How Some Interpret Scriptures

HOW TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURES

 

EXEGETICAL

THEOLOGICAL

BIBLICAL

 

The issue of interpretation is one of hermeneutics. 

 

 

Charity and I were sitting listening to Frank preach at Bigelow Church in Portsmouth Ohio, and as he was preaching, I said to Charity, I know by his preaching where he is going theological.  I know his position on doctrine of salvation, is doctrine on last events.

 

 

When you deal with issues in connection with soteriology, one must start with a sound theology of soteriology and scripture.

 

 

If you start with man you will arrive at a man made position.  If you start with God you will arrive at another position, the God position.

 

 

Many want to defend God and speak for God. But we must see or let God be God.

 

There is no compromise in the doctrine of Sovereignty.

 

In any interpretation of Scripture you start first in light of doctrine.  What does the whole of Scripture teach. 

 

On the surface of most text you are going to get a view that is not in the text.

 

As we all do we start with Scripture and we quote it and then make an scriptural argument that the verse apply to our point of view.

Martin Luther speaks of this issue with Erasmus

 

The scriptural passages cited by some to set forth their  case are the following: Genesis 4:6, 7; (Apocrapha) Ecclesiasticus 15:14-17; Isaiah 1:19-20; Isaiah 45:20, 27; Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 33:11.

 

 (click on the verse)

 

Besides these, there are also texts which he cites to argue that God's call for us to keep the law implies not only the duty to do it but also the ability to perform it. Such texts are: Genesis 2:16, 17; Exodus 20; Jeremiah 26:4.

Other texts that he used are texts which speak of a serious call by God for sinners to repent. He thinks that such a call must necessarily imply natural ability. Such texts are: Joel 2:12; Jonah 3:8; Jeremiah 26:3.

In these texts he reasons that Scripture always speaks about salvation as "a striving after better things."

In addition, he uses those texts that speak about threats and promises for sinners who reject and obey God's commands: ^{Exodus 32:9; Micah 6:3; Psalm 81:13.}

Of all these texts, ^{Ecclesiastes 15:14-17 seems to be the principal text that he used. It is with this text that he begins his defense and it is from this text that he derives his definition of free choice. One can see why he bases his argument strongly on this text, for here he has the elements necessary for his thesis. The elements are, a conditional "if"; a promise; an appeal; and the word "choose," which he claims presupposes ability.}

The several texts that he refers to from the New Testament are texts such as: ^{Matthew 23:27; John 14:15; Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25; 1 Timothy 6:12, etc.}

Looking at these texts, it seems that Erasmus makes a rash jump, for texts that have the words "if" and "reward" in them, or suggested in them, are pertinent.

Although they many  thinks that the whole of Scripture supports his view, he nevertheless admits that they are texts which seem to oppose free choice in man. Such texts he considers to be: ^{Exodus 9:12; Isaiah 63:17; Romans 9:17; 9:11-13.}

Of all these texts and others, he says that "there are two that stand out in particular."^{12 The two are Exodus 9:12 and Romans 9:17. Both of them have to do with God hardening Pharaoh's heart.}

Without at this moment examining his exegetical errors, we turn from his scriptural proofs to his theology. Since it is in this part of the book that he discusses his theology, we will present his theology also in the same context.

Firstly, he sees that Scripture makes a clear distinction between man before and after the Fall. He contends that man before the Fall is in no need of grace. He writes,

In man the will was so upright and free that, apart from new grace, he could continue in innocence.¹³

After the Fall, he sees man's will as only weakened, and not totally depraved and corrupted. He writes that the will is, after the Fall, "obscured by sin, but not altogether extinguished."

In other words, he speaks about a partial depravity after the Fall. This is clear from the language that he uses immediately following this statement. He says,

Thus, as the sin of our progenitors has passed into their descendants, so the tendency to sin has passed to all.

This, he says, is owing to the fact that after our first parents fell, God immediately acted to forgive their sins, and by his grace has restored man to a morally able condition. By this grace man is enabled to continue to do the right, yet not without the tendency to sin. He underlines the latter and says that sin is not totally rooted out owing to the vestiges of original sin in us.

On the one hand he seems to say that the image of God in man is not totally extinguished, because man is still a reasonable creature. But, as he goes on, it is clear that buried inside these reasonable and moral faculties is the ability to do some good. Although it is not a saving good, nevertheless it is a good that enables him to merit salvation. He writes,

And in these things it is probable that there was a will in some way ready for the good but useless for eternal salvation without the addition of grace by faith.

