Hermeneutics 099

Now to wrap this up.

This naturally leads to my last point. Think about the intended audience and culture. A lot of the time we read the bible and think every promise and every command and ever word was written to a 21 century man or woman sitting in their comfortable 21st century home and living their 21st century lifestyle. Instead, we ought to realize that a lot of times the words were written to a specific people in a specific culture for a very specific reason, we are a third party. This is not to say that we cannot glean knowledge, wisdom, insight, and instruction from God through the scriptures. We should however always make a point to understand what is going on in the passage as we attempt to learn from the text, and especially before we apply it to our lives. Ask the questions: "Who is being written to/about and why?", and "Is this a specific promise/command for me, or more of a general principle to consider?" Let's change our thinking from "Everything in here was written and meant for me" to "Everything written in here will benefit me, if I appropriately apply it."

My final thought: What bible do you read from? You should find a bible that is easy for you to read. We could argue all day about which one is the best, but it doesn't matter how good it is if you are not reading it because it is too difficult. I think an obvious example is the Old King James; while a decent translation the wording is very foreign and hard for modern day readers to understand. I use ESV and enjoy NKJ, sometimes I'll use NIV for another perspective. I would always counsel you to use the most accurate translation possible. For example the ESV which communicates word for word translation rather than the NIV which communicates thought for thought. But if a paraphrase like The Message is the only one that makes sense to you, I would say read that. My hope would be that as you become more and more accustomed to God's word you would graduate up to a more accurate text. But while going for the most accurate is always a good thing, actually reading the bible is better. So find a translation that will help you get into the word, and not one that hinders you from reading God's message to mankind.

Hermeneutics 098

More tips!

This brings me to point three, understand the context. One of the easiest mistakes is to read a verse by itself, and take out of it what we think it means as a stand alone point this is called Eisegesis. Rather we should desire to let the bible speak for itself and find the intended context of the whole chapter or even the whole book, this is called Exogesis. We have to read versus in context of chapters and chapters in context of books. Sometimes what we think of as a whole or complete thought is merely a part, so it helps to read the surrounding passages. Honestly this is what we do with all other literature naturally, but the bible we try to read into every word every verse and sometimes detach it from its intended purpose. I would even say it is important to understand entire books within the context of the bible as a whole. The bible is not going to contradict itself, so even sometimes it is helpful to take into consideration what the bible has said elsewhere when coming to conclusions. Some questions to ask at this point: Does the bible speak to this issue elsewhere? Has the bible used this language and even imagery elsewhere? Does the bible answer this question elsewhere? ect. A lot of times the answer is yes and we just have to find it.

Next we have to consider the genre. The bible is full of different kinds of literary approaches. There is poetic, historic, prophetic, narrative, parabolic, instructional, proverbial, and even musical. The idea then is to not force one genre interpretation on another. So we should not force parabolic stories into literal history, or for that matter to confuse actual history with parables. To understand that poetry and prophecy sometimes use fantasy type imagery to communicate a point while historical parts do not. Just as instructional is meant to be taken literally and proverbial is not. Just like a narrative might not be exhaustive in all the facts but communicates a important theme. So we need to understand when the bible is using these different genres and appropriately interpret them.

more to come...

Hermeneutics 097

A lot of people have a hard time reading the bible. They believe that it is too difficult to read and even more difficult to understand. I was teaching out of Revelation this past Sunday which is arguably the most difficult book in the bible to interact with. As I was explaining some of the fantastic imagery, I was reminded about how often we pause on certain passages and never get past them because they are confusing or we have missed something: There are going to be Dragons in the future? There are going to be great Beasts and women with stars on their head? The stars are literally going to fall to the earth? These and even less troubling passages give us pause and sometimes end in us leaving the bible and walking away rather than digging in to find the answers. Think of Jesus when he said his followers had to eat his flesh and drink his blood, they misunderstood and walked away. This is a tragedy. God gave us his word to teach and instruct us so that we can live fulfilling lives pleasing to him. So I want to just list a few tips to help you read your bible.

