A resting place between dogma and relative truth” (V) Interpretation (Hermeneutics)

I have often been asked if I take the Bible literally. I tend to reply that it's a bit like asking if I have stopped beating my wife yet. I mean either a yes or no gets me in trouble. There are certainly things that are meant to be taken literally “Do not murder, do not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13,14). But what about “Unless you hate your mother and father, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26)! What Jesus is saying of course, is that your love for Him needs to be so very much greater than your love for your parents. So not everything is intended to be taken literally, but commands and morality are, that is unless, like the Luke reference, is it hyperbole. Hyperbole are exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally. We need to understand literary genre. We need to ask for example, if it’s poetry, or a letter, or history, or apocalyptic? Most apocalyptic passages are meant to be interpreted allegorically. It is a mistake however, to interpret everything literally or everything allegorically.


Another question I'm asked about the Bible is “Can’t you make it say anything you want?” Our culture does this in spades turning a clear “no” into a “yes!” But using the same “rules,”   you can make the dictionary, or in fact any literature, do the very same thing. Perhaps we should stop using the dictionary? What I'm saying, is that part of loving the Lord with all our mind, is working out a hermeneutic that at the very least avoids the traps we are talking about today, and were talking about the other day (hermeneutics is the science of interpretation). My aim in this post is not to say all that needs to be said, but rather to point to the need to “study to be approved unto God” in this area (2 Timothy 2:15).


I have been saying we need to figure out a set of non-negotiable essentials so that we don't major on minors. Some things are very clear, for example things pertaining to salvation and morality, and we need to stand firm on these things. Other things are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16), and there is a strong need for Christians to be able to say “I don’t know!” But perhaps the main point I want to make this morning is that just as there are there are areas in doctrine where we need to take a stand, and   others where we need to be more tentative, so it is with interpretation. It is sobering to realize that even translations are interpretations (see August 6 post for an example). In particular we can all get our interpretations wrong. Yes there are areas where we are intended to have confidence (i.e. 1 John 5:13). But we must not universally equate our interpretation of Scripture with Scripture itself. When we do this, we are in danger of imputing wrong things  to God, and to my way of thinking, is taking the Lord's Name in vain!


Father, since we are very unlikely to persuade the world by logic alone, and it's giving testimony of the hope that is within us that's commanded, we need Your help to find a firm place to stand that avoids  the extremes of rigid dogma and relative thinking. But we also need to live what we believe,   otherwise our testimony will not ring true. Continue to lead Lord us into all truth in both doctrine and in practice (John 16:13) in Jesus Name Amen