INS:THE BIBLE - From God to us with love

   In the last issue of the Singles Communicator, I demonstrated in my
article, THE BIBLE (Part I: Unity), that there is complete harmony in
the Scriptures which cannot be explained by coincidence or collusion.
The unity of the Bible is a strong argument in favor of its divine
authorship.

   Now that we've established that there's good evidence for the
authenticity of the Scriptures, we are faced with another potential
problem often articulated like this: but-that's-just-your-
interpretation.

   I have been afflicted with the but-that's-your-interpretation
response on many occasions, and I often wonder if those who use this
line of argument really understand what they're implying. It's as if no
individual can come to know the truth because many people arrive at
varying conclusions. Should we simply conclude that we're victims of a
relative world floundering on a sea of subjectivity? Is man really like
an empty bubble floating on a sea of nothingness unable to come to a
sure knowledge of God and an authoritative understanding of what the
Bible describes as His will?

   The but-that's-just-your-interpretation evangelists fail to take
into account certain facts regarding biblical interpretation. The vast
majority of Bible readers have no problem with agreement on the central
teachings of the Bible. The main message is crystal clear: God, because
of His unconditional love, entered into the world and became a man in
the person of Jesus Christ and died a substitutionary death on our
behalf, paying the penalty for sin. By developing a personal
relationship with Christ, by placing their faith in Him, mankind can
have their relationship restored with God.

   All Bible-believing churches from a host of different denominational
backgrounds accept the essentials (or the basic fundamentals) of
Christian faith. For example, all branches of Christianity believe
Jesus Christ was God the Son, second person of the Trinity, born of the
virgin Mary, who died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead
as a vindication of His messianic claims. So, the main message of the
Bible is clear for those who will read it openly and seek to find out
its meaning. The problem comes when people attempt to force the Bible
to say what they want it to say based on their own preconceived ideas.

   But some may cry, "This is a free country and isn't everyone
entitled to his or her own interpretation of the Bible?" Of course, but
not all interpretations are correct. A college student studying for a
final examination on the history of Nazi Germany may, in fact,
interpret William L. Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" to
be arguing that Hitler was a great philanthropist abounding with such
heavenly, unconditional love for the Jews that he killed them so they
would be able to receive their eternal reward quickly. Since this
imaginative student failed to understand William L. Shirer in terms of
what he actually said, the teacher will grade his work accordingly, and
no excuse such as but- that's-my-interpretation will hold up.
Interpretive relativism deserves a great big F (failing), in flaming
red.

   The first principle in interpretive integrity is to make a necessary
distinction between what biblical scholars call exegesis and eisogesis.
Exegesis means to explain what a passage says. The word comes from the
Greek words meaning "to guide out of." To exegete Scripture is to
analyze from the words the meaning that is objectively there. By this
process we are now in a position to discern what the inspired author
intended to communicate. On the other hand, eisogesis has the same root
but a different prefix. The prefix eis, also coming from the Greek,
means "into." Thus, eisogesis refers to the practice of reading "into"
the text the meaning one wants to get out of it.

   When we claim to know the meaning of a biblical passage, we must be
prepared to show from the grammar, the history, the culture, and the
context that the writer intended to convey that idea. This is not an
invention, but a principle of life. When you receive a letter from your
parents or a friend, you read it grammatically (evaluating the writing
according to its conformity to the rules of grammar), historically
(based on your knowledge of that person in the past and present), and
contextually (studying the person's sentences in light of the
paragraphs and entire letter.)

   The great need for intellectual honesty in approaching the Bible
cannot be overemphasized. God's Word is not to be used like a "Ouija
board" attempting to make Scriptural passages fit one's preconceived
notions. The apostle Peter, referring to the wisdom in which Paul
wrote, warned, "His letters contain some things that are hard to
understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the
other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).

   While the but-that's-just-your-interpretation rebels throw all
common sense to the winds of relativism, the Bible remains mankind's
greatest privilege. No other book so loves and respects the life of
man. No loftier songs about man's true plight and glory, about his
agony and joy, misery and hope, have ever been expressed, and nowhere
has man's need for guidance and the certainty of his ultimate
redemption been so clearly conceived.

   God spoke not to confuse, but to enlighten. In approaching the Bible
grammatically, historically, culturally, and contextually, which are
principles grounded into the very fiber of our being, we are now in the
position for God's Spirit to illumine His Word and search out its
application to our lives.

   from The Singles Communicator Mike Moriarty, Editor A Publication
for Single Adults of Immanuel Bible Church Springfield, Virginia
July/August 1989