Xenos
Christian Fellowship
Christian Ministry Unit 2
Using Your Bible
Week 1 – Interpreting and Applying the Bible
Editors’ note:
·
Italics
(lower case or ALL CAPS) show what students should write in their student
outline.
·
Bold (including bold italics and bold
ALL CAPS) shows what appears in the student outline.
·
Regular
text is used for lecture notes; ALL CAPS are used for emphasis.
Introduction
to Christian Ministry 2
The focus of Christian Ministry 2
is the Bible itself: how to trust it, how to navigate your way through the
various books, and how to apply it in your life and ministry.
Every
week 100’s of Bible studies take place all across Xenos—in cell groups, in home
groups, in Oasis classrooms, and at Central Teachings. 5 different CT’s are
currently being taught each weekend. As cell groups, home groups, and spheres
multiply, how can we ensure that the truth is being taught?
(David Garrison) “Missionaries
experienced in Church Planting Movements would never admit to sacrificing
orthodoxy (sound Bible teaching) for the sake of rapid reproduction. Instead
they have learned to build the theological controls into the DNA of each church
rather than trying to continually reinforce them from the outside.”1
How
are you going to pass on good “DNA” to your disciples and the cell groups and
churches that you send out? Everyone will have to answer to God for the legacy
of their own ministry. It is only as we use the Word effectively to back up our
advice, our counsel, our praise, and our rebukes that others around us will see
its importance and do the same.
(Acts 20:20) “…I did not shrink from
declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and
from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of
repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(2 Timothy 4:2) “…preach the word;
be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great
patience and instruction.”
We
have to develop a ministry that in all aspects is anchored in and informed by
the Word.
How do I go about learning &
understanding such a big body of information?
·
Learn the broad storyline.
We will do this throughout the course.
·
Learn and follow sound rules of interpretation
(hermeneutics) – the focus of this week’s
lecture.
·
Learn the main themes.
·
Learn the literary genres.
(Define genre)
·
Learn how to discern the structure of books & think inductively.
·
Read all of it.
What kind of response unleashes its
power?
·
A humble and teachable heart that seeks to OBEY
what is learned.
(James 1:22) “And remember, it
is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only
fooling yourself.”
Can
the Bible be understood?
The consensus in the world today is
that the average person can't accurately interpret what the Bible says. Do the
following statements sound familiar to you?
"We should rely on the
clergy/experts to tell us what the Bible means."
This statement reflects the
assumption that the meaning of scripture is beyond the reach of the average
person.
"People have always
disagreed about the meaning of the Bible. That’s why there are so many
different denominations.”
People have disagreed, and
sometimes their disagreements have been brutal. So is the best posture
tolerance of hermeneutical diversity? To what extent? Are all meanings valid?
"The Bible has been used
to justify everything you can think of. You can make it mean anything you want
it to mean."
We can show clear historical
instances in which people have interpreted the Bible through their own cultural
values, often without even being aware of it. Examples: slavery (using Old
Testament permission vs. Philemon & New Testament silence); women
(patriarchal views vs. Bible); capitalism as a biblically sanctioned economic
system; Christian psychology self-help books proof-texting secular theories
(e.g. self-esteem).
Can we become aware of our own
cultural values sufficiently to avoid this, or should such historical abuse
lead us to cynicism about the possibility of "objective
interpretation?"
"That's just your
interpretation." "It's impossible to determine the original author's
meaning, rather, as we read it, we create our own meaning for the text."
These statements reflect the
relativism and postmodernism that has permeated our whole culture.
These are secular, non-Christian
objections to finding truth in the Bible. But what about the following
scenario…
In a home Bible study when
someone says "What this passage means to me is . . ." And then
someone else says, "That's great. But I got a different meaning (and
his meaning is contradictory)." And everyone concludes by saying "Praise
God for all the great insight we're getting!" By affirming any
interpretation that is put forth, aren’t they admitting the there is no true
meaning in the text? Aren't they violating the law of non-contradiction by
accepting contradictory interpretations?
Perspicuity
We maintain that the Bible is
“perspicuous,” in other words, that it is “essentially clear.”
