I love the full sentence where this common place is found. In our BA on page 47, Francis Bacon says, "For men believe that their reason governs words; but it is also true that words react on the understanding; and this it is that has rendered philosophy and the sciences sophistical and inactive."
Another way to phrase this--words can have different meanings. I can tell someone I love them, but do they understand which type of love (eros, philos, and agape) I mean? Another is the way we use words (or names) for things that don't exist. Other than intangible things that don't physically exist (abstract ideas like freedom, love, courage, etc.), the words we use words for things that don't exist at all--Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, leprechauns, Unicorns, Tooth Fairy, etc. We even have words to describe nonexistence (nothing, absence, etc.).
According to Bacon, words can be very misleading.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Pax vobis
I first looked into this phrase (Pax vobis) while reading Lancelot Andrewes' sermon in our anthology (BA: 5-14).
Pax vobis is the same as, "Peace be to you." The words are simple but have a huge impact when using them as a greeting. I mean, how would it feel if Christ stood before you and said this? Wow! Well, I would just be stunned if He were infront of me...but that's another story. As Andrewes explains, Christ was the peace-offering to God; and when he greets sinners by calling out Pax vobis, it was a symbol of what was being given to them.
Through Christ's words (Pax vobis), we not only only see a warm greeting, but also an offer of freedom from conflict and sin.
Pax vobis is the same as, "Peace be to you." The words are simple but have a huge impact when using them as a greeting. I mean, how would it feel if Christ stood before you and said this? Wow! Well, I would just be stunned if He were infront of me...but that's another story. As Andrewes explains, Christ was the peace-offering to God; and when he greets sinners by calling out Pax vobis, it was a symbol of what was being given to them.
Through Christ's words (Pax vobis), we not only only see a warm greeting, but also an offer of freedom from conflict and sin.
Friday, February 6, 2009
"Dives"
John Donne-BA 74
"I ask not Dives, who perished in the next world"
When I first read this, I didn't know what Dives was. I checked out the footnotes, and it pointed me to Luke 16:18-31 and Ecclesiastes 5:13. Dives is essentially the rich man. In Ecclesiastes, it refers to a man who was rich, but he had squandered his wealth. Therefore, there was nothing left for his son. However, I think the reference to Luke is the most beneficial to my understanding. This passage refers to a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The poor man lived to eat the scraps off the rich man's table. When they died, the poor man went to Heaven and the rich man went to Hell. The rich man was in continual torment in his final destination.
So, I think the common place (Dives) I chose refers to the rich man in Luke (perishing in the next world) going to Hell.
"I ask not Dives, who perished in the next world"
When I first read this, I didn't know what Dives was. I checked out the footnotes, and it pointed me to Luke 16:18-31 and Ecclesiastes 5:13. Dives is essentially the rich man. In Ecclesiastes, it refers to a man who was rich, but he had squandered his wealth. Therefore, there was nothing left for his son. However, I think the reference to Luke is the most beneficial to my understanding. This passage refers to a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The poor man lived to eat the scraps off the rich man's table. When they died, the poor man went to Heaven and the rich man went to Hell. The rich man was in continual torment in his final destination.
So, I think the common place (Dives) I chose refers to the rich man in Luke (perishing in the next world) going to Hell.
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