It is very wise to not get stuck in what you believe so deeply that God cannot come along and show you where you are wrong. One the best parts of my life has been three literal times that my life was torn apart and reinvented—all of them coming at 20 year intervals, the latest being January-February 2023. The time from then until now (about 9 months) has been as life-changing as either of the first two. With this in mind, allow me to share with you a fruit of that makeover.
Old saying: Context is king
The next words you read will most like offend you. I tell you this ahead of time in hopes of preparing you for the sledge-hammer headed your way. It is coming with the hope of busting up the concrete of what you have been taught and probably trust it because it sounded right and was taught to you by a trusted source. Don't let that stop the sledge-hammer from doing its job!
There are various approaches to biblical hermeneutics, but here are the primary rules that Protestant scholars generally adhere to:
1. Rule of Context: This means interpreting a verse in its immediate context, as well as the broader context of the chapter, book, author's other writings, and historical setting.
2. Rule of Language: Understanding of the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek) is necessary for a proper interpretation. This includes studying grammar, syntax, semantics, and idioms.
3. Rule of Plain Meaning (Literal interpretation): The Bible should be interpreted according to its ordinary, plain meaning, unless the text indicates that it's intended to be figurative or symbolic.
4. Rule of Scripture Interpret Scripture: Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. The meaning of difficult passages should be interpreted in the light of clearer ones.
5. Rule of Accommodation: God condescends to human understanding, expressing himself in ways accessible and appropriate to human culture and knowledge.
6. Rule of Divine Authorship: The ultimate author of Scripture is the Holy Spirit; so an interpretation must not contradict the overall consistent message of the Bible.
7. Rule of Christocentric Interpretation: The primary subject of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prepares for Him; the Gospels present Him; and the Epistles draw out implications of His life, death, and resurrection.
8. Rule of Genre: Different genres (narrative, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, apocalyptic literature, letters) have unique rules for interpretation.
9. Rule of Progressive Revelation: God's revelation unfolds and becomes clearer over time. New Testament revelation often expands or adds clarity to Old Testament revelation.
10. Rule of Historical-Cultural Context: The Bible should be interpreted against the background of its historical, cultural, social, and political context.
It's important to remember that within Protestantism there are numerous traditions, each with their own particular emphasis or approach to hermeneutics.
If you are reading the guidelines (or rules) above for the first time, you might find them enlightening and even overwhelming. They sound like quite a bit of work and they are. As general Christians, we are not taught such things unless we go to something like a bible college, seminary, or other theological training. Rarely will you get these over the pulpit, in your local Sunday School class, or home group or small group meeting. What do you get as an average Christian?
Most people read their bible (when they do) with the 21st century mind, understanding, and worldview we are raised with. In 2023, some of us barely have a high school diploma. We might have some college or even a college degree, but it certainly is not anything to do with scripture or theology. So, instead—we are led to think that we can take what we know with our worldview and read the bible and understand it.
Can I tell you simply—this is not true. Not even close.
Therefore—here is where I might blow up your theology and make you angry with me. Rules #1 and #10 above are your friend.
(ready to be offended?)
Rule #4 is not actually true. Bible teachers will tell you it is true. They'll pull out their pet examples in a classroom and because you trust them, you will (like a child) swallow what they say as being true. It sounds good. It seems right. It comes off as sensible and reasonable. BUT—it's not and let's talk about why it is not.
Examples of Rule #4:
1. The "suffering servant" passages in Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 53, are mysterious when considered in isolation. The unclear aspects of these passages are clarified in the New Testament. For example, in Acts 8:30-35, Philip explains the meaning of Isaiah 53:7-8 to the Ethiopian eunuch by pointing to Jesus.
2. In Paul's letters, we encounter various references to the "mystery" that has now been revealed. In Ephesians 3:4-6, Paul explains that this mystery is the inclusion of Gentiles into the promise of Israel. This is understood in context of the larger biblical narrative, particularly the covenant promises to Abraham.
3. In Proverbs 26:4-5, there are two proverbs that seem to contradict each other: "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself" vs. "Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes." If you take these two verses in isolation, it seems like they give contradictory instructions. But looking elsewhere in the wisdom literature (i.e. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) we can see that wisdom often involves discerning the right action for the right time.
4. In John 14:28, Jesus says, "The Father is greater than I." Taken by itself, this verse might suggest that Jesus is lesser than the Father or not fully God. But when interpreted in light of clearer passages about the nature of Christ (such as John 1:1,14, "The Word was God...The Word became flesh"), we understand that Jesus's statement is about His position of submission in the incarnation, not about His essence or divinity.
5. Similarly, in Mark 13:32, where Jesus says that no one knows the day or the hour of his return, not even the Son, but only the Father, this could be taken to suggest that Jesus lacks full divine knowledge. But in light of passages which affirm that Jesus is fully divine (John 1:1, Hebrews 1:3), we understand that this was a result of the voluntary limitations Jesus assumed in the incarnation.
Now that I have smacked you with the hammer, let me back off gently and say: Rule #4 isn't completely wrong. The examples above demonstrate this and the examples are true. What I am going to suggest to you, however, is that the examples are simple, almost childish once you see them. Now, to a new Christian they are going to seem huge, but calculus to a 1st grader seems like a foreign language (because it is).
Rules like #1, #2, #8, and #10 are actually greater. Why? Specifically:
- 1. Rule of Context
- 2. Rule of Language
- 8. Rule of Genre
- 10. Rule of Historical-Cultural Context
Consider the world of the first century culture and worldview. The time of the flood and before was 4,000 years of history that changed, but not in hugely appreciable ways.
Human existence was characterized by various constants across cultures in the 4,000 years prior to Jesus. Here are some of the most notable aspects:
1. Agriculture: The practice of agriculture was a common denominator among civilizations, including the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, which allowed societies to settle and flourish.