Definition of biblical perspicuity: the
Bible is understandable with regard to its main message.
Everything in the Bible is not
equally clear (2 Pet. 3:15,16), but the main message is sufficiently clear for
us to be saved and accomplish God's purpose. The biblical authors assumed their
readers could understand their main message, as these passages demonstrate:
John 20:31 - John thinks that his
book is understandable enough that the average reader of his day could get
saved by reading it (see also 1 Jn. 5:13).
2 Tim. 3:14,15 - Paul says the main
message of scripture is understandable enough for children to get saved by it.
"The Bible is basically clear
and lucid. It is simple enough for any literate person to understand its basic
message. This is not to say that all parts of the Bible are equally clear or
that there are no difficult passages or sections to be found in it. Laymen
unskilled in the ancient languages and the fine points of exegesis may have
difficulty with parts of scripture, but the essential content is clear enough
to be understood easily." – R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1977), p 15.
This belief in perspicuity was a
major element in Reformation thinking. Luther opposed the Roman Catholic
teaching that only the clergy was qualified to interpret the Bible.
Responses to attacks on Biblical perspicuity
1. “The Bible is so complicated. Who could understand it?”
Response: Doesn't it make sense that
if a loving God has recorded a vital message for humans, he would
communicate it in such a way that we can understand that message? Only a
cruel, sadistic God would purposefully record his message in such an obscure
way that we could not be reasonably certain we understand it. This is a
presuppositional defense.
Honest readers of the Bible will see
for themselves that the main doctrines are clearly taught and emphasized.
"When it comes to the central
core of the Christian faith . . . the biblical evidence is overwhelming. The
deity of Christ, the triune nature of God, the creation of the world by God,
the sinfulness of all humanity, salvation by grace through faith, the
resurrection of the dead—these and many other such matters are clearly taught
in scripture." - James Sire, Scripture Twisting (Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 1980), pp. 12,13.
If you want your young children to
understand something important, you say it to them several times and in
different ways. There are many doctrines which are repeated and stated in many
ways for clarity sake. Examples: How we get his acceptance--different atonement
words to different audiences; our dilemma with God is spiritual and moral; that
God is a personal God; etc.
2. "If it's so easy to interpret, why are there so many
denominations?"
Response: Wherever the Bible has
been the final authority, Christians have agreed on the main message. Their
disagreements with each other have been over issues which, while often important,
are not crucial. This is why documents like the Apostles Creed can be
formulated and agreed on by Christians from many different denominations down
through the centuries. This is why it is possible for us to provide you with a
concise "Statement of Faith" which agrees with historic Christianity.
“If that’s
the case, then why do ‘Christian’ groups disagree on essential doctrines?"
Response: "Christian"
groups have disagreed in their interpretation of even essential doctrines
(CATHOLICS). How can this be explained? The answer to this question is
surprisingly simple: Because another authority has replaced God's Word.
They have made either official or unofficial additions to the canon. The Bible
is then ignored and/or twisted to support that new authority's doctrines. There
are hundreds of examples of this:
RELIGIOUS TRADITION: Rabbinic
"oral law" (Mk. 7:5-13)
e.g. “Sacred tradition” in the
Catholic Church. "Sacred tradition and sacred Scripture form
one sacred deposit of the Word of God committed to the Church ... the task of
authentically interpreting the Word of God, whether written or handed on, has
been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose
authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ ... It is clear, therefore,
that sacred tradition, sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the
Church, are in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined
together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and
each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute
effectively to the salvation of souls."2
NEW "SCRIPTURES": Book
of Mormon; Apocrypha (on purgatory)
"KEYS" TO BIBLICAL
INTERPRETATION: Christian Science's Key To Science & Health; Rev. Moon's
Divine Principle.
SKEWED TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE:
Jehovah's Witness's Watchtower Version (Jn. 1:1); Mormon Bible
ALIEN PRESUPPOSITIONS: Naturalism in
Thomas Jefferson's Revised Deist Bible; Liberal Theology; Pantheistic Avatars
(manifestations of the divine light); Postmodern Thought
So the issue here is actually not
one of differing interpretations at all, or that the Bible is unclear on
essential matters, but of differing spiritual authorities.
