Joel Hendon

Sayings Which Are Credited To The Bible But Are Not In It: Part 3


Posted: Monday, November 28, 2011

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

This is the third, and final part of a series concerning old time sayings which many think came from the Bible, yet they are not there. The sentiments of some are there but the precise quote is not.

God helps those who help themselves: The exact origin of this saying is not known, but it is known to have been around a long, long time. One place which is worded differently is found in one of Aesop’s Fables. Aesop lived from 620 to 564 B.C.

A WAGGONER was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way. At last he came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels. So the Waggoner threw down his whip, and knelt down and prayed to Hercules the Strong. "O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress," quoth he. But Hercules appeared to him, and said:

"Tut, man, don’t sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel. (Aesop:
Hercules and the Waggoner)

Benjamin Franklin was not a believer in the God of the Bible, but he used the phrase in his Poor Richard’s Almanac with only the following change: “The gods help them who help themselves.”

Actually, the bible teaches that God has always helped those who were helpless and could not help themselves.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 KJV) Before Christ died for us, we were helpless in that there was no way we could receive the remission of our sins.

This too shall pass: Many people use this as a means of comforting someone who is in the midst of a burdensome time, a sickness, the passing of a loved one or such thing. It may help their feelings to a degree but it is better for those who are Christian to take comfort in God’s word than the mere ending of some trial from which another may arise. God’s word assures us that, we will be rewarded if we “faint not”.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9 KJV)

God works in mysterious ways: I’ve heard that one many times and some add to the ending, “His wonders to perform”. It is not in the scriptures either with or without the ending. It is a truth that God works in ways that are inconceivable to our finite minds. He is providentially involved in the world to assure that his plans are played out as they were intended.

The lion shall lay down with the lamb: This is taken from two scriptures of prophecy in Isaiah but is somewhat inaccurate. There is no lion mentioned in the verses. But the idea is there. Here are the two verses:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6 KJV)

"The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:25 KJV)

Even though the lion is not mention, it would not significantly change the scriptures, both are symbolic prophetic. It has reference to the coming of the messiah, Jesus Christ and the establishment of his spiritual kingdom (the church), in which all class, all races, ethnicities and other such things that had historically been enemies, would come together in Christ and live united in Him. H ere is a passage in the New Testament which shows fulfillment of those prophecies:

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:23-29 KJV)

Pride comes before the fall: This is a saying probably taken from Proverbs 16:18 but is changed, perhaps to get the point across quickly, or to be easier to remember but the only one known to carry a similar meaning. Here is the King James Version of this common saying: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

There are other quotes that many think are from the Bible but these are probably the most common. But before you risk your soul on any saying, be sure it is from the word of God. Here are four more terms that are not found in the Bible.

The Three Wise men, The Sinner's Prayer, Wedding Vows, The Seven Deadly Sins.
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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