Study 1 The Character of Biblical Literature
Before we look at the actual text of the Bible and different methods of interpretation, we consider different ways we can use the Bible as a whole.
Thousands of teachers, preachers and scholars over many centuries have encouraged ordinary people to use the Bible but in a variety of ways. Most of these ways have validity and have proved useful, some more so than others.
Some teachers and scholars are dogmatic and exclusive, saying that their particular way of using the Bible and their interpretation is the only one that is correct. They believe that all other interpretations have varying degrees of error. Other teachers and scholars have stated that they have something significant to offer without implying that they have a monopoly on the truth.
In this series of studies we will explore some significant contributions to the subject of Biblical interpretation. We will make a study of quite divergent attitudes regarding Biblical understanding, many of which are built on totally different approaches.
When I was a young lad attending Church, I used to think that there was only one way to understand the Bible and it was just a matter of learning this in order to know what the Bible was about, what it said and how to appropriate its teachings were for living a Christian life. All fairly easy, if I was willing to learn about that one way. So I thought! However, during my study over many years I have found that the Bible, although abounding in profound wisdom, is not an easy book to understand. There is certainly more than one way of approaching it to unlock its chest of incredible treasures, and questioning much of its suspect material .
One set of alternatives
When looking at the Bible as a whole and when appraising the nature of Scripture, it has been suggested that it can be looked at in at least two significantly different ways.
Propositional - Objective
One approach is that the Bible is propositional, i.e. it conveys information. When we read it and ponder its contents we are given information, sets of propositions or statements. In this approach we look at the Bible objectively. It gives us data about situations in another age, about another culture with its ideas, laws, attitudes, morals, religion and life style. The Bible is the object of our study and investigation.
Personal - Subjective
Another approach is to say that the Bible is personal, i.e. emphasising that it seeks to establish a relationship. Karl Barth, one of the giants of 20th century theology, emphasised ‘the relational quality of the Word of God’.
By this he meant that the Bible's prime purpose was to challenge, and thus enable the reader to experience a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, with God, with life. It makes claims on the reader to connect, to become personally involved, to enter into a dialogue with the text. This is a more subjective way of using the Bible because it encourages the reader or the subject to actively participate in the creation of the meaning of the text, to evaluate and personally apply what is read. What the Bible says is important, ‘What it says is good for me.’
If we take the first approach, the propositional ‑ objective approach to an extreme, we could be accused of thinking that the Bible is a static document, one which is only a source of information. Some is useable, some interesting, some difficult to understand. There is a lot of information there. We could approach it not expecting to find any personally engaging material. We could regard the Bible as just another text‑book. We could remain quite detached from its content, being involved in a purely intellectual exercise.
However, the emphasis that is placed on the text should not exclude an emphasis on the reader.
On the other hand, if we take the personal ‑ subjective approach to an extreme, we could then be accused of thinking that the Bible has no real content and no objective and useful facts. It could look as though we were regarding the Bible as having no basis in reality, no historical validity and no interesting information. We could become so engrossed with its effect on ourselves that we lose our critical faculty.
However, the emphasis that is placed on the reader should not exclude an emphasis on the text.
Both of these extreme situations are unhelpful. Combining aspects of the two approaches is probably more helpful to most of us. Nothing is more basic to the Bible than the idea that it ‘communicates to us good news’; ‑‘us’ emphasising the ‘personal ‑ subjective’ (the reader), ‘ good news’ emphasising the ‘propositional ‑ objective’ (the text) and ‘communicates to’, the linking of the two.
It is patently obvious that the Bible contains lots of information, historical and otherwise, as well as a great deal of exhortation and teaching. Some passages would never be read in church to prompt meditation or worship nor to give guidance or comfort: e.g. 1 Chronicles, the first eight chapters (see below). That is not its prime purpose.
Equally, some passages would not be read to substantiate or refute some factual or historical proposition: e.g. Psalm 23 (see below). That is not its prime purpose.
It may also be obvious to the reader that the objective and subjective approaches are not mutually exclusive. It is appropriate to use these different approaches nearly always mixed together in varying degrees of emphasis, one with the other. It is up to each person to create his/her own emphases, however, it is wise to keep both approaches open as possible options.
