The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It's difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it...
Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University from 2006 Bible Literary project
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It's not that it's impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work.
Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley from 2006 Bible Literary Project
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I can only say that if a student doesn't know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth
Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University from 2006 Bible Literary Project
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...there is truth in the remark. "without Tyndale[Bible translator], no Shakespeare"...
Prof. David Daniell, University College London from The Bible in English
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You can't really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.
Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame from 2006 Bible Literary Project
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...a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare's art, but Shakespeare's art
Prof. Roland M. Frye from Shakespeare and the Christian Doctrine
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In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references.
Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University from 2006 Bible Literary Project
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There is no book more important for our culture than the Bible, and it is fundametal to the study of English literature and language.
Prof. David Jasper and Prof. Stephen Prickett from the Bible and literature
圖片說明: Forbidden fruit 圖片版權: V. Gilbert and Arlisle F. Beers
聖經經文
And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) “耶和華 神吩咐他說 、園中各樹上的果子 、你可以隨意喫。只是分別善惡樹上的果子、你不可喫 、因為你喫的日子必定死。” (创2:16-17)
意思
當我們說有人偷吃了禁果,一般是指嘗試了一些不該做的不道德的事情。偷嚐禁果很多時指性行為方面。
來源及應用
什么是禁果?在創世之初,上帝告訴亞當不能吃那棵能分辨善惡樹的果子“因為你吃的話就必定死。”(創2:17)亞當和他的妻子沒有聽從吩咐,在吃了第一口禁果后,他們的眼睛明亮了,才知道自己是赤身露體的。他們為此而感到害羞。從此人類就用衣服掩蓋自己的身體。 現在普遍認為當日夏娃偷吃的禁果就是蘋果,這與自中世紀以來,不少油畫及作品用蘋果代表禁果不無關系。John Milton 在他的著作《失落園》中用上蘋果來形容禁果,并寫到“Good and evil we know in the field of this world grow up together almost inseparably..It was from out the rind of one apple tasted, that the knowledge of good and evil, as two twins cleaving together, leaped forth into the world”。但根據圣經的記載,并沒有說明是哪種水果。
A lot of phrases, such as "two-edged sword" and " an eye for an eye", are taken from the English Bible. Learning the stories behind these idioms is fun, and can help boost your vocabulary. Click here to find out now!
Common names such as Joseph and Rachel have their origins in the Bible. Want to know their stories before picking the right name for yourself? Click here to find out.