Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
Some people are extremely confident in their interpretation of the Bible. So much so, they will claim that what they say is not an interpretation but the direct voice of the Bible itself. They get frustrated when people disagree with their interpretation because those people are not disagreeing with an interpretation but are disagreeing with … Read More “We All Interpret the Bible” »
I started meeting again with the Jehovah’s Witness that I had been meeting with a year or so back. I’m not thinking I’m going to convert him, but it is a way for me to learn. What I’m looking for is not to debate the fine details, such as the shape of the wood that … Read More “Conversation’s With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Interpreting the Bible” »
Whenever there is a controversial issue being discussed, very often someone will begin a statement with “The Bible clearly says” and then whatever they want to express. Is that a helpful way to debate important topics? The problem with saying “the Bible clearly says” is what we really mean is “I am very confident of … Read More ““The Bible Clearly Says…”” »
I strongly believe that one of the most important skills for any Christian, whether pastor or layperson, is to be able to correctly interpret the Bible. It is in interpretation that we often stumble. A great resource that I have come across is Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. This … Read More “Grasping God’s Word – Review” »
Many years ago, a couple of Roman Catholic ladies came to my parents’ door. They asked me if I knew the reason for most of the problems in the world. Their answer? “Too many people are reading the Bible.” Their answer was to let the pope interpret the Bible. I think a better solution is … Read More “Introduction to Biblical Interpretation – Review” »
I believe that a lot of our problems and misunderstandings about the Bible and Christianity would be solved if we read Bible passages in context. I love it when Greg Koukl reminds us to “never read a Bible verse.” He doesn’t mean never read the Bible, just never stop with reading just that verse by … Read More “Reading the Bible in Context” »
Bible reading is good. Responsible Bible reading is better. It is not enough to just randomly open a Bible and put your finger down on a verse. There are some good practices that people can use to read the Bible appropriately. One of the ways to do this is to ask questions. Here are five … Read More “5 Questions to Ask When Reading the Bible” »
Study Hermeneutics If I had to choose the number one need within the church, I would say that it is knowledge of the Bible. If I had to choose number two, it would be the need to interpret the Bible correctly. It is wonderful when people read the Bible but it does no good if … Read More “30 Day Apologetics Challenge: Day 21” »
I came across an internet meme with the following message, “The Rapture in the Book of Revelation: Revelation 3:10,11.” Does this passage really teach the rapture? “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who … Read More “Does Revelation 3:10-11 Teach the Rapture?” »
Many years ago, I had a couple of Roman Catholic ladies come to my door. They went on to explain to me that the problem with the world today was that too many people read the Bible (I in no way am suggesting that this is typical of Catholicism). After my initial shock, I realized … Read More “7 Things to Remember When Reading the Bible” »
One of the most important skills that a Christian can develop is biblical interpretation. Judges is a book that gives us plenty of opportunities to grow our skills in biblical interpretation. Judges 21 is just one example. Here is the story. In the previous chapter, the Israelites went to war with Benjamin (which itself was … Read More “Stealing Girls and Biblical Interpretation” »
Christians need to learn the Bible It is well known that the average person in the pew no longer has a good grasp of the Bible. Yes there are a few exceptions in certain families and in certain congregations, but generally Bible knowledge is much less than it was a few generations ago. The Canadian … Read More “3 Things for Pastors to Teach About the Bible” »
I frequently hear people say that the Bible promises this or the Bible promises that. But what does that mean? Is it as simple as saying that anything the Bible says must be a promise for us to hold on to? Some would think so. I would like to express caution when claiming a Bible … Read More “What is a Bible Promise?” »
Biblical interpretation is one of the most important skills for a Christian. This is something not just for a pastor or a professor. The Christian who reads five verses before bed needs to know how to interpret the Bible. Here are seven keys that will help you to interpret the Bible correctly. This does not … Read More “7 Keys to Biblical Interpretation” »
Previously, I wrote on the key to interpreting the Book of Revelation. The point I was trying to make was that we need to interpret Revelation within its genre, which is apocalyptic literature. We should read other apocalyptic texts to help us understand the grammar of apocalyptic writing. Well, here is the other key to … Read More “The Other Key to Interpreting the Book of Revelation” »
Revelation is the most misinterpreted book in the entire Bible. The reason for this is very simple. The problem is the starting point. Many people begin their interpretation of Revelation with their newspaper or television. They see what is happening in the world and then interpret Revelation through that lens. That is the wrong starting … Read More “The Key to Interpreting the Book of Revelation” »
We should interpret the Bible by what we read. However, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 is an example of a passage that others have interpreted for us before we ever read open the Bible. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2 Cor 6:14) Many Christians read this a passage as a proof text against religiously mixed … Read More “What Does “Unequally Yoked” Mean?” »
I truly believe that good biblical interpretation is one of the greatest needs within the Church. Hermeneutical errors have been responsible for heresies from the beginning. Thankfully there are some good principles that can help us navigate the Bible and avoid these errors. One of the books that I have gone back to a number … Read More “Protestant Biblical Interpretation” »
I have a lot of books in my library. Many of them I have not read yet. I have read Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart’s How to Read the Bible For All It’s Worth three times. It is that good. I am teaching a class on biblical interpretation at a church and I did not … Read More “How to Read the Bible For All It’s Worth” »
If you can understand this one thing, you will avoid many of the problems that Christians encounter. Are your ready? This is very important. The Bible was not inspired as a western twenty-first century document and should not be read as such. If you get only this statement from all of the things I have … Read More “What You Need to Know About the Bible” »
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV) There is no problem with Micah 6:8. It is a great verse that contains a very clear explanation of what … Read More “What is the Problem With Micah 6:8?” »
I have heard a number of times that one of the case-breakers for Christianity is the multiple interpretations of the Bible. If you bring together a dozen Christians, representative of the Church, you will find disagreements on polity, baptism, charismatic gifts, predestination, role of women, etc. It is argued that if the Bible was truly … Read More “I Believe This, You Believe That” »
One of the issues that comes up often concerns how literal to read the Bible. Often times our view of interpretation is defined by our attitude toward inspiration. Some liberals take the Bible as just various authors and editors’ personal opinions on God and spirituality and so the Bible need not be taken literally. Some … Read More “Reading the Bible Literally” »