In thinking about these suggested two ways of approaching the Bible as a whole, add your examples to those given over the page.
Old Testament Propositional - Objective giving information, facts:-
Exodus 37:1‑9 -
Bezelal then made the Ark, a chest of acacia-wood, two and a half cubits long, one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and put a band of gold all around it. He cast four gold rings to be on its four feet, two rings on each side of it. He made poles of acacia-wood and plated them with gold, and inserted the poles in the rings at the sides of the Ark to lift it.
The first 8 chapters of 1 Chronicles -
1:1- Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, Japheth. The sons of Japheth : Gomer,..........
2:1- These were the sons of Israel : Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. The sons of Judah: Er, .....
3:1- These are the sons of David, born at Hebron: the eldest Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second Daniel, whose mother was Abigail of Carmel; (It is interesting that in 2 Samuel 3:2 the second son of David is given the name Chileab).... the third Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; the fifth Shephatiah,............
Family trees can be interesting.
6:1 - The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The sons of Kohath:..........
8:1 - The sons of Benjamin were: the eldest Bela, ..
Old Testament Personal - Subjective seeking to help the reader to connect:-
Psalm 23 -
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall want nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
and leads me beside the waters of peace;
he renews life within me,
and for his name’s sake guides me in the right path.
Even though I walk through a valley dark as death
I fear no evil, for thou art with me,
thy staff and thy crook are my comfort.
Thou spreadest a table for me in the sight of my enemies;
thou hast richly bathed my head with oil,
and my cup runs over.
Goodness and love unfailing, these will follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.’
Proverbs 13:1-3 -
A wise man sees the reason for his father’s correction;
an arrogant man will not listen to rebuke.
A good man enjoys the fruit of righteousness,
but violence is meat and drink for the treacherous.
He who minds his words preserves life;
he who talks too much comes to grief.
Psalm 72:13 -
May he have mercy on the needy and the poor, deliver the poor from death.
Leviticus 19:18 -
You shall love your neighbour as a man like yourself, I am the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:5 -
Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength.
Psalm 107:1 -
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever..
New Testament Propositional - Objective giving information, facts :-
Matthew 1:1‑17 -
A table of the descent of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac of Jacob, Jacob of Judah ........
1 Corinthians 16:15‑20 -
I have a request to make of you, my brothers. You know that the Stephanas family were the first converts in Achaia, and have laid themselves out to serve God’s people. I wish you to give their due position to such persons, and indeed to everyone who labours hard at our common task. It is a great pleasure that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived, because they have done what you had no chance to do.
They have relieved my mind - and no doubt yours too. Such men deserve recognition. Greetings from the congregations in Asia. Many greetings in the Lord from Aquila and Prisca and the congregation at their house. Greetings from all the brothers. Greet one another with the kiss of peace.
New Testament Personal - Subjective seeking to help the reader to connect:-
Matthew 4:19:
Jesus said to them, “Come with me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
John 13:1‑17:-
This passage contains the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. This story contains conversation between Jesus and Peter and also some teaching from Jesus, including,
You call me “Master” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Then, if I your Lord and Master have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’sfeet. I have set you an example; you are to do as I have done for you.
Romans 12:9‑12 -
Love in all sincerity, loathing evil and clinging to the good. Let love for our brotherhood breed warmth of mutual affection. Give pride of place to one another in esteem. With unflagging energy, in ardour of spirit, serve the Lord. Let hope keep you joyful; in trouble stand firm; persist in prayer.
Another set of alternatives
There are two other different, but not mutually exclusive, alternative ways of approaching the Bible as a whole. Both these approaches can accept inspiration but give different meanings to that word.
God’s revelation
This claims the Bible to be God’s revelation to humanity. In it, God reveals to humanity God’s nature, God’s will and purpose, God’s plan. The initiative is with God. There are plenty of assertions in the Bible itself which endorse this approach. For example, in the 52 chapters of the Book of Jeremiah alone, there are over 360 statements like, The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying ..., or These are the words of the Lord ..., or This is the very word of the Lord, or The Lord says..., or ..says the Lord.
The Lord is portrayed as speaking directly to Jeremiah, to some other individual or to the whole community of the people. It is obviously to be understood by the use of this language that God is the one revealing God’s will and purpose.
