To Understand What the Bible Means....

2 TIM 2:14-18; 2 PET. 1:20

THEME: Today We Want to Focus on the Character of the Bible as a Reason to Interpret Scripture.   

                                                                                                           

RELEVANCY: Why do I Need to Know About why we should Interpret Scripture?

Without solid principles for interpreting the Bible, we can easily misunderstand even the simplest and most forthright passage. With such guidelines we can discern the intent of some of the more difficult passages. Many differences over doctrine are rooted in the method used to decide the meaning of a passage; thus, it is awfully important to be skilled in the basic principles for discovering the meaning of Bible passages.

INTRODUCTION: One reason we must interpret is the very character and nature of the Scriptures. They are removed from us by thousands of years, a vastly different cultural setting, customs that seem strange to us, and places we have never visited. To be confident about our grasp of any passage, we must consider these factors and use interpretive strategies that examine these characteristics. Because this involves serious work many will dismiss the significance of this point. I encourage you to consider these factors as they will guide you to understanding the truth.

LESSON:

THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF SCRIPTURE DEMANDS THAT WE INTERPRET THE BIBLE

Interpretation is necessary not only because of God’s clear commandments and who we are as readers but also because of the nature of Scripture itself.

1.  The Bible Is the Message of a Changeless God And, as Such, Is Timeless and Always Relevant. However, as Fee and Stuart explain,

The Bible is not a series of propositions and imperatives; it is not simply a collection of “Sayings from Chairman God,” as though he looked down at us from heaven and said: “Hey you down there, learn these truths. Number 1, There is no God but One, and I am he. Number 2, I am the Creator of all things, including humankind”—and so on, all the way through proposition 7,777 and imperative 777.  

Although the Bible does contain these truths, they are not recorded in this form. Throughout the Bible God becomes personally involved in people's lives. He does not offer stale remedies and pious platitudes but rather speaks directly to their needs in ways that are appropriate to their situations. The Holy Spirit, through human penmen, wrote the biblical texts to be timely to their original recipients. Therefore, the biblical texts address specific situations and questions. This historical particularity makes interpretation of the Bible challenging and fascinating. (Anders)

2.  The Goal of Bible Interpretation must be to Understand What the Author Was Trying to Say to His Original Readers. 

As Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart note,

God's Word to us was first of all his Word to them”. To elaborate: “A text cannot mean what it never meant. Or to put it in a positive way, the true meaning of the biblical text for us is what God originally intended it to mean when it was first spoken. This is the starting point.

To understand what the Bible means, we must first understand what it meant to the original readers. This is hard, however, because of the distance of time, culture, and language between us and the first readers.

3. The Characteristics the Student Must Consider:

A. Time

The sixty-six books of the Bible were composed over a 1,500-year period that ended nineteen centuries ago. The world has changed a great deal since the last words were written, and without study we simply do not know what the world was like then. Without that knowledge, it is hard for us to understand what is at stake in many parts of the Bible.

For example, it is hard to understand Jonah’s unwillingness to obey God and preach in Nineveh until we learn that Nineveh was the most hated nation (and not just by Israel) of the eighth century b.c. It was a cross between Nazi Germany and the Mafia. Why should he want to help them?

One can find in Manners and Customs of the Bible information about the people, language, customs, and peculiarities of the Bible peoples.  The book moves through each book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation highlighting and relating information regarding the religious, political, social, civil, military, and domestic customs.  This tool allows the student to understand more of the Bible's historical context which often sheds much light on a passage of Scripture.  It is a great help to understand the way people lived and taught in ancient times and cultures.

B. Culture

Significant cultural distance separates us from the world of the biblical texts. We must not overlook the importance of the life and times, the culture and conditions, the background of code and custom against which the Bible was written. An understanding of the way people lived in their culture and climate is extremely valuable to the Bible student. Since we are from the Western world and belong to a different time, another culture, with non-identical values and idiosyncrasies, we must seek to avoid interpreting the Bible within the framework of our own world. Therefore, it is essential that we possess a strong grasp of the times and culture of the specific biblical text in consideration.

