Quigley Morris 08/26/09 Revelation, inspiration and hermeneutics Understanding scripture The first Chapter of this book highlights the changes that have occurred from Judaism to modern Christianity. And it is clear that the process has been very long and hard. All of these changes have not come over night by convictions and treaties. But many good men paid a dreadful price for what we enjoy today. This seems to be the nom for our generation because our forefathers who were the pioneers of what we believe today, they gave a lot of thought to their children well being. We should give more consideration to the contribution made by these men in a time when the church made most of them paid with their own lives. And just to consider the burning at the stake, throwing to the lions and all the hard and painful way the Catholic Church could have think of and made it law. And these men stood for what they believed. Death was not a deterrent but a conformation of their trust in God, and a stand against wrong. The new age, new ideas and new thinkers has attack this profound biblical teachings with thoughts of mere manly consent amount an ocean of proof that there is a living God. In spite of their success in their universities, but stepping out side from their comfort zone they are introduce to a world of nature with mountains of evidence that they have willfully close their eyes too. The cosmic Christ Let me start by quoting a sentence from the book “looking into the wonderful face of Jesus Christ does not do away with scriptures but with the misunderstanding that veils it” to me this is the theme of the first chapter of the book. It points to the reason for the book and highlight the point from which all our light is coming from. How to read God’s three book is a setup to the coming chapters of the book. It is almost logical to say the facts here are well presented and can evoke deep thoughts beyond the common prospective of an easy read. I do share the reader’s point of view; but to me the word Cosmic is not given to the reader in its simplest form as presented by the book. The scriptures describe Christ and up-hold his teachings and the evidence of his life on earth. We cannot separate the two, or use one to put the other down. So if any group of people are bordering along this lines there is no dough in my mind that they have not understand the man call Jesus.
Alain Blaise Wouabe GSEM 510 – Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics Comment 1 September 6, 2009
Comment on Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak! Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic Christ Connections, Berrien Springs, 2006.
Through this chapter, the author helps us to understand that “Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and knowledge in the sense that it stands alone as a unique revelation with the full authority of God .” He helps us to understand that Scripture also stands in harmony with other unique revelations of God (Christ and the cosmos). The philosophical approach of Dr Martin is so much appropriate for a generation like this, where so many, using their reasoning, tend to disregard the Bible, thinking it’s an old fashion book. Dr Martin’s comments on the biblical evidence for a wholistic definition of the Scriptures, really comes to meet the needs of such people and of those who may still disregard the Scriptures as God’s word. The Bible itself teaches a “progressive unveiling of the old, yet ever new, revelation of Christ ”. In others words, the Bible admits the fact that we don’t yet know everything, and as time goes on, knowledge will increase, both theological and secular as the author really mentioned it. This chapter therefore helps us to be opened to others schools of thoughts, to recognize that they can also help increase knowledge. We need to be tolerant enough with those who don’t think like us. For we can be wrong while they are right. Does it mean that we will accept all schools of thoughts? Of course no, for though the Bible opens doors for an increase of knowledge, it also provides some guidelines for the use of that knowledge. This chapter has strengthened my conviction on the belief that “Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and Knowledge ” and will surely help all those who are still disregarding the Bible to believe in it and be saved.
Alain Blaise Wouabe GSEM 510 – Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics Comment 2 September 6, 2009
Comment on Chapter 2: Faith, reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics George W. Reid, “Understanding the Scripture: An Adventist an Approach.” Biblical Research Institute, GCSDA, 2005.
According to the authors, this chapter focuses on the biblical and theological principles that relate to the place of faith, reason, spiritual powers and the Holy Spirit in the hermeneutical process. There are many people who believe faith doesn’t go hand to hand with reason. This chapter helps us to understand that it’s not right. Our reason, our faculty of reasoning has been given to us by God and as such he doesn’t ask us not to use it but like with all the others gifts He has bestowed upon human being, he defines the way we are to use it. Some Christians feel bad to see others using their reason in their efforts to understand the Scripture; our reason being a gift from God, the problem is not the gift, but the use of the gift. So we must be tolerant enough not to be against those using their reason in the interpretation and the understanding the Scripture, the clallenge is to make sure we/they do it in accordance with the whole Scripture. How? Faith helps us to rightly use our reason in interpreting and understanding the Scripture. Without faith, our reason is blind. That’s why, I do agree with the authors on the priority of faith over reason in hermeneutics. In fact, without faith, there may be thousands or millions Scriptures interpretations. Faith is what links us to the One who inspired the Scripture so as to understand it as He intended. Reason comes to help us present these teachings in various ways according to people’s background, etc. Faith is the door we opened for the Holy Spirit to come and help us understand and interpret the Scripture as God, the author wants it. Without being in touch with the author we will never be in position of interpreting and understanding the Scripture rightly, as the authors rightly said it “without the supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, there can be no proper interpretation of the truths of Scripture, no matter how hard one engages the rational powers The Spirit who inspired the Bible is needed for its proper interpretation .”
This comment is on the chapter Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit found in the book Understanding Scripture. I must say that I found this chapter to be very enlightning and fulfilling. This chapter dealt with the issue of the place of Faith in relation to the study of the scriptures: Are we to approach the scriptures with a blind Faith taking for granted that the Word of God is true simply because it says that it is or does God give us evidence? And what does role does human reasoning have to play when it comes to the all important role of interpreting the scriptures? I must admit this was an very important question for me considering that we discussed in class the issue of presuppositions and that we all have them due to our socialization, enculturation etc etc etc. I discovered that proper hermeneutics does involve a rational process that utilizes our reasoning powers. After reading that I immediately had questions about how God would deal with the person who had poor reasoning skills, I wondered if they would be left to themselves, and what are the dangers if they are to be left to themselves? Let me say I was glad that this section ended with talking about the role of the Holy Spirit. It is He the Spirit of Truth that makes proper Hermeneutics possible in addition to ensuring that we have the Faith necessary to respond to call of scripture when human reasoning fails to understand. I guess I would title this chapter for me as Faith and Reason in the HOLY SPIRIT GOD BLESS YA
Chapter 2 in “Understanding Scripture” was quite interesting. The issue of using Faith and Reason in hermeneutics has always been an interesting subject. Obviously the mere concept of believing in God is one of faith, not of necessarily knowing (in the human sense). We cannot readily see, hear, or touch God and we must through faith and belief grab hold of Him. Now concerning the issue of scripture, we can see, hear, and touch it and it testifies of itself, so in this sense we can use our human reason to justify the fact that the Bible is a tangible reality. However, believing what it says about God is a matter of absolute faith. But also there is biblical support for using reason according to 1 Peter 3:15. So reason and faith seemingly both have a role to play. What I have discovered is that faith and reason pull from the same source; evidence. For example, even science reveals to us evidence that our universe bears the mark of a divine architect with some sense of order and organization. But evidence is just that; evidence. Evidence is not proof. So our reason analyzes that something is happening or something is there…etc but it is our faith which keeps us believing despite the fact that we cannot see or understand it all. So when we are interpreting the scriptures through reason we can slightly (very slightly) see their validity. When we look at the world around us, yes we can see the effects of sin, and issues and problems human beings do not have the answer for. But that is the evidence, faith allows us to go deeper and see a God of love working towards our final redemption. That’s the easy part, but then there are instances when our reason fights our faith because it does not match up with what we have before us. When we have these contradictions of faith and reason (as the chapter states, and as I believe) we must allow faith to trump reason. If by faith we believe that we are what the Bible says we are (sinners) than we see clearly that our own reasoning cannot be fully trusted and we have to rely on the assistance of heavenly agents to transform and renew our minds. It is only through our faith that we can say: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” Otherwise we get ourselves into trouble when we rely on reason too heavily. After all faith is what truly pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).
Interpreting scripture hasn’t been an easy task . One of the problems is that we often bring our own thoughts and we approach the bible with preconceived ideas and also our culture many times influences the way for interpreting scripture . Seventh day Adventists consider themselves as a continuation of the reform . And one of the principle we inherit is our method of interpreting scripture . After the time of the apostles we see that there were some new methods of interpreting scripture . It is important to see the role that the two school of interpretation play in that change , specially the school of Alexandria , with expositors as Clement , Origen and others who use the Allegorical method to interpret scripture , I believe that even after the reformation , there are still many who approach the bible , looking for hidden meanings , secrets things that only the one who is “smart “can see , last year I went to a Bible college to train an evangelist and it was just remarkable to see that one day one of our teachers said reading the chapter 5 of Mark “ Jairus’ Daughter was a symbol of the New testament church and that the Woman with the flow of blood was the old testament church “. Just , reading the passage it is not there .but that is not our only problem since the bible conference of 1919 some leaders got this idea of “ verbal inspiration , WW Prescott among them, this” conservatives” leaders tried to defend the spirit of prophecy . so the stage was set , something that Dr. Timm missed is what happened in the 1950’s and the treatment that our doctrines received with the way they used the Spirit of Prophecy , Leroy Froom , and others” Cherri pick “ in writing QOD .In the 1980’s Desmond Ford , made used of the” apotelesmatic “ principle which is practically preterism , that led him to the conclusion that Daniel 8:14 referred to “ Anthiocos epiphanes “ instead of the papacy , Later in the 1990’s we have Alden Thomson , recommending in his books the use of the historical critical method of interpretation . I asked a retired Pastor recently , what happened if we forsake Historicism as our method to study the prophecies and he said” we cease to exist as Adventist” we need to read the bible as it is , God has raised the Adventist to restore and uplift the Bible as the word of God , May God help us to this faithfully. Fredy Reinosa
Let the Holy Scriptures speak! The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
First of all let me agree with Dr. Hanna in that I also believe that the Scriptures are a unique revelation from God and as it stands is the rule of faith and practice. But also through scripture we see and learn of new revelations from God as well and they each have their role to play. God has given us manifold evidence in the Cosmos as well as in the person and work of Christ. And all of these revelations are necessary for a wholistic view of God and the mission of Christ. As the chapter explains, each revelation has there own primacy within their respective field and yes there is a order among them that I agree with. Christ is the supreme authority and has ultimate primacy because every revelation points back to Him. Also this is a good standard by which to test any revelation, because if it does not point back to Christ than we can say assuredly that they are not of Christ. Again, Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of them all. Thought the scriptures are unique and they have epistemological primacy, outside of Christ they are meaningless concerning salvation. Jesus said in John 5:39-40, that the scriptures should only lead others to Him who alone can give life. However the Pharisees of that time had given scripture a place and a position that was Christ’s alone. We do not worship scripture because scripture cannot save us or redeem us, but Christ did and he is the living word. When we survey all of the revelations manifested to us in this world, we should be thankful that Christ has gifted us with these evidences to bolster our faith in Him.
It has become apparent through my walk with Christ that he does not desire to be hidden and yet it will take a whole lifetime to be able to understand him. This is because the deciphiring and wholistic understanding of the total composition of the infinite is beyond the grasp of our finite human comprehension and also because of the confines of human reasoning that we effectively place ourselves in. Of the two the problem does not lie with the existence of the later. In my opinion, cultural traditions does much in creating human confines of natural reasoning towards the understanding of Christ. The early christians seemed to have had a much better understanding of God than we do. This was most likely because thier own culture condemned them putting many of them to death and because of this they were at odds with thier own traditions and practices. We on the other hand limit God's workings to the way that we can see them according to our own cultural biases and even form some of our ecclesiastical institutions thereby. Christ is found within scripture but more importantly on your knees in prayer. We must continue to foster a personal relationship with our creator which will illuminate the understanding of the scripture that we read and will bring us to the realization that Christ is beyond tradition, practice, and culture for the very reason that he is beyond man. In conclusion, one thought that comes to mind is that spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
Understand Scripture: An Adventist Approach “God never ask us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our faith . . . Yet God has never removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. Those who wish to doubt will have opportunity; while those who really desire to know the truth will find plenty of evidence on which to rest their faith” (pp. 16) It amazes me how God defines love. He epitomizes what love is and how it is expressed. 1 John 4:8, 9 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (ref. John 3:16). It is only this agape love that could create human beings with free will; because with free will is the possibility of rejection. Rejection is difficult for anyone to deal with, even God. Yet God still created us. Why did he do it when he foreknew that we all would one day reject him? Why did he create us when he knew that sin would one day marr the splendor of his creation? Why did he create us when he knew that one day we would deny his very existence? I can’t explain it, but I choose to believe him. I could doubt, but I choose to believe just like he chose to create me and give his life for me.
I was deeply impacted by the section in chapter two of, Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach, where the author says that the fallen angels are present to negatively influence the interpretation of Scripture. I am very familiar of the great controversy, but I never saw it in this light. I never thought that fallen angels and the devil himself are interested and present when we approach the study of the Scriptures. We figure that since we pray and study in worship that the devil cannot enter into our sacred time with God, however, further in the section we see how the devil may influence our study. The author points out how Satan is able to influence our study by using our self-reliance as his foothold. A quote from the Spirit of Prophecy (4SP 417) affirms the above point. The reason why this point jumped out at me is because it is very easy for us as Adventists to approach the Scriptures in this way. We have been blessed with so much truth that it leads to the temptation of self-reliance and we approach the Scriptures with nothing to learn. This self-reliance can easily lead us into a Jewish experience in which we fall short of fulfilling our ordained purpose in these last days. The misinterpretation does not have to be as extreme as David Koresh or Jim Jones, but more subtle like the Jewish leaders leading up to the First Advent. The latter is just as, if not more dangerous.
The section I found most interesting in chapter one was the description of the four contemporary hermeneutical challenges that Adventist face. Honestly, the idea that our church cannot agree on the best method to interpret scripture left me a bit disturbed in my spirit about where we may be headed in the future. Questions arise like; will our Adventist church ever come to a consensus about which hermeneutical method is best? And as we near the time of the end will we see even more confusion erupt in the church?
Chapter two seems to come on time and helps to give greater light as to why there are so many interpretations of the bible. I really enjoyed the flow of the chapter as it clearly explained the relation between faith, reason and the Holy Spirit. The importance of casting off our deceitful and worldly mind and putting on the mind of Christ by the Holy Spirit was explained. The second half of this chapter focused on the cosmic conflict and how holy as well as fallen angelic powers come to our aide while trying to interpret scripture. These chapters reminded me of the importance of sincerely seeking Christ before studying the word of God for the best understanding of his will and purposes.
A summary of the first chapter of this book implies that the book of Incarnation (Christ), the book of Inspiration (Scripture) and the book of Creation are all pieces that come together in the grand puzzle to help one understand God. I was really intrigued by the implication that the Bible reveals Christ, but if the search of Christ is only confined to scripture than the magnificence of Christ can be lost. I am excited to understand further how the veil of misunderstanding and improper interpretation will be removed and things of heavenly inspiration imparted. Chapter three entitled, “Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!” begins with an interesting example of how many Christians treat the Word of God like a child instead of like the divine word of our Father. The chapter basis it’s interpretation on Daniel 12:4. The interpretation of this text indicates that the people who will be running to and fro are not only sinners but the saints of God. Also the knowledge that will increase will be sacred as well as secular. Honestly, I had never heard this interpretation of this biblical passage. This reminded me of the importance of knowing and understanding scripture within its proper context and sometimes variety of interpretations.
A recent class discussion centered about the question of whether the writings of Ellen G. White are necessary for the church. Some asserted that based on the sola Scriptura principle her writings are eliminated. One statement that she made was brought forward which says that she is the lesser light that leads to the greater light of Scripture; the conclusion being that she is unnecessary. We have asserted for a long time that new light needs to be tested by the Bible; therefore, it could be argued that the new light is not needed.
There is more to be said on the subject. In Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; and Revelation 22:18-19, we have divine instruction about how to handle divine light: we are to neither add to or take away from. This would seem to take the choice of what to do with additional light away from us by divine command.
We are warned that there will be false prophets after the time of the biblical writers (Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:11, 24, Mark 13:22; 1 John 4:1). The implication is that there will be true prophets as well, otherwise, it would make sense to warn against all prophets. In the last passage we are commanded (imperative) to “test the spirits” because there will be false prophets. In Isaiah 8:20 we are told to do the testing by the law and the testimony, the Bible.
Down through the ages we have had those that wanted to add to or take away from what God has said. We have an apocrypha to the Bible along with other writings that some considered to be of divine origin. We have had some the wanted to take away from what God has said, like the Sadducees. They were mostly priests and most of the priest were Sadducees. In Matthew 22:23-33, the Sadducees, who said that there is no resurrection, asked Jesus a question that assumed a resurrection to try to confound Jesus before the people, but Jesus silenced them by referring to what the did accept as Scripture, Exodus 3:6, and condemning them for nither knowing Scripture nor the power of God. Quite an accusation by Jesus to the official clergy of the day.
We have see that God commands us to not disregard what He has said, but to test the prophets by the Bible lest we get in trouble with Jesus like the Sadducees did because they knew neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Comments on Chapter 3 of Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach Under the “Biblical Presuppositions” heading of chapter two in the book, I had a ‘revelation’ of my own! The concept of God revealing himself through Scripture seems obvious to most Christians. We have been raised to understand that we get to know God better through reading His Word. However, we point people in the direction of the Bible even when they do not believe in it as God’s revelation to man. While I was doing evangelism in Uganda, I encountered some gentlemen of the Muslim faith that had no respect for the Bible. What I found was that they realized that the Bible does not necessarily attempt to prove itself, and they saw this as a lack of proof that it is from God. It is difficult to relate to someone that God’s Word is true when they are not willing to look at it though the eyes of faith. As I tried to find some common ground with the Muslim gentlemen, I went with the Bible’s passages on the natural world. Were these men baptized at the end of our meetings? No. But I wish I would have read this chapter before that encounter. I believe that one of the keys to understanding Scripture is recognizing that the themes in the Bible agree with our inner desire to know a creator and see our own sin.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration, and Hermeneutics, Fall 2009 Comment on Chapter II : Faith, Reason and Holy Spirit in Interpretation of Scriptures This Chapter is clear on the fact that without supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit there can be no proper interpretation of the truths of the Scripture, no matter how hard one engages to rational powers. Only through the Spirit of God can the mind be illuminated, enlightened, and prepared to find in the Scriptures the revelation of God's will as the Bible is unlike any other book. It is also clear in the chapter that the interpretation of the Scriptures is a religious experience, not simply an intellectual one. When confronted with the Scriptures we must be willing to surrender our preconceived ideas and submit to its message. Interpreting the Scriptures is also an intellectually enriching experience. The Spirit does not bypass our rationality or our reason. The Lord expects us to use our sanctified reason to study the Bible. Wisdom from God is grounded on the fear of the Lord, on a complete commitment to Him as Savior and Lord. This wisdom listens to the Scriptures and is willing to follow them wherever they take us in our search for truth. It should also be noted in this chapter that Faith transcends reason, because it is not limited to human theories, logic, reason, knowledge, and understanding. The mind of the interpreter should be transformed to the mind of Christ by the Holy Spirit who guides in the Hermeneutical process to bring biblical truths.
In chapter 1 of the book, Dr. Hanna sets out some very basic guidelines that are required to be able to read Scripture effectively to help us have a proper understanding of who Christ is, and of course to ultimately know Him and what He can do for our lives. In another class I remember the professor mentioning that he met a lady who had wrote more than 20 books about Jesus, and yet was not a Christian! That thought baffled him (and of course the rest of the class when he shared it), but it is evident that in this lady was merely on an academic pursuit of who Jesus is, and the veil she had left had blinded her to Truth of the matter. Dr. Hanna establishes the need to have this veil removed from the start.
It is important to note that we all come with our presuppositions, and Dr. Hanna provides a resolution of sorts by understanding a few concepts. They are the three Scriptures principles, three revelations of God and relations between Theology and Science. They are all separate pieces that fit into the puzzle in not just reading the Bible, but essentially in knowing the Cosmic Christ who is the Creator of the Universe. Too often we argue about a certain issue or theology, thinking that’s the main problem, but more often than not this is just a symptom. The real problem usually lies in the way we each approach Scripture, i.e. hermeneutics, and up until taking this class I have to say I myself did not pay as much attention as I should have to this when debating theology. I believe that if we can set the foundations right, the debates (and the contention and confrontation that inevitably comes with it) will be significantly reduced.
During my read this week I cam across one statement that rock my mind, since then I have pounder on it logical and spiritual foundation and have come to the conclusions that the author is right. The statement from understanding scripture states “those who turn from the plain teaching of Scripture and the convicting power of God’s holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons” one may want to ask is that true? Well my friends I do not want to surprise you but this is the gospel truth. Just think about that if Christ is not in your life then you are vulnerable to the devil. There are two powers in the world and one is always in control of our life, and there is no middle ground, remember we are solders in a battle call the Great Controversy. So if I accept Christ then I have welcome him into my life and now I am ready to dress in uniform and take up arms to fight for what I believe, and I have push the devil away. The same will happen the other way around if I refuse Christ then I have welcome the devil in my life because the two cannot exist together in our lives. Jesus said the Spirit will guide you in all truth, John 3:16 place the Holy Spirit in basic charge of the hermeneutical process. So there is nothing to fear God is willing to lead and carry us when he has too, but we have to give in to the influence of the Spirit. I have notice a lot of people in our church enjoy a system of Godliness which mean they know how to sing and be in church on time and do all the little and big things. But the main thing just slip pass them every day, they do not have a relationship with the savior. During the three days of spiritual emphasis at the chapel I heard some one said “you can pass all your subject with an A and go right pass the CROSS and that hit me hard. To get to heaven is not hard the fact is Christ have made all the hard things that had to be done. Paul said “but whenever a man turns to the Lord the veil is taken away now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Sprit of the Lord is there is liberty”. All that is needed now is to accept the Spirit and give God presentence in our lives and we will live like people who know the savior as a friend. The fact is those who turn from the plain teaching of scripture and the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to Read God’s Three Books Section/Chapter 2 of this book highlights a very important question: “If scripture is the guide, why are there so many disagreements concerning correct Christian faith, knowledge and practice?” This question has plagued me for so many years as a young Christian growing up. While introducing people to Christ, I constantly get the question, how do I know your religion is the right one? This is a fair question. There are so many denominations reading from the same Bible, yet all of them are interpreting it differently. I quite often refer those individuals and questions to the bible, suggesting to them that a thorough study of scripture in comparison to denominational teachings will resolve their conundrum. It dawned on me recently that most people, including those who are regular church attendees, hardly read the bible for themselves. A vast majority of Christians have no clue of how to effectively study the bible for personal growth and edification. Quite often Christians subscribe to reading the bible in a year campaign, in order to show that they have read the bible through and through. Or many settle for the minister’s weekly breaking of the bread. All of which seem to be fruitless. What is needed is a re-education of Christians of the proper method of bible study. The question then becomes what is the proper/correct method of bible study; for it is our presuppositions and theology that shape our method of bible study. I have a sneaky suspicion this dilemma will not be resolved in my lifetime, if ever. It would take every denomination subscribing to the same presuppositions and theology in order to defeat this problem. Nevertheless, I believe we still can be effective in solving this problem by teaching the tools to individuals interested in sound bible study. This approach will at least help people to grow spiritually, but it will also help them critically analyze what they are being thought by others.
Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach Edited by George W. Reid Chapter 2 deals with the role of faith and reason in our hermanuetical approach to the Bible. I would like to comment on this chapter from the perspective of demonic vs. angelic influences upon the exegete as they open the Word. It is not hard to assume that, as ministers of God’s word to the world, we are under attack from the forces of evil. Satan and his fallen angels are bent on our misinterpretation of the Word that will cause others to be led astray and fall away from the Lord. So what is the solution for this imminent problem? The book rightly asserts that we as the interpreter must approach the study of the Bible with a teachable and humble spirit, prayerfully considering the task at hand and inviting the Holy Spirit to be our guide (pg 20.) I submit that this act of worship will accomplish more than simply protecting us from evil influence, but it will also renew our minds to be more like Christ and allow us to have deeper understanding of the Work of God. It will motivate us to invite the Spirit to control and influence every aspect of our lives, not simply in exegesis. Once we see the power of the Spirit in exposing the truth of Scripture, we will see our need for His revelation in every part of our lives. God Bless each of you!
Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach Edited by George W. Reid Chapter 3 Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture As I am reading this chapter, I have come across the section ‘Necessary Attitudes and Presuppositions for the Interpretation of Scripture’ and I am reminded of my path to the Adventist Church. I grew up “in the church” and held to many traditional beliefs about the nature of God, the end times, and death. When I approached the Word of God to make my faith and relationship personal and not simply a family tradition, I asked the Lord to take away my preconceived opinions and beliefs about what the Bible says. The result of that study, made in harmony with the Spirit of God (for the first time in my life), was a revelation of truth that rocked my life to its foundation. The book is outlining this critical ingredient in God inspired revelation from His Word and includes the others that make our searching fruitful. Having a clear picture of God and His nature strengthened my faith in Him. My realization of who I am in contrast to His glory and Holiness causes humility that places me in dependence and submission to Him and His will. Recognition of His love and His commandments demands my obedience, immediate and unwavering. The response to an understanding of His nature and His compassion gives me understanding of His great love for me and having the mind of Christ focuses my love on those around me. Prayer becomes the line of communication with God that allows Him to speak to me continually and allows Him to reveal the truth of His word to me. This section of the book has helped me to organize and communicate my experience with the Lord through Scripture more clearly both for my own benefit and for those with whom I share it. Praise the Lord, He has made my life anew!
Chapter 2 focused on Faith, Reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics. While all three influence each other, the reading had me focused on the Holy Spirit and His role in my understanding of Scriptures. It really had me considering the many times in the past where I read the Scriptures without understanding the role of the Holy Spirit. I took it for granted that He was there solely to help me with “difficult” theology and to remind me of things I’d forgotten as per John 14:26. The author remarked, “the attempts of Satan and evil angels to redirect interpretations the Bible cannot be dismissed” made me realize how many times I may have gotten the message without giving much though to the process. I’m just so glad that He is a readily available to help me (Jer 33:3). Given my innate tendency to ‘see it/understand it before I believe it’ I know that I haven’t always made His job easy. The Bible challenges my reasoning and demands that I leave my presuppositions at the door so to speak when I enter its pages. This reading made me realize just how much I need to rely on The Holy Spirit to renew my mind and to give me a fresh perspective each and every time I read Scriptures. It is too easy to bring a casual mindset to its reading. For me, the Holy Spirit is the hinge on which my faith and reasoning hangs when it comes to my understanding of Scriptures.
In chapter 14 of Understanding scripture Dr. Paulien gives some very valid points and explanations in understanding an Seventh-day Adventist approach to biblical apocalyptic hermeneutics. He mentions that the apocalyptic books were the main sources that developed Adventistism. This is a fact that some Adventist tend to forget when doing biblical exegesis or in presenting a message from an Adventist pulpit. Our understanding of prophecy in the context of a historical hermeneutical approach is at the backbone of Adventistism. To the postmodern mind an historical viewpoint of prophecy seems hard to believe. From this prevalent doubt towards these prophetic beliefs there are those who have branched off with their own personal viewpoints. Pauline makes a very powerful statement when he says, “While we may not know truth in its fullness, it was embodied in Jesus Christ and revealed sufficiently in His Word that we can have a meaningful relationship with Him. Historical apocalyptic is a part of that revelation.” (p.247) I couldn’t agree more because it seems that too many people try to discredit aspects of the Adventist church, particularly prophecies, because they do not understand the “big picture”. This ignorance doesn’t mean that we should throw it all out. This goes back to what Dr. Hanna is teaching us about being able to think two thoughts at the same time. We see one thing wrong with our hermeneutical approach to apocalypse and we stop preaching it all together. I feel mostly because Adventist preachers are getting lost in the hype and temptation to cater to the feel good generation of postmodernism…well maybe because they want to hear a “shout”.
