Reading and Applying the Bible Part 5 Context, Context, Context is king!

Reading and Applying the Bible

Week Five

Cultural, Historical, and Physical Setting

Context is King:

Guideline: Base the study on historical. Physical, and cultural setting.

The context of the Scripture must needs be based on the immediate and cultural setting that the original message was written. By doing this we can be certain which passages, precepts, and passages are universal to we the individual Christian, and collective Christians the church. This will also help us be exact in what God is saying and to whom He is saying it to, for proper application in our own lives and the church. Which promises belong to the church, to Israel, and the world.

For example, does the 23^rd Psalm apply to me, to us, or only the Hebrew people? A deeper understanding of the cultural setting of sheep and shepherds will help us understand our Good Shepherd in the way God wants us to understand. It will help us understand how we are sheep that have wandered astray. In short, this helps us know exactly what God is saying, and how it applies to we individual Christians in the 21^st century.

The Book of History

How many books in God’s Word are Historical books? Tanakh is an acronym of the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings")—hence TaNaKh. Let us consider the facts: The Torah, the first five books of the Bible are historical. All of these for the most part, with the exception of the books of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Proverbs are all Ketuvim or writings; however the Psalms are in the Ketuvim, but some of the Psalms do mention of the historical underlining of the Psalm when it was written. A prime example is Psalm 51 which informs in the beginning that it was written when Nathan confronted David after his adultery with Bathsheba. The Prophets all are written with parts of them listing the history of what has transpired in the past to bring relevance to the why and what God is about to do because of past events. The Gospels, Acts, and the epistles are also historical. Explaining what exactly happened in the life of Jesus in the Gospels, the lives of the Apostles, the history and doctrine of the Biblical New Testament church. So knowing the historical events of the Scriptures will help us in understanding books such Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, all the prophets, and Revelation. So always observing the Scripture culturally, historically, and in context will help us hear exactly what God is saying to us. Scripture is rooted in history, and once we begin to read the Scriptures in light of this truth, we will begin to notice how God has revealed Himself throughout of the world and mankind.

The Period of history and society in which each human writer recorded what the Holy Spirit told him does impact what God is literally saying and what He desires us to hear as He speaks in His word. When we consider Jesus’ model of handling Scriptures, we can’t go wrong. Consider in the New Testament, Jesus quoted various passages from many different books. This shows the Old and New Testaments are in complete harmony and unison. When Jesus is in the wilderness for forty day and forty nights during the “Temptation of Christ” He was fasting, weary, and physically weak. That’s when Satan attacked Him tempting Him to break the Law of the Torah, but Jesus fought Satan’s temptations by way of twisting Scripture, with precisely quoting the Law instead of breaking it. An example of knowing the historical Scriptures past, comes into place when we study the book of Hebrews. All the Old Testament laws are shown to be filled in Christ. Also, studying Hebrews will help us know why such laws and ceremonies were given to the Hebrew people.

Consider this: For us to grasp part of John chapter three, when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, we need to know a certain passage in the Old Testament to grasp exactly what that event foretold the Hebrew people, that Jesus explained. In the Old Testament passage of the children of Israel murmuring, complaining, and stiff necked disobedience God sent fiery serpents to bite, pain, and kill the people, but God in His marvelous grace commanded the Israelis to look upon a brazen statue on a pole in faith of what God said would save and heal them . Jesus tells Nicodemus who was a good pharisee, who no doubt probably new the Torah better than we Christians, that He the Son of Man must be lifted up like the brazen serpent. For Christians who haven’t read that historical account in the “Wilderness Wanderings” the passage in John will not have the connection and “wow” factor as those of us who have read and readily recall that Old Testament story.

