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Bible Study Can anyone help me understand this verse?

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Well, I think it's talking about two different things, if that's what's confusing. It's not the joy of bitterness, it's joy and bitterness. In other words, as individuals we are private in both our sadness and elation.
 
i think of it like an existential thing...you know, you come into the world alone, you leave the same way. yes, people can love people and be connected to people, but...there's always "stuff" that stays within a person, no matter how much they may express what they feel and think, etc. I think that inability to fully connect with another human being is part of the tragedy of human existence...but it can help drive us closer to God.

((personal opinion))
 
I think KevinK has it. The bitterness (or griefs or sadness) within our heart is a man's own, and no one can know it for it is our own. Likewise, our hearts joys and gladness is our own and no one can know it either, for it is our own.

Sort of along the lines of, you can't know a man unless you've walked a mile in his shoes. Each of us have our own shoes, meaning path to walk and no two paths are alike.

On the plus side of this, consider that, the Lord has set you on your path and given you desires and experiences all your own, which will give you the experience, knowledge and skills to be able to fulfill your destiny unto the Lord better than any other man who ever lived. You are unique and one of a kind to the Lord. No one can do what Brock can do, like Brock can do it.
 
Hi Brock I agree with Edward.
Also if you tell me all the sadness within your heart I will feel it to some degree, but I still will not know or feel the full extent of your sadness. The same goes for the joy in your heart.
We can share and support each other but not feel your suffering or joy to the extent that you do.
It is your suffering, your joy and your heart.
 
Proverbs 14:10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.
imo this means that there are deep emotions that go beyond words - happy and sad emotions - and it is hard for others to know exactly how or why we feel the way we do

so this creates a little bit of aloneness - as much as we try to explain ourselves to others with our words - it's difficult to fully do this

i suppose if we had the ability to read minds and feel what another is feeling we could truly empathize with each other

so as christians the best we can do is be kind to others when they are sad and be happy for others when they are joyful - and be careful to not judge/criticise/presume/assume/correct someone when they are trying to express their deep emotions
 
Verse 10
The heart knoweth his own bitterness - נפשו מרת morrath naphsho, "The bitterness of its soul." Under spiritual sorrow, the heart feels, the soul feels; all the animal nature feels and suffers. But when the peace of God is spoken to the troubled soul, the joy is indescribable; the whole man partakes of it. And a stranger to these religious feelings, to the travail of the soul, and to the witness of the Spirit, does not intermeddle with them; he does not understand them: indeed they may be even foolishness to him, because they are spiritually discerned.

Adam Clarke Commentary
 
imo this means that there are deep emotions that go beyond words - happy and sad emotions - and it is hard for others to know exactly how or why we feel the way we do

so this creates a little bit of aloneness - as much as we try to explain ourselves to others with our words - it's difficult to fully do this

i suppose if we had the ability to read minds and feel what another is feeling we could truly empathize with each other

so as christians the best we can do is be kind to others when they are sad and be happy for others when they are joyful - and be careful to not judge/criticise/presume/assume/correct someone when they are trying to express their deep emotions

Well said Brother.

so this creates a little bit of aloneness - as much as we try to explain ourselves to others with our words - it's difficult to fully do this

I know. I try and it usually ends up in a 17 paragraph post, rambling on, Lol. I have heard that communication will be a lot different in heaven. Words are a very ineffective means of communication.
Especially here on this earth. From what I understand, in heaven communication is much better and no words are really needed. You have a question that you want to ask a brother or sister and I guess its sorta like telepathy or something. You focus on them and they know what you want to know, so they just release it to you and it is like you immediately fully experience what it is to it's completion. and you know it as good as, as if you had already experienced it and have the memory from it...something like that.

We are one body and are (will be, lol) unified completely in spirit with the Lord and each other.

I can't wait for that. That sounds so cool. Even on earth right now, words spoken to one another, account for about 6 or 7% of the communication between people. The rest is body language, tone, inflection and all that.
 
