Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
We live
in confusing times. In our society, we
are daily bombarded with information that claims to be accurate through
television, radio, the internet, billboards, newspapers, magazines and more. Throw in some misinformation and a few conspiracy theories and the 'information overload' is not only overwhelming but down right confusing. The popular notion
that truth is subjective, fluid, and ever-changing from situation to situation
is an attractive concept when we are faced with so many claims of 'truth'. Simply put, most people choose their truth from a buffet of 'true' claims
that are often in stark contradiction of each other.
It is in
the middle of this chaos that the followers of Jesus preach Jesus' claim that
he is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) a claim that could bring
clarity to the whole situation by making truth truly objective. Truth is not an abstract idea; it is
personified in the person of Jesus Christ - he is truth. What he says and does is true. However, I have to wonder… When it comes to what the church says about
Jesus, are we actually adding to the confusion? It's not uncommon to hear two different
preachers preach two different and even contradictory claims about Jesus from
the same biblical passages.
Unfortunately, when it comes to biblical interpretation, we can all fall
into the same quagmire of subjective opinions about 'truth' as the culture
around us.
The Bible
is our primary source of information about Jesus; therefore, the task of accurate biblical interpretation is critical if people are to encounter Jesus, the truth. If the work of applying sound hermeneutical principles to our biblical study is not employed, the scriptures can be made to mean anything we choose. Many, in fact, have used the Bible this way, which has led to cults, abuse, and all sorts of nonsense in the name of Jesus.
We are often quick to point the finger and are oblivious to our own use of scripture
in evangelical churches. For example,
sometimes we jump to what the text 'means to me' without first exploring what
it was intended to mean by the author who wrote it. We would do well to distinguish between
meaning (what the author intended) and significance (how what the author meant
impacts or applies to me). Another
common practice is to pull verses of scripture out of their context in an
attempt to address a certain issue or topic.
When we do so we can easily miss the nuances and overtones that are only
obvious in the larger context of the passage and sometimes make verses mean
what they were never meant to mean in their context.
For many people, the starting point of Bible study is not the story of the Bible itself, but the details of their specific theological tradition. Instead of allowing the Bible to speak for itself and challenging the flaws of their particular beliefs, many approach the scriptures unaware that they are filtering the text through the lens of their theological tradition. This leads them to treat the Bible more like a set of proof texts rather than carefully following the flow and intentions of its human authors, who, according to Peter, "were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
Walter C.
Kaiser, Jr. writes, "…something comparable to a hermeneutical reformation
is needed in our day." (Legitimate Hermeneutics, 117) I agree that today, it is especially important for church leaders to return to the practice of carefully doing the work of hermeneutics if we are to faithfully lead others. It is equally essential to develop our hermeneutical skills and to teach others to handle the Bible with
accuracy. The message of Christ will
always exist among many conflicting opinions, so let us not add to the
confusion. The more accurately we
handle the word of God, the more we will speak as one. Consistency and accuracy will not only lend credibility to our claims but also prevent us from straying from what the
Bible actually teaches.
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