Understanding and knowing the history narratives in the Bible are paramount in answering the who, what, when, where, and how questions that helps interpret Scripture properly. During the “Mount of Transfiguration” in the Gospel account, we know Who was the main person in the three figures gathered, but apart from knowing the history of the other two Saints gathered with Jesus, it hard to see why these two Saints stood with the Lord on the “Mount of Transfiguration.” “...Ezekiel tells us of a valley filled with dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-6 KJV). And earnest preachers have subjected God’s people to marvelous interpretations of that passage! Usually the passage is spiritualized, often referring to a description of the new birth, when a person is brought from death to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, for an understanding of that passage, knowledge of of its historical setting is of vital importance: “Now in the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the refugees from the city of Jerusalem came to me saying, “The city has been taken.” (Ezekiel 33:21) Immediately following the vision the LORD tells the prophet, “Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is perished. We are completely cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘BEHOLD , I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.” (McQuilkin pgs 107-108)

Needless to say, cross checking Scripture with Scripture, looking for dates, locations in books such as Acts, will help us arrive at exactly what God is saying in other books such as the letters from Paul to the churches in the New Testament.

The main difference between our Bible, the True Word from God, and other “spiritual” books and philosophies is the Bible is steeped full of verifiable historical facts. When any person in the Bible sins against God and his fellow man, the Bible records it. In this way, the Bible places itself at welcomed scrutiny. Why? Because it is true to the historical facts witnessed by the society during its recorded history.

Another welcomed point of investigation welcomed by the Bible is the character, faults, praises, victories and defeats the Saints and writers themselves had to endure. Only King David could write the 23^rd Psalm. Why? Because all his childhood up until he was anointed to be king, he spent his life tending to his father’s herd. Consider the Apostle Paul, he was an Hebrew of Hebrews, as for the law, blameless; however, when he encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus, God used Paul to be the Apostle to we Gentiles. Only he could write by the power of the Holy Spirit the treatise on law versus Grace which we call that wonderful book Romans.

Geography

Yes, geography does matter to get a full comprehension of the message God is revealing through his human authors. Knowing the geography of Biblical times in Biblical lands adds tremendous value in helping us understand “Why people go ‘up’” to Jerusalem and why the go down from Jerusalem. This also benefits us to understand exactly where the lands were divided to the tribes after the forty year wilderness. They are just important when understanding Paul’s many missionary journies. In short, geography matters!

References to plant and animal life

To aid in understanding passages that mention plant life, it is important we research about that particular plant, its usage among people in the Bible, then we may possibly see what God means when He is making comparisons of people in the Bible to plants listed in the Bible.

As for animal mentions in the Bible, the same same holds true. “What was this animal’s purpose in everyday life to the Hebrew?” “Was the pet a pest or danger?” coming to understand the function of plants and animals in Biblical times will definitely draw us closer to what God is saying.

Cultural Setting Learned From the Bible

The society in which humans lived and functioned, their religious practices, rules governing their society. The more we understand and learn from the culture of Biblical times, the closer we are to arriving a perfect interpretation of what God is saying.

In closing, we students of God’s Word must always be careful when interpreting the Bible, and examine the historical, geographical, and culture settings of the various times of the men God had write His message.

Reading and Applying the Bible Human Language part4

Reading and Applying the Bible

Week 4

Human Language

“Since the Bible was written by human beings, it must be treated as any other human communication in determining the meaning by the writer.” (McQuilkin pg 93)

“When God created individuals in His likeness, He created them [us] sic J.B. with the ability to communicate. The gift of human language, the ability to communicate, is indeed wonderful. In fact, it is so wonderful that meaning in life depends on it. A relationship of love gives ultimate significance in human life, and such a relationship depends on understanding what the other person is thinking. That is what communication is all about: enabling the other person to understand what one is thinking.” (McQuilkin pg 95)

As it is with military, trucking CB, and H.A.M. radio operators, so it is with communication. A clear command, instruction, or message is transmitted to the receiving unit, driver, or operator to receive, understand, and respond accordingly. God has transmitted a perfect, concise, and infallible message through His specifically chosen and preordained human authors. Today, after thousands of years, we are the receivers of the Transmitter or God. When the message is NOT received or understood, it is not the Transmitter or God, but we faulty receivers that are the problem. God sent or sends His message perfect, clear, and with plenty of power; however, we faulty receivers can foul the message up with the simple change of one word, or misplacing a comma, period or exclamation point.

