How to understand the awesome Word of God

murjahel · Aug 9, 2011

This thread is going to teach the ways we need to understand to rightly interpret the awesome Word of God. The study of how to study the Word is called HERMENEUTICS. Because of lack of understanding hermeneutics, many are blind to the awesomeness of the Bible.

The Bible is the record of Gods actions and words, given from God to His prophets. These persons of God were to record and propagate this message for the generations. The Bible begins with In the beginning, God... and God said..." Without that starting point of it being a message from God, there is no reason to be so studious in researching the Word. But, since it is a message from the Divine Godhead, to finite mankind, we need to very seriously examine its message.
　
　

Seven Principles in beginning hermeneutic study...

There are seven principles we need to begin with in such a hermeneutic study.

First, God has spoken.

(Genesis 1:1,3)
A God Who can create us, can also talk to us. We should desire to know what He has to say.

Hebrews 1:1-2
"God, Who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son..."

Secondly, the Bible is the revelation of Gods will.

The Bible is not mans attempt to find God, but Gods attempt to speak to mankind. There is ample proof that the Bible is Gods Word. There is unity of the 66 books over a span of 2000 years in the writing. There are miracles that came in confirmation of the preached Word. There are irrefutable fulfillments of Bible prophecies. The grand scope of the Book sets it apart from all other books. The influence of the Bible during the centuries is awesome. The scientific and historical accuracy is flawless. There is an excellent moral tone, that exceeds any manmade moral goals.

II Peter 1:21
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit..."

I Corinthians 14:37
"If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord."
　

Thirdly, the Bible is accurately translated.

The bulk of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the bulk of the New Testament was written in Greek. There are no errors in copyists, or omission that affect any doctrine. The most ancient copies found (amidst the Dead Sea Scrolls, for instance) are shown to be the same as those copies of later origin, so that the translations we have, can be trusted to have been done from valid copies.

Fourthly, the Bible is infallible.

Since principle two is that the Bible is Gods revelation, and principle three is that it is accurately copied through the ages in the original languages, we can say that the message of God in those original languages is infallible. Some translations, have errors of translation, or misconceptions due to changing connotations of words. Yet, when going to the original language to verify the message of translations, we find the original to be the infallible Word of God.

Fifthly, the Bible is intelligible.

We can understand it. The Bible is a revelation, meant to reveal, not conceal.

Romans 15:4
"...whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning..."

The mysteries of God are no longer to be mysteries. There are things and concepts that our finite minds may not yet be able to comprehend, but that is not what the Bible is speaking. The Bible is Gods attempt to tell mankind what mankind is able to receive. Gods Word does not surpass mankinds reason. God did not have the Bible written to tease mankind with non-understandable truths.

Ephesians 3:4
"Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ."

II Timothy 2:7, 15
"Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things... study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God..."

Sixthly, the Bible
(rightly understood)
is authoritative.

We need to beware error, for some things do require a bit of study. But when we correctly have studied and harmonized the message of one part with the totality of the Bibles truths, then we can trust this authoritative passage.

　
II Peter 3:16
"...some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Some wrestle with passages, allowing misconception and improper exegesis to bring them to error. Many have stumbled in understanding the real message of the Bible. Even in Jesus first coming, some listened to His message and ignored the truth of what was said.

Matthew 13:14-15
"For the peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time, they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand, and be converted, and I should heal them."

Seventhly, the authority of the Bible demands submission.

When God spoke, "Let there be light"... nature responded, and light came. When we read in the Word, study to verify its message, and know that God is commanding us to certain things... we must submit to it, or be judged for our errant free will decision. The Bible speaks much of those who do not submit to the teachings of the Word....

Romans 2:6-9
"unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish"... shall come.

Matthew 5:8
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God..."

Acts 7:51-53
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit..."

II Corinthians 4:3-44
"But if the gospel be hid, it is hidden from them that are lost, in whom the god of this world, hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of this glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them."

II Thessalonians 2:8-12
"For this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they might be damned who believed not the truth."

　
II Timothy 4:3-4
"the time will come when men shall not endure sound doctrine... shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables..."

much more to come...

murjahel · Aug 9, 2011

The Light vs the Darkness that comes from the Bible...

The Bible can be ‘light’ to us, and yet still be ‘darkness’ to many others. We are to live in the light of the Words of God.

Psalms 119:130
"The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

This light from the Word of God is to aid us in our working.

John 9:4
"I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day."

This light aids us in our war against evil and the devil.

Romans 13:12
"...let us put on the armor of light..."

We are to daily walk in the light that comes from God’s Word.

Ephesians 5:8
‘Walk as children of the light..."

We are to witness this light from the Word of God to the rest of the world.

Philippians 2:15
"Shine as lights in the world..."

We are to use the light from the Word of God to enlighten our watching for Jesus to return.

I Thessalonians 5:5-6
"We are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober."

Yet, many are in the dark about the Bible...
Many find the Bible to be dark to them.. Why???

The Bible is the most persecuted of books, and for that reason, proper exegesis is required, or we make areas of attack for the persecutors..

‘Holy men of God’ wrote down the words inspired by the Spirit, and yet unlearned, untrained people try to defend it, and often create more confusion and darkness than enlightenment. We are told therefore, to ‘study to show ourselves approved of God, rightly dividing the Word of God..."

Disobeyers of that command have brought shame to the faith.

Some darkness is due to the fact that some passages are difficult to understand.

Peter, speaking of some of Paul’s writings, said: ‘are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction." (II Peter 3:16)

Those who are unlearned in hermeneutical knowledge often twist, misapply, misconstrue, and err in interpretation. Sometimes this is even purposeful, with the intent to validate a chosen dogma. When these untaught in hermeneutics do such, they often drag many others with them to destruction.

We need to shun error, for much is being taught. False doctrines are like cancers to the truth.
They should be (as cancers found in a body are) identified, avoided, discarded...

Some who do not shun error are ‘ever learning, but never able to come to knowledge of the truth’
(II Timothy 3:7).
Some ‘corrupt the Word’ (II Corinthians 2:17). Some ‘pervert the gospel’ (Galatians 1:6-8).
Some ‘lie in wait to deceive’ (Ephesians 4:14). Some ‘beguile you with enticing words" (Colossians 2:4).
Some will ‘spoil you though philosophy ... after the traditions of men’ (Colossians 2:8).
Some will ‘consent not to wholesome words... doting about questions and strifes of words’ (I Timothy 6:3-5).
Some will ‘strive about words to no profit" (II Timothy 2:14-16).
Some ‘teach things which they ought not’ (Titus 1:10-14).
Some ‘bring in damnable heresies" (II Peter 2:1-3).
Finally, we are also warned that some ‘transgress and abide not in the doctrine of Christ’
(II John 7-11)

God allows people to do any of those things, if they persist. He has sent some prophets, apostles, teachers, etc... to attempt to persuade them from error, but often mankind resist the conviction of the Spirit through their words, and the end result is damnation.

