The Bible was written such a long time ago, why should we believe it’s true? It has such a big impact on culture today, but how do we know it’s trustworthy? reading the Bible can be a bit difficult, a little dry, and rather confusing? Why even read the Bible?
Only the Bible has withstood 2,000 years of intense scrutiny by critics, not only surviving the attacks but prospering and having its credibility strengthened by such criticism. (Voltaire, and other leaders, predicted that the Bible would be extinct within 100 years; within 50 years Voltaire was extinct and his house was a warehouse of the Geneva Bible Society.) The Bible has molded the history of Western civilization more than any other book and the Bible has had more influence on the world than any other book.
The Scripture declares that it is our responsibility to interpret the Bible accurately. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The reason that members of our religious organizations misinterpret the Bible is that they have never studied or properly applied the rules for correctly interpreting a historical document like the Bible.
In order to approach the Word of God correctly, we must have familiarity with the basic rules of interpretation, such as that the Bible is to be interpreted normally or literally. There is no justification in the text, or anywhere else, for generally interpreting it mystically, or only symbolically or through the alleged insights of so-called “higher consciousness” or alleged new divine revelations that contradict the Bible’s earlier revelation. To interpret the Bible normally means attention must be paid to what the authors’ intended, and what the words they wrote meant to them in their linguistic and historical context. The point is to discover the writer’s intent, which is the only true meaning. This meaning is fixed by the author and not subject to alteration by anyone else or religion. It should also be noted that while a good English translation is usually reliable, it may not convey all the nuances or force of the original Greek or Hebrew.
Understanding the literary genre of a passage is also important. Thus, one would not interpret the parables of Jesus in the same manner as the historical narrative in, say, the Book of Acts. In addition, because the Bible is a compilation of progressive revelation, the Old Testament text when applicable must be interpreted in light of the greater and final revelation of the New Testament. Also one must interpret unclear passages in light of clear ones, and, because the Bible is an inerrant revelation, one must assume that problem passages have a resolution rather than being an error. Time and again history and archaeological discoveries have proven the correctness of this approach. If we respect the Bible as the Word of God, apply proper interpretive principles, and depend upon the Holy Spirit to help us interpret and apply it properly, our reverent study will bring great rewards.
So what should we do?
There are many religions in the world but do they all lead to God? Does every path lead to god? There are so many questions and what seems to be so few answers…. However, the answers are all around us! We just need to open our eyes. Please join us on our path to the truth. We will share and discuss what we have discovered, post answers to FAQ questions, provide a link to a verse by verse study of the scriptures that will open your mind, and also discuss historical finds and current bible news. There is so much to learn and know. Whether you are a believer or just curious, it does not matter. The Way (as it is referred to in the Bible) is for everyone who wants to know and follow! Anyone can be included in Yehoveh’s covenant for eternal life.
LET’S BEGIN OUR JOURNEY…….
1 Comment
Marie · June 13, 2022 at 10:02 pm
Nice article. Very interesting. I never thought about looking at the bible from a cultural perspective. Its true even Spanish to English has translation issues.