The supreme value of mental pictures as aids to memory and clear understanding, is so well recognized to-day, as to be regarded as an accepted principle. Like most principles, it has no claim to novelty. Like many, it has in certain periods been hidden away and supplanted by some “system” which has taken deep root, and is difficult to eradicate.
It is now proverbial to speak of quoting chapter and verse.” But is not this a device of the man who learns “by heart”? (We ought really to say “by head”).
When Christ, arguing with the Sadducees, advanced his evidence for the resurrection of the dead, he did not refer his hearers to “Exodus 3, 6.” No such system of reference was known to him.
“Have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him saying, I am the God of Abraham” (R.V.). There is the complete picture, who was speaking, to whom, and the occasion.
“Chapters and verses” are among the things which have been subordinated to their proper place—the margin in the Revised Version, the text of which forms the basis of that invaluable book The Modern Reader’s Bible.”1
But there is much else of even greater moment. Everyone is aware that the Psalms are poems. Few realise that we have within the covers of the Bible, untold variety of literary form – poetry, drama, monologue, dialogue, idyll, oration these and many others are there, hidden from all but the trained student, by those same “chapters and verses.”
Yet the varieties of literary form are the very devices to maintain the reader’s interest, and make the Bible live ; the devices which God has seen fit to use as the vehicles for his revelation.
The indication of paragraphs in the Revised Version has been carried a step further in The Modern Reader’s Bible, by the insertion of suitable headings to separate sections of books and by a marginal analysis. Those who are responsible for teaching children will particularly appreciate the titles given to the well known Bible stories. Thus looking at random in “Genesis,” we find the “Story of the Flood” ; the “Story of the Call of Abraham” ; the “Story of the Offering of Isaac” ; the “Story of the Stolen Blessing” ; the “Story of Joseph and His Brethren.” The last, recognised as perhaps the finest story ever told, should be read as a whole, like any other story ; and in “Moulton,” it looks like a story, when you open the book at that place. Incidentally, the rather unsavoury incident of Tamar is indicated as a separate historical narrative, and may be omitted when reading to the young, or in public.
One other general point may be noted before dealing with particular sections of “Moulton.” The titles of many of the books of the Bible, as we have them in the Authorised Version have been added by the publishers for convenience. Actually, the opening words of a book often constitute the title, or, more accurately, the title page, no modern book is complete without its title page, which indicates the subject matter. Moulton has set out the title pages in the modern way. Thus we find the first verse of the first chapter of Isaiah set out as follows :
Among other similar examples, may be quoted Proverbs and Revelation. A noteworthy exception is Ecclesiastes. Concerning this there is a note. Departing from his usual attitude of refraining from a discussion of questions of authorship, Moulton expresses the view that the opening sentence of Ecclesiastes may fairly be understood to mean that Solomon was the hero, rather than the author of the book. This, he says, was a common device in the literature of antiquity. For the conventional view of the authorship, Moulton says, ” there is only a single argument. But this is an argument which, if it could be maintained, might outweigh all the rest : for it is the plea that the book itself distinctly asserts that Solomon is its author. If this be true, he would be a bold critic who would run counter to such an assertion, and proclaim a work like Ecclesiastes to be a literary fraud. What I desire to show is that, when the whole is carefully studied, the words supposed to proclaim the Solomonic authorship are capable of an entirely different interpretation.” Whichever interpretation is accepted, cannot diminish our estimate of the book itself, considered either as philosophy or literature.
The Modern Reader’s Bible is divided into sections which modify the accepted order of the books. An index prevents any possible confusion on the part of readers unfamiliar with the arrangement.
In the Old Testament, are given first the Historical Books (Genesis to Nehemiah), followed by The Books of the Prophets, in the order of the Authorised Version. The next section is Bible Poetry (Psalms, Lamentations and Solomon’s Song); and the last, the Books of Wisdom (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job). In this section are also two books of the Apocrypha.
