SB WWG Introduction
SB WWG Traditional questions [∞]
Many of the traditional questions arise because the Hebrew text is being read with a Greek mind.
It has been said that there is no such thing as a stupid question. That is certainly a stupid aphorism. Paul identifies stupid questions as those which just create debate. Bible study in not supposed to be a debate, but a collaboration of solving riddles; solving the mystery.
If working together to solve a crossword puzzle, debate has no place. Speculative answers are penciled in, then clarified and corrected by other answers. The same is true for Bible study.
Scholars have said for centuries that leaven represents sin. This is an expression of their hostility toward the word of God. It confuses people who read the Bible and makes them think they must turn to the expert scholar to make sense of things. Any child can ask the question, "How did the Hebrews get rid of their sin before the Passover if the Passover represents the cross?"
Rather than debate it, we penciled in sin for leaven, then it didn't make sense, so we have to find another answer. Leaven represents teaching. They got rid of the old teaching before the cross in order to receive the new teaching after the cross.
Questions may be identified as the wrong genre if they ask about the literal historical record rather than address what it teaches about Christ. They may be identified as argumentative if they presume a distrust of God or his word. They may be pushed to an appendix if we wish to address them but the length would be a distraction from the main flow. They may deserve a larger treatment because there is not a foundation of understanding laid yet and be pushed to another book.
