Biblical Exegetical paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Biblical Exegetical paper - Essay Example Admittedly, Israel in this context is accused of disobedience to God. Before probing further, I would like to shed light on two commentaries on Micah 6:8 to know how this verse is understood widely. To begin with, Barnes on his commentary on Micah says that the prophet through the 6:8 versus tells the people ‘what thing is good; the inward man of the heart righteousness, love, humility’. This is a question from them â€Å"with what outward thing shall I come before the lord†. What the lord requires is an earnest search within. God seeks you, your heart and your spirit rather than yours, your substances and ram or goat. To seek mercy and love there requires righteous judgment. It is not right if you praise yourself and accuse god for evil in you. It refers to the duty of the man too. As god himself humbled in flesh we need to humble ourselves with God, walk on with him. Matthew 5:48 says be ye perfect as your father which is in heaven is perfect. Be merciful as you r father also is merciful. God is not pleased when they offer creatures ‘blood that cannot take away their sin; and instead they themselves become sinful. In the sight of the lord no man living in this world are righteous. No human can wipe away sins that there is nothing that can wash away the stains of offences. It reveals the helplessness of people that they are not at all able to please god by their own abilities except with the help of god. As we are ignorant about what to do to get our sins forgiven, being hesitated we ask, where and how shall I come before the lord. The obedience to god by the people, especially the Pharisees went single dimensional. They lacked the true meaning of it. It was evidential in their Sabbath practices, their offerings and their interpretation of the law and so on. The blood of the animal cannot compensate our sin but that of us. And Barnes continues that even though we dedicate ourselves with all we have, they are not a repayment for our sin s; only the blood of Christ can cleanse our hearts. Micah adds nothing new to the law but only repeating what is in the law. Micah reveals to the people about their half service to God and that is contrary to the law of God. Micah changes the way people looked at and observed the words of Moses to expose unforgivable sins of Israel. According to Barnes, Micah includes nothing more to the law when he prophesies. He just reminds the people who are doing countless rituals and meaningless practices to please God. God being kind towards his people again asks them to pay attention to the same thing that he had been telling through his prophets before. But on the other hand, Matthew Henry in his commentary looks at the verses of Micah with a different perspective. According to him, the people had been trying hard to please God whenever they were warned by God about their ingratitude towards Him. ‘Where with shall I come’ signifies the inner cry of everyone. People still believ e that there is a God who saved them from slavery and who guided them. First of all they seek to come before God and they also want pay homage to him. Further they inquire what the Lord will be pleased with. Like Barnes Matthew Henry also focuses further on the three requirements that God expects from us. Firstly we must do things justly in our daily life and we must be righteous. Secondly, as God does, love to be merciful. Thirdly, the most important is to walk humbly

Humans Are Selfish By Nature. Discuss.

