Warning: gross generalizations ahead. These statements don't necessarily hold true for all the relevant parties...I'm just commenting from my own personal and biased experience.
Can anyone ever know enough about the Bible to really understand it? I don't mean knowing what it says (quote-ability), but understanding the concepts...being able to effectively interpret scripture, understanding historical and cultural context, and knowing how to cross-reference the teachings and make sense of them. I can do these things with a few concepts, but can anyone really know the Bible in vast quantities? I know people think they know the Bible, but I'm actually pretty wary of those people. I know that the more I learn about the Bible, the more things are unclear to me...just when I think I understand something, I find more questions than answers.
The more you know, the more you know you don't know. Ya know?
Do we sometimes get into the position of believing the Bible was written only for the intelligent? We think, "It's too complicated and complex...that's why we have theological seminaries and stuff. Then we can have the educated teach the uneducated about the Bible. After all, the common man could never understand it, right?" People don't want to admit they hold this position...yet we have "Doctors" pastoring our churches. Usually they have s some kind of ministry degree. Often, a Doctorate, or at least a Masters.
It's not that I'm against the idea of seminaries and theological education...not at all...I think it's valuable to have people who desire to know the Bible inside and out, valuable to have the more experienced teach the less experienced, and it's valuable for a Pastor to have the opportunity to continually study the Bible in a formal manner.
It just so very much depends how the Pastor wields this education. If it's lorded over the flock...if the perception is that the person with the Doctorate not only has all the answers, but all the right answers, it sure would contribute to my feelings of inadequacy as a "commoner". It also enables me not to have to think for myself. I just rely on the Pastor to tell me what I need to know, after all, he's the one with the education. Of course, thinking for myself isn't very fitting with this model anyhow, because I might come up with ideas that are different than the person with the Doctorate...and this will not go over very well with the other commoners. Eventually I will be voted off the island for high treason.
Then again, maybe the commoners are the problem. It terrifies people that the person who is feeding them might actually be wrong once in awhile. I think all hell would break loose if the Pastor of the church I am out-of were to step up to the pulpit one Sunday and say "You know that teaching I did last week? Well, I've been thinking about it, and I have to apologize and say that I had it all wrong. I hope you didn't try to apply those principals to your life last week. If you did, it probably got pretty messy. I'm really very sorry, I'm only human. Now please turn to Luke chapter 2." Shudder.
Ok, ok I was being sarcastic in that last little remark.
Maybe the problem is the modern evangelical model that dictates the bulk of our teaching should be on Sunday morning, and that pastors should be infallible. We are supposed to read the Bible because it's good for us, but it's the Pastor's job to tell us what it means.
For whatever reason, we have a system that upholds the notion that the average person can conceivably read the Bible, but likely not understand it. Care for a little Martin Luther, anyone?
Now, I don't even have a college degree, but I'm a reasonably intelligent person. I believe I have the wisdom not of man but of the Holy Spirit. I believe the gifts of wisdom and teaching and whatever else aren't dependent on our human intellect and understanding. In fact, I know so.
I believe the concept of not leaning on human knowledge and understanding means this: God's word is not knowable in the intellect, it's only knowable in the Spirit. Sure we can use our intelligence to memorize and study, but in order to really get "the message" we have to listen and learn with our Spirit.
Read the following thoughts with that in mind.
So, my friend asked me the other day why I thought Jesus had to come. Well, in some ways that's certainly a loaded question. And in some ways, not. I understand and believe all the typical answers...atonement, salvation, sacrifice...but could there be more to it?
These are my humble and theologically unschooled thoughts on the matter, and this isn't exhaustive of what I believe. It's a snapshot, if you will, of what's on my mind at the moment, illuminated by the Holy Spirit. I'm sure there's more to it than I understand and I'm oversimplifying, but here's what makes sense to me right now.
I think He had to come because humanity just didn't get it. We had the instruction manual, and we followed it to the letter, but we didn't get the message. We poured over the book, memorized it, dissected it, taught it, argued about it, and philosophized about it.
But in then end, we humans required a tangible lesson...a person we could touch and see and that would bleed and eventually die. A person who would cry and hunger and thirst and tire...
...because these things made the message come ALIVE. The Word finally jumped off the page and into our lives. We saw Him live it...we saw what it was supposed to look like.
