einai (Acts ii. 12); or dunamis “power” (I Cor. xiv. 11). Should the student seek the Hebrew word that is translated “mean” in Exod. xii. 26, in “Young’s Analytical Concordance”, he will not find it, simply because there is no word in the original that stands for it, the literal version of Exod. xii. 26 reading “What is this service to you?” but of course the intention is evident just the same.
In this series our purpose is to consider from a variety of angles, this great question of “meaning” and “intention” in order that in the study of the Inspired Words, we may attain unto a fuller understanding of the Inspired Word.
-----------------------------
(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 38, page 98).
---------------------------
by Charles H. Welch
No.1. Meaning
The Holy Scriptures, even though they had been written in letters of burnished gold would not have been a revelation of God to man, if the meaning of those burnished letters was hidden from man. It matters not how fair the script may be, or whose hand wrote the lines—they may even be engraved by the finger of God Himself as were the Ten Commandments, yet they would still fail of their purpose if no meaning were attached to the holy symbols. Significance, meaning, intention, these are the spirit; the actual words used are but the body, and as the body without the spirit is dead being alone, so is a word divested of its meaning.
In order to be sure of the meaning of the Scriptures, we must give attention to grammar, to usage, to structure, to manner and custom, to time, place, circumstance and to the changing dispensations.
Before us as we write is a book which contains a “Form of service for the observation of the Passover”. Prayers preceding and following the search for leaven in the house are given, the disposition of the table, the cakes, shank bone, &c., is set out, the sanctification for the Passover is pronounced and prepared for, and then at the filling of the cup of wine the second time, the youngest child in the company asks: “Wherefore is this night distinguished from all other nights? On all other nights we may eat either leavened or unleavened bread, but on this night only unleavened bread; on all the other nights we may eat any species of herbs, but on this night only bitter herbs; on all the other nights we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice; on all other nights we eat and drink either sitting or leaning, but on this night we lean?” There is also provision “for him who hath not capacity to inquire” and the head of the family must begin to discourse, as it is said, “and thou shalt show thy son on that day”.
The Passover feast was never intended to be a mere empty ritual. Provision was made by Moses in the very day of its institution, that children should ask “What mean ye by this service?” (Exod. xii. 26). The same provision is found in connexion with the feast of unleavened bread (xiii. 8) and the setting apart of the firstborn. Another symbolic memorial which had attached to it the duty of explaining its meaning, was the erection of the twelve stones in the bed of the Jordan, for it is written, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them . . . . .” (Josh. iv. 6, 7).
When we ask the “meaning” of any word or thing, we use a word that is derived from the Anglo Saxon maenan “to intend”, and a word has no message or power, that has no meaning or intention. A dog, who has no ability to consult either a dictionary or a lexicon knows what his master intends, when he makes certain sounds, and if his master had always said “in front” when he meant “to heel” the faithful animal would have obeyed the intention regardless of the common usage of the words. Significance is everything.
In the eighth chapter of Daniel a vision is recorded, and after the record come the words “And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning”, that a voice commanded “Gabriel make this man to understand the vision” (viii. 15, 16), showing the Lord’s pleasure in this desire of his servant.
Zechariah the prophet manifests a vivid inquisitiveness, that is answered by the heavenly visitant, and his questions “What are these, my lord?” “What is it?” and “whither?” run through chapters iv., v. and vi.
We find when turning to the N.T. that the same concern that the “meaning” of the message should be perceived actuates both the Lord and His apostles. “Declare unto us” said the disciples, “the parable of the tares of the field” (Matt. xiii. 36), and a patient comparative explanation follows. Peter received a strange vision, and hears a yet stranger command to “Rise, kill and eat”, and while he pondered what the meaning of such a vision could be the answer is provided by the embassy from Cornelius (Acts x. 17).
The Apostle makes much of intention, significance and meaning, when he sought to guide and restrain the Corinthians in the use of the gift of tongues. Let us read Moffatt’s translation:
“Suppose now I were to come to you speaking with ‘tongues’ my brothers, what good could I do you, unless I had some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching to lay before you? Inanimate instruments, such as the flute or the harp, may give a sound, but if no intervals occur in their music, how then can one make out the air that is being played either on flute or on harp? If the trumpet sounds indistinct, who will get ready for the fray? Well, it is the same with yourselves. Unless your tongue utters language that is readily understood, how can people make out what you say? You will be pouring words into the empty air! There are ever so many kinds of language in the world, every one of them meaning something. Well, unless I understand the meaning of what is said to me, I shall appear to the speaker to be talking gibberish, and to my mind he will be talking gibberish himself. So with yourselves; since your heart is set on possessing ‘spirits’ make the edification of the church your aim in this desire to excel” (I Cor. xiv. 6-12).
As the body without the spirit is dead being alone, so the Scriptures deprived of their meaning are empty sounds and unedifying symbols.
In the O.T. “meaning” is the translation of either the word binah “to understand” (Dan. viii. 15), damah “to think, or devise”, from the root meaning “to be like” (Isa. x. 7); or chashab “to devise, to count”. In the N.T. “meaning” is expressed, either by parts of the verb “to be”, as esti “it is” (Matt. ix. 13); eie “it would be” (Acts x. 17); a combination of “to be” and “to wish” thelo einai (Acts ii. 12); or dunamis “power” (I Cor. xiv. 11). Should the student seek the Hebrew word that is translated “mean” in Exod. xii. 26, in “Young’s Analytical Concordance”, he will not find it, simply because there is no word in the original that stands for it, the literal version of Exod. xii. 26 reading “What is this service to you?” but of course the intention is evident just the same.
In this series our purpose is to consider from a variety of angles, this great question of “meaning” and “intention” in order that in the study of the Inspired Words, we may attain unto a fuller understanding of the Inspired Word.
-----------------------------
(From The Berean Expositor, vol. 38, page 98).
---------------------------
