Introduction
Repeat series subject and purposes. Objection 2 dealt with the reliability
of the Bible--this concerns the clarity and understandability
of the Bible. You hear this objection surface in various ways:
"We should rely on the clergy/experts to tell us what the Bible
means."
"That's just your interpretation."
"The Bible has been used to justify everything you can think of.
You can make it mean anything you want it to mean."
"The locus of meaning is neither the author nor the text; it is
the reader. All texts are social constructs. It is impossible to get
inside the heads of the authors; we can only desconstruct the text and
create meaning for ourselves from it."
Why is this objection so wide-spread? There are several reasons:
Portions of the Bible are difficult to understand. Paul distinguished
between "milk" and "meat." Even Peter admitted
this about some of the content in Paul's letters (2 Pet. 3:16).
It is easy to erroneously extrapolate this to the whole Bible.
Biblical illiteracy is rampant. Most people have never read
the Bible cover to cover, or even carefully read key biblical books
like John or Romans. Such illiteracy makes it more difficult to refute
this objection, while the objection makes it easy to excuse continued
illiteracy!
Church history records ugly disagreements over the Bible's meaning.
Most people are aware that churches have disagreed--sometimes seriously
and even violently--over interpretation of the Bible (REFORMATION; DROWNING
ANABAPTISTS; "SO MANY DENOMINATIONS;" QUASI-CHRISTIAN CULTS).
To many, this links the whole idea of biblical interpretation to ugly
controversy.
Relativism undermines confidence in objective meaning. Once
you believe that something may be true "for you" but not true
"for me," isn't it more enlightened and civilized to take
this position?
I believe this is one of the most prevalent and insidious objections
to Christianity today, subtly eroding the Bible's authority for both non-Christians
and Christians. Even if there is excellent evidence that the Bible is
inspired by God (WEEK #2), why study it if you can't be certain of its
meaning?
God Makes The Main Message Clear
Doesn't it make sense that if a loving God has recorded a vital message
for humans, he would communicate it in such a way that we can understand
that message? Only a cruel, sadistic God would purposefully record his
message in such an obscure way that we could not be reasonably certain
we understand it.
God has communicated many things to us through the Bible. Some things
are more difficult to understand, but he has gone out of his way
to make his main message clear to us (Jn. 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:16).
He has done this in three ways:
By using language that is sufficiently clear. If we approach
the Bible like we would approach any other piece of literature, we find
that its main message is indeed understandable.
Consider this statement: "GO TO THE KROGER STORE & BUY 10
LBS. OF POTATOES." Now we might reasonably ask which Kroger
store and which kind of potatoes. If we were unfamiliar with American
culture, we might even ask what a potato is and how much a pound is.
But would it ever be acceptable to interpret this statement to mean:
"GO TO THE HIMILAYAN MOUNTAINS & MEDITATE ON YOUR NAVEL?"
Would it be correct to say no one can be confident he understands
this statement?
Now consider this statement: "HE WHO BELIEVES IN THE SON HAS
ETERNAL LIFE; BUT HE WHO DOES NOT OBEY THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE,
BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM." We might reasonably ask
who the Son is, what "believe" means, or if "believe"
and "obey" are being used synonymously. But would it ever
be acceptable to interpret this statement to mean: "IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE SON BECAUSE EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN?"
Would it be correct to say that no one can be confident he understands
this statement?
"When it comes to the central core of the Christian faith . . . the
biblical evidence is overwhelming. The deity of Christ, the triune
nature of God, the creation of the world by God, the sinfulness of
all humanity, salvation by grace through faith, the resurrection of
the dead--these and many other such matters are clearly taught in
scripture."[1]
IRONY: Those who resort to radical skepticism about the clarity of
the Bible expect me to understand their objection! I often reply by
saying, "I can't understand what you mean . . . "
By repeating the main message. If you want your young children
to understand something important, you say it to them several times
and in different ways. This is what God does, for example, with the
issue of how we get his acceptance.