3. "We're too far removed in
time and culture from the original authors. Therefore, we could never
understand what they intended.”
Response: We read other pieces of
ancient literature like the Illiad or the Tao Te Ching with much less
skepticism about our ability to understand them. If we approach the Bible
like we would approach any other piece of literature, we find that its main
message is indeed understandable.
e.g. Consider this statement:
"GO TO THE KROGER STORE AND BUY 10 LBS. OF POTATOES." Now we might
reasonably ask which Kroger store and which kind of potatoes. If we were
unfamiliar with American culture, we might even ask what a potato is and how
much a pound is. But would it ever be acceptable to interpret this statement to
mean: "GO TO THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS AND MEDITATE ON YOUR NAVEL?"
Would it be correct to say no one can be confident he understands this
statement?
Now consider this statement:
"HE WHO BELIEVES IN THE SON HAS ETERNAL LIFE; BUT HE WHO DOES NOT OBEY THE
SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE, BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM." (Jn. 3:36) We
might reasonably ask who the Son is, what "believe" means, or if
"believe" and "obey" are being used synonymously. But would
it ever be acceptable to interpret this statement to mean: "IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHAT RELIGION YOU BELIEVE BECAUSE EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN?" Would
it be correct to say that no one can be confident he understands this
statement?
The truth is, people are always
engaged in interpretation—even when they are not reading the Bible. Every type
of communication we participate in requires a degree of interpretation.
So we affirm that the Bible is
essentially clear. Its main themes and teachings can be understood by the
average reader today. But that said, it does require effort to understand a
message originally written to an ancient audience and apply it to our lives
today.
Interpreting the original message
and applying to our lives
We truly are separated from the
original authors and readers of the Bible in many ways: by time, language,
culture, geography, etc.
This separation is accentuated by
two additional factors, the reader’s “grid” and the nature of the Bible itself.
·
The reader’s “grid”: We as readers are not neutral. We
bring our own experiences and prior understandings to the text. They form a
“grid” through which we take in information. One way we do this is by
associating words with meanings they may not have originally had (e.g. a
“Samaritan” today is a good person, back then they were despised.). Our grid
shapes the way we read the text and can lead us astray if we’re not careful.
·
The nature of Scripture: Books of the Bible were written
to specific groups of people at specific times in history. John Stott
points out: “Although his self revelation is addressed to every man of every
age and every country, each part of it was addressed in the first instance to a
particular people of a particular age in a particular country. Therefore the
permanent and universal message of Scripture can be understood only in the
light of the circumstances in which it was originally given.” – Stott, p. 192,
193.
Taking this into account, good
interpretation must involve careful study of how the language of scripture was
originally used (this will minimize the effects of our “grid”), and careful
study of the historical setting in which these messages were written.
Grammatico-Historical
Hermeneutics
“Hermeneutics”
is the art and science of interpreting texts. There are many
hermeneutical approaches to studying the Bible. The one we will employ in this
class is Grammatico-Historical hermeneutics.
Grammatico-Historical hermeneutics
is a method of interpretation that takes into account common rules of GRAMMAR
and SYNTAX and the author’s HISTORICAL context.
The goal of Grammatico-Historical
hermeneutics is to ascertain as closely as possible the meaning intended by the
original author. We want the interpreter to remain under the authority of the
text (exegesis) instead of imposing his or her meaning on the text (eisegesis).
If we can accomplish this, we can hear God speak to us through his inspired
author! A goal worth pursuing.
The difference between
interpretation and application
Before we describe this method in
detail, we should pause to make a clear distinction between INTERPRETATION and
APPLICATION.
Interpretation is the
author's intended meaning.
Application is how the reader
should respond.
While there may be MANY valid APPLICATIONS of a text, there is only ONE valid INTERPRETATION. Students may recall from Introduction to the Bible class that the passages we studied had a single meaning but with many applications. Instructors: Remind students that these terms will be on the exam.