Humans Are Selfish By Nature. Discuss. Humans are selfish by nature is a generalisation which is both refuted and supported by religions and moral codes around the world. However, from my experience as a learner, I believe that the validity of this statement is subjective, a matter of personal interpretation; as with many other ethical and moral issues in our lives. I have selected Christianity and Scientology to illustrate two major perspectives on this, and I believe they can both be considered to validate this quote, although in very different ways. The first discrepancy of this statement arises when we consider what is meant by the word, selfish. According to the Collins dictionary, to be selfish is to be unduly concerned with personal profit or pleasure  [1]  . Already this is a subjective matter, because who decides what degree of personal regard is unduly, or excessive, and thus considered selfish? The alternative viewpoint exists in the Webster 1913 dictionary where selfishness is described as believingthe chief motives of human action are derived from love of self  [2]  . This definition can be considered to reflect a more positive opinion, because love of self implies general respect for ones well being, instead of egotism. I believe that in our society we are generally expected to accept the word of authority to be an appropriate way of finding truth, but the variations between these two authoritative sources make me question whether or not it is the most effective way of finding truth about selfishness. Is it ri ght therefore, to simply accept what one reads in a chemistry textbook as concrete fact? I believe such inconsistencies should encourage us to ask questions as learners, because it is always possible that an authoritative, educational source might be mistaken! Another way of finding truth about this is through faith. Are humans selfish, in light of either definition, as a result of nature? If we are to accept the Collins definition of the word and apply it to Christianity, then I believe the answer is yes. Selfishness is mentioned in The Bible as being a false way of obtaining wisdom or truth, informing believers that where you haveselfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every other evil practice[because] such wisdom does not come down from heaven but isof the devil  [3]  . This implies that selfishness is not only a trait of mankind, but rather a sinful way of knowing instead of obtaining truth through God, or faith, and serving others. Thus, the validity of the statement, humans are selfish by nature, in terms of Christianity comes down to; are people sinners by nature? For believers, The Bible also provides the answer to this just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sinin this way death came to a ll men, because all sinned  [4]  . This informs followers that we are all born as sinners, and thus by faith in The Bible and the belief that selfishness is a sin, humans are indeed selfish by nature. Even the most selfless or perhaps godly of acts can be considered selfish. For example, if I was to complete my service hours for CAS purely for my personal ambition of completing the IB diploma, I would actually be considered selfish and thus sinful, because I am applying wisdomof the devil. If this is true for the Collins definition of selfish, then what did Webster mean by, love of self? According to L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, it means to maintainconfidence in self[because] what is true for you is what you have observed yourself  [5]  . This code thus asks its believers not to find truth by faith, but rather through personal perception. This principle can be considered selfish according the Webster definition, or even by the Collins definition if someone else perceives this personal regard to be unduly, as everyones truth is different and no consideration is given to anyone elses perspective. But is this principle selfish by nature or nurture? This can be answered in some form through young children, because they very often act as a result of nature, or instinct, as opposed to developed habits  [6]  . For example, when I was about four years old, the ball I was playing with rolled onto my road. My first instinct was not to check for cars, but to re trieve the ball because that was the only object I was able to perceive at the time. By nature, I believed there was no risk because I assumed that the ball, which was of utmost importance to me in that instance, was equally as significant for everyone else. It was only when I learned from my parents, figures of authority, that it is dangerous to cross the road without looking that I began to doubt myself. This shows I naturally had a selfish view of the world because of my own biased perception, and it is only when perceived authoritative figures offer an alternative perspective that we doubt ourselves. Hubbard believes that nurturing this self-doubt, and in this context selflessness, means you have lost everything, because you no longer respect your own personal perception of the world. However, I believe that if we did not have the ability to consider other peoples perspectives then we would be blinded by our own self-importance, and of course unable to write TOK essays which att empt to consider more than one viewpoint! Through exploring these alternate perspectives, we can see that even acts of service can be thought selfish based on intent in Christianity, whereas in Scientology selfishness might simply mean confidence in self. However, despite their differences, both moral codes validate that humans can be considered selfish by nature regardless of how one acts, because it is a matter of personal perception and interpretation. If that is so, is it actually selfish for us to seek truth about this statement, when our motives are based on innate curiosity and ambition? Words (excl. footnotes): 984

Boom Towns Of The Amazon :: essays research papers

Urban Geography Boom Towns of the Amazon The Amazon Basin has been called the last frontier. Although there has been a considerable amount of government investments in rural development, the majority of Amozonia is urban. Charles Wageley said that the “Typical Amozonian town was lethargic and backwards due to its seclusion.'; Every year many people are killed in land disputes in this area. With all the social and environmental changes rapid urbanization in the Amazon has been overlooked. As I mentioned earlier, the Amazon basin is considered the last frontier, but there are dramatic environmental changes occurring. The most notable change is the rapid clearing of the largest tropical rainforest in the world, which has over shadowed the genesis of new urban centers. The prototypical urban community in contemporary Amozonia is a bustling boomtown, a dynamic and sometimes short-lived frontier settlement. The change of the region’s landscape occurs in the social area of conflicts involving Indians, agricultural colonists and activists clergy, cattle ranchers miners, timber interest, governmental agents and others. These conflicts are dangerous and sometimes deadly. The North region of Brazil encompasses the states and territories of Para, Ampa, Amazonas, Roraima, Acre and Rondonia. This section of Brazil has had the highest rate of urbanization than the rest of the country in recent years. This article examines the nature, causes and durability of frontier urbanization in the Brazilian Amazon. The rate of urbanization has been low in Amozonia. There is a mercantile dependence on extractive boom and bust cycles, which has created a scattered population of river settlements. Two cities, Belem and Manuas, which are the historical commercial centers that are located on the main watercourses, dominate this region. Instead of the classical model of a regular hierarchy of settlements, a dendritic central place system developed in the Amazon, this resulted in a dependence on external forces. The transportation system is also expanding which allows links directly to the Brazilian population center. In conclusion, the urban accumulation of a work force only partially converted to steady wage labor helps explain the rapid but uneven growth of Amazonian boomtowns.

