The
Greatest
Book
Why the Bible is true and how to study it
Dr. J.L. Williams
Copyright Š 2020 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in mechanical or electronic form without the express permission of the copyright holder. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International VersionŽ. Printed in the USA
Table of Contents Introduction Part One: Why Study the Bible Perspective on the Word Person of the Word Purpose of the Word Purity of the Word Permanence of the Word Proofs for the Word
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11 29 43 55 63 69
Part Two: How to Study the Bible Prerequisites for Studying the Word Principles of Interpreting the Word—Part One Principles of Interpreting the Word—Part Two Practical Steps for Studying the Word
95 105 129 147
Conclusion
159
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Introduction In beginning this study of the Bible, I have chosen two verses to use as overall texts. Many could have been chosen, but I have chosen one from the Old and one from the New Testament as broad canopies for this study. From the Old Testament is Joshua 1:8: Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Of the over 16,000 Greek and Hebrew words used in the Bible, the Hebrew word for “success” is used only once— that being in the above-quoted verse. Here is the one place where God offers us a guarantee of success! But the conditions on our side are plainly set forth. 1. God’s Word must be studied and stored up in our minds (“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips”). 2. God’s Word must be the fixed point of our thoughts and meditation (“meditate on it day and night”). 3. Knowledge must lead to obedience (“so that you may be careful to do everything written in it”). After these conditions are met God says, “Then you will be prosperous and successful.” In a world that is obsessed
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with success and “formulas for success,” here is God’s guaranteed program for success! Most of our plans and programs for success either do not work or are only temporarily successful at best. God’s program is proven with time—and is as certain and absolute as He is! Tragically, most people are either ignorant of it or not willing to meet the conditions that God has laid down. This study is designed to challenge people to find success and prosperity God’s way. The New Testament text I selected is 2 Timothy 2:15: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Not only will most people—even most Christians—not find prosperity and success, but most will stand unapproved and ashamed one day before God because of their lack of diligent study and corresponding sloppy and incorrect handling of God’s Word. Every great heresy in the history of the Christian Church has been started by someone mishandling and incorrectly interpreting God’s Word. Jesus said that “Scripture cannot be set aside” (John 10:35), but Peter said that it could be twisted (2 Peter 3:16). That realization brings us to one of the rather disturbing principles of this study: Because of laziness and ignorance, the lovers of the Bible have done—and continue to do—more harm than the haters of the Bible! The Bible is, therefore, the most quoted and misquoted book in the world. It is my prayer that my book will not produce guilt, but rather motivation and practical skills to help 6
God’s people get into, understand, and apply His Word to their lives. Then and only then will they be able to enter into the experience of what Jesus said: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). J. L. Williams
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Why
Study the Bible
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Chapter
One
Perspective on the Word In any study of the Bible, there are many terms and concepts with which one needs to become familiar. Here are a few of the basic ones.
Bible The word Bible comes from the Greek word biblia (plural) or biblos (singular), meaning “book.� In ancient times papyrus was used in making the paper from which books were made. The papyrus reed grew in Egypt and Syria, and large shipments of papyrus were sent through the Syrian port of Byblos. The Greek word biblos probably comes from the name of this port. The same word is used in the Greek version of Daniel 9:2 to refer to the Scriptures. By about the fifth century, the 11
Greek Church Fathers applied the term biblia to the whole of Christian Scriptures. It later passed to the Western Church and then into all Christendom.
Biblical Dates In dealing with the Bible, you will come across many dates and events, so it is important to understand how our dating system works to properly contextualize Scripture. The two most common abbreviations you will encounter are BC and AD. BC stands for “Before Christ,” while AD stands for Anno Domini—which is Latin for “Year of the Lord.” BC years count down (i.e., later events have smaller numbers than earlier events) and AD years count up (like our current calendar). For example, the Assyrian invasion of Israel in 722 BC happened before the Babylonian invasion of Judah in 586 BC, while the death of the Apostle Paul around AD 64 occurred after the crucifixion of Christ in AD 30. You might think that the birth of Jesus would neatly divide BC from AD, but due to a miscalculation in the sixth century (AD 501–600), we know that Jesus was likely born shortly before the death of King Herod, which most scholars believe was 4 BC. There is also no “year 0”; at the end of 1 BC (counting down) begins 1 AD (counting up). In non-Christian writings, you will frequently see BCE and CE instead of BC and AD. They stand for “Before Common Era” and “Common Era,” respectively. Why? Many other religions—as well as Jewish people who do not believe that the Messiah has yet come—feel the use of BC and AD imply their belief in and acceptance of Christ. In either 12
system, where you see a date preceded by ca. (circa, Latin for “around”) it means that date is approximate.
Old and New Testaments The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments (abbreviated OT and NT). These terms have been used since the close of the second century to distinguish the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, respectively. “Testament” is used in the King James Version of the New Testament to render the Greek word diatheka (Latin, testamentum), which means “a will.” But in the Greek version of the OT, diatheka was used to translate the Hebrew word berith, meaning “covenant.” Strictly speaking, “Old Testament” and “New Testament” mean “Old Covenant” and “New Covenant.” The Old Testament was originally written on scrolls or rolls. These were made by gluing sheets of papyrus together and then winding these long strips around a stick. In order to make reading easier, the codex, or book form, was created in the second century. This method is like ours today, making it possible to use both sides of the paper. Christianity, then, and its need of Scriptures was the prime reason for the creation of the codex method of binding. You can quickly see the necessity of the codex form of writing and binding for Christian Scriptures when you realize that the Gospel of Matthew took a scroll about 30 feet long!
Chapters and Verses The Bible is made up of 1,189 chapters and nearly 800,000 13
words (depending on translation). The Old Testament has 929 chapters and the New Testament has 260 chapters. It is hard for us to think of the Bible without reference to chapter and verse. Yet the original Scriptures had no such divisions. For example, the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis to Deuteronomy—the Pentateuch) compose one scroll and are thus referred to as the Book of Moses. Until AD 1200 no copies of Scripture had these divisions. The beginning of this practice of division is traced to Cardinal Lugo, who was the first to divide the Old Testament into chapters to go along with a concordance he prepared. Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in 1228, made the chapter divisions we use today. The New Testament was similarly divided by Hugo de Saint-Cher about 1240. The further division of the Old Testament chapters into verses came about 300 years later by Rabbi Mordecai Nathan in order to aid the study of the Hebrew Bible. The division of the New Testament into its present verses is found for the first time in an edition of the Greek New Testament published in 1551 by the Paris printer Robert Stephens. The division of the Old Testament was adopted by Robert Stephens in his edition of the Latin Vulgate in 1555 and transferred to the King James Version in 1611. Stephens supplied the verse divisions for the New Testament, which were transferred to the first English version in Geneva in 1560. Though this division into chapters and verses may on the surface appear to be helpful, it has serious drawbacks! Sometimes carelessness characterizes the chapter divisions. Many times thought patterns are broken, thus making it difficult to 14
grasp the writer’s message. • A false division occurs at Genesis 1 and 2 between the six working days and the seventh day of rest. • The formation of chapter 9 of Isaiah from two incongruous prophecies makes these sections difficult to understand. A better division would have been to begin the new chapter at verse 8 of chapter 9. • The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book each. Now the separation of them tends to destroy the natural connection and flow between them. A real danger exists in studying the Bible by chapter divisions! You tend to deal with each chapter as a separate entity rather than as a part of a greater whole. There are several Bibles on the market now that have been printed without chapter and verse divisions so they can be read and studied as a flowing narrative. These are a good investment for any serious Bible student.
Early Translations of the Bible The Septuagint (abbreviated LXX) is the first and most important of the ancient translations of the Hebrew OT into Greek. It probably originated out of a need by Alexandrian Jews. They no longer spoke Hebrew and needed the Scriptures in their mother tongue of Greek. It also has the name LXX, for “70,” because the first five books (Genesis to Deuteronomy) supposedly were translated by 70 men (some say 15
72—six from each of the 12 tribes). The Septuagint was picked up by Christians as their Bible, and for that reason was largely dropped by the Jews about AD 100—and so it became primarily a Christian book. The oldest nearly complete copies of the LXX are contained in three great Greek manuscripts of the Bible from the fourth and fifth centuries AD: • Codex Vaticanus: (AD 325–350) Housed in the Vatican Library, it contains almost all the Bible and is one of the most valuable and important Greek translations. • Codex Sinaiticus: (AD 350) This manuscript contains almost all the NT (except Mark 16:9–20 and John 7:53–8:11) and over half the OT. It was discovered in a wastebasket at Saint Catherine’s Monastery near Mount Sinai (thus “Sinaiticus”) in 1844, and is housed in the British Museum. • Codex Alexandrinus: (AD 400) It also contains almost the entire Bible. Many scholars believe that it was written in Egypt. It is likewise housed in the British Museum. The Bible was also soon translated into other languages from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These translated versions give us other important tools of comparative biblical study and include the languages of Syriac, Coptic (Egyptian), Latin (the Vulgate), and Armenian.
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Basic Bible Facts It should clearly be noted that the Bible does claim to be the “Word of God.” Over 2,000 times in the Old Testament alone the phrase “Thus says the Lord . . .” or its equivalent occurs. In the New Testament, the Old Testament is usually referred to as “the Scriptures” (Matthew 21:42; 22:29; Luke 24:32; John 5:39; Acts 18:24). Other terms used are “Scripture” (Acts 8:32; Galatians 3:22), “the holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:2), and “sacred writings” (2 Timothy 3:15). The Bible was written over an approximate 1,600-year period—or 60 generations—by over 40 authors from every walk of life: kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars, and more. Moses was a political leader, while Amos was a herdsman. Joshua was a military general, Nehemiah a royal cupbearer, and Daniel a prime minister. Luke was known as a doctor and Paul a Jewish Rabbi, while Peter was a fisherman and Matthew a tax collector! In addition to different authors, the Bible was written in different places, touching the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Moses wrote from the wilderness, and Jeremiah from a dungeon. Daniel wrote in a palace, while Paul wrote in prison and John in exile! And Luke wrote as he traveled with Paul. Finally, the Bible was written under different circumstances and under different moods. David wrote during times of war, while Solomon wrote during times of peace. Paul wrote to the Philippian church in a time of joy, while Jeremiah wrote in a time of deep sorrow. The text itself was written in three languages: Hebrew, 17
Aramaic, and Greek. Hebrew was the language of the Israelites in Canaan before their Babylonian captivity. After their “return” this gave way to a related dialect spoken in the area—Aramaic. It should also be noted that the Hebrew text of the Bible consisted only of consonants, since the Hebrew alphabet has no written vowels. Vowel signs were invented and added to the text in the sixth century by Jewish scholars known as Masoretes. The resulting text was known as the Masoretic Text and is still used as the basis for most translations of the Old Testament. A few portions of the OT were written in Aramaic, including Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26; Jeremiah 10:11; and Daniel 2:4–7:28. Except for a few words and sentences, the entire New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common language of the Hellenistic world of the day. The Old Testament can conveniently be divided into three sections: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Together, these comprise 39 books and 929 chapters. The Old Testament begins with God. The New Testament begins with Jesus Christ. From Adam to Abraham we have the story of the human race—from Abraham to Christ we have the history of the chosen race, Israel. From Christ on we have the history of the Church, the New Israel. The Old Testament is primarily the account of a nation—and the New Testament is the account of a man—Jesus! Bible history takes us back into the unknown of eternity past—while much of Bible prophecy takes us into the unknown of eternity future. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is a book of beginnings—and Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is a book of endings! 18
And, the subject matter of all the books between Genesis and Revelation covers practically every known controversial subject—but with harmony, continuity, and lack of contradiction when properly interpreted and understood! The conclusion to which any unbiased reader is driven is that the Bible literally has no peer. I will end this section with a very humorous—but true—statement by Martin Luther concerning the Bible: “To try to compare our wisdom, insight, and understandings to God’s revelation in Scripture is like a donkey singing a duet with a nightingale.”
A Brief Overview of the New Testament The New Testament is composed of 27 short Greek writings (260 chapters) commonly called “books.” The first four are the Gospels, or “Good News,” that God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ for the purpose of redeeming mankind. These are not biographies in the popular sense of the word—but narratives. The first three (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called synoptic—meaning “see together.”
Mark This is the earliest Gospel and is—according to the tradition of Papias (ca. AD 60–130)—from the preaching and teaching of Peter, whose personality is seen on every page. Mark has been called the “moving picture” of the life of Christ. It is characterized by rapidity of movement and action. Words like “immediately” and “straightway” are constantly noticed. It was written in Rome primarily for Ro19
mans. Therefore, there is very little OT quotation or Jewish overtones, as is found in Matthew. Mark pictures Christ as a Conqueror, which would have interested the Romans. Christ conquers disease, demons, and death! However, Christ is also seen as a Servant—but throughout as the Son of God. That title is given to Him in the very first verse of the Gospel: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Near the end a centurion makes the same affirmation: “Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). There are 661 verses in this shortest Gospel. Of them, 606 are found in Matthew and 380 are found in Luke. Since there are only 31 verses in Mark that are not found in either Matthew or Luke, those writers must have had Mark’s account before them as they wrote their accounts.
Matthew Matthew was obviously written by a Jew for Jews. It is thoroughly interlaced with references and allusions to the OT. It begins with a genealogy (unlike Mark) that traces Christ’s ancestry back to Abraham and David. These two men represent the theme of Matthew’s portrait of Jesus: David was the great King of Israel, and Jesus is David’s greater Son who is “King of the Jews.” Abraham is remembered for the almost sacrifice of his son, Isaac. Jesus was the Son of God who was sacrificed for our sins. Whereas Mark has only 31 verses unique to itself, Matthew has 300 verses found only in his Gospel. Many of these are quotations from the OT. 20
Luke Whereas Matthew begins his genealogy of Jesus with the two greatest Jews, David and Abraham, Luke traces Christ’s ancestry back to Adam. Here is the key to interpreting this Gospel. It was written by “Doctor Luke,” a Gentile, who was writing to present Christ as the universal Man. This “Gospel to the Gentiles” presents the Christ who is the Universal Savior for all men! Luke has 520 verses not found in the other Gospels. These are primarily the sayings of Jesus. This has also been called the “Gospel for Women” because in it we see and learn of the women who loved and followed Christ and ministered to Him. The importance of Luke for history is also significant because he alone, of the Gospel writers, places the events he records within the context of world history. This gives us the ability to accurately date much New Testament activity.
The Fourth Gospel, John Unlike Matthew and Luke, we find the key to the fourth Gospel at the “back door” or end of the Gospel instead of at the beginning or “front door.” There John clearly sets forth his purpose in writing: “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). Rather than begin with human genealogies like Matthew or Luke, John presents the preexistence of Christ as the Word (Logos) of God. Also, because of the fact that John men21
tions three Passovers (2:13; 6:4; 11:55), and perhaps a fourth (5:1), it is possible for us to safely assume that Christ’s public ministry lasted past three years.
The Book of Acts Acts, or Acts of the Apostles, is the fifth book of the NT. It is really a continuation of the third Gospel written by the physician Luke. It gives an account of the growth of Christianity after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Its historical trustworthiness is beyond serious criticism. In addition to what we learn in it of the growth of the early Church, we secondarily learn a great deal about the then-Roman world.
The Epistles and Revelation Twenty-one of the rest of the NT documents are letters—13 of which bear the name of Paul. Nine of the 13 are addressed to specific churches (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians), while four are addressed to friends or working companions of Paul (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon). Hebrews is anonymous, but is often associated with Paul and sometimes with Apollos. It was written to a community of Jewish Christians in Italy. James and Jude were written by brothers of Jesus, while 1 and 2 Peter were written by the “big fisherman” who was a member of the inner circle of three disciples (Peter, James, and John). First, second, and third John bear no name, but because of their close affinity with the fourth Gospel, they have been accepted since early 22
days as epistles of John, the “Beloved Disciple.” Finally, Revelation is an apocalyptic writing, also by John, who was banished on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:9).
