BEWARE THAT OUR METHODS OF STUDYING THE BIBLE WILL INFLUENCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE

How are we to interpret the Bible? What methods do we use? A theistic evolutionist wrote: " I believe the best way to understand the Bible is to understand the culture that produced it."

This is the view of many Christians who believe in evolution and want to impose it upon the Bible. If the “truths” of the Bible are errant and culturally dependent, especially regarding its historical and scientific pronouncements, then they can easily be dismissed. In this way, the many teachings of the Bible, which conflict with evolution, can be neutralized.

While I do not discount understanding the Bible in its cultural and linguistic context, I think that there is a far more appropriate perspective - to understand the Bible according to God intentions. Why? Because the Scriptures inform us that even those who had written the Scriptures acknowledged that they were not being led by their culture but by the Spirit:

·       2 Peter 1:20-21  Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us to think beyond the cultural influences to the leading of the Spirit who is the ultimate Author of the Scriptures. Consequently, the human authors often did not understand what they were writing:

·       1 Peter 1:10-12  Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

If the writers of the Scriptures often didn’t understand what they had written, then we have to be careful about placing the emphasis upon their cultural influences. Therefore, to reduce the interpretation of the Scriptures to our understanding of the culture is misguided and Scripturally unacceptable. It will also lead us to some erroneous conclusions about its message.

For example, some interpreters dismiss Paul’s teachings regarding women as simply a product of his culture. However, Paul had consistently maintained that his teachings came from the Lord.

If we only regard the cultural and human elements of the Bible, we fail to see God’s hand and intentions.