--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: understand better the world in which it…" description: "\"“understand better the world in which it was born and how inextricably connected it was to that world; to appreciate the wonder of how it came together..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/richard-elliott-friedman-42751_bible_understand-better-the-world-in-which-it_1960107.jpg" --- # understand better the world in which it was born and how… ![“understand better the world in which it was born and how inextricably connected it was to that world; to appreciate the wonder of how it came together; to appreciate that literary study and historical study of the Bible are not enemies, or even alternatives to one another. Rather, they enrich one…” quote by Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/richard-elliott-friedman-42751_bible_understand-better-the-world-in-which-it_1960107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/richard-elliott-friedman-42751_bible_understand-better-the-world-in-which-it_1960107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/richard-elliott-friedman-42751_bible_understand-better-the-world-in-which-it_1960107.jpg) > ““understand better the world in which it was born and how inextricably connected it was to that world; to appreciate the wonder of how it came together; to appreciate that literary study and historical study of the Bible are not enemies, or even alternatives to one another. Rather, they enrich one another. Whether one is a Christian or a Jew or from another religion or no religion, whether one is religious or not, the more one knows of the Bible the more one stands in awe of it.”” [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding the Bible’s context deepens respect and reveals its richness, regardless of belief. **In simple terms:** Contextual study deepens respect for the Bible. Key Takeaway Study origins to appreciate depth. Themes faith history interfaith dialogue learning Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - religious education - interfaith workshops - academic research - personal study Key Concepts theology literary analysis cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - What does the Bible’s historical context reveal to you? - How can study bridge belief differences? A Different Perspective Some may view scholarly study as undermining faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-enemies-3230573/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Enrich Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enrich-christian-3230571/) [Knows Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-bible-469128/) [Literary Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-study-3230572/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Understand Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-better/) ## Related quotes > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“Always" and "never" are not words that have much meaning in literary study. For one thing, as soon as something seems to always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-foster/always-and-never-are-not-words-that-have-much-meaning-in-literary/) [Thomas C. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-foster/) > [There are two methods for the literary study of any book - the first being the study of its thought and emotion; the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/there-are-two-methods-for-the-literary-study-of-any-book-the-first/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [General editors' preface The growth of translation studies as a separate discipline is a success story of the 1980s. The subject has developed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-venuti/general-editors-preface-the-growth-of-translation-studies-as-a/) [Lawrence Venuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-venuti/) > [Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true,- A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/just-knows-and-knows-no-more-her-bible-true-a-truth-the-brilliant/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“He doesn't believe the dead need our prayers, nor can they use them. But anyone who knows the Bible as he does, knows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/he-doesn-t-believe-the-dead-need-our-prayers-nor-can-they-use-them/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“They say no one knows the Bible better than the devil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/they-say-no-one-knows-the-bible-better-than-the-devil/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Often we're having an argument with something imaginary - a fixed idea of the "enemy" and the good. We need to get beyond that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/often-we-re-having-an-argument-with-something-imaginary-a-fixed-idea/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [When you listen to other women’s stories, you begin to understand your own better, and you begin to find ways back through and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-you-listen-to-other-women-s-stories-you-begin-to-understand-your/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [If I can relate the black experience to white people, then they can understand us better and not be so afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/if-i-can-relate-the-black-experience-to-white-people-then-they-can/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [The more you think about yourself, the better you understand yourself. The more you understand yourself, the better you serve your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-you-think-about-yourself-the-better-you-understand-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we learn to understand each other, we will have a better understanding of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-gadon/if-we-learn-to-understand-each-other-we-will-have-a-better/) [Sarah Gadon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-gadon/) > [The more positive representation and accurate representation we have in the world, the more we can understand ourselves better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-debose/the-more-positive-representation-and-accurate-representation-we-have/) [Ariana DeBose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-debose/) > [If you always tell people why, they'll understand it better, they'll consider it more important, and they'll be more likely to comply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-always-tell-people-why-they-ll-understand-it-better-they-ll/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [If I can understand them better as a person then I can understand how to make them a better player too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/if-i-can-understand-them-better-as-a-person-then-i-can-understand-how/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) ## More by Richard Elliott Friedman > [“The document that was associated with the divine name Yahweh/Jehovah was called J. The document that was identified as referring to the deity as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/the-document-that-was-associated-with-the-divine-name-yahweh-jehovah/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“missîm. The term missîm in Hebrew refers to a sort of tax, not of money but of physical labor. Citizens owed a month of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/miss-m-the-term-miss-m-in-hebrew-refers-to-a-sort-of-tax-not-of-money/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“Gen 22:11–16a The story of the near-sacrifice of Isaac is traced to E. It refers to the deity as Elohim in vv. 1,3,8, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/gen-22-11-16a-the-story-of-the-near-sacrifice-of-isaac-is-traced-to-e/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“The chief pagan god in the region that was to become Israel was El. El was male, patriarchal, a ruler.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/the-chief-pagan-god-in-the-region-that-was-to-become-israel-was-el-el/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“There are two different stories of the creation of the world. There are two stories of the covenant between God and the patriarch Abraham,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/there-are-two-different-stories-of-the-creation-of-the-world-there/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“no word in the Hebrew language of that period for “religion.” Religion was not a separate, identifiable category of beliefs and activities. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/no-word-in-the-hebrew-language-of-that-period-for-religion-religion/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) > [“of the story would refer to the deity simply as “God.” That is, the doublets lined up into two groups of parallel versions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-elliott-friedman/of-the-story-would-refer-to-the-deity-simply-as-god-that-is-the/) [Richard Elliott Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) [Explore all 8 Richard Elliott Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-elliott-friedman/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“understand better the world in which it was born and how inextricably connected it was to that world; to appreciate the wonder of how it came together; to appreciate that literary study and historical study of the Bible are not enemies, or even alternatives to one another. Rather, they enrich one another. 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