In regards to “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” chapter 1, I really like how you identify the life and ministry of Christ, the Bible, and nature itself as three separate books. Once we absolutely learn how to understand how to read these books, then will we become much more knowledgeable about our own beliefs and theology, but also our faith will grow. Our relationship with Jesus will thrive as well learn to understand the world around us and how to interpret the word of God as we read and study for ourselves. It’s also important to notice the lesser light, which is Ellen White. It’s effective how you set up this book to be readable to people who are Seventh-day Adventists, but also people that are not apart of our faith. I think this book paves the way for people to understand the cosmic Christ of scripture even though they may not have previously understood or even heard of how religion or faith works. This book is embedded with scripture, which only goes on to prove the point that scripture must be the number one authority, after Jesus Himself. To understand that through forming a relationship with Christ, will we be able to understand scripture eve more.
In regards to “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” Let the Holy Scriptures Speak, I think you make a good point about how too often people interpret the Bible for themselves and forget the big picture that the writers had in mind. All three books, Christ, nature, and scripture work together for one goal, and one goal alone: to proclaim the glory of God. It’s why everything was made, and when people forget this fact, they can get lost in the exegesis and in the translating, and the theology, and they can forget the most important part about these books: Jesus Christ, and forming a relationship with Him. I think Daniel 12:4, the verse used to open this chapter, perfectly describes how things are now. Knowledge rules society. The people with the most education usually make the most decisions. They have all the money, they distribute power and shift it around, when in the end, these earthly powers will cease. Nothing will last except for the Glory of God, and when earthly riches and treasures are piled up, it can be easy to be lost in them. When earthly knowledge is gained, it’s easy to pile that knowledge into the interpretation of scriptures. This is why God tells us to come to Him as children. Completely innocent, and reading His words with a sacred obedience, not allowing our preconceptions or other knowledge to block our understanding of Biblical truth.
In my walk as a Christian, I have heard many people who claim to live by ‘the Bible as my only and final authority’. Yet, most of them do not have the same practices, lifestyle, and even values, some of which seems to clearly contradict Scripture. I had struggled with this for awhile, especially in my earlier years as a young Christian, and it wasn’t until I realized that a wholistic approach needs to be used when reading Scripture in order to begin to properly grasp the great treasure stored within.
In essence, this is what Dr. Hanna highlights in chapter 3 of the book. Scripture no doubt has epistemological primacy, that is to say that our knowledge of Jesus and who He is, along with the world that He has created and how we ought to live in it is found primarily in Scripture. However, this does not preclude the epistemological function of Christ and the cosmos, as Scripture clearly state that both have their sphere of function to play in epistemology. It can be said that the three essentially work in harmony with each other, and as Dr. Hanna puts it – “Christ and the cosmos do illuminate Scripture. However, this process of illumination is normed by the divine authority of the Cosmic Christ as mediated in the revelation of Scripture.“ To totally discount any of the three would be risking an incomplete revelation if you will, thus possibly leading to a misuse of Scripture itself.
This comment is on chapter 3 in the book Understanding Scripture that dealt with the subject of Presupositions in the Interpretation of Scripture. As I understand the scripture record, Sin is about man trying to take the place of the Almigty God. I believe at times we can approach scripture in an effort to take the place of God. If Scripture is Gods Word and is to be our rule for faith and practise it must be clear that we would be willing to submit and resist any presuppositions that would put our reasoning in the place of God. This chapter addressed the issue of Pride which has been and still continues to be a stumbling block when it comes to the interpretation of God's holy word and thus it is not coincidental that pride was the very seed that Satan planted in the heart of Eve that dreadful day in the garden when he put a play on interpreting Gods word "Has not God said" followed by you can be a god (pride). I enjoyed this chapter very much but in conclusion I believe the conclusion of the matter was spelled out in the chapter this way "IF ANYONE WILL TO DO THE WILL HE WILL KNOW THAT IT COMES FROM THE FATHER
John Chapter 12 verses 31 through 33 says: "Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." In my opinion these three verses are important relative to chapter 4 of understanding scripture. The problem with Revelation and Inspiration is that there are so many that claim to have a revelation and to get inspiration only some of which are the real Mc.coy. The trouble is that in coming to the truth we usually get in sync with popular opinion. What is right concerning revelation and inspiration is of Christ and as we see from John chapter 12 verses 31 through 33 what is of Christ will not cause us to be popular as he died for our sins and what he believed in. The right Revelation and inspiration will oust the enemy in as much as it is connected to Christ who is God. Matthew 5 verse 17 says: "Think not that I come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Many who claim to be proponents of revelation and inspiration fill us with new inspiration but do not fulfill the law that is. True revelation and inspiration will agree, one cannot denounce the other. If we come to this realization concerning it, it will take us more than a long way towards understanding scripture.
Comment on Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak! Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic Christ Connections, Berrien Springs, 2006. It was a “revelation” in itself for me to discover that it is possible in Christian experience to believe in the “Sola Scriptura” principle and at the same time undermine the content of the Scripture. But now, the more I think about it the more examples of this mistake I find in my personal system of beliefs. As difficult as it might be for Christian to keep in mind the “wholistic” model of understanding God’s revelation; the truth is that the Bible itself gives this “wholistic” model to us. I took some time for me to wrestle in my mind with the statement that “divine authority cannot be reduced to Scripture without contradicting Scripture”. Honestly, I always believed that the Bible IS a “textbook containing all the knowledge”. Now I begin to understand that Scripture is truly a “rule” by which all other extra-biblical revelations are measured. Reading the part of the chapter entitled “Daniel: Is There any New Light in the Old Lamp”, I felt a need in a more detailed explanation of the passage (Daniel 12:4) as a foundation for further development of the argument. I agree with the author “in spirit” that Daniel 12:4 “illuminates the wholistic model for theological method” but a broader explanation of the point drawn from Dan 12:4 would be very appreciated.
Kenita Spencer Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics Comment 1 September 27, 2009
Chapter Two, in Understanding Scripture, was a refreshing read. As students of the Bible we must take a humble approach to studying scripture. True understanding of the Word warrants that we use faith and reason as tools. Faith takes priority over reason in hermeneutics. It has the finally authority even over sanctified reason. There are two directions in which hermeneutics leads: transformation or degeneration of the soul. We must submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit in all that we do. In interpreting scripture, there is no exception. If we forget that the Holy Spirit is the master teacher and forfeit his divine guidance, we will not uncover the truth of scripture. There are some guiding questions that the student and interpreter of the Word must ask himself or herself before, during and after the hermeneutical process: 1. With what attitude(s) am I approaching scripture? 2. Am I willing to prioritize faith over reason? 3. Am I willing to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit? 4. For what purpose am I attempting to interpret scripture? 5. Whose influence am I under? 6. Am I willing to share the interpretation with my community of believers? 7. Am I willing to make adjustments where possible after getting feedback from my community of faith?
Kenita Spencer Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics September 27, 2009 Comment on Assignment 1
Robert, I’m with you. If not for the Holy Spirit where would we be? It is tremendously comforting that if we are led by Him, we will do proper hermeneutics.
GSEM510-2 Understanding Scripture Chapter XII I have to admit that after reading this chapter I realized that biblical exegesis is a lot more difficult than I thought. Difficult in terms of its complexity. I am also pleased to have read that sitting down to interpret GOD's Word is a matter to be taken very seriously and that it can not be done without prayer. Guidance from the HOLY SPIRIT should always be of utmost importance in reading and understanding the Word of GOD. In this chapter Ekkehardt Müller, D.Min. Th.D., provides the definition of the Historical-Biblical Method for interpreting the Bible and also a list of 10 basic exegetical steps for doing so. After providing the list he goes on to elaborate on nine of the ten steps. I appreciated the fact that he not only gave a definition for the step and its exegetical function, but he also brought out the biblical significance of why the step is important. The steps that caught my attention were Reading the Text and Applying the Text. Something that Dr. Müller stated in reference to the benefits of Bible memorization that opened my eyes to the ways that GOD works in revealing HIS truth to us was, “repetition causes the paragraph to come alive to the reader, opening new understanding.” This was neat because in just taking the time to read the Word of GOD over and over, GOD can talk to me. That is amazing. The application of the text was another interesting step because it gave the work of exegesis meaning. Hermeneutics is not just doing scholarly work on a passage so that I can sound intelligent, it is about searching for what GOD wants to tell me and what God wants to tell those HE has entrusted me to teach.
GSEM510-2 The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 2 In this chapter Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., seeks to help the student of the Bible to understand that not all methods of Bible study are appropriate. He more enigmatically addresses this by stating that, “Some methods of Bible study can be deadly.” I think this is a very important point, because we study the Bible in an effort to draw closer to GOD, get to know HIM better, and ultimately enjoy the blessing of eternal life with HIM. If in reading the Bible we get a completely wrong picture of JESUS due to a faulty method of Bible study then we won't want to be close to GOD and that will lead us to loose our salvation by our rejection of it. This is why Dr. Hanna reiterates that, “yielding to the Biblical authority needs to go hand in hand with using the proper methods for reading God's books.” The rest of the chapter is an overview of the theme of the book and chapters three and four. The theme of the book being the relationship that we find between the Bible and CHRIST and the Bible and the cosmos. In other words to get a complete picture of who JESUS CHRIST is we need to look at HIS personal revelation, as well as that of the Bible and the Cosmos. I appreciate the openness of Dr. Hanna in stipulating from the beginning his view of the Bible, “the authority or 'rule' for Christian faith and practice.” Seeing this openness so early in the book helps me to see him as someone transparent and sincere in his effort to help the reader to have a better understanding of who JESUS is.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#1 September 27, 2009 From: The Cosmic Christ
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
The authoritative nature of scripture is a subject that is so vast and deep that many are still polarized by it and the revelation of God gets lost along the way, amidst scholarly theological debates or minimized to varying forms of secularism, such that God remains shrouded in mystery in so many ways. Yet in the third chapter of the book, The Cosmic Christ of Scripture the author presents a well organized and carefully defended body of work to substantiate his call for a possible need of what he is defines as a “wholistic definition of the Scripture Principles used to recognize the authority of God in scripture and other methods by which God uses to reveal himself”. The first position raised in the chapter, speaks to that which the author describes as inclusive and exclusive ways in which scripture is used to “compromise the divine authority” of scripture as “the rule of faith and practice”. A plethora of scriptural references from Daniel and many other Bible texts are introduced to support the author’s assertion for the need to possibly expand and incorporate other relevant methods into the definition of the Scripture Principles (tota, sola, prima scriptura) as discussed earlier in chapter one. Building upon these principles, along with the utilization of specific scriptural references about the nature of Christ, Christ’s creation (the cosmos/universe), and the doctrine of Scripture - three perspectives, divisible yet unified in nature, is explained providing guidance and relevance to the authority of scripture. In practice, therefore, God can be revealed and understood more and more through careful systematic search of the scriptures, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as proclaimed in scripture and the things in nature that supports this revelation, without being polarized on the issue of its authority.
Reflection on Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture by Frank M. Hasel
by John R. Treat
Frank M. Hasel made some good point in his article in the book Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach. First, he writes that interpretation is dependent on minds that come with pre-understandings that conflict with the Bible, but if we do not come to the Bible trying to prove our point, but if we do come to the study of the Bible wanting to know what God thinks, we can put ourselves on a path where we will come into greater and greater harmony with God. He also brings in John 7:17, which states that coming to a right knowledge of the Bible is dependent on our willingness to do the will of the Lord. If we come to Scripture trying to prove our theology or with a self-sufficient attitude, God will leave us on our own, which is likely to end with the wrong conclusion. On the other hand, if we study Scripture with humility before God willing have God work in us to will and to do (Phil 2:13), the Holy Spirit will illuminate us and we will rightly understand Scripture.
Second, he explained the sola Scriptura principle. Hasel asserts that sola Scriptura implies that Scripture should interprete Sculpture. He also states that there should be a unity of Scripture if Scripture has a divine origin as it states. Luther used this Sola Scriptura principle against his Catholic opponents, but he used it in a special way that raised his understanding of certain passages of Scriptura over others. Luther is famous for denigrating the book of James because it did not agree with his concept of justification by faith alone and of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This resulted in a canon within a canon. This implies a disunity of Scripture (like the historical scholars say) or the need of other authorities besides Scripture, (like the Catholics say).
Third, Hasel presents a Christological principle that is different from many who claim that they are Christocentric. Friedrich Schleiermacher and others have claimed to be Christocentric, but brought in wrong doctrine because they used the Christocentric principle to ignore whatever disagreed with their ideas. Hasel is not willing to let a Christocentric principle set aside part of Scripture, but states that we should let the light Calvary illuminate all Scripture.
Fourth, Hasel agrees that Christ is above Scripture, but brings us back to the reality that it is Scripture that tells us of Christ. Connected with this he denies that taking Scripture seriously constitutes bibliolatry, because Scripture informs us about Christ.
Chapter III: Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach PRESUPPOSTIONS IN THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE Though the notion of presupposition plays an important part in biblical interpretation as the chapter suggests, the principle of Sola Scriptura brings a unique authority of the Scripture. A fundamental principle set forth by Scripture con¬cerning itself is that the Bible alone is the final norm of truth, the primary and absolute source of authority, the ultimate court of appeal, in all areas of doctrine, practice and faith. Humankind’s mental and emotional faculties have also become depraved since the Fall; but even before the Fall, neither human reason nor experience could safely be trusted apart from or superior to God’s Word. The principle of sola Scriptura implies the further corollary of the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible stands alone as the unerring guide to truth; it is sufficient to make one wise unto salvation as Timothy puts it. Scrip¬ture thus provides the framework, the divine perspec¬tive, the foundational principles, for every branch of knowledge and experience. All additional knowledge and experience, or revelation, must build upon and re¬main faithful to, the all-sufficient foundation of Scrip¬ture. Also its clear in the chapter that Scripture interprets Scripture. Martin Luther said “Scripture is its own light” as there is unity between different passages in the Bible. Its also clear that there is clarity in Scripture which is very true. Its possible for Bible readers to read the Scriptures and understand it by themselves.The implication is that the meaning of Scripture is clear and straight-forward, able to be grasped by the diligent student
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#2 September 28, 2009 From: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach (Chapter 5)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
It is sad to know that within the Adventist Church the issue of whether or not Scripture continues to be the authority, by which our day-to-day activities are tempered, is alarming! As a Seventh-day Adventist, the question for me is not how can Scripture remain the authority or continue to be viable, but rather why is it that in this postmodern society, Seventh-day Adventist’s are dismissing or disregarding Scripture from being the authority regarding the practice of their faith? What then becomes the guide? In this chapter, a number of biblically based evidence is introduced by the author to support the authority of Scripture, the nature of God, the revelation of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in this process. As rightly stated by the author in chapter five of the book Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach, “the writings of Moses and of the Prophets as Holy Scriptures” have been accepted by Jews for over three thousand years…to them were committed the oracles of God…the Scriptures are the oracles of God”. As such, “Christians have accepted the Gospels and other books of the NT as deserving the same sacred designation”. Further, the early Reformers of the Christian faith such as John Wycliffe and Martin Luther, “appealed to the scriptures as the only standard of faith and doctrine” over any non-canonical writings or assertions made by the Church. So if the Jews accepted Scripture as authoritative as did the early Reformers and other Christians since the beginning of God’s Church, then what is happening within the Seventh-day Adventist Church today?
While reading chapter VI I of Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach was able to understand more about the process of inspiration. Firstly, the formation of both the OT and NT canon display how God was able to use imperfect humans to transmit His word. We can clearly see through this process how mistakes could be made, but that those mistakes would not invalidate the Scriptures. Scholars point to the completion of the OT Scriptures by the end of the 5th century. God was able to use the Jews during a time when the nation had fallen away in apostasy to close the OT, with the correct books included. When we take into account that there are no levels to inspiration and therefore the process of canonization is just as inspired as the writings themselves we better understand how God uses humanity to communicate His will. What was also interesting was how the Bible writers (mostly) in the NT made reference to apocryphal or secular works in order to make a point. Their use of these extra-biblical works gives us a clearer understanding of inspiration. Lastly, we must be careful not to allow our presuppositions to interfere with the process of inspiration. It seems so obvious as to why the apocryphal books should/were not to be included in the canon. However, when traditions supersede the Bible anything can happen. We must always be careful of this danger, especially since it has happened twice already; the Jews did it leading up to the first advent and the Catholic Church did it during the Dark Ages. These occurrences make me wonder if the devil has been successful in blinding us again. Has the fact that we have the OT, NT and the Reformation made us invincible to the devil’s ability to blind us with traditions?
Blog #1 Chapter 4 from The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
I think that it was very wise for Dr. Hanna to discuss whether or not Ellen White’s writings not only accurate but if they point to and support Scripture. Ellen White is widely read, not only among Seventh-day Adventists, but people all over the world from other cultures and religions. Some people read her writings as a support to the Scriptures, but others read her writings and view them as the ultimate truth, even higher than the Bible. However, Dr. Hanna speaks about her writings and shows how they truly are a support to the Scriptures and shows that Ellen White’s writings are the lesser light and the Bible is the greater light. I also appreciated that Dr. Hanna encourages us to “go to and fro” through the Bible and through other writings that support the Bible in order to have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and inspiration. In his book on page 57, Dr. Hanna says, “Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus says the Lord’ in its support. I appreciate that Dr. Hanna specifically teaches in his book that we must always go back to Scripture for everything.
Cosmic Christ of scripture in its first part talks about how scripture teaches about Christ. According to scripture Christ is not a philosophical principle or energy diffused throughout the world. Christ is instead the creator of the universe. Many people find it hard to understand scripture because of their rejection of Christ. They reject Christ because their minds are blocked. It takes only Christ to open their minds for them to understand. To the writer many bible students have a problem of focusing on Christ who is the living word, for the fear of forsaking the authority of the writing word. Christ and scripture goes hand in hand. For scripture does not forsake Christ in the world, neither does Christ forsake scripture. Scripture reveals Christ to us while Christ points us back to scripture. Both are God’s revelations to the world. This idea was discussed under the following headings: three scriptural principles; three revelations of God and relations between theology and science. Latin words, sola scriptura- all scripture, tota scriptura-scripture alone and prima scriptura- scripture first are the technical terms which serves as a guide for reading God’s revelation through scripture. God’s three revelations as revealed in this book are scripture, Christ and cosmos. All these revelations of God have it own primacy. In these we have ontological primacy of Christ, contextual primacy of the cosmos and the epistemological primacy of scripture. The relations between theology and science focus on how to fit these lines of revelations into the study of theology and science. From the reading we can conclude that bible reveals to us who Christ is, and Christ is one of the medium through which God reveals Himself to us. Scripture itself is another form of God revelation to His creatures. Cosmos also by its beautiful design reveals to us the intelligent creator God. For theology and science to relate they need to acknowledge this fact of revelations.
Geographical, cultural and religious factors within Judaism have a credit for the development of three major distinctive approaches to the interpreting scripture. Rabbinic Judaism approach was promoting obedience to Mosaic Law and Hebrew scripture in order to protect Jewish tradition and identity from being diluted. Hellenistic Judaism adopted allegorical interpretations of scripture thought by Philo to accommodate its beliefs to the platonic expression of Greek philosophy. The ascetic Qumran community based their interpretation on eschatology, trying to show contemporary events relating to their own community fulfilled OT prophecies. Christianity came from rabbinical Judaism context and expanded through the realm of Hellenistic Judaism before its challenges posed by paganism during the Roman Empire. Christ and the apostles emphasized on the exclusive authority of scripture over all other sources of religious knowledge. They did not followed hermeneutics of Judaism. Post- Apostolic Christianity lost its original hermeneutics by accepting the hermeneutics of Greco- Roman culture. During the middle ages, Biblical interpretation was dominated by Origen’s allegorical method of interpreting scripture; this method of interpretation helped the medieval church to claim biblical support for many of its non-biblical teachings. Some bible interpreters rejected the allegorical approach to scripture. During this same period Antioch Christian catechetical school also came up with historical-grammatical method of interpretation. During the time of the reformation, interpretation of scripture was focus on sola scriptura and tota scriptura- allowing the bible to speak of itself as a source of authority. Method of interpreting scripture from the days of Judaism to our modern time has gone through different principles of interpretations. Even today theologians and many denominations continue to argue on which principle is the best method to interpret scripture. They all hold on to one principle or the other. The development of the Seventh - day Adventist church method of interpreting scripture could be traced its genesis from the Millerite framework. Seventh-day Adventist continues to hold on to sola scriptura and tota scriptura as a means of interpreting scripture.
I appreciate what our reading in "Understanding Scripture" says about biblical presuppositions. It suggests that our interpretation of scripture and the resulting theology is directly affected by our presuppositions and that it is impossible to separate them. As a result, interpretations that are absent of neutrality/objectivity cannot be achieved. After contemplating the consequence of this truth I can think a little more clearly about why such variety exists when it comes to drawing theology from scripture. In fact it doesn’t take too much conversation to realize that most people you talk with about theology (excluding seminarians and their professors, of course) proffer improvised moral nuggets that are actually undeveloped presuppositions or inherited ethical framework. I really should include myself because more often than not, when asked about my own theological stance on issues, I can sooner refer people to writers and thinkers whom write books that agree with me instead of exact scripture that I agree with. Beyond that when I refer people to thinkers I am probably directing them to people who’s presuppositions I mirror. How many times have theological debates been transformed into fiery arguments by people who receive more satisfaction from demonstrating the superiority of their presuppositions rather than a presentation of carefully investigated and applied text?
Donald Henderson - The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, Chapter 1 In the first chapter of the book The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, Dr. Martin Hanna proposes that God has revealed himself to mankind in three forms, and we should seek to use all three forms in developing our faith. They include Jesus, scripture (the Bible) and creation (nature). He describes God’s revelation through Jesus as the process where Jesus came to earth, took on the form of a man and showed us God’s character through the life He lived. We are also told that scripture and all of creation are God’s revelations that help us to understand Christ. Hanna points out that although Jesus is the ultimate authority among the three, scripture takes primacy for us, in that it serves as the guide for how to understand Christ, creation and scripture. I can agree with Dr. Hanna, that today, scripture takes precedence over Christ and creation as it relates to understanding God. John 5:39 says, “search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Christ is our ultimate reference for who God is, but he is no longer here on earth with us. God has provided us with scripture, which explains who Christ was and also explains how we can see Christ in His creations. The ultimate goal of scripture and creation is to lead us to Christ who leads us to God.
Comment on "Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture" by Frank Hasel in Understanding Scripture.
In this chapter, Frank Hasel lays the foundation for a proper Adventist hermeneutic by describing the presuppositions that must underlie such a hermeneutic. In section 2, "Biblical Presuppositions," he outlines various things which affect the interpreter, such as pride, self-deception, doubt, and others. Unfortunately, perhaps due to space constrictions, it is not clear how these presuppositions interact with each other.
For example, in one section Hasel describes how pride can interfere with the interpretation of Scripture, "The proud person is characterized by an arrogant mind-set that elevates oneself over God and His Word and thus loses any balance that might grow out of a recognition of one's true position in relation to God and to His Word." In another section, he points out that doubt will also interfere with interpretation, "God, however, does not call for an attitude of "criticism" and "doubt" to gain an understaning of His Word but requires faith."
Where do these two things intersect? Should the interpreter eliminate all doubt? Wouldn't that be the same as pride? I think I agree with Hasel, but his discussion of these issues leaves ample room for misunderstanding. In my opinion, he would have been better off using the term "skepticism" instead of "doubt."
Comment on "Historical Background of Adventist Biblical interpretation" by Alberto R. Timm
It is interesting to note that the original Christian Church, the apostolic church, was founded on the hermeneutical platform of the Bible as its own interpreter. This is interesting because as you look at the history of the Christian church from that point further their hermeneutics became corrupted and incorrect. It's even more interesting to see the relation between the history of the Christian church and the history of Judaism. They too once started out correctly divided the Word of God and for various reasons developed improper and incorrect hermeneutics of the old testament. If you look at the history of the church from perspective of hermeneutics the actions of the church actually seem logical. If ones ideals and beliefs are founded on incorrect interpretation then ones actions will be incorrect and improper. It is a blessing when one considers the history of the Adventist church in terms of hermeneutics. Our original founders had an incorrect interpretation of Daniel. Comparing this situation to other religious sects, it is but the grace and mercy of God that our founders sought a more balanced and correct approach in dealing the with 2300 day prophecy. This pattern of reexamination of interpretation continued for perhaps the first 100 years of our church. However, this desire to continue to review and examine our seventh-day Adventist beliefs has ceased to exist and what we believe seems to be taken as pure gold, without the refinement.
Expand your thinking. Stretch your mind. These are the concepts that we hear preached in class. I have been thinking about these concepts paired with concepts in The Cosmic Christ of Scripture. Regardless of the position that one happens to hold on a theological topic, the one truth is that everyone holds a preexisting opinion. As Seventh-day Adventists, we seek to get people to open their minds to topics that they may have held a firm position on for many years. Many of our unique doctrines are completely foreign to other Christian denominations. As I have read through the chapters in the book regarding the ministry of Ellen White, I thought about how easy it is for me, having been exposed to her writings for my entire life, to accept them. However, for someone who is not familiar with her ministry, it is quite difficult to get past the ‘strangeness’ of taking one’s writings as inspired who is not in the Bible. One thing that will help us, as ministers, reach those who may struggle with this is to wrestle with the concepts ourselves. It is easy for us to overlook the challenges within our own doctrinal system, but if we can take a step back and look at the process from a different perspective, we will be better equipped to teach these messages to others. Michael Paradise
September 30, 2009 “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books”, Chapter 3
This chapter was a powerful reminder of how, no matter how well intentioned, we undermine the Scriptures especially when it is not in keeping with our desires. There are times when we may even take a text out of context to promote an idea that my not be in keeping with the overall theme of the Bible, but we persist as it helps to support our position. The Bible even promotes that we need to search the scriptures. We cannot only use one text. Interestingly enough as well, the Bible teaches of a progressive unveiling of the old yet it still provides new revelations of Jesus Christ, Scripture and the cosmos. To me this means that there are some ideas that may not be clear to me now, but may become clear with time. This is how Scripture remains contemporary, fresh and new to its readers. As said by Dr. Hanna, “The unique primacy of Scripture may be expressed by identifying Scripture as a special divine revelation”. Another thing the reading touched on is how we can be selective in how we interpret Scriptures. Some use the Scriptures to undermine prophetic writings of EG White because they feel since she was not included in the canon she is not a true prophet. All the while ignoring 2 Pet 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”. So after reading that, they still refuse to accept the fact that the Holy Spirit was the Source. Dr Hanna aptly stated, “Divine authority cannot be reduced to Scripture without contradicting Scripture”. We think that sola scriptura means that the Scripture is the only inspired Word of God, but even the Scripture does not support that. Since the Scripture has epistemological primacy everything else has to stand in harmony with it. So if a writer is not in harmony with the Scriptures, then he/she is not inspired. And conversely since the Scripture is the inspired word of God it has to stand in harmony with other inspired revelations of God.
Comment on chapter 4, “Are Ellen White’s Writings Biblical?” in The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna.
In chapter 4, Martin Hanna compares his holistic model of revelation to Ellen White's understanding of the way that God communicates. He finds that Ellen White encourages an approach to God that in addition to Scripture, also recognizes his channels of communication in the person of Jesus Christ, in nature, and in experience.