II Thessalonians 2:10-12
"...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Alleged discrepancies of the Bible, are a chosen excuse of many of these, to explain their ‘darkness’ and rejection of the truth.
Discrepancies do not exist between the Bible and true science.
The Bible is scientifically correct.
The Creator, its Author, is certainly aware of the nature of this awesome creation.

　
These alleged discrepancies do arise due to fallacious interpretation and immature conclusions.

Some is due to the ‘delusion’ sent from God, due to their rejection of the plain message of the Word.

Theories of science do seem to contradict the Bible, but when the evidence does come in, it has always been the Bible that has proven to be scientific and true.
In every case of archaeological discrepancies, the Bible has proven correct, and the so-called discrepancies disappear.

Some try to contend human authors were ‘ignorant and unlearned men’ (Acts 4:13), and therefore, sceptics charge, their writings are errant.

But the Bible’s Author is God, and inspired secretaries put in writing an inerrant book..

And every word, every ‘jot and tittle’ is God-breathed.

not even done with the introduction yet...
more to come...
God's Word is awesome !

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

Can we comprehend the Bible?

God has taken into account our condition.
He uses parables, proverbs, similes, etc. to show us commonly understood concepts to help us understand higher concepts of the Spirit.

Figurative and symbolic illustrations are meant to guide us toward the truth, not to veil the truth.

Erroneous concepts are identified, condemned and we are oft warned of them.

The foolishness of the world is shown in the light of the truth to be foolish (I Corinthians 1:20).

The writers of this God-breathed Word, were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21).
This literally means that they were borne along, as a current of a river bears along a boat.
The boat is moving, with no need for the oars when the desired direction is the direction of the current.
Therefore, to misunderstand the Word, one must row vigorously, for the Spirit is trying yet to inspire mankind to understand His message through the writers.

Bible critics challenge the Bible
Surely, God does speak to each of us
individually, as well as through the Word.
The devils would like us to trust just the
spoken Word, so they can imitate God,
and draw us away from truth.
The way we know that the voice we
hear is God's, is to always test the
message by the Written Word of God.
They will never contradict when rightly
understood. God has not changed His mind,
and in His omniscience, when He inspired
the Written Word centuries ago, He foreknew
what it would be saying to you today,
and made sure it would agree with His
spoken Word to you this day.

There are three categories
of Bible criticism.

1. Textural (lower) criticism

2. Documentary (higher) criticism

3. Speculative or historical criticism

Textural criticism deals with determining the text of the Scripture.
It deals with examining original texts, checking for copying errors, careless deletions, and the like.
It deals with determining the accurate meaning of words from the manuscripts.

　
Documentary criticism deals with questions of authorship, dates, and literary forms.
Many who delve in this form of criticism are those who believe the Author of the Bible is human.
By denying the Divine inspiration, and its infallibility that comes with such understanding, many challenge in this that they call higher criticism.

Historical criticism rejects the authentic records of Scripture.
They relegate many stories to legend, mythology, and forgery.

Answering the critics

In order to answer the critics, we need to know hermeneutics.
Hermeneutics is the science or art of interpreting the Bible.
The exegetical theology does require some understanding.

Some want to just ask for divine inspiration in understanding the Bible, and this is fine to a degree.
But, if it is divine inspiration that gives one understanding, then it will not be a distortion of the true and proper meaning of the inspired language, nor impair the true message.

Do we seek inspiration or illumination?

Jesus said He will guide you into all truth."
(John 16:13).
That is how the Holy Spirit helps us grasp, understand, and interpret Gods Word... by illumination.

The prophets received inspiration to write the Bible,
but often, they were not illuminated as to its meaning.

　
There are two differences between
inspiration and illumination.

1. Illumination is, or can be, permanent, inspiration is intermittent.

2. There are degrees of illumination, whereas inspiration must be complete.

There are laws of God, shown in the Word, against which our illuminated concepts are to be tested.

The study of such rules and tests, is called hermeneutics.
Many use faulty hermeneutics, or none at all.

Unlearned people, thinking themselves to be learned, develop into heretics, making errors, becoming false prophets, due to faulty or lacking hermeneutics.

Ignorance of hermeneutics results in perplexity, at least.
Ignorance of hermeneutics makes some afraid to take a stand on debated subjects.
Sometimes they fall into errors like Balaams, or into the gainsaying of Korah.

The proper attitudes needed in hermeneutic study...

Before we study the rules and tests of hermeneutics, we need to first see that we engage this study with the proper attitudes.
Improper attitude and motivation will corrupt any study of hermeneutics...

more to come...

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

part two of 'can we comprehend the Bible?

So, what should our attitudes
in Bible study be???

1. Receive the Word of God
with reverence.

I Thessalonians 2:13
"...when ye received the Word of 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 in you that believe."

Isaiah 66:2
"To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word."

Those verses refer to both the spoken Word,
and to the Written Word.

2. Have a teachable spirit.

I Corinthians 2:14
"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So, to understand, we need to be open to the teachings of the Holy Spirit...

We must know Him, as a Person, and be receptive of His teachings.

II Corinthians 4:3-4
"If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds."

Psalms 25:9
"The meek will He guide in judgment, and the meek He will teach His way."

3. Be earnest and hungry
for the truth.

Apathetic and carefree study is boring and unrewarding.

Love truth, be zealous for truth.
Do not be satisfied with your current knowledge, want more.

John 3:19
"Light is come into the world,
but men loved darkness rather than light..."

What do you love more than Bible study?
Work? Recreation? Wealth? Etc....???

Lay those things aside, and seek to know God through His Word, as never before.

This does not mean you will 'only' read
the Bible, for if you read the Bible and
accepted its messages, you would
be also praying, witnessing, discipling,
providing lovingly for your family,
etc...

I Peter 2:1-2
"Laying aside all guile,
as newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of the Word."

Psalms 25:14
"The secret of the Lord is with them
that fear Him,
and He will show them His covenant."

4. Be patient.

The Word of God is inexhaustible, profound, difficult to find all truth therein.

John 5:39 says to search the Scriptures,
and the word search denotes labor of a miner
who digs and searches the earth
for the precious metal,
a work that requires patience.

Acts 17:11
"...they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily."

Notice, their search was daily, not once and for all, not finished long ago... not 24 hours a day,
but in a constant returning daily for a time of study and of searching..
a constant, patient, continuing of study.

5. Begin with the simple,
and move toward the complex.

This is how we learned mathematics.
We did not start with geometry and calculus.
We began with addition, and then subtraction...
We progressed to multiplication and then division.
We found the further we went,
the more there was to learn.

The same is found in Bible study.
Begin with the simple, and it will be like stepping stones to higher and higher plains of understanding.

John 15:15
"All things that I have heard of My Father,
I have made known to you."