The first and most obvious one is to re-read the passage you have just read. Sometimes we miss things because the style or even the words themselves are foreign to us. We should familiarize ourselves with the wording and meaning of words that the bible uses as much as possible. A secondary taking in of the words can sometimes help us with something we have overlooked.

Second, get a broader perspective. Read the surrounding passages, sometimes we think that because we are in a new chapter that it is a completely new thought. We have to realize that the current breaking of the words with chapter and verses wasn't added until the 16th century to make things easier for us to read and reference. This has helped tremendously but it was a two-edged sword in that it also put unnatural breaks in the flow of thoughts that were not intended. So understand that just because you are in a new chapter doesn't mean the author has moved on from the previous point he was making, sometimes entire books are building on a single theme and progressively mounting up the theology, so reading individual chapters might detached you from the overall point. A lot of times the Bible defines stuff for us if we keep reading, or remember to look back at what was previously stated.

I will have more tips in the following days.

Identity Protection

There are many fears in our current technological age and identity theft is a large one. The idea that a thief might steal my identity and cause financial and emotional harm made me uneasy enough to buy LifeLock protection! I feel more secure having someone help protect my identity.

There is another kind of identity protection that I have and am so thankful for; my identity in Christ! In a similar way, there is a thief that seeks to steal or at least cause me to doubt my identity in Christ...he is the enemy of all Christians - Satan. Jesus says of him (John 10:10) that "The thief has come to steal, kill and destroy..." I am convinced that this "thief" is determined to cause as much harm as he can and so I consistently remind myself of the Life-Lock protection of Jesus. Are you interested? If so...

The first thing we need to do - is be sure of our identity in Christ. Have you ever reflected on who you are in Jesus? There are so many amazing promises that He has given! If you have put your faith in Jesus, you have been completely forgiven (Col. 2:13); you have been adopted as His child, and made me an Heir (Gal. 4:7); you are set free from Satan's control (Col. 1:17); and you cannot be separated from His love (Rom. 8:35-39). Etc! But the enemy of our soul wants us to doubt these things!

So, the second thing we need to do is remind ourselves of our identity! While the enemy can't actually steal our identity, he might make us doubt it and once doubted we might even act as if we no longer belong to God! It is so sad and unecessary, but how many times I have seen this or done this myself! Here is an idea that has helped me in my journey - Make a list of what God says about you and then pray these truths back to God! For instance, "Father, I thank you for making me your child, and placing your Holy Spirit in me. You said that greater is he (God) that is in me, than he (Satan) that is in the world. Open the eyes of my heart to the truth of who I am in you, and help me to live in a way that reflects to my oikos what you have done in my life."

While LifeLock brings me some assurance of a protected identity, that pales in comparison to my greatest assurance - God Himself. My identity in Christ is secured, not by the efforts of man, but by the amazing work of Jesus on the cross - this work is sure and the more fully I understand it, the more grateful and changed I am! Trust Christ to Life-Lock your identity, today!

Stepping on the Scale Sunday Morning

I lost two pounds this week. I stepped on the scale this morning and it flashed back those wonderful numbers that reflected a lower weight. However I’d be foolish to think that I lost the weight when I stepped on the scale. The scale only reflects my choices and actions throughout the week. I’m training for the Whisky Row 10K which means I’m running a couple of miles a day and eating a lot healthier than I was a couple of months ago. It’s in these actions that the weight comes off; the scale is only a mirror of my lifestyle.

In very much the same way I think that Sunday morning worship is the scale that reflects back at you the choices you’ve already made about worshiping God. The New Testament seems to be clear in declaring that worship is not about an action but an attitude or life style. Worship wars are not something new to our generation and even Jesus Himself couldn’t avoid the debate. In John 4 Jesus is talking with the Samaritan woman at the well about styles of worship. I think it’s interesting that instead of facing the conviction of sin in her life, she changes the conversation to worship style (but that’s a discussion for another blog). However, the crux of Jesus’ response is that worship for a Christian is going to be done in the spirit and in truth. This was an idea that rocked the current worldview. Jesus was throwing out centuries of tradition and said the new definition of worship was going to be about a life lived in truth. Paul picks this truth up and summarizes it this way: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

So is this how we look at worship today? Sadly, the answer most of the time is ‘no.’ For the most part when we talk about worship we are thinking about the music portion of our church services. Why is this? Is it because we have a “worship pastor” whose job is to take care of Sunday morning singing? Is it because we have “worship CDs” that includes the songs we sing during our “worship services?” I don’t think these hold the answer. I think the answer lies closer to the example I used of the scale. When talking about weight we look to the scale. Why? Because the scale is the device that reflects back to us the actions of our lives. Just like a love poem reflects the reality of our heart, our “worship time” in church reflects the reality of worship in our life.