For example, we cannot understand the book of Ruth apart from understanding the right and responsibility an available relative had to redeem the land of his dead relative and raise up a child to the childless widow.

In addition, Matthew 24:41, says, “Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”   This interesting verse portrays two women working in near proximity with each other and then at the coming of Christ they are severed the one from the other.  Grinding at the mill was a lengthy tedious pain staking task that the women managed in preparation for the meals and the baking of bread. In Matthew 24:41 the Savior spoke of two women grinding at the mill and suddenly one is taken away and the other is left behind.  The mill itself consisted of two stone slabs probably shaped like wheels and placed on top of each other. Grain was placed in a center hole in the top stone and ground as the wheels are turned.  It took two ladies to operate the mill.  One would hold the handle in the top stone with both hands and the other will hold with one hand and continually feed the mill with the grain.  Round and around they would move the stone upon the other one thus, effectively crushing the grain.  They would position a container to catch the flour as it poured out of the sides of the mill.  This fatiguing type work was often relegated to the lowest of servants, slaves or even captives.  The idea of the Lord’s return dividing these two workers at the mill is powerful and arresting. His coming will be so decisive and exacting that even this very intimate association and interactive work will be abruptly interrupted precisely taking away one while distinctly leaving the other. (J. Phillips)

Also, writers living before the discovery of germs or molecules did not express truth in the ways and manners of modern scientists. If they had, their writings would have made no sense to anyone until our age arrived.

C. Geography

We are also geographically distant from the authors and recipients of the biblical books.

A knowledge of geography clarifies a passage. 

Consider John 2:11–13, in which Jesus had just been to a wedding in the Galilean town of Cana: This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.  [12] After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. [13] And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem (John 2:11-13).

Why did John say they went down to Capernaum from Cana, when Capernaum is north of Cana? And why did he say they went up to Jerusalem when Jerusalem is south of Capernaum? The answer is that we, in the modern world, are oriented to looking at maps with north being up and south being down. If we are in Louisiana, we say we are going up to New York. If we are in Washington, we say we are going down to California. But the peoples of Bible times did not have maps the way we do. When they said they went down from Cana to Capernaum, they meant they went down! That is, they descended in altitude. Cana is in the hills. Capernaum is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, lower in altitude than Cana. When they went up to Jerusalem from Capernaum, John meant they went up! Approximately a thousand feet! When you are walking, you are acutely aware of what up and down are (down is easier).

Knowing the location of the towns, the approximate terrain, the major bodies of water, and so forth helps a person visualize these verses, and they come to life. Without a knowledge of geography, these verses tend to lie lifeless on the page.  (Anders)

D. Language

         1) Types of Language.  Linguistic distance separates us from the biblical texts. The Old Testament was primarily written in ancient Hebrew, although there are a few passages in the related tongue of Aramaic. The New Testament was composed in Greek. The authors in each use words and phrases with which we are not totally familiar. 

         2) Types of Literature.  To communicate His message as clearly as possible, God used many different forms of literature, including formal instruction, narration, parables, poetry and proverbs, and prophecy. Each of these literary forms has special principles that must be followed for proper interpretation. (Heb. 1:1-2)

The writer may use personifications which is, “the most interesting and prolific figure of speech in the Bible.” This is a literary form in which one ascribes human characteristics to a non-human thing. This can be expanded to include human actions or emotions credited to inanimate objects or even animals. This feature makes them easier to recognize. Some examples in the Bible would include Deuteronomy 13:8, “Neither shall thine eyes pity him” and then another example is, “Let not thy left hand know,” (Matthew 6:3). Other excellent examples can be found in Isaiah 35:1; 55:12; Joel 1:10; Judges 5:20; Psalm 85:10, and James 1:15. (J. Phillips)

E. Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Key to Understanding the Entire Bible!

