Aftertaste: A Case for Scripture Part 5

In the past several posts we have discussed the importance of studying Scripture through learning about the historical context and what Scripture might have meant during the original speaking.  We took a look at studying Scripture in context a bit, and then saw how this might impact our lives differently than first appearances might suggest.  Let's now take a look at the importance of studying Scripture in community.

I'd like to offer two various ways of studying Scripture in community which are both compatible with each other and relate to each other.  We can study Scripture in community by interacting with various scholars in the Biblical field through commentaries or monographs (books dedicated to a certain topic within Biblical studies) or we can study Scripture in a group setting, looking for God's word to us as individuals and communities.  In this post, we'll take a look at how we can study Scripture with various scholars.

When looking for scholars and books to read about Scripture, it is crucial that we carefully review the books we wish to read before buying, especially asking the following: does this author believe in Jesus as the Christ, who lived, died, and rose again historically in the flesh?  A quick "Google" search of various authors will usually bring up a biographical page letting folks know about various books that the author has written.   These books can then be looked up on Google in order to find a synopsis (a quick summary) of their contents before purchasing.  As an aside, I would normally stay away from and would not recommend scholars who are a part of the so-called "Jesus Seminar" in the past twenty or thirty years for various reasons that cannot be elaborated here in detail.  Needless to say, many would not be able to answer the above question with a "yes."

My second recommendation would be to start off small.  Tackling a 500 page or 1000 page tome sounds like fun, and is even invigorating on the first page - but by page two or three it can become so dense and tedious it soon takes the place of sleeping pills at night.  This defeats the purpose of studying Scripture and books about Scripture - so start slow and small!  A chapter a day from a small 150 page book can bear much fruit if we sit with it and allow God to teach us through it. 

Finally, remember the purpose behind studying Scripture is to delve deeper into our relationships with Jesus.  It can be stretching, growing, and difficult, but ultimately studying Scripture seriously in community (with scholars!) can lead to drinking long and thirstily from the spring of everlasting life (Jesus).

Here are some recommendations to start you off that can be easily found on amazon.com:

N.T. Wright, New Testament for Everyone, commentary series.  N.T. Wright is one of the leading New Testament scholars in the world, is faithful to Jesus, and balances scholarship with faithful living (he is not only a professor of New Testament, but was the Bishop of Durham for many years). 

Story of God commentary series, edited by Scott McKnight and Tremper Longman.  These editors are deeply faithful, as are the people who write their commentaries.  I have met Scott McKnight, and know John Byron (commentator on 1 & 2 Thessalonians  in this series)  personally.  They are concerned with Jesus, scholarship, and faithful living in today's world.

There are a great deal of very smart and helpful authors to choose from. Let me know if you need help or would like suggestions on where to start! I would be more than happy to suggest or even lend books on various topics. In our next post, we will discuss the importance of a small group in which we can study and think through Scripture together.

Foretaste: A Case for Scripture Part 4

In my latest posts, I've been reviewing some different interpretations that might pop out at a popular level from reading Jeremiah 17:4-5.  My purpose for doing so is to encourage us to seriously study Scripture and not just "wing it" in our interpretations of what any given passage means.  Interpreter number 3 hones in on one specific part of the passage that had relevance to their life and used it to prop up and support their own viewpoint in a very different situation.  This man drew connections between  "mere mortals and make flesh their strength," the gym, and a conversation with their wife.  He interpreted the passage to mean he shouldn't get healthy, but should instead do what he really wanted to do in the first place, i.e. watch TV.

Again, our historical context would quickly overturn this point of view.  When it says, "Don't trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength," Jeremiah was pointing at Judah's rulers trusting in their army and political/military alliances to save them from the coming destruction at the hands of Babylon.  This has nothing to say about taking care of our own personal bodies, or about becoming healthy.  However, a closer look at the broader context might reveal something very different than the man's initial response.

In Jeremiah 17:4-5, Israel is being judged with coming destruction because of their actions.  In 17:2-3, Jeremiah declares the misuse of the promised land given to Israel through idolatry and the building of high places to worship and sacrifice; Jeremiah then proclaims that they will lose what they have (i.e. their land) because they have angered the Lord by their non-existent relationship to God and by their misuse of what God gave them, i.e. the land.

Backing up to Jeremiah 17:1, we can further see the sin of Judah being "written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts" indicating just how ingrained Israel's sin was. This is to the extent of overwriting and replacing the ten commandments written on stone tablets by the finger of God - but instead of the finger of God writing, it is a human hand with an iron pen and a diamond point!