Thus, he sees not only the ability to do good in man, but also that the good he does is able to bring him a step nearer to salvation. The goodness that man does is then a stepping stone to saving faith. This is akin to the idea of a common grace that some Reformed people speak about.

Indeed Erasmus mentions common grace. More than this, to rescue him from his own dilemma, he speaks about three or even four kinds of grace. By grace he means merely a benefit freely given. As such there can be manifold ideas of grace.

 

 

Firstly, there is common grace, by which he means the common benefits God gives to all men alike.

Secondly, there is peculiar grace. This is the grace by which,

God in his mercy arouses the sinner wholly without merit to repent, yet without infusing that supreme grace which abolishes sin and makes him pleasing to God.

This grace only assists the sinner, but never saves him. It makes him displeased with himself, and leads him to do a good that makes him a candidate for the highest grace. One may call this a preparing grace, but Erasmus calls it an operative grace, or stimulating grace.

This second grace is given to all men alike. This second grace will enable one to cooperate with the third kind of grace, which he calls cooperative grace, that will make man's salvation effective. This third grace, like all the other graces, can be refused and resisted. But when man, having being enlightened and enabled by the preparatory grace, and by his awakened will cooperates with this third grace, then his salvation is completed. Thus he writes,

The first arouses, the second promotes, the third completes.

Free Will and God's Foreknowledge

 

 

Sermon Preparation

 
Preaching is an important part of pastoral ministry, but preparation can be stewarded better with the right kind of help. |

What we say in the pulpit has the ability to transform people's lives, and lead them to be like Jesus.

In 2010 LifeWay Research found that Protestant pastors devote more time to sermon preparation than anything else they do—and that's good news.

Only 7% dedicate less than 5 hours a week, which is a smaller number than the 9% who dedicate more than 25 hours per week to sermon preparation.
The preaching of God's Word matters greatly.
That's a lot of time out of a pastor's work-week. With 65% of pastors working at least 50 hours a week, that indicates to us that the average pastor is dedicating a significant amount of time in sermon preparation.

You don't have to wait until the week before to start listening to the Holy Spirit!

God is just as present in your planning and preparation months in advance as He is "in the moment," and by getting ahead you give Him time to reveal even more inspiration to you as each Sunday's topic approaches. Plus, you'll be able to engage more of your creative staff and volunteers to make each Sunday the best it can be, for God's glory!

 

God has spoken in Scripture. It is the business of all Christians to seek to understand God's Word and put it into practice. If this is the case for every believer, then it is certainly true for pastors. Their key task is to teach and apply the message of the Bible for the salvation of the lost and the building up of the people of God. Acts 20:17-41.

How To Get The Most Out of Bible Study Notes

 

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM READING THE BIBLE

1. REMOVE THE HINDRANCES 

Matthew 13:22

2.  READ IT WITH REVERENCE

I Samuel 7:3

3  PREPARE YOUR HEART

4.  READ THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE IN ORDER

5.  GET A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE

Psalms 119:73

READ WITH SERIOUSNESS

Deuteronomy 32:47, Hebrews 4:1

PERSEVERE IN REMEMBERING WHAT YOU READ

Psalms 119:52 and  Matthew 13:4, 19

Bible Study Material Charles Whisnant

All these post is about my experiences in ministry. Most of us pastors and preachers are in a small church, in a small community or even in a small part of a town or county.

I certainly realize that the John MacArthur’s the Dave Jeremiah’s, the Charles Price, and Charles Stanley, and the other big time TV preachers are doing a great work.

But with that said, it does mean that we who are in the vast majority should just do nothing.

I highly suggest   that every one would follow these men mention.  I have, and have profit from them. 

I am fully responsible for what I do and serve the Lord.  There are others that are better examples of the work of the ministry. But that does not negate the fact that each of us are responsible to do the work in which the Lord has called us.

I have no problem for any Christian to follow the for mention men and ministry. I encourage them to do so.

But with all that said these are the things that I do to do the work of the ministry and preach and study the word of God.

Know The Bible: Study Method Early Years: Charles e Whisnant

Before Seminary, while still in High School I had a desire to know the Bible.  On of my projects was to study the Book of Galatians.  Here is the original notes from that study. Back in 1963 I worked on this project. 