Trustworthiness of the NT The earthly life of Christ spanned a period from around 4 BC to AD 30. The Apostle Paul experienced his conversion soon after (approximately AD 32–35). The time between the resurrection of Christ and around AD 62 is known as the Apostolic Age, and from AD 62 to around AD 90 is known as the Post-Apostolic Age. All NT documents were written between roughly AD 35 and 100. The chart below highlights some of the important dates in this time period.
Important New Testament Dates Life of Christ (4 BC–AD 30) 5 or 4 BC Birth of Christ ca. AD 28 Beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry ca. 27 or 28 Baptism of Christ/earthly ministry begins ca. 30 Crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ Apostolic Age (AD 31–62) ca. 33–35 Conversion of Paul 46–48 Paul’s First Missionary Journey 50 Jerusalem Council 23
51–53 Paul’s Second Missionary Journey 54–58 Paul’s Third Missionary Journey 58 Paul’s arrest 58–60 Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea 60–62 Paul sent to Rome Post-Apostolic Age (AD 63–96) 63–65 Paul’s release and rearrest 67 Paul’s Death 70 Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple by Romans How soon after the events of the New Testament took place were they recorded? If the time lapse was too great, there would be a larger margin for error. Let’s look at the dates that the NT books and letters were written and compare those dates with the ones I have listed above. Scholars have done their best to narrow down the range of dates for each book or letter, but there is not total agreement. Where indicated, “Early Date” is the earliest reasonable period in which the document could have been written (held mainly by conservative scholars), and “Late Date” is the latest potential timeframe for composition (held mainly, though not exclusively, by more liberal scholars).
Dates of the New Testament Documents Gospels Mark
Early Date 40–60 24
Late Date 60–70
Luke Matthew John
Early Date 60–70 60–70 70–90
Late Date 70–90 70–90 90–100
Pauline Epistles Date Written from Galatians 48–58 Ephesus 1 & 2 Thessalonians 49–51 Corinth 1 & 2 Corinthians 54–57 (1) Ephesus, (2) Macedonia Romans 55–58 Corinth Ephesians 60–62 Rome Colossians 60–62 Rome Philemon 60–62 Rome Philippians 60–62 Rome 1 & 2 Timothy 62–67 Possibly Rome Titus 64–67 Possibly Rome General Epistles James Jude Acts 1 & 2 Peter Hebrews 1, 2, & 3 John Revelation
Early Date 45–62 50–70 62–70 62–68 64–68 85–90 60–70
Late Date 70–95 70–100 70–90 70–95 80–90 90–105 95–105
From these dates you can readily see that the time between 25
the biblical events themselves and their being written down is actually very short. Paul’s whole argument in 1 Corinthians 15 is based on the veracity of the many eyewitnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ. There he recounts the many people that Christ appeared to after His resurrection: “He appeared to Cephas [Peter], and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally [‘untimely,’ nasb] born” (1 Corinthians 15:4–8). Did you catch the thrust of Paul’s argument? In essence he is saying this: “If you do not believe me when I say that Christ was literally raised from the dead—go check out the many other eyewitnesses!” He then says that there are over 500 who are still alive who saw Jesus after His resurrection. That’s certainly a large enough number to substantiate any historical event! Paul wrote those words in 1 Corinthians 15, about 25 years after the event. That gap of 25 or so years between the actual historical events and their being written down is not a seriously long one. The combination of the large number of living eyewitnesses with the short span in time between the actual events and their being written down is a double check for accuracy and authenticity! You can lie in a written account and perhaps get by with it if there are no longer any eyewitnesses alive to correct you. But you could not hope to pull off a misrepresentation when there were still over 500 eyewitnesses alive to refute your error! 26
And then there is the occasion when Paul was making his defense before Festus in Acts 26. He clearly reminded him that the things he was speaking about were historical and not mythological. He reminds Festus of his own knowledge of these things—regardless of whether he would acknowledge them. Paul says to Festus, “The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). Paul reminds Festus that Christianity and the events surrounding it are historical! Nothing was done behind closed doors or in secrecy—but out in the open for all to observe. There are many that do not believe—but few are there among unbelievers who have really objectively studied the historical facts. In essence Paul said to Festus, “Disbelieve you may—but ignore the historical facts you cannot. They are clearly there for everyone to examine!” Never forget that Christianity is historical! That is what the Apostle John was reminding his readers when he wrote: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1–3). 27
Notice that neither John nor Paul was writing primarily about some emotional experience—but about historical, verifiable facts. Facts that can be observed, touched, and then accurately testified to. Our faith is in those facts! But you might want to challenge me with something like: “Can I trust them in what they reported?” It is really a matter of authority. You see, everything you believe, you believe on the basis of someone’s authority. We should not be afraid of this fact.
Summary History, archaeology, and personal experience have done nothing for 2,000 years but verify that our faith is sound! The biblical record is absolutely trustworthy, from its ultimate beginning in Genesis to its ultimate ending in Revelation. It is the only book that can consistently and legitimately claim to be the very Word of God, backed up by eyewitness testimony written down remarkably soon after the events described. As Christians, then, we can rely on the authority of the New Testament witnesses.
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Chapter
Two
Person of the Word It can be emphatically stated that Jesus Christ is the focal point of the entire Bible. He is what some theologians have called the “Scarlet Thread” that runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. As C.S. Lewis said, the Bible is not a completion of theological subjects we learn—but the revelation of a Person to whom we submit our entire life! That’s why if we only learn “theology” and Bible facts and do not bow at His feet and call Him Lord, we have missed the real purpose of the Bible. The purpose of Scripture is to point you to the Person of Scripture! Jesus Christ is the very zenith of God’s self-revelation. Therefore, the Bible is His Story.
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The Bible as His Story When properly understood, Jesus Christ is the theme of each book of the Bible. Christ is in the Old concealed, and in the New revealed! We could summarize each book as it relates to Christ in the following list:
In the Old Testament, Jesus Christ Is . . . Genesis our Creator God Exodus our Passover Lamb Leviticus our Sacrifice for Sin Numbers our Lifted-Up One Deuteronomy our True Prophet Joshua the Captain of Our Salvation Judges our Deliverer-Judge Ruth our Kinsman-Redeemer 1 & 2 Samuel our King 1 & 2 Kings our King 1 & 2 Chronicles our King Ezra & Nehemiah our Restorer Esther our Advocate Job our Redeemer Psalms our All in All Proverbs our Wisdom Ecclesiastes the End of All Living Song of Solomon the Lover of Our Souls Isaiah the Messiah Jeremiah & Lamentations the Righteous Branch Ezekiel the Son of Man 30
Daniel the Smiting Stone Hosea the Healer of the Backslider Joel the Restorer Amos the Heavenly Husbandman Obadiah our Savior Jonah the Resurrection and Life Micah the Witness against Rebellious Nations Nahum our Stronghold in the Day of Trouble Habakkuk the God of Our Salvation Zephaniah our Jealous Lord Haggai the Desire of All Nations Zechariah the Righteous Branch Malachi the Son of Righteousness
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ Is . . . Matthew the Promised Messiah Mark the Servant of God Luke the Son of Man John the Son of God Acts the Living Lord Romans our Righteousness 1 Corinthians our Lord 2 Corinthians our Sufficiency Galatians our Liberty Ephesians our All in All Philippians our Joy Colossians our Life 31
1 Thessalonians the Coming One 2 Thessalonians our Returning Lord 1 Timothy our Teacher 2 Timothy our Example Titus our Pattern Philemon our Lord and Master Hebrews our Intercessor at the Throne James our Pattern 1 Peter the Precious Cornerstone of Our Faith 2 Peter our Strength 1, 2 & 3 John our Life, Truth, the Way Jude our Keeper Revelation our Triumphant King The Bible, then, is the prism by which the light of Jesus is broken into its many radiant and redemptive colors. Jesus Himself clearly taught that He was the key to understanding the Scriptures because they all speak of Him. Look at the following examples: • “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16–17). • “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39). • “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he 32
explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself . . . He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’” (Luke 24:27, 44). The other New Testament writers clearly testified to the same thing: • “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43). • “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath” (Acts 13:26–27). • “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:14–17). So apart from an understanding of and relationship with Jesus Christ, you cannot properly interpret the Scriptures. Let me share several examples that show how Christ is the 33
Key to understanding the Scriptures. Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. . . . The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived (Numbers 21:6, 8–9). Jesus compared His coming crucifixion with the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14). The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect . . . Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put in on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs (Exodus 12:5–7). Paul, in 1 Corinthians, recognized Jesus Christ as the “Paschal Lamb” who served as the ultimate Passover sacrifice: “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (5:7). Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice 34
with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank (Numbers 20:11). Again in 1 Corinthians, Paul unmistakably connects Jesus Christ spiritually to the “Smitten Rock” struck physically by Moses in the wilderness: “They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (10:3–4). The Scriptures, then, with solidarity and unity, point to Christ, and Christ in turn points to the Scriptures. From the above several examples we can see that His life and teachings are inseparably connected to Scripture. Let’s take a further moment then to look at Christ’s use of Scripture. How He approached and used Scripture should be our “master key” of understanding how we should approach and apply it. First, Jesus clearly taught the divine origin and permanence of the Word: • “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18). • “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). • “It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law” (Luke 16:17). 35
• “If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside . . .” (John 10:35). Second, Jesus used the Scriptures as His chief weapon in His temptation. Both His offense and defense in each temptation were the Scriptures: “It is written . . .” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). However, a note of warning needs to be sounded here! You see, Satan also used Scripture—or should I say, abused Scripture! As soon as Christ quoted a Scripture to Satan as His defense against the first temptation, Satan picked up on this and then sought to twist Scripture to his own advantage. He did not fool Christ—but he does fool many of us with his tactics. Tragically, Satan knows the Bible better than most Christians! He has prompted the origin of every ancient heresy and contemporary cult by the use of twisted Scripture. If you are to be successful against the enemy, you must know and use your weapons better than he does! And, armed with a correct understanding of God’s Word, you—like Christ— can cut the ground from beneath your adversary! Third, we see that Jesus constantly used Scriptures in His teaching ministry. Let’s look at just a couple of examples.
Divorce “Haven’t you read,” [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–6) 36
Traditions of Man The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used 37
to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that” (Mark 7:1–13).
Resurrection from the Dead Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to [Jesus] with a question. . . . Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” (Mark 12:18, 24).
Violence Concerning the use of violence, Christ said, “Put your sword back in its place . . . for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:52–54) This list could be multiplied many times. You can see that the teaching of Christ was filled with Scripture, and it was His constantly used touchstone for authority. It is also very instructive to note that from the 39 books of the Old Testament, Jesus used extracts from 24. He also quoted from Isaiah 40 times; Psalms 36 times; and Daniel 22 times. Since Scripture was so vital to the teaching of Christ, can it play 38
any less important role in the teaching and preaching ministry of the Church today? I think not! Fourth, one of Christ’s most pointed and directed attacks was against the “traditions of man” or the “traditions of the elders.” It was this as much as any one thing that kept Him in conflict with the Jewish authorities—and ultimately led to His crucifixion. But just what were the “traditions of man?” A tradition develops when man either adds to God’s Word or takes the liberty of interpreting the mind and will of God to a particular situation. Let’s take a few moments to contrast the differences between man’s traditions and God’s laws. I think you will see that the distinctions are crucial. I will list several principles and the verses they are derived from. Man constantly exchanges his precepts for God’s principles. He substitutes his “traditions” for God’s laws: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:8–9; cf. Mark 7:7). This is really man attempting to interpret the mind and will of God—and thus these traditions become a religion of man’s creation rather than a religion of God’s revelation. The traditions of man always stand against the revelation of God in some way: “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? . . . Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition” (Matthew 15:3, 6; cf. Mark 7:8, 13). Man’s traditions always become harder to bear than God’s laws. They ultimately become “laws of bondage” rather than “principles of liberty” as God’s laws are: “The teachers of 39
the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. . . . They do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on people’s shoulders.” (Matthew 23:2–4; cf. Luke 11:54). Many of the burdensome Sabbath day observances of Christ’s day are other good examples of traditions that ultimately destroy man rather than edify him. Jesus and His disciples were constantly breaking these contrived rules (Matthew 12:1–14; Mark 2:23–28; etc.). Paul likewise warned, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends human tradition” (Colossians 2:8). He said that before his conversion to Christ, “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:14). So, whereas the “traditions of man” will victimize you and bring you into bondage, God’s laws result in fulfillment and freedom. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). The best summary, then, of the fruit of living by Jesus’ principles of freedom are His own words: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. . . . If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:32, 36). At this point it might be helpful to list some of the “traditions of the elders” that we have surrounded Christianity with today. We have a great tendency to look back on the scribes and Pharisees with scorn for their traditions while 40
ignoring our own! We need to honestly face the fact that we have established and encased the Christian faith today with almost as many traditions as the Judaism of Christ’s day. Let’s look at just a few: • The fact that we worship at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning • Our various liturgical traditions and forms that we employ in our services • The institution of the Sunday school • The acceptable and unacceptable types of clothes for “worship service” • The various committees that we have established to govern the church • Our denominational structure and programs—and even denominations themselves • The role of church buildings as essential to the growth of the Church • The establishment of a “religious professional” or “ecclesiastical caste system” that divides the clergy and laity with unscriptural divisions.
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Summary Jesus Christ is the Person of the Bible! History is His story and the Bible records that story. He is the Incarnate Word and the Bible is the Inscripturated Word. Both are divine in origin and nature. Therefore, since Christ clearly endorsed the Scriptures as inerrant and authoritative—and since the Bible clearly sets Him forth as God’s incarnate Son of God—His authority and the authority of the Bible stand or fall together!
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Three Purpose of the Word We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:6–10). This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of 43
Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed (1 Corinthians 4:1). What the Apostle Paul is saying here is that what the world does not know and cannot know about God because of the limitations of the fallen human finite condition, God has taken the initiative in making known through revelation. A study of revelation is crucial to any study of the Word. Let’s begin with a definition. Most simply put, the purpose of revelation is to “get the mind of God into the actions of man.” Or, “to communicate God’s Being, Word, and Will to fallen men.” This is “revelation.” Since all action springs from thinking, and, since man in his fallen condition is incapable of right spiritual thinking, he desperately needs to receive a new nature and a new mind whereby he once again can think God’s thoughts after Him and thereby get God’s actions into his everyday experience. This Divine way of thinking and acting is what the Bible variously calls “godliness,” “sanctification,” “walking by the Spirit,” “righteousness,” etc. (John 17:17; Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:1–10; etc.) Natural, unregenerate man is not able to apprehend the mind of God—whereas regenerate man is able to receive revelation and move in obedience towards godliness. Since man’s mind is darkened (Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:17–18; Colossians 1:21) he is incapable of thinking God’s thoughts. He therefore cannot achieve or attain a true knowledge of God through philosophy, reason, or research— but only by revelation. So where human reason leaves off, Divine revelation must step in. 44
There are at least six characteristics you need to understand about the nature of Divine revelation.
History of Salvation First, the nature of revelation is the “history of salvation.” German thinkers have long been very influential in the field of theology. A word that they have used to express the nature of biblical revelation is Heilsgeschichte. It simply means “story of salvation.” That means that the Bible is not primarily a science book, history book, philosophy book, or geography book—but rather a book about salvation! It is a history of the salvation story. This story of salvation was conceived in eternity past . . . achieved at a historical point in time . . . worked out in human history . . . and will be consummated in eternity future!