Since God has sent His message perfectly in specific chosen men, human authors, we being saved and possessing the Holy Spirit, we have everything necessary to understand what He is saying IF we are intent with all sincerity, to desire to hear what He is saying via human authors, using human languages. Seeing how we are a little over 1,900 years since the last inspired Scriptures written by the Apostle John, with Jesus at his side dictating to him what to pen down, and over 3,000 years from Job and later Moses’ inspired writings, their different languages, cultures, and customs, it will take such due diligence as or Berean brothers in Acts to hear and understand the message. Simply put, it takes trust, work, and obedience.

The Bible is written in human language which God designed for us to have and use for communication. We will look at or use some simple elementary taught and common sense steps to apply for understanding meaning in the human languages Scripture is transmitted in, on the pages of the Bible. “I do not call them principles because I have reserved the word principle to identify Biblically based, unalterable standards. The laws of human language nowhere stated in Scripture.” (McQuilkin pg 97) We for the sake of our study together in this class will simply call them steps to develop or hone skills in understanding human communication. Dr. McQuilkin gives three basic steps:

1.) To understand the meaning of the writer, one begins with the ordinary meaning of the language.

2.) We must identify the type of of language being used, the genre, (poetry or prose, historical, literal, or figurative).

3.) Ordinarily, the interpreter is seeking a single meaning in context of what the author has written.

These basic steps should lay a systematic basis of study and skill development to begin with, upon which the Holy Spirit will build on as we mature in Christ and correctly divide the Word of Truth, as commanded in Paul’s last letter to young Timothy in 2^nd Timothy 2:15.

Seek Out the Ordinary Meaning of the Language

The clear and obvious intent of the human author must be established. “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35 KJV) What is the Apostle John saying in this sentence? Exactly what is written, Jesus wept. Our Lord cried tears upon seeing Mary and Martha wailing over their brother Lazarus. When we come to the Bible, we are first reading “God breathed” or inspired words written through human authors. So we approach a set of books and letters written in human languages, during antiquity, by men living in different millennia, cultures, nations, that are strange to us here in Jones county, MS.

This is not unlike toddlers learning to communicate with us parents and grandparents. The child knows what he is saying, what he is thinking, but we haven’t gotten in sync with each other on the language yet and it takes effort and time before the child learns or words to communicate what he is thinking. Consider the foreign missionaries that go to an island in the vast Pacific Ocean, where all they have is verbal language, and no written alphabet. That missionary has to understand the customs, culture, language, before can effectively communicate what he is thinking to the native islanders.

“The New Testament presents, in its way, the same union of the divine and human as the person of Christ. In this sense also “the word became flesh, and dwells among us.” As Christ was like us in body, soul, and spirit, sin only excepted, so the Scriptures, which “bear witness of him,” are thoroughly human (though without doctrinal and ethical error) in contents and form, in the mode of their rise, their compilation, their preservation, and transmission; yet at the same time they are thoroughly divine both in thoughts and words, in origin, vitality, energy, and effect...” (Schaff pg 12,728)

Reading the Bible part three

Understanding and Applying the Bible

Week 3

Context of the Author:

Since the Bible is of Divine Authorship via human languages through human authors, we must always approach our Bibles in this order to find out exactly what God is communicating. He has communicated His Living Word to us in human language, because we are human! This being said, we should see two immediate contexts that arise in our goal of understanding exactly what God is saying. Divine Authorship through human authorship. First we settle in our heart, mind, soul, and strength that God has said this. Second, we see which human author He chose to write His Word. Their person, location, culture, time or historical setting, and language it was written in, because all this affects the message that the Holy Spirit used the precisely chosen men to write exactly what God Himself is saying. During the rest of the weeks of the lessons we study together, we will apply the supernatural-naturally unfolding and outlining of the books, letters, chapters, passages, verses and sentences that Theologically unfold by God’s design using human languages that He created and breathed into chosen men He created to write His Word to us. All in accordance of course, prayerfully, under the unction of the Holy Spirit and the “Whole Counsel of God” or unity of the whole Bible.