I especially resonated with her statement, quoted on p. 56, where she says, "God desires His workers to gain daily a better understanding of how to reason logically from cause to effect, arriving at wise, safe conclusions." As a result of my own experience (and due, no doubt, to my personality), I am passionate about presenting the best possible arguments for my faith. I want to learn to think more clearly, to reason more logically, and then to present the truth in the clearest way possible. Too often I’ve seen the truth presented poorly and with poor reasoning, which led others to reject truth because it did not make sense to them. Let us make every effort to improve our minds and sharpen the tools we’re gaining here at the Seminary to understand scripture and present it in the best way possible.
This response is in light to the history provided in Chapter 1 of the Understanding Scripture. Although it is difficult to summarize two thousand years of hermeneutics, the author was able to offer a feel for the challenges facing the church in deciding the appropriate way of interpreting Scripture. This chapter caused me to think about culture/tradition and how the Seventh-day Adventist church addresses hermeneutics in the 21st century. There is a great point that culture cannot undermine Scripture, but we cannot deny the power and positive influence that a culture can have in interpreting Scripture. Indeed, the knowledge we have in science, medicine, engineering, and even theology far surpasses that held in the first century. Through the course of time, cultures have wrestled, discovered, and improved many fields that we benefit from today. Perhaps there is something to learn, and implement, from the different methods of interpreting Scripture. My concern is that the Seventh-day Adventist church fails to gain further knowledge of Scripture and, more specifically, interpretation of Scripture by trying to preserve its own traditional beliefs. By no means am I implying that we have based our beliefs on non-Biblical support, but we continue to have different views on what is the best hermeneutical method for the Bible. My wish is that we look into other methods of Scripture rather than dismissing them, without personal investigation, simply because the majority of church has so in the past.
Understanding Scripture: Chapter 1: “Historical Background of Adventist Biblical Interpretation.” This was a very insightful read and I learned a lot about our Hermeneutical approach as Adventists. It's amazing how History seems to repeat itself over and over again; the literal approach, to an overly culturally dogmatic approach, to an allegorical method, to a philosophical and scientific approach, and now we are still arguing over what the Bible really is. Yet I have met many people who leave the church because the church doesn't believe as they do. This causes a real problem for those who believe that all Adventists will be saved based on having Truth. In other words, if you're an Adventist and you leave the church, you will be damned to Hell. I remember in one of our lectures in class, a student asked Hanna "What do we do with Evangelism if we are to accept other points of view?" I really like Hanna's answer because it depicts the actions of Christ to do as such. If we join the Adventist church we are not to just sit back and think our salvation is secured by our 'membership cards.' We need to be a part of the mission for the church to a world lost in its own objectives. Hermeneutics has a lot to do with this. In the course of History, many have come and gone but the church remains; yet it still grows, fragments, and then comes back together newer and stronger than before. I guess the question is do we now turn to archaeology as our new method because science is the new rage? How far do we take this new found tool for the Bible’s reliability if at all?
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: Part II of Chapter 3- “Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!”
I think a huge problem in our world today is that we accept many things as they come without testing them from the Scriptures. After reading portions of this section, it was nice to find a sort of paradigm from which to look at a Wholistic picture of Scripture in comparison to Christ and the Cosmos. Nevertheless, I fear a sort of problem that comes with this. It seems that we cannot ignore all the knowledge of the world because some of it is quite useful. I don’t think people will disagree with me on this point. Yet I see problems when it comes to the grey areas; evolution, post-modernism, open-philosophy (accept all philosophy over Biblical principle), and the list goes on. In addition, the fact that we have a World Church further begs the question of who has the right to say what we believe or not as a Church. I fear that because some are more educated than others that there will eventually be split in our church based on what others believe is true based on science and others based on Scripture. This idea of the ‘Wheel’ paradigm illustrated by Hanna gives a better paradigm from which to talk about the world around us. Yet, others may have a different paradigm that conflicts and does the exact opposite as the one presented to us. So the question is, “How do we find a way to keep our church together? Or should we alter the question and say, “The church must believe as we (we being any party in the church) find it in the Scriptures.” Or should we ignore the question all together and let our church go?
Chapter 7: Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture I enjoyed the guidelines and structure put forth by chapter seven in Understanding Scripture by Ekkehardt Muller. In class, Dr. Hanna stressed the fact that we need to be aware of the presuppositions that we bring to scripture before we interpret it. As long as we recognize those presuppositions and are open to them being changed by scriptural evidence, then we are on the right path to correct hermeneutics. Specifically when dealing with the application of a text, the eighth step in Muller’s article, the author suggests that we ask three questions. What difference does it make? What does it mean? Is it true? I will discuss the second question alone in this posting. Many times readers of the Bible take what the text says and bring their own interpretation. They use this interpretation as a rule of faith for themselves and try to persuade others to do the same. We must guard against taking what the Bible says and putting in our own ideas around it and presenting them as Biblical truth. One tool that helps readers correctly deal with the Bible is using its context. As the colloquial saying goes “a text without context is pretext”. The words of Christ in Matthew 5:30 can be easily misconstrued to think that we are to literally cut off any part of our body that causes us to sin. However, when taken in context, Jesus may be telling his listeners to make sure they carefully guard their actions so they will not sin.
Chapter II: Faith, Reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics
The role of faith and reason is a valid question that needs to be addressed. John Baldwin does a commendable job of using biblical scriptures to state his point. He posits that despite our sinful natures, with faith in God and a mind transformed by the Holy Spirit, we can correctly interpret what God has to say. The first question I had in mind when dealing with the relationship between faith and reason stemmed from the fact that the human mind is sinful. How can it be used to correctly interpret the holy words of God? It was a sigh of relief to hear the words that all of scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and it implies that the divine sources played a role in the recording of scriptures. Romans 12:2 encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in order to properly understand the will of God. From these texts, I believe that God helped man put forth divine ideas through the medium of mankind. I believe that God wants His children to learn about Him through the Scriptures and that if we allow Him in our hearts to guide our study of the Bible, we can reason the truth. Even when we prayerfully attempt to interpret scripture, we must realize that there are times when the Bible is confusing and seemingly contradictive. We must stand in our faith in God as we try to understand what He is saying. Often times as a Bible student, I have been approached with the question of why God acted a certain way. I feel that I was under pressure to “defend” God and I answered on what I thought God was trying to do. I now realize that I am not called to defend God. He can defend Himself through His word. If my mind is too small to grasp this meaning, it is my duty to read and pray more, not to make statements based on human reasoning.
Many of the guidelines found in chapter 7 for Interpreting Scripture seemed obvious, but it’s interesting to see how we often time rush, skip, or forget about some of these steps. Prior to outlining and elaborating on the steps the author addressed the significance one’s faith and attitude plays in interpreting Scripture. Whoever reads scripture must have faith or a spiritual attitude. This statement carries immense truth because we tend to bring a supposition that the Scripture we are reading is inspired. If we read the text with a mind eager to learn truths, then we will be able gain a much fuller understanding of what has been written. Frankly, it would be difficult to read the text as a skeptic and then expect a change. Faith is required in order to believe that a book containing stories of a donkey that speaks, a virgin who gave birth, and people who resurrected can actually contain great truth relevant to our day. By no means am I implying that we need to be ignorant and simply choose to believe what we believe. Rather, it’s a matter of realizing the significance our attitude plays in interpreting Scripture. We need to, at some degree, presuppose that the Bible is inspired. In the end Truth will stand on its own, but we need to give it a chance.
Presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture . Understanding scripture chapter 3
When we come to the study of the word of God , we experience the effects of sin in our trying to understand the bible. Sin has brought to our lives things like Pride , doubt , and separation from God . when we approach the bible we should pray that God can search our hearts and he can through the power of the holy spirit can give us true humility , love for God and his word and willingness to obey ,those are the requirements to understand the word of God . When we come to study the word of God , we need to recognize that the word of God , his revelation is bigger than ourselves and we can not approach it like when we approach other books . The bible is the inspired word of God. Dr. Hazel gives the Martin Luther who was never able to put together the book of Romans and the book of James . We need to understand that God can not contradict himself , and that there is unity in the scripture . We just need to be receptive to the Holy Spirit and search the scriptures as if we were looking for a hidden treasure , and if we listen to the voice of the Holy spirit we will experience an Emmaus’ walk with Jesus . If we read the scriptures looking to have a personal encounter with Jesus , we won’t be disappointed .There is a problem when we sit as judges trying to figure out witch part of the scriptures are or are not inspired . The bible claim is that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God”. We need to read the scripture as it is . We as Adventists have been experiencing for some time a crisis over the word of God with scholars from inside and outside the church challenging our views on different doctrines . We need to understand that since our early history God used the ones who were willing to let Jesus to empty their hearts so he could be everything . The bible is our only rule of faith and practice so let us hold unto that and let’s stay connected to the true source of knowledge the only true God , Jesus Christ .
Comment on Chapter 4: Are Ellen White's Writings Biblical? Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic
It is very encouraging to know that Ellen White always pointed to the Bible as "the rule of faith and practice". This statement strengthens one's assurance in the writings of Ellen White as a channel for the revelation of God to men. Yet, there are more than enough instances within Seventh-day Adventist Church where the principle of the unique primacy of Scripture is neglected. Sometimes it seems even inappropriate to suggest that Ellen White’s writings are a subject to the approval of the Bible as any other extra-biblical revelations. The fact that Ellen White admits that she is just a “lesser light” compared to the Bible, adds to her writings a great deal of value.
The harmony of God’s revelations that “are interrelated” is a beautiful subject to be studied more fully yet (at least it’s true for me). I’m very appreciative to the clear and structured method that Dr. Hanna uses in order to help the reader to comprehend the very important matter. The statement made in previous chapter that “Obviously the Bible makes no claim of presenting complete knowledge of cosmos” makes so much sense when it comes to the question of whether the writings of Ellen White should be taken to the consideration or not. The Bible compels us to study the “book of cosmos” and thus to study Ellen White writings as a part of “cosmos”.
Kenita Spencer Blog Response #2 From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture and Understanding Scripture September 30, 2009
I really appreciate chapter 3: “Let the Holy Scripture Speak!” How does it speak? It speaks when we acknowledge all the revelations recognized by scripture and when we put them in their proper place. The light shed on Daniel 12:4 in the Cosmic Christ is quite interesting. Furthermore, it facilitates a clear understanding of what it means to let the scripture speak for itself: God’s people should go to and fro in scripture to increase knowledge (2 Tim 3:15-16); we should go to and fro from scripture to Christ to increase knowledge (Jn. 14:16.17&20; we should go to and fro from Christ and scripture to the cosmos to increase knowledge (Job 12:7-10). In essence, if we go to and fro between the revelations we avoid ignoring the divine word, we acknowledge the primacy of the revelations and their role in the illumination of scripture.
In Chapter 3 of Understanding Scripture, another dimension, from a hermeneutical perspective adds to how scripture is allowed to speak. It is done when we allow our presuppositions to be reshaped by the bible. How does this happen? In Martin Hanna’s words (as supported by scripture), when we go to and fro in scripture. In Frank Hazel’s words (as supported by scripture), with successive exposure to God’s word enables the interpreter’s background knowledge or presuppositions be reshaped and become in line with biblical truth. When the interpreter’s presuppositions are in line with the bible, the scriptures will surely speak because our presuppositions influence the outcome of the interpretation of scripture.
Debbie I find it intriguing that fallen angels can influence human reason. Ellen White says the enemy can take control of the thoughts. These fallen angels do not have to reveal their identity. Add to this the bible’s statement that our hearts are deceitfully wicked and who can be sure of what is in their own heart. This suggests that we cannot even be certain that we are not filled with prejudices. How do we ensure that we are coming to the Word with a humble and teachable spirit? The real fact is that most Seventh day Adventists approach bible study with the presupposition that they are members of a denomination that has discovered truth all ready. One of those suppositions is that demonic possession and control exist, if at all, in the communities of unbelievers. As a result to even picture that the assistant in bible study at one’s side could be Satan himself is anathema to the Advent representative. These assertions beg the question, is this why we have so many varied interpretations of subject matter in the remnant church? Is it merely that we have moved away from a holistic model of interpretation or is the problem deeper?
Understanding Scripture – Chapter 2, Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics.
The second chapter in “Understanding Scripture” talks about how faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit interact in hermeneutics. One of the main points that the author kept driving, which was affirmed in the class discussion, is that hermeneutics is a combination of divine and human inputs. It does say that faith has a higher priority than reason, however not at its complete exclusion. Now I may be way out to left field with this thought but I wonder how this concept of faith and reason, or in other words the divine and human, working together towards hermeneutical progress can coexist with the election theology volunteered by Calvin. This question is not meant to compare our differing understanding of salvation but rather to investigate the validity of human participation in hermeneutics if there is no human participation in salvation. I do ask this question without actually having researched Calvinist hermeneutical principles, but I do wonder if it (divine + human) would work under the umbrella of efficacious grace. Perhaps my question about hermeneutical principles might also leak into the realm of inspiration and revelation. I am probably reading to far into it, and am definitely over-simplifying, but removing the human element from salvation makes it seem like a human investigation of scripture is moot unless you are one of the elect.
Donald Henderson The Cosmic Christ of Scripture Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak
In this Chapter Dr. Hanna examines how Christians tend to limit revelation of God to scripture, when scripture itself recognizes other revelations. It is suggested that our faith in Christ is derived from scripture and as such, we accept it as the authority of God. He proposes from scripture that Christ and the cosmos (creation, nature) are also divine revelations of God, and we should being going back and forth between the three to get a better understanding of God. Hanna also submits that Scripture is the prime means of the revelation of Christ and the Cosmos, and its authority is derived from the same Christ which it reveals. Therefore Christ is the supreme authority. Finally the Cosmos is God’s revelation that helps us to understand Christ in the light of scripture.
First let me say that I totally agree with Dr. Hanna in spirit. I understand, that the God whom we believe in and trust, in his infinite wisdom decided to provide us with all the markers we need to come to an understanding of who He is. Like the Pharisees, we can easily become caught up in keeping the commandments of the Bible and miss out on who it is leading us too. The Bible should lead us to a relationship with Jesus. Nature testifies to the existence of a supernatural being, who was intimately involved in the design process of this earth, but it is only when we turn to the Bible that we learn about that person. That person is Christ and it is through Him that we able to understand scripture and the cosmos. Through scripture we get a better understanding of Christ and how we should live in the cosmos. Although we are not able to physically see God, by using scripture, the Cosmos and Christ, God is brought to life and He is able to truly be the guide of our lives.
A Statement by Ellen White in the book The Cosmic Christ that jumped out at me was the inference that the evil that anyone of us on planet earth does harms all of us. She reiterated that heavenly angels were working to bring us together. Inherent in that statement is the opposing thought that the enemy of souls finds paradigms to divide us. There is a website of humor about Adventists and it boasts a tee shirt which reads ‘The great controversy” and under that a picture of a set of drums.’ Now it is not even funny because painfully some of the captions have validity. The irony is that we follow the cosmic Christ of scripture whose divinity and humanity were the essence of sacrificial love. In reality we grapple with selfish desires to be first and to be the greatest and many times we believe the end justifies the means as we trample each other to be recognized. Many times we debate items that have no relevance to our salvation, issues in the bible that no amount of hermeneutics can unveil until Christ comes. What becomes our benchmark for justification of the title remnant church is it once called always called, is it our formula for exegesis? Or is it as we maintain our Christ Connection and our passion for seeking and saving the lost?
Richard Calhoun Jr. Chapter 5 Reading the Revelation of Divinity in humanity: will the real Christ stand up? “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”
The title of the chapter jumped off the page to me will the real Christ stand up? So many times we try to but Christ in a box in attempt to understand Him fully. The “theiotes”, biblical term Godhead/Divinity, can only be understood fully by God. Once we have to realize humanity cannot fully understand divinity and when we recognize our limitations we are ready to consider revelation of divinity. I like the quote from Mr. Webster. He states if he could comprehend Christ He (Christ) would be no greater than us humans. The chapter brings out that the heart of Christian theology is the doctrine of the divine-human Christ. In the world we live in critics of Christ are always trying to take away his divinity. The history channel magazines books/movies like the Da Vinci code want to make him just an extraordinarily good human. In the revelation of Divinity we see four things. First Christ divinity and humanity is United truly meaning it’s no trick or gimmick its real it’s not a figure of speech. Second Christ divinity and humanity is United perfectly meaning he was not fully God and partially human or vice versa. Thirdly Christ divinity and humanity is United undividedly meaning Christ divinity is not a separate entity from his humanity. Lastly Christ divinity and humanity is United unmixed meaning even though Christ divinity is undivided that doesn’t not mean that his humanity and divinity spill over into each other hence they are united perfectly. Through these four points we see a glance into the picture of the revelation of divinity in humanity.
Comment On Mark Daniels' comment By charles M. Branch
I agree with Mark and also find it interesting that both angels and demons can influence people as they study God's word. I think if people looked at the bible as an act of worship they might come more sincere and deep as they investigate God's word.
Richard Calhoun Jr. Chapter 6 The theme of the Bible is Jesus “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” The chapter brings out that Jesus is the center of the scriptures. So many times people try to regulate Christ to the New Testament and the New Testament only. The title of the chapter properly states that Jesus is the theme of the Bible. Jesus is the Messiah that the Old Testament People were waiting for and the New Testament Savior of the Lost. You cannot separate the two. I heard a preacher say the old testament preaches a good sermon and the new testament says amen. I would say after reading this chapter that sermon would be titled “Jesus.. The God man” because the bible tells the story of how man sinned and Jesus in all his “Godness” if you please put on humanity and came to save a dying world from sin the we might have life and have it more abundantly.
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics Chapter One
God communicates His word through the Holy Spirit, yet there comes the question of how God can communicate with imperfect people. Reid states that, “the human rational power, reason, or mind consistently is characterized as impacted by sin” (17). If we are consistently impacted by sin through our reason, when can we truly understand God’s message to us? Even though we are imperfect by sin, God inspires people to lead His people to the truth. It is important to realize that God’s intention with inspiration is not to upgrade the human mode of thinking but to reveal God’s truth. The fact that God does everything in order to reach us shows me that He truly does care. God will not let His creation be turned into dust. Reading this chapter just helped me truly understand the different levels in which our God works. He reveals and inspires us through His creation, but most of all, He works with the Holy Spirit. I sometimes forget how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives. It is crucial to let Him work in our lives because it is through Him that we truly become transformed with the ability to understand and be drawn to the truth. God communicates with us through the Holy Spirit.
It’s important to understand scripture. Reid says that, “Biblical doctrines stand independent of time and culture” (128). In other words, God’s divine word (scripture) never changes. Just because we are living in a different time period then the writers of the bible, doesn’t mean we can change the biblical doctrines according to our modern culture. It is important to keep God’s principles within His word that is why understanding scripture is a key element to being a follower of Christ. This reminds me of the passage found in Proverbs 3:5-6 where it is said the trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on our own understanding. In other words, we must lay out trust in God in order to truly understand the scriptures. Nevertheless, this trust should not be half-hearted. In order to understand scripture, we need to ask God to truly help us in the exegesis of scripture. This is crucial because if we do not come to scripture with the Holy Spirit, then Satan can use his sinful distractions and confuse our conception of God’s word, and it is through confusion that the seed of doubt is planted, and doubt is the leading emotion that leads to sin. However, God is more powerful and can lead us into clarity and the truth of His word
Ofa Langi The first chapter of “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” opens with an overall theme to reading scripture. Hanna introduces the cause of the misunderstanding of scripture “because of a rejection of what it reveals about Christ”. Therefore, in times past and present there has been a “veil of misunderstanding which covers the hearts and minds of the people when they read Scripture”, due to the fact that Christ is not the center. I firmly believe that often in our ministries we have emphasized the bible truths that God has revealed and given to the SDA denomination; but we have not shared this message in a Christ-centered. We definitely have bible truths, Sabbath, State of the Dead, Sanctuary, etc., but it has no value to the world if they cannot see Christ in it. In a postmodern society where God is not a necessity for life, where God exists but is distant from the earth and doesn’t really care about the sufferings and pains of the earth is not true. As Adventist, we have the most beautiful picture of God that this postmodern world is dying and longing to see; yet only if we can paint that picture as Christ as the center of it all. A picture of God that recognizes our life of struggle and the need for a break, so with His infinite love gave us a weekly holiday, Sabbath. A picture of God that hates to see death, dying and the pain of sin that He has promised to end it all by coming again, not only to heal us from our sickly bodies, but will renew and restore us into His marvelous light and likeness. A picture of a God that loves us so much, He became like us in order to save us. The unveiling of our eyes to the Christ of Scripture will help us teach Christ as the center of Scripture and our beliefs.
One of the most thought provoking brought up in class were the questions that Dr. Hanna posed was about the comment that Jesus made when he said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16)” It was a challenging ideas for those whom he was speaking to, Jews who had become exclusive. Dr. Hanna turned the text around and applied it in a theological way to ask us if this text could be applied to us now, as Adventist. “I have sheep that do not belong to the Seventh-day Adventist church. They too will listen to my voice.” As we’ve been discussing in class, it is important for us to take the words that we read in Scripture and ask questions and look at it from all angles, and face the difficult questions and challenging ideas that we might come face to face with. If we are doing these things, based on good hermeneutics and prayerful Bible study, we will be more equipped to answer the hard questions. If we engage ourselves to look for answers we may never find, in that journey God can reveal new light to us that we would have missed if we’d never had the courage to get a little lost.
Name: Ainsworth Chambers Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, hermeneutics and Inspiration Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna Assignment: Blog #2 Book Read: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach
Topic: The Authority of Scripture
In the book Understanding Scripture an Adventist Approach, the author states, five important points on Scriptural authority. First, “The authority of Jesus Christ and the Authority of the Scripture.” A number of Scripture were given by the author where Jesus frequently made reference to the Scripture as He predicted His Messianic Journey. Jesus made many claims in the Scripture and those claims come in a series of I Am‘s example, “I am the Resurrection and The Life…” Jesus claim divine authority for himself.” Second, “Biblical evidence affirming the Supreme authority of the Scripture as the word of God.” The Scripture handed down to us as God divine authoritative word. Third, “ The Protestant reformers and Biblical Authority.” The sola scripura became the embodied statement of the Lutheran faith. Furthermore the early Reformers of the Christian faith such as John Wycliffe and Martin Luther, “appealed to the Scriptures as the only standard of faith and doctrine.” The fact that it stands alone in proclaiming the gospel of Christ and the Spirit of God. Fourth, “The scope and the Sufficiency of the Scriptural authority.” Fifth, “Divine authority, human response and Biblical hermeneutics.” In spite of the fact that God’ authority is supreme, He give each and everyone of us the freedom of choice.
Name: Ainsworth Chambers Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, hermeneutics and Inspiration Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna Assignment: Blog #1 Book Read: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
Topic: Let the Holy Spirit Speaks.
‘Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end: many will run to fro, and knowledge will increase.’ The author states clearly that the authority and power of the Scripture have been undermined and has treated like a child that can be seen but not to be heard. No regard for Scripture can been seen is the “exclusive and inclusive approach of individuals. Scripture alone is the only authority on earth that incandescent divine revelation… The information that he presents in this chapter is well arranged to champion his call for the “wholistic definition of the Scripture principles that acknowledge the authority of the Supreme God in the Scripture and the other instrument in which he chooses to make know or reveal himself. This “wholistic model of the Scripture principle can be vital in relation to Bible teaching in regard to the manifestation of the growing of old, yet ever new, revelations of Christ, and the Cosmic. He uses the Book of Daniel as supporting evidence. “In summary of this chapter, Dr. Hanna states that he is convinced that the Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and knowledge.” This book contains the authoritative word of God. Through a careful studying of the Scripture one can clearly seen and understand the power of God.
Name: Ainsworth Chambers Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 “I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV) After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs. So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of? Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can. What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven? The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul? According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man? Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?” Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself? Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation? The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
Name: Ainsworth Chambers Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 “I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV) After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs. So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of? Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can. What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven? The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul? According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man? Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?” Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself? Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation? The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
Name: Ainsworth Chambers Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 “I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV) After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs. So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of? Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can. What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven? The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul? According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man? Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?” Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself? Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation? The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
“We cannot talk about God unless we talk to God. We cannot talk to God unless He had first started the conversation. Dr. Martin Hanna”
If He had not first started the conversation, if the Great and Immeasurable God we serve hadn’t first gotten up and joined us at our table, or tiny little corner in the universe, we wouldn’t be able to hear or comprehend what it is He’s saying to us. He takes steps down to reach us, we can’t take steps up to reach Him, unless He wants us to and allows it. At every turn, he condescends to reach us, He opens avenues to REVEAL Himself to us. He reveals about his character, love, plans, involvement, passions, hopes, desires and aims for us. He does it so we can get to know Him. He does it so that the only doors that are closed between Him and us are the ones we choose to place there. God is going to say things that we don’t understand, and it seems like it’s the most natural thing to do, in order to keep those lines of conversation open, so it doesn’t end, so we can keep coming back to him, on our knees, in his word, through our thoughts, back to him to get more clarity. An ongoing conversation and exchange with about God with God, He made the first move so we wouldn’t doubt His intentions. He’s in this with us for eternity.
The scriptures comes to us as the word of God, they address us with divine authority, the authority of the one true God. But it is true that words are not inspired and thoughts only are inspired. So when the bible writers wrote they were communicating God’s idea to their readers. But it was revealed to us as the words of God. The word comes to us through human language, cultural, world view and intelligence. And the strange thing about it the bible is understood in our language, cultural, world view and intelligence. Have you ever wonder why there is so much power in the words of the bible; if words are not inspired then where does this authority comes from and who maintain and control its effect in the human heart. There are so many stories of people who hear the word and that changed their lives for ever. Is it true that these words are as powerful as the preacher said they are? Is it true that God live in these words and every heart that is touch is vulnerable to the might acts of God? I watch with tearful eyes from the door way as my uncle stand in the shadow of the near by tree that was pushed by the evening sun to the kitchen door, he was holding a new testament in his left hand and like a drowned as he was spoke evil of the bible. He tossed the bible in the garbage and said it was garbage and that is where it belongs. But nothing happen to him I believed he would fall and die; as if this went on unnoticed. A few years later the same man who spoke evil of the bible found Christ through the words in side the holy book. I have come to realized that there is so much power in this words the promises are true and God is looking at every one of his creation hoping he can save us if we are willing to be save. Through out history under the inspiration of the enemy man have tried to destroyed the bible but this book have survived to prove the words in there are not the achievement of men but Holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Spirit. The creator of heaven and earth seeks to save us, but we must believe that his words are true and that the scriptures comes to us as the word of God, they address us with divine authority, the authority of the one true God.
Marlon Gregory Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 200 words comment 1 Interpreting Scripture, Chapter 1
Looking at the historical background of Adventist biblical interpretation has given me great insights into the development of where we’ve come from. From the time of Judaism to modern Christianity biblical interpretation has been through a lot changes. It is now much clearer to me why Jews put in place all those extra Biblical rules to try to keep the commandments, the thing it did to them however was to make themselves legalists and judgmental of others. It is also mentioned in the text that the post- Apostolic Christianity lost most of its original biblical identity by accommodating Greco- Roman culture and that has trickle down through the ages. It is also seem that a large number of nonbiblical traditions were treated as canonical during the medieval church. Then came the savior for Bible doctrines, the reformation period which brought back in view the true biblical principles. Then came the Seventh day Church that got their hermeneutical methods from the Protestant grammatical- historical method of Biblical interpretation; a method still held by our church. However, the church has gone through a number of challenges including selecting essentials from the historical- critical method and methods in prophetic interpretation which include futurist, preterist and principles drawn from postmodernism. This has caused some division in the church over the acceptance of these views by some. However I believe that the church will not allow anyone to disrupt order and cause us t move away from our two original stands of sola and tota scriptura. This for me is the true hermeneutical pillows on which we stand.
