Interpretive Logic

How does one make sense of the chaos of our day? How does one approach the Word of God in a world of spiritual cynicism and sensationalism? The answer is simply a matter of perspective: We are to interpret world events (past, current, future) through God's Word, not interpret God's Word through world events.
...Oft times when interpreting the Holy Writ, difficult passages result in diminished intimacy with both the Word of God and the God of the Word, whereupon the reader falls toward the tendency to theorize, allegorize, and/or spiritualize Biblical passages that they 1) have been taught in such a way (adopting such a view), 2) find too fantastic to actually occur, or 3) simply cannot or will not understand in a literal sense (often due to the aforementioned "adoption"). Indeed, Biblical prophetic language utilizes multiple levels of meaning, thus requiring multiple levels of understanding; a reference may carry a historical, present, and future fulfillment, or any one or combination of these. Moreover, there are often metaphorical and ideological "shadows" within the (literal) fulfillment of prophecy that point to yet further fulfillment and/or "reflections" of previous prophetic fruition. Thus, prophetic language contains, often simultaneously, concrete and abstract ideals and finality.
...For instance, in Matthew 24:2 Jesus, in response to His disciples' awe of the buildings of the Temple, states that "not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." This prophecy was realized in AD 70 when Roman emperor Vespasian, assisted by his son Titus, finally suppressed the Jewish revolt that began four years earlier. The Jewish Temple was completely destroyed, not one stone left upon another. Accompanying the literal concrete fulfillment of Jesus' words rests the significance of ideological change; the Temple's destruction effectively ended the ritual offering of sacrifice, thus alluding to the fact that Christ's Sacrifice was a final and permanent Act and the "new" temple was to be the Body of believers worldwide. Further, the date of the Temple's death fell on the tenth day of the fifth month (Jewish 9th of Av), the same day that the First Temple was burned by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in BC 586, thus adding an historical reflection to the AD 70 event.
...It is essential to add that in light of Scriptural symbols, types, and shadows, a symbol is an abstract or concrete thing that conveys literal truth (ex: the American flag). Hence, what is literal must explain the figurative/metaphorical and the figurative/metaphorical should not be used to explain the literal. By faith we believe what is literal and understand what is figurative, if explained elsewhere in Scripture, but never is our interpretation to be solely based upon human reason. In other words, Scripture interprets Scripture. When the Word of God intends a reference to be allegory or spiritual, it says so. For example, Revelation 11:8 speaks of "...the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt..." The apostle John, to whom the Revelation was given, refers to Jerusalem as being comparable to Sodom and Egypt, making it clear that the meaning is not literal. Also, the comparative articles "like" or "as" and the subtle comparative phrases "having the appearance of" and "bearing the resemblance of/to" are indicators of allegorical/spiritual/mystical referencing found in both Old and New Testaments.
...Upon reading the Holy Writ we are to accept and interpret at a surface contextual level unless otherwise instructed by the passage or linked references. This does not require outside assumptions and/or presuppositions, for Scriptural context provides adequate evidence, even on the surface level of interpretation. J.B. Smith states: "If the literal sense makes good sense, seek no other sense... every other sense is usually nonsense. It is generally the case that if words do not mean what they say, no one can say what they mean." The interpretation of prophetic language and indeed all of Scripture is to be undertaken by an understanding of the literal sense (unless otherwise instructed by Scripture), for anything neglecting such a sense will lead down deviant paths, whereupon one shall be "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"
(2 Tim. 3:7).
...Turning again to the rule of Scripture interprets Scripture, it is of greatest import to note the rule of antecedent mention, as it applies particularly to prophecy and more specifically to prophetic events of the distant future. Prophecy is simply history written in advance, while history (past, current, future) is simply the totality of events. As prophets disclosed information concerning the future they assumed knowledge of previous events, or prefaced the disclosure by relative events leading to the event of focus. To illustrate: When Daniel prepares to reveal the prophetic details of Nebuchadnezzar's dream he begins with Nebuchadnezzar himself so as to better inform the Babylonian king of his place in history in light of God's Sovereignty (Dan. 2). Prophetic literature is purposed toward inspiring hope among the faithful and a turn to repentance among the wicked. The present is directly related to the past and future; for example, the Church exists because of Israel's failure, yet the Church is prophesied to fall into apostasy, followed by the "catching away" of the faithful to be with the Lord as both Israel and Gentile nations suffer the "day of God's wrath" (Rev. 6-19); after the Judgment, however, a remnant of Israel and of the Gentile nations shall be saved when Jesus Himself returns to earth, a great and ever-present hope and catalyst for change until the event reaches actuality.
...Furthermore, antecedent mention is a key to correct interpretation in that throughout Scripture one will find words and phrases previously and repetitively mentioned. In reference to this it is nigh unto impossible to gain a comprehensive grasp of the book of Revelation whilst ignorant of all previous Scripture. Indeed, there is both chronological and foundational logic concerning Revelation's placement at the end of the Biblical canon. Likewise, there is tremendous significance to Genesis being not only the book of origins, but the foundation to the entirety of Scripture, including prophecy. The language of Genesis assumes basic knowledge on the part of the reader, who is expected to responsibly utilize God-given intellect, reason, and logic. When such is abused, and attempts are made toward telling Almighty God what He really means through the prism of humanity's imperfection, we are thus judging His Word by our standards and not allowing our standards to be judged by His Word. In the course of studying the entire Bible, we should not search for discrepancies and/or contradictions because there are none, God's Word is perfect in that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
...Through Moses, the Lord God revealed to humanity the intricacies of Creation in a very plain, ordered, scientific, and logical manner; a fact easily accepted when the book of Genesis is taken literally. Yet human reason apart from reliance upon the Holy Spirit will result in intellectual, factual, and spiritual want rather than the fullness and simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). Moreover, those who complicate simple answers with arguments of bad science, bad logic, and bad philosophy after the "traditions of men" (Colossians 2:8) only complicate more thoroughly and ultimately contribute to bad theology, having "set up idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity" (Ezekiel 14:3).
...Divorced from faith in taking God's Word as His Word indeed, one who relies on only human intellect to comprehend Creation will fail in their conclusions, stumbling over fanciful theories, endless reevaluation, and divisive dogmatism in violation of Rev. 22:18-19. Likewise, those who refuse to believe what is written as it is written and have fallen to human reason and overt spiritualization have also failed to comprehend the book of Revelation. Therefore, if one strips the Creation of its literality, then one undermines the literality of the entire Word of God, whitewashing prophetic Truth in the process and thus denying oneself of any sincere and unbiased approach toward Spirit-led revelation, for no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation and never came by the will of man, but from the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).
...Intimacy with God's Word, prayer, and Spirit-led revelation are the keys to understanding Scripture and prophecy. One who studies the Word by faith and with prayer can on all levels expect greater understanding than the scholar who replaces faith with reason and prayer with pride. "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law... Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes..." (Psalm 119:18,33). "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3). The former passage accentuates humanity's desire to know; the latter expresses God's desire to show. "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).
...A final note on prophetic perspective and interpretation of prophecy: the student of prophecy, and thus of prophetic literature, is by necessity a disciple of Christ and is simultaneously a student of His Word, history, current history, numerous sciences, anthropology, etymology, and statecraft (i.e. politics). This reality demands that we study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth from the unsavory theories and divisive doctrines issued often from the lofty perches of those less learned.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOGIC!!!