We've all done it--taken the Scripture out of context just because the words were poetic or commanding or... "pretty." But why do we insist on doing this--rooting around in the Bible for a nice pick-me-up verse or "sorry you're sad" verse or what have you... why don't we search for the original meaning instead of molding certain verses to our own interpretation... why (and this is huge) do we insist on pretending that the Scriptures were written with our Western culture in mind?
This was brought up to me last night by my wonderful husband, who is, in all honesty, much smarter than me in respect to many things--including the Scriptures. He mentioned a verse from Habakkuk chapter 1 that is CONSTANTLY taken out of context:
"Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you
would not believe, even if you were told" (Habakkuk 1:5).
That verse hits home for me because it was hung on a banner in my Summer Project house in Ocean City (OC '04--represent!). It was used as a motivational verse for our big week of evangelism. But in actuality, God is not speaking positively in this verse. In fact, he's speaking of how He is going to ruin Israel. He is going to put them to shame by other nations (in particular, God mentions the Chaldeans in verse 6). And Israel is so hard-hearted that they "wouldn't believe" that they could be overcome--"even if they were told" by God himself. They continued to believe, foolishly, that God would not give them into the hands of their enemies, despite the fact that they continued to dishonor Him.
So--why did not ::one:: person on the Campus Crusade staff tell us that we were taking the Scripture out of context? Why were we not informed that we took a verse that was meant to convey God's punishment on His people and turned it into some happy-go-lucky promise that our itching ears wanted to hear (2 Timothy 4:3)? Why weren't we rightly instructed on the book of Habakkuk, a small, rarely-read book of prophecy toward the end of the Old Testament that laments Jehovah's destruction of Israel--yet also ends with a beautiful expression of trust in that same God?
I'm not writing this note to blame anyone--Campus Crusade staff or otherwise. I am, rather, writing it as a challenge--to you and to me--to really be devoted to the Scripture. To not wait for others to teach it to us, but to be willing to study it ourselves. To work hard to know it, honor it, and be willing to be shaped by it (and not try to shape it!). Are you with me?
9 years ago
4 comments:
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Of course I've done it before, like we all have, but I strive to follow a strong hermeneutic of determining the original intent of the author as well as how the original audience would have understood it.
One of the examples I always point out to people comes from Rick Warren. Rick says:
“One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, ‘The One enthroned in heaven laughs.’ Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs! Have you ever seen the face of an orangutan? God thought that one up! That proves he has a sense of humor. Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity.”
-Rick Warren
Rick quotes Psalm 2.4 as showing God has a sense of humor, but if we read it in its context, we see that God is not showing a sense of humor. In fact, God is laughing at them in mockery, he is deriding them. It is a laugh of contempt. Quite the opposite of how Rick understanding.
I'm definitely encouraged to see others take a stand on this issue :)
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Of course I've done it before, like we all have, but I strive to follow a strong hermeneutic of determining the original intent of the author as well as how the original audience would have understood it.
One of the examples I always point out to people comes from Rick Warren. Rick says:
“One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, ‘The One enthroned in heaven laughs.’ Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs! Have you ever seen the face of an orangutan? God thought that one up! That proves he has a sense of humor. Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity.”
-Rick Warren
Rick quotes Psalm 2.4 as showing God has a sense of humor, but if we read it in its context, we see that God is not showing a sense of humor. In fact, God is laughing at them in mockery, he is deriding them. It is a laugh of contempt. Quite the opposite of how Rick understanding.
I'm definitely encouraged to see others take a stand on this issue :)
1) that should be "how Rick understands it." not "understanding."
2) not sure how that posted twice, you can delete the second one
Hey Beth. This is Erin Ashley, Andy Huffman's Wife! Fun to see your blog and see the wedding pics. Thanks for this post on faithfulness to the scriptures and their intended meaning. This is an area God is growing me in. I need his grace to rightly handle his word. Your thoughts are a good encouragement to persevere in this pursuit. Thanks!
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