If we looked at this with stewardship in mind and saw that Israel did not steward their land properly, nor did they steward their relationship with God properly, we might reflect and draw in our own lives the opposite conclusion that interpreter 3 initially made: stewardship of what God has given is important (whether body or land); the man's relationships to God and to his wife are important (more important than idolatry or doing what we want).  Therefore watching TV is not the best response to the issues facing him in life as it is an option that avoids relationship and stewardship. Even further, if the man backed up to Jeremiah 17:1, he might conclude just how hard bad habits are to break and just how deeply rooted some very human ways of thinking can be written on our hearts, instead of the desires of God.

We can only get to this place if we see the historical context of Scripture and then allow it to form us and our opinions instead of reading our own thoughts and opinions back into Scripture. Unfortunately, we read our own opinions and thoughts into Scripture far too often (myself included). When we seriously study Scripture, take the time to think about the passage, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through Scripture, our whole lives might change as we live with the Lord! Stay tuned for part 5 where we will take a look at the importance of studying Scripture in community.

Foretaste: A Case for Scripture, Part 3

In my last post, I reviewed how having a bit more knowledge about Scripture and Israel's history can shed light on Jeremiah 17:4-5 and perhaps allow an application of Scripture to be made in the present from something that was written for and to a people living thousands of years ago.  Now I'd like to walk through interpreter 2's point of view.  This person takes Scripture very seriously, especially looking for a fresh word of the Lord for their life.  However, personal wounds and deep soul-level sufferings and scars are causing them to interpret the passage too quickly.  This can even happen in the midst of prayer, even when we "feel" the LORD speaking to us.  A further study of Scripture can help interpreter number 2 have a more accurate view of God and especially their relationship to God.

Moving too quickly to personal application might cause devastating impacts, like the following ideas pulled from interpreter number 2's response: "God is angry because I am sinful; God doesn't want me to trust other people or rely on them, only Him; I was deeply hurt because I trusted other people, which this passage condemns - therefore I deserve my suffering."

Looking at this passage through our historical context, we would quickly see that God is angry at Israel/Judah, not the interpreter; God is specifically speaking about Israel (the nation He is King over) and Israel's rulers trusting in their armies and political alliances instead of in their King; God is not speaking about a person's ability to trust another human being.  Judah/Israel received God's judgment after hundreds of years of being called to repent and so God judged them; God did not cause the interpreter's suffering because of trusting another human - an evil person caused that suffering. 

In fact, taking our passage in its literary context, we would see several other things that could speak into our situation that would seem counter to the interpreter's reactions: a plea and cry for healing by the prophet (Jeremiah 17:14-18); God's love for Israel and promises for restoration despite their sin and punishment (Jeremiah 16:14-21).  Both of these might speak into our interpreter's context in a different way: God is our healer who wants to heal Israel, a very undesirable nation.  If God would heal Israel, then He might just be willing to heal us too!  In fact, the Lord begs Israel to come to him the fountain of living water, but Israel forsook Him (Jer. 17:13d). 

Better than this is to reflect on the differences between the interpreter and Judah in the days of Jeremiah: Judah was called to repentance for about 300 years before their judgment; our interpreter (if a Christian) has already accepted repentance and the Holy Spirit, who is transforming the person into Christ-likeness.  Judah was not asking for help from God; our interpreter is asking for help from God by reading and praying over Scripture diligently.  Judah caused God's judgment to be brought upon themselves; our interpreter was not judged by God, but afflicted and caused to suffer because of another's sinfulness. 

Distinguishing ourselves as different from the original audience of the text, yet still looking to hear what they hear and how they heard it, is important, especially in cases like the above.  Meditating on Jesus' work and the work and responsibilities of the church doing life together would be an important element for this interpreter to reflect upon on their own journey towards Jesus.   

Once again I must suggest that studying Scripture seriously is important in our journey's with God. It will help us to better understand what we are reading, who God is, how God works in history, and then we can reflect on what it means in our own lives and contexts. Without it, we can quickly become mislead by false feelings, misconceived interpretations, our own wounds, and demonic forces looking to lead us astray.  Tune in tomorrow for part 4, where we will look at interpreter 3's response and see how a more in-depth study of Scripture might change what he pulled from the text.

Foretaste: A Case for Scripture Part 2

Yesterday, we began taking a look at why we must be about the serious study of Scripture.  Taking a quick look at Jeremiah 17:4-5, I posited three interpretations of the passage that might occur on a popular level with someone who has little knowledge and understanding of the history of Scripture.  Each one had a practical component to it that was a bit off target. Let's take a look at why.

Our first interpretation immediately disregarded the passage upon reading it, favoring instead the Gospels and Pauline letters.  Then, the interpreter did what many might do: move on to something else that is "more fulfilling," such as watching the Walking Dead.  While our first interpreter is correct in thinking the text is "for Israel," they miss the broader point and scope of the passage.  Jeremiah 17:4 falls in the middle of a description of the sins of Israel (i.e. what went wrong that Israel/Judah got punished) and the consequences of betraying God.  Not just that, this passage also has something to say about Israel's rulers placing their trust in mere mortals to repel an invading army (i.e. armies, leaders, defenses, etc.) instead of in the Lord Almighty.  We only know this if we know some history of when Jeremiah was a prophet - in Jerusalem just before Babylon invades the area twice, both times resulting in exile of the people of Judah, and the second time climaxing in the destruction of the temple and the tearing down of Jerusalem's walls.