...and He got out attention...certainly by His life, then by His death. He so strongly believed Who He was and what He taught that He was willing to die for it. Jesus' death must have been discouraging for the disciples, but it was a shout that people could hear!
It's like this: Jesus didn't die for the disciples benefit...of course in the big picture, the purpose of Jesus' death was for everyone...but see if you can follow me here...the disciples would have believed Jesus was the Messiah even if He had not been crucified. Obviously He had to be crucified to fulfill prophecy...but again that fulfillment of prophecy was not for the disciples benefit...they already believed. It was the Jews who didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
It's kinda a catch-22...if the Jews had recognized Jesus as the Messiah, they never would have allowed Him to be crucified...but if He hadn't been crucified, He wouldn't have been recognized as the Messiah because He wouldn't have fulfilled all of prophecy. God always knew that His Son would not be primarily recognized as the Messiah by His life on earth but by His manner of death. I wonder how many Pharisees went home that dark day and picked up the scriptures and were enlightened...and finally recognized Jesus by His death. They may have found themselves wailing "what have we done?!"...and then suddenly realized that if what all those radical Jesus freaks had said was true, Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, took the sins of that Pharisee with Him when He died. Even the sin of allowing, or being the catalyst for, His crucifixion. What would that have meant to them?
Jesus didn't die for those who already believed, He died for those who DID NOT YET believe.
Can anyone ever know enough about the Bible to really understand it? I don't mean knowing what it says (quote-ability), but understanding the concepts...being able to effectively interpret scripture, understanding historical and cultural context, and knowing how to cross-reference the teachings and make sense of them. I can do these things with a few concepts, but can anyone really know the Bible in vast quantities? I know people think they know the Bible, but I'm actually pretty wary of those people. I know that the more I learn about the Bible, the more things are unclear to me...just when I think I understand something, I find more questions than answers.
The more you know, the more you know you don't know. Ya know?
Do we sometimes get into the position of believing the Bible was written only for the intelligent? We think, "It's too complicated and complex...that's why we have theological seminaries and stuff. Then we can have the educated teach the uneducated about the Bible. After all, the common man could never understand it, right?" People don't want to admit they hold this position...yet we have "Doctors" pastoring our churches. Usually they have s some kind of ministry degree. Often, a Doctorate, or at least a Masters.
It's not that I'm against the idea of seminaries and theological education...not at all...I think it's valuable to have people who desire to know the Bible inside and out, valuable to have the more experienced teach the less experienced, and it's valuable for a Pastor to have the opportunity to continually study the Bible in a formal manner.
It just so very much depends how the Pastor wields this education. If it's lorded over the flock...if the perception is that the person with the Doctorate not only has all the answers, but all the right answers, it sure would contribute to my feelings of inadequacy as a "commoner". It also enables me not to have to think for myself. I just rely on the Pastor to tell me what I need to know, after all, he's the one with the education. Of course, thinking for myself isn't very fitting with this model anyhow, because I might come up with ideas that are different than the person with the Doctorate...and this will not go over very well with the other commoners. Eventually I will be voted off the island for high treason.
Then again, maybe the commoners are the problem. It terrifies people that the person who is feeding them might actually be wrong once in awhile. I think all hell would break loose if the Pastor of the church I am out-of were to step up to the pulpit one Sunday and say "You know that teaching I did last week? Well, I've been thinking about it, and I have to apologize and say that I had it all wrong. I hope you didn't try to apply those principals to your life last week. If you did, it probably got pretty messy. I'm really very sorry, I'm only human. Now please turn to Luke chapter 2." Shudder.
Ok, ok I was being sarcastic in that last little remark.
Maybe the problem is the modern evangelical model that dictates the bulk of our teaching should be on Sunday morning, and that pastors should be infallible. We are supposed to read the Bible because it's good for us, but it's the Pastor's job to tell us what it means.
For whatever reason, we have a system that upholds the notion that the average person can conceivably read the Bible, but likely not understand it. Care for a little Martin Luther, anyone?
Now, I don't even have a college degree, but I'm a reasonably intelligent person. I believe I have the wisdom not of man but of the Holy Spirit. I believe the gifts of wisdom and teaching and whatever else aren't dependent on our human intellect and understanding. In fact, I know so.