And then later that same hour, Jesus said:

John 16:12
"I have yet many things to say unto you,
but ye cannot bear them now."

The truths that the Father had Jesus speak,
were preparatory for more truth to come.

There is no contradiction in those verses,
for Jesus had spoken all the things that the Father had told Him to speak,
but the Lord knew there would be more truth to discover,
when they were prepared for them by the Holy Spirit.

The truths will never contradict,
but will be like walls built upon the foundation.

James 1:5,7
"If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask of God...
it shall be given him..."

The Written Word will confirm
the Spoken Word.

The Spoken Word, when tested
against the Written Word, will
prove the Author is unchangeable,
omniscient, and loving.

mrmccormo · Aug 10, 2011

I reject the philosophy that we can "rightly divide the word of truth" in all areas with hermeneutics. It is useful to a point, but without the Spirit, without deference to ancient tradition, and without acknowledging the last 2,000 years of Christianity, hermeneutics will fail to find the true interpretation to a lot of Bible passages.

Your second, third, and fourth principles have nothing to do with the Bible itself, but rather have to do with how much you trust ancient tradition and the preservation of the truth within the early Christian church. If you do not trust at all in the ancient traditions, then you trust in yourself. Or at the very least, you trust in someone else who trusted in themselves.

Your sixth principle mentions that the Bible is authoritiative when it is "rightly understood". This - ultimately - becomes a toxic and self-destructive methodology, since the Bible itself often fails to pinpoint when a topic is "rightly understood". Who determines what is "rightly understood" and what is not? Quite obviously, the Bible does not always give us a clear answer on some topics, so it alone cannot be used to determine what is or is not "rightly understood".

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

mrmccormo said:
I reject the philosophy that we can "rightly divide the word of truth" in all areas with hermeneutics. It is useful to a point, but without the Spirit, without deference to ancient tradition, and without acknowledging the last 2,000 years of Christianity, hermeneutics will fail to find the true interpretation to a lot of Bible passages.

Your second, third, and fourth principles have nothing to do with the Bible itself, but rather have to do with how much you trust ancient tradition and the preservation of the truth within the early Christian church. If you do not trust at all in the ancient traditions, then you trust in yourself. Or at the very least, you trust in someone else who trusted in themselves.

Your sixth principle mentions that the Bible is authoritiative when it is "rightly understood". This - ultimately - becomes a toxic and self-destructive methodology, since the Bible itself often fails to pinpoint when a topic is "rightly understood". Who determines what is "rightly understood" and what is not? Quite obviously, the Bible does not always give us a clear answer on some topics, so it alone cannot be used to determine what is or is not "rightly understood".

To rightly divide, as we are commanded,
there are many rules and methods
of hermeneutics...
we have not gotten to them yet...
so... be patient...God has not changed
His mind, for when He had the Bible
written, He knew all the ages to come,
even down to how many hairs would
be on your head today...
So, He knew what to have written...

The rest of this thread will go into
the traditions, etc... and past understandings...
I do believe in the infallibility of the Word,
regardless of church history, or
some who wanted to change a bit here or there...
all must be tested by the Word...
no tradition is to change the Word...

the translation variations are solved by
checking the original Greek and Hebrew...
translations often reflect the traditions,
and connotations of various groups...
we go back to the original to find
God's concepts...

The reason the 'rightly understood' is
important, is that some take a passage
like that 'witches' were to be killed,
and try to apply it in this covenant
we are now in...
and it does not apply now, for we
should shun, reject, etc..
but murder is not justified in this period
of grace...
so... lest some take some verses out
of context, out of covenant understanding,
we have to look at the Bible and
'rightly divide'...
by the way, God had the words 'rightly divide'
put in Scripture, not me...

stay tuned... there is much more
definition of how to understand the Bible
to come...
have only put the intro in so far...

The Bible is an awesome book,
written by an OMNISCIENT MIND,
far beyond our ability to ever comprehend
all it contains...
we are finite, we need to understand
some basic principles so we don't misunderstand
its truths...

it is Truth, just as God is Truth...
it is different from every other book
in this world, for it LIVES,
its message, its truths change not...
it quickens the soul,
it creates faith,
it calms the stressed,
it brings life to our souls...

No other book never needs revision...
no other book had this generation's
truths, just as it had the generation's
truths when it was written...

Not one 'jot or tittle' of this book
will ever pass away, or cease to be
truth...

probinson · Aug 10, 2011

mrmccormo said:
I reject the philosophy that we can "rightly divide the word of truth" in all areas with hermeneutics. It is useful to a point, but without the Spirit, without deference to ancient tradition, and without acknowledging the last 2,000 years of Christianity, hermeneutics will fail to find the true interpretation to a lot of Bible passages.

Hermeneutics is a man-made system of interpreting a Spirit-inspired text. As you said, it's useful to a point, but all the man-made systems of study in the world will fall far short of "rightly dividing the Word of Truth".

Hermeneutics does not lead and guide us into all Truth. The Spirit of God does.

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

Part of the revelation of the Spirit
is the Written Word, for He, the Spirit,
authored the Bible...

He inspired the writers to write exactly what
He wants written...
He then works to ILLUMINATE us as we
read, meditate, and study the Written Words
of the Spirit.

Illumination is a process...
and the illumination never lalters the
message of the Spirit in the Word...

He never disagrees with Himself...
the Word He authored as the Spirit of Truth
is Truth...

Surely, in 'rightly dividing' the Word of Truth,
we find the Spirit illumines how to do so...
We have mathematical rules,
we have scientific rules...
rules of interpretation were likewise
designed by God...

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Methods of Interpretation[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The study of the principles of interpretation is called hermeneutics. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The practice of these principles of hermeneutics is called exegesis. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When someone passes on his interpretation to others, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]it is called exposition. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The understanding and proper exercise of these three, are, unfortunately, rare.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Listen, as some try to explain the Bible..... [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The story is told of a man teaching his wife to drive a car... He had her sit in the drivers seat, and said: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Now just turn the hickey over,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and pull on the jigger,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]push down on the jimcrack,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]then press down on the do-dad with your foot...[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]when it starts,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]push down on the do-funny and yank the uptiddy,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and then let up on the foot-dingys,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and put your other foot on the hickey-madoodle..."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Is that similar to how we direct people to understand the Bible????![/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are proper methods of interpreting the Bible. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If we realize, that we are not reading a first grade primer, but a book authored by the Divine mind, we will then realize the need for proper care in deciphering its awesome message. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]II Peter 3:16[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"...in which are some things hard to be understood, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]which them that are unlearned and unstable wrest [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]as they do also the other Scriptures[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]unto their own destruction."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Peter expresses the truth of the difficulty of understanding some portions of the Word. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]To attempt to understand and interpret a book authored by the Divine Mind, with faulty or lack of proper tools ... [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]or to attempt such interpretation with improper attitudes... [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]would be asinine, to say the least.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]To have a fear of the truth, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]to have no ambition for zealous study, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]to be unwilling to know,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]to have pride of ones own self-agrandized intellect [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]only interferes with understanding [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and interpreting Gods Word.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I Corinthians 3:18[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"If any man seem to be wise in this world, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]let him become a fool that he may be wise."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I Corinthians 10:12[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Wherefore, let him that thinks he stands,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]take heed lest he fall."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Galatians 6:3[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"...if any man think himself to be something, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]when he is nothing, deceives himself."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Consider how such attitudes of fear, lack of ambition, lack of will, or pride would affect learning to drive, or doing study in college??? [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But such attitudes do afflict Bible interpretation. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]to be continued