“God did not reveal Himself and His Will, in a catalogue of propositional truths recorded in a celestial language only but to people in human language.” (McQuilkin pg 78) So in our bodies designed by God, human ability to speak, hear, read, and write, also design by God, we have His Word written by Him, through chosen human authors, first scrolls, now the complete revealed will of God manifested to us in the Holy Bible or Hagios-Biblios or “Set Apart Book.” That being said, we have a duty and responsibility to prayerfully dig, read, and study as we as we do other human written communications, for us to read for information asking the questions: “Who, what, when, where, why, and how come?” is God saying this. The grammar, type of noun, adjective, gender, singular or plural, verb, object and subject of the sentence, the punctuation, in short, basic elementary grammar and English. Why? Because we speak English.

True in ALL its Parts

All the Bible is Truth and will not and cannot itself distort Biblical interpretation: or reject verses, passages, chapters, books, or letters because it doesn’t agree with our emotions, secular education in society, history, psychology, sociology, and anthropological (depraved flesh of our fallen nature that wars against the Holy Spirit ie Galatians) worldview. The Christian that has settled in their heart, mind, soul, and spirit, the evaluation of our Lord Jesus the Christ concerning everything He said concerning the Old Testament Scriptures, is already in the position to correctly interpret the Word of God, and has to interpret on the FACT that ALL the Bible is True!

Unity and Harmony in ALL its Parts

Since the Bible is Truth in every word written, its words, sentences, passages, chapters, books, and letters are in COMPLETE HARMONY AND UNITY! Therefore we must be like Jesus and our Berean brothers spoken of in the Acts of the Apostles or (Acts of the Holy Spirit) and labor and search the Scriptures with and for unity of the Whole Counsel of God to wholly understand what God is saying. Always hold Scripture against Scripture. Questions will arise when we do this. “How does the Old Testament relate to the New Testament?” “Why do the historical books of the Old Testament seem to contradict one another?” “Why do Matthew’s genealogy of Christ seem to contradict Luke’s genealogy of Christ?” To first understand this we must fix our minds on the fact all Scripture is truth and always in harmony.

The Purpose of Divine Revelation

God revealed and reveals Himself for His glory and our redemption and salvation. That “salvation” is complete from initial “justification” to and through “sanctification” to finally “glorification.” God’s purpose is His glory and our salvation:

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17 KJV)

To say that salvation is the purpose of Scripture is to say revelation is limited. Consider that our infinite Creator is peeling back the layers of understanding, of His finite and limited creation we humans. Read Job chapter 38 to understand this precept of Theology. As Isaiah states, His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God has revealed what He wants us to know and understand in the Scriptures and the fullness of His revelation in our Lord Jesus Christ.

To use the Bible as a textbook on secular human derived fields of study such as: biology, psychology, or sociology is to misappropriate Scripture and undermine its authority, unless we are led by the Holy Spirit to take a stand and defend the Truth against human lies and theories, and we are stating exactly what God says in these areas or arenas of theories and lies.

This however is not the purpose of Divine revelation. Divine revelation is for God’s glory and our salvation.

The Goal of Biblical Study

The Bible is our standard of authoritative revelation of spiritual truth, so the goal of Bible study must be to understand what God is saying through His chosen human authors. “What exactly is God saying in this verse, chapter, or passage?” Since the purpose of God is His glory and our salvation, that purpose can never be fulfilled unless God’s message is understood. Simply understanding the Bible will not bring salvation. It must be trusted and obeyed to come to salvation in Christ. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15 KJV) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10 KJV)

