Sayings We Get From the Bible…

Which of the following actually comes from the good book?

1. Buy one get one free
2. Touch wood
3. There’s a God-shaped hole in all of us
4. Thirteen’s unlucky
5. Money is the root of all evil
6. Pride comes before a fall
7. Jesus is beautiful
8. Don’t walk under ladders
9. You need your five-a-day
10. A nagging wife is like a dripping tap
11. It does exactly what it says on the tin

Answers:

1. You could argue that Noah used this sales technique to get two of every kind of animal aboard his ark, but so far we have no proof that he instigated what has now become prevalent practice amongst travel agents everywhere.

2. Not pure Bible – but it is a saying inspired by the crucifixion. The wood being the cross, so though it’s not actually from the Good Book, it is inspired by the Bible.

3. Probably featured in St Paul’s third letter to the Corinthians – the one that didn’t make the final cut of the Good Book.

4. Thirteen’s unlucky? Another one not mentioned directly in the Bible, but it does come from the belief that there were thirteen at the last supper. So it is a saying we get from the Bible. They probably weren’t all sitting on one side of the table though, as featured in the Da Vinci classic. Contrary to Dan Brown’s findings Da Vinci wasn’t actually there that night to capture the true picture. And there was probably a lot more than thirteen at the meal. But fifty-seven being unlucky just doesn’t have the same ring somehow.

5. Okay. This one is a direct quote – but you could argue it’s a misquote. 1 Timothy 6 v 10 actually says – The love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself is neutral of course, it’s what you do with it that counts. Just as a pair of scissors can be useful or deadly. Just as Saturday night TV can be Strictly Come Dancing or Britain’s Got Talent.

6. Pride and falling – Proverbs 16 says – Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Pretty much it then. Ouch.

7. Jesus is beautiful. Don’t get me started. The Hello Magazine-rating of the Messiah features in rather a lot of songs lately, unlike Isaiah’s description of the man who had nothing about him that was particularly attractive. Hmmm…

8. Ladders do feature from time to time in the Bible, not least in renegade Jacob’s dream. Jesus pinched the image to describe himself at the start of John’s gospel, indicating that, where angels go, it’s a sure sign that God’s in the vicinity. But walking under ladders doesn’t put in an appearance.

9. So many of us just shouldn’t be here today because we had no idea we needed our five a day. I shouldn’t be here writing this blog and you shouldn’t be here reading it. No doubt if Moses had known about it he would have added it as the eleventh commandment. But he didn’t.

10. Check out proverbs 19 verse 13. That’s the one. Also features in proverbs 27 – when the aforementioned woman is likened to dripping in general. No doubt a pathetic husband is like a damp handkerchief.

11. Nope, no sign of this one. Though it gets everywhere today. You can’t even use it to describe the Bible, as the Good Book doesn’t carry any grand claims or overblown promises on the front. It’s just there, on the shelf, waiting to be discovered.

And so to the final scores – you could say there are 3 that do feature, and 2 inspired by.
And it also depends of course which version of the Good Book you read.

Thanks for taking part. No cash prizes I’m afraid. But as they say – It’s the competing that counts. Another phrase that doesn’t feature in the Good Book.

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