[/FONT]

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Methods of Interpretation[/FONT]
part 2

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are many abuses of the Bible. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some treat the letter from God, we call the Bible as though it is a mystical charm, where possession replaces the use of it. Just to have it in ones hand, or just have it on the end table, makes on feel secure.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some treat Scripture like a box of treats. They pick out what they like, and leave alone the rest.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some treat Gods Word like a smorgasbord, and sample a bit here and there.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some treat the Bible like a rosary, just trying to cover so much a day to get credit. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The uniqueness of the Bible is the Author. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Bible should be treated as a normal, intelligent message. God gave mankind the ability to reason, God expects mankind to use it. The Holy Spirit does guide mankind in understanding, if one will accept such help.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ephesians 6:17[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]...take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There is original thought in the message of the Bible. If a person receives a note from a visitor who arrived while the first person was absent... The note would be written with the intent of the person to understand. There would be no reason for the visitor to word it in a way to purposely confuse or exasperate the person. God left us an awesome note, but His purpose was to reveal facts, not hinder revelation.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]So, the message of the Bible is written in ordinary, human language. The Word of God can be interpreted, since Gods message is put into human language. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In fact, there is no excuse for mis-interpreting the Word of God. We have no right to inject or impose our own opinion. God did not allow the prophets who first wrote down Gods message to impose their private ideas.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]II Peter 1:20-21[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"No Scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not by the will of man, but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since the message from God, that we call the Bible, is divinely inspired, we cannot omit any part of it, for God considered it to be important. We must apply principles of interpreting its message, in the same way we apply principles in human messages to us.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]J.R. Stroup said: "The more strongly one becomes attached to error, the more blinded he is to truth and the less capable of judging between truth and error, and the more helpless and more hopeless his case becomes.".....[/FONT]
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Harmful Methods of Interpretation

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The mystic method of interpretation is the idea that certain people can understand, and others cannot. They teach that the literal Word of God is inferior to the superior interpretation of such given by those who are endowed with special ability to interpret. They teach to discard literal meaning to draw out spiritual meanings. They want others to assume that the Bible does not mean what it says, but means something that is intentionally hidden by God from most of mankind. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The allegorical method is the idea that the Bible is a big riddle. Similar to the mystic method, but the followers of these feel that anyone can possibly solve the riddle. The concept that God has made it a challenge, purposely trying to keep all from being able to easily understand, is the concept of this method.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The superstitious method is the idea that there are hidden meanings in minute details of the Bible. They look for comparisons, contrasts, sequential hints, overlooking the obvious meanings, and literal facts. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Romans 10:2[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"They have the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge."[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The ecclesiastical method is the idea that a church authority is required to verify interpretation. They feel that all others who would attempt interpretation are doomed to failure, for they did so without authority from the church. Not all church scholars are worthless, but none are infallible. And God does not want to reserve interpretation to any one group, but has presented the Word to all who would have ears to hear and eyes to see...[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The dogmatic method is the idea that one shouldn choose a doctrine to believe, and then go to the Scriptures and find passages to defend it. It is a bit like getting the cart before the horse.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The rational method is the idea that nothing should be accepted that mankind cannot reason out on ones own. But Gods wisdom is above ours, and if our mind cannot reason out some stated truths of the Word, we are to accept the Word by faith. Some things must be accepted by faith. We believe by faith, that God created the worlds, for none of us were there at that time to verify by experience. So, that and some other things, are simply understood and accepted by faith.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The literal method is the idea that the Bible is totally literal, except where obviously symbolic. The Bible is mostly literal, and are some obvious symbolic passages. But to simplify it to this general method will lead to some errors.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The correct method of interpretation is [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]the inductive method. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In this method, one starts with the facts found in the Bible, compares and contrasts all the evidence within the Bible, making sure no understanding of one passage contradicts the understanding of other passages. When harmony is found amidst the many passages, then the interpretation of the meaning from the One Author to mankind, is correct. Mankind uses the inductive method in understanding science, why not in the Bible?[/FONT]
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murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Methods of Interpretation[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]part 3[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Basics of Interpretation[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]II Timothy 2:15[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth..."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1. The Bible is alive. It is not a book of dull philosophies. It is not aged ideas of previous generations. It is not out-dated. It is still current message, as though God were uttering the same words today, that are written there from ages ago. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2. One can interpret correctly without formal study of rules, but not without using needed rules (even if done unconsciously). Rules themselves do not make a good interpreter, any more than rules make a good ball player. Yet, a good ball player, following the rules, can achieve much.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Basic principles of interpretation[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1. Every passage has one meaning. God does not want to confuse us. The passage pray without ceasing has one message to us, not countless hidden messages only found by counting letters in words, or the like. The warnings about hell and the promise of heaven were not to be taken literal by past generations, but figuratively by us.. NO!!! The meaning of those passages is one, not multiple. The exception, or clarification of this is this, sometimes a prophecy can have an immediate pre-figurative meaning, and a remote meaning. For instance, the ram caught in the thicket, as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, showed a current redeemer, which pre-figured the later to arrive Redeemer. Another example is Psalms 16:10, when David assumed he was prophesying concerning himself, but the ultimate fulfillment came when Jesus was resurrected. This is pointed out by Peter in Acts 2:27.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2. The most simple and obvious meaning is usually correct. What is wrong with the obvious? Do we not speak and mean the obvious in our communications with each other?[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3. Always allow the Authors explanation to stand. For instance, perfect to us means sinless and without error. However, it can mean mature, and grown up. In Hebrews 6:1, we find that the latter meaning is the one for that passage, for the rest of the context of the passage shows that.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4. Always interpret the passage finding the harmony with the rest of the Bible. The Bible must agree with itself. The Author is One. Do not snatch passages and use them in ways not intended, or to mean something that is in contrast to other teachings of the Bible. Some use out of context verses, to mean something totally contrary to what it means and says in context. For instance, the story is told of a man, who wanted to know what the Bible would tell him to do. So, he opened the Bible, and pointed to a verse. He read it, and it say... "Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). What does that mean to me, he wondered. So, he opened the Bible again, and read the first verse he saw there... Go, and do thou likewise, it said. (Luke 10:37).... Stumped again, he thought, well, the third time will confirm or deny this message... So, he opened the Bible to see what verse by chance would stand out. The third passage read, That you do, do quickly." The obvious stupidity of that method of interpreting the Bible is done yet by many. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]John 9:3 indicates that Jesus said neither the man, nor his parents had sinned. Yet, if one reads on in the context, it is obvious that Jesus was speaking that there was no sin that caused the sickness, not that the three in question had never sinned ever.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]5. Interpretation should always conform to the environment of the writer. Customs of the day, opinions, wars, fears, etc need to be studied. Different books of the Bible have different styles, due to the culture and environment of the time. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]6. One passage will often explain another. If you find a passage that you cannot interpret, read on. My father said, long ago, that reading the Bible is sometimes like eating chicken... He would eat the meat, but when he came to a bone, he could not eat it.... Some passages begin or seem to be bones. But as we read on, we find another passage, or passages, that help us to understand the first.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]7. The passage must be interpreted in harmony with any idioms it contains. People 1000 years from now may not understand the word okay. We need to understand the idioms in the Bible. As in Malachi 1:2-3, "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated." The word hated then was a word of degrees and the meaning, to them in that day, was not one of hated as we would speak it today. God was saying that Esau was loved less.[/FONT]