Extent of Authority

“We have already seen that God’s authority does not rest upon our fallible interpretation of Scripture BUT ONLY upon Scripture itself. But does that authority reside only in teaching of Scripture, or does it also extend to the words of Scripture? If so, does it extend to every part of Scripture equally? First, our presupposition is that all Scripture is God breathed and infallible. This is not the place to defend the position of verbal inspiration or scriptural inerrancy. However, it is appropriate to remember that our models for interpretation are Jesus Christ and the New Testament writers. They treated the Old Testament Scriptures as not only authoritative but wholly trustworthy-even to the individual words. Following that example, we affirm the authority of Scripture covers the words as well as the concepts. Some interpreters affirm the truth of the concepts of Scripture while holding that some of the words are in error. But there is no meaning without words true to that meaning. Furthermore, the “inspired concept” theory violates the independent authority of Scripture. The criteria for distinguishing between true meanings or concepts, and untrue words through which the meaning is given, shifts the authority to those criteria or the one using them.” (McQuilkin pg 81)

Distinguishing Between Interpretation and Application

Our first task is to understand what God is saying or “interpret.” Next we must apply what God is saying from the text of Scripture to our current contemporary setting. This requires us to examine the general precept that lies behind any specific instruction. In this way, if we are praying, walking in the Spirit, and obedient, we will see the revealed authoritative speaking of God.

Consider this example: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22 KJV) We cannot say that this is a culturally conditioned statement, and therefore no longer today. To do so would negate the next verses that are written: “23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the church. 24 Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it; 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, 27 that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” (Ephesians 5:23-28 KJV)

In conclusion, the Bible’s authority is violated in two primary ways when we work to harmonize apparent incompatible passages of teaching:

“1.) Obscure passages, uncertain interpretations, or minor Biblical emphases are forced to prevail over clear or more pervasive teaching. On the surface, it would seem that method is simply allowing the Scripture. However, when an uncertain teaching is made to prevail over far clearer revelation, it is the interpreter or his interpretation that has become authoritative.

2.) The interpreter violates the authority of Scripture through logical deduction from clear Bible teaching. That kind of deduction violates the Scripture when [1] it is t treated as infallible truth, or worse, [2] it is turned against other clear teaching of Scripture. It then becomes an extra- biblical, philosophical position that has been used to subvert the plain intent of the author.” (McQuilkin pg 85)

Prerequisites for Interpreting Scripture

Even though God desires to communicate, to speak to all men for His glory and our salvation, not just anyone can understand Scripture. Faith is required as a prerequisite for having the ability in understanding Scripture. A lost person not being filled by the Holy Spirit cannot fully understand the life giving, life changing, Living Word. The Bible is clear on this, without the work of the Holy Spirit one cannot do it! They are spiritually dead and can’t perceive the Spiritual Life Giving Word of God as Paul wrote: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV)

Regeneration:

At the very beginning, for the lost soul, he cannot understand the revealed things of God in the Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus at night that he must needs be born again. Spiritually born again and by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we have all we need to hear from God in His Written word.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 2:15-18 (KJV)

Commitment or Discipline:

Born again and spiritually alive or made a new creation is required, but this alone will enable us to understand and hear exactly what our Father in heaven is saying! We must have complete confidence in the Word of God, because faith is not just an intellectual proposition. On the contrary, true saving faith is a commitment, submitting to the Bible for every revealed Truth He speaks to us and we understand its meaning, and its Divine Author, we are accountable for applying that nugget of truth into our life. Faith increases and causes us to seek, to dig, to labor to arrive at exactly what God is saying. We have to discipline ourselves to daily search the Scriptures and rely less and less on five or ten minute devotionals written by someone else. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself-[Jesus]” (John 7:17 KJV)

Building on this first requirement, is a heart, mind, soul, strength, attitude, intent, and desire to obey the truth, to want to hear from God and understand everything He is saying. “Commitment to obedience has another characteristic: hard work.” (McQuilkin pg 87} The Christian that is sold out and committed to obey what they learn, will study to show themselves approved, correctly dividing the Word of God, and not be ashamed as Paul instructed young Timothy. “Faith does not mean that we lay aside our intellectual cognitive design God created us with, and rely on our “feelings and emotions” or subjective impulses to understand Scripture, NO trusting salvation faith in Christ alone and trusting every “jot and tittle” of the Bible. We use our brains as Bible students to read and use all the resources God has given him [us] sic J.B. to understand Scripture so we can obey it.

