UNDERSTANDING THE WORD (Part III)

UNDERSTANDING THE WORD (Part III)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD.” (II Timothy 3:16)  God’s will is God’s Word.  As such, it discloses the Mind of God, i.e. His past, present and future plans concerning us.  Accurate interpretation of Scripture involves “HERMENEUTICS” [hur-muh-NOO-tiks], which is “the science of interpretation, especially of the Scriptures” (or) “the branch of theology that deals with the principles of Biblical exegesis.” (Dictionary.com)  Today, we continue our presentation of ten principles of biblical hermeneutics, which facilitate a clearer comprehension of the Scriptures.  Remember: Accurate interpretation requires consistent effort and complete openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

hermeneutic Principle #3: The Contextual Principle 

In our efforts to arrive at the true meaning of Scripture, we must never neglect CONTEXT.  The English word, “text,” is derived from the Latin word for “weave.”  This is an apt description of context.  It is the very fabric in which Scriptural truth is woven and embedded.  There is perfect unity in the Scriptures, but the Word must be rightly divided in order to perceive it properly. (II Timothy 2:15)  For example, Galatians 5:24 says “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”  In the history of the Christian church, this scripture has at times been interpreted erroneously.  Some Christians concluded they should participate in self-flagellation, ritually whipping themselves to attain righteousness.  Obviously, that is utter foolishness and not what God intended.  When this scripture is read in proper context, it is apparent that Paul’s intention was to exhort Christians to live a holy and righteous life.  Context is everything!

hermeneutic Principle #4: The Progressive Revelation Principle

God’s revelation is progressive.  In other words, God did not disclose the entire body of divine truth at any one time to any one person.  This is not to say that some portions of the Holy Writ are incomplete or in error.  Rather, it means that truth was revealed in part, according to God’s plan and purposes.  Consider this: The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.  Since many books of the Old Testament was penned centuries prior to the books of the New Testament, it was virtually impossibly to see ‘The Big Picture’ of divine truth until the final biblical books were composed.  However, we must never discard the Old Covenant because it aids us in comprehending the New Covenant.  To wit, divine revelation is a gradual and ongoing disclosure of the Mind of God, unfolded in a progressive manner for us.  In truth, we could not endure a total download of divine truth.  It would be far more than our finite beings could comprehend or survive.

hermeneutic Principle #5: The Accommodation Principle

God accommodates us by talking to us on our level.  In other words, God speaks to us in a way that we can relate to and understand.  The Bible often uses symbolic language to convey divine truth.  For example, Jesus refers to Almighty God as “our Father.” (Matthew 6:9)  While God certainly relates to His earthly children as a Father, He quite obviously operates on a much higher plain than any earthly father.  For instance, the psalmist David often wrote about the “wings” of God.  Obviously, God does not have literal feathers or wings. (Psalm 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:8; 91:4) 

The Word of God accommodates us.  The Bible was written in human languages that humankind could understand: Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.  The Bible books were also written in particular times, places and situations that we humans can relate to, understand and remember.  The Word of God accommodates us.  Jesus used parables to reveal divine truth.  He did not mean to imply that believers are actually farmers or fishermen.  He used language we could understand; He started where we were to take us where we needed to be.  As an educator, I used a variety of methods to teach students with a multiplicity of learning capacities.  Often, I had to accommodate the learning challenges of my students by presenting the lesson in a simpler or different way so it would be accessible to every student.  The Word of God accommodates us.  When reading or interpreting the Bible, never lose sight of the fact that God is speaking truth with those words, expressions and situations that we, humans, can fully relate to and understand.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed and stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!