This sort of language is used right throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. God is seen as the one who is talking, explaining, reasoning with, directing, rewarding, punishing and thus revealing.
This approach carries with it a suggested inherent authority. When in the text we read, ‘God said.........’ it seems to demand more attention than ‘David said....’ or ‘Moses said .....’ or ‘Peter said......’ If the Bible as a whole is God’s revelation, to some extent it could be suggested that it should not be questioned.
A similar comment could be made about Bibles that publish all the sayings of Jesus in the gospels, in red type. This obviously is to distinguish these words from all other words which are spoken by any other person in the gospels. The coloured type is inserted to encourage the reader to take more note and be aware of the added significance and authority contained in the red printing.
One might say, ‘You should really think twice before questioning or disagreeing with Jesus.’ This, of course, presumes the historical authenticity that Jesus actually said the words.
This divine revelation approach, in the extreme, can lead to a fundamentalist position which claims the Bible to be without error or internal contradiction. It can lead to a position in which everything in the Bible is taken as historically, literally and factually true. It can lead to everything in the Bible being regarded as binding for all time in all places and in all situations. It can lead to dogmatism, a closed mind and even elitism - ‘I know more of the Bible so I know more about God and God’s will.’ This approach can stifle debate and spiritual growth. Superimposing a set of pre-conditions on Biblical study that disallows serious critical objective appraisal of the text can prevent people exercising their brains.
Inspiration, in this extreme position, is considered to be the result of God’s activity alone. Being ‘inspired’ is knowing/hearing what God was dictating, and obeying that dictation precisely to the letter. Those who wrote the Bible were simply writing down the words as directed by God. They gave no personal input by way of addition, subtraction or modification to what was dictated. They were pens of the Holy Spirit.
Inspiration, in this extreme position, is considered to be the result of God’s activity alone. Being ‘inspired’ is knowing/hearing what God was dictating, and obeying that dictation precisely to the letter. Those who wrote the Bible were simply writing down the words as directed by God. They gave no personal input by way of addition, subtraction or modification to what was dictated. They were pens of the Holy Spirit.
Human endeavour
The other approach to the Bible is to view it as a record of human striving to know God’s nature and God’s will and purpose. The initiative is with human beings.
This approach emphasises the Bible’s human authorship, recognising the human prejudices and cultural and historical limitations of its many authors. It encourages critical study that does not commence with a pre-condition of Biblical correctness and absolute authority. Everything is exposed to scrutiny. It encourages critical study by everyone. It suggests that, just as the authors had their own spiritual journey, so each and every reader, each and every disciple is encouraged to do their own searching for God. Rather than commencing with a pre-condition of Biblical correctness and absolute authority, personal critical searching is encouraged. Everything is open to scrutiny.
Inspiration with the second approach is considered to be about the spirit of things rather than the letter. It implies a heightened power of spiritual perception of the authors. In this case inspiration is not about correctness but about wisdom. In this context it has been said that the Bible is inspired because it inspires us. However, in the extreme, this second approach can lead to the Bible not being regarded as being special or sacred, but just as another religious book among many others. It can lead to the dismissal of the Bible as a significant source of wisdom and spiritual guidance.
It can create a situation where the Bible is regarded as irrelevant because it was written by people of a different culture 2000 years ago, who were seriously limited in their own wisdom and who were totally ignorant of modern science and technology and present day questions, issues and problems. In this extreme position the Bible is not really considered to be inspired at all.
Both the approaches have insights to offer us. The first can engender in us a profound respect for Biblical teachings and the second can breed in us a healthy questioning and searching for the truth.
Questions for discussion
What are the passages in the Bible that have been helpful to you personally? Could you share these and would you explain why you find them helpful?
In what ways can both the objective and subjective approaches to the Bible be helpful?
Are there bits of information in the Bible you have found intellectually interesting but do not challenge your way of living or your behaviour? What are they?
What does it mean to you to say that the Bible is inspired?
What does it mean to you when you hear the phrase, ‘The Word of God’?
What are the criteria by which judgement can be made about the validity and usefulness of a particular passage of the Bible?”
Print Booklet (Download and print double-side, flip on short edge) The text above has the text of the booklets edited somewhat and because there are many pictures in the booklets, all reference to them has been omitted.