Neighborhood Junk Mail. We get a lot of junk mail – don’t we all. This one is from a local realtor – they use a lot of fill. Important dates for January.
(sorry I threw out the junk mail and don’t have the info for sermon central here, but it is not that relevant to the sermon. But the realtor had a calande filled with days to celebrate like penguin awareness day)
Is this fiction? Or is there really a Penguin awareness day? I’m not sure, are you?
We have a lot of information thrown at us from many different places – at almost becomes overload. We get silly little letters like this one and such, and I think with so much coming at us the Scriptures become just one of many voices….and isn’t really that important anymore. It is not that we consciously made that decision. But we tend to believe it. One of the ways we show this is when we say about the Bible: Your Interpretation Is But One Of Many. In other words, I can say: Scripture, though it may be valid, I cannot be so sure of its meaning. Sure I can be sure of general meaning - Love your neighbor, Be a good husband, Take care of the poor - But specific things, I can’t be so sure, because I have heard so many different and even contradictory interpretations
so a biblical passage can mean whatever one wants it to mean sounds valid….But is a modern myth.
I think some of this has been brought about by wild interpretations:
Jesus was a woman. Few years ago someone came up with the idea that Jesus was a woman.Even though everything we read says he was a man. The theory was....A woman wouldn’t be accepted as a messiah so, after death, the disciples just said Jesus was a man so Christianity could spread.
Instead of being laughed at other scholars took the author serious. There was a speaking tour, fan fare, money to be made. Year or so later – completely discredited. But the economy was helped!
Jesus was a homosexual. John 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter....Well obviously Jesus was gay - He loved John. Greek has several words for love – English one. The word used is hjga¿pa - unconditional love. Not eros – sexual love, we get the word erotic from.
Again not treated as absurd but entertained by some with possible legitimacy.
Jesus was a vegetarian. I love this one, it makes me laugh. Eating the Passover meal means you eat lamb – which Jesus did, which, even today, in most parts of the world is considered meat.
So you hear this stuff and wonder how can anyone interpret scripture?
Actually interpreting Scripture is not so mysterious and not surprisingly interpretations from across all denominations on most Scriptures are pretty much the same.
Seminary intro theology class. Unbelievable variety of denominations. We thought – this is going to be fun - So many different interpretations! We were very disappointed, we flat out agreed on almost everything.
Interpretation of Scripture is a large topic. I cannot address everything today. First - Look at how Scripture can be distorted, even by people not intentionally trying to distort it. Then - Look at some ways we can guard ourselves, from distortion.
Distorting Scripture can rise within the church. Usually distortions come from within the church – though not always. 2Pet. 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. False teachers will arise from the church. They will distort any or all of the Bible and let’s note that just because a person is right on in one area of the bible, doesn’t mean they cannot distort another part.
Scripture is consistent and agrees with itself. Usually a distortion is based on an obscure text. Start with a problem text, develop an unorthodox doctrine. Generally texts that disagree will be set aside by the person as not relevant.
Faith at Seminary.
I was in the cafeteria, just a few weks into school and I saw a fellow student furiously working in her bible. I thought, wow there is some intense bible study. So I walked over and asked: "Are you underling Bible verses?" "No" she shot back, "crossing out those I do not agree with". I was taken back and said, " I might be stepping over the line in assumptions but… a first year seminary student, in the cafeteria
crossing out verses that hit you as invalid...Just doesn’t strike me as, holding a lot of authority". You know, she never liked me very much.
Reasons For Distortion: Untaught, Ignorance, Instability…..Self Indulgence. Greek grammar ties ignorant and unstable together. They are ignorant therefore unstable. Infers both of the Scriptures and listening to the Holy Spirit. I think this adds up to self indulgence.
Pastor I work with at one time insisted: sex is simply a biological function. Why do people get so uptight about it? He then proceeded to try to uses various Scriptures to back up his claim - not very well done.
Turned out he was having an affair…or two. He needed to justify his behavior.
Levels of error.
Not all errors are alike. Some more dangerous than others. Some come from ignorance – we don’t know the Scriptures as well as we should. some errors are personal opinion. Some passages are difficult and Christians can differ on interpretation, and there are several opinions - Perhaps no one is right - Perhaps someone is more right; There we need to say – we think this is the case.
Ways We Can Distort Scripture:
God’s Word is made subordinate to our own reason. Simply this we refuse to obey the Scriptures simply because it doesn’t fully make sense. For example, we are commanded to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, but no detailed reasons why. But still we are commanded to.
Integration.
We take a current theory and integrate it into God’s Word. Interracial marriage – was against the law in most states. Some used bible to justify this, yet the bible never speaks against interracial marriage. It speaks against marriage of a believer and unbeliever. Moses second wife was an Ethiopian - there is an interacial marriage.
Emphasis the little details – but miss the main point.
This was what the Pharisees did. Made much of little Scriptures, but missed the main point. The letter of the law no the spirit of the law.
For example one was required to take care of parent in old age. But if one gave a vast sum of $$ to the temple then the obligation was turned over to God. The point isn’t the obligation – it is taking care of those who raised you.
Taking Scriptures farther than intended.
1Cor. 4:6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.
This is reading more into the Scriptures than is there could be over spiritualizing a text.
Cultural accommodation.
Simply - our culture says something is legally ok, but Scripture says it is not and we go with the culture. Culture – we are not obligated to help the poor. Scripture – we are obligated to help the poor.
Isolate a Biblical teaching.
Matt. 18:19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
Some have isolated this teaching and falsely taught that if you are greedy - Jesus is ok with that.
Private Interpretation.
If my view falls outside common interpretation, I should be suspicious.
Seminary had the university library – huge and the seminary library – larger than many university libraries it was mostly biblical studies.
One whole long isle would cover just one biblical book. Read ‘em and you get a consistency of interpretation with in the books.
Remind you of Jesus as a woman?
Misappropriation of the truth.
Use grace as an excuse for our sin. Use scripture to excuse sin rather than expose it. Read a publication last year. Man left his dying wife for his true love.Publication wanted to “celebrate” that this man found who he truly was - while his wife, abandoned, died of cancer. How nice.
Selectively denial.
This is what Satan does in the garden of Eden.A lot of us to this by default.
Guarding Ourselves.
We all are vulnerable. We all can fall into any one of these traps. But we can guard ourselves.
Scripture interprets scripture.
Our first level of interpretation.If we have an understanding and it is contradicted by another part of the bible, we are probably misunderstanding it.
Ball park of interpretations.
Fall outside of common understandings – we should question ourselves. You should start off with: Reliable bible dictionary; Reliable commentaries and study with others – especially those you now are more spiritually mature.
Our library has wonderful examples. Dorthea will be glad to spend time with you.
Number of difficult passages.
There are some difficult passages. 2Pet. 3:16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, difficult, yet not impossible.
The best preventative is to pursue godliness and spiritual growth.
2Pet. 3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
