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Identifying and Understanding Red Letter Scriptures

"Red letter scriptures" refer to editions of the Bible where the words attributed to Jesus Christ are printed in red ink. This practice aims to visually distinguish Jesus's direct speech from the rest of the biblical text, emphasizing his teachings and pronouncements [4, 10, 15, 16, 18]. The term "red letter" itself relates to the color red, which appears in various biblical contexts, such as the place name Miletum, meaning "red" or "scarlet," and Dimon, meaning "where it is red" [1, 2]. The name Rufus also means "red" [3].

The concept behind red letter Bibles is to highlight the centrality of Christ's words. Theologians across different traditions have emphasized the importance of understanding and interpreting scripture, including the words of Jesus. Origen, a patristic scholar, stressed the need for careful investigation of the Scriptures to discern their true meaning, warning against literal interpretations where they might be impossible or misleading [8, 17]. He also noted how Jesus himself critiqued those who had the law but lacked the "key of knowledge" [9].

Reformed theologians like John Calvin extensively commented on various biblical texts, including those containing Jesus's teachings, underscoring their significance for Christian doctrine and life [6, 12, 13]. Similarly, Charles Hodge, a prominent Old Princeton theologian, dedicated significant portions of his Systematic Theology to Christology and the implications of Jesus's life and words [4, 10, 15, 16, 18]. Eastern Orthodox theology, as exemplified by John of Damascus, also places great importance on the divine words revealed in scripture, including those spoken by Christ [11, 14].

While red letter editions serve as a visual aid, they do not imply that Jesus's words are inherently more inspired or authoritative than other parts of the Bible. All scripture is considered divinely inspired and profitable for teaching [4, 10, 15, 16, 18]. However, the practice reflects a devotional emphasis on the direct utterances of Christ, often seen as foundational for Christian ethics and theology. The Jewish tradition, in texts like the Midrash Rabbah, also engages in detailed interpretation of sacred texts, seeking to understand the deeper meanings and implications of divine communication [5, 7].