The Handsomest Drowned Man Close Reading Essay

Sha-Dasha Poe November 12, 2012 2nd Period Close Reading Essay Digging deep within The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World Gabriel Garcia Marquez intoduction of â€Å"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World† already questions the story just from the thought of the title. How can a drowned man be handsome is the main question. The title of the story itself portrays imagery, allegory and imagery. This handsome drowned man is the main character of this whole story. To start with, this story is full of sea imagery.The story starts off with children playing on a beach and notices something floating about in the sea. When the object eventually floats upun the shore, the children immediately starts to play with it. The object is described as a whale, a ship, and then a nasty sea monster. When Estebans body floated upon shore they removed the seaweed, jelly fish tentacles, and the remains of fish. We were told that he had the smell of the sea about him. The women of the town used a sa il to make him a shirt.The women also stated that if he were alive â€Å"he would have had so much authority that he could have drawn fish out of the sea by simply calling their names†. Later within the story, the women imagine â€Å"his soft pink sea lion hands† as he â€Å"stretched out like a sprem whale†. This drowned man is clearly known as an object of the sea. He comes from the sea in the beginning and eventually ends up back in the sea. The relationship of the drowned man to the sea initiates his role as a supernatural mythical creature that didn’t belong on earth as a human being.Furthermore, the author then goes to use allegory to represent the drowned man in comparison to something or someone else. The drowned man represents numerous mythical creatures and historical figures. First, the women of the village name him Esteban. At this very moment, Marquez has grabbed the readers attention as to who Esteban is and how did the villagers come about with this name. Esteban is another name for Estevanico which means a slave from the 1500’s who was suppose to be the first man born in africa to ever step foot in the mericas. Esteban became legendary in Latin America and was given a list of incredible skills. Marquez also stated that the younger women hoped that the drowned man was Lautaro. Lautaro was a military leader of the Native Americans. The handsomness and masculinaty of the drowned man inspires the young women that he is Lautaro. The representation of Esteban and Lautaro shows a hidden message of leaders in comparison to the drowned man. The author also used historical leaders to illustrate the meaning of the drowned man.Also, the author describes the town in the beginning as â€Å"twenty odd wooden houses that had stone courtyards with no flowers†. Throughout the story the women imagined that if the drowned man was alive, he would have put so much work into his land that springs would burst through and that he would have planted flowers along the cliff. At this point, we notice the contrast beteen the villagers and the drowned man. The drowned man brings much color and liveliness to the grey town of the villagers.The drowned man also brings the thought of springs and flowers to the village. As the woman began to prepare his funeral, they went to go get flowers from neighboring villages. They then told the other women about the drowned man and they too followed the villagers to bring flowers t the funeral. After the other women seen the drowned man, they also startede to admire him and went to seek more and more flowers. The flowers symbolize the ability of someone who’s great to seek out others to do something great.They also symbolize love and respect to those who once lived. In Conclusion, the author used three literary devices to explain and bring out hidden messages of the story to grasp the reader’s attention. This is a great way to keep readers interested in the sto ry’s theme/central message. At this point, we now know that Marquez likes for the reader to dig deep within to understand the essential thought of the story. He used a drowned man to bring out the greatness of a whole village and to change their whole aspect of life within their own village.