I believe the concept of not leaning on human knowledge and understanding means this: God's word is not knowable in the intellect, it's only knowable in the Spirit. Sure we can use our intelligence to memorize and study, but in order to really get "the message" we have to listen and learn with our Spirit.
Read the following thoughts with that in mind.
So, my friend asked me the other day why I thought Jesus had to come. Well, in some ways that's certainly a loaded question. And in some ways, not. I understand and believe all the typical answers...atonement, salvation, sacrifice...but could there be more to it?
These are my humble and theologically unschooled thoughts on the matter, and this isn't exhaustive of what I believe. It's a snapshot, if you will, of what's on my mind at the moment, illuminated by the Holy Spirit. I'm sure there's more to it than I understand and I'm oversimplifying, but here's what makes sense to me right now.
I think He had to come because humanity just didn't get it. We had the instruction manual, and we followed it to the letter, but we didn't get the message. We poured over the book, memorized it, dissected it, taught it, argued about it, and philosophized about it.
But in then end, we humans required a tangible lesson...a person we could touch and see and that would bleed and eventually die. A person who would cry and hunger and thirst and tire...
...because these things made the message come ALIVE. The Word finally jumped off the page and into our lives. We saw Him live it...we saw what it was supposed to look like.
...and He got out attention...certainly by His life, then by His death. He so strongly believed Who He was and what He taught that He was willing to die for it. Jesus' death must have been discouraging for the disciples, but it was a shout that people could hear!
It's like this: Jesus didn't die for the disciples benefit...of course in the big picture, the purpose of Jesus' death was for everyone...but see if you can follow me here...the disciples would have believed Jesus was the Messiah even if He had not been crucified. Obviously He had to be crucified to fulfill prophecy...but again that fulfillment of prophecy was not for the disciples benefit...they already believed. It was the Jews who didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
It's kinda a catch-22...if the Jews had recognized Jesus as the Messiah, they never would have allowed Him to be crucified...but if He hadn't been crucified, He wouldn't have been recognized as the Messiah because He wouldn't have fulfilled all of prophecy. God always knew that His Son would not be primarily recognized as the Messiah by His life on earth but by His manner of death. I wonder how many Pharisees went home that dark day and picked up the scriptures and were enlightened...and finally recognized Jesus by His death. They may have found themselves wailing "what have we done?!"...and then suddenly realized that if what all those radical Jesus freaks had said was true, Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, took the sins of that Pharisee with Him when He died. Even the sin of allowing, or being the catalyst for, His crucifixion. What would that have meant to them?
Jesus didn't die for those who already believed, He died for those who DID NOT YET believe.
SAVED BY GRACE
ReplyDeleteAbout 3 years ago I dropped into a black hole – four months of absolute terror. I wanted to end my life, but somehow [Holy Spirit], I reached out to a friend who took me to hospital. I had three visits [hospital] in four months – I actually thought I was in hell.
I imagine I was going through some sort of metamorphosis [mental, physical & spiritual]. I had been seeing a therapist [1994] on a regular basis, up until this point in time. I actually thought I would be locked away – but the hospital staff was very supportive [I had no control over my process].
I was released from hospital 16th September 2004, but my fear, pain & shame had only subsided a little. I remember this particular morning waking up [home] & my process would start up again [fear, pain, & shame]. No one could help me, not even my therapist [I was terrified]. I asked Jesus Christ to have mercy on me & forgive me my sins.
Slowly, all my fear has dissipated & I believe Jesus delivered me from my “psychological prison.” I am a practicing Catholic & the Holy Spirit is my friend & strength; every day since then has been a joy & blessing. I deserve to go to hell for the life I have led, but Jesus through His sacrifice on the cross, delivered me from my inequities. John 3: 8, John 15: 26, are verses I can relate to, organically. He’s a real person who is with me all the time. I have so much joy & peace in my life, today, after a childhood spent in orphanages.
God LOVES me so much. Fear, pain, & shame, are no longer my constant companions. I just wanted to share my experience with you [Luke 8: 16 – 17]. I was saved, I am saved, and I am being saved. Yes, but only God knows who they are.
I, MICKY, AM A GIFT TO ALL PEOPLE!!