(Matthew 22:39) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Is Jesus saying that we cannot
venture into loving others until we first have a healthy love for ourselves?
This is a common misinterpretation. Or does Christ presume that we already love
ourselves, even selfishly, and therefore we need to step out NOW and serve
others? The latter most certainly squares with the rest of scripture.
The passage has one correct
interpretation. And once we’ve settled on the correct one, “loving your
neighbor as yourself” can then be applied many ways (comforting a grieving
friend, helping a neighbor move, tutoring an underprivileged child, telling
your neighbor about forgiveness through Christ, etc.). There are probably more
applications than we’d like to consider!
Before we apply any passage to our
own lives, we must interpret correctly. Now let’s take a closer look at two
principles that guide interpretation using the Grammatico – Historical method.
1. Interpret GRAMMATICALLY
Take the normal meaning of the
words, phrases and sentences unless it is impossible to do so. The
interpretation must correspond to the words and grammar in the text in a
reasonable way. Most of the Bible can be easily interpreted by simply take
the language (either in the original or in translation) in the usual way (John
3:36; Acts 1:11). So, in most cases, “if the plain sense makes sense, seek no
other sense!”
Hermeneutical approaches that fail
to observe this rule often lead to interpretations that are disconnected from
what the text actually says. This allows the interpreter to assign a meaning of
his own without objective control.
e.g. Allegory
In an allegorical hermeneutic (many
church fathers in the 2nd – 4th centuries, Augustine, Medieval Catholic Church,
Amillennialists in their interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy), the details
of the passage under study have a corresponding spiritual reality which leads
to the “real” or ultimate meaning of the passage.
(Deuteronomy 14:6) “You may eat
any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud.”
Allegorical interpretation:
“Cleave unto those that fear the Lord… with those who know that meditation is a
work of gladness and who chew the cud of the word of the Lord. But why that
which divides the hoof? Because the righteous man both walks in this world and
at the same time looks for the holy world to come.” – Epistle of Barnabus
14:35-453
Equating “chewing cud” with
“chewing the cud of the Word” and “dividing the hoof” with “walking in this
world and the holy world to come” may make sense to the interpreter, but
there’s no way to know if these connections were in the mind of the author. As
a result, there is no objective control over the interpretation. For this
reason, we reject any approach that doesn’t first consider the normal meaning
of the words and phrases in the text.
Qualifications:
a. Allow for
figures of speech.
A plain sense
reading shouldn’t be confused with a literalistic interpretation. A
literalistic interpretation ignores the use of figures of speech.
Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you
with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness
will be your shield and rampart.”
Lk. 22:19 - " . . . this is
my body . . . "
Col. 1:15 – "…the
first-born of all creation…"
Both Nicodemus
in John 3 and the Samaritan woman in John 4 took Jesus’ message to them in
excessively literalistic ways.4
b. Allow for
symbolism.
If a passage is
symbolic or contains symbols, this should be indicated in the text, either by
textual cues or because symbolism is required in order to make sense of the
text. The Bible itself explains most symbols:
Revelation 1:9-20 – The
symbols are identified as such ("like") and explained. Most of
biblical symbols are handled this way. Many other symbols in Revelation have
been previously explained in Daniel.
Revelation 7:14 – John says
that the robes of the saints are “made white in the blood of the lamb.”
Obviously, literal blood would not make their robes white. Rather the symbol
communicates the powerful truth that our righteousness (“white robes”) is due
entirely to Christ’s death (“blood of the lamb”) in which we have put our trust
(“washed their robes”).
2. Interpret HISTORICALLY
Take into account the historical
background of the author and the recipients.
This is the opposite of a
“yearbook” approach, where students go directly to their own picture. When we
start by looking for ourselves in the text, we risk reading through our
cultural “grid,” and seeing things in the text things that were not in the mind
of the author.
We are not interested at first in
the question, "What does it mean to me?" but rather,
"What did it mean to the original audience?" To answer this question,
we must learn as much as we can about the SITUATION that gave rise to the
passage, the STYLE in which it was written, and the CULTURE of that day.