Marlon Gregory Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 200 words comment Interpreting Scripture, Chapter 2
In reading this chapter, it is pointed out clearly that reason is a gift from God and is to be carefully used in the process of hermeneutics. It is of great importance that nothing takes the place of reason and sound thinking in the process of sound biblical interpretation. I was not surprised when to the author allude to the fact that the Holy Spirit should not substitute the ongoing exertion of the human mind to improve and advance hermeneutical skills. This is not say that the Holy Spirit does not play a major rule in this process; in fact it is He Who lifts up the fallen human mind to a position where it can be used as a launching platform for higher service. He will equip the mind that searches with humility of heart and with purpose. It is He Who inspires in the first place and will reveal what is relevant and necessary for the times. While reason is relevant and important to biblical interpretation it must never be said that a faith seeking approach is irrelevant. As a matter of fact, this is the way that the author prescribes “a faith and reason relationship.” Oftentimes in many religious settings in the past and even in today’s most secular and liberal society, faith and reason is portrayed as “David and Goliath” with an ongoing battle. If not properly understood a marriage of these two terms could end in divorce but if this should occur for any reason then faith should have the upper hand. According to the author there is a spiritual war going on between the Holy Spirit and the fallen angels over the interpretation of Scriptures. It is true that there’s no true interpretation of scripture unless there are holy angels and the Holy Spirit at work.
This comment is based on Dr Hannah’s book the Cosmic Christ of Scripture the chapter titled what the Bible says, I thought that the statement by Carl Rascke"that perhaps the most formidable obstacle for Theological thinking is the epistemological challenge posed by modern science" was both interesting and disturbing. I don’t believe at all that modern science is a challenge for a Christian Theologian that believes that God is because His Word declares that He is and that God created all things as His word declares and so it is a matter of Faith. The Bible declares that "Without Faith it is impossible to please God for He that comes to God must believe that HE IS and that HE IS a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him" Heb 11:6. All science when given its proper place and properly interpreted speaks of God. EW says in Steps to Christ ch 1 Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love. Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of Joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature. Think of their marvelous adaptation to the needs and happiness, not only of man, but all living creatures. The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creators love..." Psalm 19 declares that the Heavens declare the glory of God and the earth His handiwork. One only has to take the time out to diligently look at and study the creation account in Genesis to know that there is a Divine mind behind the operation of the cosmos: Science is guided by Divinity and without God this world would cease to exist in an instant.. Another quote I found equally troubling in this chapter was "Science and biblical study are separate and mutually exclusive realities whose presentation in the same context leads to misunderstanding of both" I say to this person: Consider the Ant you sluggard! The word of God speaks of science in the context in such a way to highlight the realities of the magnificent wisdom and splendor of our Creator God. Again this is said by those who do not have Faith in God nor His word and are seeking to remove God from His creation. God bless ya.
October Comment #1 “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” – Chapter 6
When someone digs deep into the Bible and gets into the really theological side of things (i.e. exegesis, hermeneutics and the like), it’s quite easy to be too caught up in the semantics and the details and totally lose sight of the big picture. Dr. Hanna reminds the readers in this chapter that theme of the Bible is and always has been Jesus, and that everything revolves around this fact. If we have taken the right approach to studying the Bible, that is to take wholistic model of the Scripture principle, it will lead us to ”clearly distinguish Christ from Scripture without separating Christ from Scripture.”
One just needs to remember that Jesus is God, and as mentioned in the introduction to chapter 5 by Mr. Webster, ”If I could comprehend Him (Jesus), He would be no greater than myself. I feel that I need a super-human Savior.”. It would do well for us to not ‘humanize God’, and to never lose sight of this thought. Then, questions about Him being fully human and fully Divine at the same time will be more easily and readily accepted. The most important thing really is as Dr. Hanna puts it, "It is wonderful to note that Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers of divine nature." As such, I have the hope that because of Christ, I can live through Him in me and overcome whatever the world and the devil throws at me.
Historical Research in the Hermeneutics of The Inspired Word by John R. Treat
The amount of historical research that goes into the study of the inspired word varies greatly depending on who is studying. Historical critical scholars put great stress on the historical research. Many others make little use of historical research in their study. The question arises what is according to God’s plan for the study of His Word? Paul stated that “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Paul said that faith comes from the word of God (Romans 10:17). While some might argue that this does not cover as much territory as it seems, it would certainly seem to cover doing theology, because doing theology defines what sin and faith are. Therefore, the hermeneutics of doing theology needs to be directed by the word of God. The question then becomes, does the work of God direct us to use sources that are not inspired, like non-inspired historical records? In MR No. 820 - Historical and Geographical Backgrounds Helpful, Not Essential, Ellen White acknowledges that historical documents can be helpful when studying the word of God. She immediately follows with a limitation: such study of historical sources is not essential to get to heaven, because the path to heaven is clearly presented in the Bible. If we are studying the historical or prophetic portions of the Bible, then studying history outside the Bible could be helpful. On the other hand, if we are studying the Bible for the plan of salvation, secular history would seem to be a distraction at best. In the Ministry of Healing page 441, Ellen White is even more cautious about reading “historical and theological writings”; she says that the “laborious study of the opinions of men tends to the enfeebling of their ministry rather than to its strengthening.” This does not seem to leave much room for historical research if we want to have a vigorous ministry. While there are certain passages of the inspired word in which the study of history can be helpful, much of the inspired word concerns our salvation and therefore we do not need help from historical sources. History does not point the way to heaven, but Jesus came for the purpose of saving us (Mat 1:21); I am sure that He told to us through the inspired word how to get to heaven.
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3: Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture If there is one thing we must know before ever opening our Bibles, it is that we all come with presuppositions, preconceived notions and opinions. These come from our own worldview, the culture or the environment in which we were raised. A presupposition is like a pair of glasses depending on what type they are they in some way or another change how you see through them. So it is with us. Our past experiences, the things we would have seen and heard prior to coming to the Bible are resident in us and in fact there is no real way of eradicating them. As the chapter points out we will always have them and because of this we will always come to the scriptures (or anything for that matter) with them. But our presuppositions are not to have the preeminence over what the Bible declares. At some point it does not matter what we have previously known now it is up to us to approach God’s word with an open-mind understanding that our opinions are not equal to the claims of scripture. However, this does not invalidate our personalities and prior experiences completely. The Holy Spirit even allowed for the human personalities of the men commissioned to write to the Bible to shine through. But of course it was, again, guided and lead by the Holy Spirit. In other words our presuppositions and who we are inherently by nature or nurture still has value, but not above the teachings of the Bible. And we would do well to check them at the gate when it comes time to interpret God’s word.
October Comment #2 “Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 2
In this chapter, Dr. John Baldwin draws out a very logical but more importantly very biblical argument in the discussion and application of faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit in hermeneutics. Too often, the interdependency (for a lack of better word) between these three aspects of Biblical interpretation and hermeneutics are overlooked, resulting in interpretation and viewpoints that are perhaps quite far removed from what the Lord has intended to be. The over-reliance and use of reason and human intellect seems to be at the forefront of this problem, and Dr. Baldwin addresses the point that while reason is certainly important, it must be subject to faith and the working Holy Spirit. It is only then that a “sanctified reasoning” is developed, as opposed to “unregenerate reasoning”, which of course results in incorrect hermeneutics. One will definitely be changed in mind and thought if allowed to work upon by the Holy Spirit and he/she will then be able to hear and understand God’s Word as it should be heard and understood.
Another very interesting point that Dr. Baldwin brought out is the relationship between the cosmic conflict and hermeneutics. It is clear that the holy angels, working with the Holy Spirit can exert a positive hermeneutical influence, but one must never forget that the fallen angelic powers can also have a very negative hermeneutical influence. It is truly a supernatural war that is being fought here, and we would do well to remember to be fully submitted and dependent on God when reading and interpreting the Bible.
Assignment on the Book: THE COSMIC CHRIST OF THE SCRIPTURE Chapter 2: Reading the Book of Scripture: Is There a Problem with Biblical Authority? Martin Hanna says this as far as Biblical Authority is concerned “The authority of the divine revelation in the book of Scripture defines the theological authority of the divine revelations in the “books” of Christ and the cosmos” In response to this I would like to say that the fundamental principle set forth by Scripture con¬cerning itself is that the Bible alone is the final norm of truth, the primary and absolute source of authority, the ultimate court of appeal, in all areas of doctrine and practice. Isaiah warned apostate Israel against turning from the authority of the Law and the Prophets to seek counsel from spirit¬ist mediums (Isa 8:19). In the NT era other sources of authority were threatening to usurp the final authority of the biblical revelation. One of these was tradition. But Jesus and Paul clearly indicate that Scripture is the superior authority over tradition, including the tradi¬tion of the religious authorities (Matt 15:3, 6; Col 2:8). This does not deny the usefulness of Judeo-Christian tradition, as some wrongly interpret sola Scriptura, but rather upholds the primacy of Scripture over all tradition as the final norm of truth. Tradition, even ecclesiastical tradition, must be judged by Scripture. This means that if we put Scripture as the guide then question which martin Hanna addresses in this chapter of theological disagreements will be sorted.
Assignment on: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: Chapter I : How to read God’s three books: A Christ centered introduction. Martin Hanna in his book says that Ellen Whites writing are evaluated in the light of Scriptures principles which I do strongly agree. While Seventh-day Adventists do not see a difference in the nature or character of Ellen White’s inspiration compared with the Bible writers, they are very clear on the difference between the role and function of Bible and her writings. Therefore Adventists compare her writings to non-canonical prophets. It is clearly that Adventists and Ellen White clearly ascribe fundamental authority to the canon of scripture and I would say that they do not see modern prophetic visions and dreams as additional scripture. Ellen White wrote extensively on the relationship of her writings to the Bible and on the role of the Bible in faith and practice. She categorically subscribed to the tenet of Sola Scriptura. She wrote: “The Bible and the Bible alone, is our rule of faith.”. Ellen white was more than a gifted writer as Martin. Hanna puts it. She was appointed by God as a special messenger and help people prepare for the second coming of Christ. Therefore we should always read her writings in the light of the Scriptures.
Chapter 4: “Are Ellen G. White’s Writings Biblical?” We truly have to think on two levels when we consider the Bible and extra-biblical writings. Dr. Hanna points out that Ellen White vehemently pointed to the Bible. And she never once lifted her writings above that of the authority of scripture. Which must lead us to believe that she would never under any circumstances recommend that her writings be placed on the same level of authority as the Bible. Of course one her most common statements reveal this: “the lesser light leading to the greater light”. The Bible is the measuring rod and standard for all spiritual things. But in order to understand the Bible among other revelations which are important as well, but at the same time possibly not as authoritative. And then even above the Bible is the supreme authority of the Christ. And so we as Christians have to be able to discern the hierarchy of God’s revelations. Ellen White also talks about the cosmos or nature as a source revealing God as well. So three channels of God’s revelation include Christ, scripture, and nature. Also we as Christians are also channels of God to be used to reveal Him to the world. Each revelation has their own primacy. Christ is the supreme revelation of God because of He is the source of all divine revelation. Nature and the cosmos have contextual primacy, But the scriptures have primacy in that they are the supreme standard for theological interpretation. Ellen White would not have her writings be considered to have the primacy of scripture given this understanding that she related to in her writings. But in any event thank God for all of His many revelations!
In chapter one of Understanding Scripture, the historical background of Adventist Biblical Interpretation is explored. I found it interesting how far back our roots really go to. Even though our religion has come so far, all Christians can trace their interpretation back to the capture of Judah in the sixth century B.C. Christianity was really born within the context of Rabbinic Judaism, and as Judaism changed throughout history towards Hellenistic Judaism, and again through the Roman Empire, the interpretation of scriptures would be affected as well. It was interesting to see the steps that our Adventist Heritage has taken through the ages from the Reformation to William Miller and to the different Bible Conferences. What really struck me the most was the realization that God’s hand has been through the process every step of the way. This encourages me to realize that even though I may not know what is going on, or what something means, I should take heart, because God is always in control. When I’m confused or feeling overwhelmed, I need to take a step back, and remember that God has protected His people throughout every single cross road they have encountered, why wouldn’t He be able to get me through the Seminary?
In chapter two of Understanding Scripture, the nature of faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit in hermeneutics is explored. There are so many elements involved when it comes to understanding hermeneutics. What I don’t understand is why does something so simple as understanding God’s word have so much controversy surrounding it. Sometimes the word Hermeneutics itself gives me a headache. I think it’s important to not overcomplicate hermeneutics and to learn to be open and receptive to the opinions and views of others. The point of hermeneutics should be to find Christ within the texts, and to be able to figure out how to be able to simply show Christ’s presence to all those are inter into the text themselves. The problem is, because of sin, people feel as if they need reason and evidence, but as this chapter suggests, faith is the most crucial part to the process. But if one really contemplates the reality of this, one would understand that no matter what one is facing, faith is going to have to come into focus, even if one is an atheist. It takes so much faith to NOT believe in anything, why not believe in something? Once faith becomes a reality, that’s when transformation takes place, and all the confusion and controversy will seem to be meaningless. That’s how true discovery will be revealed through scriptures.
Recently I have run into a lot of Adventist who do not believe that Jesus is fully God and fully human. They would reason more with the fact that He is fully human but it is hard to wrap their minds around Him being equal with the Father. I am commenting on what Dr. Hanna says in his book about Christ as a divine human person. Doc brings out four Christ-centered connections with the divine and human with four themes. He first talks about the “social nature of humanity in the image of divinity.” The fact that God made us in His own image is key. Hanna says, “Just as there are divine persons within one divinity so there are human persons within one humanity.” Then he uses the example in Gen 5:1-2 of how when God made male and female He called them both “Adam.” I like this example showing the mirroring of how divinity and how humanity is. It gave me a little better understanding of the trinity and of Jesus Christ and His divinity. He also brought out how it was Jesus who created humanity and ultimately connects humanity with divinity. We had our earth but we lost the priesthood. Jesus comes as our original creator and also the redeemer to bridge the gap. Wow. I think Doc may need to preach this in class some more!
Comment on "Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy" by Richard Davidson in Understanding Scripture.
By Ryan Kilgore
On the surface, many Old Testament prophecies seem straightforward and clear. Others appear vague and mysterious. But when one begins to dig deeper, what is clear can often become murky. How should we understand many of the prophecies of Israel’s seemingly unconditional rise to eternal greatness? And what about those prophecies that seem like they could be messianic, but don’t really seem to say one way or the other?
In this chapter, Richard Davidson has given us an excellent set of tools to help us investigate the divine meaning in these messages. Of particular interest to me is step/checkpoint 5, regarding determination of the type of prophecy in question. Is it a messianic prophecy, oracle against foreign nation, or a kingdom promise to theocratic Israel? In the case of a messianic prophecy, Davidson recommends asking whether the prophecies are dependent on human choice in order to help ascertain whether the prediction is intended to be conditional. If a prophecy is not directly messianic, the interpreter should look for indicators in the text that the language transcends “what is applicable to the OT person, event, or institution and points forward to the Messiah.” (201). I hope that these hermeneutical checkpoints will help me as I examine some of the New Testament’s description of fulfilled Old Testament messianic prophecies.
Commenting on the chapter Are Ellen Whites writing biblical. I thought that the quote on pg 54 was interesting and it really raised some questions for me. The quote was "Clearly all knowledge is Gods knowledge and us useful for christian theology." I asked myself and all that read this blog is this true? What about the knowledge that was to be disregarded by Adam and Eve by refraining from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Does there still exhist a tree of knowlege of good and evil (symbolically) that we are to shun. I think so! but I have questions. If there are things (knowledge) that we are to shun, how can it be Gods knowledge and further more how can it be useful for Christian theology? Satans suggestion to Eve in the garden gives me shivers as I consider His language, "EAT" Gain more knowledge for God is just holding back from you for He knows that in the day that you do (eat from the tree and gain more knowledge) you will be as gods knowing good and evil. Please dont get me wrong, I do belive we are to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ but why does it seems that for many, the more knowlegable they become the less faith they have. Just some thoughts my Brothers and Sisters. God bless you
Comment on Chapter 6: The Theme of the Bible is Jesus Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic
As the central chapter (in my opinion) in the book "Cosmic Christ of Scripture", it states so clearly and rightfully that "Christ is the center of the Scripture". Even though it is very clear from the first look at the statement it is not so clear when we look closer to the issue. Personally, even after reading the chapter several times I'm not quite sure that I understand the meaning of the words of Scripture regarding Jesus that He is given "the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9). From the prospective of the sinner who is being saved by Jesus it is not a question whether Jesus has any supremacy or not. He is THE Savior! He is THE only one that can save me! That is why He has "the name... Above every name". But when it comes to the "Christ Among the Divine Persons" and the "divine unity in diversity" I stop and humbly take of my shoes… That is about all I can do. I should say that I was really challenged by the ability of Dr. Hanna to wrestle with these ISSUES in the chapter. I hope and pray that by the power of the holy Spirit my mind will be opened to a deeper understanding of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as One God "truly", "perfectly", and "undividedly" united "unmixedly".
Comment on Chapter 4 "Revelation and inspiration" From the book "Understanding Scripture"
I appreciate the honesty with which the author admits that "we have no idea about what a 'divine breathing' could mean". He goes on to say that, we can only attempt to understand it metaphorically. Also, when talking about the problem behind Revelation-Inspiration in which "divine and human agencies interfaced", Dr. Canale states "Scripture nowhere addresses this problem". I was stung with this statement. If we are left without clear Scripture’s light on that issue should we even take a risk of "embarking on a theological task"? I think it is an important job to analyze the history of interpretations of Revelation-Inspiration, but with the thought in mind that we are trying to comprehend not comprehensible. In my very humble opinion everything starts with faith. As the author states, “Fundamentally, we presuppose a God who personally acts within the flow of human history”. We choose to believe that the Bible is the word of God. It’s our conscious choice. And as the result of our choice we allow the Scripture strengthens our faith. I believe, it relates to the writings of Ellen White as it does to Scripture. Concerning the issue of Revelation-Inspiration Ellen White wrote, “The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen”. It's up to us to accept it or not. I find this chapter very informative and important for analyzing Adventist doctrine of “Revelation-Inspiration”.
In Chapter 6 of The Cosmic Christ of Scripture Dr. Hanna highlights how Jesus is the theme of the Bible. This is particularly important when we do a lot of reading that suggests that the theme of scripture is its laws or moral mandates. One of the best lines in this section I found at the beginning of Chapter 5, “Nevertheless, the best way to avoid confusion is to study the genuine Christ of Scripture.” This is in response to the idea that identifying false christs will be easy or natural. The truth is that identifying Christ is not something that is easy at all. If the 1st century Jews struggled with identifying Him and they had all their schools and prophecies then it is plainly not easy. It seems like scripture is also suggesting that part of their denial of Christ as the messiah is that they weren’t prepared to accept some of the things presented in this chapter such as that He was born fully human and fully divine. Even more so that there was a divine relationship between humanity and divinity. This is evidenced by them denying a divine connection between any man that was not a Jew. The mystery of Christ is far from figured out. I just hope I have studied the original enough for when the counterfeits appear.
Translating the Text “All those who do not have access to the respective biblical language should consult—where possible—a number of good translations.”—Understanding Scripture, pp.115 Why has believing in God become so complicated? The simple message of believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, as espoused by Peter to the jailer, not enough anymore. Is it because we have too much information now? I wish salvation was still so simple, but I am afraid that today simplicity can become an impediment to salvation more so than a help. Here is what I mean. Today, our faith in Jesus Christ is contingent upon what we know about him; and the way garner that information is through the Bible, whether proclaimed by preachers or read by the individuals themselves. Yet, that source of information must be carefully analyzed to see whether it is the most objective; most literal translation of the original manuscripts. Like the above quote admonishes, anyone who wants to read the Bible should consult a “good” translation. This implies that there are bad ones; and it also implies that no particular version stands out as being the best translation. How does the reader choose which one to read? The guidelines given involve choosing a version that fits the readers need. If the reader is looking for literal translation of study and understanding, then the Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Version are good choices. If the reader is looking for dynamic translations that “. . . try to create a relationship between reader and translation. . .”; then the New English Bible (NEB) and Today’s English Version (TEV) are good choices. Don’t even mention the paraphrase version that is not even a translation, but a person’s interpretation of the Bible, with the name—Bible. The challenge that I have is what do I say to a non-believer who is seek a relationship with Jesus, should I provide them with the paraphrased version? Is it right for me to believe that the paraphrased version will be best for them since they are newly entering into a relationship with Christ? Is God’s word to difficult to understand, that I should feel impressed to send them to someone else’s translation or a user friendly version? If for example the paraphrased version is not the Bible, but a written masterpiece based on the Bible, does it point the reader back to the original source? Hmmm. I believe as we search to answer these frivolous issues, I somehow hope we will be able to find Jesus, because it boils down to, what tool or person will best help me form a relationship with Jesus.
“The nature of divinity as Father . . . and as Spirit . . . is unveiled in the divinity of Jesus . . . who is the uniquely begotten Son of God . . . .”—The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, pp.72 The triune God is a mystery and I believe forever will be until we have an opportunity to ask God how. Yet, I believe it is necessary for us who believe that God, the father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit are one. To truly understand this concept, we must think on several different levels to fully grasp what God is revealing to us in the mystery and wonder of who he is. Thus, I believe we should spend most of our time trying to understand what God is trying to reveal to us about himself and the relationship he is trying to cultivate with us in the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I believe it all boils down to one simple matter, God desires to be among us and to live in harmony with us as he originally intended before the fall. So, in order to accomplish this tremendous task he has designed a plan that involves him sending his son to live among men and die for them—the penalty of sin. Then, I believe, through the Holy Spirit living in our lives we get to experience him on a daily basis so no matter where we go he is with us. Could it be that God represented him in time and space in order to convey to us that he does interact with us according to our time and space, which completely shatters Plato’s view of a timeless God? Finally, is God trying to show that he not only wants to interact with us in our time and space, but wants to be ever-present in our lives? I believe all these facets of interacting with God are pertinent in preparation for what it will be like in eternity. So maybe the only important point for God being represented as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is to teach us how to interact with him as we prepare for eternity.
Quigley Morris On page 183 of our text book the writer said and I quote “the bible specifically claims that God is able to predict the near and distant future” this is not surprising to us bible students because throughout the bible God have led his people through prophets and dreams. Imagine Isaiah mention Cyrus name 150 years before he was borne, he said what he was going to do and he did it just as the prophet said he would. God announced to Adam and Eve that the redeemer would come and they believed and hoped he would come in their life time. Although it took 4000 years later but he was here as God had promise; in fact the bible said when the fullness of time was come Jesus was borne. Joseph told the king of Egypt to get ready a famine would come, and indeed the famine came just as he said God said it would be. So throughout the bible we can count hundreds of time when God said some thing would happen it did happen just as he said. There have also been times that God said something and man tried to stop it or try to do something else and they fail. After the flood the people said they would build a tower to reach the clouds so if there is a food again they will not be killed. They undermined what God said and started the project, now God could have let them build and reach the clouds as they said they would. And then send a 9.0 earthquake to flatten the whole thing in stead he decided to just stop the project by changing their language; by the way there are 6809 languages in the world today. God said there will never be one nation ruling the world again, Hitler tried and he was very close to being successful. History tells us that the Germans were raining booms on London from occupied France and the English men could not respond. England was in deep trouble, one afternoon in the midst of their trouble a thick fog came over the English Channel and settled there. The Germans could not see a thing and so they stopped the booming and England had a chance to re group. How did it all happen and what did God say? You see friends nothing goes on in this world unnoticed God said one sparrow will fall from the sky and he will know. The hair on my head is numbered and that to me means that God is in control of this planet and it does not matter if you believe it or not, he is just the big boss.
I appreciate Quigley's comment I think the portion of scripture that bolsters his argument is the very words of God Himself found in Isaiah 46:10, "I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." God is sovereign and His purposes will stand and His plans will always prevail. God is a true prophet, surely we can trust His word above any other. This message is good for the broad umbrella of the Great Controversy, but also can be applied to the individual lives we lead everyday. Whatever God has outlined for our future it will be that. Whenever God, through whatever means or methods, he chooses to, reveals to us what will come to pass, we can be steadfastly assured of its completion.
I read in Understanding Scripture on page27 about presuppositions and the inability we have as biblical students to separate ourselves from our past, experiences, ideas, and preconceived notions and beliefs. I would like to propose that, in some cases, our presuppositions can be used to intensify the act of revelation on our lives. My personal experience with the truth of God’s word has been one of total transformation. I believed many things about the word because I was told to do so. I came to hunger for the word later in life carrying all of the presuppositions with me to the text. Instead of these things being a hindrance for change, they acted as a “highlighter” on the need for change because of the obvious break from the word of God. In the same way, I continue to leave behind my presuppositions because I have learned that they can hinder my growth. I would not have understood the significance of this conscious act had I not come with my notions from the start. We must be in a state of perpetual pliability so that we can be changed by Him through His word to have a greater, clearer view of His truth.
Chapter 7: Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture by Ekkehardt Muller “Understanding the Scripture: An Adventist an Approach.”
Through this chapter, the author provides us with general guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture and specific exegetical steps. Concerning the first part, emphasis is put on the historical-biblical method of which basic suppositions are: (1) The Bible alone is the final and the highest test of truth. (2) The Bible is the written Word of God, as a whole, not simply here and there. (3) The analogy or the harmony of Scripture is seen in three points: (a) Scripture is its own expositor. (b) There is a fundamental agreement or unity within Scripture. (c) There is also clarity in the Scripture. (4) Spiritual things must be discerned spiritually. In the second part, the author comments basic exegetical steps in interpreting a Biblical text. These are: (1) Turning to God in prayer; (2) Reading the text; (3) Using the best possible reading; (4) Translating the text; (5) Investigating the context; (6) Analyzing the text; (7) Performing theological analysis; (8) Applying the text; (9) Using resources; (10) Taking time. Reading this chapter led me to wonder: why so many Christian churches today? Why so many Christian churches at a time we would have been expecting Jesus’ prayer to be fulfilled? 2000 years ago, shortly before he ascended, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples throughout generations (John 17: 20, 21). 2000 years later, the Christian church has never been so divided. Obviously, the primary reason is the understanding of Scripture, its interpretation. This seems to vary from one Church to another, from one group of Churches to another. Reading Muller led me to wonder again: Are we free to define our principles of interpretation of Scripture? For, I believe, different interpretations can only lie on different principles of interpretation. Looking carefully at the guidelines provided by the author, I came to the conclusion that no one is free to define his or her principles of interpretation. The Scripture provides for its own principles of interpretation, in other words, even our hermeneutic principles have to be rooted in the Bible. There may be several methods of interpretation. However, whatever the method of interpretation, if it is rooted in the Scripture, they will all lead to the same conclusion because of the primacy that the Scripture doesn’t contradict itself. The unity of understanding lies on the unity of interpretation. The unity of interpretation lies on the unity of the principles of interpretation. The unity of the principles of interpretation lies on their rooting in the Scripture. I’m sure if this was followed by all, Christ’s prayer would have been fulfilled and why not, He would have come back.
Be willing to obey the truth. Work together with people of experience. Use common sense. These three statements stand out to me from the final chapter of Understanding Scripture. It is obvious to me that I have met many Biblical scholars who knew everything about the Word, but were not willing to put its teachings into practice or reshape their lives to fit the Biblical model. Without this aspect of Biblical study, we have missed the point of the study. Working with others who have more experience allows me to gauge my interpretations and gain deeper insight. I have discovered that I get many different answers about the same text or topic in the Bible. This doesn’t discourage me, it encourages me to broaden my approach and understanding. As scholars we need to be in constant contact with other scholars to act as a check and balance for our interpretation and as a lens to broaden our understanding of the scriptures. Using common sense seems to be easy for the world around us, but somehow the concept escapes those in theological study. We must guard ourselves against this error. The teaching of the Bible is clear to those guided by the Spirit. I caution myself against seeing beyond the text to a meaning that cannot be derived from the words on the page. I am not suggesting that a great revelation is not possible, only that we must be practical in our approach and application of the word.