By giving the Holy Spirit to help us understand and apply his Word.
Such is God's love for us, that he gets supernaturally involved to teach
us the meaning of his Word and how we should respond to it. Theologians
call this the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor. 2:12 - As we come to the Bible humbly asking for
God's help in understanding his Word so that we may obey it, he promises
through his Spirit to illuminate its meaning and importance for our
lives.
EXAMPLES: ME W/ REV. 3:20 AT CONVERSION. I not only understood
that it meant Jesus desired to enter my heart to begin a personal
relationship with him; I also knew that I needed to make this decision.
Many of you could supply similar examples of this . . .
2 Tim. 2:7,15 - Neverthless, we have a part to play in
interpreting God's Word ("consider what I say . . . be
dilgent to present yourself as a workman who does not need to
be ashamed, handling accurately the word . . . ").
(THIS IS WHERE GRAMMATICO-HISTORICAL HERMENEUTICS COMES IN.)
Disagreements Over Biblical Interpretation Occur For Two Reasons
Then why is there so much disagreement? People tend to lump disagreements
concerning the Bible together, when there are actually two very different
kinds of disagreements.
Because some non-essential issues are not clear. God has been
pragmatic in his revelation. More important truths are stated clearly
and repeated often. Less important things are more ambiguous.
Because of this fact, one would expect uniformity of interpretation
about the essentials and diversity of interpretation about the less
important issues. EXAMPLES:
Should only professing Christians be baptized, or should infants
of Christian parents also be baptized?
Do people have free will to receive or reject Christ, or does God
choose who will be saved?
Does Israel continue to be God’s chosen nation or not?
Wherever the Bible has been the final authority, Christians have
agreed on these important truths. Their disagreements with each other
have been over issues which, while often important, are not crucial
issues. This is why documents like the Apostles Creed can be formulated
and agreed on by Christians from many different denominations down
through the centuries. This is why it is possible for us to provide
you with a concise "Statement of Faith" which agrees with
all orthodox Christians (INFORMATION BOOTH). We should hold to our
convictions in these areas, even work in different churches--but still
unify around the essentials and fellowship and minister with each
other as Christians (GRAHAM CRUSADE; VERITAS FORUM; URBAN CONCERN).
But clearly, "Christian" groups have also disagreed in their
interpretation of even essential doctrines. How can this be explained?
The answer to this question is surprisingly simple: Because another
authority has replaced God's Word. The Bible is then ignored and/or
twisted to support that new authority's doctrines. There are hundreds
of examples of this:
RELIGIOUS TRADITION: Pharisees & Sadducees
NEW "SCRIPTURES": Book of Mormon
"KEYS" TO BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION: Key To Science &
Health; Divine Principle; Roman Catholic Papal Infallibility &
"Canon Law"
ALIEN PRESUPPOSITIONS: Naturalism; Pantheistic Avatars; Postmodern
Thought
So the issue here is actually not one of differing interpretations
at all, or that the Bible is unclear on essential matters, but of
differing spiritual authorities.
So What?
Examine the Bible for yourself! God has recorded in it the most
important truths in the world, and he has gone to great lengths to help
you to understand it. It is without any dispute the most influential book
in human civilization.
Contrast American disinterest despite tremendous accessibility and
study tools to Russian hunger (PETROZAVODSK TEACHER).
NON-CHRISTIANS: Read the gospel of John. It was written for you, to
help you understand who Jesus is and what he has done for you so you
can put your trust in him and receive eternal life.
CHRISTIANS: Paul wrote most of his epistles (ROMANS) with the expectation
that all Christians could understand and apply the contents enough
to profit spiritually. Teachings like this are important to get you
started and supplement, but they will never take the place of serious
personal study. If you need help learning how to do this, come up afterward
and we'll line you up with people to help you.
Test all other teachings by it!
Footnotes
[1]James Sire, Scripture Twisting
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1980), pp. 12,13.