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Spiritual Maturity Training Weekend 1 – Session 4

Spiritual Maturity Training Weekend 1 – Session 4. Biblical Interpretation. Interpreting the Old Testament. Interpreting a Biblical Text. Should we be interpreting at all?.

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Spiritual Maturity Training Weekend 1 – Session 4

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  1. Spiritual Maturity TrainingWeekend 1 – Session 4 Biblical Interpretation

  2. Interpreting the Old Testament

  3. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Should we be interpreting at all? • 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. - 2 Peter 1:20

  4. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Should we be interpreting at all? • 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b]18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. • 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:18-21

  5. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Yes, we need to rightly divide and interpret God’s Word • 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. - Matthew 22:29

  6. Hebrew Narratives

  7. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Narratives 1. Biblical narratives must be considered in terms of three levels a. Nature of God and his will b. Redemption/ Reconciliation Story c. Specific Stories 2. Old Testament stories are specifically about God a. They often describe ungodly behavior without endorsing it 3. They serve as examples for us 4. They are not allegories 5. We cannot pull out the actions in certain narratives (especially OT) to justify current behavior or to use as a precedent 6. They have stylized elements of narrative but are still truth 7. Each smaller narrative has a place within the larger creation-fall-reconciliation-new creation narrative

  8. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Narratives • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Narrative • Identify the structure of the scene • Determine the point of view of the narrator • List the characters and their relationships • Analyze the plot and details of each scene • Examine the dialogue carefully • Examine the details for each unit within each scene to identify their relationships and the manner of advancing the plot • Identify the significance of each literary/rhetorical device employed by the author in the scene as it effects interpretation

  9. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Joshua 7 – The Account of Achan 1. Pick up the text on their side of the River An account of someone who disobeyed God’s word and trivialized being part of God’s people – putting them at risk 2. Navigate around the rocks Culture Gap – We are not Israelites History Gap – We are not engaged in sanctioned Holy War Covenant Gap – We are under the Covenant of Christ 3. Finish the journey in our boat “the Principle” Deliverance as God’s people is based on faith and obedience; judgment comes to those who take lightly God’s people 4. Avoid the Context Waterfall If we read the context carefully we see this story as a bookend around Jericho and is being contrasted with Rahab In addition to the above principle; the Rahab account shows that being part of God’s people is based on faith and not externals 5. Apply “the Principle” onto our side of the River 6. Apply “the Principle” in my life

  10. The Law

  11. Interpreting The Old Testament • The Law • Guidelines for Interpreting the Law • The Law is God’s inspired word but are not direct commands • The Law had a specific purpose for Israel (see Galatians 3:19-22) • There are certain moral absolutes included within the Law that apply universally • The Law is fulfilled and summed up in Christ; Christians may follow the Law but are not bound to it as the badge of God’s family • The Mosaic Covenant was closely related to their conquest of the Promised Land • The blessings are conditional and limited to that Covenant with Israel • The Mosaic Covenant is no longer a functional Covenant • It is no longer applicable as law for God’s people

  12. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Leviticus 5:1-2 1 “‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible. 2 “‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realize their guilt;

  13. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Leviticus 5:1-2 1. Pick up the text on their side of the River Declares that if God’s people touch any unclean thing they are defiled and unable to approach God in worship. They must confess their sin and bring the pries an animal for sacrifice in order to be clean again 2. Navigate around the rocks Culture Gap – We are not Israelites Covenant Gap – We are under the Covenant of Christ and our sin is covered by the death of Christ who provides direct access to God 3. Finish the journey in our boat “the Principle” God is holy and when he dwells among his people it demands that they keep separate from unclean things 4. Avoid the Context Waterfall We must understand the historical context of the Law as the guiding culture for the nation of Israel as God’s people of the Old Covenant 5. Apply “the Principle” onto our side of the River The Holiness of God demands that we are a people that do not tolerate acceptance of and compromise with sin within the people of God 6. Apply “the Principle” in my life

  14. Hebrew Poetry

  15. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Poetry (Psalms) • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Poetry • Psalms are primarily a guide to worship God • They are demonstrations of praise, lament, and relating honestly to God • They guide us to reflection and meditation • They emphasize the emotion of being part of God’s people • They give us inspired models of how tot talk and sing to God • They are worship aids but not intended to be primary sources of doctrine (any doctrine gleaned from the Psalms should be confirmed elsewhere in the biblical text) • The Psalms are typically a view of God from the perspective of his people, so they often represent a true but limited perspective of God