I am intrigued by Wouabe's comments about our freedom to create our principles of interpretation. He is correct in his assessment that we have created our own division by creating our own methods of interpreting scripture. Perhaps we should go back to square 1 and begin again with the proper tools to eliminate our differences.
Understanding Scriptures: Chapter three Even though there are challenges as to how the word of God can be interpreted correctly. The issue is that the Bible is not a humanly book to be interpreted with the knowledge of mathematics or physics. It is divinely book which need power from the divinely source to be able to understand it correctly. Although reason is good tool that aids in Bible interpretation, it takes faith to understand certain portions of the Bible. Entrance of sin in our world has affected our human reasoning power to understand heavenly things. It takes the only the power of the Holy Spirit to restore our reasoning power. The blind spot in our understanding of scripture can be removed by the Spirit of God if we submit our will to Him, without exercising any power of pride, self-deception and doubt. As we bring our presuppositions to the word of God, we must understand the spirit of humility as an ingredient to acquire divinely knowledge. Another aspect to adequately understand Biblical message is an openness of mind willing to learn. Wisdom and knowledge comes from God. With the openness of mind willing to learn, God, is ever ready to grant us needed wisdom and knowledge to understand His word. What we need then is to exercise faith, be obedient to his will and with approach of prayer toward studying his word. The Bible as we know is a divine word of God. It is the same Spirit that imbued the writers of the Bible. The Bible is in unity because the same Spirit worked through all the inspired writers.
Understanding scripture ch. 4 Throughout history many forms of inspiration have presented themselves. Among the many a few are more prominent than others. Verbal inspiration states, “that god was believed to have written the words of scripture.” This view of inspiration led to a high view of biblical authority. The words of the bible are the actual words of God. In claiming that a timeless God is the author and writer of scripture, verbal inspiration places the origin of biblical thought in the non historical realm of the supernatural. Encounter revelation states “ the content of revelation is regarded no longer as knowledge about God, not even info from God, but god himself from the historical conditioned response of human beings to the personal non cognitive encounter with god. The bible is a human book like any other book. Adventist thoughts on inspiration include a view called thought inspiration which states “the prophets where inspired but that in a very particular way the men themselves where inspired.
I agree with Wouabe's question. It seems like because we all have different interpretations of the Bible, many of which are not what He intended for us, we have slowed down His second coming. The problem we are faced with is that we are dealing with human beings who are difficult to understand and reason with. In our own families there are problems and disagreements, how much more the family of God? We should be humble and admit that we may have made mistakes in our theologies and be open to learning about how to overcome them to finish Christ's work. After all, is that not our purpose?
The cosmic Christ of Scripture: Chapter Two Scripture is an authoritative word of God. It is a rule of faith and practice of Christians. It reveals to us about Christ. No one has ever seen God; scripture reveals to us the creator. We belief in Christ Jesus because of the faith we have in Him. Our faith in Christ is the knowledge about Him which is revealed to us by the Bible. Although the Bible reveals to us about God, it does not treat every subject of life. Other source of knowledge about God is the cosmos. It declares the glory of God and shows His handy work of creation. Scripture is a guide as to correct knowledge, faith and practice of Christians. The Bible is a divine book which needs to be treated with respect and diligence. It should be allowed to speaking for itself. Scripture is the only revelation of God which reveals to us about the other revelations of God to man. Scripture again reveals to us about the work of the Holy Spirit. There is a holistic approach to scripture. These approaches help us to link both the OT and the NT together. For example the OT presents the prophecies concerning the Messiah. These prophecies saw is fulfillment in the NT. The Bible must be studied in its entirety so as to understand God’s revelation to man
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#2 October 28, 2009 From: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach (Chapter 3)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
Have you ever had a conversation with someone where the questions being posed to you were extremely difficult to answer or needed to be rephrased because the questions were what we call value laden questions or closed ended questions? Any answer you give would undoubtedly be incorrect. Thus is the issue with chapter three; the conflict that arises “when we come to the task of interpreting Scripture” (Reid, 2006). It is absolutely impossible to put aside ones value system and belief system, yet it is integral to do so with regards to the interpretation of the Bible. Chapter three identifies that this internal conflict stems from our presuppositions and out of these presuppositions, two things occur: it sets the limits by which biblical interpretation “can and should properly function” and establish the proper methodology, “and through the method, also influence, to a considerable degree, the outcome of our interpretation” (Reid, 2006). In other words, as Solomon wrote …”as a man thinketh so is he” (NIV). Even on our best days after communing in the presence of the living God, our very nature (which has been shaped by sin) is anti-God and wishes to assert self and selfish desires. This is why Paul cry’s out, “…Oh wretched man that I am”. Nevertheless, the author provides hope for those who desire to seek a full knowledge of God in spite of this handicap. He invites you to be intentional and purposed about how and when you engage in the study of Scripture; having a “disposition of mind and of heart that leads to understanding” (Reid, 2006). This disposition asserts the opposite of our human nature. It asserts that God is and therefore whenever we approach Scripture, God is there intentionally to reveal Himself without reservation, again and again. By faithful obedience, humility and openness of mind and heart to Scripture, divinity and humanity become co-laborers in excavating the unfathomable truths of Scripture.
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3 Based on my readings, one important hermeneutical principle that deal with states that scripture interprets scripture. An example of this is found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17. Ever since Jesus had hit the scene, everyone, especially the Pharisees and teachers of the Law thought that He was breaking the law. However, Christ states “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” This begs the question…. What law is Christ referring to? Who are these prophets? To understand the answer, we must turn to different scriptures. In John 3:3, John the Baptist points readers to the prophet Isaiah with these words “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.” This reference will take us directly to the prophet Isaiah in his warning to the people. This text is originally found in Isaiah 40:3. The same principle can be applied to the law, which will lead the reader back to the Pentateuch where Moses gives the people of Israel the Law of the Lord which must be followed forever. With a understanding that scripture interprets scripture, we can prayerfully know that God has the right answer for us, and with prayer and patience, He will reveal them to us.
GSEM510-2 October 09 Understanding Scripture Chapter IX In chapter nine Greg A. King makes an argument for the importance of a proper understanding of the historical narratives in the Bible by focusing on the interpretation of the Old Testament historical narratives. He begins by stating that about “half of the Old Testament is of this nature and over one third of the entire Bible.” Any Bible student after reading this statement realizes that if the author is right, then misunderstanding these portions of Scripture is basically not knowing what the Bible really says since most of the Bible is written in this structure.
Dr. King provides the following guidelines for interpreting the historical narratives in the Bible: - Read the Text Closely: Pay close attention to the details of the story - Study Literary Features Notice and srudy at east the following elements in the narrative: “the plot, the setting, the characters, and the narrator's view point.” - Take Note of Repetitions Pay attention to the words and phrases that are repeated throughout the narrative “can be helpful in determining the meaning intended by the author.” - Look for the Divine Perspective The narratives in the Bible are more than just a story, they portrait how GOD worked in, through, and sometimes inspire of HIS children. They intent to “communicate theological truth to the reader.” - Recognize the Exemplary Nature of Narratives The narrative do not usually teach a command from GOD, rather they “assume and illustrate a command or doctrine taught else where.” - Evaluate the Actions of the Character The narratives “record what actually happened, not necessarily what GOD wanted to happen.”
Dr. King finishes the chapter by providing an example of Biblical Historical Narrative exegesis focussing on Ruth 2: 1-13. While reading it I felt that he took some liberties with the development of the narrative character. One of this liberties that really caught my attention was his statement that Ruth had a “corresponding attraction to him” talking about how she felt about Boaz. I went to the passage and was not able to see anything on the behavior of Ruth towards Boaz that indicates attraction. I felt tat since Dr. King is trying to illustrate the above mention guidelines he should have used them more explicitly in his interpretation of the passage.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#4 October 29, 2009 From: The Cosmic Christ (Chapter 3)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
The issue of the acquisition of knowledge and learning and the recognition of other authoritative sources outside of the Bible in this process (more specifically in relation to the prophetic writings of Ellen G. White) continues to be a controversial topic among Adventism. The Bible declares that God is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end”; the beginning and end of all things, to include knowledge and wisdom. Through the process of inspiration, God then moved upon the writers of Scripture to make known His plan “for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (Reid, 2006). In the first book of Timothy, Paul writes 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” (NKJV). From this, we can gather that Scripture speaks authoritatively on all matters of life and Ellen White believes this as well. She writes, “Let everything be brought to the Bible; for it is the only rule of faith and doctrine” and thus is the claim being made in this chapter by Dr. Martin Hanna (Hanna, 2006). What kind of knowledge and/or learning does this refer to? Does this refer to a limited kind of knowledge and or learning that is relative to the Bible alone? On this matter, the author identifies three of four ways in which God is revealed to humanity in the Bible (Christ, Scripture, God’s universe) and shows how these same ways are likewise reiterated by and re-emphasized in the writings of Ellen White. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are admonished by Ellen White, “to make natural law plain, and to urge obedience to it, is a work that accompanies the third angel’s message” that is to say, that “every law governing the human system is to be strictly regarded…all nature expresses the law of God, but in our physical structure” (Hanna, 2006). Thus there is no limit to the vast amount of knowledge one can learn about any and everything in life because God has ordained in scripture, multiple opportunities, through the three identified means for learning take place. Even through the prophetic writings of Ellen G. White.
GSEM510-2 October 09 The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 3
In this chapter Professor Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., talks about the problem that bible students sometimes faced. We promote the validity of the Scriptures but sometimes do not allow it to talk. This is greatly seen in our inability to recognized the sources that the Bible itself acknowledge as conduits for GOD's revelation. To provide a solution to this problems Dr. Hanna proposes a “wholistic definition of the Scripture principles which recognizes the authority of GOD in the Scripture as well as in other revelations.” In this definition the Bible alone defines the role of other revelations of GOD and how they illuminate Scripture itself. With Daniel 12:4 as his backdrop he explains how his “wholistic” model for Bible interpretation would work. He states that his model is in harmony with “the tota, sola, and prima Scripture principles. Then he goes on to show how in his model by the Bible's own admission GOD reveals HIMSELF to us through the epistemological primacy of Scripture, the Ontological primacy of JESUS CHRIST, and the contextual primacy of the cosmos. He concludes by reassuring the reader that “Scripture is the only rule of faith, practice, and knowledge.” The he reiterates that the reason why GOD can be revealed through JESUS, the Bible, and the cosmos is because the Bible says so. I though that the information presented by Dr. hanna was practical and Bible based and thus deserving of prayerful consideration and upon conviction of the HOLY SPIRIT, personal application.
Explaining the divinity of Christ, the humanity of Christ and his sinless nature was always difficult for me. As Paul said in Hebrews, Jesus was tempted in all things, yet without sin. I appreciated Dr. Hanna’s approach to this matter, but I have some questions that I don’t believe were answered through his book. Is there a way to understand just how Jesus was tempted and never sinned? Is this a literal meaning of “never sinned” or is it figurative as in Jesus wasn’t a perfect kid, but as he grew in his knowledge of God and of the scriptures, he learned how to curb the desires of the flesh? I can’t imagine a child not making one mistake, after all, he was human. And since he was fully human and fully divine and he was tempted in every way and never sinned, how did that work? Was his divine nature assisting him as he grew up, helping him keep out of trouble? How can a man never experience pride? Or, how can a man be tempted with pride, but never experience it? This point has always left a question in my mind as to how Jesus did it. I don’t doubt the scriptures for one minute, but I would like to know how for issues such as this one.
Blog #4 US Chapter 10 The authors of this chapter, Gerhard Pfandle and Angel M. Rodriguez did a great job with helping the reader to better understand the wisdom books of the Old Testament. The books that they mentioned such as Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, all have such wisdom that we can all learn from…if we understand them. To understand these, there are layers that must be understood to understand the full meaning of the text. I really appreciated the teaching on the different kinds of poetry that the Old Testament uses. Hebrew was a very skillful language and you must have a good understanding of the forms in order to get a good understanding of what the text is saying. I love how they show you what poems meant what and how to decide which kind of poem it is. Psalms and Proverbs both speak of real life and it is so inspiring to know how such great men handled the good and the bad times in their lives, but to understand the Hebrew forms of poetry, gives you a deeper understanding of the concepts that the author was trying to share. This really gives the reader a new reason to really study the scriptures rather than just glance over them.
Understanding Scripture – Chapter 7 Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture
Before taking this class I really didn’t understand how a number of scholars could interpret one Bible passage in so many different ways. Even within the Seventh-day Adventist church there are a variety of ways to interpret scripture. Chapter seven in the book Understanding Scripture helps to break down some of the basic exegetical steps for interpreting scripture. From reading this chapter two important steps stuck out in my mind as most important. Step number one and ten. Step number one is turning to God in prayer. I think this step is essential in order to gain more than just biblical knowledge. This is the stage when the bible student has the opportunity to be open to the bible and learn as well as be transformed in heart and mind. There are many scholars who study the bible but don’t believe in God. The Christian has an opportunity to not just think but to be changed. The last step in the process of interpreting a Biblical Text is taking time. This is a step that I know I have to work on. It’s so easy to want to accomplish the goal of interpreting the text and then tackling another one. Patience is not a virtue of many. True bible study requires moving at the pace of God and pulling away from the microwave world and learning at the feet of Jesus. Once the impatient spirit is removed, the Holy Spirit will reveal biblical truth.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture – Chapter 4 Are Ellen White’s Writings Biblical?
I found this chapter to be very interesting. It’s so easy to get caught up in the debate of whether the writings of E.G.W. are biblical, without seriously examining her writings and what she clearly says. Ellen White states in the Great Controversy, “Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain, ‘Thus says the Lord’ in its support.” Nowhere in the writings of Mrs. White does she caution people to take her words above that of scripture. I love the story of the last session at General Conference where the 82 year old prophet attended. With the Bible in one hand and trembling with age she says, “I commend unto you this book,” and left the platform. To me this illustrates not just the life of Ellen White but also her writings. She points people to Christ and the Bible. I believe her writings are totally Biblical and if placed in their proper perspective and used within context can definitely lead others to Christ. I fell in love with Jesus Christ and accepted him as my personal Savior by reading the words of one of her books, Steps to Christ. I believe people hesitate to use her writings because others have twisted her words to support their own agenda. Before condemning a prophet it’s important to test the prophet and see if the things they teach contradict or coincide with the Word of God.
It is very interesting that we talked of presupposition as something to be cautious but we forget that it is important to have some presuppositions. I will reject both extreme that to have presupposition is a must and to not have any presupposition is a must. Do you know anyone in the scripture who did not have any presuppositions? I believe that it is important to some presupposition if you attend to have an easy and good hermeneutic. Some that I think are important are: the Bible is the inspire word of GOD, all books agree among each other to the main theme of salvation and that it has unity of scripture. And because every author of the Bible had a presupposition so the bible itself has its own presupposition to the reader. We have focus and mention more of the hindrance of presupposition and forget that there is a blessing in having a good presupposition. Our life journey helps us see the scripture in a more personal way because of our experience. We have a background which is only unique to us and we can see in the scripture what others will not be able to see. The word of GOD we must remember is infinite and all the living being coming together cannot exhaust all possibility of the meaning of a text. I love to listen to others share their meaning of a passage in the scripture. I have always experience from others sharing their understanding of the scripture, to have something new and amazing that I did not see. The Bible is a living Word and it is relevant to us no matter what our experience in life was.
Chapter 8 - Innerbiblical interpretaion: Reading the scriptures intertextually
From my time in the seminary I have begun to understand the importance of reading scripture intertextually. Many times we treat the bible like a novel, that is, it says what it says and therefore we can read it for what it is. The more time we spend with scripture is the more we realize that this is not true. At the same time when you read a novel you must have a beggining to understand the end and without an end you will not understand anything. From this we can take that even though scripture is a book unlike any book just like a book it is subject to certain qualities that any book would be subject to. We realize that it is what the book contains that sets one from another. The problem concerning the bible is the two extremes associated with this. That is, while some treat the bible like any book, others do not treat it as a book at all. As a regular novel must have a beggining, middle, and end which means that each part is interelated the scripture must be of the like concerning this principle. If we are to expect to have a book to have these portions the bible as a book must be expected to contain these as well. Therefore where anything contains interelation there can be inner interpretation the only thing that is different with the scripture however, is that because of the quality of the read the inner interpretation will be more intense than any novel can or will ever be.
Chapter 10: reading Psalms and the wisdom literature
This chapter is most relative to me at this point because I am now in the book of Psalms devotionaly speaking. Of a certainty, this book and other wisdom books should in my opinion be read slower than most in the bible because it is very easy to walk away from the text with a wrong interpretation. I find that many of the texts in the wisdom literature gives answers which will be relative to the reader. Psalms like life is complicated because it is about life and I feel that as you read it the holy spirit will guide you to the chapter or text that will allow you to hear God speak to you and in some circumstances your situation. The book of Psalms is not more important than any other book of the bible but I would say that if we were to look at the whole bible as a man and the chapters as divisions of organs, Psalms would be the heart. In my opinion it is God's way of speaking to us and telling us that you are not as bad as you think, the fight between evil and good within us will be difficult, or in general to hold on and continue the race as it is not important who comes first or last but whether or not you are able to finish.
Kenita Spencer October Blog #1 From: Understanding Scripture As I read the subtitle: “A working definition of Inspiration “in Chapter 4 of Understanding Scripture I was humbled by the fact that we have finite minds, but God reveals his truths to us as he sees fit and that as Seventh Day Adventist s we have acknowledged that we have not arrived in regards to a deeper understanding of revelation-inspiration. Like the theologians and apologists of old the Seventh Day Adventist Church realizes that we are affected by truth and errors inside and outside of the Church. During the times of the early church the Canon came about in response to the need to create stabilized pillars for the church. The Nicene Creed was in response to Christological controversies and the Apostles Creed was in response to heresies—more specifically, Gnosticism. Apologists sided with different camps (the correlationists or the orthodox) in order to defend the faith of the fledgling church. In regards to Revelation and Inspiration the SDA church has been forced to articulate its position or working position grounded in the Bible. While doing this one of our objectives is to bring others to a Biblical understanding of revelation and inspiration. The author of this chapter states, “One thing is clear. Adventists are not united in their understanding of the fundamental issue of R-I…Some Adventists have searched for a better way of understanding R-I…Building on their work, we have suggested…a new model of understanding R-I…It is the Biblical Model, because it is built on biblical foundational hermeneutical presuppositions and carefully listens to the range of biblical evidence…We must continue to search for a better a deeper understanding of the Biblical Model of R-I.” pp. 71-72
Kenita Spencer October Blog#2 From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture “I commend you to this book”. It is safe to assume that Ellen G. White was a woman of many words. She wrote many books that have inspired and illuminated our minds. Her exit off the world stage seems anticlimactic, however, it was a poignant illustration of how important the Bible was to her and how it should be for us today. For her to say these words, it meant she believed in sola scriptura. The Bible is the rule of faith and practice, not her work. I must confess that I have struggles with Ellen G. White—I mean the Ellen G. White that others have portrayed to me. As I have read more and more of her work and where she stands on the place of her work in relation to the Bible I have come to appreciate her work and guidance to the Body of Believer of which I am apart of—the Seventh Day Adventists Church. “I commend you to this book” in light of “if they do not speak according to God’s word there is no light in them” is the sure way to decide on the Biblical basis for Ellen G. White’s writings.
Donald Henderson October Blog #1 Understanding Scripture Chapter 3
The common views on the process of revelation inspiration include verbal inspiration, encounter, revelation, and thought inspiration. Verbal inspiration says that God is the author of scripture and he accomplished it by taking control of the writers of scripture. Therefore the words of the Bible are the words of the God. This view of inspiration suggests that the words of the bible are inerrant. It also implies that because God is the author of the Bible, then the words of the Bible are really timeless divine truths without historical context. Supporting this type of a view revelation inspiration undermines the Seventh day Adventist belief in the historical literal meaning of the Bible. Basically without that as the basis the grounds for many of our beliefs would be undermined. Encounter revelation is described as a divine human encounter devoid of the impartation of knowledge. It suggests that after the authors of the Bible encounter God, they simply write about their experience, which in reality lacks any type of divine guidance from God. If this is accepted, then the Bible is not seen as authoritative, it is not a revelation from God but a mere look at the effect of God on a person within his historical settings. Finally thought inspiration says that revelation and inspiration is the process by which God affects the thoughts of the writer but not his words. Therefore although the words of the writer might contain error, the message is infallible truth. The problem with this view of revelation inspiration is that you are left wondering how to determine what part of the authors words are error and how do they affect the message. Our understanding of revelation and inspiration forms the basis for our claims to the authenticity and authority of the Bible, and it directs our beliefs. Therefore, as a church, it is important that we develop a Biblical base view on the process of revelation and inspiration so that we are able to boldly proclaim the historical literal truths of the Bible, and guard our fellow believers against heretical claims.
Donald Henderson October Blog #2 Understanding scripture Chapter 4
The Bible presents messages that are clear and easy to understand. This clarity is based on the language in which the Bible was written. Today we have translations of the Bible. To get the clearest interpretation of the Bible it is important to study the Bible in its original languages, such as Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. This allows us to get the fullest meaning of the words being used to convey the message of the Bible. One such reference can be seen in Exodus 20:13, which is translated in most versions of the Bible as, “thou shall not kill”. A proper study into the Hebrew language shows that the word text can be translated as “thou shall not murder”. The words murder and kill carried different connotations in the Old Testament and they carry different connotations today, but understanding the difference in translations would make it easier to understand different acts of violence in the Old Testament. In studying the Bible it is important that we allow the Biblical principles of hermeneutics to be our guide, but the ultimate illumination comes from the Holy Spirit. He was involved in the work of creating the Bible and Jesus promised that after he left the Holy Spirit would be involved in our work of interpreting the Bible (John 16:13). When we approach the Bible, we must recognize that it is Gods will that is being revealed to man; therefore we must petition Him in prayer so that He helps us to understand his will for our lives
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3: Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture I have had more than a couple people come to me to vet their interpretations of scriptures. Only recently after listening to a very conservative member of our church vent why we need to keep drums out of the church I had to consider how many people may not be aware of the steps in interpreting Scripture. When I gave my (contradictory) answer, there was a very pregnant pause at the end of the phone. Their response when it eventually came made me feel as if my education at the Seminary was in fact turning me into a liberal without any regard for Scripture or inspired writing. In other word, it was doing more harm than good. What I’ve found to be the culprit is people’s presuppositions. Often times, people will cling to texts that validate or correspond with their own biases. They most often refer to 1 Cor 14:40 and applied it to everything that is in variance with their own taste – and in this case it was the use of drums in the church. She mentioned how many times EG White mentioned it and that the use of drums was also a sign of the end. Great efforts were being made by her local church to band its use and many meetings were being held to discuss the issue. I was amazed at how much other church matters, just as weighty, that were being ignored as a result of this issue. When I investigated EG White, her main source, I only found 1 actual citing. In fact it was the same quote that was repeatedly used in many different compilations and it did not apply to how it was being used in her church. This reading has made me realize how much training is needed in our church. Ministers can no longer focus on preaching. More effort has to be made to teach the congregation how to best understand Scriptures, but how our presuppositions affect our interpretation of it. It will not only help each member grow in their spiritual walk, but empower them to share the gospel with others. And of course will reduce the incidence of false teaching that often times arise.
From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture- Are Ellen G. White’s Writings Biblical?
I grew up hearing EG White being quoted almost synonymously as the Bible. There were some who had her complete writings which was considered a mark of a good Seventh-day Adventist. I have to confess there was a time when I found her work hard to read. The language was strange and my spiritual insight was rather dim so I never got very far. As I grew spiritually and started reading the scriptures more for myself, I found that when I finally attempted to read her work, it gave me a deeper appreciation for the Word. Her book, “Steps to Christ” has had a profound on my relationship with Christ. Could I have gotten that from the Bible only? Most likely, but for me it facilitated my understanding of the Scriptures and then the Scriptures being echoed in her work, made me appreciate her work more. Her love for God is evident. She refers to scripture time and time again to make her points. None are ever at odds with the Word of God. If nothing else, it makes the reader see Scripture with more clarity. One of my presuppositions about EG White was that she was inspired by God. Her work is not Scripture, but it points you back to Scripture. That being said, I believe that her writings were Biblical. She even said, “before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘thus says the Lord’ in its support”. To me that clearly says that she believed that the Bible, the ‘Thus says the Lord” was the litmus test. We too should do the same. We should take the time for ourselves and use the Bible to determine if in fact her writings are in fact biblical or not.
I am writing on chapter 2 of Understanding Scripture. Faith should rule reason. We must take what has been written and told us by inspiration, test it with reason and against truth, and then believe it if it withstands. yet our faith should not be blind and be truthful. Therefore reason is important but should be tamed and guided by the Holy Spirit. Christ stated that if we only had faith as big as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Now I know His statement was not only literal. There was also the theological and personal elements that, I have not seen many "mountains" being removed and cast into the sea. It all sounds great, and there is importance in studying with faith as our guide, But we all come to the table with presuppositions and baggage. We all came with "our version" (mine is the JMV) and the we study the bible. We engage in hermeneutics and exegesis. We consider different avenues of interpretation and understanding. Yet all along we are being driven and influenced subconsciously by our own baggage. My question is; How can we move past that? or can we? if not, how can we open-mindedly do "true" hermeneutics?
Writing on Chapter 2 of "the Cosmic Christ of Scripture"
Is there a problem with biblical authority? As Christians we are a part of a large group who hold to sacredness and authority of scripture. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are part of an even smaller group who hold not only to the sacredness and authority of scripture, but we also hold to a tight framework of Biblical interpretation and are quick to enter into debate with anyone who challenges our "comfort zone". Let us, for a few moments expand our cope of focus to the world. Every established religion outside of Christianity also has their own sacred authoritative, guiding,life-changing, compilation of Holy writings. Each individual will, and many do, defend with their lives, what they have put their faith in. Is there a problem, in their mind, with the authority of their religious scriptures? Look at the golden tablets of Mormonism or the Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism. These documents are not put under scrutiny and microscopic inspections. Members of Islam do not sit around at night and argue the hermeneutics of the Koran. As Christians we have been given a great gift and yet we are cursed under that gift. Except in some orthodox traditional christian arenas, we are free to question. We are free to examine for ourselves and to develop our faith according to our studies. There in lies the gift and the curse. Until glorification, we will argue amongst ourselves the fine points of doctrine.
Chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture
-Turn to God in prayer: The importance of prayer in the process of hermeneutics is monumental to try and do hermeneutics without prayer is equivalent to trying to work on a car without opening the hood not much is going to be accomplished. After the great disappointment the early advent believers were wrestling with the text trying to understand the meaning in the Daniel Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Dan 8:14 through earnest prayer and then bible study were they able to receive illumination from the Holy Spirit after their hermeneutic.
Chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture
Using the best possible reading: When using the best possible reading allows the bible student to further enhance his or her hermeneutic attempt of gleaning the message from the text. If I’m working on a 1999 Chevy Camaro and I have two editions of the manual the 1986 and the 1996 both are capable of allowing me to work on the 1999 model the benefit of using the 1996 manual is the wording most likely will be closer to the vernacular of the present time. So it is with Bible reading in exodus 20 the Ten Commandments are recorded and verse 13 it states thou shalt not kill. Someone could take this to mean if there is a roach in my house I have to let it live. The NIV it reads thou shalt not murder which paints the picture for English readers because in the Hebrew this same sentiment is expressed.
