". . . Talmudic scholars teach that every verse in the Torah has forty-nine different interpretations, each equally valid. . .". Spoken by Paul Merlowitz, a character in Dark Spector by Michael Dibdin, Pantheon Books, 1995.
If you say so. As I reread this statement this morning, I am bombarded with thoughts of my own. Suppose I have forty-nine thoughts?
Perhaps you are wondering why a Christian woman is concerned with the Torah, the Jewish sacred scriptures. I am reminded of the shock on Barbara Walters' face when she learned that Christians are somewhat concerned with Jewish beliefs. You see, books from the Torah are part of the Christian Old Testament, part of our Bible.
Don't you know Christians who are totally overbearing in spouting that their interpretation of the scriptures is the one and only right way to view them? And here we are told that the Jewish Talmudic scholars, themselves, can see a variety of ways to interpret every single verse.
We follow God's teachings, His will, on a wing and a prayer. Now that last word, prayer, is the answer. "Lord, please open my eyes and my mind so that I can learn what it is you want me to learn today. Lead me to understand your ideas and your will".
Christians do have one helpful key to understanding. We are instructed that when the Old Testament and Jesus' words seem in conflict, we are to follow the words of Jesus.
Happy reading, more understanding -- on a prayer.
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