Inspired Second, this revelation is inspired—“God-breathed.” One of the great verses of Scripture we must look at in this regard is 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (nasb). Let’s break this verse down to try and get the full impact of what Paul is saying. Note that the Greek word Paul uses here for inspired is a word used only once in the Bible. It was a word coined by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to describe the completely unique event of God revealing Himself to man. It is the word theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed” 45
or “God-spirited.” So all Scripture, says the Apostle Paul, is “breathed out by God.” The logical question is, What was Paul meaning by the phrase “all Scripture”? What does that “all” include? To begin with, it means the “sacred writings” (2 Timothy 3:15), which to Paul would be the Old Testament. Paul also believed that his writings were inspired. He clearly said on a number of occasions that his words were God’s—and he was therefore speaking in the name and authority of Christ: • “For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17 nasb). • “. . . since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. . . . This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down” (2 Corinthians 13:3, 10). • “It was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself” (Galatians 4:13–14). Along with the Old Testament, Paul’s writings were read in Christian meetings by his instruction: “I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers” (1 Thessalonians 5:27); “After this letter has been read to 46
you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:16). Paul also took the liberty to put Old Testament quotations together with the words of Christ: “For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ [from Deuteronomy 25:4] and ‘The worker deserves his wages’ [from Luke 10:7]” (1 Timothy 5:18). It is important to realize that Peter likewise viewed Paul’s writings as Scripture: “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15–16). So we can see from above what Paul meant when he used the phrase “all Scripture.” That “all” clearly included what we today understand as the Old and New Testaments. In addition to explaining the scope of Scripture, Paul tells us the purpose of Scripture. Because they are all Godbreathed, he says that they have a threefold purpose: to “give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15b); to be “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (3:16); and to bring you to maturity, “that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (3:17 nasb). Thus far concerning the nature of revelation, we have seen that it is first of all heilsgeschichte or a “story of salvation.” However, this is not a story of salvation concocted by man— 47
so secondly, we have seen that this is an inspired revelation.
Consistent The third thing I want you to note about the nature of revelation is that it is consistent. It only stands to reason that the nature of revelation is consistent with the nature of the Revealer! Let’s take a moment then to look at some of the attributes of God. These attributes of God are also attributes of His Word. • Holy (1 Peter 1:15–16) “Be holy, because I am holy.” • Unchanging (James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8) • Eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27) “The eternal God is your refuge . . .” • Consistent (2 Timothy 2:13) “If we are faithless, he remains faithful . . .” • Grace (1 Peter 5:10) “The God of all grace . . .” • Love (1 John 4:8) “God is love . . .” • Judgment (Hebrews 10:30–31; 12:29)
Incomplete Fourth, concerning the nature of revelation you need to realize that it is incomplete. That simply means that the Bible contains “true truth” but not exhaustive truth—that is, its communication to us is true communication but not exhaustive communication. We do not have exhaustive knowledge at any point, because man in his fallen and finite state is incapable of handling exhaustive truth. There are many areas 48
about which God has not given us exhaustive knowledge, including creation, the origin of evil, the problem of pain, angels, eschatology (“end times”), the Trinity, etc. As Moses said, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29). Therefore, as Paul said, “we know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). The Apostle John explained it this way: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25). So the Bible does not tell us everything we want to know—but it does tell us everything we need to know!
Unified and Progressive Fifth, revelation is both unified and progressive. As Isaiah said, “So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there” (Isaiah 28:13). Even though God’s revelation to man has been progressive, it has never been contradictory. The progression in revelation has not been from error to truth—but from truth to more truth. We can see a logical progressive revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament . . . from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant . . . from the Old Israel to the New Israel, etc. A key principle of progressive revelation can be stated simply: The Old is revealed in the New and the New concealed in the Old. This principle teaches us that God gives light in the Old Testament that He releases in the New. We 49
might further express it this way: The Old Testament gave man what he needed to know from the Fall to the First Advent; the Old and the New together tell man what he needs to know from the First Advent to the Second Advent. We can see this unity through a study of the Scriptures; the Epistles drive us back to the Gospels, which in turn drive us back to the Old Testament. There is then a progressive unity of revelation in Scripture—the Bible is organically one!
Illuminating The final thing that I want you to understand is the relationship between revelation and illumination. There is fresh illumination—but not new revelation. As Christians, we do not believe that God continues to give new revelation. After He has perfectly revealed Himself in His Son—and inspired a written record of that revelation in the Bible—all revelation has ceased! As the old hymn “How Firm a Foundation” says, “What more can He say than to you He has said . . .” When God has completely revealed Himself to us, what more can He reveal? Now, I am quite confident that there is more to know of God than He has presently revealed to us through Christ and Scripture—but within the limitations of this life we are incapable of receiving it. Obviously, the finite cannot completely comprehend the Infinite! But all that we are capable of understanding of God—and even more (like the Trinity)—He has revealed to us. When we are in our glorified state after this life, I am sure there will be more to learn, but until then we have both all we need and all we can comprehend. 50
It is important to understand that every ancient heresy and contemporary cult deviates from orthodoxy at this point. All of them come along offering what they believe to be “further revelations from God.” So when you hear that—be alert! However, even though God does not give further revelation, His Holy Spirit working through His Word does continue to give further illumination. “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9). So as we walk in the light we have received we receive further light. It is a basic scriptural principle: “light begets light.” If I am obedient to the illumination I have received I will receive more. I often find that much of my illumination of God’s revelation is during the night. When my conscious mind is turned off in sleep, my subconscious mind—guided by the Holy Spirit—receives important illumination concerning some portion of God’s Word. That is why it is important to read and meditate on God’s Word before bedtime. Read the Psalms and see how David practiced this (Psalm 63:6; 77:6). So we must receive God’s illumination through His Holy Spirit of His revelation if we are to properly understand it. Let me share just a couple of verses that demonstrate the important role of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the hearts and minds of individuals so they can understand the Scriptures. • “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. . . . No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). 51
• “Then he [Jesus] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45; cf. Acts 16:14).
Summary Let’s take a moment to review this important chapter. We have seen that the purpose of God’s Word is to make known His will, or “to get the mind of God into the actions of man.” We also saw that man in his fallen and finite condition is incapable of receiving this revelation from God. The darkened mind of man (Ephesians 4:18) is incapable of receiving the light of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore we must receive the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). What the darkened, fallen, finite reason cannot achieve through its best efforts—God makes known to the believer through revelation. We also saw that there are at least six important things to understand about the nature of revelation. We could summarize those things with the following sentences: • The nature of revelation is Heilsgeschichte, or “history of salvation.” • It is also unique in inspiration, or “breathed out by God.” • There is a consistency between the nature of the revelation and the Revealer. 52
• Our revelation is incomplete; that is, we have “true truth” but not “exhaustive truth.” • It is unified and progressive: “The Old is revealed in the New and the New is concealed in the Old.” • Revelation has ceased because it is complete in Christ and the Scriptures—but illumination of that revelation continues.
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Four Purity of the Word In this section, I want to discuss the matter of inerrancy. Put most simply, the doctrine of inerrancy says that “the Bible is free from errors.” However, for many people the inerrancy of Scripture seems quite impossible to hold to because of the matter of human fallenness and fallibility. Therefore, many people consider it a human book rather than a divine book. It is true that the authors of the Bible were human, and each wrote with his characteristic vocabulary and style. In the process of using these authors, God did not destroy their humanity—but fully used it. These men were “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). However, this does not support some kind of “dictation theory” of inspiration whereby the biblical writers were reduced to nothing more than robots, mindlessly writing down words. The issue where the battle is raging today is the matter 55
of inerrancy. This subject is being debated not only among those who hold a more liberal view of Scripture—but also among conservatives. Dr. Harold Lindsell wrote a book entitled Battle for the Bible. That book seemed to draw up the battle lines and divide the camp into several theological groups. Some think that the division is good because it is “flushing out” the ones they consider to be theological turncoats in the conservative ranks. Others feel it is very tragic that the evangelical part of the Body of Christ is being further divided at a time when their collective impact was being felt as never before.
International Council on Biblical Inerrancy A conference was held in Chicago to discuss, clarify, and defend the doctrine of inerrancy. It was called the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, or ICBI. It was headed by such theologians as J. I. Packer, James M. Boice, Edmund P. Clowney, R. C. Sproul and others. This transdenominational group affirmed their belief in inerrancy by saying: We affirm that the whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine inspiration. . . . Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God’s acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God’s saving grace in individual lives (Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, 1978). 56
These theologians further clarified their belief in inerrancy by the following summary statements: 1. God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is God’s witness to Himself. 2. Holy Scripture, being God’s own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all matters upon which it touches: it is to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it affirms; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; embraced, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises. 3. The Holy Spirit, Scripture’s divine Author, both authenticates it to us by His inward witness and opens our minds to understand its meaning. 4. The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine inerrancy is in any way limited or disregarded, or made relative to a view of truth contrary to the Bible’s own; and such lapses bring serious loss to both the Individual and the Church (the full text of the statement can be found online: https:// library.dts.edu/Pages/TL/Special/ICBI_1.pdf). I personally think that is a very good summary of the doctrine of inerrancy and its importance for the Church. However, not all conservative, evangelical Christians would agree. We now have those on the one side who would say that the 57
Bible is completely error free—even in details. On the other hand we have those evangelical scholars represented by someone like Dr. Clark Pinnock, who would say that the Bible contains errors but teaches none. That there are some problems in Scripture no one can honestly escape. Some would say that these difficulties concerning conflicting details are not crucial because these details are not the primary focus of the Holy Spirit’s witness to mankind. Scholars who hold to that viewpoint would affirm scriptural inerrancy concerning doctrine but not detail. In other words, the Bible is inerrant concerning matters essential to the faith—but possibly errant in some details and factual matter. However, even then they would say that it was still inerrant in intent if not so in actuality. There are yet others who are seeking to avoid conflict and division by redefining the word “inerrant” to make it more inclusive. However, for many that is an unacceptable alternative. All evangelical Christians do agree, though, on the fact that inerrancy holds only for the original autographs (the original manuscripts written by the author). Even so, we now have enough manuscripts to support our belief that the current translations of the Bible we have today are close to 98% inerrant, and that nearly all the variation is in punctuation and spelling. The big question is, Why would God make an error-free original and yet permit errors in the copies? The only logical answer to that is that God chose to use man as the recipient and transmitter of His revelation—and man is now a fallen creature. By a disobedient exercise of his free will, man rebelled against God and as a result, sin and corruption en58
tered both the universe and man’s own life. This corruption extended to those who copied Scripture.
The Importance of Inerrancy I personally must keep referring to Christ’s view of Scripture. His view must determine mine. I still feel that it is rather absurd to call Him “Lord” and then hold a view of Scripture lower than His! That to me is calling into question His Lordship, authority, and knowledge concerning Scripture. For many involved in this inerrancy debate, Christ’s view of Scripture is their final appeal and highest argument. You and I need to be assured, then, that we will never come up with a question or problem in Scripture that has not been raised a thousand times before—and reasonably answered! If you still think you have found one, then wisdom and history would strongly suggest that you place your doubt, skepticism, and agnosticism in your question—and not in the Bible. As you will see in this book, over and over again scholars thought the Bible contained historical inaccuracies, factual contradictions, and inconsistencies—but time, further study, and later archaeological discoveries have consistently confirmed Scripture. Therefore, we do well to leave some questions open-ended and allow more time for further research and study before jettisoning the Scriptures! Now, this kind of attitude toward the Bible is not Biblioatry. We do not so inseparably associate God with His Word that we end up either worshipping His Word above, or along with, Him! Billy Graham rightly compared the Bible to a soldier’s sword or a surgeon’s scalpel, neither of which is 59
to be worshiped, but used as an indispensable tool of the trade. The Bible likewise is our primary tool for preaching and evangelism. No minister, evangelist, or Christian will ever stand up and clearly say “Thus saith the Lord” if inside he deeply questions the accuracy and trustworthiness of God’s Word. That is one of the problems with so much preaching and teaching in the Church today! Many ministers had their belief in the Bible subtly eroded during their seminary days—and their preaching has had little or no power or authority since then! It is still a basic principal of life that “an ambiguous heart sends out an ambivalent flow.” There is no way that I can preach and teach authoritatively if I have no authority. I personally stand with those who affirm the inerrancy of Scripture! I do recognize the legitimate problems involved—but I think the better part of wisdom is to leave some things open-ended for further research and study. Man’s basic tendency is to jump too quickly to the wrong conclusions! For me, there are several problems with admitting errors in the Bible. Once you begin to admit errors and contradictions of the Bible, there is no logical stopping point. It is the case of the proverbial camel’s nose in your tent—you soon have the whole camel, and no tent! Second, there is no way I can reach those wrong conclusions unless I make myself an authority over the authority of the Scriptures. Finally, in the process of accepting the errancy of Scripture, we must also lower our view of the character of God. Why? Because if God was involved in the composition of the Bible, then any mistakes must be chargeable to God Himself. The doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture is not of sec60
ondary importance! It seems to me that we cannot continue the Reformation maxim of Sola Scriptura without inerrancy. Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) means that our faith is based on the Bible alone. It is essential for the authority of preaching and teaching—and therefore crucial both for evangelism of the Church and the edification of the Church! “The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6).
Summary Even though the Bible was written by human authors, it is far more than a merely human book. The Holy Spirit ensured that the final product is inerrant in all that it affirms—from the original manuscripts up until today! We cannot seriously stand on God’s Word if we have doubts over the very principles and precepts it teaches. That is why it is crucial that we trust what God has given us as His Word. Our faith is based on nothing less than the witness of Scripture alone!
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Chapter
Five
Permanence of the Word Persecution of the Word The Bible is unquestionably the most persecuted book of history! It has no rival either historically or contemporarily when it comes to either the amount or variety of persecution. It has been persecuted politically, socially, academically, literally, and religiously. It has been attacked from every conceivable angle by emperors, kings, governors, scientists, and theologians! Because of the nature of its message man either loves it or hates it. Therefore, it has been banned, burned, and banished over and over again in history! Let’s take a moment to look back at some of the earlier attempts to destroy the Bible. When God’s Word came to King Jehoiakim of Judah, he stubbornly refused to repent. God dictated His words to Jeremiah who in turn dictated them to 63
his scribe, Baruch. When the king heard it read, he was so angered that he took his penknife and cut the scroll off section by section as it was read to him and then threw it into the fire (Jeremiah 36:22–24). However, God always protects His Word. So again He dictated it to Jeremiah, who had Baruch write it down again on another scroll (36:27–32)! In AD 303 the Roman Emperor Diocletian (245–313) issued an edict to destroy Christians and their sacred book. Christians were killed, churches razed to the ground, and Bibles burned. He felt he had succeeded in this area and even erected a monument that said “Extincto nomene christianorum” (“the name of Christians is extinguished”). He was a genius as an organizer and many of his administrative measures lasted for centuries in Rome—but not this one! His successor, Constantine, publicly converted to Christianity in AD 312, and decreed full legal toleration for Christianity (in the Edict of Milan), which historically testifies to the folly of Diocletian’s attempt! King Henry V considered Bible reading a crime and passed a law to punish offenders—but like Diocletian, he could not succeed. Thomas Paine in his famous Age of Reason scoffed at the Bible—but now the Bible’s truths scoff at the folly of his reasoning! And the French skeptic philosopher Voltaire said arrogantly, “Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth.” He is dead but God’s Word lives and prospers—far more than his works! In fact, only 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society used his press and house to produce stacks of Bibles! The Bible’s permanence in the face of such long, unrelenting opposition is something which every honest Bible 64
opponent must honestly face. A memorable quotation sums it up well: “The Bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers!”
Perseverance of the Word “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8, quoted in 1 Peter 1:24–25). For any Christian, what Jesus said about the Bible must be conclusive. A number of times Jesus clearly taught that the Scriptures were divine and therefore eternal: • “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18; cf. Luke 16:17). • “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). • “Scripture cannot be set aside” (John 10:35). It is interesting to note that the very books of the Old Testament that are contested by liberal scholarship and higher criticism are the ones most quoted by Christ Himself, including the Books of Moses, Isaiah, Jonah, and Daniel. For the Christian, Christ’s quotation of them substantiates their authority and trustworthiness forever! The authority of Christ and the authority of the Bible stand or fall together. You cannot have a high view of one and a 65
low view of the other! It is not without significance that those scholars who hold a lower view of the written Word usually likewise hold a lower view of the Incarnate Word. Both Jesus Christ and the Bible testify to each other and are inseparably connected in origin, nature, and therefore in authority. Let’s look at the following similarities of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word—and the Bible, the Inscripturated Word: 1. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35). The Bible was conceived (“inspired”) by the same Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). 2. Jesus Christ came through the human instrumentality of Mary without destroying her full humanity— or infecting Christ with her sinful nature—thus the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27; Matthew 1:23). The Bible likewise came through human instrumentality without destroying the full humanity of the writers or infecting their writing with their own sin or imperfections: “. . . the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures . . .” (Romans 1:2). 3. Jesus, the Incarnate Word, is the perfect God-Man— fully God and fully man. Never ever less than God, never ever more than man. The Bible, the Inscripturated Word, is likewise the perfect Divine-Human Book—fully divine and yet fully human. It is the “Word of God” through the “words of man.” Therefore, if you inscripturated the Living Word (Jesus) you would have the written Word (Bible); and if you incar66
nated the written Word (Bible) you would have the Living Word (Jesus). Since Jesus is the eternal Word of God and will last forever; and since His written Word is likewise eternal—everyone who places full faith in one is led to faith in another and that person also becomes eternal: • “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). • “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). • “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
Summary Persecution through the centuries by unfaithful kings, pagan emperors, and arrogant philosophers has not diminished the Word of God. In fact, the opposite is true! The Bible has not only persevered, but prevailed. Jesus Himself, the Incarnate Word, testifies to the power and eternality of the Bible, the Inscripturated Word. The Word, both in Person and in print, will last forever!