Comment on chapter 6 of The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, “The Theme of the Bible is Jesus.”
Ryan Kilgore
In this chapter, Dr. Hanna proposes that “Christ is the theme and center of the Scriptures.” He also states that “according to Scripture, the divine-human Christ is the mediator between divinity and humanity” (83). If I understand Dr. Hanna correctly, it seems that we may learn from this that what we find about Christ in the Scriptures should give us a picture of what it means to be connected with God. First we see him as the example of the union of divinity and humanity. Then we can extrapolate the meaning for our lives today as we seek to follow his example.
Dr. Hanna points out that “Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers of divine nature” (82). This helps us to understand Scripture better. We need not separate Christ’s experience from our own. There are two temptations we can easily fall into: First, that Christ’s divinity precludes us, who are not divine, from experiencing victory over sin or a selfless reproduction of the character of God. Second, that Christ’s humanity while living a sinless life means that we must strive for the purposes of our salvation for a sinless perfectionism. Understanding the divine-human nature of Christ and his intention to restore our complete humanity by partaking of divinity, we can grasp that a perfect, sinless character only comes as the result of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Chapter 7 of Understanding Scripture This chapter was very insightful. The author did an excellent job of putting everything together in a way that is easy to understand. It is possible for anybody to interpret the Bible correctly, even the person that is not trained. I like the fact how he pointed out that the purpose of studying is to be transformed by the passage. However, I cannot be transformed by the passage unless I am able to see what God was trying to say. The author made a point on page 116 regarding the temptation of Jesus. He stated that Satan actually took Psalm 91 out of context in his attempt to deceive Jesus. This highlights the point of the necessity for using guidelines when interpreting the Bible. We are going to see more and more of this in these last days. It won’t be so much “truth mixed with error” as it will be “truth mixed with misinterpretation”. There are many sincere Christians who mean well but do not understand how to correctly handle the Bible so they end up being misled and misleading others. Although anybody can interpret Scripture, it must be approached in a certain way. Lastly, one cannot help but notice that even though the steps are clearly defined it is still going to take considerable time to interpret a passage. When considering the literary tools that the ancient writers used (such as chiasms) one must admit that understanding a passage is going to take hours of research and prayer. This is especially important for us pastors to remember. It is easy to proof text a bunch of passages together to throw a sermon up on Sabbath, but diligent Bible study pays off in more than one way. Lastly, if we as pastors don’t take the time to study the passage thoroughly and prayerfully then may become proliferators of “truth mixed with error.”
Dr. Hanna brought out an important point a couple of weeks ago concerning the acknowledging the larger context of Scripture. He spoke about the “Signs of the End” found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Traditionally, Adventists have used these passages (especially “wars and rumors of wars”) to prove that the end is near. However, this is not the point of the passage. Jesus is admonishing his disciples to beware of false teachers, for many will come saying that the end is near and that Christ has come. He also admonishes them to watch and pray. Jesus tells them that they should not be alarmed when they see these things happening. Yet Adventists are the first to be alarmed at every bit of major breaking news. From the emergence of the Social Security Number to Y2K. Just recently, David Gates was running around telling people that September of 2008 would usher in the closing events of earth’s history and he used Matthew 24 often. People were alarmed and were making plans to run for the hills. We even have seminars taking place on campus to teach people how to live in the last days taking place during Divine Hour. All of this happens because people fail to look carefully at the text and its larger context; poor hermeneutics. It is clear based on the larger context of Matthew 24 that the key to preparedness is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, watching and praying, and asking God for an abundance of oil.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture The most profound section of this book for me is the section that talks about us needing to go to and fro between Scripture and Christ to increase our understanding of God. This is a direct appeal for us to develop a personal relationship with Christ Jesus himself. This is a revolutionary thought because we are not taught that there is any possibility of learning anything from a personal intimate connection with Christ that we couldn’t obtain from reading in the Bible. Will God reveal his secrets, his great ideas to his servants? What an erotic thought that we could so commune with our Saviour and Lord that we have a moment by moment rapport with the Creator of the universe. In fact the idea of bibliolatry was a phenomenon I thought was possible but dared not ever ask the question. It is equally as dangerous to leave a relationship with Christ out of our Bible studies as it is to leave the study of the Scriptures out of our personal walk with Jesus. How cunning is the enemy of Christ as he tries to counterfeit even the attempt at a one on one connection with God. How convoluted is the thought that we could be ardent students of the Word of God and regard the Bible as being ontologically superior to God himself? The idea that we could be spiritually sick amidst enormous insight and knowledge is incredible. Thank God for the Holy Spirit without Him we would have no chance.
Understanding Scripture I want to discuss the realm of evil and spiritual powers and whether they could possibly be at work in our theology today. In the chapter Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics the author speaks about the evil angels seeking to influence the minds of interpreters of Scripture. I often wonder at the myriad of opinions in the Adventist church. I know that many subjects are not simply black or white and the whole concept of a wholistic approach may disarm some discrepancies. It is also easy to say that some are not using correct hermeneutical techniques when they disagree with us. However if most factors are kept constant we can still end up with unexplainable gulfs between opinions. How effective is Satan the imbuing the mind with truth altering concepts when interpreters have insisted they have asked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Can Satan intercept revelation from God? Can he misconstrue messages and counterfeit interpretations? Is the Great Controversy so multifaceted that we dare not take our eyes of off Christ for a second?
Blog on Chapter 4 Understanding Scripture: Revelation and Inspiration “Theopneustos” The greek work for God breathed. I had never considered the following question until it was raised by the author. What exactly does it mean when it says the scriptures were God breathed? It’s a very interesting statement. There are so many angles you could look at it. Are the scriptures God breathed in the same way that the stars in heavens breathed out by our Creator at the beginning of time created for the same purpose: to give us Light that can guide us in the darkness after the son had left. Did God breathed also refer to the Holy Spirit being a part of the DNA of scripture? So many thought arise even as we attempt to interpret this metaphorically. Even more interesting how do the bible writers fit within the scheme of “theopneustos”? As stated in class even when Paul wrote that he wasn’t referring to the New Testament. Even if you say that that is was a manifestation of God’s thoughts and actions you still cannot fully explain the method to receiving and communicating God’s thoughts and actions in a human being. Examining verbal inspiration and thought inspiration still leads to more questions no matter which view or even hybrid view you decide.
Blog on The Cosmic Scripture Chapter 6: The theme of the bible is Jesus Understanding the theme of the bible is Jesus Christ is not only important but deep in knowledge and understanding of the entire Godhead. As one reads the bible the three members of the God head as well as their roles become evident. What may not become as evident is their relationship to one another. However doing some problem solving and putting together the pieces of the puzzle it begins to be clear. Although not fully explained, perhaps because we may not fully understand it, God does allow for us to get a glimpse into this topic. From the plurality of “Let Us” to the numerous usages of the Jesus stating that “I am the Father and the Father is in me” and he was the “I AM” as well as Jesus saying “I will come to you” in reference to the Holy Spirit point to three unique persons of the Godhead all being made exegete by the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. His teachings show how each member of the Godhead is submissive not out of weakness but out of unity. Further the words of Christ also explained the words and thoughts of the Old Testament and displayed how they referred to Him. Now to make this idea personal is theme of our life, the only bible somebody may read, Jesus Christ? When people hear or see us does it point theme to Jesus just as the scriptures?
Blog on Chapter 3 Understanding Scripture: Presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture It is interesting understanding why and the affect of presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture. As with any other thing people, food, even movies, people have a predetermined expectation or bias before they open God’s word. Now this isn’t always bad just as expecting the correct flavor for Morningstar grillers so it is with the presupposition of God’s word when a person believes that it is “in an indivisible, indistinguishable union of the divine and the human.” However it is when presuppositions prevent us from hearing the Word of God and or being moved by the Holy Spirit there becomes an issue. Creation is an excellent parallel to this thought. In creation the Word of God spoke and made things stand in their place. In addition, even before that the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the earth. Both were needed for the earth to have new things, and improvements. It is the same way in our life. The transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit is needed before we hear God’s Word, so that we don’t impede the new things God has in store for us. And again even as creation has being hurt by sin so has our interpretation of the bible. However again just as we can still see and enjoy God thru creation so we can still see and enjoy God’s messages to us in His holy word if we only open, honest, faithful, obedient, loving, and prayerful.
November Comment #1 “Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 7: Guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture In this chapter, Ekkehardt Muller provides a very systematic, but most importantly very practical method of studying and interpreting Scripture. The Historical-Critical method is obviously the ‘superior’ method, for a lack of better term, of studying the Bible as acknowledges the self-testimony of Scripture and studies its phenomena. The presuppositions and the principles which this method takes are certainly founded on the Bible and if followed correctly, would certainly be able to expose the reader to the wonderful truths and promises as found in His word.
I am particularly grateful also for the detailed exegetical steps as outlined in chronological order by Muller, especially since he caters not just for the budding theologian, but also for the casual (but serious) Bible student as well. Even more so is his use of Scripture to support each of the steps as outlined, which again provides a solid foundation and basis for proper hermeneutics and Bible study. A tool such as this should certainly be taught to the local congregation so that they too can discover the gems that are hidden within the Bible.
November Comment #2 “Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 17: Ellen White and Hermeneutics
As a Seventh-Day Adventist, I believe without a doubt that Ellen White was an inspired prophetess of the Lord and she should be treated as such. In this chapter, Pfandl of course acknowledges this from the get-go, even going so far as to say that the her inspiration, not her authority, is of the same type as the inspiration of the Old and New Testament prophets. I think in many ways this is where the ‘over-emphasis’ for Ellen White begins because too many Adventists put her writings on par with Scripture, if not above it even when she herself has said that she’s the lesser light.
This is where Pfandl’s article is valuable as he provides several principles for the interpretation of her works as well as for Scripture. The driving force behind a proper interpretation of Ellen White’s writings is context, both immediate as well as the larger, extended context. Just like the Bible was written in biblical times, Ellen White’s writings were written for her times, hence the right hermeneutics as well as proper understanding of the context and the principles which she tries to derive from these writings is absolutely crucial. Without doing so, it will be inherently too easy (and dangerous) to elevate her above Scripture and without understanding the context, many things may even be in direct contradiction to the principles of the Bible.
On page 267 of our text book is a very interesting statement on Revelation 17:10. I have always been interested in the many interpretation of this verse; so here I am giving my view on the topic base on my understanding. I once had the opportunity to listened to a pastor in California on the said topic and he was saying five popes were dead and that is from 1929 after Masculine reestablish the papacy. And that is Pius 12, Blessed John, Paul 6, John Paul 1, John Paul 2; these five popes have died and then he said the six will be for a short time and then the seventh who is Lucifer himself will take the throne as the seven and final Pope. When Benedict was elected at the age of 79 I said to my self that this pope will be there for a short time as the pastor said. When John Paul 2 died the new was he appointed a cardinal that no one knew about; and to me I was saying that must have been Lucifer getting ready for the job. So this started playing in my mind until I read and discovered the following. As mentioned in our text book understanding scripture; this verse has three critical points (1) the seven heads represented all powers that oppose God’s people and work on earth have already passed off the stage of history. (2) those who are thinking the first five heads as Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Papacy considered that these five had all fallen at the time the deadly wound was finally administered to the Papal head of the beast in 1798. And (3) those who are thinking the first five as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece consider that the point indicated by verse 10 is the time of John when the vision was given. What is going on here probably the angle is saying to John all the powers in the world which is going to stand against God’s people will not be successful. The fact is pointing to the pass and it is true a long list of world leaders have tried to destroyed God’s people and they failed. And the leaders today will try and they too will fail, and the leader to come will again try and he two will fail. This to me is the main point in this vision, and it is a message that is found through out the bible and that is God’s people will never be complete be destroyed.
Marlon A. Gregory Revelation Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2nd Postings The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
It is true that Scripture holds a unique place in the revelation of God and I believe that nothing is qualified to stand where it stands. Indeed Scripture is fully inspired and the unity found in Scripture, after it was written over such a long period and by so many writers is awesome. The Holy Spirit of God is the common denominator that unifies Scripture. According to the author Scripture is the only rule of faith and practice for the Christian church, in other words “if the Bible says I believe it and that settles it for me.” Scripture makes it clear that there are no other authority but that of God and that which He ordains. The Scriptures also point to other forms of revelation for instance Jesus Christ, Who it states is the Supreme revelation of God, nature the general revelation and the church the ecclesial revelation of God. The author points out that there is new light in the old lamp of Scripture by this he is alluding to the fact that Scripture is always timely and relevant for us. In other words Scripture has not lost its meaning and its themes are of utmost importance for all generations.
Marlon Gregory Revelation Inspiration and Hermeneutics Understanding Scriptures: Chapter 6
Based on the chapter at hand, there is a split among Seventh day Adventist scholars on the issue of inspiration. There are some of our scholars who hold fast to the concept of thought inspiration while there are others who are comfortable with the notion of verbal inspiration. It is interesting to note that Friedrich Schleiermacher presented a strange kind of theology that would later be followed by so many. He proposed that revelation is a divine-human encounter devoid of impartation of knowledge. This theory flies in the face of verbal inspiration and illuminates the point that the content of revelation is about God Himself. As a result nothing we find in Scripture is from God and he calls this revelation encounter revelation, to this I totally disagree. It is brought out clearly in this chapter that Ellen White the prophetess to the church who greatly influenced our views on inspiration and revelation leans firmly to the side of thought inspiration. Thus, majority of Adventist theologians and scholars have held the position of “thought inspiration” from the beginning of the twenty-first century. According to the author, Adventists are not united in their understanding of the fundamental issue of revelation and inspiration.
John Coaxum Chapter 8 – Inner biblical Interpretation Innerbiblical interpretation as well as intertextual analysis are very important to hermeneutics and exegesis. It is essential in discovering the overall unity and cohesiveness of scripture. The New Testament has theological significance grounded in the Old Testament, and at the same time the OT points to the theologically fulfillments in the New Testament. Diop speaks about Typology as the hermeneutical key. In the OT there are so many types that are met with an antitype in the New Testament. These are not arbitrary or by coincidence the interpreter must believe that God intended for these types, antitypes, “hints and clues” to be preserved in scripture. Furthermore as one studies the totality of scripture it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that these innerbiblical interpretation is of no value. If we simply take Jesus, who is the main focal point of all scripture and we simply examine His life against the backdrop of Old Testament prophecy the result is staggering. There is no question that the entire OT points to Christ and His first advent, whereas the New Testament speaks of His life on Earth and points to His second advent. Diop says that Christ is the center of innerbiblical interpretation. I agree with this concept as I study the NT and see clearly for myself that Christ fulfilled and deliberately lived out the claims of the OT. This in my mind only gives more credit to this type of study and propels me to look for more of these hermeneutical keys and clues embedded in scripture. There is a legitimate mandate from scripture to search its pages for passages in scripture that relate to one another, that have similar words, or similar theology. God’s word is a uniquely unified text. Although written by many different people in many different places, each text is theologically parallel and invites us to study all its parts for clearer revelation.
This comment in on Understanding Scripture ch 11 titled Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy. I must admit that this has been a difficult one for me because as Adventist our interpretation of Old Testament Prophecy differs from just about every one else. I do believe that we are correct in our interpretations and it is my belief that we arrive at our correct conclusions specifically because we have been guided by the Holy Spirit and generally because we often put in more time in the study of the scriptures than our other Christian brothers. As I read and study Old Testament Prophecy especially as it pertains to the Jews my heart is oftened saddened and perplexed because it doesnt appear that any of the covenant promises made to Israel came to fruition. I guess I should not say any but rather only a few. The promises of what Israel would do and what they were to become after captivity never came true because of their disobedience. How sad, but I guess this all proves to show that God covenant promises are conditional with respect to our choices.
This comment is based on the chapter Interpretation of the Gospel and Epistle. I dont know about you but I found the Historical and Cultural information provided by Abraham Cohen on Mark 7:33; 8:23 (Jesus putting spiitle on the eyes of the blind man to heal him) exciting and thought provoking. I was reminded about how important it is to know the historical/cultural back ground of these bible stories. It is my firm belief that this type of information is as important as knowing the biblical languages. I also find it comforting that we have four gospel narratives. I believe this is God's way of saying that He considers every nation kindred tongue and people when it comes to sharing the gosple story. I believe that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John cover all the bases together that neither of them could cover by themselves, well perhaps I should not say could not cover by themselves after all the Holy Spirit could have had one person cover all the bases if He wanted to but He did not see fit to do it that way and I for one am Thankful. The four gospels are rich with meaning, diversity and unity that speaks of the supervision of an all powerful all knowing and ever present God.
Quigley obrin Morris In the book the Cosmic Christ of Scripture page 81 peter declared that Christ bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. My question is how can we die to sin? This is not the process of one loosing consciousness and passing away. To me it is more a way of life that involves living a life for Jesus. Let us think about it; it is really giving all that you have. To die to sin means to live a life free from sinning as a child of God. It was Paul who said I am a living sacrifice but I live; to me these men understood giving all that they had to follow Jesus. To die to sin is leaving as Christ leaved, and that is to be in harmony with the Father. To lead men to Christ through the influence of example; and there are no better ways to reach another person. To be a living sacrifice is to think about God and not you’re self. That means to put away the needs of the flesh and see Christ as the only provider through which you can know him better. That also means to stand up for what is right consistently in spite of what your desires are and what people think about you. There have been men who have gone the distance and sacrifice their lives for God. It is not an easy battle but the men who are willing to have it that way God provide the tools to help them be successful. I have spend time thinking about Paul and all his sufferings; I have often wander what kept that man so strong; I have thought about peter and how was he able to trust Jesus so much that he was able to walk on water raise the dead. In fact he did all the things that Jesus did while he was on earth. I remember Stephen as each stone cannon into his broken body there was never a sign of weakness. He did not lift his hand in surrender and quite taking blows but he stood up until his wounded body could not take another missal from the angry crowd. His weak body lay on the ground to the success of the stone throws, but triumph lingered in the bones of the dying Stephen. Where to this men of God get such passion, to walk the other mile, to heal the sick, raise the dead? To face death with dignity as if it was the reason for their existence. The sacrifice my friend; that is the hold mark of true discipleship; the walk that will galvanize our efforts to understanding the simple things that can make life worth living when Christ is the only reason for our existence.
In chapter 7 of Cosmic Christ, Sister White’s writings are analyzed as Christ centered or not. In the beginning of this chapter it begins with a story of a minister making a statement about Ellen White being all about the law, a statement which Ellen adamantly refuted as false. She seems to be very strong on the point that she nor any other Adventist believe that we are saved by the law. Even though we find this to be her position in her writings, I find people today who will still say such nonsense. In this chapter we find that Sister White’s writings definitely uplift the divinity of Christ. We also find that her writings uplift the humanity of Christ. I never really had given it much study but it seems that she believed clearly in the Trinity. She believed that Jesus was God. This is something I have personally found to be a topic of disagreement among many offshoot Adventist. I have been convicted on this from the Bible and I was happy to see the Sister White agreed. I will add this quote from the book that may interest you in reading more about what she believed. “For Ellen White, the Christ-centered connections of divine and human persons involve three overlapping themes of Scripture which I mentioned in chapter six. (1) The social nature of humanity in the image of divinity; (2) the corporate nature of humanity in the first and last Adam; and (3) Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood (p.90).”
In chapter 5 on the Authority of Scripture there is an interesting section about the authority of Christ. It reminds us that Jesus claims for Himself divine authority. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). Some may question this reality because they would like this claim to be verified. But how can it be verified when Christ is the highest authority there is. It is interesting that this claim is written in a book inspired by the Holy Spirit about the witness of God in human form. It can be considered to be a circular argument but who else can Christ authority be verified by but Himself? “And it is Christ, of whom the Spirit-given Scriptures testify, who puts the seal of His divine authority upon the God-breathed Scriptures” (p.77). I really like this because it makes you think. Christ is the all in all. Unlike anyone else, He doesn’t need someone else to give Him authority. He has authority because He is Christ. I also like how His authority is different than the human understanding of authority. His authority is based on love not lording over someone. This is why we welcome Jesus having authority over us in our lives.
Comment on Chapter 17: Hermeneutics and Culture by Lael O. Caesar Understanding Scripture, An Adventist Approach
I have never felt the great challenge to preaching the Word of God in a meaningful way to today’s listeners as I did at the end of this reading. I realized how, most of the time, we do quote the Bible to peoples, comparing peoples in the Bible and peoples today without paying any attention to the settings. “How can the Bible, writes Lael, a Semitic book formed through oral and written traditions in an entirely different geographic, historical, and cultural context, appropriated and interpreted for so many centuries by the West through hermeneutic tools designed to meet different needs and shaped by different historical factors now be interpreted in Asia by Asian Christians for their own people?”, (I continue) be interpreted in Africa by African Christians for their own people, be interpreted in the 21st century by 21st century Christians for their contemporaries and so on. It’s quite a challenge, challenge many preachers unfortunately don’t realize. It's a challenge to bring this old message of more than 2000 years to the 21st century man, it's a challenge to read this Semitic book in a meaningful way to a European, American, or African, it's a challenge to present this Christian worldview to a Muslim. Buddhist or Animist At the end of this reading, I understood what a high responsibility it is to preach the Word of God today. It seems as if I was told: “Beloved Preacher, before you open your mouth to preach to people, make sure you have truly identified their needs.” How sad it is to preach, to shout and jump from the pulpit and instead of meeting people’s needs we just meet our needs... What a waste of time! What a waste of energy! What a possible lost of souls! It is a high responsibility to preach the word of God for if we fail to meet people’s needs we may turn them against the Bible. Therefore as a preacher, we are to be very careful how we handle this task. It’s not as easy as many of us do think. And as Lael clearly expressed it “every effort should be made to proclaim the gospel in an appropriate and meaningful way to today’s subgroupings, whether gendered, continental, or ethnic”.
Comment on Chapter 7: Are Ellen G. White’s writings Christ-centered? By Martin F. Hanna
I do agree with the author that Ellen G. White’s writings are Christ-centered. Personally I have no doubt about that fact. Nevertheless, the author’s attempts to prove it just awaken some questions: Did Christ inherit our sinful nature? Are we sinners because of our sinful nature (nature we have inherited from our first parents) or because of the sins we do commit? I especially enjoyed the emphasis put on Christ’s ability to live a sinless life while He was on earth not because of his divine nature but because of his humanity united with divinity, unity He has made possible to all. In other words, every human being, united to God as Christ was, can live a sinless life on this earth. Some months ago, I attended a Sabbath School Adult Class where I told the members it was possible to live on this earth without sinning. What a surprise to see that many didn’t agree with me claiming that this will only be possible on the new earth. If we don’t believe that it is possible to live a sinless life on this earth, we will never live it and we will keep on finding excuses to our sins. Eternity starts now. Therefore, we can and we are called to live a sinless life as from now. This chapter reveals the secret: “Jesus is fully human in the same way that sinful human beings are human. He is absolutely sinless. This sinlessness is not the result of some human advantage over sinners. It is the result of the advantage of the union of divnity and humanity which Christ makes available to us.”
Marlon Gregory said.. The Cosmic Christ of Scripture How to read the book of Christ 11.26.2009
I like the way the author starts the chapter with the intriguing movie scenario. He makes a gripping point that the multiplicity of counterfeit Christ increases the likelihood of deception. Jesus Himself said that many would come in my name saying I am the Christ and would deceive many. Counterfeits will come in forms in the last days, for me what is important is that we get to know the genuine, as much detail and characteristics as we can and we will on course for victory. The Bible says that “if it were possible the devil would deceive the very elect.” From what have seen the devil is working overtime to destroy true Godliness in our world. The subject of the divine-human relationship has always been a challenging topic, especially if one shares an incorrect concept of either term in this relationship. The author states that Scripture does teach however that both the nature of humanity and divinity are social. He goes on to explain the reasons for that statement and makes the point that this is due to the oneness which is found in humanity and in divinity. I do find though that this oneness that he speaks of is better represented in divinity. He moves forward by placing Christ at the centre of everything. He place I believe He justly earned; Creator and Redeemer all in one. This makes Him the theme of the Bible and the theme in the life of those who accept Him as Lord and Savior.
Marlon Gregory says.. Understanding Scripture Interpretation of Biblical Types, Allegories and Parables 11.26.2009
Types, allegories and parables are rooted and entrenched in the fiber of Scripture. These are literary devices that are used by Bible writers to bring out spiritual truths. Some of them speak to special events in history. It is always going to important to study their method of literary presentation and their interpretation. If this is not done properly it could lead to misinterpretation of Scriptures. All three differ in meaning and in duty to and history but are all used to bring truths about life and about God. I love a statement that the author made when he said that “the genius of type and antitype is the way in which two historical events are drawn together as commentary on each other.” In other words both reveal important truths from each other. On the hand, allegories operated with the same concept but this time its not historic events but stories which commentate on each other. Parables though normally take reality and relate it to stories. I appreciated how the author spent time to clearly defined and highlighted the full meaning of the different terms in the chapter; he deepen my understanding in the subject matter. I also appreciate his intensity to details; he left nothing for anyone to guess about. The author makes the point that in relation to interpretation, the three literary devices have in common the importance of analyzing the text and its context carefully. In addition to this all three devices have a similarity in that each of them requires comparing the literary device with some other text or reality to explain the meaning of the device.
Marlon Gregory said… Commenting on Ferron Gibson As she looks at the four contemporary hermeneutical challenges that Adventist face, she states how disturbing it was to her that Adventist cannot agree on a method to interpret scripture. As I read I realized that there are different forces at work and that the devil is active to get his way even among our scholars. Just think about it, if he can get our scholars to have the wrong form of interpretation method, then we will be in error in some way or the other, so he will provide us with fanciful methods to distract us from the truth. As the remnant church it is of utmost important that we get it right. She raises a very intriguing question which says, “And as we near the time of the end will we see even more confusion erupt in the church? Ferron I bet we will. That’s when I think the bells of confusion will ring.
Marlon Gregory’s comment… On Robert Best comment It is always interesting to find out the presuppositions that an interpreter brings to the table when they come to interpret scripture. He presents a very intriguing definition of sin which states that sin is about man trying to take the place of the Almighty God. I never looked at sin in that light, probably in light of Lucifer as He wanted to be God but not as man. It is as I read further that I truly understood what Robert was fully saying. He makes a striking statement that he believes that sometimes that we can approach scripture in an effort to take the place of God. That statement I have found to be so true. There are those who approach scripture as if they are God Almighty themselves and that they are the final authority on God’s word. I believe that when we approach Scripture, it should be done in a prayerful and submissive mode; apt to learn and receive the light that shines from God’s lamb. I like the way Dr Hanna puts it, “we should learn to think two thoughts at the same time.”
Marlon Gregory comments… On Kenita Spencer comments Her opening comments pretty much took me back to my closing remarks on Robert’s comment that we should approach scripture with humility and allow the Lord to lead into His truth; instead of creating something out of nothing and then attach the truth to it and sell it as the final say on the subject matter. I must say that from her comments she sounds very convinced that this should be the approach to take when we approach the interpretation of scripture. She gives the basis idea that the writer tried to convey that “True understanding of the Word warrants that we use faith and reason as tools. Faith takes priority over reason in hermeneutics. It has the finally authority even over sanctified reason.” This is true, faith is essential and nothing can take the place faith not even the most sanctified of reason. It’s just insufficient. She carefully outlines the guiding questions that the student and interpreter of the Word must ask himself or herself before, during and after the hermeneutical process; which shows that she should make a great interpreter of the word.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture Chapter 7 This chapter asked the question of whether the writings of E.G.W. are Christ-centered? The chapter does a good job of explaining the three overlapping themes of scripture, (1) the social nature of humanity in the image of divinity, (2) the corporate nature of humanity in the first and last Adam; and (3) Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood. It is through these three connections that E.G.W. supports her writings about Christ. I especially like what she says about the third theme of scripture, Jesus as Restorer. “Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a channel of communication between God and man. “ I love this quote. I usually never think of Christ as needing anything from such fallen, fragile humans. This is so powerful. Just as Christ took on the life of a human and lived without sin, now I can take on the divinity of Christ and have the ability to overcome sin. What an exchange! In an answer to the question of whether Mrs. White’s writings are Christ-centered, I definitely believe that they are. In my opinion E.G.W. always sheds light on the life of Christ and uplifts his name. Her writings seem harmonious with the bible and serve as an arrow to point the searching soul in the way of true life.