to be continued.. see #8

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Methods of Interpretation[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]part 4[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]8. All passages on any one subject, should be studied together. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Truth has many sides, and without viewing the different sides, we are meager in understanding.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] The story has oft been told of the blind men describing the elephant. The one came upon the tail, and said the elephant is like a snake. Another came to the elephants side, and said the elephant is like a wall. A third felt the trunk, and said, the elephant is like a tree. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Were all right, or all wrong? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Or should they not have studied a bit deeper before making a conclusion based on one experience? [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One passage does not give all truth. For instance, what saves a person. We find that faith is requisite (John 3:16, Acts 16:31)... But another may say that it is repentance, as shown in Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, Acts 17:30. Someone else may claim it has to be confession of faith (Matthew 10:32, Romans 10:9-10) [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]So which is right? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A study of the passages, when harmonized, will give the full answer to how to be saved.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]9. Observe a balance of Scriptural truth. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Do not exaggerate minor points, or neglect important ones. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some subjects are given minor discussion in the Bible.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] For instance, the discussion of clothes and proper attire. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Bible has several verses on the subject, and those are used or misused daily by some who over-emphasize the importance of the subject. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One can tell the importance of the doctrine, by the number of passages devoted to it.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]10. Let the plain passages determine the difficult passages. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For instance, if the idea of born again is difficult, read the plain explanation given of Jesus in John 3:3-6. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]11. Rightly divide the Bible. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The dispensational understanding, the particular covenant operated in the passage,, the setting of the passage, needs to be studied and understood.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]12. Rightly understand the language. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are figures of speech, peculiarities of expression found in each language. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are changes in meaning of some words, from the time then to the time now. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Study needs to be done to verify interpretation.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]13. Know the limit of divine revelation. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]God has not told us some things. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some things are not meant for us to know now. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We must find in the Word the things that God is trying to tell us. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A 400 year old poem, by an unknown author,[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It shall greatly help thee [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]To understand Scripture,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If thou mark,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Not only what is spoken or written,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But of whom,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And to whom,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With what words,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]At what time,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Where,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With what circumstance, [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Considering what goeth before,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And what followeth after.'[/FONT]

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mrmccormo · Aug 10, 2011

The correct method of interpretation is
the inductive method.

I've learned the inductive method. I've used it for years (about 7 years). The inductive study method still suffers from limitations, and you will still come across contradictions. Please keep in mind that many denominations use the inductive method yet all come to different conclusions.

In this method, one starts with the facts found in the Bible, compares and contrasts all the evidence within the Bible, making sure no understanding of one passage contradicts the understanding of other passages. When harmony is found amidst the many passages, then the interpretation of the meaning from the One Author to mankind, is correct.

This is misleading. You can use the inductive method to "prove" both a theology of "once saved, always saved" and its antithesis "salvation can be lost", just as one example out of many. You cannot always derive the correct interpretation of Scripture through this method.

Mankind uses the inductive method in understanding science, why not in the Bible?

Because some portions of science - using the inductive method - would also lead us to believe that God does not exist. Truthfully, why is the inductive method superior to any other rational method? Where in Scripture does God recommend the inductive method and yet condemn all the others?

murjahel · Aug 10, 2011

mrmccormo said:
I've learned the inductive method. I've used it for years (about 7 years). The inductive study method still suffers from limitations, and you will still come across contradictions. Please keep in mind that many denominations use the inductive method yet all come to different conclusions.

This is misleading. You can use the inductive method to "prove" both a theology of "once saved, always saved" and its antithesis "salvation can be lost", just as one example out of many. You cannot always derive the correct interpretation of Scripture through this method.

Because some portions of science - using the inductive method - would also lead us to believe that God does not exist. Truthfully, why is the inductive method superior to any other rational method? Where in Scripture does God recommend the inductive method and yet condemn all the others?

I diagree...
to prove 'once saved, always saved',
or to prove 'it is easy to lose salvation,
is impossible and use the inductive method...

some seem to say that salvation is assured,
and yet we see some verses say that
it can be...
but when the Greek words are examined,
when the inductive method is used,
when other passages are looked at,
there is clear teaching that salvation
can be lost... but it is only our own
decision to abandon Jesus that will lose it...

the arminian view is too extreme to what
the Bible teaches,
the calvinistic idea is also too extreme
also...
so when all passages are harmonized,
as in the inductive method,
we find that salvation is extremely hard to lose,
but God does not take away free will,
so the only way to lose salvation would be
if one stupidly chose to do so...

so the truth, discovered by the inductive
method is that there are two wrong extremes,
not two right extremes,
and the truth is in the middle...

inductive method wins again...

and on the 'science' idea...
the sciences show that an omniscient mind
would have had to create this universe,
the complexity of sciences prove 'chance'
could not have designed the heavens,
the dna of humans, the complexities of chemical
science, etc...
so, using the inductive method to search
for an alternative to God only finds evolutionary
theory, no facts, and the theories are each proven
wrong within five years...

so... I still stand with the inductive method...

murjahel · Aug 11, 2011

THE REASON FOR READING THE WORD

The Bible is a unique book.
There is a reason for reading it.
We are all somewhat acquainted with computers...
Our mind is like a computer.
The world, the flesh, the devil, and the Lord
are constantly programming into it.

We can fight the 'wrong' the world wants
to put in,
but we have to read and hear the news,
we see violence on television, real and pretend,
we see and hear the polluted thinking
of apostates, of atheists, of heathen,
of false religions...

We see the perversions of God's plan
all around us, and hear them defend their
sins...

All that and more are daily fed into our
mind computer...
and if that is all that was fed into it,
it would be like the computer that
crashes and is totally unuseable...