2. Urbanization: The development of cities and states was a key aspect, with areas like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley witnessing the rise of the first urbanized civilizations.
3. Trade and Commerce: The exchange of goods and services, whether it be regional or over longer distances like the Silk Road, remained a constant aspect of human interaction.
4. Hierarchical Social Structures: Most societies were stratified, with a privileged elite often ruling over a larger, less privileged populace. These structures often included a monarchy or a form of chieftainship.
5. Language and Writing Systems: The formulation of languages and writing systems such as cuneiform, hieroglyphs, the Phoenician alphabet, and others was persistent.
6. Religion and Spirituality: Every society possessed religious beliefs and practices. They appealed to gods for various reasons like fertility, health, victory in war, and different aspects of daily life.
7. Art and Architecture: Humanity expressed itself through art and architecture, seen in the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Ziggurats of Sumeria, Stonehenge in England, etc.
8. Warfare and Conflict: Conflict between different groups due to resources, territorial disputes, or power grab was a sadly stable aspect.
9. Gender Roles: Gender roles were highly defined, with patriarchal societies being the most common.
10. Craftsmanship and Technology: The creation of tools, weapons, pottery, weaving, etc., were common across various civilizations.
11. Legal Systems and Codes: The establishment of legal codes and systems, like the Code of Hammurabi, was indicative of civilizations' drive toward organized social structures.
12. Astronomy and Calendar Systems: Most ancient civilizations studied celestial phenomena, which influenced calendar systems, agricultural practices, and religious observances.
13. Moral and Ethical Norms: Despite cultural differences, common human experiences led to a shared sense of basic virtues and moral principles, such as prohibitions against murder, theft, and adultery.
14. Storytelling and Myth-Making: Oral traditions, myths, and storytelling were universal, serving to transmit shared history, values, and beliefs.
15. Respect for the Dead: Rituals and customs related to death and the afterlife were prevalent, as demonstrated by tombs, funerary practices, and beliefs about the afterlife.
16. Exploration and Migration: The drive to explore and migrate to new lands has been a constant aspect of the human experience, leading to the spread of cultures and languages.
The text we hold in our hands in the 21st century was birthed in the stability of a context like what is described above. When someone in the first or second century heard the stories and teaching of Jesus and then the disciples (apostles) they didn't need to learn a new worldview. They already had it. We do not. We are so out of touch with their worldview that it is both foreign and a big eye-opener when we finally start seeing it. Doing so changes everything about how we read our bibles. This is what Dr. Michael Heiser meant when he said, "You will read your bible again for the very first time!"
The other significant matter is two-fold. On the one hand, part of the ancient near eastern worldview was stripped out from Christianity and Christians about 1,700 years ago and progressively quashed until it was nearly stamped out for good. This is the material of writings like 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and other pseudepigrapha.
On the other hand, our Age of Enlightenment, Rationalism, and Science (so-called) has stripped modern Christians in western societies like the United States from thinking supernaturally. Whereas early Christians and ancient Jews and pagans thought supernaturally about everything, we have been trained to believe everything is physical and nothing is supernatural at all. Even Christians have fallen for this and it is simply untrue and not the context of scripture.
One of the strongest arguments against materials like 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and others is the extremely supernatural content. We've been taught that such things are mythological and hence—something to mock and laugh at if presented with it in a serious way. Let me say—you've been sold a bill of goods. God is supremely supernatural and so is the world and multidimensional universe He has created! Right from the start!
Getting scripture right
Therefore, getting an understanding of scripture requires accepting the supernatural nature of the universe and bringing in all of the teaching and stories that framed both the writers and readers of the original text. This is what it means to have the FULL GOSPEL!
Once you see this and have a demonstration of how it is true, you will start to understand the super-critical nature of regaining what has been lost for more than 1,700 years—stolen by supernatural beings who do not want you to know their supernatural story, sin, judgment, condemnation, and ultimate doom and destruction by God—through Jesus Christ.
However, I have very very good news for you: It can all come back, but it requires work and labor on your part. Rethinking a lifetime of teaching, putting it on a shelf, and then challenging each part in a new light of a new worldview once you have it is a tough thing to do. It can be uncomfortable, awkward, challenging, and it might even destroy friendships and relationships as people reject you out-of-hand for doing it. The emotional ties we have to what be believe, coupled with our strong propensity for being "right" and pride is a tough nut to crack, but crack it, we must!
My journey started with some videos and podcast materials from Dr. Mike Heiser (The Unseen Realm and then Reversing Hermon). I was so intrigued that I not only consumed the information voraciously, but did as I had two other times before: I knew instinctively that this was another round of "Reinventing Larry", so I rolled with it. The reward has been more than I could have imagined. It literally changed my life in ways that I had tried and failed for sixty years and ultimately failed in the attempts. Here, the Lord in me was successful.
I have but a single caution to give you, and it is a very serious one: Do not believe everything and everyone who comes up with something "new". There are plenty of kooks out there who are undisciplined. My cautionary tale is to learn the tools of highly disciplined scriptural handling and thinking. Learn how to be honest, ask good questions, and challenge everything anyone says with those tools and questions. Dr. Mike was excellent in this regard. He had a knack that I am still learning for ferreting out ideas that are both silly and false.
Reach out to me if you need to. I am here to help as I can. There are others that the Lord has brought me too who are better than I am at doing this disciplinary process of getting the context of scripture. Together, we are tackling some really hard questions, buried in a mountain of data, but we're doing it, making sense of it by the Holy Spirit, discipline, and the tools He has provided. It's amazing.
I hope you will join us in the journey to reading your bible again—FOR THE FIRST TIME!