Sources

  1. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Miletum — red; scarlet”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Dimon — where it is red”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Rufus — red”
  4. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 98: 3:8 3:9 3:9 3:9 3:20 3:20 3:21 3:21 4:11 4:18 Colossians 1:18 1:20 1:27 1:27 2:10 2:10 2:12 2:14 2:16 2:19 2:19 3:3 3:4 3:4 3:4 3:10 3:20 1871 1 Thessalonians 1:10 2:10 2:19 3:13 4:15-17 4:15-17 4:16 5:1 5:2 5:23 14:4 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 1:7 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:9 2 2:1-3 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:2 2:4 2:7 3:6 1 Timothy 1:12 2:4 2:4 2:5 2:6 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:16 3:16 3:16 4:1 4:3 5:14 6:14 2 Timothy 1:10 1:12 3:15 3:16 3:17 4:1 4:8 Titus 1:5 1:6 1:6 1:6 2:13 2:14 2:14 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:10 Hebrews 1:1-14 1:3 1:3 2:1-18 2:4 2:4 2:”
  5. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 75:4: “Messengers [ malakhim ]” – these were flesh and blood messengers. The Rabbis say: Actual angels. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Hagar was Sarah’s maidservant and five angels happened upon her, 8 See Genesis 16:7–12. this one who is the beloved of the household, all the more so. If several angels escorted Eliezer, 9 See Genesis 24:7 and Bereshit Rabba 59:10. who was a slave of the household, this one, who was the beloved of the household, all the more so. Rabbi Yosei said: Joseph was the youngest of the tribes and three angels escorted him; that is what is w”
  6. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 2 Kings 1:12 5:17-19 5:31 6:17 6:17 8:19 10:10 16:10 16:17 17:24-34 19:4 19:35 20:2 20:3 20:9 20:11 20:15 22:1 22:3-4 22:8 22:20 23:16 2 Chronicles 19:6-7 19:6-7 34:15 Ezra 8:21 Nehemiah 1:4 1:5 1:6-7 9:14 Esther 4:16 Job 1:6 1:21 4:17-20 4:18 4:19 5:17 9:2-3 9:3 9:4 9:20 10:15 12:18 12:20 12:24 13:15 14:4 14:5 14:5 14:17 15:15-16 18:17 19:25-27 19:25-27 21:13 26:14 28:21 28:28 28:28 34:30 41:11 110 Psalms 1 1:1 1:2 2:2-4 2:8 2:9 2:9 2:10 2:12 2:12 3 3:5 5:3 5:7 5:7 6:1 7:6 7:9 8:2 8:3 8:4 8:4 9:10 12:2 12:6 14:1 14:3 14:53 15:1-2”
  7. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:9:1: “How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women? How is your beloved more than another beloved, that you administer an oath to us so? My beloved is clear and ruddy, more eminent than ten thousand” (Song of Songs 5:9–10). “How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women?” – the nations of the world say to Israel: “How is your beloved more than another beloved?” In what way is He God more than other gods, in what way is He a protector more than other protectors? Israel says to them: “My beloved is clear and ruddy” – cle”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE GREEK.: long investigation whether this history so deemed literally occurred or not, and whether the literal meaning of this law is to be observed or not. And therefore the exact reader must, in obedience to the Saviour's injunction to" search the Scriptures,"[1] carefully ascertain in how far the literal meaning is true, and in how far impossible; and so far as he can, trace out, by means of similar statements, the meaning everywhere scattered through Scripture of that which cannot be understood in a literal signification.”
  9. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE LATIN. (part 1): law, how it could be said by our Lord Jesus Christ that the keys of knowledge were with them, who had the books of the prophets and of the law in their hands. For thus did He speak: "Woe unto you, ye teachers of the law, who have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them who wished to enter in ye hindered."[3] 11. But, as we had begun to observe, the way which seems to us the correct one for the understanding of the Scriptures, and for the investigation of their meaning, we con”
  10. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 144: 1:23 2:8 2:9 2:22 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:18-19 3:19 3:21 3:22 5:10 2 Peter 1:3 1:3 1:10 1 John 1:1-3 1:1-3 1:7 1:8 1:10 2:1 2:1 2:2 2:2 2:2 2:20 2:20 2:27 3:4 3:16 3:17 3:24 4:9 4:10 4:10 4:10 5:1 5:1-18 5:10 5:12 5:19 Jude 1:4 Revelation 1:5 2:7 5:9 6:9 12:9 13:8 16:10-11 17:14 20:2 20:4 22:2 22:14 22:17 Wisdom of Solomon 2:24 2 Maccabees 7:9”