The Word of God is ALIVE...
and it feeds our hungry mind and soul
of what it needs,
not the garbage of the world,
not the lies of the devil found everywhere
else...
It 'cleanses' by convicting of sins
while they are small, and the
Spirit speaks through His Written Word,
confirming it with His Spoken Word,
and we get cleansed by the 'washing
of the water by the Word'.

This is vital to the Christian...
the Word continues to feed our spirit,
it washes us like a bath or shower would,
it deep cleanses like the best soap could...
and after spending time in the Word of God,
we are cleanses of all the evil programming
the devil has tried to put into our computer
mind...

So... because of that...
we need to understand the Bible...
and the devil has tried to program into
us doubts of the Word,
like he did to Eve...
'did God really say?'

We need to learn how to understand
the Bible, so we can answer when the devil
suggests the Word does not really teach
this or that...
we need to be assured when we say...
'The Word of God says...'

So, let's continue...

The Setting
　
Hebrews 1:1
"God, Who at sundry times,
and in divers manners,
spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets,
hath in these last days,
spoken to us through His Son."

　
It is important for us to understand that God speaks
in divers manners,
due to both the setting, the time of covenant revelation.

There are dispensations, covenants...
written in the Word,
that are revealed and used by God,
and the Holy Spirit
does not vary the truth,
but the method and message may vary
due to the developing of the revelation of God.

We need to see... to whom was it spoken, by whom was it spoken, where was it spoken, when was it spoken, and why was it spoken... to fully understand the what that was spoken.

There is a song, oft sung in churches...
Every promise in the book is mine..."
It should be
many promises in the Book are mine"...
for some promises are not ours...

Would you want the promise of eternal torment given to the sinful?
Would you want the promise of plagues given to sinful people?
No, of course not!

So, to whom was it spoken, is of concern.

"By whom" was it spoken,
is also of concern...
the devil promised Eve that if she ate of the fruit,
ye will not surely die...
Do you want to put trust in his words?

Who is speaking, angel of demon???

Sometimes messages have been spoken by angels to mankind, sometimes by demons....
Do we put the same interpretation and understanding to one as to the other?

In Genesis 3:1-5, we find the devil telling Eve, ye shall not surely die..."
Did she die that day?... Not physically...
but physical death did later come
because of her sin...
and spiritually, she did die that day....

So, the devils words need close evaluation...
and knowing he is the father of lies,
needs to make us check elsewhere for truth.

The devil later spoke to Jesus in the wilderness, saying
all these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me..."
(Matthew 4:3-11)
Of course, the one Who will inherit all things, and share it all with us, did not believe the lie of the devil.
The devil was trying to claim that which is Gods, and many today still believe the similar lying offers of the devil.
Seeing, who speaks, is key to understanding the Bible.

Is it the Word of God or of man???

The Bible says, The fool has said in his heart, there is no God." (Psalms 14:1)
Shall we trust what the fool thinks?

In Job, we see that God says Job is
perfect and upright (Job 1:8)
Yet, Eliphas says Jobs wickedness is great (Job 22:5).
So, one could say that Job was...."...
but who do we trust to have told us accurately?

Yet, as sceptics and heretics like to do,
they will say...
the Bible says that Job was greatly wicked."
and many fall into their poor exegetical interpretations and believe it.

Is the speaker inspired or not?

The pharisee speaks... the false prophet prophesies... the heathen proclaim... the sadducee injects... a pagan king announces... or even a mistaken good person asserts...,
shall we accept and believe them
all the same?

There are some lies told in the Bible,
as the one the devil told to Eve in
ye shall not surely die.

The jealous said of Jesus
this Man cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub..."(Matthew 12:24)

Another said to Jesus (John 7:20)
Thou hast a devil.

Shall we accept lies, because they are recorded in the Bible...
The Bible records them, but makes it obvious in the context that such is not truth.

No, we cannot trust what is spoken by uninspired people.
Even those who were good,
if not inspired of the Lord,
can speak mistakes.
Agabas, in the book of Acts, spoke part truth in telling Paul that he would be arrested and bound in Jerusalem, and added that he was therefore not to go there.
Paul had to rebuke the errant part.

murjahel · Aug 11, 2011

To whom was it spoken?

Sometimes, a verse is directed to one person, as in II Samuel 12:7 where Nathan told David,
thou art the man.

Sometimes, a verse is directed to a certain group,
as when Jesus said the pharisees were vipers.

Sometimes, a verse speaks to a nation,
as when Nineveh was prophesied to be soon destroyed if they did not repent.

Sometimes, it is to the whole world that a verse is spoken.

There are times, that it is Christians for whom a verse is written, as when Jesus spoke,
let not your heart be troubled....

Sometimes, a message is given to specific Christians, as when the apostles were told,
but when they deliver you up,
take no thought how or what ye shall speak,
it shall be given you in that hour
what ye shall speak."

Sometimes, verses apply to just husbands,
or to just wives, or to just slaves,
or to just masters (Ephesians 5 & 6).

Sometimes, promises are given to whoever would fulfill certain responsibilities,
and do not apply to those who do not.

This is seen in II Corinthians 6:14-17,
Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers...
and I will receive you,
and will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be My sons and daughters."

The fact that not all verses apply to all...
is something that has been ignored by many
who have fallen into false dogma.

To misapply verses can result in many heresies and confusions.

About whom was it spoken?

The ten commandments were given to Moses,
but apply to all.

Jesus spoke the simplification of those ten commandments, into two...
and He spoke them to the disciples...
but they are to be applied to everyone.

The context can show these things.

For instance, Jesus commanded the disciples to teach the world these things,
so we know the messages of Jesus to the disciples,
apply to all the world.

Where was it spoken?

Jesus told a healed leper
"See thou tell no man..." (Matthew 8:4).

And yet, Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit, and told man of the Gadarenes,
to spread the word...

The first one was in Galilee, where Jesus acceptance was high, and to bring more notoriety to Himself, may have brought the antagonists to a boiling point.

The second occurred where Jesus had barely been seen, and publication there would be beneficial.

Matthew 19:24
"It is easier for a camel to go though
the eye of the needle than..."

This was spoken in Palestine, where the camel is the largest burden carrying beast.

The needles eye was a small night gateway, used by late arrivals to the city.

For a camel to crouch down, to enter through this small doorway, the camel had to be completely unloaded of its burden.

For us, in our culture, the verse takes on a completely different visual image.

Therefore, understanding the place and the culture of that place, is vital to a vivid understanding of the verse.

What were the circumstances?

Never isolate a passage.

The story of the good Samaritan realizes its full potency, when the circumstances are understood, of who were the Samaritans, what was their relationship to the Jewish people, what were the feelings of each toward the other...
(Luke 10:25-37).

In Bible study, find out who each group referred to was... how they related to the others, what were the circumstances of the words being spoken.

Why was it spoken?

