It is true that the same words can be understood in different ways according to one’s individual history, experience, knowledge, feelings, etc..
Looking at the Old Book, we notice that there are two ‘’families of books’’ : the LXX Greek version finalized III century BCE, and the MT Hebrew version finalized approx. X — XI century CE, through several Codex. The two ‘’families’’ does not always say exactly the same thing on a specific verset. That is why Judeo-Christian branches use only LXX or MT version, and do not mix them.
Each of these versions have been then translated into various languages. And these translations have also been ‘’reworked’’ over time…
I understood that when I discussed some specific points with believers from different horizons. My first surprise was to find polytheism within the Old Book (as a boy, they had tought me that the
Bible is strictly monotheist. Of course, at that time, I used to read only the extracts which were proposed).
Recently, for example, I found that Exodux 15.11 mentions the Lord « among the Gods » (French traduction Louis Segond 1910), and on the other side ‘’among the strongs’’ (Bible of French Rabbinat).
Looking into more of the same, I encountered -of course — Deuteromy 32 8–9 : between the older version of it (Dead Sea scrolls) and today, the words ‘’Sons of the Gods’’ , became ‘’Sons of God’’, then ‘’Angels of God’’, and more recently ‘’Children of Israel’’. Polytheism is being erased progressively.
That is why I started to look deeper into the Old Book (mainly the Pentateuch) The Pentateuch was the ‘’Law’’ which the Persian king ordered to Ezra (his Israelite Persian State Employee) to put down in writing one single book with the religious Law of the Israelites.
At that time, the Law often was Religious. But there was an Achemenid tradition (called imperial authorization) which stated that the newly conquered province could use the Law of its own religion.
After the Babylonian Exiles/deportations, and then after te death of King Josias (around 609 BCE), the Judea ans Israel areas were not unified in terms of Religious Beliefs, which often were still fully polytheistic within the ordinary people. (Ref. archaelology) (ref. also Jeremiah 2.28, etc)
I also noticed that the eschatology which had been taught to me was absent from the Pentateuch.
That is why I tryed to underdtand where ‘’our’’ current eschatology came from.
FAITH AND WORKS
Teaching of Zoroaster (written approx 15–10 century BCE) says that an individual will be saved ( i.e. will cross the ‘’Sorting Bridge’’) according to his/her Thoughts, Words and Actions during his/her life. The Paradise/ Hell/ Purgatory are the post-mortem ‘’just salary’’ of our Thoughts, Words and Actions during life.
As our life goes on, our soul gets progressively brighter or darker. It is this status of our soul which defines directly/ automatically how we get through the ‘’sorting bridge’’. God does not intervene directly in the ‘’mixed world’’ (i.e. the material & spiritual world). Therefore, no miracles can be expected, and all what happens (or does not happen) as a result of humans thoughts, words & actions, only is responsibility of humans.
The Kingdom of God is only spiritual, and the resurrection of the bodies is necessarily a spiritual one, as it occurs after the Savior delivered the last Fight, and after the Apocalypse, which is the destruction of the ‘’mixed world’’ (physical and spiritual). After that, there will only be the spiritual Kingdom of God.
It then seems that the ‘’faith and works’’ issue you mention in your post, had been addressed long time before the Pentateuch. And a ‘’reasonable’’ solution had been introduced through the God’s ‘’laws’’ delivered in the Avesta Book.
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I noticed that the Judeo-Christian teachings are available through a variety of Branches, which are not using exactly the same ‘’packages’’ of Beliefs/ Books. There are many understandings available behind many versets, which bring to various conclusions by the Branches. All of them under the same God.
Which is not very satisfactory from my ‘’external’’ point of view. The consequence is that each of these religious ‘’branches’’ (plus a myriad of sects) need professional INTERMEDIARIES who will explain what they believe is right or wrong. Our own understanding/ misunderstanding adds to the variety of understandings & hypothesis. History tells that this situation killed many many people. And will continue to do so. With any benefit ?
I would love to find a more SIMPLER Book which anyone (includind Atheists?) could understand and adhere to, without intermediaries.
