For the Protestants on board, I have a few questions which I hope will be answered in a rational-logical manner.
- How do you know when you are interpreting scripture correctly? Note that I did not ask what you may believe a particular passage to mean.
- When people differ over scriptural interpretation, and all are relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance, how is it determined which person is really being guided? And equally important, who makes the authoritative determination?
How is it determined which person is correct? And, who decides?
It seems to me that if God’s Truth for man is to be known solely from the Bible, then there must be some sort of mechanism or system whereby men can know this Truth with absolute certainty.
First, we must kill the assumption we all make about interpretation (all faiths and denomination included); the assumption that “if a majority of people believe in an interpretation (for a long time), such makes that interpretation true”. Rationally, this defense doesn’t make sense. “Time does not determine truth”, and we have multiple examples in history to prove this fact.
Second, we all know anything that comes directly from God’s mouth is truth. We believe God is the root, and like tree branches, all interpretations should have a common foundation in
something God has said, without contradicting anything else God has said (because God doesn’t change).
Third, we must understand that the scriptures were written for ordinary people, using normal, everyday language (even if the language is no longer used). They were not written for PH.Ds, Biblical Scolars, Priests, or other Officials. They were not encrypted, they don’t need “unlockin” or “decyphering”. They were written in the language of the time since it is the
ordinary person whose life God was trying to save. In other words, the average person was meant to completely understand everything he or she was reading in simplistic terms without requiring further education or a third party interpreter.
- The Torah is called “the instructions”, meaning to instruct and explain procedure & laws
- Other books (like the prophetic books) are written in diary format, and if a “diary” then “colloquial”
- Other books (like the gospels) are written in story-book format meant to be shared (spread the gospel).
- Paul’s letters are written as “letters” to another person or persons, which again means colloquial (but in this instance letters could also be rendered officially).
This means that the simplest understanding is most likely the truest, otherwise why inspire scripture at all? Why make it available if no one but “those in positions of Authority” were meant to understand them? The very existence of scripture proves that they were meant to be read and understood by anyone who would read them, and thus the message is shared [as there are far more ordinary people than extraordinary].
Finally, IFF we believe that ALL of the scriptures were inspired by God (regardless of who wrote or collected them together), then ALL of the scriptures MUST syncronize and coexist WITHOUT contradiction. This is when you’ve (possibly) heard some say “let the bible interpret itself”. But Caution! If the bible we read contradicts itself - even in simplest language - from one book to another (or from one passage to another [even in context]), we MUST have the faith and courage to assume that the written translation we possess has (somehow) been corrupted.
Now before you disagree with me - saying that God’s Word can not be corrupted (which is true) - we all agree that “The Word was made Flesh (not paperback)”. So we must separate The Bible from The Word of God. The bible is just a book which has recorded the Word of God speaking, teaching (and inspiring), and as a recorded book it has a tendancy to change from one version to the next. However, the Word of God can never be corrupted or changed. So if we find contradiction in our version of “the record & collection of inspired (and spoken) words”, we are charged to seek (as close to) the original versions (as possible) to read and understand the original interpretation…because (logically) the more “original” a copy is, the “truer” that version is.
[The internet is amazing because sites (like
http://bible.cc/”]bible.cc) give the original foreign translation (greek or hebrew) along with the meaning of each word, so one can read exactly what the original version said and meant for any passage.]
When it comes to interpretation our problem is, instead of seeking the (inspired) words of God [being ready at a moments notice to change our understanding of a truth we’ve accepted (even for much of our lifetime)], we want the words of God to conform to the truth we understand.
But Christ said, “to those who have, more will be given…and to those who have not, more will be taken away.” I believe this to mean “truth”, as truth grows and lies are cut down. Truth will always build on itself, harmoniously, simplisticly, on a solid foundation.
So if an interpretation is indeed truth:
(a) Not ONCE should anything outside of scripture [doctrines or otherwise] be necessary to support the interpretation (even if it does support it).
(b) Its foundation should be words uttered by God (himself), which doesn’t contradict anything else He has said.
(c) It should be simplistically stated.
(d) One should be able to find multiple passages (in context) that support it, not just one passage…because the bible is not just a single book, but many books spanning generations upon generations that repeat the same truths over and over (because God is the same yesterday, today and forever).
We baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost because it is what JESUS said in the Bible! It seems to me like we esteem the Holy Ghost more than you do! We recognize the Holy Ghost as He truly is: an equal member of the Godhead.