  11. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1 1:1 1:2 1:2 1:2 1:2 1:2 1:3 1:3 1:5 1:5 1:6 1:6-7 1:8 1:8 1:9 1:10 1:11 1:14 1:22 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:27 1:27 1:28 1:31 1:31 1:31 2 2:2 2:8 2:9 2:9 2:10 2:16 2:16 2:17 2:23 2:25 3 3:1 3:7 3:9 4:1 4:7 4:19 5:3 6:13 6:17 6:18 7:1 7:17 8:11 8:16 8:21 9:3-5 9:6 9:6 11:7 14:18 14:19 15:6 15:16 16:9-10 16:13 17:10 17:12 17:19-20 18:1 18:1 18:10 18:13-14 18:17 18:20 18:20-21 18:25 18:25 18:25-26 19:1 19:1-2 19:24 19:24 19:24 21:1-2 21:17-18 22:12 22:12 22:12 32:26 35:1 35:1 ”
  12. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 84.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1 1:26 3:22 9:6 9:6 9:6 14:13 Exodus 7:11 14:13 14:31 32:32 Leviticus 19:14 Deuteronomy 7:7-8 10:17 13:3 1 Kings 19:18 Job 4:18 Psalms 7:8 35:19 37:5 55:22 55:22 69:28 73:1-12 122:6 128:2 137:6 138:8 138:8 145:18 Proverbs 3:5 5:15 8:36 10:4 Ecclesiastes 9:3 Isaiah 11:4 26:9 30:15 30:21 33:22 42:1 45:23 48:11 50:5 53:1 55:11 55:13 60:2 60:2 60:2 64:8 Jeremiah 5:8 17:9 23:29 31:33 Ezekiel 11:20 Daniel 12:2 Hosea 1:10-11 Amos 9:36 Zechariah 14:8 Malachi 4:2 Matthew 5:11 5:14 5:15 ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 3:6 3:7 3:8 3:14 3:17 3:18 3:18 3:18 4:4 4:4 4:4 4:4 4:6 4:6 4:6 4:7 4:7 4:8 4:8-9 4:10 4:10 4:10 4:13 4:16 5:1 5:2 5:4 5:5 5:6 5:6 5:6 5:6 5:6-7 5:6-7 5:10 5:10 5:10 5:10 5:18 5:18 5:18-19 5:18-21 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:19-20 5:19-21 5:20 5:20 5:20-21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 5:21 6:7-8 6:8 6:16 6:16 6:16 7:1 7:1 7:1 7:1 7:2 7:2 7:10 7:10 8:16-17 9:6 9:7 10:4 10:4-5 10:4-6 10:8 11:2 11:14 11:14 12:2 12:7 12:7 12:8-9 12:9 12:21 13:4 13:4 13:4 13:5 13:13 Galatians 1:1 1:6 1:8 1:18 1:18 2:1-2 2:3 2:3-5 2:6 2:8 2:9 2:11 2:14 2:16 2:19”
  14. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: 45:12 45:14 48:12 53:4-5 53:8 53:8 53:8 53:9 61:1 61:1 64:4 65:1-2 65:2 65:13-16 65:16 65:16 66:1 66:1-2 66:1-2 66:7 Jeremiah 1:6 17:9 23:22 23:24 Ezekiel 27:23 37:7 44:2 Daniel 1:8-16 2:15 2:22 3:20 3:23 6:16 10:2 11:37 12:1-3 Hosea 1:6-7 13:4 13:4 Amos 3:6 Micah 1:3 Zechariah 9:9 Malachi 1:11 3:6 3:6 3:6 3:6 4:2 4:2 4:6 Matthew 1:21 1:21 1:23 1:23 1:25 2:20 3:11 3:15 3:17 3:17 3:17 3:17 3:17 3:17 3:17 3:17 4:2 4:4 5:3 5:5 5:8 5:17 5:17 5:17 6:25 6:26 6:33 7:6 7:18 7:23 8:3 8:3 8:30 9:2 9:4 10:6 10:15 10:16 10:22 10:28 ”
  15. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 144: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 1:26-27 1:27 2:7 2:7 3:1 3:6 3:15 3:15 3:19 3:22 3:22 6:3 6:5 6:5-6 8:21 8:21 10:15-18 15:18 17:13 21:27 37:35 46:15 46:18 46:22 46:25 Exodus 4:16 7:1 10:17 30:12-16 30:15 31:3-4 32:30 32:32 34:6-7 34:7 Leviticus 4:2 4:3 4:20 4:26 5:1 5:6-7 5:16 5:16 5:17 7:1 7:18 16:6 17:10 17:11 17:16 19:8 20:17 22:9 Numbers 6:11 9:1-23 9:13 10:1-36 11:17 14:33 14:34 16:22 18:22 18:32 19:1-22 21:1-36 24:1-25 24:17 27:18 35:31 Deuteronomy 1:39 8:18 10:16 18:18-19 30:6 30:6 Joshua 24:25 Judges 3:10 16:31 1 Samue”
  16. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 98: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:5 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:23 2:24 2:24 4:19 8:10 8:12 9:6 12:3 14:22 15:1-21 17:7 17:12 21:23 22:2 24:1-67 24:3 26:31 27:4 27:12 27:34-38 29:18 29:27 29:28 30:1 34:12 47:31 49:2-4 49:10 49:17 Exodus 1:19 1:20 3:13 3:14 6:8 6:12 16:23 16:26 20:1-26 20:2 21:9 21:12 21:14 21:17 22:10 22:19 23:7 24:8 26:3 26:5 26:6 26:17 31:13 31:14 31:16 31:17 34:28 Leviticus 4:17 7:18 10:11 14:6 17:1-16 17:4 18:1-30 18:6 18:8 18:16 18:18 18:18 18:18 19:12 20:23 23:1-44 24:17 25:39-41 26:1 26:41 Numbers 5:19 6:3-5 19:11 19:11-13”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE GREEK.: holy Scriptures, it is necessary to proceed to the (consideration of the) manner in which they are to be read and understood, seeing numerous errors have been committed in consequence of the method in which the holy documents[1] ought to be examined[2] not having been discovered by the multitude. For both the hardened in heart, and the ignorant persons[3] belonging to the circumcision, have not believed on our Saviour, thinking that they are following the language of the prophecies respecting Him, and not perceiving”
  18. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 144: 2:7 2:28 2:28 3:19 3:21 3:22-23 3:25 3:25 3:25 3:25 3:25 3:25-26 3:28 4:20-21 5:1-1 5:8 5:9 5:10 5:10 5:10 5:10 5:11 5:12 5:12 5:12 5:12 5:12-20 5:12-20 5:12-20 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:15 5:16-17 5:18 5:18-19 5:18-19 5:19 6:1-23 6:4 6:4 6:9 6:14 6:23 7:1-25 7:4 7:4-6 7:32 7:32 8:1-13 8:1-39 8:3 8:7 8:9-1 8:11 8:11 8:11 8:23 8:28 8:29-30 8:29-30 8:29-30 8:30 8:30 8:30 8:32 8:34 8:34 8:35-39 9:1-33 9:1-33 9:5 9:5 9:6 9:9-21 9:11 9:11 9:15-16 9:19 9:22 9:24 10:13 10:14 10:17 11:2 11:”
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