<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter P. Snyder Q: I was asked a question in Bible trivia: What is the "Poor Man's Bible"? I saw a picture of one on the internet, but could not find any details as to what it is. Please direct me or help me. A: There are several different answers. As far as an actual book, one that has that title is Froben's "Poor Man's Bible" (1491), noted for its portable (octavo) size, not its cost. Back in those days, even the "poor man's" book often cost more than even moderately well-off people could afford. Another "poor man's Bible" is the cathedral, especially one of older days in Europe. Most of the "poor" were illiterate. So were quite a number of the rich, but they could hire people to read for them. The poor learned their Scripture in large part from the stained glass, statuary, and other art in the cathedrals. Similarly, the windows themselves were sometimes called "poor man's Bibles" for the same reason. Another "poor man's Bible" is a brief doctrinal summary, such as Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This short book includes the major points of the Law (10 Commandments), God's activity in creating, redeeming, and sanctifying (the Creed), prayer (Our Father), and God forgiving us in Baptism, Holy Absolution, and the Lord's Supper. Q: About when was the Holy Bible written and on what material? A: The Bible's current written form probably began a little before 1400 BC, with Moses. While I firmly believe that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he may have drawn from some earlier written sources, as well as the oral history of Israel. The end of our written Scriptures came with the Apocalypse (or Revelation). It was from around AD 100. Thus, the entire process of dictating or writing the Bible took place over about fifteen hundred years. Aside from the possibility that Moses may have gotten information concerning antediluvian (pre-flood) history from clay or stone tablets, the first Scriptures probably were recorded on some type of fairly permanent material such as vellum (specially prepared animal skins), which is expensive but very durable. While papyrus (a forerunner of paper) has long existed, it quickly became brittle, and wouldn't be the first choice for a permanent record. This may not have kept it from being used during the New Testament period, when multiple copies seem to have appeared almost immediately after the original documents were written. Thousands of fragments of New Testament texts exist from the early centuries AD. Ultimately, we can only guess as to the exact material of each book's writing, since none of the autographs (original manuscripts) still exist, as far as we know. Their disappearance may have been God's way of stopping people from worshiping the documents instead of their divine Author. Q: Wouldn't you say that God is beyond gender and serves as both Mother and Father? A: While God is beyond our comprehension, he reveals himself as Father. Still, he also applies female descriptions to himself. Usually these are nurturing, but, in the case of Isaiah 42, he likens himself to a woman thrashing about in violent, painful labor. Similarly, while most of Jesus' illustrations of himself and his Father are masculine, he does compare himself to a mother hen. Overall, however, a stronger case could be made for reserving "Mother" as a title for the Christian Church, the place of our nurture and raising as children of our heavenly Father. This feminine description is congruent with the Bible calling the Church Christ's Bride. Q: I'm trying to discover if "the Lord helps those that help themselves" is a Bible-based quote. Can you help? I can't find it. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. A: You can't find it because this statement isn't in the Bible. In actuality, the concept itself isn't Biblical. God helps those who cannot help themselves. All that we have comes from God. Thus, we are taught to ask our Father to "give us this day our daily bread." We learn to "cast all our cares" on the One who not only cares for us, but who can remove our doubts and worries and replace them with confidence. The ultimate proof that "God helps them who help themselves" is not true is in our redemption and forgiveness. If we could "help ourselves," then Christ would not have come to carry our sins, to suffer, and to die. Also, the Holy Spirit would not be necessary to lead us to faith. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1999 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.