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Chapter
Six
Proofs for the Word This section will have to do with Christian apologetics. Unfortunately that is a word that is greatly misunderstood today in regard to the faith. The word apologetic has come to mean something like “make excuses for.” However, that’s not the correct definition of the word. It actually comes from the Greek word apologia, which means “defense.” The word apologia is a good biblical term used eight times in the New Testament (Acts 22:1; 25:16; 1 Corinthians 9:3; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Philippians 1:7; 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:16; and 1 Peter 3:15). I would like to quote Peter’s use of the word as a text for this section: “Always be prepared to give an answer [apologia] to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). I included this section to help you to be able to defend your faith, especially in the Bible. Now there are many levels of 69
apologetics. One needs to spend many months studying the subject to begin to get a grasp of its scope. I will at best only be giving some preliminary basics on biblical apologetics. But as brief as it will be in regard to the existing body of information on the subject, I still hope and pray that it will do two things for you. First, that it will shore up your own faith with accurate knowledge; and second, that it will give you some basic tools to do as Peter said, to “give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” When we come to the subject of biblical apologetics, we need to realize that we really do not have to defend the Bible per se. You see, the Bible is its own greatest defense! Most people who attack it have never really objectively studied it. If they would just take the time to do some study, more of them would become believers! I have heard it put this way: “The Bible is like a lion in a cage. It doesn’t need to be defended or protected—just turned loose!” So when we really “turn it loose” in our lives we find that it totally verifies itself. However, it is still helpful to understand some basic biblical apologetics in order to alleviate our own uncertainties and to be able to answer the honest doubter. Often when we Christians begin to present our case for our belief in the Bible we are quickly accused of circular reasoning. This criticism goes something like this: “You say the Bible is inspired because Jesus said so—and then you say that Jesus is divine because the Bible says so. You are reasoning in a circle!” Now I’ll readily admit that some Christians do engage in circular reasoning. However, it is not because that is the only 70
way to present and defend our case, but rather because of a lack of study and preparation on their part. A true defense of the Bible is not circular but linear. Instead of using the Bible to prove the Bible, when we reason linearly we approach the Bible with no basic presuppositions and study it with the objectivity we would have for any other secular historical document. As we study those documents and realize that all were written by people who actually witnessed the events they wrote about or totally verified by people who did, then the accuracy and historicity of these accounts drive us to the conclusions that this One they are writing about—Jesus Christ—was and is who He claimed to be. At that point we are confronted with a moral choice: believe or disbelieve . . . accept the evidence or reject it. The intelligent moral decision is to make a commitment of faith in Christ. Then, believing in Him, we begin to formulate our doctrine of Scripture from Him, because it is folly or presumptive arrogance for a believer to hold a view of Scripture lower than that of his Lord! You see, the argument does not run blind faith—blind faith—blind faith, but rather, fact— faith—formulation! Approach the facts, study them with historic and moral objectivity, then draw a conclusion and make a moral choice! When people continue in their disbelief in the face of the overwhelming evidence it is always on moral and not intellectual grounds. Then it is a clear case of “I don’t want to believe because I don’t want to change my prejudices and lifestyle”—rather than “I can’t believe because of insufficient evidence.” As C.S. Lewis shrewdly observed, “Man is 71
not only a sinner who needs forgiveness—he is a rebel that needs to lay down his arms!” Nowhere is this moral rebellion against God more clearly demonstrated than in the case of continued disbelief in spite of the overwhelming evidence for the truth of the claims of the Bible and Jesus Christ. Now, since the New Testament documents are our chief source of information about Jesus, we must be convinced that they are accurate before we will accept them and Him. You see, the Bible says that we are to pattern our lives after Christ’s (1 Peter 2:21; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 2:6; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 3:19; etc.). The big question then is, What kind of life did He live? Scripture is the only place where we find the character of Christ clearly revealed. It is of eternal significance whether or not the character revealed there is accurate and reliable! How can I confidently pattern my life after His unless I am sure that I have an accurate account of how He lived? Therefore, brethren, when it comes to the matter of trustworthiness and historical verification—I want you to realize that the Bible is the most thoroughly substantiated book of history. Any basic study of biblical apologetics will quickly verify this fact. There are over 5,800 Greek NT manuscripts in existence, plus more than 9,000 manuscripts in other ancient languages, not to mention the thousands of manuscripts in Latin. Added to this, most if not all of the New Testament can be reconstructed through quotations in the writings of the Church Fathers and other early Christian witnesses. Let’s look further at the matter of the New Testament documents.
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Why the Canon of Scripture Was Established The number of manuscripts of the New Testament is far greater than for any other document of history. Perhaps that raises some questions in your mind: What was the reason for such a large number of Scripture copies? How did the early Church decide what was truly Scripture and what wasn’t? Let’s begin with a definition. The word canon comes from the root word “reed.” The “reed” was used as a measuring rod and eventually came to mean “standard.” In reference to the Bible it means the officially accepted list of books. Church historians generally agree that there were several factors that caused the early Church to establish a formal “official” list of canonical books.
Apostolic Martyrdom Because of the deaths of the original 12 Apostles and Paul (it is estimated that Paul and Peter were martyred around AD 67–70), the Church realized an immediate need to guard and pass on their doctrine. Since they were the working companions of Christ Himself—whom He had chosen to continue His work—their writings must be preserved.
Heresy There was an increasing amount of religious writing floating around—much of which was professing to be apostolic and therefore authoritative. These apocryphal writings, as 73
they are called, were rejected by the Church as a whole. Closely related to this was the Marcionite heresy. Marcion made a distinction between the so-called inferior Creator God of the Old Testament and the God and Father who was revealed in Christ. He therefore believed the Church should throw out all biblical references to this Old Testament God— and he personally set the pace! He threw out all of the Old Testament and much of the New that to him referred to this “Semitic God.” The result was that in the process he tossed out about everything but Luke and 10 of Paul’s letters. Those types of heretical opinions and writings made it necessary to separate the true from the false—the orthodox from the spurious.
Missionary Expansion The Church was also rapidly growing, and expanding into other countries with different languages that needed the Scriptures in their own tongue. The Word began to be translated into other languages as the Church expanded. These translations have also become a great resource and treasure for biblical criticism and textual analysis and comparison. Some of these major early translations were: • Syriac (AD 150–250): read by those in Syria, it used the Aramaic alphabet. • Latin (AD 300–400): the most famous of these was the Vulgate (meaning “common” or “popular”), translated by Jerome. • Coptic (AD 300–400): used by believers in Egypt. 74
• Armenian (ca. AD 400): used by those in Armenia (in western Asia). Today we have more than 9,000 copies of these early translations. They eloquently and prolifically testify that from the very beginning Christianity was a missionary faith! The early Christians were indeed going out into all the world in obedience to the Great Commission of Christ. We find no other ancient literature that was so widely translated into other languages. This process is still going on today because the Bible is still the most widely translated book of history! All or part of it has been translated into over 3,300 languages today.
Political Persecution The emperor Diocletian bitterly persecuted Christians around AD 302–305. One of his edicts called for the burning of all Scriptures. So Christians literally had to decide which books they would die for. That makes you choose very carefully—you don’t die for something you’re unsure of!
How the Canon of Scripture Was Established There were many factors that precipitated the need for an official canon. How did the early Church Fathers choose? What were their criteria for determining which books were to be included in the canon and which ones were to be rejected? A general guiding principle was that if God cared enough to give us His Word, He likewise cared enough to 75
guard it from loss or corruption! Specifically, here are six of the criteria used to determine whether a book was canonical: 1. Is it authoritative—Does it claim to be the Word of God? 2. Is it apostolic—Was it either written or approved by the Apostles? 3. Is it prophetic—Was it written by a servant of God? 4. Is it authentic—Does it tell the truth about God, man, sin, etc.? 5. Is it dynamic—Does it possess the life-transforming power of God? 6. Was it received—Did the believers for whom it was written receive it as such? In the writings of the post-Apostolic Church Fathers we find many references to the various books that were accepted. As early as AD 95 we have references by Clement, bishop of Rome, referring to books like Matthew, Luke, Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Hebrews. Irenaeus (ca. AD 180), who became Bishop of Lyons in Gaul, witnessed to the canonical recognition of all 27 NT books except Philemon, Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude. This is especially significant when we realize that Irenaeus was brought up at the feet of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John. By the end of the second century, the 27 books of the NT were basically agreed upon by the Church. Tertullian (ca. AD 200), bishop of Carthage, an important defender or apologist of the faith, used the expression “New Testament”— thereby formally recognizing it with equal authority with the 76
Old Testament. Athanasius of Alexandria published a list of divine books around AD 367. It contained the Old Testament and the exact 27 books we have in the New Testament. Historians say it is the first list that perfectly matches the list we have today. Jerome agreed and used the same 27 books when he translated the Latin Vulgate about AD 385. Finally, two church councils in North Africa—Hippo in 393 and Carthage in 397— officially rendered the 27 books of the New Testament as the only ones that could be read in the churches. The process of canonization, establishing which books to include in the NT, can be summarized with the following statement: A book’s acceptance into the canon did not elevate it to “Scripture.” Its inclusion was recognition by the Church Fathers that it was already Scripture! As one writer put it, “The Bible is not an authorized collection of books, but a collection of authorized books.”
The Apocryphal Writings The books or writings that were not included in the official church canon are referred to as apocryphal writings. The word apocrypha comes from the Greek work apokryphos meaning “hidden” or “concealed.” Jerome, in the fourth century, was the first to use the term in reference to these non-canonical writings. Their number truly abounds! There are many books on the market you can buy for a more detailed discussion of them if you are interested. However, unless you are particularly interested in church heresy, it is 77
not really worth your time! Apart from bits of historical and cultural information—often incorrect at that—there is really very little for the Christian. For the sake of division we can divide the apocryphal writing into Old Testament-related ones and New Testament-related ones.
Old Testament Apocryphal Writings: 1 Esdras Baruch 2 Esdras Prayer of Azariah Tobit Susanna Judith Bel and the Dragon Additions to Esther Prayer of Manasseh Wisdom of Solomon 1 Maccabees Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 2 Maccabees These writings were not included in the Old Testament canon for a variety of reasons. Philo, the Jewish philosopher (ca. 20 BC–AD 40), quoted the Old Testament pontifically but never recognized the Apocrypha as inspired. The Jewish historian Josephus (AD 37–ca. 100) explicitly excluded the Apocrypha in his listing of Scripture. Significantly, Jesus and the New Testament writers never once quoted an apocryphal writing—even though there are hundreds of other OT quotations in their teachings and writings. For the Christian, this fact alone is conclusive. No canon or council of the Christian Church for the first four centuries recognized the Apocrypha as inspired, and many of the great Church Fathers spoke out against the 78
Apocrypha. Irenaeus refers to “an unspeakable number of apocryphal and spurious writings, which they themselves (i.e. the heretics) had forged, to bewilder the minds of the foolish.� Martin Luther and the other Reformers rejected the authority and canonicity of the Apocrypha, as did many Roman Catholic scholars through the Reformation period. It was not until 1546 at the Counter Reformation Council of Trent that the Apocryphal books received full canonical status by the Roman Catholic Church.
New Testament Apocryphal Writings: Epistle of Barnabas Infancy Gospel of Thomas Third Epistle to the Corinthians Assumption of Mary Epistles of Clement Shepherd of Hermas Didache (Teaching of the Twelve) Apocalypse of Peter Acts of Paul and Thecla Epistle to the Laodiceans Gospel according to the Hebrews
Protevangelium of James Gospel of Philip Gospel of Truth Gospel of the Nazarenes Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians Seven Epistles of Ignatius (and many more)
The books on the above list, plus dozens more, were rejected by the Church for numerous reasons. Among these were the plentiful historical and geographical errors, false doctrines that contradict the rest of Scripture, writing styles and subject matter that differ markedly from inspired Scrip79
ture, and a lack of the majesty, prophetic power, and authority that characterizes true Scripture. The apocryphal Gospel of Thomas was a rather recent discovery of the Gnostic library at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. There are all together more than 50 of these apocryphal gospels— many of which are known simply by title only or by a few scattered quotations and allusions by the early Church Fathers. These apocryphal gospels arose because the straightforward accounts of the birth and childhood of Jesus, recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, do not totally satisfy the fallen human curiosity of many people. They began to add their fanciful embellishments—to fill in those “hidden years of Christ” with their own ideas of what He was doing! Examples from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (different from the Gospel of Thomas) will suffice to demonstrate the difference between the fancifulness of man’s imagination and the truth of God’s revelation. According to that writing, when Jesus was five years old, He made 12 sparrows from clay and “zapped” them with life and they all flew away! On another occasion, Jesus purportedly cursed a child who had bothered Him with the words: “You insolent, godless dunderhead . . . See, now you also shall wither like a tree.” Another lad who accidentally bumped into Jesus was smitten dead. Others who accused Him were blinded. As an assistant in His father’s carpenter shop Jesus was able to stretch beams of wood to the proper size! There is a great gulf between these fantasies and the stark realism of God’s Word. How different is Jesus Christ from these projections! The conclusion is rather obvious: the apocryphal gospels cannot even be compared with the Four Gospels of the NT. 80
After one has spent a little time reading them, he comes back to God’s Word with renewed conviction and enthusiasm! All these apocryphal writings make us profoundly thankful for the Bible as we have it! The contrast between them and the true Scriptures is too great to be overlooked by any eye trained to perceive truth.
