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 plan
concerning us. Accurate
interpretation of Scripture involves “HERMENEUTICS,” 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 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 neither disclosed the entire body of divine truth at any
one time, nor to any one person. This is not to suggest that some
portions of the Holy Writ are incomplete, or in error. Rather, it means
that truth was revealed incrementally and in a time frame based on God’s will, God’s
plan and God’s purposes. Therefore, 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 were penned centuries prior to the books
of the New Testament, it was virtually impossible 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 both the comprehension and
completion of the New Covenant. To wit, divine revelation is a gradual
and ongoing disclosure of the Mind of God, unfolded in a progressive manner for
humankind. In truth, we could not endure a total download of divine
truth. It would be far more than our finite beings could comprehend,
digest or endure.
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 infinitely higher plain
than any earthly father. Another example: The psalmist David 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) This is merely a picture of
the providential and protecting character of our God.
THE WORD OF GOD ACCOMMODATES US. The Bible was written in human languages that
contemporary people could understand: Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. The
Bible books were also written in particular times, places and situations that humans
can relate to, understand and remember. The Word of God accommodates
us. Jesus used down-to-earth parables to reveal divine truth. He
did not mean to imply that believers are actually
farmers or fishermen. He used language and settings that people could
understand; He starts where we are to take us where we need to be. As an
educator, I used a variety of methods to teach students with a wide range of
learning capacities. Often, I had to ACCOMMODATE the
learning challenges of my students by presenting the lesson in a simpler, different,
or clearer way so its truths would become accessible to every student.
The Word of God accommodates us. When reading and interpreting the Bible,
never lose sight of the fact that God is speaking truth with words, expressions
and situations that we, humans, can fully relate to and understand. Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!
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