Add or detract?

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the secretary Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote on it at Jeremiah’s dictation all the words of the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them. (Jeremiah 36:32).

A particular phrase here catches my attention: "and many similar words were added to them". Such is a widespread belief of what happened to Scripture. Words of clarifications, interpretations, definitions, possible daily-life applications, and stories were added to the original documentation of Scripture.

Some would say that is an awful thought. But, for me, it enhances the necessity of struggling with what today's Scripture lesson means to my own life. For example, that "many similar words" phrase pushes me to ask this question:

Will my life lived today add or detract from God's basic message of

"love God, neighbor, self and enemy"?

My prayer and hope is that my life will add to God's basic message. Now may your life do so as well.