Hand Printed then and still love doing that today. Notes from the Galatians study

Yes this 

Yes this is my first Scofield Bible back in the day, around 1960 I believe and used it in those days at Roanoke Baptist Temple and then in Seminary up to 1969. 

I believe ever page is used, and the original notes ours still in the Bible

I never ask a student in my youth class to do what I would not do.

The Bible is not the same as any other book.

GIVEN BY INSPIRATION – THEOPNEUSTOS, ETYMOLOGY AND

 hapax legomenon       January 22, 2012        

Charles e Whisnant

What in the world does THAT title mean?  That’s three big beasts in there, isn’t it?  I’ll explain, don’t worry. 

Let’s start with II Timothy 3:16-17:

·       16 All scripture ¹¹²⁴ is (given by inspiration of God²³¹⁶ ), and is profitable⁵⁶²⁴ for doctrine¹³¹⁹, for reproof¹⁶⁵⁰, for correction,¹⁸⁸² for instruction³⁸⁰⁹ in righteousness¹³⁴³: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. l

The English words ”given by inspiration of God” all come from a single Greek word, theopneustos (see, I’ve already explained one of those things in the title, it’s the Greek word for “inspiration by God”).  Chares notes: I have put this on another Document:

There has perhaps been more written about this one Greek word than any other word in the Bible.  Anyone who tells you the proper translation of this word is a simple matter is confused, showing off, or just wrong.

The day of dictionaries Unfortunately hadn’t arrived when the Bible was written, so we don’t have a handy dictionary of Koine Greek (“common Greek”, the language of the Bible) to tell us the exact meaning of the words of the Greek New Testament.  In translating ancient languages, we have to look at the clues to find out what a word means.

No Dictionaries

Some Clues or Evidence as to Meaning

Among the “clues” as to a word’s meaning in a particular document are:

1. The way the word is used in other documents written previously or at the same time.  This can help us to understand what the word meant broadly within the language at the time.
2. The way the word is used in related documents (Scripturally, this would primarily mean other books of the Bible).  This helps even more, because a word might have different meanings in different contexts, but if we can find it in a similar context, that is likely to be a strong indicator of what it means in the context at hand.  For instance, if we want to know what a Biblical author means by a particular word, our best evidence is not how Greek philosophers used the word, but rather how other Biblical authors used it.
3. The way the word is used elsewhere in the document, or in other documents by the same author.  This is even better, because it gives us clues as to what this particular writer meant by the word.  Scripturally, this would mean, for instance, when trying to decide what John meant by a particular word, it is always a good idea to examine how John used that word elsewhere, and that may give us even better evidence than how Luke or James used the word.  If we want to determine what John meant in I John 1:1 by “Word of life,” we need to at least consider the possibility that it is similar to what he wrote in the first few verses of John 1.
4. The way the word is used in the particular context at which we are looking.
5. The words from which it is derived (called etymology — now I’ve explained another word from the title).
6. The way the word is used in later documents.  This can help us understand what the word meant later — but meanings change over time, so it is an imperfect indicator.
7. The grammatical context in which it is used.
8. Any known connotations to the word or its components.
9. Sometimes similar words in other related languages give hints as to meaning.
10. Translations of the text into another language, when available, give further evidence — not necessarily as to the intent of the author, but certainly as to how the translator understood the word.
11. The way the word is used in the particular context at which we are looking.
12. The words from which it is derived (called etymology — now I’ve explained another word from the title).
13. The way the word is used in later documents.  This can help us understand what the word meant later — but meanings change over time, so it is an imperfect indicator.
14. The grammatical context in which it is used.
15. Any known connotations to the word or its components.
16. Sometimes similar words in other related languages give hints as to meaning.
17. Translations of the text into another language, when available, give further evidence — not necessarily as to the intent of the author, but certainly as to how the translator understood the word.

hapax legomenon (one time used)

Words that only appear once are called hapax legomena (singular hapax legomenon), which means “said once” (and that explains the last of the three monsters from the title).  The meaning of these words can be more difficult to determine — we don’t have clues #2 & 3 above. 

The Greek word graphe, for instance, appears many times in the New Testament, so we have many contexts in which to examine it.  Thus, we have enough evidence to know exactly what it means — “Scripture”.  A word that only appears once gives us far fewer clues.  We have to look carefully at its single usage in Scripture, and rely more heavily on the other clues listed above.