I’m no David Letterman, and can’t afford top notch writers to form amusing top ten lists, but I’ve got you, my readers, to help me.
There are of course Bible passages which have seeped out into the public consciousness which are often quoted, but not always with understanding or accuracy. Over the past few weeks I’ve had to deal with a couple of them which I think would make a top ten list:
“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)
“The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
These are well known to those who may not know the Bible well, and are invoked sometimes appropriately and sometimes not.
So, what I’m looking for are other passages to include in a top ten list of ‘Bible Sayings Familiar to Those Unfamiliar with the Bible’. Can you give me some help here?
And for those of you not immersed in the conservative Evangelical church culture as I by vocation and sentiment am, I invite you to nominate verses to populate a list called ‘Bible Sayings Mis-used by Those Familiar with the Bible’. I know there are a number of those out there as well!
Penni Holt
Judge not (lest ye be judged).
God is love.
Randy Greenwald
Good nominees!
Elsa
In the “mis-used by those familiar with the Bible,” I immediately thought of Matt. 18:20. It’s not so much seriously misused as taken out of context. I’ve never heard it used in a way that reflects that it is particularly about church discipline.
Randy Greenwald
That would be, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.”
Good call.
anonymous
I agree with Penni; that was my choice but she got here before I did.
Randy Greenwald
Hmmm. That’s a bit weak. Can’t think of ANY others? !
Eva
The custodian at school told a woman that she needed to have faith in herself because “faith can move mountains.”
Others:
“Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
“[The love of] money is the root of all evil.”
“The Golden Rule”–a favorite of all elementary school teachers.
“Pride goes before a fall”
“I am the light of the world” (Michael Jackson sang that as a lyric in the song that was released posthumously. He was singing about himself, I think.)
I’m just getting started–I like this challenge! š
Eva
Oh, and here are a few more…
“Out of the mouths of babes…”
“There is nothing new under the sun.”
“Spare the rod, and spoil the child” [paraphrased]
The blind leading the blind [paraphrased]
Randy Greenwald
Wow. You ARE on a roll. The real challenge, of course, is whether WE then have a PROPER understanding of these ideas!
Eva
Sorry…two more came to mind this morning. Tell me when to stop.
The other two are:
Betrayed with a kiss.
An eye for an eye.
Randy Greenwald
Who am I to squelch inspiration?
Kedric
There was always some older college basketball commentator who used to say “a child will lead them” to refer to a freshman who was playing well.