The New Testament arrangement is rather more complicated. It opens with Luke’s Gospel followed by the Acts; these two, from the pen of the same author, constituting a partial history of the Primitive Church. What seems most confusing, however, (though it has many points in its favour) is the insertion of Paul’s epistles in their proper chronological positions in the Acts. It is recorded, for example, in the account of Paul’s second missionary journey, that he visited Thessalonica, obtaining many converts in spite of the opposition which eventually caused him to flee to Bercea. Continuing, he arrived in due course at Corinth, where, as a result of a divine message which came to him in a dream, he remained for a year and a half. During that time, he is thought to have written both his letters to the Thessalonian converts; and they are, accordingly, inserted at that point in the “Acts” narrative. Those letters which were written during Paul’s imprisonment at Rome, follow Acts. This arrangement enables the reader to appreciate the development of the Apostle’s character much more easily than is possible with the A.V. arrangement of the epistles which puts them in no sort of logical order.
The next section contains the remaining epistles, and the final section includes the three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and John ; and the Revelation.
Although this arrangement seems complicated at first, it is logical, and, with regular use, the reader has no difficulty in finding his way about.
Moulton regards the Book of Isaiah as, perhaps, the greatest example of good literature to be found anywhere, and he sees in it, too, something more than literature. He says of it :
“Even in literary form the world has produced nothing greater than “Isaiah” ; and the very difficulty of determining its literary form is so much evidence how cramped and imperfect literary criticism has been made by the confinement of its outlook to the single type of literature which has come to monopolise the name “classical.” But when we proceed to the matter and thought of “Isaiah” the literary matter, quite apart from the theology founded on it how can we explain the neglect of such a masterpiece in our plans of liberal education? It is the boast of England and America that its higher education is religious in its spirit : why is it then that our youth are taught to associate exquisiteness of expression, force of presentation, brilliance of imaginative picturing, only with literatures in which the prevailing matter and thought is on a low moral plane? Such a paradox is part of the paganism which came in with the Renaissance, and which our higher education is still too conservative to shake off. The friends of literary education who rebel against the thought of so one-sided a culture have a definite issue to contend for : that at least Isaiah and Job should take their place beside Plato and Homer in the curricula of our colleges and schools.”
The breadth of the purpose of God is well illustrated in the portion of Isaiah which opens with the cry of comfort for Jerusalem. “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God.” Jehovah is no mere tribal god, but the creator and controller of every nation under heaven. He is the God “who hath raised up one from the east, whom he calleth in righteousness to his foot and giveth nations before him and maketh him rule over kings.” At the coming of such an one “the isles saw, and feared ; the ends of the earth trembled.” Through the prophet God sends forth His appeal, first to Israel, and then to the nations (Gentiles) but there is no response. “When I look, there is no man; even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them can answer a word.” So the servant of Jehovah is raised up (and once again note how broad is his field of action).
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold ; my chosen in whom my soul delighteth : I have put my spirit upon him ; he shall bring forth judgment to the nations He shall not burn dimly nor be bruised, till he have set judgment in the earth ; and the isles shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched them forth. I the Lord will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
The vision of the awakening of Zion presents a picture which accords perfectly with Israel’s past history and future reformation. Time after time, the Divine appeal goes unheeded. “Attend unto me, 0 my people; and give ear unto me, 0 my nation.” The vision shows the ransomed of the Lord returning, filled with joy ; but some groundless fear holds Israel back. “Who art thou, that thou art afraid of man, that shall die? I am the Lord thy God, which stilleth the sea when the waves thereof roar.”
“Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem.”
But the afflicted children of Zion, suffering under the rebuke of God, still fail to respond, in spite of the promise that the cup of the Lord’s fury is taken from them and given to their enemies; so once more the appeal goes forth :
“Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion;
Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem.”
And this, the last appeal, succeeds, for it ends, not with the spoken word, but with the revelation of God to His people :
“Behold, it is I !”