Understanding Scripture Chapter 11 This chapter focuses on the interpretation of OT prophecy. There are two basic genres of predicative prophecy. They are (1) General (Classical) Prophecy and (2) Apocalyptic Prophecy. The author of this chapter breaks down these categories into seven steps. Also, the author gives the various types of prophetic predictions, (1) Messianic Prophecies, (2) Prophecies about Foreign Nations and (3) Kingdom Promises/Prophecies concerning Israel. Understanding these types of predictions gets the seeker closer to the true interpretation of the text. One of the main points that stuck out to me in this chapter was that, “predicative prophecy was not given simply to satisfy curiosity about future events but for moral purposes, such as the establishment of faith in God and motivation for holy living.” This point is extremely important in light of the world’s obsession with understanding and knowing the future. If God where to just reveal the future simply for human knowledge there would be no need for faith. The Bible says, “Blessed are those who have not seen me yet still believe.” On the contrary, God knew that the majority of people would need both. Seeing the fulfillment of biblical prophecy happen right before your eyes is also a tremendous faith builder and is one of the reasons I believe God gave the gift of prophecy.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report Name: Ainsworth Chambers Book: The Cosmic Of Scripture Topic: Let the Holy Bible Speaks Chapter 3 Scholars of the Scripture have in some way have shown some form of disrespect for the Bible not knowingly. This, the author says is unmistakable clear ly seen in the exclusive and inclusive definitions of the Bible and as a result other “relations recognized by the Scripture are undermined.” He says that “wholistic models of the Scripture principles may be expressed in relation to Bible teaching about the progressive unveiling of the old, yet ever new, relation of Christ, Scripture and the Cosmos.” Daniel 12 speaks of the increasing of knowledge. This increasing of knowledge is not primarily speaking of the knowledge the secular world of the nonbelievers. Rather this is speaking of the increasing of holy and sacred things of God to His people. However, the author states that God’s people may contribute to an increase in both secular and sacred knowledge. Further he says that evidence is shown in the Bible that there is a relationship between “sola and prima principles with reference to Christ, Bible and Cosmos. Bible also upholds the “sola and prima Christians fundamental beliefs. It does also uphold the “sola, and natura a principle.”
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report Name: Ainsworth Chambers Book: The Cosmic Of Scripture Topic: Let the Holy Bible Speaks Chapter 1(pgs.5-27) blog#4 The primary reason why the Scripture is been improperly misunderstood is because of the refusal to accept the discloser about Christ. He says that “Just as Christ does not eclipse Scripture, so Scripture does not eclipse Christ;” nor does the similar phenomenon with respect to “Scripture in the revelation of Jesus in the universe which He has made. Often time it seems as if the “veil” of false misapprehension or misunderstanding frequently remains in the inner soles of the Believers whenever they take time to read the New Testament. The primary central point of the author here is to uncover or to disclose the “Cosmic Christ of Scripture” by a way of research or a detailed examination and analysis of the subject of ‘the greater light’ of the Bible. However, his second focal point is on the ‘lesser light’ mirrored in Ellen G. White writings. Mrs. White states in her writings that “We are standing with the veil removed in the holy place of sacred things. We are not to stand without. We are to enter, not with careless, irreverent thoughts, not with impetuous footstep but with reverence and godly fear.”
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report Name: Ainsworth Chambers Book: Understanding Scripture Topic: Faith, Reason and The Holy Spirit Chapter 2(pgs15-24.) blog#5 Hermeneutics comprises of a wise and enlighten process that effectively put to use the reasoning ability of the human mental faculty; thereby allocating the basic essential role to human reason in breaking down the Scripture to gain the full understanding of God’s Words. We do recognize that when talk about faith and reason, the importance of personal faith, experiencing the genuine power of God. The author brings us to Daniel 8:6 where God “commissioned angels to work with specific individuals in understanding the Word of God.” On the other hand there are also “fallen angels” that have the power to negatively impact on hermeneutics. This Paul warns us that “our struggle in not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” In concluding hermeneutics will not be completed by itself. However, having the mind of Christ dwell in you and adhering to the hermeneutics principles including a holy and a sanctified reason, is subject to the guidance of the angels of God and the enlightening of the Third Person of the Godhead, the Spirit of Life.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report Name: Ainsworth Chambers Book: Understanding Scripture Chapter3 (pgs1-12) blog#6 Topic: Presuppositions In The Interpretation of Scripture Individuals who interpret the Scripture cannot strip themselves from the experiences of their past; concept and preconceived ideas, prejudice and biases and opinions before seeing the evidences. It is evidently clear that the Bible writers did not have a hidden agender to prove that there is a God. They simple state it as it is, “In the beginning God… Genesis 1:1. The author makes it clear that “Adam and Eve,” were created by God in His very own image. According the author “God meets us in Scripture and meets us there for a special purpose, the approach to the study of Scripture on any other terms those delineated in God’s Word is to come to God with a wrong attitude.” To acquire knowledge of the Scripture one needs to have an openness and honesty, with willingness to learn. Ellen G. White encourages us to leave our personal views and preconceived ideas at the door of investigation. “You will never reach the truth if you study the Scriptures to vindicate your own ideas.” From the existence, the Seventh-day Adventists Church has carefully acknowledged themselves as individuals of the Scripture. They do recognize that in order to have the correct analysis of the Bible, the Bible alone is essential. Martin Luther himself recognized that the Bible must be agreed in favour of Christ and not to oppose Him. “To affirm that Scripture is the sole final source for its own exposition is more than to uphold the primacy of Scripture.”
Every culture cultivates within itself a set of specific presuppositions. In order to the Scripture would be rightly interpreted the presuppositions must be taken in to consideration first. As Lael O. Caesar righty states it, “presuppositions define the way an individual experiences reality.” For example, for those that experienced oppression the Bible text will be viewed and valued as long as it talks about liberation. God is known first of all as the One who “cares enough about justice to defend and to vindicate the cause of the world’s despised…” For socially alienated the power of the gospel will be concentrated in Jesus’ words about community of faith being his own family. Unfortunately, in history of the Christian Church there were instances of misunderstanding the Mission of God. It was the time when by accepting the Gospel message was expected for converts to accept the culture of the missionaries. On the contrary, Paul as a missionary of the New Testament shows the approach in which he was “all things to all people.” To show God as the One who is inclusive to different cultures is the goal of Biblical mission. I like how the author explains it, “conscious, subconscious, or unconscious a priori commitments to self-vindication and against the other in Bible reading challenge the authority of sacred Scripture and compromises the transcendency of the sola scriptura principle.”
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Name: Ainsworth Chambers Comment on Kabah Stephen Kabah Stephen made mention in the second chapter of the book “Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach” under the topic: Faith, Reason and Holy Spirit in Interpretation of Scripture” that it is a clear indication that one cannot fully understand the truth of the Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit. He goes on further by saying that “interpreting the Scripture is a religious experience, not simple an intellectual one.” This is perfectly true. It is important for us to realize that when an individual is interpreting the Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit, doing it for the glorification of their intellectual skills is always in danger of false interpretation. However, he says that “interpreting of the Scripture is also an intellectually enriching experience;” which I do believe it true. In concluding he states that “Faith transcends reason, because it is not limited to human theories, logic, reason, knowledge, and understanding.” Overall I do believe that he has done a good job.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009 Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Name: Ainsworth Chambers Comment on Massiel In commenting on Massiel blog, there is a quote in his blog from Dr Martin Hanna book, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” “We cannot talk about God unless we talk to God. We cannot talk to God unless He had first started the conversation. One has to realize that God has revealed His character to us so that we can know Him better. Massiel states that the door between God and us is always open. The only close door between us and God is the one we place there when we turn and refused to respond to His invitation. He concluded by saying that an ongoing conversation and exchange with and about God, He made the first move so we wouldn’t doubt His intentions. He’s in this with us for eternity.
Comment on the chapter XVII of the book “Understanding Scripture” Ellen G. White and hermeneutics: I think it is very important to understand that we cannot read the writings of Ellen White “as is” just as we cannot read the Bible without proper interpretation. And the reason for this is the same type of inspiration both the Bible and Ellen White’s writings share. One of the guidelines of interpretation that has become very important to me is the advice to “Be open-minded” which means, “the student of the Bible must be… willing to surrender previously held positions.” I really like the words of Ellen White, “The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible.” It’s a statement that indicates the most honest approach of Scripture and God’s truth in it. In this chapter author gives interesting examples of interpreting the Bible homiletically. Ellen White used this method rather frequently. I think it’s very important to distinguish between her using the Bible homiletically and exegetically. How? By studying the Bible on our own. And after that the only way to combine the two is through the wholistic model of the interpretation Scripture that allows to say that it’s “neither/or” but both. Of course, this approach implies the acknowledgement of Ellen White as an inspired writer. “While there are many exegetical gems in her books, […] the bulk of her writings contains God’s message for the remnant church, not exegetical discourse on the meaning of biblical texts.” After reading this chapter I was somewhat confused with the logic that the author uses. In case of Ellen White when we see her using the pastoral method of interpretation Scripture we say, “this is the inspired word.” But, at the same time we as ministers are not encouraged to use the same method in our preaching. Can’t we be inspired also?
Kenita Spencer Blog Response #1 From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture and Understanding Scripture, Chapter 7 November 28, 2009
Jesus was clothed in humanity and divinity. He was completely human and perfectly divine. We are completely human. What God makes is perfect and so at one point our human nature was perfect. Adam and Eve forfeited relying on God’s divine nature and human nature became fallen. Thus, we sin. However, “partaking of the divine nature is the secret to our victory [over sin].” The degree to which we rely on our fallen human nature determines how we will meet temptation. Jesus’ divinity and humanity has been a fascinated subject to me, though difficult to understand, overtime with more and more study my understanding has improved. I will never fully comprehend this until I am able to sit at Jesus’ feet when we meet face to face. In the same vein, Paul understood and I share the same sentiment, which C.S. Lewis, has penned so beautifully that Christianity is not simple. The Bible has “difficult and terrible doctrines…,” which we must grapple with. Although difficult, God will uncover for the believer what s/he needs to be saved. It is important that we try to understand as humanly possible what it means for God to be both human and divine. This has implications for what we believe about what he has accomplished on our behalf on earth and what he is currently doing in heaven.
Kenita Spencer Blog Response #2 From: Understanding Scripture, Chapter 17 November 29, 2009
In chapter 17 Gerhard Pfandl puts forth a succinct, coherent and clear discourse about Ellen G. White and hermeneutics. The chapter explores how Ellen G. White used scripture and provides guidelines for how to interpret her writings. Also, this chapter like other chapters in the book is very helpful to the beginner student of Bible. This scholarly work is not so aloft that the audience for which it is intended finds it hard to understand what is being said.
The same hermeneutical principles that are used to interpret scripture must be applied to Ellen G. White’s work: the use of immediate context, larger context and historical context, etc. If we do not heed to the guidelines, we risk understanding the true blessing of the gift that God has given to us through her.
Prandl’s work has given the Bible student fresh and new lenses to look at Ellen G. White’s work. As one read her work there are several questions to keep in mind: 1) how is she interpreting the biblical text? Is it homiletically or exegetically? And what are the implications for us? In reading this discourse I am challenged and encouraged to be an active reader of the scriptures and Ellen G. Whites writings. I must read critically what interpreters have said about what she has encourage, exhorted and admonished us to do and be. This critically reading is not an end in itself, but a means by which I can own and affirm what she has said.
Dr. Ganoune Diop’s chapter on innertextual interpretation was very informative. He does an excellent job showing the importance acknowledging the link between the OT and NT. The Bible writers themselves were immersed in the OT because the OT was the foundation of their faith. I never saw how foundation the OT was to the NT. Diop shows how the life of Christ fulfilled every part of the OT, including the history of the Jewish people. Almost everything/everyone in the Old Testament point forward to Christ in some way; this includes prophecies, characters, experiences, rituals, etc. It was also interesting to note how OT writers would use Patriarchal names to make specific points concerning the condition of God’s people. This gives more meaning to the text when we look at why the author used a specific name. The book of Hosea is a perfect example of this usage. It would make a big difference if in one section of a book the author refers to the Jews as the sons of Jacob and then later on refer to them as the sons of Israel, as these two names represent different phases of Jacob’s life. It is definitely important for the Bible reader to be immersed in the world of the Bible. The more that we study the Bible, the more we will be able to pick up on the words, themes, etc. that connect passages.
Dr. Martin Hanna presents the need to understand God’s three books of Christ, Scripture and the cosmos in the first section of his book. I must say that before reading this work, I never saw the importance of understanding the cosmos. I used to focus strictly on the Scriptures, with a desire to encounter Christ. However, if the revelation is not relevant to the cosmos then further study is required. This requires that the student of Scripture make truth understandable to all people groups. God revealed Himself to us in a way that we can understand Him. God, who is beyond comprehension, took great pains to explain Himself to us. As pastors, we must make it a point to express truths in a way that even children can understand. The revelation must be relevant to the cosmos. If revelation is not relevant to the cosmos, then what purpose does it serve? Christ often drew lessons from nature to explain the Kingdom of God. He used simple things to reveal God’s kingdom and character. His use of nature further supports God’s revelation through the cosmos and His simple teaching highlights our responsibility of making truth simple as well. The cosmos has a primacy of its own.
Comment on Appendix B: The Use of the Modified Verstion of the Historical-Critical Approach by Adventist Scholars
Having studied under teachers who advocated using certain aspects of the historical-critical method, I was anticipating a high-quality discussion of this topic from a more conservative perspective in Angel Rodriguez’s chapter. I was somewhat disappointed.
First of all, he qualifies early on that his treatment of the subject is by looking at the results of studies made by Aventist scholars rather than by dealing with “abstract methodological arguments for, or against, its use” (341). Rodriguez affirms that at the theoretical level, using a modified version of this method could be possible, yet he concludes by denying its usefulness on the basis of “practical” reasons. I would have liked to see some of the “methodological arguments” addressed. Is it not possible that in his treatment of some of the uses of this method that he could really be addressing its misuse rather than its proper use? In other words, perhaps it is possible to use some aspects of the historical-critical method without the underlying presuppositions which deny God’s working, and yet he could argue against such uses on the basis of some who have misused the historical-critical method.
I would like to find a better treatment of this subject since I still have questions about it. If any of my brothers or sisters can point me to a good resource, I would appreciate it!
Understanding Scripture Chapter 8 Inner biblical interpretation is very important aspect of Bible interpretation. This method reveals to us that the Bible is its own interpreter. There are evidences in the Bible itself which support its own interpretation. The New Testament is built on the Old Testament. Without the OT, the NT is of no foundation. This method of interpretation was the method used by the Jewish scholars in the interpretation of the Bible. This was also the method used by the Bible writers. In this method both writers alluded to each other; they share the same quarry of words, word pictures, images, metaphors, and theology. The use of innerbiblical interpretation by the Biblical writers attests to the fact that the same spirit guided the process of divine revelation. The writers did not contradict each other even through their style of writing differs from each other. This was as a result of divine instruction. Jesus Christ Himself applied this method during His earthly ministry. He quoted the OT several times and we have many evidences of this in the gospels. Christ is the centre of inner biblical interpretation of the Bible; in fact Christ is the theme of scripture.
Understanding scripture chapter 7 Historical-biblical method of Bible interpretation is an important approach to scripture. This approach accepts scripture as God revelation of Himself, and that the Bible alone is the final and the highest test of truth. It also attest to the fact that God communicated His will to human authors through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible also interprets itself, and that the scripture is in harmony. Although the Bile was written in a language different from its readers today, we can still understand His will by applying proper hermeneutics. To understand the Bible by using this approach we need to investigate biblical texts and try to understand the language, the time and the circumstances under which these texts were written. Even though the Bible was written for a particular people at a particular time; it is still applicable to our situation today. The Bible is the word of God and for us to understand and interpret it correctly; we need to turn to God in prayer for insight. It was the Holy Spirit that led the Bible writers and this Spirit does not contradict what He has inspired. We need the power of the Holy Spirit for proper interpretation. We also need to do our part by reading the Bible text and perform proper theological analysis.
Response to Jose Medina’s Comments on Understanding Scripture Chapter XII
I appreciated the honesty and openness of his experience in reading and processing chapter seven. It is interesting how often we can forget that the study of Scripture is a complex and serious endeavor because we think that it is simply a matter of doing superficial reading rather than in depth study of Scripture. Some of the points the author recommended for the study of Scripture were obvious, but commonly overlooked. However, there were also points that deserve some consideration. A great point he highlighted from the reading was the power of memorization of Scripture. There are many ways in which Scripture can come to life, but memorization is extremely helpful in accomplishing such task. By memorizing we also become more inclined to apply the teachings in our own life, where it comes to life the most.
Comment on Cosmic Christ of Scripture, ch. 11, “A Christ-Centered Conclusion”
In this chapter, Dr. Hanna provides a good summary to his book. I resonate with the balanced, wholistic conclusions he comes to. In particular, I appreciate what he summarizes on p. 130, “First, Scripture provides the principles which keep theology Chirst-centered and relevant to the world in which we live….Second, according to Scripture, Bible authority comes from the Christ of Scripture….Third, any effort to separate theological study from the study of the cosmos clearly involves intellectual suicide and obscurantism.” It seems to be, in my opinion, not uncommon for Adventist theologians to be selective in their view of Scripture’s self-understanding. Some emphasize the divine element of Scripture and others emphasize the human. Truly, we must have both. We cannot deceive ourselves with false piety by trying to claim that we have no other source of God’s revelation than the Bible. True science clearly reveals much about life and about God. On the other hand, we must not minimize or subjugate what the Bible does teach. I believe Dr. Hanna would agree: the Scriptures interpret the Cosmos, not the other way around.
“In the Cosmic Christ of Scripture, chapter 6, The Theme of the Bible is Jesus, Hannah mentions how Christ was killed because of their misconception of Him breaking the Sabbath and blaspheming God by claiming to be the Messiah. He goes on to explore the Divine nature of Christ by revealing Him among the divine persons, through his nature as a divine-human person, and through the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine persons and humans. I really like how the divine nature of Christ is truly expressed by looking at Christ’s baptism. I can’t think of any other time that all three members of the God-head truly make themselves manifest. They are all present. Jesus in the water, God the Father up in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove. What a blessed moment, when Christ rises from the waters, He sees His Father up in heaven, and the Holy Spirit soaring down to provide support, relief, and divine proof that the Godhead is three in one, that they are a reality, and that they are all working to achieve the same goal. Once the Father speaks and the earth shakes with his voice, all who are present know that Jesus is divine.
In the “Cosmic Christ of Scripture, chapter 7, Are Ellen White’s Writings Christ-Centered, Hannah explores the notion as to whether or not White’s writings are Christ-centered. He notes how in 1878 White overheard a minister saying that it was impossible for any man to keep the law of God, and that she was all law, and must be saved by the law. She countered by “developing the Biblical perspective on the law as mirroring sin and Jesus as our pardoning Advocate.” This is just a stable in our heritage: salvation by Faith and through faith doing good works. In studying for myself, I have realized how scripture driven Ellen White truly is. She never claimed to be divine, she only reflected Christ, which is a life-style we all should strive for. Although Christ was fully God, she mentions how he was fully human as well. He endured all trials and temptations and overcame them, in order that we may be saved and do the same. He set the perfect example, and all White did was point to that in her writings. I find it interesting there is so much controversy surrounding her; it goes to prove that so often Satan works hard to corrupt the truth and shine a differing light on those who only attempt to uncover it.
Response to Chapter 9- Interpreting Old Testament Historical Narrative-in Understanding Scripture
In Chapter 9 the author introduces us to guidelines for interpreting the Historical Narratives found in the Old Testament. While he claims that one third of the Bible is meant to be understood as historical narrative, he focused primarily on the Old Testament. While he provided some helpful guidelines, I couldn’t help but think about how I look at films. Sure there is a difference between Scripture and movies, but when I watch movies and documentaries I am fully absorbed with what is happening. When the author pointed out how we should look at the plot, characters, and narrators viewpoint it reminded me that many of us do that with films already. We should allow the stories in Scripture to take life as we become immersed in the story in order to grasp all that is trying to teach us. Another great point he mentioned was that we should not view the narratives simply about people from the past, but also of how God interacted in their lives and circumstances. Also, we must also see how redemption occurs in the narratives as God interacts within the story. We can relate to the characters in the narrative, but failing to recognize the role God plays would be a tremendous loss to the power of the story. While God plays an important role in the narratives, we must be able to recognize that the choices and events in narratives are not always the will or product of God. There are clear examples of this in Scripture that deal with adultery, murder, and corruption, but even in less obvious ways are the events not a reflection of God’s intention. When we preach we must be even more careful in making it seem as though the story or the lessons of the narratives come from a direct and full dictation of God’s plan. Overall, I was very appreciative of the insights and comments made regarding the approach to interpreting narratives of the Old Testament.
Cosmic Christ The Septuagint LXX has translated Elohim in Psalm 8:5 as angels but in the book Cosmic Christ it says that Deut 6:4 Elohim is translated as God. To me this can create a hermeneutical problem. For instance there are some that say that Psalm 8:5 should also be translated as God. The dilemma then becomes: were we created a little lower than the angels or a little lower than God? A group of Seventh day Adventists in Florida (not offshoot) says it is a little lower than God. It is my last entry I am going to have some theological fun. Ramifications? Well then if they are right they say I can walk into any professor’s office and because I have dominion over them I can say In the name of that authority I come against any grade they give me lower than what I want and it will be done. So classmates you see the importance of right word study as part of the hermeneutical question? Even more critical is coming to the Holy Spirit for guidance without any presupposition that you are not willing to let go. Indeed a mind set or worldview as Dr.Hanna suggests will result from God’s gift of wisdom and spiritual perception or lack of these.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ADVENTIST INTERPRETATION Chapter 1: Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach
In this Chapter it is clear that Adventists held a high view of Scripture, approached with a sense of respect at times bordering on reverence. Its meaning was enhanced by the study of history and grammatical structures. Bible students accepted the substantive assertions of the Scriptures, allowing each its due weight. The influence of Ellen White was important but not definitive. Where she made firm assertions with respect to meaning, interpretation was significantly influenced although not determined by her statement. In general, this was the mainframe of Seventh-day Adventist hermeneutic. Also its clear in this chapter that biblical backgrounds received much attention which produced rapid growth of the Adventist interest in Middle Eastern history, Hellenistic Jews, post apostolic Christians and biblical archaeology, including a number of unfortunate ark-chasing entrepreneurial ventures. The study of backgrounds was intended to illuminate the Scriptures and garner evidence of their trustworthiness, not to provide fodder for reinterpreting or conjectural ideas of biblical origins or teachings. Its is also explain in an explicit way the contribution of William Miller in Adventist interpretation of Scriptures. Adventists moved from the basic prophetic hermeneutics of Miller to applying hermeneutics of Scripture as a whole. This historical overview has highlighted some of the major hermeneutical turning points within the Christian church that provided the larger background for the development of the Seventh-day Adventist interpretation of Scripture.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics LET THE HOLY SCRIPTURES SPEAK Chapter 3: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna
We live in a very dark world. It’s so dark here that we can’t navigate our way around without clear direction from God. The Bible presents that direction. It is the light that illuminates our path. On this chapter, Martin Hanna explains clearly that God’s people should go to and fro in all Scripture to increase knowledge. He also illustrates Christ’s example and teaching that we should go to and fro from Scripture to Christ to increase knowledge. Jesus says: “search the scriptures for in them you have eternal life; and testify of me. And yet you will not come to me that you may have life” John 5:39-40. The words in the Bible are not just words. It is a message that is made of spirit and life with an unex-plainable inherent potency and vitality. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63 NKJV).When you read the Word with an open heart, it comes alive. It’s real, and it’s unlikely that anyone could ever open it—with sincere desire—and never get something out of it. It’s the Word that changed everything, and that Word is Christ. Moreover, Christ is eternity; thus the only book that will make a restful pillow when you’re dying is the Bible. Every other book will be like stone.
GSEM510-2 November 09 The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 4
In this chapter Professor Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., talks about Ellen G. White's understanding of the role of JESUS CHRIST, the Scripture, and Nature in reference to teaching humanity about who GOD is. He concludes that Ellen G. White's writings show that she saw JESUS, the Bible and Nature as having “unique primacies that complement each other”. He arrived at this conclusion by pointing put how in her writings she encourages the study of Scripture upon Scripture, of the Bible as compare to nature, of the Bible as compare to JESUS. Also she believed tat the Bible, nature and the christian and experience all held truth. And area that she was strongly convicted of was that the Bible is the :rule of faith and practice, and knowledge of Christians, but at the same time JESUS and nature shed light into “the unique revelation of Scripture”. The primacies that are shown through Mrs. White's writings as JESUS being the “supreme revelation”, the Bible being the “special revelation, and nature being general revelation”. JESUS is the the source of al revelation, the Bible the standard of all interpretations of GOD's revelations and nature the context in which GOD's revelations are interpreted. I like this chapter because it shows the importance of using GOD's word (the Bible) to text GOD's revelation while at the same time introducing the idea that GOD has revealed HIMSELF to us through more means that just the Bible. Yet, these other revalations ned to be tested by the Bible to see that they come from GOD.
GSEM510-2 November 09 Understanding Scripture Chapter I The Bible is an incredible book because it contains the words of GOD. GOD has shared HIS words to humanity through human agents throughout the history of our world. HE also has preserved it for us to read today and some closer to HIM. Something that we need to understand is that when we come to the Bible not everything is black and white. Somethings require interpretation. Seventh-day Adventist as an organization believe in unitizing the historical-grammatical method (Historical Biblical Method) when interpreting the Bible. In this chapter Alberto R. Timm, Ph.D. Gives a detailed analysis of the history of Bible interpretation from Judaism to present day Seventh-day Adventism. In this analyzes he shows the historical root of some unsafe method of Biblical interpretation that are prefer by some Seventh-day Adventist rather than the Historical Biblical Method. Also the areas of focus that Seventh-day Adventist can improve in when doing hermeneutics. He also talked about the development of the “historical critical method” for interpreting the Bible. I like this chapter because it shows the importance of knowing where we came from to have a clear understanding of where we are going and where we need to go. In a day and age in which Christianity at large is trying to accommodate the Word of GOD to to human reason instead of allowing for the Bible to define our human reasoning I feel that as Seventh-day Adventist we should look at the strong heritage that we have as Bible student that allow for the Bible to interpret itself incorporating in the process only the elements that the Bible allows for (Historical Biblical Method of Bible interpretation) and unite as one church lead by GOD to once more allow the Bible to interpret itself.