  16. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Poetry (Psalms) • 1 LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. 2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. • 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. 5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. • 6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. 7 Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves 8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are dim with grief. • I call to you, LORD, every day; - Psalm 88

  17. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Psalm 88 1. Pick up the text on their side of the River Depicts the emotional struggle of someone who is depressed but still seeking to glorify God as a member of his people 2. Navigate around the rocks Culture Gap – We are not Israelites Covenant Gap – We are under the Covenant of Christ 3. Finish the journey in our boat “the Principle” God wants us to be open and honest before him with our emotions and struggles—not blaming him but casting our anxieties on him 4. Avoid the Context Waterfall We must understand the nature of Hebrew poetry to know that we can express these feelings to God but that doesn’t mean that’s the state that we should seek 5. Apply “the Principle” onto our side of the River 6. Apply “the Principle” in my life

  18. The Prophets

  19. Interpreting The Old Testament • The Prophets • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Prophets • God’s Lawyers and mouthpieces • The prophets spoke the words of God to his people • They pronounced judgment in absence of repentance but the judgments could be avoided • The general purpose of prophecy was not to see the future clearly but to verify God’s word after the fact • They use a vastly different language, metaphorical system, and culture than we are familiar with • Knowing the historical context of each prophet is mandatory to understanding the prophet’s message

  20. Interpreting The Old Testament • The Prophets • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Prophets • The basic message of most prophets can be summarized: • You have violated the covenant and need to repent • Your choices are either repentance or judgment • Yet, there is hope beyond judgment for restoration • The ultimate restoration will come through the Messiah (the contemporary restorations often served as pictures and foreshadows of the age to come that would come through the Messiah)

  21. Interpreting The Old Testament • The Prophets • 3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” • 5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” • 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” - Haggai 1:3-11

  22. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Simple Steps • Language Gap • Culture Gap • History & Geography Gap • Literature Gap • Covenant Gap • Translation and textual gap • Audience Gap • Narrative Gap Interpretive Steps 1. Pick up the text on their side of the River 2. Navigate around the rocks 3. Finish the journey in our boat “the Principle” 4. Avoid the Context Waterfall 5. Apply “the Principle” onto our side of the River 6. Apply “the Principle” in my life • How do the principles address the • original situation • Find an appropriate parallel • Make a specific application • Reader Context • Historical-Cultural Context • Literary Context • Purpose of the Text

  23. Hebrew Wisdom Literature

  24. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Wisdom Literature • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Wisdom Literature • Look for the overall point in wisdom literature rather than getting caught up in details • Must be read in light of all Scripture • Be careful to follow the context • Wisdom literature often contains opposing viewpoints and arguments • Everything is wisdom literature is truly stated but not necessarily biblical truth • It often engages in conversations that present opposing viewpoint to the biblical view • Wisdom literature often deals with generalizations rather than promises

  25. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Wisdom Literature • Guidelines for Interpreting Hebrew Wisdom Literature • Proverbs – Offers the rational and ordered norms of life (not guarantees or promises) • Job – Exception 1 – The suffering of the righteous • Ecclesiastes – Exception 2 – The shortcomings of the rational and ordered approach • Song of Songs – Exception 3 – The irrationality of Love between a husband and wife

  26. Interpreting The Old Testament • Hebrew Wisdom Literature • Proverbs 11:1 • 1 The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. • Proverbs 14:9 • 9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.

  27. Interpreting a Biblical Text • Simple Steps • Language Gap • Culture Gap • History & Geography Gap • Literature Gap • Covenant Gap • Translation and textual gap • Audience Gap • Narrative Gap Interpretive Steps 1. Pick up the text on their side of the River 2. Navigate around the rocks 3. Finish the journey in our boat “the Principle” 4. Avoid the Context Waterfall 5. Apply “the Principle” onto our side of the River 6. Apply “the Principle” in my life • How do the principles address the • original situation • Find an appropriate parallel • Make a specific application • Reader Context • Historical-Cultural Context • Literary Context • Purpose of the Text

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