Reading the Bible on Its Own Terms Episode 4

Reading the Bible on its Own Terms

Session 4

Common Cliches that live among us:

“I take the Bible literally.”  “We can’t just follow the culture.”  “Slippery slope.”  “That isn’t Reformed.”

Each of these suggest a need for discernment.  Ironically, they are often used to stop a robust discussion in working through what the Bible asks us to do and believe.

“Speak the truth in love” “worship in Spirit and Truth” “not with eloquence but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power”

“What it means to take the Bible literally.”    Episode 247 of “The Bible for Normal People” Jared Byas

“Literally” is often used as shorthand or code to indicate one’s place in the Christian landscape.

  • Nevermind the scientific method, the Bible trumps all other disciplines.

  • Literary style is unimportant because writing is writing.

  • Audience and context can be ignored as the Bible is a handbook written as if directly to me in my circumstances.

  • Minimized appreciation for metaphor.  Parables sure, but not much more is figurative.

  • Maximize the supernatural.  Jonah, the walking snake, the Red/Reed Sea.

Not literally, but literarily – meaning, read according to the kind of literature it is.

  • Pre-history like Gen 1-11 is a religious/redemptive telling of common material.

  • Redemptive-history: the story of God and his people in covenant relationship focuses on that relationship, not on covering every event.

  • Description versus prescription…are we describing what did happen or what should happen?

  • Wisdom literature vs law: former tell what usually happens based on experience, latter is what should happen even if it usually doesn’t

  • Ceremonial law, moral law, situational law etc.  We can wear two kinds of cloth, but should not kill.

  • Prophecy:  forthtelling as much as foretelling.  Calls people back to obedience as often as predicting future.

  • Progressive revelation:  some things fulfilled in Jesus were already fulfilled in some ways in prior events.

  • Gospel: intentionally crafted telling of the good news about Jesus the Messiah.

  • Letters: written to a particular group at a particular time while including principles and practices for anyone anywhere anytime.

  • Apocalypse: powerful imagery evoking hope, not a code book for interpreting specific current events.

Summary:  Start with a simple reading but be quick to humbly admit there may be more going on here than meets the Western 21st century eye. WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT STILL, ALWAYS.

Interpretive Keys:

Jesus:  Centrality of Jesus  to the whole story.

Love:  God is loving, gracious, faithful and just.

Must-know passages:

Genesis 1-3 sets the stage for everything.

Covenants (Noah, Abraham, Sinai)

Exodus as the founding of God’s people (including deliverance, passing through water, and shaping in the wilderness)

Rest of OT is attempted living out of life as a covenant nation.

Gospels teachings: Sermon on Mount, John 3:16, Summary of the law

Gospel event: death and resurrection/ascension – both as saving event and pattern for life.

Rest of NT is commentary on how to live out new covenant in Christ in faith hope and love.

Deuteronomy 5

Numbers 6:24-26

Matthew 28:16-20

1 Corinthians 13

Galatians 5:22

Ephesians 2:8

Summary, it is all important as part of the story and in different ways, however we do emphasize certain parts more than others.

Interpretation:

There is one clear teaching of the Bible and we need to just keep sharing it. (Problem is whose teaching from what time?)

Vs

The Bible is an ancient irrelevant book that we just pour our own content into. (Lacking authority)

Third way:  Bible is clear, but complex.  It has truth but creatively captured for a variety of eras and ears.

Propositional Truth vs Inspired Living Word – former would expect each statement to be a truth we just take and believe and do, latter leaves room for us to mine timeless truths time and again with to ongoing contextual participation of the Holy Spirit.

Tools:

Bible Gateway

Bible Project:  video drawing of entire Bible books in 5-10 minutes

Al Wolters Creation Regained

Goheen and Bartholomew The True Story of the Whole World aka The Drama of Scripture

Gordon Fee How to Read the Bible for All It is Worth

Assignment:

  • Pick a pericope (if in doubt, go with a gospel).  Explain why this is a pericope.

  • What led you to this passage?

  • Who wrote it and to whom?

  • What kind of writing is it? (genre)

  • What questions does it raise?  What stands out? What is unusual? What assumptions did you need to hold at bay?

  • Where does this passage fit in the book in which it is found?

  • Where does this story fit in the overall biblical story?

  • Read it in a few different translations.  What do you notice?

  • What words or ideas or themes can you find?  Where else do you find them? Do those other passages inform this one?

  • What does this passage teach you about humans?

  • What does it teach you about God?

  • In one sentence, what would you tell your neighbour if they asked you about this passage?

Peter Van Geest