Read 2 Peter 1:16-21
Communication is hard. Every one of us has experienced not being understood a thousand times in our life.
Right now, Darci is at this stage where she is talking up a storm. I mean, that girl can talk. But her diction is still really rough. It's hard to understand her. So sometimes she'll come into my room and just spit out a million words and I'm like "huh, I didn't understand a word you just said."
But even when we can understand the words, understanding the meaning is difficult. If you are married, raise your hand if you've ever missed the point your spouse was making.
But here is the thing: Even if it's hard to understand sometimes, and even if we miss the point - words are still the way God has given us to communicate with each other.
One of the points of this passage is that the Bible was meant to be heeded. It was meant to be acted on.
When God gave us different Bible passages, those passages had an intended point and God is going to hold us responsible for that point.
If you talk to a liberal Christian or to a committed non Christian, one of the things they are going to say about us is that we are fools because we "take the Bible literally."
I remember about 15 years ago, there was a book that was popular called "The Year of Living Biblically" where an editor from Esquire magazine tried to take the Bible literally for a year. The whole thing was a mockery and there was a lot of misunderstanding.
Robertson McQuilken said it this way:
The print and electronic media speak condescendingly, at times derisively, of "biblical literalists." It seems a foregone conclusion that the Bible cannot be taken literally. However, for one who takes the Bible seriously, a literal approach follows the basic principle that Scripture is a human communication.
The problem with skeptics isn't that we take the Bible literally. The problem is that we take it at all. If they want a Bible, they want a Bible that has no authority. They want a Bible they can move around and change.
If the Bible is to be authoritative, it must be understandable. Skeptics want a Bible that they can't understand so that it isn't authoritative.
Human communication starts with the assumption that the person who is talking to us is being literal, but we are always alert to the possibility that the language may be figurative or poetic.
Here is a question for you - what makes most jokes funny?
Most jokes are a subversion of taking something literally. Our brain hears the joke, and we start by taking it literally, then we get the second meaning.
When we hear a joke - we start by taking it literally. Then we look for another meaning. (That's why autistic people don't get jokes.)
The point is we have to start by taking things literally unless the speaker or writer gives us a reason to not take them literally.
Should we read the Bible like an allegory? No. Not unless that passage gives us a hint that its an allegory. There are allegories in scripture - but they are obvious. Should we take everything literally? No. Sometimes there are parts of scripture that are obviously not literal.
Can someone read Matthew 26:26?
[!bible] Matthew 26:26 - KJV 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
When Jesus said "this is my body" was He being literal? No. Obviously He wasn't. (Roman Catholics think He was, but obviously He was using figurative language.)
Let's all turn to a passage together. Look at Galatians 6:6-8. Who wants read that?
[!bible] Galatians 6:6-8 - KJV 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Now, let's ask some questions:
So what we are talking about today is getting to the point. Figuring out the point that God wanted to communicate.
We can understand it. God expects us to obey it. So we have to figure it out.
With that in mind, let me give you 4 principles:
God has given us His word. His word has a point. His word has one primary meaning. We have to work to figure that out.
We've already talked about this - God's word is understandable. God's word is authoritative. It is not open to your interpretation and my interpretation.
When we start talking like that, we turn the word of God into putty we can make say whatever we want. We make it meaningless.
Imagine with me that I wake up one day and I decide I want to do something different. Today, I'm going to drive like I'm in England. I'm going to drive on the left side of the road.
So I'm driving down the road, causing all kinds of mayhem. Finally, the police officer pulls me over. "Why are you driving on the left side of the road? The law says you have to drive on the right side of the road."
Imagine if I say "Well, right and left are open to interpretation." What is that going to get me? (Probably jail time.)
We don't get to come to the Bible and say "Well, that is just open to interpretation." No! God's word has A meaning, and it is understandable and it is on us to figure it out.
Remember, the Bible is God's revelation.