Prophetic Evidence We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19–21). When we come to the subject of prophecy, we come to one of the most exciting and yet most greatly misunderstood and abused areas of biblical studies. But just what is prophecy? Let’s begin with a definition. In the Bible, prophecy is understood in two ways. In the Old Testament, prophecy primarily has to do with foretelling future events. This is what we might call predictive prophecy. In the New Testament, prophecy is primarily not foretelling but forthtelling. It means to “stand up and tell forth God’s Word”—so this is what we could call preaching today. Now there was some foretelling in the New Testament, but 81
the overwhelming majority was forthtelling. In our discussion here, we will be dealing with predictive prophecy, the “foretelling of future events” long before they occurred. If it can be demonstrated that prophets of God in the Old Testament prophesied things hundreds of years beforehand that were accurately fulfilled—then that is yet another cogent argument in support of the belief that the Bible is more than a human book! Now, predictive prophecies can only be validated by their fulfillment. We have a rather easy means for checking them out! As you well know, the world today is filled with people who claim to have the powers to foretell future events. Some profess to be able to do it by the aid of astrology, others by tarot cards, yet others by tea leaves! Every year around December or January the newsstands are filled with magazines and newspapers in which astrologers are giving their predictions for the coming year. If one were to take the time to read these (don’t waste your time) and list these prophecies and then check them out during the coming year against current events, you would find great discrepancies! Their rate of accuracy of prediction is indeed very small—and even many of the ones that do come true have human explanations. That’s where biblical prophecy parts company with these false human “prophets.” False prophets have been with us since the earliest days of history. For the people of God then there was a very real problem of knowing the true from the false. God, of course, anticipated that problem and set forth a test that would divide the pseudo from the true prophet:
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A prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death. You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed (Deuteronomy 18:20–22). So there’s the test—100% accuracy of fulfillment! No other religion in the world has such a wealth of fulfilled prophecy as Christianity. No other world religious leader’s coming was foretold hundreds of years in advance in such minute detail as was Christ’s. The Old Testament was written over an approximate 1,500-year period and contains several hundred prophecies and references to the coming of Christ the Messiah. These prophecies can be conveniently divided into two types: prophecies of a Kingly Messiah and prophecies of a Suffering Messiah. Jesus Christ fulfilled both! The accurate fulfillment of those hundreds of prophecies is explicable only in terms of the fact that Jesus was indeed the Messiah of God—and the Bible is indeed His revelation of those prophecies and their fulfillment! Obviously, we do not have the time or space in one chapter to list and expound all of these prophecies and their fulfillment. However, I will list some of the major ones for you. I hope that you will take time to look up and study these examples in detail in your Bible. 83
Prophecies concerning the Birth of Christ • He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) Fulfillment—Matthew 1:18, 24–25; Luke 1:26–35 • He would be the Son of God (Psalm 2:7; 1 Chronicles 17:11–14; 2 Samuel 7:12–16) Fulfillment—Matthew 3:17; 16:16; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; 22:70; John 1:34, 49; Acts 13:30–33 • He would be from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Micah 5:2) Fulfillment—Matthew 1:2; Luke 3:23; Hebrews 7:14 • He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) Fulfillment—Matthew 2:1, 4–8; Luke 2:4–7; John 7:42
Prophecies concerning Christ’s Nature as Deity • He was preexistent before His incarnation (Psalm 102:24–25; Proverbs 8:22–23; Isaiah 9:6–7; 41:4; 44:6; 58:12; Micah 5:2) Fulfillment—John 1:1–2; 8:58; 17:5, 24; Colossians 1:17; Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 22:13 • He would be called “Lord” (Psalm 110:1; Jeremiah 23:6) Fulfillment—Luke 2:11; 20:41–44 • He would be a Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18) Fulfillment—Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 4:19; 6:14; 7:40 • He would be a King (Psalm 2:6; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9) Fulfillment—Matthew 21:5; 27:37; John 18:33–38
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Prophecies concerning Christ’s Ministry • His ministry would begin in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1) Fulfillment—Matthew 4:12–13, 15 • He would teach with parables (Psalm 78:2) Fulfillment—Matthew 13:34 • He would be rejected by His own people (Psalm 69:8; 118:22; Isaiah 53:3) Fulfillment—Matthew 21:42–43; John 7:5, 48 • He would be accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11) Fulfillment—Matthew 26:59–61 • He would be crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12) Fulfillment—Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27–28 • He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9) Fulfillment—Matthew 27:57–60 • He would be resurrected from the dead (Psalm 16:10; 30:3; 41:10; 118:17 Hosea 6:2) Fulfillment—Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:46; Acts 2:31; 13:33 I hope you noticed how very specific and detailed those prophecies and their fulfillment are! He would be a Jew, from a specific tribe of Israel, from a specific family and house; He would be born in one specific town out of all the towns in the world; He would begin His ministry in another specific town; He would have a certain kind of ministry and die a specific kind of death accompanied by many specific detailed circumstances! It is sometimes said that Jesus deliberately set out to fulfill these Old Testament prophecies and thereby try to prove 85
His messiahship. That might sound like a good argument on the surface but it will not hold up under close examination. Why? Simply because many of the prophecies that were fulfilled by Christ were completely beyond human contact or manipulation. For example, there would have been no way that Jesus could have manipulated the place, time, and manner of His birth (Micah 5:2; Daniel 9:25; Genesis 49:10). Neither could He manipulate the way in which He was betrayed, the manner of His death, the people’s reaction to His crucifixion, or the circumstances of His burial (Psalm 41:9; 22:7–8; 22:16; Isaiah 50:6; 53:9; Zechariah 12:10). When you stop to recall that the Old Testament was completed by no later than 450 BC—a gap of 450 years between the completion of the Old Testament and the events of the New—then you realize that there was a minimum of 450 years between the prophecies and their fulfillment in Christ. Once again, there is no other reasonable explanation than that the Bible is indeed God’s Word! There are always those who say that it was just coincidence that Jesus fulfilled all those prophecies. Well, it takes far more faith to believe that than it does to believe in fulfilled prophecy! True, a few of the prophecies could have been fulfilled by Christ coincidentally—but not all of them! In fact, if you can produce just one person out of history or contemporary society other than Jesus who has fulfilled only half of the predictive prophecies concerning the Messiah, then you could have made a quick $1,000. The Christian Victory Publishing Company of Denver had this proposition standing for a number of years—with no challengers. Let’s summarize what all of these fulfilled prophecies 86
strongly suggest. First, there is indeed an active God in the universe who is working out His plan in history. Second, this God guided the production of the Old and New Testament, revealing Himself in it. Third, it evidences the inspiration of the Bible. And fourth, it authenticates the deity of Jesus Christ.
Archaeological Evidence—The Dead Sea Scrolls When we study biblical archaeology, we enter the realm of one of the youngest—but most exciting—sciences of biblical studies. The stones of the Holy Land literally cry out in defense of the trustworthiness of the Bible! However, not nearly all of the evidence is in yet because only a fraction of the known biblical sites have been excavated to date, and many of these only partially. When I was in the Holy Land I had the opportunity to personally see many of these archaeological sites and the artifacts from them. One interesting one was a stone found at an amphitheater in Caesarea by the Sea. There archaeologists unearthed a stone with Pontius Pilate’s name on it. He had built the theater and dedicated it to his emperor, Tiberius. That stone provides us with the earliest and clearest extra-biblical reference to Pontius Pilate. So the stones are still crying out in support of the Bible! No doubt the most famous and significant archaeological find to date was made in 1947—not by a professional archaeologist, but by a Bedouin shepherd boy looking for a stray sheep. When he threw a stone into a cave and heard it break something, he climbed up to the rock cliffs to see 87
what he had broken. What he found were the now famous “Dead Sea Scrolls” of the Qumran community. That colossal find has done much for both Old and New Testament biblical studies. Let me share some of the background and significance of this discovery. In an exceedingly desolate and foreboding area seven and a half miles south of the city of Jericho, there is a plateau surrounded by a number of caves high up on rocky cliffs. Although the region had been occupied in the time of the kings of Judah, the most important occupation of this area was between 130 BC and AD 70. It appears that during that time, the area became an important Jewish religious center but was abandoned temporarily after a great earthquake in 31 BC. The Jews again occupied it until AD 68 when the Romans took it in conjunction with their seizure of Jerusalem—which consummated in AD 70 with the destruction of both the temple and the city of Jerusalem. Qumran was the center of a Jewish religious community for the best part of 200 years. A few hundred people are thought to have lived there at one time—presumably in a celibate lifestyle. Most scholars now believe that they were a sect known as the Essenes, a strict group of religious separatists. They had opposed the pagan culture of their day, so they withdrew to the wilderness. In this way they believed they would be a people prepared for the Lord, drawing their biblical authority from Isaiah 40:3: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” The date of the Qumran community and subsequently the 88
date of the scrolls can be rather accurately established by five points of reference: 1. Carbon-14 tests on the linen wrappings of the scrolls 2. A large number of coins found in the community 3. Pottery chronology for the jars in which the scrolls were found 4. Comparative paleography (science of ancient handwriting analysis) 5. Linguistic analysis of Aramaic documents found in the caves. The various caves yielded remains of over 500 books—no doubt belonging to the library of the Qumran community. Many of these books are only small fragments and the merest scraps. Their preservation was largely due to the hot, dry climate of the Dead Sea region. Cave One was an archaeological bonanza! It yielded literally thousands of manuscript fragments as well as fragments of the jars and cloth that had wrapped and housed the scrolls. The manuscripts from Cave One differ from those found in the other caves, in that they had been placed in earthenware jars before being deposited in the caves. The residents of Qumran had no doubt hidden their scriptural treasures in the caves for protection during a period of opposition and siege—with the hopes of later returning and claiming them. That opportunity never came for them and so for centuries the scrolls remained hidden and unknown to the modern world. Between 1948 and 1956, archaeologists and Bedouins lo89
cated some 270 caves in the region. Of these, 40 yielded pottery and other objects. However, only in 11 caves were manuscripts found like those of Cave One. Altogether there have been found over 100 copies of Old Testament books in Hebrew and Aramaic. One of the most famous is the “Great Isaiah Scroll,” written in Hebrew and dating to around 100 BC. In addition to pieces of Hebrew Scripture, the caves also yielded fragments of the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.
Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Biblical Studies It is no longer possible to date portions or entire Old Testament books as late as some scholars used to date them. You cannot now date any OT book later than the early second century BC. The Dead Sea Scrolls also give new information on the history of the Hebrew language, trends in spelling, formation of words, and pronunciation. They prove that Hebrew was not a completely dead language during New Testament times and give us clearer meanings of some Hebrew words that were not previously clear in Old Testament usage. But the biggest issue solved by the Dead Sea Scrolls was the matter of textual corruption. When it comes to Old Testament studies, we do not have the abundance of manuscripts like we do for the New Testament. Until the Dead Sea Scroll discovery, the previous oldest existent Hebrew manuscript was the Masoretic Text dating to about AD 900. The Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran dates from 150–100 BC. With 90
the discovery of that one scroll, biblical archaeology made a jump of 1,000 years! Now we have a real, tangible way to check to see how much textual corruption has occurred by all the hand-copying by the scribes for those hundreds of years. The result? When you lay the AD 900 scroll side by side with the 150 BC scroll, there is practically no difference! There is absolutely no doctrinal difference and little verbal variance. We will never know the names of the meticulous scribes who faithfully copied manuscripts all those centuries, but we owe them a debt of thanksgiving! The Dead Sea Scrolls demonstrate the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible. Everyone who struggles with honest doubts should take heart! Remember that the evidence is on the side of faith and not on the side of doubt. Archaeology is increasingly demonstrating that we would do better to place our faith more and more in the Bible—and less and less in our limited knowledge, the latest theological opinions, or “scholarly research.”
Summary When you put together the cumulative witness of the 15,000-plus manuscripts of the New Testament, the accuracy of predictive prophecy fulfilled by Jesus Christ, and the astounding evidence of archaeology, you are driven to the unavoidable conclusion that the Bible is indeed God’s inspired Word! In the words of God spoken to Jeremiah, “I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled” (Jeremiah 1:12). 91
How to
Study the Bible
Chapter
Seven Prerequisites for Studying the Word Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path (Psalm 119:97–104). From the above verses we see a heart attitude in David that was the necessary prerequisite for understanding God’s Word. The world is sadly lacking in wisdom and under95
standing today! If we are going to be able to really learn and come to truth—and experience what David said about having “more insight than all my teachers”—then we are going to have to meet God’s conditions for receiving true knowledge. What are those conditions or prerequisites for properly studying God’s Word?
Prerequisite 1: We Must Be Spiritually Alive The first prerequisite to studying the Bible is that we must be spiritually alive. Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you— they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). Paul said, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). So until a person is regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God he is incapable of perceiving spiritual truth. He no more has the capacity of understanding God’s Word than a blind man does of perceiving color or a deaf person does of perceiving sound! Paul reminds the Corinthians that it is disobedience that leads to spiritual blindness by the “prince of this world.” He says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Tragically many Christians—even though they are truly regenerate—still walk more by the flesh or the old nature 96
than by the Spirit and their new nature. Therefore, spiritual immaturity characterizes their life more than maturity in Christ. Paul discussed this warfare that goes on between the flesh and the Spirit in Romans 8: Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:5–8). This was the very problem that Paul had with those carnal Christians at Corinth! Therefore, he wrote to them and said, “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly” (1 Corinthians 3:1–3). Perhaps it would be helpful to look at some of the characteristics of the spiritual Christian. The first and most obvious fact about the spiritual Christian is that he or she is seeking to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) as opposed to the flesh. It is not just a periodic or sporadic thing—but a lifestyle, as Paul said. God’s Holy Spirit becomes the very atmosphere of his life! The second thing is that the spiritual Christian loves the things of God more than the things of the world. Jesus clear97
ly said that the heart attitude that finds favor with God is the one that has a spiritual hunger and thirst rather than a worldly one. • “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled [satisfied]” (Matthew 5:6). • “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37–38). • “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). A third important characteristic of the spiritual Christian is that he is humble. Christ said that the Holy Spirit would “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). It is a basic principle that the Spirit only leads the humble—never the proud! James admonishes his hearers to “humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you” (James 1:21). Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25). Fourth, the spiritual Christian is obedient. Jesus clearly said that when our will is disposed to obedience we would know the Father’s will: “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God” (John 7:17). Likewise, Jesus says, “Whoever has my com98
mands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21). It is a spiritual principle that light begets light—“in your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9). Therefore, we apply what we have learned. Then and only then does God give us more understanding. Jesus said that light is not given to be hidden—but rather to be put on a lampstand so all could see (Mark 4:21–25). Application is the proof of obedience! Jesus states this in what I call the “secret of spiritual growth”: “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them” (Matthew 13:12). It is not what I do to the Word, but what I allow the Word to do to me that’s important! Master the Book and then let it master you!
Prerequisite 2: We Must Be under Doctrinal Teaching A second prerequisite is that we must be under doctrinal teaching. Today millions of people—and sadly many Christians—are being spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and emotionally “ripped off” by false prophets. These prophets often come under the guise of religious leaders, theologians, philosophers, and educators. Consequently, many Christians are not under sound doctrinal teaching. Paul warned that this would happen—and that many would even prefer false teachers to true ones: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather 99
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4). More than ever, Christians must “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly” (Colossians 3:16)—and this can only happen by being under sound biblical teaching! This was one of the chief marks of the early Church after Pentecost. They did not assume that just because they had received God’s Holy Spirit that they could go out on their own. No! Luke records that “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). Another good example for the absolute need for doctrinal teaching is found in the account of Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. This man was riding home from worshipping in Jerusalem, and while he was riding in his chariot he was reading from the Isaiah scroll. Philip came alongside him and asked if he understood what he was reading. The Ethiopian replied with great honesty, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:31). This clearly teaches us that scriptural interpretation can be more completely understood through doctrinal guidance. This principle is also borne out by the fact that Paul said that elders in the church must be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2), so that they can “encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose [contradict] it” (Titus 1:9). Paul was vitally interested that “sound doctrine” be taught (Titus 2:1), and that it be entrusted into the hands of faithful men who would likewise instruct others: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). 100
Since the church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), it is absolutely necessary that every believer be an active part of a church that faithfully teaches and applies the Word, and is committed to proclaiming the Gospel!
Prerequisite 3: We Must Be Diligent and Disciplined Students Finally, we must be diligent and disciplined students. Many people today say they would like to be able to understand the Bible better, but few are willing to pay the price of commitment to study! Many ministers would like to be great expositors of the Word, but few will correct and rearrange their priorities and commit themselves to putting first things first. It is not that the things they give themselves to are not important, but it is usually a matter of the good being an enemy of the best! We have already looked at the emphasis Paul placed on study where he said to Timothy, “Do your best [be diligent] to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Paul himself was a living testimony of this principle. We can see the quality of his study constantly coming through in his writings. He never lost his commitment to reading and studying—even in old age. When he wrote Timothy to hurry to visit him, he said something that is very instructive for us concerning his study and devotional habits. He asked Timothy to bring “my scrolls, especially the parchments” 101
(2 Timothy 4:13). We do not know what the books were for sure—but no doubt the “parchments” referred to the Scriptures. Even as an old man in prison he never lost his desire to read, study, and learn! When it comes to the study of the Word—give God your best time! Don’t give Him your tired, worn-out, anemic leftovers! I don’t know what your best, most alert, wide-awake time of the day is—but whenever it is, give it to God in prayer and the study of His Word. For most people that is the first thing in the morning after a good night’s sleep. However, there are some people—and I am one of them—who are “night people” and find later hours good for reading, study, and meditation. Please remember also that hurry is the death of prayer and study!
Summary There are three essential prerequisites for every Christian who earnestly desires to study God’s Word: • We must be spiritually alive • We must be under doctrinal teaching • We must be diligent and disciplined students
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To effectively study God’s Word, we must first be spiritually alive, not carnal. This is characterized by walking by the Spirit, hungering and thirsting after spiritual things, having a humble, teachable spirit, and being obedient. In addition, we should seek out solid doctrinal teaching, and once we have found it, study as diligent and disciplined students.