The watchmen of Zion see at last, the Lord, returning to Zion and redeeming Jerusalem :
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace !”
The climax comes when, not only Israel, but those out of every nation who hear the call, heed it. The example of Israel brings this about. “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee.”
This wonderful series of visions needs to be read as a whole, if it is to be fully appreciated ; and in The Modern Reader’s Bible, one is literally tempted to read it as a whole. With the artificial divisions removed, and the logical analysis indicated, the reader goes on and on. Instead of Bible reading being one of the pious duties of life, it becomes a matter of enthralling interest. Continuity of thought impresses the facts on the mind, and the Bible becomes what Moulton says it is, “its own best interpreter.”
The book of Job affords another striking example of the value of correct literary arrangement. It is presented as a drama, with its prologue introducing the principal character and telling how it happened that evil days came upon him. The drama proper shows first, how he reacts when he is afflicted, cursing the day of his birth, but refraining from reproaching his Maker. Then follows the debate as to the reason for it all. “You must have done something to deserve these trials” says Eliphaz.
“Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth :
Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”
“Job’s comforters,” indeed ! These are the people who “know it all” ; ready with an explanation for every happening in life.
“No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.”
Their platitudes rouse the young man, Elihu. Job has protested his own innocence ; the others had talked and talked. ” They had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job,” so the onlooker, silent till then, could contain himself no longer :
“I said, Days should speak
And multitude of years should
teach wisdom,
But there is a spirit in man
And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding. It is not the great that are wise Nor the aged that understand judgment.
Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasons, Whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you,
And behold there was none
that convinced Job,
Or that answered his words,
among you.”
The burden of Elihu’s words is, that God alone is wise and righteous, far above criticism by mere man.
“Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art vile?
Or to nobles, Ye are wicked? How much less to him that respecteth not the persons of princes Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor. For they are all the work of His hands.”
As he proceeds, the Divine intervention in the drama commences. The sky becomes cloudy, the cattle in the fields restless, and there is a peal of thunder.
“At this also my heart trembleth And is moved out of its place. Hearken ye unto the noise of his voice And the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
“He spreadeth abroad the cloud
of his lightning :
And it is turned round about
by his guidance,
That they may do whatsoever
he commandeth them
Upon the face of the habitable world :
Whether it be for correction, Or for his land, Or for mercy, that he cause it to come.”
After the climax of the storm, we are given a wonderful picture of the clearing sky, as the clouds are blown away, and “the golden splendour” coming out of the north. The noise of the thunder gives place to the voice of God, coming out of the whirlwind :
“Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Declare, if thou hast understanding Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened?
Or who laid the cornerstone thereof, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
Job is convinced, humbled and silenced.
“I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; But now mine eye seeth thee : Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent In dust and ashes.”
And the drama closes with an epilogue, telling how Job made intercession for his friends; how he was restored to health, and enjoyed for the rest of his days the abundant blessing of God.
Perhaps these two brief examples, from Isaiah and Job, will suffice to stimulate interest in a work which cannot fail to appeal to those who desire to extract the utmost benefit from the Divine Word.
Space will not permit more than a passing reference to the sonnets, epigrams and monologues of the book of Proverbs, the poetry of the Psalms (in which numbered chapters find their proper sphere, each psalm being complete in itself) the poetical dirge of Lamentations; the idyllic story of Ruth, and the pageant of nations which John saw in vision and symbol. All these, the reader will find and revel in, in this, perhaps the most helpful edition of the Bible printed in our language.
In conclusion, let Moulton himself speak :
“Scholarship can do much for the Bible : but imagination and literary receptivity can do more. Thus it is above all to the general reader that the present work is addressed; its aim is to enable him, without the obstruction of mediaeval arrangement, and with the minimum of the interruption we call annotation, to traverse the connected whole
Reference
- ‘The Modern Reader’s Bible. Richard G. Moulton. Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One