Sorry for being so late to this question. I have this bad habit of remembering that I want to do this.
Ahhh, the Bible - beater of people, backer-uper of personal hobby horses, proof-texter and conversation ender.... what an incredible animal you are. Oh right, I forgot to mention the good uses....
Working in a church, or with Christians, or in North America, I'm a bit tired of how others use the Bible. It seems to me that many misunderstand the purpose of the Bible (just call me captain obvious), or at the very least, have gross misunderstandings of how it is to be read and applied. How often do I find myself wailing and gnashing my teeth, blubbering the words "CONTEXT.....Context....context." I'll try and put my jadedness aside for a while - althought this is getting harder with time.
I find myself less concerned with the question "Is it true", although I only mean this in certain regards. Hmmmm....to expand - does it matter if Genesis 1-3 was a poem or fact? Or if 2 different historical accounts of how many people fought are congruent (I just used congruent so I could sound smart - I've got to find a way to keep up with all these PhD's)? I find myself agreeing with Dustin and Jon in many ways. Does the human element of the Bible detract from its inerrancy? What really is inerrancy? I find more in life I'm taking a bigger and bigger picture view. More like life at 30,000ft instead of 10ft (which I'm already pretty close to at 6'2"). I find the Bible to be a lifechanging book. It challenges me to the core, or rather often I ignore what could be a challenge to the core. I guess this is what the "proof" is for me - that the Bible, or God through the Bible, challenges and changes me immensely (when I take the time to allow it to). At the end of the day, I find living closely to what the Bible teaches to make me better in every regard. More caring, loving, better husband, more generous, more faithful, better father.
That is all I have in my brain today....
Scott
5 comments:
i fully agree that the bible has been misused immensely. i have misused it myself (mostly unwittingly I hope).
i hope you don't mind if i pose some questions. . .
i am uncomfortable with the impression i am getting that the bible is more of a moral-shaper than a truth-teller at every turn. Is the Bible primarily concerned with making me a better husband, father, friend? Is it primarily concerned with teaching us about God as revealed in Jesus Christ?
As much as I'm with you on the context thing, does understanding of context solve our problems with the misuses of the Bible? Have not the last 100 years of biblical criticism shown that our knowledge of the context is no sure guide to a unified understanding? Who exactly is in possession of just the right contextual and interpretive knowledge to sort out the Bible for everyone? Is it D.A. Carson with his exegetical prowess? Is it NT Wright with his historical background? Is it me with my Carson in one hand and my Wright in another? Or is it me with my context here and the ancient context there and I am in charge of deciding what translates to what, and how, and when?
Just some questions and discussion ideas I had as I read your post. I'm curious to hear how you flesh these difficulties out, because I want to work through them myself.
Ya, I'm mostly with Scott on this one. The Bible is primarily about transformation. The reason for my mostly just now is that I don't know if I think this is just moral transformation. This is where I sympathize with Jon's suggestion that the Bible is also about divinely revealed truth. The Bible is about transforming us spiritually, morally, intellectually, and really in any other -lly way you want to list. That transformation is a product of an encounter with God as he is revealed in the Scriptures.
As for context...well this really is the rabbit hole isn't it? There are times when we know the historical context in which something was written, and that's important for sure. There are even more times when we haven't got the foggiest bloody clue of the real context in which a book was written (or a part of a book, or even how several parts of several books fit together for that matter).
Here's something I'd challenge you on Jon...you say "Have not the last 100 yuears of biblical criticism shown that our knowledge of the context is no sure guide to a unified understanding?"
Why is "a unified understanding" the thing we're going for here? Is there not value in multiple readings of a single text? I personally think that a book like Jonah has dozens of different legitimate readings, some of which are actually contradictory to others. I have no interest in disallowing any of them. They all challenge my faith and my knowledge of God. The disparity is what makes the book powerful.
it seems like when we object to people's readings by muttering "context" we are suggesting they don't have a proper reading. i'm saying even context isn't a guarantee of such a thing.
it isn't that i think the bible is NOT about transforming us, but i don't think that's its primary goal. if it is not revealing Jesus Christ to us as the image of God, God with us, dead and risen again, then it is just one more self help book among many (and one very easy to get to make say whatever you want it to say)
even the moral transformation it provides trajectory for is meant to form us into Christ-like people who play within God's boundaries (see the commandments) and look out for others (see 1 Cor 10), ultimately seeking to shape US into the community that participates in Christ's union with the Father by the Spirit, images him in communion, and offers the outposts and the longing for the new creation, the Kingdom Come.
i am not clear if I'm getting you right, but i am resistant to the idea that this is the textbook for yours or my moral transformation, except if enfolded into the Bible's grander purposes.
I also believe that context is important, but as Colin commented in another post, that his experience with scripture is no less valid. It is true that struggling to find the correct historical context can often prove to be a vain one, in that there are so many different opinions regarding context, I also believe that it is necessary to keep trying. Just because we don't all agree on context, translation, or interpretation (as we will never agree) doesn't negate the importance of the journey, and the trying. The very fact that we are trying so very hard to research the Bible shows an earnestness to know the mind of God, and I think God would be happy about that.
well said, trevor.
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