·
Situation: Who wrote and to whom? What
was the situation that prompted the writing?
·
Style: The type of literature (genre)
being used.
The writers of the Bible employ
many different writing styles that often reflect the time and culture in which
they wrote. Readers today are not familiar with many of these literary styles
(genres). Yet the style being used should effect how we interpret each passage.
The Proverbs, for example, are a
collection of short, pithy bits of practical wisdom. But they shouldn’t be
taken as universally true like the theological statements in the gospels and
epistles. Proverbs are maxims which are generally true, not promises that are
always true.
(Proverbs 22:6) Train up a child
in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
We realize, not every child will go
right, but most will.
(Proverbs 15:1) A gentle answer
turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Obviously, not every gentle word
will turn away wrath, but in most cases it works.
Contrast these to the didactic
teaching of Rom. 8:1. Christians will never be condemned by God.
Which literary genres are used in
the Bible? They include Narrative, Epistle, Parable, and so on. We will take a
closer look at various literary genres in the Bible throughout this course.
·
Culture: The customs, prejudices and
beliefs during biblical times.
Day-to-day life in ancient cultures
is unfamiliar to most people who read the Bible. Understanding cultural
customs, prejudices, and beliefs during biblical times provides additional
insight into many passages.
e.g. Jewish attitudes towards
Samaritans in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
e.g. The Pharisees’ teaching on
the relationship between illness and sin in Mark 2:1-12.
e.g. The significance of
monetary values (300 Denarii in John 12:3-5; 50,000 Drachma in Acts 19:19).
e.g. Genesis 15:7-21 – “Cutting
a covenant” solemnized a contract between two parties. It was normally
bilateral (both parties walked through), but in this case only God goes
through.
e.g. 1 Corinthians 11:4-6 –
Shorn hair was typical of Aphrodite priestess-prostitutes; shaven heads were
typical of convicted adulteresses (v. 5).
Use Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias, commentaries, or other sources to learn more about customs, money, geography, etc. Another great resource is the Bible Background Commentary.
The IVP Bible Background
Commentary: Old Testament, by John H. Walton, et al.
The IVP Bible Background
Commentary: New Testament, by Craig S. Keener.
Interpreting
Critically
Your interpretation must also make
rational sense. The hermeneutical rules that follow are either common sense
rules that would apply to any text or logical implications of our belief that
the Bible is God’s Word to us.
1. Interpret in light of the context
of the passage (which author? book? passage?). Never view a passage in
isolation from its surroundings. The context should be considered the most
important kind of evidence in the interpretation of a passage. Remember the
comics? They assume a common context or their meaning is lost. Only when no
critically feasible interpretation can be found can we claim that a break in
context was intended.
(Matthew 16:28) "Truly I
say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste
death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." The
immediate context of this passage suggests that Jesus is referring to his
transfiguration, which Peter, John, and James were about to witness. See 2
Peter 1:16 – Peter confirms that he was an eye witness of Christ's
"majesty."
e.g. James 1:6-8 - The
"doubter" is not simply any Christian who has occasional doubts. He
is the "double-minded man," whom James further describes in 4:8. By
taking into account the wider context of the book, we see that the doubter
pretends to embrace God’s values while embracing the values of the world.
2. Interpret in light of “progressive
revelation.”
(Heb. 1:1,2) “God, after He
spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many
ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of
all things, through whom also He made the world.”
(Heb 8:13) “When He said, ‘A new
covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete
and growing old is ready to disappear.”
While God's purpose for man
has never changed, his strategy in accomplishing that purpose has
changed. He has dealt with man under different "covenants," or
"dispensations." Therefore, it is important to ask, "Under which
program was this written?" Primary application of the passage will
be to the people operating under that program, but not necessarily to others.
There may be secondary applications for other programs based on principles
which have universal application.
e.g. Compare Exodus 20:8-10 with
Colossians 2:16,17
(Ex. 20:8-10)
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and
do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it
you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your
female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you."
(Col. 2:16,17) “Therefore let no
one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or
a new moon or a Sabbath day – (17) things which are a mere shadow of what is to
come; but the substance belongs to Christ."
