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Experiment upon the Word -- Finding Treasures in the
Parallels
Challenge to take a parallel excerpt for which
commentary has been written and ponder for insight prior to reading the
commentary.
Page Contents:
Issuing the Challenge • Index
of Parallel Excerpts w/ Commentary • Share
What You Find • See also
Chiasms & Parallels INDEX
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Dean,* (and whoever else),
I've been meaning to get back to you on what you said regarding the II
Nephi Huge Parallel.
You said that as you looked at it you did not think many of the matches were
matches at all -- very loose at best.
Might I propose to you that one has to immerse himself in this with faith that
there is something there in order to begin seeing it. The Lord has blessed
(burdened) me with a gift in this regard.
Consider the possibility that you have not been patient or believing enough
with it to see what is there.
I would propose the following experiment to illustrate this principle.
Find a segment of parallel text where I have provided commentary. Don't read
the commentary just yet, but note the scripture text being covered. Then go to
the raw parallel, minus my commentary, and read through it. You will see that
your inclination is to think there is nothing there. Now go back and read it
again, this time more slowly. Rather than approaching it as if I am the
author, for which you have little faith that there is something of significant
worth, approach it instead as if you were looking for gems of insight with
faith that the Lord has hidden them on purpose with the intention of them
being found by those who seek them. Ponder over a parallel asking yourself,
"what does this point have to do with the matching point?" Ponder
until something comes to you. And realize that even then, there will likely be
additional insight that will come to you about it as you mull it over even
more. Go to the next one, and do the same thing.
As you do this in faith, believing God has purposely hidden things there for
you to find, and believing that he will reveal them to you as you seek them in
faith, I promise you that you will see some wonderful insights that you have
never considered before. I can make this promise with full confidence because
I've seen this happen so many times. It is a wonderful experience, and draws
you closer to the Lord and to an understanding of his will for us as his
children both individually and collectively.
There are many ways that scriptures can serve as a tool for a person receiving
revelations directly from the Lord. This is one of the best methods I have
found. Perhaps it is easier for me because I the Lord has given me a gift in
this regard. But still, I am confident that this tool can be a blessing in the
lives of others as well -- and that it is intended to do just that.
As a conclusion to this experiment, go to my commentary and read what I have
had to say regarding the correlations. If you have done as I recommended
above, I hope you are more satisfied with what you came up on your own than
with what I have come up with. Things are so much more meaningful when they
have come to you directly. Perhaps there will be a point or two that I bring
out that you might not of thought of on your own at the time that you will
find of value as well. But I bet you will have seen things that I missed too
-- or maybe I saw some of them too, but did not put it in writing because,
after all, one can only record so much, and words are so inadequate sometimes
for conveying impressions given by the spirit. Even then, because your gifts
are different from mine, and your life experiences have been different, I am
confident that you will see things that I did not; and that I would be blessed
if you were to share what you saw in the correlations.
If, perchance, you were lazy in following the first set of instructions for
this experiment, and you did not see much in the parallel when you attempted
it on your own; then I hope that as you read my commentary that you will be
more convinced that there is something and that you need to try it again. If
so, go to another parallel; and this time do the experiment with increased
faith that it will produce positive results. You will be rewarded accordingly.
A list of texts for which I have done commentary is found at
http://www.greaterthings.com/Parallels/Commentary/
In that index, for each listing of a segment for which I've done commentary,
there is a hyperlink labeled "this excerpt." If you click on
that, it will take you to the raw text. Also, the specific region of text is
noted as well, so you know where to start and where to end.
Give it a shot and see if you still draw the conclusion that there is nothing
of substance there. I am confident that if you follow the above instructions
with sincere intent that you will not be disappointed, nor will I.
Sincerely,
Sterling D. Allan
Manti,
Utah; July 8, 2001
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The following is an index of parallel excerpts for which commentaries have
been written, compiled here for the purpose of the experiment proposed above.
If, after doing this exercise, you are inclined to share what you have
found, please submit
it to us so we can consider it for publication on this website.
Next?
Chiasms & Parallels INDEX
Intro | Hybrids
| Bible-OT
| Bible-NT |
BofM-small plates |
BofM-large
plates | Doctrine
& Covenants | PGP |
GenConf |
Other |
Dictionary |
in Script |
Diagrams |
Chronological | Commentary
| Experiment
This page created on July 8, 2001
Last updated on March 13, 2005
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