Thursday, November 18, 2010

Pondering...on the word Self

All this baking has caused me to ponder on a phrase I read.  Someone wrote of 'self' in the Christian woman's context, that writing was doctrinally inferior by its Biblical deficiency...but that phrase made me wonder why it was so inane.

The piece (which was pathetic)had the phrase "left of self" (that is, what remains of self) So then, I thought, when all is said and done: what is left of self is actually "Left of self" I will explain:  I mean directionally-wise.  Meaning actually that the only vestige that is left IS on the left, not on the right.  I know, I know...bare with me.

When self is used in the Bible it is not alone [as we use it today as a stand-alone-entity] it is always accompanied with the word 'own'. So "own self"appears 6 times in scripture.  But as part of a word, it appears 977 times, i.e., thineself, himself, selfsame, myself, etc.

{A note in an old person's Bible said "Self is fles(h)" well, I partially agree...it would be so in today's usage.}

Now...consider this approach.  The use of our words 'right' and 'left' come from the latin dexter and sinister. 
Dexter is the root of the word dexterity which means industrious or productive, by means of using one's right hand primarily.
And Sinister standing all by itself needs no definition.  It is all done (implied) with the left hand, or all that is 'backwards' 'untoward' '\badly' 'evil' etc.  I did not originate the usage.  It's been around for centuries...albeit the use of 'dexter' has lost its bravado, and some people call their dogs Dexter.  My favourite use is Ambidextrous:  which means 'right handed on both sides' [you know, ambi=both, dexter=right hand...]

Well, look here for etymologies, for your own self improvement (mwahaha)

Gotta go and continue baking, next...peach pies with crumble topping...one might call them 'Dutch' peach pies.

I'll leave you with this:

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." I Peter 2:24

In His hands,  ^__^

1 comment:

BellaMama said...

I truly enjoy your explanations of etymology! Refreshing for my "little grey cells"!

Hope you are receiving lots of this cold! Here it was in the mid 20's and will continue until it gets colder.