airclean33 said:
Hi John--I am reading your post Geofee--
airclean post-- I fined here another mix up.
Oddly, GeoFee who I was conversing with didn't find the mix-up.
And the underlined text (which I presume is what confused you and lead you to conclude that I am mixed up) is clearly communicating a point which I will gladly simplify for you.
In essence, there were figures, throughout the Old Testament who clearly heard the message God was giving and made it their business to share that message with others. Prophets for example. Not every Prophet was true and not every prophecy that came out of a Prophets mouth was of God. For example the False Prophet who led the true Prophet astray to the death of the true Prophet. The True Prophet knew that if he disobeyed he would be killed and yet the False Prophet was able to convince him that God had changed his mind. Jeremiah wrestled with other prophets who were false but had the ear of the King.
So yes. There were good prophets and there were bad prophets.
The same holds true for the priests. Some were exceptional and became exemplars of the priesthood. Others were not exceptional at all and represent more of a stain on the office.
GeoFee likes to deal with generalities. I'm not a fan of generalities because it lumps the righteous in with the wicked.
GeoFee and I are aware of these personal quirks since we have wrestled with scripture (not so much) and its application (more this I think) since we were students together in Seminary. And while we are not always in agreement on interpretation we do not often find ourselves in opposition so much as disagreement. At the end of the day we respect one another, our influences and the integrity we bring to our callings.
The bit about self-interest as a denial mechanism is also, I think, clear. I will try to rephrase it for you.
Self-interest in those entrusted with scripture (which in Judaism is everyone not just the priestly class) leads individuals to interpret scriptures in ways which do not threaten them or challenge them. Everything remains safely as they want it and they are not forced to be transformed by a reading of the text which pushes them further than they want.
It is why the KJV translates Agape in 1 Corinthians 13 as charity rather than love. To much truth to power can be a dangerous thing.
Hope this helps.
If not let me go and I will try to explain again.