Next, having an ear (or vision) for the history of Israel - Exodus, covenant, law as governing relationship with God and others, the taking of the promised land, establishment of Jerusalem and the Temple of God (God's abode), the anger of God at idolatry and the leaders of Israel acting very practically, just like the other nations in political/military alliances instead of trusting in God - the passage begins to make much more sense about why God is judging Judah/Israel.  It also gives us a greater feeling for what's at stake - nothing less than the entire world falling into complete darkness (remember the problem God is seeking to solve is broken relationship with Him that occurred in the Garden of Eden, and the utter descent of humanity into evil as exhibited in Genesis 6 and on). 

Knowing some general background of the overarching story, and plugging our short passage into that story then lets us say something like this: "Wow. This is serious stuff.  God isn't fooling around, this is not 'irrelevant,' but the very weighty outworking of God's redemption plan in history and the consequence of a covenant people living in disobedience in their ideas about who God is, God's power, and God's place in the world, and our place under God's Kingship."

Now we can better make an application to our own lives through prayerful consideration of what we know and asking some questions: "What in my life is the Holy Spirit working on to change?  What misconceptions of God do I have?  What does this mean for God's working in the church today [remember the church is now God's people whom He works in and through to bring the world under the reign of Jesus...]?  How does Jesus change this picture?" 

Let me make a quick point here so I am not misunderstood.  I think it is very good to have "reader responses" to the text that allows the Holy Spirit to speak a fresh, new, or needed word deep into our souls.  Yet, I firmly believe that studying Scripture seriously will help us cling to and abide in Jesus all the more, that serious study of Scripture does not deaden Scripture but brings alive all the more God's wonderful and mighty works in the world and allows us to see Him still working today.  Stay tuned for a review of Interpreter #2!

Foretaste: A Case for Scripture Part 1

We are currently in the middle of a sermon series entitled "The Good News," in which we are taking a look at what God's plan of redemption is for creation from Genesis to Revelation. Throughout this series, there has not been much practical application time during sermons beyond this: "we must be a people who do the hard work of reading and studying the Bible." Along with this hard work of studying the Bible, we must be a people who allow what we find out to shape us, to help us on our journey towards knowing Jesus more and more and on our journey towards Christ-likeness.

Yet this isn't easy, even if there are 5 or 6 Bibles in every home, one for each room of the house. Often, the Bible becomes a place where we flip to our favorite passages to dwell with and linger over. Or if we read it in large swathes, we don't understand most of what is being said. Instead of reading the text slowly to comprehend it, we "zone out" and suddenly we're 5 chapters ahead of the last thing we remember reading and have no idea of what is going on. Or perhaps we readily and quickly make direct applications of the text to ourselves without first understanding what it meant to the audience of the day. On the other hand, we can all too readily dismiss something as useless and irrelevant for today instead of thinking about what the text meant and then saying, "how does this help me think about my life today in light of Jesus Christ?"

Take for example, the following declaration of judgment in Jeremiah 17:4-5 which reads, "By your own act you shall lose the heritage that I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever. Thus says the LORD: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the LORD" (NRSV). If we take these verses out of context, not knowing Israel's history or Jeremiah's place in it, what would this text mean to us? Perhaps we would think one of the following suggestions:
                   1) "Irrelevant because this is for Israel, not us. Who reads the Old Testament anyway? Get me back into Jesus/Paul." Then we close the Bible and go back to something more relevant, like watching the Walking Dead.
                   2) "Whew, those Israelites are bad. They kindle the LORD's anger. God gets angry. I wonder if God is angry at me? 'Cursed are the ones who trust in mere mortals...' I guess I shouldn't talk about [insert deep wound about molestation/rape/abuse] because I should just give this to God. Maybe that's why those bad things happened - I lost my heritage because I trusted in people instead of the Lord, who then got angry at me.  I should never have trusted [insert person who hurt us]. Only the Lord. I will never trust again."
                   3) "'Don't trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength' - see my wife is wrong. I shouldn't go to the gym or workout to get healthy, because then I'd be trusting in my body, which is clearly a sin. Therefore, I should sit down and watch TV."

Then we might close up our Bible's, say a short prayer, and we are done for the day. The problem with this is each and every one of the above perspectives [admittedly hyperbole] has something that is not quite what Scripture, or God, intended in it. Stay tuned until next time when we'll see why these thoughts are actually abusive of Scripture and the importance of studying Scripture seriously.