When interpreting the Bible, it is extremely important to maintain a sharp look out for any information or details about the person and work of the Lord Jesus. He is the ultimate key to interpreting the Bible accurately.  For example, in the book of Genesis He appears as the mighty Creator, the seed of the woman promised to Adam, He is also the star that would rise out of Jacob, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  In the book of Exodus, He appears as the Passover lamb, He is in the detail of every facet of the Tabernacle, He is the Shekinah glory in the Holy of Holies, He is the manna and the smitten rock.  In the book of Leviticus, He is each offering and the great high priest, as well as the goats on the Day of Atonement.  In the book of Ruth, Christ is the kinsmen redeemer. And in the book of Isaiah, He is the Servant of Jehovah and the lamb lead to the slaughter and the wonderful Messiah who will reign in power, justice, and glory. (J. Phillips)

Christ is wonderfully revealed in the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Solomon. In Psalm 1, He is the blessed man, in Psalm 2, He is the Son that man should kiss before it is too late and in Psalm 23, He is the good divine Shepherd who leads and satisfies. In Psalm 22, and 69, we find Him as the suffering Savior and then in the 24th division He is the King of Glory.  Then back in Psalm 8, we find Him as the perfect man and in the 45th division He is the awesome and mighty God. The Psalm are filled with prophetic and Messianic snapshots and expositions of Christ.

In the book of Proverbs, He is wisdom personified and incarnated. Then in the Song of Solomon he is the handsome shepherd who wins the heart of the Shulamite girl and is victorious over all worldly attractions.

The Lord Jesus Christ is seen in the New Testament books of Matthew through 2 Timothy.  For example, in Matthew He is the king of Israel, the nation of the Jews; in Mark he is portrayed as the servant of Jehovah; in the Gospel of Luke he is the Son of Man; then John presents him as the Son of God.  In the book of Acts, Christ is active through His Spirit and the Apostles as the ascended head of the churches.  In Paul's letter to the Romans, Christ is our righteousness; in 1Corinthians Jesus is the firstfruits from the dead. The Book of Galatians presents him as the end of the Law of Moses and in Ephesians He is the head, the bridegroom, and the foundation of his churches. In Philippians He is in the form of God and is the supplier of all our needs.  In the book of Colossians, he is the creator, sustainer, owner of the universe, and the preeminent one over all.  In I Thessalonians, He is coming again for the redeemed in the Rapture; then in 2 Thessalonians He is the coming judge of all the earth. Then in 1 Timothy he is seen as the One Mediator between God and man; in 2 Timothy he is described as the judge of the both the living and the dead. (J. Phillips)

The Lord Jesus Christ can be seen in the New Testament books of Hebrews through the Revelation. In Hebrews He appears as the great antitype to all the types: son, priest, sacrifice, heir, greater than Aaron or Melchisedec, greater than both Moses, Joshua, and the angels.  He is both the Son of man and the Son of God.  Therefore, we are encouraged to keep our eyes on Jesus. James depicts him as the Lord of Sabaoth and the one great healer.  In 1 Peter He is the inheritance of the believer and the Chief Shepherd of the flock.  In 1 Peter he appears as the One from the excellent glory. Then in 1 John, Jesus is the Word incarnate; in 2 John he is the One who enables our souls to prosper and the name in which the Gospel is preached. Jude tells us that Christ is the preserver, the only Lord God, the only wise God, he is our Savior, and he is glorious in majesty.  In the book of the Revelation, Jesus is the coming king, and the one who uphold all things by the word of His power, the sustainer of all forces and factors in the universe, and the Great Sovereign bending the atom and the cosmos to the pattern of His will. (J. Phillips)

CONCLUSION:

As we have said, the meaning of a given passage in the Bible is not always clear to us. There are three reasons. First, we bring to the interpretation certain assumptions that might not be correct. Second, a great gap of time, culture, and language results in some things written in the Bible being perfectly clear to the ones to whom it was written, and perfectly incomprehensible to us two or three thousand years later. Finally, all communication needs to be interpreted. I have even read things that I have written, and I no longer know what I meant by them. How much more might I be confused by someone else's writing! Oral language is usually accompanied by facial expressions, non-verbal cues, body language, vocal inflections, and so forth. But you do not have these clues to interpretation with the written Word. Therefore, when trying to master the Scriptures so that the Word of God can master us, we must work hard at discovering what the Bible says and what it means.