Prayer

Psalm 119:125; James 1:5- Faith in the Author of the Word, the residence of the Holy Spirit, must be pouring out of us. Our prayer life when it is consistent, praying the Spirit, with faith is the only avenue to invoke the Holy Spirit to reveal the true meaning of the verses, passages, and books of the Bible. In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus says to keep seeking, keep knocking, and keep asking in prayer, and “How much more of the Holy Spirit will He give to those that ask...” and Jesus was teaching on prayer in this passage. So this should be one our first petitions when we wake up every day and pray before we dive into the Bible to hear God speak to us after we initiated the conversation by prayer! He the Holy Spirit, or ‘parakle’sis’ - is the One Whom told the human authors what message from God to write down, and His job is to teach us how to pray and read the words He wrote. This prayer is essential.

Humility

This should be the heart and attitude in which we first pray and invoke God’s Hallowed Name. Because He is Holy, Holy, Holy, El Shaddai Adonai- LORD God Almighty; Creator and King of the universe. This posture will aid us in the swarming attack of the flesh to be puffed up when we began to really, really understand exactly what God is saying. Spiritual pride will quench the Holy Spirit, taint our hands and heart, and put a wedge of sin between our fellowship with our Father in heaven. We must needs walk humbly before Him.

In closing the summary of two chapters of the textbook, consider this:

1.) Since thee Bible was written through the Person of the Holy Spirit, using human minds, personalities, and three separate languages: we must use then means which God physically gave us to work with the Spirit, human languages, letters, sentences etc.

2.) God breathed the Word through specific predestined men, various cultures, segments of linear human history, and it is absolute objective truth, it is in complete harmony from cover to cover.

3.) God said it, therefore it is His Owner’s manual for his purchased children to guide us in living as children of light, advancing His kingdom, and growing deeper in our relationship with Him, and bring Him Glory!

Reading the Bible Biblically 2

Reading and Applying the Bible

Week 2

Now we look at another approach to reading God’s Word.

The Dogmatic Approach:

“God cannot lie. Therefore, contradictions do not exist in the mind of God. And since ALL Scripture is inspired by God, ALL of it is trustworthy. In light of that basic presupposition, attempts to harmonize all the teaching of Scripture on a given subject or to compose a comprehensive systematic arrangement of all the teachings

of the Bible are valid.

Not only is systematic study of Scripture valid, it is necessary. For example, it is essential for the theologian to study AL L Scriptures that describe the way of salvation.

Should he take a particular passage, isolate it from all other passages dealing with how a person may be saved and construct a doctrine of salvation, the result would distort God’s truth concerning salvation.”

(McQuilkin pg 67)

It is already an horrendous thing to see and hear secular people take a piece of Scripture and butcher it to fit their palate, own immoral behavior, and agenda; however, it is sad and heart wrenching to hear the Beloved Christian do it either out of ignorance, led of the flesh instead of the Spirit, or tragically on purpose to suit their own agenda. It breaks God’s heart, grieves the Holy Spirit, harms the Christian, and hinders the work of the church, and slanders the name of Jesus. Everyone of us comes the Scripture or any written work that we may read with a set of presuppositions. “ What is behind our glasses has more to do with interpretation than what is before,” is said by Dr. McQuilkin is a truth we must always keep in mind when we pray before we attempt to read and hear what God is actually saying through His Word. A good example would be a passage such as Jesus’ first miracle in John’s Gospel account., turning water into wine, and using it as an example or “Scriptural” license to stock our refrigerators, cupboards, cabinets, and ice chests with beer, wine, and liquor. While drinking a glass of wine is not a sin, it spiritually has absolutely no benefit in our walk with Christ. If anything, there are numerous passages in the Old Testament that warn of the danger and downfalls of beginning that path. In the New Testament, we are instructed to be filled with the Spirit and not under the influence of wine. (Or any chemical that influences our flesh, heart, thoughts, intents, motives, attitudes, and the Holy Spirit’s rule in His temples, our bodies.) If we’re going to be dogmatic about Scripture, it must always be that it is infallible, absolute Truth, always in harmony with every other passage and book of the Bible, and the final say so in how we are to think, speak, live, and make Holy Spirit led decisions in our own walk, our families, and our church.

Traditions can be viewed in a negative manner or positive manner. There are Biblical traditions that we in the New Testament Biblical church have today, that many do not realize come from Biblical tradition. The “church letter” that we keep with us at our current fellowships or move with us to another fellowship when the Holy Spirit moves us to do so. It comes from the epistles of Paul and his instructions in his letter for the church to receive so and so because he knows of their good standing. The use of an elevated platform and a pulpit are both pragmatic spiritually and physically. It is carried on from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, it elevates the Word of God above the people and physically it makes it easier to be heard sitting in the back away from the pulpit. It’s purpose was to hold the scrolls of Scripture or Bible now in our day, and never elevate the man of God above His brothers and sisters. This is also the case in synagogues born during the Babylonian Captivity, also the very same synagogues where Paul planted churches at in his missionary trips. We can’t be dogmatic on these because they’re not commanded to be such in the Bible, but if it worked for Ezra, Jesus’ synagogues where He preached, and Paul, we cannot dismiss it dogmatically either. Music in worship is another tradition that can be viewed negative by one Christian or denomination, but positive by another. As long as the lyrics are Biblical, directed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then they are worship. We at Glade use a piano and an organ to aide in worship praise and song, but our Primitive Baptist brothers and sisters dogmatically prohibit instruments and the seating of male and female Christians together during classes and worship while singing the same exact hymns we at Glade do. To be honest, the safest way to be dogmatic about anything in Christianity is to be dogmatic about what God is dogmatic about, be led of the Holy Spirit, and take God at His Word.

Our personal experiences with God can easily lead us into dogmatic presuppositions in interpreting the Bible. In a positive manner, the more we as individual Christians trust and obey God, the more He manifests His faithfulness to us. This is Scriptural; however, our personal experience with God can become hindering to proper Biblical interpretation. Since the Bible is the ultimate authority, it is NOT subject to our own personal experience with God in interpretation. “For example, a conversion experience is always accompanied by certain ideas about sin, the Person of Jesus Christ, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the purposes of the church, to mention a few. If at a latter time a Christian refuses to alter his views in light of the Biblical testimony, saying, ‘But I know what I always believed to be true because I experienced it,’ or “God was at work in my life then, so I know it must be true,’ then personal experience has become the authority. We must interpret our experience by the Bible and not interpret the Bible by our experience.” (McQuilkin pg 73) We all will give an account to how we interpret Scripture: 2^nd Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” Here we see how to study God’s Word and the danger of being wrongfully dogmatic.

McQuilkin writes that…

the supernaturalistic approach interprets all Scripture from a supernatural point of view. The interpreter's task, consequently, is to seek several meanings or hidden meanings, which are to be uncovered through intuition and spiritual experience. The "natural" meaning of the text is downgraded or totally ignored. (Understanding and Applying The Bible)

This approach is synonymous with the…

Allegorical method - allegory searches for a hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text and the respected commentator Matthew Henry plainly states Song of Solomon "is an allegory" and goes on to add

that after the title of the book (Song of Solomon 1:1) we have Christ and his church, Christ and a believer, expressing their esteem for each other.

Clearly, Henry's interpretative approach does not seek the literal, natural meaning of the Song of Solomon but represents the allegorical approach.