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Chapter
Eight Part One
Principles of Interpreting the Word Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15–16). This section really gets down to the meat of this entire study! Correct application of the Word can only come from correct interpretation. I cannot say too much about the importance of correctly interpreting God’s Word. I believe that it grieves God far more to see His children abusing His Word 105
than it does for Him to see His enemies attack it! Jesus said that the “Scriptures cannot be broken” (John 10:35 nasb), but the Holy Spirit, through Peter, declared that they could be twisted to one’s own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). If your interpretation is wrong then your application will also be wrong! On one occasion Jesus corrected the Sadducees over their incorrect understanding of the resurrection, and said, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). Remember, twisted Scripture can never result in straight theology! Since this is God’s Word we need to make every effort to correctly understand it. Let me introduce you to two words that are of great importance for the serious Bible student: hermeneutics and homiletics. Hermeneutics is the science of interpreting Scripture. Homiletics, on the other hand, is the art of preaching, teaching, or communicating Scripture. Good homiletics are derived from good hermeneutics. When preaching is poor, dull, uninteresting, or irrelevant, it is because of inadequate preparation in the area of hermeneutics. Christ’s homiletics (His way of preaching and teaching) were always captivating, relevant, and life-changing. The officers who were sent to arrest Jesus on one occasion returned saying, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46). After His great Sermon on the Mount, the Scripture says that the crowds were “amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (Matthew 7:28–29). Because His teachings (homiletics) were so very relevant to their lives, the people “listened to him with delight” (Mark 12:37). They reject106
ed the homiletics of the Scribes and Pharisees because they were burdensome, cumbersome, legalistic, and irrelevant— but they flocked to Christ because His teaching was truth . . . reality! Because the religious leaders of Christ’s day did not correctly know God, they constantly abused His Scriptures. They were perhaps sincere and dedicated—but that is not enough. Jesus clearly taught that true worship must spring out of truth: “True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23–24). Truth, or “ultimate reality” as Webster defines it, is something as it really is as opposed to what we might think or wish it to be. When we know God through His Holy Spirit—who witnesses to our spirit (Romans 8:16)—then we can begin to worship Him according to truth. We worship God for who He really is as opposed to how we previously conceived Him to be. Then and only then will our worship be pleasing to Him and fulfilling to us—and it all began with a correct understanding of His Word. The best interpreter of any book is its author, so the better we know the author the better we understand the book! Therefore, the better we know God through His Incarnate Word—as revealed in His Written Word—the better we will know and worship Him. Knowledge of God and knowledge of His Word are inseparably connected! What are some of the basic principles of hermeneutics or interpreting God’s Word?
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The Principle of Natural Interpretation This has sometimes been called the “principle of simplicity.” That means that the Bible itself has no difficulty. If there is any problem, it is due to our misunderstanding and not with God’s Word itself. God has spoken to be understood! He intended that Scripture be plain to its readers. We must approach the Bible with that basic presupposition in mind. When you or I speak, we speak to communicate . . . to be understood . . . to transmit truth. Now, that’s the way it should be—but many people do not speak the truth and are thus liars! The Bible clearly says that man and God are different at this point. Whereas it is common or “natural” for man in his fallen condition to lie, the Bible clearly says that God cannot, and therefore does not, lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:12). He speaks to be understood—and all He speaks is truth, for He is Truth! It is natural for us to expect that God has spoken to be clearly understood. It was the Gnostics, men who approached Scripture with the presupposition that in it were hidden all kinds of “secret” information, who stressed salvation through a secret gnosis or “knowledge.” This movement was clearly rejected by the Church, and rightly so! This same esoteric approach is often true of many of the contemporary cults today. God has not cloaked His will in secrecy so only a few may attain it. He has spoken to be clearly understood and therefore obeyed. This is the only natural way to approach God!
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The Principle of Comparative Interpretation This might also be called the “principle of harmony.” This principle reminds us that the Bible must be seen as a whole—and every individual part must be interpreted within the context of the whole. When done so, one part will never contradict another! Since God has spoken to be understood, we can only expect to fully understand Him when we have studied and compared all He has said to us on a particular subject. Error always results when we isolate what He has said at one point, from everything else He has spoken on that matter. Article XX of the Church of England says that no passage of Scripture may be so expounded “that it be repugnant to another.” So we must seek the “whole will of God” (Acts 20:27) on each issue as opposed to just bits and pieces! We must stress the principle of comparison: compare Scripture with Scripture! That means that the Bible is its own best commentary and therefore explains itself. To truly understand a point of biblical doctrine requires examining every relevant verse or passage, and not simply interpreting a single verse by itself. When we learn to study and interpret the Bible comparatively we will have many of our surface difficulties solved— and will also begin to arrive at a more systematic theology. There is one other matter along this line I would point out. Not every part of the Bible is equally clear. There are areas of ambiguity and obscurity. The Bible is silent on some issues. When you come to one of these areas remember the following: 109
• There are many clear passages on every major doctrine in the Bible. On any area that is essential for our salvation and general well-being, the Bible is crystal clear! • When you come to a verse or subject that is not completely clear, always interpret the obscure by the obvious, the cloudy by the clear. Don’t get hung up or sidetracked on a verse that is hard to understand. Interpret it through other clear passages that speak to the issue at hand. • Finally, when you come to a point of doctrine where Christians of equal commitment, dedication, and scholarship disagree—be careful! The Bible does seem to allow some latitude of interpretation on some things (Sabbath observance, dietary habits, etc.), and we should do the same. Remember, a fanatic has been defined as one who majors on the minors as though they were the majors!
The Principle of Literal Interpretation This is a principle that many people either radically misunderstand—or vehemently rebel against. The moment you mention “literal interpretation” people begin to say, “Surely you don’t think that the Bible is to be taken literally, do you?!” You see, there is a common fallacy that says there are many interpretations of the Bible, and mine is as good as yours. That may sound good to us—but it is just not true. Not all interpretations of the Bible are equally valid; many 110
are absolutely heretical! Many of the interpretations of the religious leaders of Christ’s day were false. The same was true of the false prophets in the Old Testament, and it is true of the cults today. All interpretations of Scripture are not equally valid. I remind you of Peter’s warning about people who distort Scriptures “to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). The problem over literal interpretation, I believe, comes from our understanding of what is really meant—and conversely not meant—by the phrase “literal interpretation.” When you or I speak, we expect to be taken literally. For example, suppose I say to my children, “Please go to your rooms and clean them up.” Now suppose they begin to interpret my words to them as many try to interpret God’s Word. They might begin to say, “Well, you know that Daddy did not literally mean for us to go to our rooms and clean them . . . after all, there are many ways of interpreting what he has said!” Far from it! I expect to be interpreted literally— and you do too. If that were not the case, communication would not be possible. We would always be wondering, “Do they mean that literally, figuratively, allegorically, or spiritually?” We all expect to be taken literally—even though we may have communicated what we have said figuratively or through some other form of speech. The Bible does the very same thing. Consistency requires that the same principle of communication and interpretation be applied both to what God has said and to what we say! The Bible is full of various literary forms and figures of speech—but behind them all a literal truth is being communicated. The Bible uses phrases like “as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16); “Look, the Lamb of 111
God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29); “Go tell [Herod] that fox” (Luke 13:32); “rivers of living water” (John 7:38); etc. We should know what they mean. All of our speech is likewise filled with figures of speech that seek to communicate a literal truth, like “He’s a couch potato!” (a lazy person); “Let’s go pig out!” (meaning eat a lot); etc. Jesus constantly encapsulated spiritual truths in parables that brought them down to our level of understanding. You see, we do not think or learn by the theoretical or by the abstract, but by the concrete. God never communicates to us in general, nebulous terms—but rather in vivid ones out of the world of our experience. Then we can more easily grasp the literal truth that He is trying to communicate to us. The principle is this: every part of the Bible is to be taken literally. That is the only natural, logical, normal way to interpret it!
The Principle of Grammatical Interpretation Even though there is only one correct interpretation of any given Scripture, there may be a number of possible correct applications. It is only logical that if our interpretation is incorrect, then our application will also be incorrect. As we saw in the previous discussion, language is important. God chose human language (as opposed to spiritual or angelic) as the vehicle to reveal Himself to man. So it is both the “Word of God” and the “Word of man.” Because He has chosen to use our language, we must read it like any other book in regard to the rules of vocabulary, grammar, syntax (order of words in a sentence), etc.—and not do violence to them. I am especially thankful that God 112
had the New Testament written in Greek, because it can be a far more exact and precise language than English and many other languages spoken today. There are many great biblical doctrines that are determined by grammar. The following are a couple of examples:
The Crucifixion of the Believer with Christ (Romans 6:6) “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Because of the tense of the verb we know that our crucifixion with Christ is a past experience and not a future one. Christ’s death on the cross also included us. When we understand this, we will no longer hopefully and wishfully look forward to some future time when we might really get spiritual and crucify self! You can’t crucify yourself. That’s why Paul said that by faith you must “count yourselves dead”—think of yourselves as dead, as far as sin is concerned (Romans 6:11).
The Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:15–16) Here the argument rests on one letter making the difference between singular and plural. “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). One letter makes an eternity of difference! It is the difference between
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the blessing promised coming exclusively through Christ— or through many!
The Filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) Again, we see the very great importance of the tense of a verb. Paul says, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). The verb is in the present tense. That denotes continuous present action. Whereas our crucifixion with Christ was a past experience never to be repeated, our filling with the Spirit is a dynamic, continuing experience. It is best translated, “Be continuously being filled with the Spirit.” A proper understanding of that verse will clear up a great deal of misunderstanding, fear, and confusion concerning the filling of the Holy Spirit!
The Principle of Historical Interpretation One of the first things we should expect to find revealed in this method of interpretation is historical progression, or historical movement. Therefore, what God does and requires at one historical point may change at another because the former was a prelude for the latter. Again we can see the matter of progressive revelation revealed and worked out in historical interpretation. A good example of this would be the sacrifices of the Old Testament. In that historical period, God was setting the stage and preparing His people for what He was going to do in a later period of history—the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for sin. Therefore, when the fulfillment came, the former things no longer applied. 114
It would be sin for us—as Christians who are living in the full light of the Gospel of Christ—to continue many of the Old Testament observances. Paul underscores this principle of interpretation and understanding of the workings of God in his epistle to the Galatians. There he points out that Christ is the fulfillment of the law: “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [There is the historical progression.] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” [There is the fulfillment.] (Galatians 3:23–25). In Colossians he reiterates the same principle: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. . . . Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:8, 16–17; emphasis added). Because of a misunderstanding of this principle of interpretation, many people get caught up in and worship the shadow rather than the substance—Christ! The writer of Hebrews also demonstrates this historical, progressive interpretation. In Hebrews chapters 6 through 10 he contrasts the ministry of the priests of the past with our new High Priest, Jesus Christ. The main point is found in chapter 8: “They [human priests] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. . . . But in fact 115
the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. . . . By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear” (Hebrews 8:5–7, 13). In these verses we can graphically see the principles of historical interpretation and historical progression and revelation worked out! Second, this principle teaches us to look for the original meaning of a passage. Our problem is that we have a great tendency to project our twenty-first-century ideas, definitions, concepts, worldviews, and interpretations back onto the Bible. We must learn not to read back into Scripture ideas of today. In other words, don’t try to squeeze first-century happenings into twenty-first-century baggage! The key to helping us find the original historical meaning is to ask questions like, What did the author intend to convey to his original hearers or readers? and, What would his original hearers have understood him to have meant by what he said? So we must learn to transport ourselves back in time and imagine ourselves as one of the original hearers. We must be somewhat like the prophet Ezekiel when God told him to go be with the house of Israel: “The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away . . . I came to the exiles . . . And there, where they were living, I sat among them.” (Ezekiel 3:14–15). I believe something of the same experience can be ours through the help of the same Holy Spirit that transported Ezekiel. When we sit where they sat, and experience what 116
they were experiencing and then listen to God’s Word from their perspective, I believe we can begin to get something of the correct historical interpretation. When we gain this original sense we will not misinterpret, misappropriate, or misapply God’s Word. Let’s look at one historical example that is often misinterpreted and therefore misappropriated by some people today. It is found in Matthew 10. Here we find Jesus giving His original disciples a specific commissioning: Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. . . . These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give’” (Matthew 10:1, 5–8). Now, this was a specific commissioning to a very specific group of 12 men. I do not believe that we can appropriate it today. However, I have often heard well-meaning and sincere (but wrong) preachers and people claiming these verses as a justification for their various ministries. They will say that we are to go out and “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons,” claiming the first part of verse 8 as their justification. However, I never hear them also appropriate and apply the second part 117
of verse 8, which says, “Freely you have received, freely give”! (They always ask for money and take up offerings!) Do you see the point? You really cannot appropriate and apply one part without the other! Let’s further analyze the historical context here for a moment. Look at how specific and limiting the scope and application of this passage is: • A specific group of men: “Jesus called his twelve disciples . . . These are the names of the twelve apostles: [names listed] . . . These twelve Jesus sent out.” • A specific scope of ministry: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (i.e., the 75 × 125-mile area of Palestine). • A specific method of presentation: “As you go, proclaim . . .” (no teaching) • A specific message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” • A specific procedure: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff . . . Search there for some worthy person and stay at their house . . . If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:8–14).
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Since they were only going to Jews, their audience would be totally familiar with the concept of the “kingdom of heaven” from the Old Testament. That alone was their message and not what we understand as the Gospel, because it had not been fully historically enacted yet—Christ had not yet been crucified and raised. The problem that the hearers would have had was in knowing whether or not this announcement of the Kingdom was really true. Around this time, many dozens were falsely claiming to be the Messiah. Jesus therefore gave them the power to perform miraculous signs to authenticate their message. Whereas this was a specific, limited commissioning by Jesus to His original 12 disciples, what is known as the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20) is for all of His disciples! Let’s contrast the two for a moment: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations [an impossible task for only 12 men—as opposed to the limited Palestinian scope of the commissioning of Matthew 10], baptizing them [again, an impossible task for only 12 men!] in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them [as opposed to only preaching in Matthew 10] to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Here we conclusively see that the time context is of such a length that it would be impossible for those 12 alone to fulfill! So we can and must appropriate this Great Commission! It is for every Christian in every age until the “end of the age!”
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The Principle of Cultural Interpretation Great confusion is caused within the Body of Christ today by a neglect or abuse of this crucial principle of biblical interpretation. Before we further define this principle, we need first to look at the matter of culture itself, defined as, “behavior typical of a group or class.” Since culture is relative by nature, there are some things in the Word of God that are relative. When we do not know the difference between what is cultural or relative in the Word and what is absolute, we will live in great spiritual confusion. God designed Scripture to give orientation in any culture, in any age, and in any moral climate. Therefore, we must be alert in our Bible study to the things revealed there that were cultural and therefore not relevant to our culture today. However, we must also apply this principle: even though certain cultural practices in the Bible are relative, there are still principles behind those practices that are absolute. Now let’s go to God’s Word for a couple of examples that will underscore these principles.