Who wants to read John 5:39
[!bible] John 5:39 - KJV 39. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
The Bible testifies of Jesus. It is revelation. God is intending to reveal. To make known.
Here is a quote for you:
The Bible is a book of revelation, not obfuscation. Not speculation.
The purpose of scripture is to reveal. So we need to study it to get the point.
Let's say a politician does an interview. He get's asked a bunch of questions over thirty minutes and the whole thing is recorded on video.
How many of you know that you can usually edit a few choice bits and make that politician say something completely different than what he obviously meant?
A few months ago, I remember there was a big thing going around about Mike Pence. Supposedly he said that he wasn't concerned about America. They had this ten second video clip that got passed around. But if you watched the minute before and the minute after - that obviously wasn't what he was saying. It was taken out of context.
When you are studying the Bible - you have to be careful not to take it out of context. You have to understand that phrase or that word in the light of what the scripture is saying.
Let's look at an example:
Who will read Proverbs 23:10 for me?
[!bible] Proverbs 23:10 - KJV 10. Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Now, I've heard more than one sermon from this verse about how it is bad to change things that are old. That might be a good Bible principle. I certainly think that there is too much change about.
But is that what this verse is talking about? Are we taking it out of context? Look at the second half of the verse: and enter not into the fields of the fatherless.
Look at verse 11:
[!bible] Proverbs 23:11 - KJV 11. For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
This particular verse isn't about changing old things. It's about stealing land from people who are less powerful than you.
How about another one?
[!bible] Proverbs 29:18 - KJV 18. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
How many of you have ever heard this verse talked about in terms of having a vision for your church or a vision for your life? (I know I have.)
But is that the point? What does the rest of the verse say?
We can do this throughout all the scripture if we aren't careful. We can make it mean something it doesn't mean.
One more example and I'm done.
Turn to Jeremiah 5. Jeremiah 5:5.
A few years ago, there was a sermon on the cover of the Sword of the Lord newspaper from this text.
[!bible] Jeremiah 5:5 - KJV 5. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
The point of the sermon was that we need to "get to the great men." And it talked about Jack Hyles and Lee Robberson and Tom Malone. These are the "great men" we need to get to.
But is that the point of this verse? In this passage, Jeremiah is looking for answers, and he goes to the great men and the second half of the verse says "but these have brokent he yoke and burst the bonds."
Jeremiah goes to the "great men" (the rich men) and finds out that they are lawless.
Examples taken from trustinthebible.com
Simile, a comparison using “like” or “as”, is frequently employed in the Bible to vividly illustrate similarities between disparate entities.
[!bible] Psalms 1:3 - KJV 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Metaphor, a figure of speech equating one thing with another, is a powerful tool used by biblical authors to convey deeper truths.
[!bible] John 10:7 - KJV 7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Personification, attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or abstract concepts, adds depth and relatability to biblical passages.
[!bible] Proverbs 8:1 - KJV
- Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Hyperbole, the deliberate use of exaggeration for emphasis or effect, is employed by biblical authors to underscore the gravity of certain teachings and commands.
[!bible] Matthew 5:29-30 - KJV 29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics to God or other divine beings, serves to make the divine more relatable and accessible to human understanding.
[!bible] Psalms 91:4 - KJV 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Symbolism in the Bible involves using objects, actions, or events to represent deeper meanings or truths.
Example - Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac in Gen 22. The Passover in Exodus.
Allegory is a narrative in which characters and events symbolize deeper spiritual truths or moral lessons.
Example - The parable of the sower - Matthew 13
A parable is a brief story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
(Many examples in the gospels)
Irony involves expressing the opposite of what is expected or intended, often for humorous or emphatic effect.
[!bible] [1 Kings 18:27 - KJV](https://bible-api.com/1 Kings+18:27?translation=kjv) 27. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
Examples:
[!bible] Colossians 2:21-22 - KJV 21. (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22. Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Paul is quoting false teachers.
Other examples: