Everyone wants to be understood properly – even God. In communication, a proper understanding can only be achieved when a clear message is properly interpreted. If the sender does not clearly convey his message, or if the receiver does not properly interpret the sender’s message, miscommunication and misunderstanding results. This happens all the time with the Bible. We often misunderstand it because we fail to interpret God’s words properly.
Interpreting the Bible is more difficult than interpreting a modern text or conversation because it reflects a different era, geography, language, worldview, culture, literary genres, and idioms. Oddly enough, the vast majority of Christians are never trained in Biblical interpretation. Given this circumstance, it’s no wonder the Bible is misinterpreted and misapplied so much.
While I have no intention of using this blog to teach a course on Biblical hermeneutics, I would like to explore one simple hermeneutical principle – the context principle – and show how failure to employ it properly has resulted in the misunderstanding of many Biblical passages.
The context principle is very simple: The meaning of any sub-text is determined by the larger context in which it appears. Words in isolation from other words have no specific meaning, but only a range of possible meanings. Meaning is determined by the relationship of words to one another. The same is true of phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Meaning flows from the larger to the smaller, not the reverse. For example, what is the meaning of “strike”? The answer depends on what is being discussed: baseball, bowling, labor unions, lighting a match, or engaging in physical altercations. Apart from a context, we don’t know. Linguistic meaning is like viewing a painting. If we restrict our view to just one millimeter of the painting, it is impossible to understand what is being painted. Only by stepping back and viewing the painting as a whole can we make sense of each brushstroke and see how each contributes to the meaning and beauty of the whole.
This principle is so simple that you may be inclined to wonder why someone would need to be trained in it for proper Biblical interpretation. You would be right. We all understand the principle and depend on it for interpreting virtually everything we hear and read. Unfortunately, this common sense principle is not commonly employed when it comes to Biblical interpretation. For the next several weeks I will provide examples of Biblical passages that are commonly misunderstood and misapplied for the simple fact that the context has been ignored and the words have been invested with new meaning by the interpreter.
Thinking to Believe 
October 20, 2016 at 11:18 am
The Bible should be considered as it is written, i.e., using intelligent design.
Any Text Without A Context is Pretext for a Prooftext (Updated)
Posted by R. SCOTT CLARK | Tuesday, November 30, 2010
https://heidelblog.net/2010/11/any-text-without-a-context-is-pretext-for-a-prooftext/
From the above article:
There are real problems with ignoring original context and original intent. First, we effectively lose the Scriptures. If the Scriptures really mean what they mean to this reader, and that reader (no matter if those readings contradict each other), then there is no text of Scripture. The reader becomes the text because the reader is determining the text. The irony here is that, in popular evangelical piety, this way of reading Scripture is rampant and yet, in those same settings one is quite likely to be warned about the dangers of “postmodernism.” Well, nothing is more “postmodern” than denying original intent and privileging (as they say) the reader over the author! When it comes to subjectivism and deconstructing texts, the French could learn from the evangelicals.
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October 20, 2016 at 2:04 pm
Regarding the bible:
Nobody is ignoring original context and original intent, the writers were just wrong and inaccurate about the real God of Mankind and Jesus proved that over and over again throughout his life.
You’re saying “The reader becomes the text because the reader is determining the text.” And so clear eyed people should, ever since Jesus came to correct the religious leaders for the tyranny they imposed on the masses and called it God’s Law?
Your mode applies to the writer of the text whose interpretation of God by the writers because the writer interpreted Deity incorrectly by using supernaturalism to hoodwink the masses through myth, magic and miracles all off which were used only as deceitful tactics. And that is where the problem lies. An incorrect premise cannot have a correct conclusion. This hoodwinking all started with the elders when they found Moses with all kinds of resources because of his adoption into Pharaoh’s Royal Court and tried by magic to entice him into their supernaturalism. It’s why the Lord said to Moses when Pharaoh asked for a miracle throw your staff down and it will turn into a snake and surely that will convince Pharaoh of the power of the true God. But when the court magicians did the same magic trick Pharaoh kicked them out of the Royal Court!
The only problem Christians have is ignoring that Jesus came and interpreted God perfectly and thereby according to the perfect interpretation of God, Jesus interpreted the bible text in relation to that interpretation of Deity and showed the entire religious community was wrong about their promotion of a false God.
Christians therefore since they can not accept Jesus interpretation of Deity without the supernatural bias and try to pivot Jesus’ interpretation according to the original writers bible text to make Jesus life an words fit the old outmoded false model about Deity and about the “God said” and “God did” which was the interpretation of the Messengers who claimed to have special insight because they went to school to study divinity at the Sons of the Prophets Academies. That never gave them prophetic insight, that only gave them the truth of academic authority instead of Truth as authority as George Massey said: They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as truth, rather than truth as authority. And so they wanted to know and demanded to know by what authority Jesus messaged the world.
When Jesus taught that the real Father God was within you he thereby debunked the supernatural obfuscation of religion up to and including that time; and, therefore endorsed the “natural” that humanity is endowed with from birth with all the attributes indwelling within us to make man behave the way man should behave toward his fellow man.
Jesus demonstrated that magnificently but it went against the grain church dogma and was hunted down like dog for debunking dogma.
And this very article is exposed as a refutation of Jesus not an endorsement of false writings of the text in the bible…not all of the text is wrong of course but attributing all of the text to God is worse than merely useless in light of Jesus’ teachings, life, parables, behaviour, love kindness, helper of mankind and not beholding to the religious leaders who looked down upon the downtrodden and the disable and the poor they deemed to be the cause of their own plight and unworthy even for healthcare, food and shelter and a love that hithertofore was unique, unequaled and unknown until the Jesus revolution awakened the world to the “God concept within you” SO PROVE IT! as opposed to the superstitious religious dogma that taught the world how to deny all of the above good to our fellow man.
And the resolution evolves still and we still haven’t found what we’re looking for.
This brings tears to my eyes….Oh God, man alive, see it here:
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October 21, 2016 at 7:50 am
FA:
Again I ask: What’s with the links? Links are as useless to knowing the invisible you, as mere “text quotes”, when you do not state your understanding, in your own words.
Merely regurgitating texts or pasting links to other regurgitators, tells nobody, anything about your philosophy, understanding, questions, rationale, logic discernment. I think this blog demands our thoughts, in our own words, so others can agree, chastize, correct, contradict, applaud or discuss.
Generally I believe people rarely go searching the links posters provide; nobody does that; well, almost nobody. But there are still those who can’t explain themselves and simply quote scripture, in or out of context, nobody can tell; that’s the uncanny futility of forwarding approval by others for something you have no idea how to communicate yourself.
When Jesus wanted to explain something he would usually start by saying: “Have you never read where it says………”; that is, he states the text and gives his interpretation that explains. You ought to follow his example. He, in you, giving a physical, visible expression of your own invisible self.
Everybody on this post, other than yourself, most often expresses their own ideas about what they believe or know, think or perceive but who can know anything about what you think when all you do is offer somebody else’s link as approval for what you can’t say? I don’t get it. You’re all over the place using surrogate links and you don’t have to lift one single neuron to do it…Huh? Even Jason expresses, in his own words the links he provides, to stimulate our thoughts into general discussions!
Perhaps you use links to shield yourself from other poster observations from agreement, chastisement, correction, contradiction, applause or discussion about what you say.
Stand tall, be firm and take chances that you may actually give light to others; alternatively, you can hone your own arguments and spread the good word: and your rivals will do the same; otherwise, how can you and I ever grow.
” ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” AND “You must lose yourself in action lest you wither in despair. Alfred Lord Tennyson.
I believe faith is stronger for being challenged. If believers don’t hear contradictory views, they have little reason to truly consider what they hold dear. Mature faith is all the better for this challenge
Take care, be of good cheer and see veiled kindness hidden there. ltg
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October 21, 2016 at 12:32 pm
As they say, context is king.
I think a lot of the differences we have in understanding the scripture comes from a lack of proper context. This is most notably found in the gospels in the “red letters” of Jesus. I have recently come to the realization that the new testament does not begin at Matthew 1:1 but rather at the death of Christ. This is a subtle and crucial piece of context that can completely revolutionize how one interprets and understands the teachings and sayings of Jesus in the gospel writings. Without the proper context and understanding that Jesus was “born under the law”, the Christian life can be a very confusing and contradicting experience when trying to study and reconcile some of Jesus’ words and the rest of the new testament writings. I will give one example to demonstrate my point.
After Jesus expounds the Lord’s prayer he says,
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Does that sound like the gospel message of forgiveness ? Is our forgiveness from God based on how well we forgive others ? Certainly not ! The verse below shows the gospel version of how and why we forgive others. It’s not to get forgiveness from God.
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
So why is Jesus saying what he is saying ?
The answer will come when you read the context and understand to whom He is speaking to.
As I said, context is king.
Naz
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October 21, 2016 at 3:24 pm
ltg,
Unless you wake up to give full credit and glory to the Creator/Designer Who is Yahshua/Jesus Himself you’ll never find what you’re looking for. You might start by acknowledging the Truth of His Scriptures; not the venom of your fantasies which concocts the myriad of your misrepresentations of His Holy Word as that which will bring shalom into your life.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
It bears repeating:
Intelligent Design: Waking Up To Creation
dwhite1up
Published on Apr 15, 2013
You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. (1 John 3:5)
– Frank
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October 23, 2016 at 11:54 am
Continuing post # 1.
Biblical Hermeneutics and the Mt. St. Helens Eruption of 1980
A Thousand Years In A Day: The Mt. St. Helens Catastrophe – Dr. G. Thomas Sharp
slaves4christ
Uploaded on Sep 8, 2011
A Thousand Years in a Day: The Mt. St. Helens Catastrophe By Dr. G. Thomas Sharp Did you know that God can and has used natural processes in a supernatural way to impact the surface of the earth with thousands of years of change in only ONE day? What do you suppose happened when “all of the fountains of the great deep opened” at the beginning of the Flood of Noah? When you look at the canyons, mountains, rock layers and fossils of the earth, how do you explain them? The Bible has sound, reasonable explanations for these marvelous observations. Did you know that in 1980 an eleven-year process was begun at Mt. St. Helens that epitomized on a small scale the action and results of the Great Genesis Flood…that it was proven that God could take a catastrophe and do the geological work of thousands, even millions, of years in ONE day? In this program, G. Dr. Sharp will be your guide through the seconds, minutes and days the eye-opening action of catastrophic earth slides, tidal-like waves, mud flows and other residual effects of the history-making Mt. St. Helens Catastrophe. You will see, with your own eyes, the ability of catastrophic action do the work of thousands of years…IN JUST ONE DAY!
About Creation Truth’s Founder
G. Thomas Sharp has achieved national and international recognition as a Christian educator, religious leader, businessman and author. He is the founder and chairman of The Creation Truth Foundation Inc., and founder of the Institute of Biblical Worldview Studies (IBWS), both in Noble, Oklahoma and co-founder & President of the Museum of Earth History in Eureka Springs, AR. Doctor Sharp serves as the Editor In Chief for the Truth In Science curriculum, a Bible based science curriculum.
Since the 1960’s, Dr. Sharp has dedicated his life to understanding and penetration key problems facing the modern Christian society. As a result of the efforts in his research, he founded Creation Truth Foundation, Inc. in 1989. He now speaks internationally at churches, schools, universities and conventions. He has been a science educator since 1964, and has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University, a masters of Science at the University of Oklahoma, and an Ph.D. from the South Florida Bible College and Seminary with an emphasis in the philosophy of religion and science. Dr. Sharp is a father of four children and grand father to ten grand children. He and his wife Diane reside in Oklahoma.
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October 25, 2016 at 1:52 pm
When a nation takes Scripture out of context:
“The Forbidden Chapter” in the Hebrew Bible – Isaiah 53
Yeshua Project
Published on Sep 25, 2015
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October 26, 2016 at 5:15 am
Michael Heiser – Taking the Bible’s Own Context Seriously
General Han Solo
Published on Oct 9, 2016
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October 26, 2016 at 5:21 am
Michael Heiser – The Bible’s Literary Context
General Han Solo
Published on Oct 25, 2016
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October 31, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Effective biblical exegesis:
Michael Heiser – The Lord’s Supper
General Han Solo
Published on Oct 9, 2016
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October 31, 2016 at 6:00 pm
FRANK A DAMICK:
I believe you should listen to Jason and stop bringing hours long bible videos from other Ministry sites into Jason’s blog site. You should should comment on those sites and stop boring everybody with other site videos that are worse than merely useless in their total irrelevance to Jason’s site which I may remind you is called Theosophical “Ruminations” for a reason: Because it is a site for people to exchange dialogue concerning the topics Jason posts to stimulate discussions among his member participants. None of your video posts are related to Theosophical Ruminations
Jason said artfully correctly:
October 22, 2016 at 1:44 pm
“Frank, please stop using the comments section of my blog to quote things at length and link to all sorts of stuff that is either not related to the topic, or barely related.”
Which leads me to Jason’s commenting policy of which I confess my mea culpas too:
Part of what makes a blog worth the effort is the dialogue it can open up between people of opposing views. So I encourage people who disagree with me to express their disagreement in the comments section. However, I have some basic expectations for commenters:
1. The comments should be related to the post.
2. The disagreement should address the specific arguments made in the post in a point and counter-point fashion.
3. All dialogue should be congenial. Let’s stick to critiquing ideas instead of each other.
4. Minimal profanity.
Any comments that do not meet these criteria will be deleted. If I have to consistently delete your comments, you will be banned from the site. I trust that you will find my request reasonable and do your due diligence to abide by these basic guidelines. It will make everyone’s experience here much more enjoyable and productive.
Thank you!
Now Frank you are like that motor vehicle Maxima….You make the Maxima Posts with the Minima of Intellectually stimulating commentaries. You don’t have to lift a single neuron to copy and paste somebody else’s words and assume you are doing a service but your hours-long videos are worse than merely useless: they are a disservice, take up more space than they deserve and you troll internet ministries repost like Donald Trump twittering retweets by by saying nothing of meaning to anybody but himself and his reptile dysfunctional followers.
We don’t need to hear commentaries from other preachers who know as little about Jesus and the bible as you. The meaning of Theosophical Ruminations is simply “to think deeply” and “to speak accordingly”( a metaphor for “chewing the fat” among humans from the ruminants “chewing the cud” in the pastures).
While the latter demonstrates the lack you excel, logic presumes the causal effect, to be a lack of the former. I scan past them as fast as my clicking fingers can scan past the sports and cartoon channels and Donald Trumps Lies & Fabrications TV Inc. channel, on my cable TV. So your air time passes by me as 1 Corinthians 15:52 characterizes”……in a twinkling of an eye…….”
Anybody?
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October 31, 2016 at 6:00 pm
And I was being congenial.
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October 31, 2016 at 7:02 pm
To Frank A and the Man from “Naz”areth who have been committed, not as you may think to the insane asylum, but to speaking as they have been LED to believe, et al:
A PROCLAMATION:
Whereas Happy the Hallow Eve heralds “All Saints Day”; and,
Whereas Leo’s Proverb 1:2 reminds us that “All there is of Good is available to S/He who his available to all there is of Good”; and
Whereas the Son of Man recognizes the vital importance for a continued consciousness of an awakened planet whose cause is now beginning to focus on Life, Peace, Environment and the preservation thereof; and
Whereas the Son of Man encourages all members of Theosophical Ruminations to take part;
Now Therefore I, LeoTG in the name of the Son of Man do hereby proclaim November 1, 2016 as “THINK DEEPLY DAY”, and urge all members to participate in the new global community consciousness and lend their support wherever and whenever possible.
———————————————30——————————————-
Oh! And Leo’s Proverb 1:1?
“When you are wrong be quick to apologize; When you are right, be quick to forgive”.
While, Leo’s Proverb 1:3, interpretively a bit more tricky translation in pseudo-spanish pig latin, speaks volumes in “THINK DEEPLY SPEAKE” with the same inner sense of message:
“Her esto pands pend aqua hou rinh armles smir thand fun letfri ends hip reign beju stand kin dand evils peak of noone.”
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November 14, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Biblical Hermeneutics from the viewpoint of the Pharisaic proto-rabbis –
Jesus and His Fences Around Torah
by Dr. Kathleen Troost-Kramer, Professor of Biblical Studies
http://sendy.israelstudycenter.com/w/UiqPhi1t5Jyi8Lanb2LbOQ/2D2PRJds91DsKA4Ab83dJA/a2NKtcThVG0K06v0LUkBRw
From the above article:
Among the Pharisaic proto-rabbis, “building fences around the Torah” was a common practice. Unlike their primary opponents, the Sadducees, the Pharisees observed a long tradition of oral interpretation of and commentary on Torah, going back to the early sages. This “oral Torah” (traditions of the elders) was passed down from teacher to student through the generations (and became the predominant expression of Judaism after the Jerusalem Temple’s destruction in 70 CE, when the religion had to be re-formulated without temple worship). An essential component of “oral Torah” was the practice of “building fences” around the commandments – formulating additional observations and practices in order to preserve the commandment itself.
The idea is that, if the “fence” behaviors are observed, one will not “get through” to the actual commandment in order to violate it. One of the most famous, and misunderstood, “fences” that Jesus constructed around the Torah is his teaching on anger and murder, found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5:21-22: “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
Many times, people read this passage and scratch their heads, thinking “How can anyone never feel anger?” But this isn’t what Jesus meant. Here, he is telling his disciples that if they entertain anger towards anyone, that anger can grow until it becomes an action. Unchecked emotions are all too often acted upon: anger allowed to fester in the heart can lead to murder.
So if one observes the “fence” and keeps a check on the emotion of anger, he or she will not end by violating the commandment against murder.
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November 15, 2016 at 8:03 am
Contradictions pt1: Evidence for the Bible pt18
Mike Winger
Published on Nov 15, 2016
Here are 6 “contradictions” in the Bible. This is a sampling of the type of thing we see when people say the Bible is “full of contradictions”. Examples are taken from Bart Ehrman, Infidels.org, Peter Jennings and others. There will be more videos on the topic of Supposed Contradictions in the coming weeks.
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