Headship and the Trinity First I want us to look at a very misunderstood passage and principle from Paul—the principle of Headship. Paul discusses this principle in 1 Corinthians 11:2–3: “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 120
Paul begins here by reminding them of the traditions that he taught them. Then in verse 3 he sets forth the spiritual principle. That principle says that in God’s wisdom He has set up certain lines of authority. That line of authority could be demonstrated as follows: God the Father Christ Man Woman. Now, this principle is greatly misunderstood by many today and people are rebelling at this principle—primarily because they do not understand it. Their problem is that they are seeing and interpreting this principle in terms of superiority and inferiority. Obviously this is not what Paul is saying by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It would be blasphemy and heresy if he were! Why? Because Christ is not inferior to the Father nor the Father superior to Christ! They are coequal members of the Godhead along with the Holy Spirit. All cultic groups go astray at this point. Because they do not properly understand this biblical principle they always end up making Christ and the Holy Spirit inferior to God the Father. The moment you say that you have to also be consistent and make woman inferior to man. But that is not the principle here at all! The principle of relation within the Godhead is as follows: The various activities of the three Persons of the Trinity are not separate activities since God is One. So in relationship to Themselves, everything the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do is one, because They are One. However, in relationship to this world and to man, Their activities are different. Internally They are One—but the external activities in relationship to us are different. It is evident that a distinction must be made between the One who sends—the Father—and the 121
One who is sent, Jesus (John 8:42). The key is this: the change is not in the Person but in the relation. The Bible teaches us that the Father is specially related to God’s work in creation; the Son by Incarnation is specially related to God’s work in redemption; and the Holy Spirit by His indwelling is specially related to God’s work in sanctification. The entire Trinity of Persons comes to the world, but Their various acts and relationships to the world are different, and these different acts are attributed to the various members of the Godhead. In Their relationship to us, the Father is God above us; the Son is God with us; and the Holy Spirit is God in us. They are One in essence or nature, that is, They are all God—but in relationship to us They are different functionally. Now, I hope I did not lose you on that. But we can’t understand Paul’s principle here unless we grasp it! So let’s summarize: 1. Woman is not inferior to man because Christ is not inferior to God. 2. Man and woman are both equal before God—but different functionally. 3. This different functioning and relationship to each other and the world is God’s established order for them. 4. God’s intent for man and woman is that in this world the woman is to be under the man’s authority as the man is under Christ’s authority. But this no more means that man is superior to woman than God is superior to Christ.
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How is that absolute biblical principle culturally worked out? In Paul’s day a woman demonstrated that she was under authority by wearing a veil over her head, and a man by not wearing a veil. After setting forth the absolute biblical principle, Paul goes on to explain how it was to be demonstrated in his culture: Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. . . . A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. . . . It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (1 Corinthians 11:4–13) In the culture of Paul’s day a woman externally demonstrated an internal commitment in a highly visible way. She demonstrated that she was under authority by wearing a covering or a veil. The woman who did not wear a veil was in essence saying, “I am under no man’s authority . . . I’m available!” She was a prostitute. One way that culture sometimes dealt with a prostitute was to shave her head and thereby bring public shame upon her and force her to veil herself! 123
A man, on the other hand, was to put nothing on his head as he prayed or prophesied. A covering on his head would have meant something between himself and his spiritual head, Christ. He demonstrated that he was under God’s authority by not putting a covering on—and a woman did the reverse. The spiritual principle that is absolute is perfectly clear. We are all to be living under authority: man under God’s and woman under man’s. In Paul’s day they had a visual way of demonstrating this principle—but it was cultural and therefore relative. The biblical principle is absolute but the cultural practice demonstrating it is relative.
Cultural Norms and Appearance Let’s look at another good example of this principle of biblical interpretation. Again it is a highly misunderstood one. It concerns the matter of long hair on men. Paul says, “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:14–15). Here we see Paul again using another example to emphasize the same principle. It too is a cultural example from his day—that a man should not wear long hair. He says, “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?” The key word here is the word “nature.” What does it mean? It cannot mean “nature by creation,” because a man’s hair naturally will grow as long as a woman’s. Paul uses here the word phusis. It means “nature by custom” and not “nature by creation.” 124
What he is saying is that, as Christians, we should be sensitive to the culture around us. We should do the natural thing in that culture—the customary thing. The natural, customary thing for a man of that day was to wear his hair shorter than a woman’s—a short-cropped hairstyle and a beard. A woman’s long hair was both her glory and covering or sign of authority (verse 15). For a man to wear exceptionally long hair—the length of a woman’s of that day—was an outward sign that he was rebelling against God’s authority and order. So Paul said to demonstrate this principle by the customary practice of the day in regard to length of hair. The principle then is this: Christians should be sensitive to their culture. They should not be either the first to leave the old or the first to try the new!
Dietary Rules There are many other places in the New Testament where we see this principle being worked out. In Romans 14, Paul says that we should be sensitive to a brother’s culture so as not to be a stumbling block to him: “Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (verse 13). “If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil” (verses 15–16). “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (verse 19). “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall” (verse 21). 125
The issue was about a Christian eating meat that had been offered to idols. Paul knew that it was okay in and of itself to eat it because there are no other gods but God, so the meat was really not offered to anyone real. However, the man of that culture might really have a problem with seeing a freer brother doing that and therefore stumble. Paul says to be sensitive to anything in another culture that might become a stumbling block if ignored or gone against. The attitude of the Christian relative to cultural issues should be as Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 9: Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:19–23). The principle here is: “I do all this for the sake of the gospel.” When that is your motivation, you will be sensitive to whatever culture you are in, so that there you might better communicate the Gospel. You will try not to violate any cultural practices that would cause either a nonbeliever or new believer to misunderstand or reject an absolute principle. 126
We must understand the principle of cultural interpretation so we will be able to distinguish the absolute principles in God’s Word from the cultural practices of man. Then we will not relativize the absolutes or absolutize the relatives! And, we will not be guilty of so enculturating the Gospel that people will not be able to distinguish between God’s absolute principles and our particular cultural practices of those principles.
Summary I hope that you can see the importance of these principles of biblical interpretation we have covered so far. When we read God’s Word with an understanding of them, then we will be able to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). If we ignore and abuse these principles then we will be in grave danger of twisting the Scriptures to our own destruction (2 Peter 3:16)! Let’s take a moment to list the six principles discussed in this chapter: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
The principle of Natural interpretation The principle of Comparative interpretation The principle of Literal interpretation The principle of Grammatical interpretation The principle of Historical interpretation The principle of Cultural interpretation 127
Chapter
Nine Part Two
Principles of Interpreting the Word The Principle of Contextual Interpretation In coming to this principle we come to the one that in many ways is the most important one of all. This is the most immediate of all principles to apply in discussing or studying a portion of Scripture. My first and foremost question in trying to understand and properly interpret a verse of Scripture should be, What is the context of this verse? It is the most immediate principle to apply, but for the sake of emphasis I have chosen to discuss it last in the hopes that it will have a more lasting impact on your mind! What is the principle of contextual interpretation? “Every text has a context—and a text taken out of context becomes a pretext!” That simply means that if you wrench a text out of its context you can make it mean and say what you want 129
rather than what God meant. This happens all the time. You can justify almost any practice or prejudice by taking verses out of their context. Every ancient and contemporary heresy has used Scripture to try to prove or substantiate its theology or beliefs. Remember: we never go to the Bible to try to prove our beliefs—we go to the Bible to test our beliefs! Again, our principle says this: every word of the Bible is true in its context. Isolated from its proper context, it may be very untrue. When you take a verse out of its context you make a twofold error. You not only make it say something that it does not say; you also miss what it really says! Let me give you a good example of this: the story of Job. For about 37 long chapters Job has to contend with the opinions of his so-called “comforters.” Their opinions were wrong! Therefore, if you tried to develop a “theology of suffering” from the first 37 chapters—it would be wrong! Their opinions were recorded in the Bible—not that we should follow them, but that they might be contradicted. This becomes clear when you read the last chapter. There Job even admits that his opinions were incomplete and sometimes wrong: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3). Then God clearly indicts and condemns all of the counsel that Job had received from his friends, and says to them, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7). If you tried to form a theology of suffering from what is recorded in the Bible, based on the opinions of Job’s friends—it would be entirely wrong! To take the first 37 chapters of Job away from the context of chapter 42 would lead to theological disaster. 130
Too many people use the Bible like a kind of “spiritual ouija board.” They go to it without any real spiritual preparation or contextual study, and take a spiritual plunge. That’s what I call the “lucky dip” method! I have people coming to me all the time saying that they needed some guidance from the Lord so they went to their Bible and took a plunge. It works like this. You stand your Bible up on its binding, allow it to randomly fall open, and let your finger come down on the page. Whatever verse your finger comes to is your “verse for the day” or God’s guidance for that particular question or problem! God may have given some people guidance on occasion through that method—but that is neither His normal nor desired way of guiding you! You might be asking yourself, What is the context? How can I find it? It is really quite simple—let me outline it. • The most immediate context is found in the verses immediately preceding and following the particular verse in question. Here a Bible translation that has paragraph divisions is very helpful. The paragraph separates the thought units—so they will help us decide the immediate context. • The larger context is the book the passage is found in. What was the writer’s purpose? What is his theme? Who is his audience? • The theological context is the study of that theme or subject in the light of everything else the Bible says about it. Tragically, most people ignore these steps and end up in 131
confusion, even heresy! There are myriads of examples of such verses that are misinterpreted today because they are taken out of their context. Let’s look at a few.
Benediction or Malediction? At the end of many church services I have heard the following verse quoted or prayed as a benediction: “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other” (Genesis 31:49). As good as that might sound as a benediction—it is not! Jacob had worked 14 years for Laban for the hand of his daughters in marriage. He had worked seven years for Leah and seven more for Rachel. Jacob only wanted to marry Rachel and thought he was working for her, but was deceived at the wedding and married Leah instead. He had to work another seven years for Rachel. Their father, Laban, constantly changed his working agreements with Jacob—and Jacob did a little deceiving himself! Finally, Jacob fled with his wives, children, and flocks in the night—and Laban pursued. When Laban caught up with Jacob they argued over their grievances and finally made a covenant between themselves. To tangibly demonstrate this covenant, they built a pillar of stones and said: This heap is a witness between you and me today. . . . May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me. . . . This heap is a witness, and this 132
pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. May the God of Abraham . . . judge between us (Genesis 31:48–53). The context of that verse gives it its correct interpretation. It becomes clear that this is not a benediction or promise of blessing—but a malediction. These two men were cheats! They had been doing con jobs on each other for a long time. Each knew that he could not trust the other with his back turned. They were saying that even though they could not keep their eyes on each other all the time while they were separated, God would watch between them—and curse or punish the one who broke this covenant. This is indeed a malediction based on the mistrust of two people who were enemies and mutual deceivers! Therefore, I don’t think that is a very appropriate benediction at the conclusion of a worship service!
“A Little Child Will Lead Them . . .” Oftentimes a group of people will be talking about some issue when a nearby child interjects his or her opinion. It may sound very profound and relevant to the point under discussion. Upon hearing this bit of “childish wisdom” someone patronizingly exclaims, “Well, you know what the Bible says: ‘A little child will lead them . . .’” Well, let’s take a look at the context of that verse. It is taken from the eleventh chapter of Isaiah. That chapter has to do with the millennial reign of Christ at His Second Coming. 133
Isaiah begins by describing the greatest political revolution the world will ever experience. All governments will be subjected to Christ’s rule and man will live under a theocracy, rather than under democracy, socialism, communism, or dictatorship. As Isaiah says: A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding . . . with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:1–4). The writer now moves from the judgment work of Christ at His Second Coming to the fruit of it. Since injustice, wickedness, and evil have been destroyed from the earth, true peace reigns. During this millennial reign of Christ, nature will also be changed. It will undergo the greatest ecological revolution ever! The curse that was placed on the natural realm due to the fall of man is removed (Genesis 9:2). No longer will there be a carnivorous animal or poisonous insect or reptile. Isaiah describes the peace and harmony of that period as follows: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will 134
play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6–9). Those certainly are glorious verses. What a day that will be! Utopia will truly be a universal reality—and man will be taken by God back to the original created state of peace and harmony of Eden! Hallelujah! That’s the same thing that Paul wrote about in Romans: The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Romans 8:19–22). Again, you can see that the context gives us the correct interpretation of that verse in Isaiah. It is true that God does sometimes speak through children—although that is not His normal method. Their simplicity of faith and honesty will sometimes cause them to see the truth and speak it when adults will not! But this verse in Isaiah is not a “proof text” for that kind of thing.
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A Verse for Dying—Or Living? I have often heard someone quote the following verse at the death of a loved one. I have also heard it used often as a funeral text: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Concerning the death of someone, this verse is used to say that what our eyes have not seen nor our ears ever heard, nor what we have ever conceived in our hearts and minds—this dearly departed one is now knowing and experiencing! Well, there is certainly an element of truth in that, because when a believer dies, his walk of faith becomes one of sight; and that knowledge which has been incomplete is now full (1 Corinthians 13:12). But this particular verse does not speak to that. It is not primarily a verse for dying—but a verse for living! Let’s put it into its context. Here Paul is writing the Corinthians and reminding them of the message he had preached among them: My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the 136
Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. . . . What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words (1 Corinthians 2:4–13). Paul is saying that since we have the Spirit of God we can know and experience what the unregenerate man cannot because he is dead to these realities. As Paul says, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). And, we do not have to die to know it. God reveals it to us now through His Spirit and His Word. Again, this is a verse for living and not for dying! It has to do with the revelation we have now through God’s Holy Spirit working through His Holy Word.
“Where Two or Three Gather in My Name . . .” The last verse we are going to look at probably gets the award for being the most abused verse in the New Testament! We hear it constantly used in church meetings and prayer meetings. I hear radio and TV preachers, “healers,” 137
and evangelists quote it often. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). That verse is probably used most within the context of prayer. A minister or teacher might begin by saying, “Well, our numbers are few—but remember that Jesus said, ‘For where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst’—so let’s pray!” The sincerity and faith of the people involved cannot be questioned. I have been guilty of wrongly using that verse myself in my earlier ministry. But a careful study of the context reveals that this verse primarily has to do with church discipline. Of course, discipline within the church should only be carried out within the context of prayer, so prayer is related—but this is not primarily a teaching by the Lord on prayer. A good study Bible that has paragraph divisions and titles will indicate this. This section is variously titled: “Discipline in the Church,” “When a Brother Sins,” “Church Discipline,” and “Discipline and Prayer.” Now let’s look at the entire section and then place verse 20 within its proper context. If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over (Matthew 18:15). This verse hardly sounds like it is giving us instructions on the proper preparation for prayer. No! Here Jesus lays on each member of the Body the responsibility to “reprove” any known sin in someone who is a part of our fellowship. But it must be done privately. 138
We all have a great tendency to shrink from the responsibility of this—but we can’t escape the clear word of Christ on the matter! We cannot, in order to be “nice,” refrain from showing mercy and love to a sinning brother. We do not go to our brother to condemn or judge him, but to reconcile him with the Body of Christ. There are many benefits in this procedure established by Christ. One of the most important is that it avoids unnecessary gossip. You take the matter right to its source. But suppose that he will not listen to you when you confront him. Suppose he says to you, “Mind your own business!” You do not let that stop you—love will not let you give up on a brother that easily! You move to the next step. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Matthew 18:16). If the sinning brother refuses your love and reproof, Christ says that you are to take one or two others and approach him again. This helps you remain objective and gives balance to the judgment. Of course, it goes without saying that the choice of brothers to accompany you on this redemptive mission is very crucial. You want mature men who are motivated by love. Never take young or carnal Christians on this type of mission, because they would have a great tendency to be either condemnatory or vindictive. They would also probably not have the honesty and emotional maturity to deal with such an encounter. This is a function for a mature, loving elder! 139
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector (Matthew 18:17). Hopefully, this stage will not have to be reached because the brother will have repented in the earlier two steps. However, it was reached at the church at Corinth, as we read in 1 Corinthians 1:10–17. I want to emphasize in passing here that Christ is assuming that every believer will actively be a part of the fellowship of some local church. This presupposes that we have placed ourselves in submission to the authority of the church for our teaching and discipline. If we fall into sin and then refuse the church’s discipline, we are to be excommunicated or ex-fellowshipped. Why? Because our lack of submission to the church’s discipline says that we have broken fellowship with both Christ and His Body. The Body testifies to this by its disciplinary excommunication. The church only ratifies what we have already decided by our sin, disobedience, and lack of submission! Unfortunately, church discipline can become very messy! Not because the procedure outlined here by Christ is bad— but because of the hang-ups we bring to such a session. Once again it must be emphasized that the purpose of such disciplinary church meetings is only to restore a brother to fellowship with the Lord and with the Body. The restoration of fellowship is the goal, because that is what has been broken. Also, when Christ says that the excommunicated person is to be to you as “a pagan or a tax collector,” He is not telling us to treat him like dirt! As Christians, how are we to treat the lost? 140
We are to love them and do everything we can to win them! That’s exactly the way we are to treat this rebellious brother. This is exactly where the Corinthian church fell down. They had disciplined and excommunicated a sinning brother (1 Corinthians 5:1–6). The procedure Christ had outlined worked in this incident and the man repented of his sin. However, the church would not accept him back, so Paul had to write and chastise them for this, and ask them to restore fellowship with him. “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (2 Corinthians 2:6–8). How tragic it is that the church is so quick on condemnation and so slow on forgiveness! We will forgive a sinner of anything, but let one of our brethren fall into sin, and we hold it against him and remind him of it for life. God does not treat our sin that way—and we must not treat a brother’s sin differently! Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). Here is another verse to which I have heard many radio and TV preachers do violence! They usually apply it to some physical sickness, family or financial trouble, etc. They will say something like “we bind that sickness” or “we loose you from the bonds of this habit.” However, within the context of what Christ is saying here, binding means withholding fel141
lowship and loosing means forgiving. Another meaning of “bind” is to forbid, command, or declare whether something is allowed. We can clearly see that this verse has to do with binding from fellowship (excommunication) and loosing from the sin that barred them from fellowship (restoration) so that the fellowship with our brother can be re-established. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). This verse is very closely associated with the preceding one since it begins with “Again, I tell you . . .” Christ is saying that if two of you agree about the binding or loosing of a brother on earth, it will be done by the Father in heaven. In other words, the Body of Christ is only acting out on earth what the Father has already done in heaven. I hope you can see that you cannot pull the last part of that verse out of its context and use it as some type of blanket guarantee for prayer. I hear it quoted constantly that way— as though the Father is obligated to answer our every prayer as long as “two of you on earth agree about anything.” That of course is making the verse mean something Christ never said! He is saying that He will grant anything we shall ask concerning discipline. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20). Now I hope that you understand the context of verse 20 by 142
all that has preceded it. If this is a prayer passage, then we really have some problems to deal with! If there must be or “two or three gathered” in His Name, what is the isolated missionary or Christian worker to do? Can he not adequately draw upon the resources of God through prayer because he is alone? Must there be “two or more” so you can control God with a numerical power play? Obviously not! Every individual believer can call upon the complete resources of God. He does not have to have “two or three” to get God into action or get prayer answered! What Christ is saying is that when His Body is gathered together here on earth to carry out the disciplinary procedure that He has just listed, He will be in their midst concerning and giving the power and authority for this action. He is saying, “It is as though I myself am there physically in your midst carrying out this discipline action.” That this is the only correct interpretation of these verses is clearly pointed out by the following verses. There we find Peter’s reactions to Christ’s teaching. His immediate reactions to what Christ had said were: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). It is very clear that Peter and the rest of the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking here about discipline and not about prayer! I do not think that it is accidental that the institutional church in America is in the sad, anemic state that we often find it today! Could it be because we have misinterpreted this teaching of Christ?! I think so! One of the greatest problems in the church today is the lack of discipline on the one hand and the lack of prayer on the other. I believe that we 143
can trace much of the problem to the abuse of these verses. We have taken the only teaching from the lips of Christ on church discipline and turned it into our chief prayer text! In the process we have abandoned discipline and misunderstood the nature of prayer. The result has been disastrous for the internal health and external witness of the church. Rather than approach a disobedient brother through the procedure that Christ so clearly outlined, we prefer to deal with it within the church as the world does. We turn a blind eye—“You ignore my sin and I will ignore yours!” Our clear choice is to either be obedient to the words of Christ here and be the true Church, discipline and all—or be another social club! God grant us the courage to fully be the Church!