What was the purpose and aim of the words spoken?
For instance, Pauls teaching of the Lords supper, (I Corinthians 11:20-34), are used by some to teach that we should not eat in a church building.
But, it was not said to people who even had a church building, but to those who took communion in homes.
Paul spoke against the un-love shown in the pre- or post-service meal shared at the homes.

The verse used to teach that a woman would need to have her head covered in church, was spoken to women in Corinth, where prostitutes would sell their hair, during harder economic times.

The women of the church saw this as a method of getting more money for the church funds, and also began to sell their hair.

The resulting image of women walking into church bald, made the husbands with them suffer some embarrassment from the thoughts of the on-lookers.

The misapplication of this passage, has resulted in many unnecessary rules of some congregations.

The words spoken about clothing in the New Testament, tell us that we should be modest...

Some have carried that to extremes ... and measured hem lines, sleeve lengths, etc. The word modest,
in the original,
really is speaking of the cost.

So a modestly priced pair of shorts would be more obedience to that word, than an expensive floor length, long sleeved gown.

Yet, most have not checked to see that the words were written to some who were going to extreme expense in dressing, and other priorities for the money were being neglected.

more to come on 'the setting'

murjahel · Aug 11, 2011

The Social Life

OCCUPATIONS

Shepherds

Sheep and goats were used for animal sacrifices. At one time, Solomon sacrificed 120,000. Wealth, in those days, was calculated by the number of sheep one owned. The youngest child of a family was made to be the shepherd of the familys flock. David was an illustration of this.

The shepherd had some equipment that he carried.
First, he carried a scrip. This was a dry leather bag for lunch, or stones.
The shepherd also carried a rod, for protection and counting of the sheep. It was dipped in dye and marked on the head of every tenth sheep.
The shepherd carried a staff, which was a 5 to 6 foot long piece of wood, with a crook at one end. It was used to guide and manipulate.
The shepherd also carried a horn, which was filled with oil to anoint wounds on the sheep, or for a trumpet call.

The shelter of the flock was made of a wall of stones, one door, and sometimes, it had sticks for a roof (if the flock were small enough to warrant such a small fold.

　
Farmers

Farming was an important occupation. In America, farmers homes dot the countryside, but in Israel, the farmers built their homes in clusters. The farmers did not usually own their land, but in many cases were shareholders for a landowner. Neighboring landowners were often at war, so the farmers were safer if their homes were clustered.

Many thieves plundered the helpless, and the clustered groups provided more of a deterrent against thieves.

Water was scarce, so often the farmers built their homes near sources of water. The names of such clustered villages were often named with such water source included. Cities near a spring were ended in ain, and cities near a well, had the syllable beer added (as Beersheba).

It was a custom for some grain to be left in the field purposely, and the poor were allowed to go into the field after harvest and gather up that which remained.

　
Jesus often used farming as an example, as in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-8), and the parable of the husbandman.

There were three ways in which they threshed the grain. They used either a wooden flail, oxen pulled a low cart over it, or people walked on it.

Olives and grapes were grown in terraced vineyards. Booths and towers were built for guards to watch over the crops. Hedges of stones and thorny plants atop, surrounded the vineyards.

Winepresses were hewn of stone, people walked on them. It was a picture of Gods wrath (Isaiah 63:3-6, Revelation 19:13-15)

Olive trees were loved by orientals. The trees can live for centuries. They thrive on the rocky soil. One would hit the branches to gather the fruit. Oil from the olives was used for cooking, and to light their lamps. The garden of Gethsemane was an olive orchard.

Potter

Clay vessels were common. Sherds (broken pieces) are important archaeologically in dating. The ancients used the sherds for cups and ladles. Some used the sherds for carrying hot coals. (Isaiah 30:14)

God used the illustration of the potter and his clay, to picture His dealings with His people.
(Jeremiah 18:4, Romans 9:20-21, Psalms 2:9)

Builders

Wood was a scarce commodity in Israel. Carpenters used what there was for yokes, plows, locks, keys, doors, windows, roofs, and some furniture. They would usually do their work on the floor at the doorsill.
There was more light in that part of their home. Jesus learned this trade (Matthew 6:3).

Masons built the homes. They used stone and masonry to build the homes. A solid foundation was needed because of the heat of the summer, and the winter rains. A plumbline was used to check the walls, and if not straight, they were rebuilt (Amos 7:8).

　
Tentmakers

Tents were very important in those days. Many were nomadic, or followed their flocks to various areas to get enough pasture. Paul was a tentmaker.

Weavers

Weavers used the coarse black hair from goats for making feedbags (sackcloth). Wool and camels hair were used for clothes. Striped clothing was the most popular. The weavers used many bright colors, getting indigo color from pomegranates, and purple from shellfish. Lydia sold this purple dye (Acts 16:14).

Metal workers

These metal workers were extremely skilled. The furnaces faced the northwest to use the wind to keep fires hot. In Genesis 4:22, metallurgy is mentioned. God and silver were found in abundance in Palestine. Peter mentions refining gold in I Peter 1:7.

Other occupations...

Fishermen...
Hunters...
Tanners...
Bakers...
Doctors...

murjahel · Aug 12, 2011

Food

Bread... was the main food. It was not in loaf form, but made like we do pancakes. Barley bread was eaten mostly by the poor. Wheat bread was the diet of the wealthy. The flat loaves were often used as eating utensils.

Vegetables eaten were usually beans and lentils (Ezekiel 4:9). Leeks, garlic, onions, cucumbers, and gourds were other vegetable that were popular in that area.

Milk, butter, cheese were a substantial part of the Hebrew diet. Butter in the Bible refers to curds (like yogurt). Dairy products were obtained from cows, goats, and camels.

Meat was not eaten often. Only on special occasions, as on the feast days. Honey was the main, perhaps the only sweetener. Fruits, like figs, grapes, apricots, and olives, were a common part of the diets. Grapes were preserved in the form of raisins. During a harvest time, grapes, and bread made a meal.

Water was of vital importance in that land. A pitcher of water was common to be at the bedside. Ths explains why David knew Saul would miss his cruse of water (I Samuel 26:11). The delicate sense of taste could tell from what town a container of water had come (II Samuel 23:15). Water was scarce during the dry season, many wells would go dry. Cisterns to catch rain water were often used to help conserve water.

"Salt" is good, we are twice told in the Bible. Yet, in our day, the common teaching is that salt free diet is good. The Bible is correct, dieticians are wrong. (Luke 14:34). Our refined salt does not lose its savor, but in that day, salt could spoil. The salt crystals were kept in a bag, water was poured through it, to salt something. Sharing salt and bread sealed a contract or a friendship.

Clothing

A skirt was the universal garment. It was worn by men and women. The skirts were made of wool, leather, animal skins. If knee-length, they were called tunics. The orientals disliked the binding of clothes.