So take a minute with me and take a look at your scale Sunday morning. What is your “worship time” telling you about the rest of your life? I’d like to propose to you that if you find yourself apathetic and disengaged on Sunday morning the scale is reflecting back at you a truth that is deeper than ‘not connecting to the music style.’ Could it be this apathy and disconnect is reflecting back an overall life of apathy and disconnect with God? What if your Sunday morning worship is a time of discomfort because your desires or styles aren’t being met? It might be reflecting a life that is about me and my needs, instead of being a “living sacrifice.” What if it’s a time of judgment and cynicism? What if it’s a time of passion and love? What does the scale of Sunday morning reflect about your life?

A Secondary Thought:

I had a friend growing up who always blamed the equipment. Anytime he started losing in any competition he started blaming the equipment and quit. He needed better golf clubs, his soccer shoes were worn out, the basketball was too flat, his game controller was sticky, and on and on. But the truth was, he didn’t want to look inside or push past the complication. He always saw the problem outside himself and in the end he never improved or grew. Is my “Sunday Scale” a fail proof test? No!!! But before you start placing blame on the band, the style, the music pastor or the song selection, look inside first. I can step on the three different scales in my house and get three different responses (which I sometimes do to get the number I want) this tells me that at least two of my scales are ‘off.’ But even though my scales are not 100% perfect they still reflect back the truth, and in the long run they will all tell me whether I’m improving or getting worse. Is our Sunday scale 100% accurate? Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t reflect truth back into your life

My Prayer:

Lord, when I step on the scale on Sunday morning I want it to reflect a life of worship for you. Let it not be about me, my needs or desires. Let my worship reflecting sacrifice, love, hope and faith. And when I notice unhealthy or sinful attitudes in my worship let me repent and align myself with you once more.

God's Day-Timer

The disciples had their next few days all planned out. It had been a busy time of ministry, so busy that they did not even have relaxing times to eat. They were tired. They needed a break. In Mark 6:31, Jesus announces that He is taking them on a retreat. A few days without the crowds. A few days alone with Jesus. The disciples had their next few days all planned out.

As they head towards their retreat, the people figure out where the disciples are headed. So the people (5,000 of them, not including women and children) ran ahead to meet them. Jesus sees that they are sheep without a shepherd so He begins to teach them. And then He decides that it is a good time for the disciples to feed them. So the disciples spend the first day of their retreat as waiters for a crowd of well over 5,000 people.

Have you ever thought of how much work that would be? Even though they are not cooking, they are constantly on the move, delivering food to more and more people. They started the day exhausted. I can't even imagine how they feel at the end of the day. But their day is not over. They still need to get into a boat and row to the other side of the lake. In heavy winds.

Late into the night, they see a person walking on the water. Turns out it is Jesus. He gets into the boat and the wind ceases. And then the text tells us this: "And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."

Here is what I think happened. The disciples have a plan in mind. They have their next days scheduled. And then God interrupts the plan. He has something on His agenda for the disciples. Like a miraculous feeding of a huge crowd. Like seeing Jesus walk on water. While the disciples see these events, they do not enjoy what God is doing. God is not acting within the bounds of their day-timer and they struggle to get past that.

I make schedules. I make daily lists and plans for myself. I can easily see myself responding as the disciples do. My prayer is that I will always be ready for God's interruptions to my day. My prayer is that I will not become so preoccupied with my schedule that I reluctantly participate in God's plan for today. And to do this I need to be careful to not procrastinate, creating artificial, crisis deadlines because of my own poor use of time.