--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I became intimately acquainted with the…" description: "\"I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a theological student.\" — Frank Moore Cross" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg" --- # I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a… ![“I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a theological student.” quote by Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg) > “I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a theological student.” [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He learned the Bible deeply only after formal theological training, not as a child. **In simple terms:** Bible study began in school. Key Takeaway Study texts in context. Themes education religion personal growth Mood reflective introspective Type educational scholarly When to use this quote - academic coursework - personal study - faith exploration Key Concepts theology historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How does academic study change personal belief? - Can scholarly insight deepen faith? A Different Perspective Formal study may limit personal emotional connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) ## Related quotes > [The Book of Job and the 19th Psalm, which even the Church admits to be more ancient than the chronological order in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-of-job-and-the-19th-psalm-which-even-the-church-admits-to-be/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“Equally unthinkable among young men of today is a truly religious renunciation of the world, adhered to with daily self-denial. On the other hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/equally-unthinkable-among-young-men-of-today-is-a-truly-religious/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [I served for 42 years on the board of trustees of the largest Presbyterian seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and we had brilliant people -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/i-served-for-42-years-on-the-board-of-trustees-of-the-largest/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I soon realized that a student of English literature who does not know the Bible does not understand a good deal of what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/i-soon-realized-that-a-student-of-english-literature-who-does-not/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [ I do think students in public school (and private) should be required to study the Bible. \[...\] As a matter of pure education, it's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-plotz/i-do-think-students-in-public-school-and-private-should-be-required/) [David Plotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-plotz/) > [“We advocate the atheistic philosophy because it is the only clear, consistent position which seems possible to us. As atheists, we simply deny the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/we-advocate-the-atheistic-philosophy-because-it-is-the-only-clear/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [and while faith based on theological reasoning is today universally engaged in a bitter struggle with doubt and resistance from the prevailing brand of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/and-while-faith-based-on-theological-reasoning-is-today-universally/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [The work with which we embark on this first volume of a series of theological studies is a work with which the philosophical person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-work-with-which-we-embark-on-this-first-volume-of-a-series-of/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [... at no point have I yet found artistic truth and theological truth at variance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/at-no-point-have-i-yet-found-artistic-truth-and-theological-truth-at/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [All our problems are theological ones, William Temple said. All of them have to do with our relationship to God and his to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/all-our-problems-are-theological-ones-william-temple-said-all-of-them/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Lutheranism restricted itself to an exclusively ecclesiastical and theological character, while Calvinism put its impress in and outside the church upon every aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/lutheranism-restricted-itself-to-an-exclusively-ecclesiastical-and/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [So much confusion about belief in God, morality, and science arises, not from what people say they believe, but rather from mistaken assumptions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/so-much-confusion-about-belief-in-god-morality-and-science-arises-not/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) > [All significant concepts of the modern theory of the state are secularized theological concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/all-significant-concepts-of-the-modern-theory-of-the-state-are/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) ## More by Frank Moore Cross > [The text says Deuteronomy was lost, but you say it was written then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/the-text-says-deuteronomy-was-lost-but-you-say-it-was-written-then/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [If I had to choose between the two ways of approaching the deity, I should prefer the existential relational way, to the abstract philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/if-i-had-to-choose-between-the-two-ways-of-approaching-the-deity-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ \[Sacrifice of Isaac\] is a major theme of the so-called Elohist \[one authorial strand in the Pentateuch\]. It is marked by all of his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/sacrifice-of-isaac-is-a-major-theme-of-the-so-called-elohist-one/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [My father's religious life was not Biblically centered. He was a saintly man, whom I could never emulate, so I went into scholarship rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/my-father-s-religious-life-was-not-biblically-centered-he-was-a/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [When you come to the New Testament you can't even swing a cat without hitting three demons and two spirits. And magic becomes something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/when-you-come-to-the-new-testament-you-can-t-even-swing-a-cat-without/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ \[The story of Adam and Eve\] it's poetry. One must interpret it as poetry. The first 11 chapters of Genesis \[the Primeval History\] are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/the-story-of-adam-and-eve-it-s-poetry-one-must-interpret-it-as-poetry/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [Israel defined its God and its relation to that God in existential, relational terms. They did not, until quite late, approach the question of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/israel-defined-its-god-and-its-relation-to-that-god-in-existential/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ Elie \[Wiesel\], when you ask, "Why do I want to know," I'm trying to grab the holy. And I'm getting thrown back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/elie-wiesel-when-you-ask-why-do-i-want-to-know-i-m-trying-to-grab-the/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ The history of interpretation \[of the Bible\] is fascinating; but that is something else. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/the-history-of-interpretation-of-the-bible-is-fascinating-but-that-is/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [We want to live in ambiguity. This is the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/we-want-to-live-in-ambiguity-this-is-the-human-condition/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [I prefer to have all of this apparatus - historical, literary, critical - and then, beyond initial innocence and naiveté, to try to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-prefer-to-have-all-of-this-apparatus-historical-literary-critical/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [We are thrown back on the text, for the most part. Archaeology can give us background. It doesn't either confirm or disprove the Bible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/we-are-thrown-back-on-the-text-for-the-most-part-archaeology-can-give/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [It has been said that in order to pursue the history of Biblical interpretation, you must include the whole philosophy of the West, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/it-has-been-said-that-in-order-to-pursue-the-history-of-biblical/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ You have miracles \[in the Hebrew Bible\], yes, but they're not the work, normally, of demons. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/you-have-miracles-in-the-hebrew-bible-yes-but-they-re-not-the-work/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ I guess what this is reflecting is my own search for answers that I can't find. Frank \[Moore Cross\] and I have examined a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-guess-what-this-is-reflecting-is-my-own-search-for-answers-that-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) [Explore all 44 Frank Moore Cross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a theological student.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Moore Cross" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the-bible-only-as-a-theological/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the-bible-only-as-a-theological/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/frank-moore-cross-14963_bible_i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the_2481633.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I became intimately acquainted with the Bible only as a theological student.” — Frank Moore Cross", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frank Moore Cross", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I became intimately acquainted with the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the-bible-only-as-a-theological/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-became-intimately-acquainted-with-the-bible-only-as-a-theological/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```