In the supernatural approach…

• The interpreter seeks to reveal a hidden meaning.
• Hidden meaning rules in the author's approach to interpreting the Scripture
• This method at first glance looks and sounds quite "spiritual"
• The problem is that the obvious (literal) meaning of the passage is often ignored and thus the interpreter does not take the Author's meaning and purpose seriously
The upshot of this approach is that the Bible is not allowed to be its own authority but the authority rests in the hands of the interpreter and unfortunately the result is that the interpretation "adds" to God's intended meaning of the passage.
A notable example of a commentator who approaches the Scriptures leaning heavily on the supernaturalistic approach is Arthur Pink. Pink frequently discusses "types" (other than those the Bible itself specifically designates as "types") in which he uses an OT event, personage or institution and associates it figuratively with some truth in the NT. Much of Pink's work is now freely available on the internet and often has very insightful comments on the Scriptures. However in consulting his works, the reader is strongly advised to be aware of his supernaturalistic approach to the Scriptures lest one take away from a passage a meaning that God never intended. Remember that the most efficacious application of Scripture is predicated upon an accurate interpretation, lest one be misapply the Scriptures to their own detriment. Here is an example of A W Pink's interpretation of passages in Joshua…
Israel's capture of Jericho unmistakably pre-figured the victories achieved, under God, by the Gospel. The priests blowing with the trumpets of rams' horns pictured the servants of God preaching his Word. The forbidding of "the people" to open their mouths signified that the rank and file of Christians are to have no part in the oral proclamation of the Truth—they are neither qualified for nor called to the ministration of the Word. Nowhere in the Epistles is there a single exhortation for the saints as such to engage in public evangelism, nor even to do "personal work" and seek to be "soul winners." Rather are they required to "witness for Christ" by their daily conduct in business and in the home. They are to "show forth" God's praises, rather than tell them forth. They are to let their light shine. The testimony of the life is far more effectual than glib utterances of the lips. Actions speak louder than words. (Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings in Joshua)

Naturalistic Approach

Rationalism-The Bible is rational in the sense it appeals to the mind so it can transform the mind.

Romans 12:2

The naturalistic approach limits the meaning to what one can understand. Some who espouse this approach say "I believe the Bible" but allow for nothing supernatural in the Bible! Other less strict naturalists allow for some supernatural elements in the Bible.

McQuilkin writes that…

the rationalist cannot accept the miraculous in Scripture because he has not personally experienced the miraculous, and also because reports of miracles cannot be verified by experimentation. Therefore, they must be explained either as a misapprehension of natural events or as myth growing up around some historical or imagined event. (Understanding and Applying The Bible)

What is rationalism? Briefly stated, in rationalism one relies solely on his or her human reasoning. And so if they cannot verify it in their experience it is not the Word of God. The Naturalistic approach became the dominant mode of interpretation in the 1600's. The authority in this interpretative approach is one's own human reasoning. The rationalist is his or her own final judge and jury on what any passage of Scripture means.
Those who hold to the Naturalistic Approach see 3 problems with the Word of God:
1). Certain things they feel are morally unworthy of God.

E.g., they have difficulty accepting David's Imprecatory (invoking evil upon another) prayers, with Israel's instructions to take the promised land and to kill obliterate the original inhabitants (utterly destroy the men, women and children) from the land. Those who hold the natural approach cannot see that a loving God would command such "atrocities".

2). Miracles
3). "Seeming" contradictions in Scripture and "seeming" contradictions with science.
What is the "natural" result of the Naturalistic approach?
McQuilkin writes that…

the rationalist cannot accept the miraculous in Scripture because he has not personally experienced the miraculous, and also because reports of miracles cannot be verified by experimentation. Therefore, they must be explained either as a misapprehension of natural events or as myth growing up around some historical or imagined event… The end result of the rationalistic approach to Scripture is simply this: there is no sure word from God. That is, Scripture has no independent authority, for human reasoning is the final authority for judging anything that presents itself as a word from God. (Understanding and Applying The Bible)

This directly contradicts the writer of Proverbs who records that…

Every word of God is tested (refined as the goldsmith refines precious metal, the result being pure gold without imperfections or contaminants!) (Proverbs 30:5)

These individuals allow human reasoning rather than context and God's Spirit ("the Spirit of truth [Who] will guide you into all truth" John 16:13) to rules in their interpretation of Scripture.
Before listing the three subdivisions of the Naturalistic Approach, you should understand that the term Biblical criticism describes the skillful evaluation ("rational") of the data (the Biblical text including the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts) to determine the truth about the Scripture. The practice of "Biblical criticism" did not arise until the 1800's.