Study 5 We don't always agree
Many different ways of interpreting the Bible have their followers today. There are many sects of the Christian Church and a great diversity of beliefs held by different Christians. Most of them however, pledge allegiance to the Bible and its teachings. It’s the same book, but the way people understand this book differs markedly.
We all believe some parts of the Bible are more important than other parts. There is a wide variety of particular passages that people think are important. A passage that is very significant to one person may be quite insignificant to another. This is because we are all different and we come to the Bible with different questions and experiences, a different past and different expectations. We are different and we just see things differently.
For instance, the Jehovah’s Witnesses place great emphasis on the ‘words of God’ to Noah after the flood in Genesis 9:1- 4 –
God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase, and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall fall upon all wild animals on earth, on all birds of heaven, on everything that moves upon the ground and all fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Every creature that lives and moves shall be food for you; I give you them all, as once I gave you all green plants. But you must not eat the flesh with the life, which is the blood, still in it.”
Particularly verse 4 -
But you must not eat the flesh with the life, which is the blood, still in it.
is understood by them as a prohibition for blood transfusions.
Genesis 9:5-6 (from the Good News Bible) goes on to talk about murder -
If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life. Man was made like God, so whoever murders a man will himself be killed by his fellow-man.
The Jehovah's Witnesses interpret this passage to include the taking of blood, ie. the life, without an officially recognised murder. They believe there should be no blood transfusions because of this directive from God. Taking blood is taking life and thus tantamount to murder.
Many do not give the same importance to this passage nor share this understanding.
Another obvious example of passages being very important to some and not to others is the Fourth Commandment.
We read in Exodus 20:8‑11 -
Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. You have six days to labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; that day you shall not do any work, you, your son or your daughter, your slave or your slave-girl. your cattle or the alien within your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.
and Deuteronomy 5:12‑15 -
Keep the Sabbath day holy as the Lord your God commanded you. You have six days to labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; that day you shall not do any work, neither you, your son or you daughter, your slave or your slave-girl, your ox, your ass, or any of your cattle nor the alien within your gates, so that your slaves and slave-girls may rest as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God brought out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and for that reason the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
(As an aside, it is interesting that different reasons for keeping the Sabbath holy are given in these two different versions of the 10 Commandments. More of this in later studies.)
Seventh Day Adventists regard this commandment as binding today. They worship on Saturday and, those who practise their beliefs strictly, do no work on that day.
Many do not give the same importance to this passage nor share this understanding.
Another example of giving special importance to a particular passage of the Bible has to do with the strange story of the transfiguration, see Matthew 17:1‑8, Mark 9:2‑8 or Luke 9:28‑36.
In this story, Jesus is seen by three of his disciples with Moses and Elijah.
Quoting from Matthew 7:1-8 -
Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone; and in their presence he was transfigured; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And they saw Moses and Elijah appear, conversing with him. Then Peter spoke: “Lord” he said, “how good it is that we are here! If you wish it, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them, and a voice called from the cloud: “This is my Son, my Beloved, on whom my favour rests; listen to him.” At the sound of the voice the disciples fell on their faces in terror. Jesus then came up to them, touched them, and said “Stand up; do not be afraid.” And when they raised their eyes they saw no one, but only Jesus.
The spiritualists regard this as the most important event in the whole of Jesus’ life, his work and ministry, far more important than the cross and resurrection, which for most Christians is primary. This transfiguration is amazing for the spiritualists because Jesus is able to materialize not one spirit but two at the same time, and these spirits are both apparently recognised by those standing by! They disappear as quickly as they appeared.
Many do not give the same importance to this passage nor share this understanding.
Yet another passage that has caused a lot of discussion and disagreement is a statement recorded by Matthew as having been said by Jesus to Peter.
In Matthew 16:13-19 -
When he came to the territory of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” “And you,” he asked, “who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus said: “Simon, son of Jonah, you are favoured indeed! You did not learn that from mortal man; it was revealed to you by my heavenly Father. And I say to you: You are Peter, the Rock; and on this rock I will build my church and the powers of death shall never conquer it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; what you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and what you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven.”
Verse 18 (in bold) has given rise to many disagreements between the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches over the years. The Catholic Church has asserted that Jesus is saying it is Peter, the person, on whom Jesus will build his church. The Protestants have asserted that it is the faith statement by Peter, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”, on which Jesus will build his church.
It is interesting that the Good News Bible has the translation of verse 18 -
And so I tell you, “Peter: You are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, .....”
It could be argued that this Good News Bible translation gives more weight to the side that asserts that it is Peter, the person, on whom Jesus will build his church. So the discussion continues. Who is right? Is it necessary for someone to be right and others to be wrong? Could it be that both are a valid interpretation but neither has the whole truth? Maybe the quotation attributed to Jesus has both the person Peter and his faith statement in mind? Who knows?
Many do not give importance to this passage nor share the same understanding of it.
These are some of the striking examples of the differences people have in regard to the perceived importance and the interpretation of certain Bible passages. Many other passages could be cited as very important to some people yet ignored by others.
Many scholars speak of a pre‑understanding that we have when we respond to things we read or hear. When someone misinterprets something, we might say, ‘People hear only what they want to hear’. It has been suggested that it is more accurate to say, ‘People hear what their minds are already prepared or pre-conditioned to hear.’ Some scholars suggest we build on these pre-understandings even when we read the Bible.
Gordon Dicker in his book ‘The Bible with Understanding’ says -
“No one approaches the Bible with a blank mind.”
Maybe the early upbringing we experience, the home environment in which we grow and the teachers we have, as well as the reading we do as we are growing up, all contribute to our pre-understandings. Some people would go so far as to say, “From birth, we are all brain-washed whether we like it not.” We relate to new things according to our pre‑understandings. How important is this disposition with respect to what we read in the Bible?
Quotations and questions for discussion
What are some important Biblical passages for you? Why are they important? What prompts you to accept one passage of the Bible as important and another not so?
What do you think about the statement, ‘There are none so deaf as those who do not want to hear’?
The Truth is what you perceive it to be. The Truth is what you make it.
Print Booklet (Download and print double-side, flip on short edge) The text above has the text of the bookblets edited somewhat and because there are many pictures in the booklets, all reference to them has been omitted.