Innocence of Youth Essay

In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger shows how an adolescent boy develops a cynical outlook on life, causing him to feel isolated. Salinger uses Holden to interpret change from the innocence of youth to the responsibilities of adulthood. Holden’s confusion represents that difficult change a person experiences while growing up. He is trying to find his place in the world, but certain obstacles are preventing him from moving forward. The path to redemption is difficult for him because he doesn’t want to accept the responsibilities of being an adult. The novel shows that through adolescence a person faces many new changes that can be difficult to accept. Holden wants the preserve the innocence that a person has as a child. His cynical views of the world develop through his experience with the corruption of the adolescent world. â€Å"Certain things, they should stay the same. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone, I know that’s impossible but it’s too bad anyway.†(Salinger 122) Salinger points out that, changes are not always positive and it would be easier if we could preserve some things. Holden doesn’t want to face the reality of adulthood because he hasn’t experienced many events that show the positive side of being an adult. Holden’s search for moral values is a difficult and lonely path because of his minimal success of finding them. â€Å"Holden speaks of his loneliness and depression; the story of a few days in his life indicates how sad and lonely his search for moral values is in which he finds them to be sorely lacking.†(Walters 3) The search for innocence and moral is often times very lonely due to the constant heinous events that occur. Characters like Holden want to realize a better life that is away from the corruption of civilization. (Walters 3) Throughout his life, Holden experienced many events that show the corruption of adults and teens. He believes that as a person grows up, they fall into a pit of evil and cruelty. He dreams of becoming the catcher in the rye and saving children from falling into the tainted world of adults. Salinger interprets children as pure and free of sins. Purity is often associated with kids as they have not experienced the greed and desires of adul ts. The thing Holden holds closest to him is the memory of his unique brother Allie. The qualities Allie possesses are extremely unique among even kids, which is why Holden is so mesmerized with him. He was not able to experience the adolescence of Allie, which could have contributed to his obsession with innocence. â€Å"Holden’s fantasy elaborates his obsession with innocence and his perhaps surprisingly traditional moral code.†(Walters 3) Holden’s moral code is different because he is often rude, lies to people and even pursues sexual intercourse. Although his moral code is different, he still has the right intentions. His lies are often to make people feel better and his rude attitude is a result of his distaste for immorality. Holden is confused and doesn’t know how to face the world or the people in it. The time period and environment in the novel are aspects that could have contributed to the confusion. Holden’s experienced this confusion during a time of tension in the United States. The post World War II time period could have had negative effects on Holden through conformism and dramatic changes occurrence in the U.S. â€Å"Holden experiences both the confusion of adolescence and spiritual discomfort of an entire age.†(Historical 6) Holden experiences events in New York City, a city of demoralization, crime and crookedness. His cynical perception of the cruel world could have been limited to the setting of the novel. Prep school and public schools are both socially and economically different than public schools. (Historical 8) His time at school could have influenced his emotion due to the elevated expectations of prep schools. There are many aspects of Holden’s life that could have contributed to his confusion and hatred. Confusion is a common emotion during the adolescent stage of a person life. Holden’s confusion is a result of his inability to truly connect with anyone because of his cynical views. He has a feeling of hopelessness for the world around him because of his distaste for adulthood. â€Å"Holden tells the story of his disenchantment with his life and the direction it is taking.†(Walters 2) The realization that he will be entering adulthood evntually depresses him. He wants to retreat backward into the world he is leaving, that of childhood innocence. (Vanderbilt 298) Holden wears a red hat is symbolic of his position in life and the direction it is taking. Wearing it backwards suggests not only his defiant withdrawal from teammates but his desire to go back to his youth. (Vanderbilt 297). Holden finally decides he needs to move on in life after meeting with his sister Phoebe. The innocence of his younger sister allows him to truly find what he is looking for. Through his sister, he finds hope for the world around him. It is through the innocence of Phoebe, at the end, that Holden initially moves toward his redemption. (Vanderbilt 299) Holden’s cloudy stage of confusion eventually starts to clear up. His realization that his actions affect that people he cares about allows him to seek redemption. He states that he will start applying himself in school and has a better outlook on life. Work Cited Page Literary and Historical Context.† The Catcher in the Rye: Innocence Under Pressure. Sanford Pinsker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. [1]. Twayne’s Masterwork Studies 114. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Salinger, J D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print. Vanderbilt, Kermit. â€Å"Symbolic Resolution In The Catcher In The Rye: The Cap, The Carrousel, And The American West.† Critical Insights: The Catcher In The Rye (2011): 297-305. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. Walters, Gordon. â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye.† Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-2. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.