I have never heard about our communication with each other in heaven before Edward.
What you say our communication here on earth about words being 6 or 7% of communication shows just how easy it is to take the wrong view of the written word. That is something to tell us to think about and pray before we write. A but scary.
 
Well said Brother.
I know. I try and it usually ends up in a 17 paragraph post, rambling on, Lol. I have heard that communication will be a lot different in heaven. Words are a very ineffective means of communication.
Especially here on this earth. From what I understand, in heaven communication is much better and no words are really needed. You have a question that you want to ask a brother or sister and I guess its sorta like telepathy or something. You focus on them and they know what you want to know, so they just release it to you and it is like you immediately fully experience what it is to it's completion. and you know it as good as, as if you had already experienced it and have the memory from it...something like that.

We are one body and are (will be, lol) unified completely in spirit with the Lord and each other.

I can't wait for that. That sounds so cool. Even on earth right now, words spoken to one another, account for about 6 or 7% of the communication between people. The rest is body language, tone, inflection and all that.
amen - it does sound wonderful - i never thought it through to the extent you expressed it but i like what you said - it makes sense

scriptures say Jesus knew what they were thinking (Matthew 12:25 - Luke 5:22 - Luke 6:8) - and God sees/looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7) - so i do agree with you there is a better form of communication available in heaven
 
I have never heard about our communication with each other in heaven before Edward.
What you say our communication here on earth about words being 6 or 7% of communication shows just how easy it is to take the wrong view of the written word. That is something to tell us to think about and pray before we write. A but scary.
another awesome point - i never thought of that but you are right - we can barely understand each other properly - so how well do we really understand God's words properly - this is probably the reason we have so many scriptural disagreements
 
Yes I think KevinK explained the best.
Yes, he picked up on something I think is helpful. I find it helpful sometimes to read several different translations to see if there are any differences. Sometimes a verse is just worded a little differently, in a way that ‘clicks’ better with me personally in one or the other of the popular translations. You used the NIV. I used the KJV all through my early teens. I used the NIV for many years when it first came out. I used the NASB after that and like them all.

While studying a little NT Greek, someone recommended the Lexham English Bible to me. I kind of like it now. The intent is supposedly to be the most literal translation of them all. If I see any significant differences in translations, I’ll look at the original Hebrew/Greek to the best of my ability using some beginners textbooks I’ve purchased or at least an interlinear.

Anyway, here it is in the LEX:

The heart knows the bitterness of its soul, but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.
Proverbs 14:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Proverbs 14:10&version=LEB

I think the proverb (as with Jesus’s numerous teachings) is teaching us not to store up bitterness (resentment) in our hearts (which is human nature to do, at least it is for me).

Look at the proverbs gathered around it. They deal with this subject as well.

Even in laughter, a heart may be sad, and the end of joy may be grief. From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied, and from his own, so shall a good man.
Proverbs 14:13-14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Proverbs 14:13-14&version=LEB

Anyway, just some thoughts.
 
I think the proverb (as with Jesus’s numerous teachings) is teaching us not to store up bitterness (resentment) in our hearts (which is human nature to do, at least it is for me).

It prolly is human nature but we must strive to remove all bitterness in our hearts. When you have bitterness in your heart towards someone you tend to be judgmental and critical towards that person and perhaps others. Be careful not to judge or look down on others for any reason. They are not less than me, I hold them up higher than I do myself because they probably didn't know what they were doing when they did whatever it was that wronged me and created the bitterness in my heart towards the.

They had just beat Jesus up and crucified Him, and He prayed for them, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do...so, in us looking down on these people and being judgmental and critical, we may sin worse than they did for wronging us in the first place!

It is hard. I have been there done that. When I found it hard to forgive someone for wronging me (so I could let loose of the bitterness within my heart), I felt like, I can not do this for "Them"...so I prayed for help and spoke the words and focused my intent on making it an act of my will to forgive this person...

...and that my Brother, helped me to forgive them and let loose of the bitterness.
 
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV
 
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