On Walking with God

I think it is a miracle that we are able to walk with God through life, in just the ordinary, simple events that happen day in and day out.  Matthew 8:9-10 says this: "As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me."  And he got up and followed him.  And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples" (NRSV).  Can we stop for a moment and imagine ourselves in this scene? Where are you? Where is Jesus?

Here's what I imagine: Jesus is walking along a path, and sees someone at their daily job, trying to make ends meet.  Matthew would have most certainly been an 'outsider' from other first century Jews, seen lower than even the unclean because of his status as a traitor who collected taxes for those stinky Romans.  Perhaps Matthew is thinking about what it would be like had he never taken his position; perhaps he is simply looking up at the sky; the text really doesn't say...perhaps it doesn't matter.  I'd like to think that Matthew was thinking about God in that moment.  

Suddenly, Jesus calls to him: "Follow me!"  I wonder what that would be like.  I've thought of it many times before, and maybe you have too.  What does it look like for Jesus to call us in the midst of our everyday experience?  Working at Wal-mart, working as a call-center person, working as a pastor, or in an office...those are experiences I relate to.  Imagine your job, your experiences, the middle of your life.  Then, imagine Jesus simply whispering, "Follow me."  

Did you know this very thing happens all the time?  Everyday?  Let me tell you it's not with flashing neon signs, or a bolt of lightening.  It doesn't come from a super-model with an entourage and a limo, nor with a million dollar cash check ready to be presented to you.  Instead, it's very ordinary.  It's everyday life. But it's Jesus calling, "come, follow me."  And the task?  It's ordinary too.  

The task Matthew had to follow Jesus too was....dinner. Pretty normal right?  And in fact, it was a dinner that he was able to invite other people whom he knew, friends perhaps, to come join him.  In the midst of this dinner, Jesus brings together his disciples, Matthew, tax collectors and sinners, and some big brothers like the Pharisees as well.  Perhaps it's more like a dinner party, but it's still dinner. 

Right after this passage, the Pharisees ask the disciples the party-break up question, ready to slam home their theological inquiries to blow up the moment and make the beautiful union shatter and disintegrate.  The disciples...they don't even know how to answer! But in verse twelve they take the situation to Jesus - who without missing a beat lets them know what's up.  Jesus handles the questions, the heartache, the pain, the healing.  All Matthew did?  Follow Jesus to dinner from his work. 

This...comforts me.  In means that Jesus can and does speak to us during very ordinary events - our jobs.  He invites us to follow him to places where we sort of go anyway - to dinner.  And Jesus does the hard work at the dinner - all we have to do is talk and eat.  Yet, Jesus changes this very ordinary activity into something extraordinary: Good News.  "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners"  (Mt 9:13 NRSV). 

Are you on the look out for Jesus calling you?  What good news is he looking to speak and do through you this week?  

Reader's Review (in 500 Words or Less): The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith is the first in a series of three "Apprenticeship" books that aims at cultivating a "robust discipleship" for Christians, something that I as an Anabaptist deeply appreciate.  This book on spiritual formation is meant to help guide and re-shape our minds and hearts to conceive of God correctly.  Simply put, Smith shows God through Jesus' eyes and understanding.  Through the use of Scripture, short stories, and rich metaphors, Smith cultivates this image of God in us with the purpose of helping us relate to God in clearer ways so that we can be spiritually formed by Jesus.  Smith offers very helpful spiritual disciplines and practices to help us to live out the new narrative being spoken into us and whispered to us by God.  These exercises are very helpful.  I appreciated that James made his book very understandable without technical jargon.  This makes the book approachable and helpful.

One of the most meaningful sections of this book for me is Smith's understanding of how God transforms us.  He says the first and foremost thing is to know (deep down heart level) that, since we have turned our lives over to Christ, Jesus dwells in us and in Christ we have been raised up with Jesus to new life.  He states that Christians are no longer sinners, i.e. those who are dominated by and ruled by sin.  Instead, we are ruled by Jesus.  However, sin stills holds rebellion in us (hence why we still sin), but we are no longer identified by, defined by, or bound in the power of sin because Christ rules in us and through us.  I found this to be a crucial shift in my own thinking, life, and action (page p. 149-165).

While this book is meant to be read in a small group, it can also be read individually.  Since I do not have a small group at this time, I read it individually and can still say that it has profoundly impacted me.  I read the book quickly in order to have an opinion of it for a meeting that is coming up shortly, but I can't wait to read it slowly over again. 

One Line Summary: Go buy this book. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Beautiful-James-Bryan-Smith-ebook/dp/B006NZ6744/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400787925&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Good+and+Beautiful+God

Book Reviewed: Smith, James Bryan. The Good and Beautiful God. Downers Grove: IVP, 2009.  

Here is James' Apprenticeship website in case you wanted to check out more information:

https://apprenticeinstitute.org/