When Isaac said, The Lord hath bared His holy arm (Isaiah 52:10), he meant that God had rolled up His sleeves to work. The common laborer wore short sleeves, but the wealthy and rulers wore long sleeves to bespeak their position of not having to do common labor.

A man was considered naked if he wore only a tunic. (Micah 1:8, John 21:7)

The outer garment work was called a cloak. Often, it was striped material, and had no seams. Openings were made at the corners for arms. Working people would wear a long coat, and pull it closer to the body with a girdle (belt-like sash).
The belt would be also used to hold items (sword, bread, money, writing utensils) within its folds.

To be girded means to be ready for work (Ephesians 6:14). A robe was worn over the undergarment and coat. It was worn for public dress.

Shoes were like sandals of today. The dusty roads made foot washing to be necessary.

Womens dress was much like the mens dress. They did use different lengths and decorations than the men. Womens dress was more elaborate. The women wore veils before strangers (Genesis 24:64-65). The law of Moses forbade women to wear the clothes of men, but the clothing was very similar in style. The meaning of the passage of Moses speaks of lesbianism, homosexuality, and the desire to look like the other gender.

Jewish men wore two special items.

Phylacteries and blue fringes were commanded of men of that time.

Phylacteries were a little box of metal that contained Scriptures. These boxes were bound by bands to the foreheads or to the hands (Exodus 13:9-10, 16).

The blue fringes were at the corner of the mantle (Numbers 15:37-38). The pharisees made their fringes longer, and their phylacteries larger. Jesus rebuked them (Matthew 23:5).

Shelter

Tents (Genesis 4:20) were used by many of the persons of the Bible. Abraham was a tent-dweller when he reached the promised land. He had been shown the heavenly Jerusalem and had not desired to live in any building again, until he could dwell in that awesome structure. The tabernacle of the wilderness was actually a tent. Tents also suited the life of herdsmen. Tents were usually made of the hair of black goats. They often were oblong, with 2 or 3 rooms. Holes were dug inside the tent for crude fireplaces. Except for the newly married, no one had a new tent. People would patch and patch old tents to keep them useful (Isaiah 54:2).

One room oriental homes were common. The took the place of tents for many of Israel after the promised land was conquered. Orientals do not view homes as we do... They principally view them as places to sleep. Often, the homes had a dirt floor, and sometimes later, stones would make up the floor. Only the rich had homes of hewn stones.

Roofs and beams were often covered with straw, thorny branches, and then dirt. Grass often grew atop homes on these roofs. No window panes were used, bars supplanted them.

Few windows were opened to the street, most opened toward an inner, private court.

Sleeping arrangements differed from our culture. They slept with their clothes still upon them. Orientals feel deserted if sleeping alone. It was considered inconsiderate for a guest to sleep alone. The bedroll was spread on the floor, and the head of the house usually slept against the door for safe-keeping.

　
The homes of more than one room were used by the wealthy. Often they had an inner court, within the outer rooms. One could sit in that inner court, and still be in the house. This explains Matthew 26:29 without the house. The court often had a cistern well, and when it was dry, the cistern was a good place to hide (II Samuel 17:18-19). Bathing and cooking were done in the inner court.

During the hottest weather, even sleeping was done in that inner court. The roof was a place some would go during exciting events, to see what was happening. Some would use the roof to worship (Zephaniah 1:5, Acts 10:9).

Sometimes, a separate room would be built on the roof, and this would be the upper room that often was used to house travelers, an inn of sorts.

Hospitality

Orientals dislike eating and sleeping alone. Entertaining was regarded as a sacred duty. Bowing before a respected person was common, and kissing, in that culture, was tantamount to handshaking in ours.

K2K · Aug 12, 2011

Is God a kind of computer or an individual?

If an individual, why do we treat Him as if a computer or machine and not a person?

If I have the author of a book sitting in the same room with me, do I come up with some systematic process to find out what he means or do I simply ask the author, who is sitting with me, what he means?

I hear people tell me they hear from the Lord, but apparently it is not how I hear from Him. I wake up and say good morning, or something like that, and I hear His voice respond. This morning the first thing I heard from Him was, 'Sleep just a little longer'. Yet another day He might tell me to get up or give me a teaching, or just return my good morning. He is not a computer or machine to me, but a friend.

When I did get up this morning, He suggested which clothes to wear. After I took a shower I was going to sit down with Him for my morning devotional time, but He said, "Get a small bowl of cereal and juice, then come and sit with me." So I did.

When I sat down with Him, He started talking to me about this friend vs computer idea, and wanted me to post it. So I got on the computer and was thinking I was going to start a new thread, but He said that I wouldn't need to start a new thread, and told me He would like it posted at this spot.

The Bible is a book He had written. He would like to go over that book with you. The Lord is a teacher, and He once told me:

WHAT TEACHER DOESN’T PUT A BOOK IN FRONT OF HIS STUDENTS TODAY; YET NOT JUST A BOOK BUT OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES, VISUALS, AND OTHER MATERIAL? FOR I TELL YOU TRULY, IF THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO ME THEY ARE NOT MY PUPIL, THEY ARE NOT MY STUDENT; I TELL YOU TRULY, THEY ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE UNLESS THEY ARE HEARING FROM ME. SO DON’T TELL THEM TO READ THE BOOK, THEM TO TAKE THE CLASS!”

Do not say in your heart 'Who will ascend into heaven', the Word of God is near you. In your heart and on your lips. The Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ. If then your Lord is with you, how is it that you are going to study the Scriptures by your method and not by His voice?

If you say the Holy Spirit is always with you, act like it!!

murjahel · Aug 12, 2011

Of course God teaches us with many
methods, ...
Moses learned from a burning bush,
Paul learned from a light from heaven,
a voice speaking to him directly...
Balaam refused to learn from a mule...
Peter learned from an illustrated lesson
with fish and a net...

They also learned by the Written Word,
and everything they learned is validated,
confirmed, and sealed with the Written Word...

Many gave their lives in the writing of the Bible,
taking dictation from God was fought by
the devil as hard as he could fight...
Prophets died being the secretary for God in
this book...

It is meant to be a guide,
and it is meant to test all other voices
or revelations we have...

So, it is vital.

I would be very suspicious of any
voice that told me not to study
the Word of God...
I would find that message to be
inconsistent with the Bible's message...

and knowing that the voice of the devil
was heard by Eve, from a serpent,
and even Jesus heard the devil tempt Him...
I know that 'voices' are very untrustworthy...

The way to test those voices is with the
Word of God...

Jesus scolded the pharisees,
saying they had and knew the Word,
and did not recognize Him as the Messiah...
and Jesus had expected them to know Him...

We are expected to 'study to show ourselves
approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the Word of God...'

A voice that indicates that the Bible is not
to be read, studied or obeyed
fails the test, for me...
in fact, if I heard a voice that told
me it was God and I was not to read
and respect the message of the Bible,
I would rebuke that voice.....

How to understand the awesome Word of God

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