Autumn is the time of reading books. Do you know what is “the book of books?” The fact, it is the Bible. It is the most popular book of all. Hey you!, you may think “it is just a religious book from abroad.” That is not correct. There are many things around us which come from the Bible. The Bible is not just interesting, but has power of changing ourselves, history and the world.
“Ask and it will be given to you”, “scales fell from eyes”, and “man does not live on bread alone.” These words are from the Bible. The cycle of 7 days a week also comes from the Bible. Just before releasing of new Japanese calendar “Reiwa,” there was time when the AD calendar was used. And we all know AD is based on the birth of Jesus Christ, the hero in the Bible. We can also say that “democracy” which now is in commonplace in Japan, is based on the philosophy of the Bible.
“Gakumon no susume” written by Yukichi Fukuzawa, there is a famous phrase; “Heaven does not make man above man, nor man below man.” It may be difficult to believe, but until the Meiji Restoration, due to the teaching of Confucianism, people believed “people are born with hierarchical relations” for several hundred years. Thus, “Gakumon no susume” was a revolutionary teaching. By the way, this famous phrase of “Heaven does not make above man…” was not actually his own idea. It went on as “it was said to be…” He actually borrowed an ideafrom what he had studied. Then, where was this original idea came from? It was from the Declaration of Independence of the US.
“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This declares all men are created by the Creator, God. This background teaching comes from the Bible. Yukichi Fukuzawa himself was not a Christian. Yet, “Gakumon no susume” which had great impact on the society, was influenced by the Bible.
This is one example which the Bible has influence on our surroundings. How about it. How powerful the Bible is! I am also the one who was changed by getting know the Bible. Autumn is the time of reading. Please read the Bible, and experience the “scales coming of your eyes.”
Youth Pastor Kenshiro Goto