Animal sacrifices, dietary laws, Sabbaths,
holy days, festivals, priests and liturgy have all been fulfilled in Christ and
are thus obsolete
e.g. Theocracy was commanded in the
Old Testament, but secular government is affirmed in the New Testament (Rom.
13:1-7; Mt. 22:21).
e.g. Mal. 3:7-12 - The practice of
tithes should be seen in context of the Old Testament (see Num. 18:21-24; Deut.
14:22-29)
3. Interpret scripture in harmony
with other scripture.
The entire Bible is the product of
one author (God), even though it is the product of many authors (the men who
wrote scripture). Therefore, it is reasonable to expect a consistent message
throughout the Bible.
Your interpretation must make sense
in view of the Bible as a whole. Since the Bible is inspired by God, it does
not contradict itself. Therefore, never interpret scripture in such a way that
it clearly contradicts other scriptures. If a passage can be legitimately
interpreted in more than one way, choose the interpretation that doesn’t
contradict other scriptures.
e.g. (Acts 2:38) could be referring
to either baptismal regeneration, or simply adding baptism as a desirable
adjunct to the minimum requirement for salvation (i.e., faith). In view of the
clear teaching on salvation by grace through faith alone, the latter interpretation
is preferable.
4. Interpret the unclear in
light of the clear.
Every major, essential truth is
taught clearly and many times. Never build a doctrine on an unclear passage.
(1 Cor. 15:29) "Otherwise,
what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at
all, why then are they baptized for them?"
Baptizing people “for the dead” was
an obscure, unknown practice used in Corinth. Paul doesn't affirm this
practice; he just asks why they're doing it if they don't believe in
resurrection. Today, the Mormon church uses this passage to elevate dead
ancestors to a higher status in the afterlife.
God’s part and man’s part in interpretation – 2 implications
Some Christian groups place a high
premium on diligent study of the word. Others emphasize the role of the Holy
Spirit in revealing the truths of scripture to us. Both are important.
1. Rely upon the illumination of
the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit revealed his Word to
the authors of scripture (2 Peter 1:20,21) and actively helps Christians
understand it’s meaning:
(1 Corinthians 2:14-16) But a
natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually
appraised. (15) But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is
appraised by no man. (16) For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE
SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
Our understanding is enhanced by
having a humble, teachable attitude, an attitude that we express in prayer
every time we study the Word:
(Psalm 119:18) “Open my eyes that I
may see the wonderful things in your law.”
George Whitfield, a well known 18th
century evangelist, took a prayerful approach to Bible study. Reflecting on his
life soon after conversion, Whitfield writes, “I began to read the Holy
Scriptures upon my knees, laying side all other books, and praying over, if
possible, every line and word. This proved meat indeed and drink to my soul. I
daily received fresh life, light and power from above.”5
2. Diligently study the Word
The illumination of the spirit is no
substitute for each Christian’s careful, disciplined study of the Word.
(2 Timothy 2:15) Be diligent
to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed,
handling accurately the word of truth.
"Be diligent" implies there
are obstacles and difficulties involved.
"Ashamed" implies good
interpretation IS achievable.
"Handling accurately" implies there is a proper interpretation.
Some Christians may argue that only
the illumination of the Spirit is needed. But consider the following scenario:
"Almost twenty years ago I rode
in a car with a fellow believer who relayed to me what the Lord had 'told' him
that morning in his quiet time. He had been reading the KJV of Matthew; and I
perceived that not only had he misunderstood the archaic English, but also that
the KJV at that place had unwittingly misrepresented the Greek text. I gently
suggested there might be another way to understand the passage and summarized
what I thought the passage was saying. The brother dismissed my view as
impossible on the grounds that the Holy Spirit, who does not lie, had told him
the truth on this matter. Being young and bold, I pressed on with my
explanation of grammar, context, and translation, but was brushed off by a
reference to 1 Cor. 2:10b-15 – spiritual things must be spiritually discerned –
which left little doubt about my status. Genuinely intrigued, I asked this
brother what he would say if I put forward my interpretation, not on the basis
of grammar and text, but on the basis that the Lord himself had given me the
interpretation I was advancing. He was silent a long time, and then concluded,
'I guess that would mean the Spirit says the Bible means different things to
different people.'" D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies (Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House Co., 1984) p. 13.