Summary I hope that by now, you realize that all seven principles of interpretation are very important and need to be remembered. However, Contextual Interpretation is by far the most important and most immediate principle to apply in Bible study. It is the one that we should apply first—but it is the one that we abuse the most! Always look at the immediate context of any verse the very first thing, and in most cases you will gain the proper interpretation. If you are still confused, then proceed to apply the other principles. Below I have listed all seven principles for your reference: 144
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
The principle of Natural interpretation The principle of Comparative interpretation The principle of Literal interpretation The principle of Grammatical interpretation The principle of Historical interpretation The principle of Cultural interpretation The principle of Contextual interpretation
Let’s realize that all of our excuses concerning Bible study are just that—EXCUSES! We need to repent to God and recommit ourselves to a lifetime of serious study of His Word. And it is with prayer that I commit this book to you to that exciting end!
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Chapter
Ten
Practical Steps for Studying the Word In this chapter I would like to make some practical suggestions to help you get started in applying these principles of biblical interpretation. I hope that this will really give you some handles so you can grab hold of God’s Word and get going for yourself!
Prepare Yourself Spiritually Prior to studying the Bible, take some time to prepare yourself spiritually. Remember this very simple principle: Before going to God’s Word—go to God first and ask that His Holy Spirit “guide you into all the truth” by illuminating your heart and mind (John 16:13; Psalm 119:18; Ephesians 1:17–19; 3:14–19; Philippians 1:9–14, etc.). Remember that the author of any book is always its best in147
terpreter! Spend some time talking to the Author of Scripture in prayer before beginning your study. Prayer is the greatest preparation for Bible Study, because God has promised to guide the prayerful, humble spirit. God leads the sincere and humble—never the proud and haughty! A prayerful, alert and obedient spirit is the one that will receive great light from a study of God’s Word.
Gather Good Biblical Tools When it comes to biblical resources one can spend a small fortune! However, that does not have to be the case. A pastor or Christian teacher would naturally have a much larger and more extensive library of biblical resources than the average Christian. However, there are many print and online commentaries available that are literally a treasure of biblical information at your fingertips! The following are some suggested tools for Bible study. I will also try to give an explanation under each.
Several Translations of the Bible The Christian bookshelf is crowded with translations today! Many of these are excellent; however, it should be remembered that there is no such thing as a “perfect translation.” Since we do not have the original autographs, all of our Bibles today are translations—and none are inspired by God and therefore perfect as were the originals! A translation, as opposed to a paraphrase, seeks to give a faithful word-for-word rendering of the Hebrew or Greek into 148
English without being “wooden” and unreadable. Scholars often seek to capture what is often called the “dynamic equivalent” of a sentence—meaning-for-meaning—rather than the exact word-for-word rendering, which can be very hard to read and understand from one language to another. That, then, is the dilemma of the Bible translator—to remain faithful to the original text, and yet make it readable. The diagram below shows where on the spectrum of word-for-word to paraphrase several of the more common versions fall. Every translation reflects somebody’s theological bias. That is the very fact that causes other translations to be produced! People are always dissatisfied with translations that reflect theological views that differ from their own. So, which translation is best? Different scholars have different views, because they also have different tastes and different theological persuasions. Do your research by looking at the translation philosophy used—this can usually be found in the introductory material or on the publisher’s website—as well as the backgrounds of the translators themselves. word for word
meaning for meaning
KJV RSV GW NASB ESV NRSV NIV NKJV AMP CSB CEB AMP Amplified Bible CEB Common English Bible CEV Contemporary English Version CSB Christian Standard Bible ESV English Standard Version GNT Good News Translation GW God’s Word KJW King James Version
thought for thought NLT
GNT CEV MSG TLB
MSG The Message NASB New American Standard Bible NIV New International Version NKJV New King James Version NLT New Living Translation NRSV New Revised Standard Version RSV Revised Standard Version TLB The Living Bible
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A Paraphrase or Two for Reference Whereas a translation seeks to give a word-for-word rendering or the “dynamic equivalent” from the original biblical language, a paraphrase seeks only to give a thought or concept rendering. A paraphrase would take the basic thought that the writer was seeking to get across and then translate that as a whole. True paraphrases are not common today— only those on the extreme “thought-for-thought” end of the above diagram would be considered paraphrases rather than loose translations.
A Study Bible Many Christians find a study Bible very helpful. Generally these types of Bibles have good concordances, explanatory notes, maps, etc. in them. Most translations have a good study Bible available, but keep in mind that the study notes and other information outside of the Scripture text may reflect certain biases of the publisher or denominational influences.
A Recent Concordance A concordance will give you all of the words used in the Bible, so it is a quick handy reference tool when you want to look up a particular verse or subject. For instance, if you wanted to do a word study on “love” or “faith” you would go to your concordance and quickly find every verse listed in the Bible where those words are found—and in certain 150
ones the Hebrew or Greek word it comes from. A good concordance is essential for the serious student, along with a working knowledge of how to use it.
Word Studies For the more serious Bible student, it is a must that you have a couple of good word studies. These list every word in the Old and New Testament and the Hebrew or Greek word they came from. This will really enrich your study of the Word—and often clear up some misunderstandings. This becomes especially important when you realize that a single English word is often used to translate multiple Hebrew or Greek words, and vice-versa.
A Bible Dictionary There are many Bible dictionaries on the market today that are both good and affordable. Unlike a basic English dictionary, a Bible dictionary is more than a list of words and definitions. A comprehensive one will typically contain encyclopedic information about a given name or subject. This can include meaning, derivation, usage in the Bible, cross-references, and often a discussion of historical context and interpretation. A good Bible dictionary is an indispensable companion for a dedicated student of the Word!
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Commentaries As I have previously stated, one can quickly spend a small fortune on Bible commentaries! There are several points I would make concerning commentaries. First, it is good to study what the Holy Spirit has taught godly men in the past. However, we should not slavishly follow a human teacher. This can easily lead to a cultic type of bondage to one man’s interpretation (see: Matthew 23:8–10). Jesus promised that His Spirit would teach us and guide us into truth (John 16:13; 1 John 2:27). If we are prepared, open, and obedient, we can expect to be taught by God (John 6:45; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Psalm 119:99–100). Second, be careful in your choice of commentary! All men have basic presuppositions—and there are many commentaries on the market today that were written from a basic anti-supernatural, low-view-of-inspiration point of view. These more liberal commentaries can undermine one’s faith very subtly. This is because most young Christians and new Bible students do not have the “theological grid” to sift those opinions through. My advice is to choose books written by good conservative scholars. Third, go to a Bible commentary last rather than first so God can have a chance to speak a fresh word to you. Once you have read another man’s interpretation, it is often very hard to then approach a text objectively—you have a tendency to read through the tinted glasses of his interpretation. His interpretation may be right, but at least allow God to teach you the same truth directly without going through someone else. Then if you are still stuck in confusion, consult a commentary for some light! 152
Online Bible Study Tools With the proliferation of Bible study websites, online commentaries, and various applications available for all our modern devices, most of the tools above can readily be found without purchasing a single book! Of course, this requires the faithful Bible student to be discerning in which sites he visits. The same rules apply here as I have outlined above—look for good, conservative resources on sites that appear relatively objective. An obvious downside to this is that anyone can post anything online, whether or not it should be there, so buyer beware! A few of the more reliable online resources include BibleGateway (www.biblegateway.com), Bible Study Tools (www.biblestudytools.com), Bible.org (www.bible.org), Bible Hub (www.biblehub.com), and Blue Letter Bible (www.blueletterbible.org).
Vary Your Approach to Bible Study The Bible can and should be studied from many different angles. Each one will yield a rich treasure of knowledge. Let’s take a look at some of the most fruitful approaches.
Thematic or Doctrinal Study Study the great doctrines of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation: God, Man, Sin, Salvation, etc. Before you can arrive at a systematic theology on any point you must study it throughout the entire Bible. This type of study really be153
gins to give one a grasp of “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3).
Word Study Here, instead of studying the doctrines of the Bible you study the words that teach us the great truths of God’s Word: love, guidance, faith, repentance, witness, etc. This will begin to shed much more light on a great deal of God’s Word. The Greek language is a much more precise language than English—so a study of the exact words will help you have a more accurate understanding and therefore a more accurate application of God’s Word at many points.
Character Study Go through the Bible and study the great heroes and patriarchs of the faith: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, etc. It is also good to do more specialized studies: women of the Bible, women in the life of Christ, the 12 Disciples, young people in the Bible used by God, the faithful in the Bible, etc.
Study by Outline To really begin to grasp and digest a portion of the Word or an entire book, it is very helpful to outline it. This becomes sort of a blueprint of that section. Here are some suggestions in building an outline: First, read the passage or section through several times slowly and reflectively to get it well into your mind. This 154
helps you to get an overview of the entire section as well as its continuity. As you read, ask yourself these questions: • What is there generally? • What is there specifically? • What is there personally? To help you even further, as you read it again, ask yourself: • • • • •
Is there any promise here for me to claim? Is there any thought of illumination to further pursue? Is there any command here for me to obey? Is there any sin pointed out here for me to avoid? Is there any new insight into God, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit? • What is God trying to say to me in this passage? So always seek to make God’s Word personal to you as you read and study. Only then will it have relevance to your life and bring joy and excitement to your living! Next, read it again and write down thoughts, interpretations, and observations as you read. There is just no substitute for writing! Remember, light is illumination—and illumination is transient by nature. It is elusive and fleeting and if you do not capture it when you receive it you will probably lose it. When you lose the light given to you, you usually cannot recall and recapture it. Writing helps us crystallize and localize God’s word to us—so write, write, write. A pulsating pen is essential for a pursuing mind! Therefore, you must study God’s Word with an open, disciplined mind, a prayerful heart, an obedient will—and a vigorous pen! 155
Then, think of a title for the particular passage, chapter, or book under study. To do this, be sure to analyze it by thought units—that is, the paragraphs and not chapter divisions or verses. Try to determine what the particular writer’s purpose was. • • • •
Why did he write it? What was he trying to get across? Where was it written? Who was it written to?
For example, Romans through Galatians has to do principally with salvation—so they could be subtitled “The Cross.” Ephesians through Philippians has to do with the Body of Christ and could be subtitled “The Church.” First and Second Thessalonians are principally about the end times and could be subtitled “The Coming,” and so on. Finally try to reduce the key passages to biblical principles. A biblical principle might be defined as a succinct, polished statement of a universal truth boiled down to its irreducible minimum! These will stay with you for life and give you the practical handles you need to apply God’s Word to your everyday living.
Memorize and Meditate on God’s Word There are great spiritual rewards that come only as a result of meditating on God’s Word (Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8; Ephesians 5:18–19, etc.). Generally speaking, Christian meditation is a lost discipline within the Church today. New Age Zen meditation and other Eastern meditation movements are arising and growing in this Christian void. 156
Let me also say a word about memorizing God’s Word. This is also a lost discipline in Christianity today. I believe that is because meditation and memorization are inseparably connected. Let me explain. Most people memorize by just learning the rote sequences of words. After a portion is learned by this method, one may know the sequence of words that compose the particular verse or portion of Scripture—and yet not understand the meaning. The best way to memorize with real meaning and understanding is to meditate on a portion of Scripture until you fully grasp its meaning. In the process of doing this you will also likely memorize it. Then to maintain your fresh grasp of that Scripture, use it often. Quote it, share it, and speak it! It is a basic law of life that you either use it or lose it! The reward will be freedom (John 8:31–32). You will enjoy that glorious liberty of a child of God (Romans 8:21). As King David said so many years ago, “I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (Psalm 119:44–45).
Summary In this final chapter, I have listed several practical steps to take in studying God’s Word. Following adequate spiritual preparation, we can then gather the tools that help us dig deeper into Scripture. These tools can never replace Scripture, and we should only turn to them after seeking to understand for ourselves. That said, these valuable resources, coupled with a varied and vibrant approach to Bible study, will unlock the immeasurable depths of the Word of God. Once we have put in the work, commit it to memory! Meditate, memorize, and use every portion of Scripture—you will not regret it! 157
Conclusion This book began with Joshua 1:8, which instructs us to keep Scripture always on our lips, mediating on it day and night, and obeying what we have learned. Now that you have finished reading this, my prayer remains the same, that you will be motivated to learn and apply God’s Word to your life. In doing so, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The spiritual rewards for studying and obeying far outweigh the initial time-consuming task of sitting down and actually doing it. Growth in the Lord can only come by immersing yourself in God’s Word and putting what you have learned into practice. The book of James encourages us with a promise by saying that “whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (1:25). Together, let us commit to persevering in our desire to be students of the Word and examples of God’s truths as we obey His teachings. With love in Christ, as a fellow student with you,
J.L. 159
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