Discussion: Why is claiming “God
revealed it to me” an insufficient defense for the interpretation we have
chosen?
We are commanded in the Bible in
many places to use our minds and weigh out the truth of what we hear. Study the
use of the following phrases:
·
“judge for yourselves” (1 Cor. 10:15
and 11:13)
·
“test the spirits” (1 John 4:1)
·
“let each be fully convinced in his
own mind” (Romans 14:5)
·
Mature Christians have “trained themselves to discern good
and evil” by “constant use” of the Word. (Hebrews 5:15)
Striking the right balance
The apostle Paul prescribed and the
prophet Daniel modeled depending on God for understanding AND careful study of
the Word:
(Daniel 10:12) "Do not be
afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding
and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I
have come in response to them.”
(2 Timothy 2:7) “Reflect on
what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”
Bible Reading Plans
It would be a
shame to complete a course on using the Bible without ever developing a daily
habit of reading the word! During this class, you should read the chapters
specified in your Bible Reading Assignment. The reading overlaps with your
homework and only requires two chapters a day. Of course, when this class ends,
we hope you continue reading the Bible each day. Below are some additional
Bible reading plans that we have found helpful. All Christians should have an
intentional and regular habit of reading and meditating on the word of God.
This is a non-optional component of spiritual maturity.
Discipleship
Journal Bible Reading plans: http://www.navpress.com/Magazines/DJ/BibleReadingPlans.asp
·
The Original Discipleship Journal Bible
Reading Plan – This plan has you read four different places in the Bible
every day: a Gospel, the Old Testament, an Epistle and the Wisdom Literature.
·
Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan – If
you don’t like splitting your reading four ways, this plan has you read from
just two places in the Bible every day: an Old or New Testament book and the
Wisdom Literature.
M’Cheyne
Reading Plan: http://hippocampusextensions.com/mcheyneplan.html
This plan was
created by Robert Murray M'Cheyne, (sometimes spelled McCheyne) who lived from
1813-1843. It takes readers through the Psalms and New Testament twice a year,
and through the rest of the Bible once each year.
Carson, D.A., For
the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word
(Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1998).
D. A. Carson
adapted the M’Cheyne reading plan and published it in two volumes, along with
his reflections on each day’s scripture reading. Both volumes can be purchased
at the Study Center and the Xenos bookstore.
Outlining
books
It’s helpful to
outline a Bible book as you read it. Summarize each chapter and then organize
your summaries into an outline. Then commit the outline to memory. This will
help you locate passages on different topics and help you identify themes in
the Bible that are emphasized. Try this with Paul’s Prison letters (Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) or his Pastoral letters (1 & 2
Timothy and Titus) and trace the structure and thought development.
Journal
While you read,
consider recording your insights in a journal. Writing down your thoughts
aids in meditation and greatly enhances the clarity of your thinking about a
passage. It will also help you hold onto important insights you receive as you
read the Word.
Memory
Verses
2 Timothy 2:7* – Promises God's
illumination of scripture, and also says we must exercise our minds to
understand it.
2 Timothy 2:15* – We must invest
effort to interpret accurately, and we should be ashamed if we can't do this.
Assignment
Complete the Joseph Narrative Assignment.
Begin your Bible Reading Assignment.
Begin working on the Church Visitation Assignment.
1 David Garrison, Church Planting Movements (Midlothian, Virginia: WIGTake Resources, 2004), p. 196.
2 Second Vatican Council, "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation," no. 10.
3 Example adapted from John Stott, Understanding the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999) pp. 189-190.
4 Example adapted from John Stott, Understanding the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999) p. 190.
5 George Whitfield’s Journals, first
published between 1738 and 1741 (Banner of Truth edition, 1960), p. 60 quoted
in John Stott, Understanding the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan, 1999) p. 180.
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Copyright
2007 Xenos Christian Fellowship