Donald Henderson Chapter 2 – Understanding Scripture 5th Blog November 30, 2009
In Romans 12:2, Paul admonishes us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. In his examination of faith, reason and the Holy Spirit and their relationship with hermeneutics, John Baldwin illustrates Paul’s charge beautifully. I agree with his view that faith and reason are complementary processes in hermeneutics that are both dependant on the work of the Holy Spirit. Like Baldwin, I also believe that at times faith takes precedence over reason. As Christians we must realize that we will not always be able to prove every Biblical claim by modern measurements. However God through his word has provided us with sufficient evidence in the cosmos so that we can stand faithfully beside His truths. We are told through the New Testament, that the battle we fight here on earth is a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus also promised us in John 16:13, that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide us into all truth. With this said, it is important that when we approach God’s word for hermeneutical purposes, that we recognize our limitations and the struggles set before us by the devil in finding truth. As stated in Romans 12:2 we are only able to prove what the perfect will of God is, when our minds are transformed. Satan and his forces are set on conforming our minds to this world and it is only by turning in prayer to the Holy Spirit that we can receive transformation of mind and heart that allows us to understand God’s word. Baldwin points out that the Holy Spirit is available to all and He “guides a community of believers into complementary not contradictory, understandings of a particular truth”. He also says that, “this can guard against the unwarranted absolutization of a charismatic individual in hermeneutics. I must say that while I agree with Baldwin in spirit, we must also take care not to limit the abilities of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the ages of world, we can trace the work of the Holy Spirit, in leading individual men and women to truths that were not held by the larger body of believers. It was through the work of these radical men like, John Huss, Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Miller, and Ellen White, that God through the work of the Holy Spirit was able to lead his remnant to truth. 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 points out that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Therefore, as Ellen White suggests, we are to approach the interpretation of the Bible with humility, acknowledging that we need the Holy Spirits help, for it is only by His power that our minds can be freed from the bondage of sin.
In Chapter 9 of the Cosmic Christ of Scripture, I really appreciate Dr. Hanna’s ability to link together God, the Bible and nature, or as he puts it, Christ, Scripture and the Cosmos. I like how Dr. Hanna shows that the cosmos illuminates Christ and Scripture, Scripture is the illumination to Christ who is the light of the cosmos, and Christ is the light of scripture and of the cosmos. It’s a beautiful thing when you think about it. Everything is connected, if we look at nature, we can’t help but see God’s workmanship. If we look at scripture, we are looking at who God is, and how the cosmos came to be. And when we look at Christ, we understand scripture and the cosmos. This is a thought that I haven’t seen before. I have never seen someone connect these concepts in the past, and when I look at it, it just makes sense. For instance, when I spend time in the scriptures, I can’t keep from getting to know God on a deeper level, and appreciated his creation in an even more profound way. And it works the other ways as well, this seems to be the triune of understanding, you have to have all three for it to make sense.
Blog on Are Ellen g white’s writings relevant to the cosmos It is interesting to see how Ellen G. White’s writings correlate with the ideology of revelation. She too does not limit it to just the church, Scripture or Jesus Christ, but also includes nature or the cosmos as a part of God’s revelation to man. I agree with her that though nature is a revelation, it has been marred by sin. In actuality all forms of revelations have been affected by sin in one way or another. The exception of course being Jesus Christ, but one could still argue that the manner in which he revealed God to man was still as a result of sin. I also agree that there has to be a combination of faith and reason as mention in the book understanding scripture. No reason cause faith to fall apart, but no faith becomes foolishness. Reason allows for proper hermeneutics but faith allows for still proper hermeneutics. Perhaps better put, reason allows for human insight or intellect, while faith allows for spiritual insight or intellect and being that people are both human and spiritual, we have to use both to understand any of the four revelations of God. Lastly I agree that the bible and nature illuminate each other while still illuminating God.
Daniel Birai Cosmic of Christ: pg 85-95 Dr. Hanna clearly demonstrates in his chapter that Sister Whites writings are Christ centered. One thing that stuck out to me was the importance that Dr. Hanna places on getting his information from the original sources. This makes his work more credible because he is not making up facts, but quoting credible sources to prove his point. The chapter begins by identifying one of Ellen White’s sources dealing with divinity. She sees divinity as a social idea. God reveals himself as the Father. Christ also reveals himself as God. However God – Jesus is not the same as God-God. I will be the first to admit that the idea is sometimes difficult to grasp, but with prayerful humility we must admit what scripture teaches even if we do not agree with it or fully understand it. There is also the aspect of God as the divine spirit- or the Holy Spirit. Christ took on humanity, becoming a human being, like we are, in order to save us. Sister White is quick to point out that Christ becoming a man did NOT mean that he sinned, as humans do. He is the only human who never sinned. This distinction along with His sacrifice and his position as the Son of God makes Him the only one who could save us. This is only one portion of Sister White’s writings that point to her Christ-centered writings. I would admonish those with more doubts to study her writings and prayerfully consider scripture to confirm or deny her stance.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics THE THEME OF THE BIBLE IS JESUS Chapter 6: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna
I agree on Martin Hanna’s description on the nature of Christ. He asserts that Christ was a Divine-Human person. He born in the same flesh and nature we have so that He could be understanding of our weaknesses and inclinations toward sin, and be a merciful High Priest for us. Jesus was divine and without sin even though He faced severe temptations. We can make those affirmations without hesitancy because that is what the Bible clearly teaches about God's Son. Jesus had to come as a man in order to experience death and pay the penalty for sin. He could not die as God. He had to put on a nature that was capable of dying. But here is the startling truth: If He had taken Adam's unfallen nature, He could never have died UNLESS HE HAD SINNED! That nature was not subject to death until after it was weakened by sin. Jesus could taste death only by being born into the fallen family of Adam's descendants. As one writer has put it, "Christ did in reality unite the offending nature of man with His own sinless nature, because by this act of condescension, He would be able to pour out His blood in behalf of the fallen race”. He was also fully divine and was one with God.
Daniel Birai Understanding Scripture Chapter 17 This chapter in Understanding Scripture looks to deal with how to interpret Sister White’s writings. Her writings have been commonly unduly misinterpreted due to incorrect principles. Our church recognizes Sister White’s writings as inspired on the same level as that of the biblical writers; however they are not as authoritative as the writings of the bible. This is an important consideration to take in mind when reading her writings. The same principles you use when reading the bible, you should apply when reading Sister White. You should take her writings in context. She once wrote that spending money on bicycles was a waste of money. If this statement is said today, one would reasonable disagree. However back then, purchasing a bike was comparable to buying a car today. With such a heavy investment in an item that was for purely for the sake of expensive entertainment, Sister White wanted her readers to make the morally right choice. Do not try to take one part of what she has said and apply it only to a situation that favors your point. This is not fair to her. Another issue it pointed out was to understand the whole of her writings, not just one part of it. These principles, understood in their proper way make her writings a blessing to all who read them.
I agree to what Kenton says about our society limiting the confines that Christ can work with. We are so quick to put everything in a context that we understand, that we often miss out on a blessing because we don't agree with the 'Jesus' that people experience. A practical example is our traditional conservativeness. Now, while I do see some benefits from this, to say that someone who has experienced God in Pentecostal church is wrong is not correct. Although there may be some questionable practices of that church, Jesus has made himself known to them.
Before taking this class, my thinking always seemed centred around the ‘either/or’ as if it was either paradigm or the other. I believe that this is the same concept at work. The facts are there when one reads the Scriptures, but many chose one or the other when it comes to the Divinity/Humanity of Christ. For many, they can’t seem to wrap their minds around the concept that Christ was in fact the Son of God; God Himself who was from before time( John 1:3) and that He chose to come into our world as one of us to share in our experience (John 1:10). I will focus on Jesus as Divine Creator and Redeemer of humanity. Heb 4:15 says that Christ was without sin; so living without sinning is possible. But, I’d like to propose that Christ remained sinless by choice. He had a foreknowledge of what sin was. He also knew that He had a purpose, a mission in taking on the form of humanity. He knew that He was the only way humanity could be reconciled back to a sinless God. He suffered all that we suffer. We also see Him resisting the temptation to make bread after a 40 day fast in the wilderness. He was hungry, which again would be human characteristics. But He resisted and in so doing we too can overcome the sin of appetite. Appetite was the temptation that Satan used on Eve. We also know by Scriptures that Christ was divine because He healed the sick, He rebuked demons, He raised the dead. He was able to defy the laws of nature. He rebuked storms and walked on water! These were things that no one else could do. He told them that, “All power is given to Him in heaven and in earth” Matt 28:18. These were clearly signs of His Divinity. When one is able to look at the Scriptures wholistically; putting all the points together and laying aside any presuppositions to the contrary, the facts are clear to see: Christ was both divine and human at the same time.
Understanding scripture chapter 11 In this chapter Dr. Richard Davidson gives some good points on the difference between old apocalyptic and classical prophecy ,This chapter really helped me to understand the difference between the two .It is interesting that if we look at classical prophecy is conditional , it is depending on the keeping of a covenant relationship .One example is some of the promises God made to Israel were not fulfilled because they were not faithful .It is important that we see the difference between the two if we don't we are going to have problems understanding the role of the prophets. One clear example is the prophet Jonah , was he a false Prophet ? No , not at all , it just that his prophecy was if people did not repent , God was going to destroy the city of Niniveh .Apocaliptic prophecu it is going tobe fulfilled no matter if people do whatever they want . Example of the prophecy is the second coming of Christ and many More . Davidson , gives some really good points that are worth considering to understand the Old testament prophecies .
In Understanding Scripture chapter 15, I really liked Lael O. Caesar’s approach to cultural hermeneutics. I so appreciated his understanding of how culture plays an integral part in how Christians understand their theology and scripture. I think that this is very important for everyone to understand, but especially people in the ministry because as Caesar says, many people have presuppositions and those presuppositions can be the thing that determines if a person goes to heaven or not. So, presuppositions are very important, you have to know your scripture, and even so, be willing to change your presupposition if you are inspired by more understanding of the scripture to change your previous presuppositions. Now, culture plays a lot into this because when the Bible says one thing, to one person with a certain world view it can mean one thing and to another person with another world view it can mean something completely opposite. So, when someone of one cultural outlook believes one thing and tries to communicate it to someone else of a different cultural point of view, the two people have to be willing to communicate effectively by listening to each other and ask questions as to why they believe that way and not another. This is an excellent chapter which brings to light an issue that most don’t think about when they are sharing their version of scripture.
Understanding scripture chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture . In this chapter Dr . Muller gives some keys to interpreting scripture . The point he gives are very important for all of us who want to dig deeper into the scripture and want to share with our members .One of the keys is that Scripture needs to be christ centered , this is so important , specially for us preachers and Pastors . We need to take this seriously , I think one of the problems our church faces is that when we come to the book of Revelation we think that we are the "experts " but in most of our sermons we talk about the "beast" the 'plagues" the " antiChrist " and so much " scary stuff' that it seems that we are presenting a "horror movie" In the example of Jesus with his disciples " he show them the things concerning himself" starting with Moses and the Prophets ,I think we need to learn from Jesus preaching so much , we need to give hope to people that only Jesus can give , Iam not saying that the "plagues" the antichrist" should be ignored but they are not the center of our message , the center should be Jesus .
Understanding Scripture- Chapter 6. I find the topic of textual criticism very fascinating. Indeed its history of scribes copying the texts for more than 3000 years speaks to an incredible God in the person of The Holy Spirit. Jealously God has preserved and guarded the integrity and nuances in the language used and required for a right interpretation of His message to us. With increasing knowledge and understanding today why is textual criticism “still the least noticed and least understood sub discipline of Biblical Studies”? Is this related to a lack of understanding of the Holy Spirit and how He works? Is it a deeper problem possibly because we have relegated Him to a peripheral role? What does the author Gerald A. Klingbeil mean when he says it no longer occupies the “front row of new theological methods and insights? Have we veered off course? In the increase in knowledge of The Daniel 12:4 period is there a possibility of mixing and mingling secular and sacred insights that if it were possible even the very elect would be deceived? I am asking these questions because sometimes I wonder about our understanding of the remnant church. Is the Word of God correct when it says that the people of the world are sometimes smarter than the people of the church?
Jesus was the quintessential teacher. He taught so that He could be understood by the educated and the uneducated of His society. He was a story teller par excellence. His stories are still relevant even today. Parables occur over 50 times in the NT synoptic gospels alone. This is an indication that perhaps it was a common as well as effective way of communicating. According to Dr. Tom Shepherd, “types, parables and allegories in Scripture present us with both an intriguing opportunity in imaginative theological thought and, at the same time, introduce the threat of diverse interpretations that can contradict even the most central truths of Scripture.” Christ used these short stories to illustrate universal and eternal truths that anyone and everyone could understand. He relied on them to engage the emotions and touch the imagination thereby inviting the listener into the setting of the story, creating feelings that would respond to an invitation to prepare to meet God. Who can remember the first time they heard the story of the man who fell among thieves? Or the story of the son who took his inheritance and after squandering it, comes home to a hero’s welcome? Why did Jesus tell these stories? He wanted to drive home a point. He wanted to dispel myths and wrong theology about God. He wanted them to see themselves as the one who was disadvantaged and how they either received love, care or grace. For me, engaging my emotions allowed me to feel my need for God. It allowed me to recognize the incredible love God must have for me! It is an ingenious blending of the common everyday life and the eschatological Kingdom of God. Jesus has left us with many examples. We know that they still work. Today, many pastors use parables and stories at the close of a sermon and an invitation to choose Christ.
Donald Henderson Chapter 4 – Cosmic Christ of Scripture November 30, 2009
Isaiah’s warning in Isaiah 8:20 makes it clear that if anyone presents any new revelation that is not in accord with the law of God and the testimony given by his prophets within the Bible then there is no light in that person. Basically we are not to follow that persons revelation. Much skepticism has risen in the Seventh Day Adventist church regarding the authenticity of Ellen White as prophet of God. As Dr. Hanna has ably shown in this chapter, she fits perfectly into the mold required of Isaiah 8:20. Her lifetime support and affirmation of the Bible as the rule of faith, practice, and knowledge of Christ, is proof enough of her commitment to its authority. I particularly like how Dr. Hanna using her writings to illustrate the need of Christians to seek to gain knowledge of God through the Cosmos (secular knowledge). There seems to be a constant disagreement in the church between the primacy of science (cosmos) and scripture. It is clear from Hanna’s presentation of Ellen White’s writings that she views science as important to our faith. While our faith is directed by scripture, and scripture remains the final authority for our faith, scripture also directs us to science (cosmos) as a revelation of God. Thus our faith is strengthened when we are able to harmonize science with scripture. As Dr. Hanna suggest that the issue does not reside in the authority of the cosmos as a revelation of God but rather our understanding of its relationship with scripture. In our going to and fro from scripture to the cosmos we must be careful not to undermine the primacy of scripture with our scientific findings. If our scientific findings do not harmonize with scripture then we must not seek to alter scripture to correlate with our findings. We must simply acknowledge the differences while exercising faith in scripture as the final authority.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#5 November 30, 2009 From: The Cosmic Christ (Chapter 5)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
This chapter focuses on introducing the subject of Christ as part of the Godhead/Trinity as yet another means for the revelation of God. Study of this subject as brought forth by the author is said to be “a complicated project” for two reasons: myriad of concepts regarding the nature of humanity that muddles the “uniquely Christian view of humanity” and due to a limited or complicated use and understanding of the word trinity in relation to the subject of divinity; There is a real life visual of the Godhead/Trinity that one can behold within the sacred passages of Scripture. Further, this visual provides humanity with the supreme revelation of the Godhead/Trinity and Salvation. It is found in none other than Jesus Christ, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”. It is mind boggling to think that because of God’s great love for man, before the beginning of time, God desired to redeem man from a life of sin by becoming man. Why would the creator become as a created being? If the Creator God has subjected himself to take on the human nature and flesh of sinful man, can He continue to be considered as divine? The subsequent chapters address the issue and many of the aforementioned questions.
Comment on chapter 11: Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy
It is refreshing to know that all answers past, present, and future can be obtained through diligent study of the scriptures. Also it is good to know that all of scripture must agree with itself. Knowing ourselves we get to understand that we are the only problem. When we see that scripture agrees with itself we see that it in fact is accurate and thus our faith in it is not all in vain. Despite these principles it is only us that fosters disagreement with the word of God. When interpreting the bible whether old or new testament we must remember to pray because once then will we come closer to God and inasmuch as the scriptures come from God he is the perfect being to give us illumination in that regard. Supplementary to this we must also remember to come to the reading of scripture with the right attitude as it is the great prophet Mrs. White who tells us that when we come to the canon with prayerful hearts and a humble spirit an angel of light accompanies us assisting in our understanding as we explore the word of God and that those who do the opposite get assistance from the other side. Having said this it is of great importance to foster an understanding of the old testament so that we can prepare to understand the new. We realize that Jesus refered back to the old testament when preaching, teaching, and combatting the enemy. As such inasmuch as we understand the old testament we begin to get light as to where and how Jesus walked which can in turn give us answers relative to the ways that we should live our lives.
Comment on Chapter 13: Interpretation of Biblical Types, Parables, and Allegories
The Bible is tota scriptura, no other book can hope to hold a candle to its pure knowledge. We must also realize that those things that have the greatest affinity for doing good also is capable of equal and opposite realities. Point in case, Lucifer son of the morning, the light bearer and the greatest creature to come from the hand of God has become the sole enemy to all that is of the one who created him. Thus in understanding scripture we must be careful to study it in its entirety. We have all heard of the man who was one day seeking answers in scripture hastily and haphazardly opens the book three times getting the answers that each time led to his dismay and Judas hanged himself, do though likewise, and whatsoever though doest do it quickly. We realize that even slave traders of old used scripture to justify an ends to their means. When reading anything we must first know what it is meant to do for us and explore it in that regard if we take this attitude when reading scripture we will realize that the bible is meant to give us light. It is sad that at times we behave as though we are able to give light to the scripture. When interpreting biblical types we must remember that all things relative to scripture lead to simple understanding and the one that it leads us to is not veiled. God is the same and never has changed and because he says that I am God I changeth not we know that we are given the garuntee that he will always stay the same. Our understanding is the only factor that changes. In the midst of so many understandings, theories, and methodologies we must remember to depend on the one who stays constant and thus we will not get swept awat by the tumultuos storms of faulty understanding, disbelief, and doubt.
As a new Adventist, I have faced the persecution of my family that comes as a result of my change in denomination. One of the most common arguments against Adventism is that we are legalistic (I am not sure that they even understand this term) and therefore we use the law to earn our salvation. Adventist are viewed as grace killers that have forgotten the cross of Christ. Another issue that is often brought to my attention is the writings of Ellen G. White. Because of these attacks, I find it reassuring to find writings like the one found on page 85 “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”. In this chapter, Dr. Hanna addresses the issue of Ellen White’s writings and the belief that we are law alone in our view of Salvation. He recounts a story of an exchange between Mrs. White and a minister. She, along with Adventist, were being accused of legalism. Her response is one that we all should have on our hearts to speak to those who would question our view of Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifice He made for us. No where do we find E. G. White claiming to have authority over the Bible. In fact, we find her pointing the way to the Bible. It has been my personal experience that when I read her writings, I am motivated to turn to the Bible and explore it with more vigor. I am assured that we as a church have not lost sight of the cross, but we must be careful that we do not present a false truth to world around us. We should show our love for Jesus and our dependence on the power of His blood by our obedience of His eternal law.
It has been a wonderful experience completing this course and having a greater understanding of biblical study principles that we have covered. I appreciate the final chapter of the Cosmic Conflict that summarize the learning and give the opportunity to reflect on the principles. One truly important aspect of my learning is the understanding of what Dr. Hanna refers to as “a wholistic model” of biblical study. In his conclusion, he summarizes the relationships between sola, tota, and prima scriptura and the relationship between the ontological primacy of the revelation of Christ, epistemological primacy of scripture, and the chronological and contextual primacy of the cosmos. The balance of these relationships has really given me clarity when approaching scripture and developing my own theology.
224 comments:
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08/26/09
Revelation, inspiration and hermeneutics Understanding scripture
The first Chapter of this book highlights the changes that have occurred from Judaism to modern Christianity. And it is clear that the process has been very long and hard. All of these changes have not come over night by convictions and treaties. But many good men paid a dreadful price for what we enjoy today. This seems to be the nom for our generation because our forefathers who were the pioneers of what we believe today, they gave a lot of thought to their children well being.
We should give more consideration to the contribution made by these men in a time when the church made most of them paid with their own lives. And just to consider the burning at the stake, throwing to the lions and all the hard and painful way the Catholic Church could have think of and made it law. And these men stood for what they believed. Death was not a deterrent but a conformation of their trust in God, and a stand against wrong.
The new age, new ideas and new thinkers has attack this profound biblical teachings with thoughts of mere manly consent amount an ocean of proof that there is a living God. In spite of their success in their universities, but stepping out side from their comfort zone they are introduce to a world of nature with mountains of evidence that they have willfully close their eyes too.
The cosmic Christ
Let me start by quoting a sentence from the book “looking into the wonderful face of Jesus Christ does not do away with scriptures but with the misunderstanding that veils it” to me this is the theme of the first chapter of the book. It points to the reason for the book and highlight the point from which all our light is coming from.
How to read God’s three book is a setup to the coming chapters of the book. It is almost logical to say the facts here are well presented and can evoke deep thoughts beyond the common prospective of an easy read. I do share the reader’s point of view; but to me the word Cosmic is not given to the reader in its simplest form as presented by the book.
The scriptures describe Christ and up-hold his teachings and the evidence of his life on earth. We cannot separate the two, or use one to put the other down. So if any group of people are bordering along this lines there is no dough in my mind that they have not understand the man call Jesus.
Alain Blaise Wouabe
GSEM 510 – Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
Comment 1
September 6, 2009
Comment on
Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!
Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic Christ Connections, Berrien Springs, 2006.
Through this chapter, the author helps us to understand that “Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and knowledge in the sense that it stands alone as a unique revelation with the full authority of God .” He helps us to understand that Scripture also stands in harmony with other unique revelations of God (Christ and the cosmos).
The philosophical approach of Dr Martin is so much appropriate for a generation like this, where so many, using their reasoning, tend to disregard the Bible, thinking it’s an old fashion book. Dr Martin’s comments on the biblical evidence for a wholistic definition of the Scriptures, really comes to meet the needs of such people and of those who may still disregard the Scriptures as God’s word.
The Bible itself teaches a “progressive unveiling of the old, yet ever new, revelation of Christ ”. In others words, the Bible admits the fact that we don’t yet know everything, and as time goes on, knowledge will increase, both theological and secular as the author really mentioned it. This chapter therefore helps us to be opened to others schools of thoughts, to recognize that they can also help increase knowledge. We need to be tolerant enough with those who don’t think like us. For we can be wrong while they are right. Does it mean that we will accept all schools of thoughts? Of course no, for though the Bible opens doors for an increase of knowledge, it also provides some guidelines for the use of that knowledge.
This chapter has strengthened my conviction on the belief that “Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and Knowledge ” and will surely help all those who are still disregarding the Bible to believe in it and be saved.
Alain Blaise Wouabe
GSEM 510 – Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
Comment 2
September 6, 2009
Comment on
Chapter 2: Faith, reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics
George W. Reid, “Understanding the Scripture: An Adventist an Approach.” Biblical Research Institute, GCSDA, 2005.
According to the authors, this chapter focuses on the biblical and theological principles that relate to the place of faith, reason, spiritual powers and the Holy Spirit in the hermeneutical process.
There are many people who believe faith doesn’t go hand to hand with reason. This chapter helps us to understand that it’s not right. Our reason, our faculty of reasoning has been given to us by God and as such he doesn’t ask us not to use it but like with all the others gifts He has bestowed upon human being, he defines the way we are to use it. Some Christians feel bad to see others using their reason in their efforts to understand the Scripture; our reason being a gift from God, the problem is not the gift, but the use of the gift. So we must be tolerant enough not to be against those using their reason in the interpretation and the understanding the Scripture, the clallenge is to make sure we/they do it in accordance with the whole Scripture. How?
Faith helps us to rightly use our reason in interpreting and understanding the Scripture. Without faith, our reason is blind. That’s why, I do agree with the authors on the priority of faith over reason in hermeneutics. In fact, without faith, there may be thousands or millions Scriptures interpretations. Faith is what links us to the One who inspired the Scripture so as to understand it as He intended. Reason comes to help us present these teachings in various ways according to people’s background, etc.
Faith is the door we opened for the Holy Spirit to come and help us understand and interpret the Scripture as God, the author wants it. Without being in touch with the author we will never be in position of interpreting and understanding the Scripture rightly, as the authors rightly said it “without the supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, there can be no proper interpretation of the truths of Scripture, no matter how hard one engages the rational powers The Spirit who inspired the Bible is needed for its proper interpretation .”
This comment is on the chapter Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit found in the book Understanding Scripture. I must say that I found this chapter to be very enlightning and fulfilling. This chapter dealt with the issue of the place of Faith in relation to the study of the scriptures: Are we to approach the scriptures with a blind Faith taking for granted that the Word of God is true simply because it says that it is or does God give us evidence? And what does role does human reasoning have to play when it comes to the all important role of interpreting the scriptures? I must admit this was an very important question for me considering that we discussed in class the issue of presuppositions and that we all have them due to our socialization, enculturation etc etc etc. I discovered that proper hermeneutics does involve a rational process that utilizes our reasoning powers. After reading that I immediately had questions about how God would deal with the person who had poor reasoning skills, I wondered if they would be left to themselves, and what are the dangers if they are to be left to themselves? Let me say I was glad that this section ended with talking about the role of the Holy Spirit. It is He the Spirit of Truth that makes proper Hermeneutics possible in addition to ensuring that we have the Faith necessary to respond to call of scripture when human reasoning fails to understand. I guess I would title this chapter for me as Faith and Reason in the HOLY SPIRIT
GOD BLESS YA
John Coaxum
Chapter 2
September 7, 2009
Chapter 2 in “Understanding Scripture” was quite interesting. The issue of using Faith and Reason in hermeneutics has always been an interesting subject. Obviously the mere concept of believing in God is one of faith, not of necessarily knowing (in the human sense). We cannot readily see, hear, or touch God and we must through faith and belief grab hold of Him. Now concerning the issue of scripture, we can see, hear, and touch it and it testifies of itself, so in this sense we can use our human reason to justify the fact that the Bible is a tangible reality. However, believing what it says about God is a matter of absolute faith. But also there is biblical support for using reason according to 1 Peter 3:15. So reason and faith seemingly both have a role to play.
What I have discovered is that faith and reason pull from the same source; evidence. For example, even science reveals to us evidence that our universe bears the mark of a divine architect with some sense of order and organization. But evidence is just that; evidence. Evidence is not proof. So our reason analyzes that something is happening or something is there…etc but it is our faith which keeps us believing despite the fact that we cannot see or understand it all. So when we are interpreting the scriptures through reason we can slightly (very slightly) see their validity. When we look at the world around us, yes we can see the effects of sin, and issues and problems human beings do not have the answer for. But that is the evidence, faith allows us to go deeper and see a God of love working towards our final redemption. That’s the easy part, but then there are instances when our reason fights our faith because it does not match up with what we have before us. When we have these contradictions of faith and reason (as the chapter states, and as I believe) we must allow faith to trump reason. If by faith we believe that we are what the Bible says we are (sinners) than we see clearly that our own reasoning cannot be fully trusted and we have to rely on the assistance of heavenly agents to transform and renew our minds. It is only through our faith that we can say: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” Otherwise we get ourselves into trouble when we rely on reason too heavily. After all faith is what truly pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).
Understanding scripture . Chapter 1
Historical background of Adventist interpretation .
Interpreting scripture hasn’t been an easy task . One of the problems is that we often bring our own thoughts and we approach the bible with preconceived ideas and also our culture many times influences the way for interpreting scripture . Seventh day Adventists consider themselves as a continuation of the reform . And one of the principle we inherit is our method of interpreting scripture . After the time of the apostles we see that there were some new methods of interpreting scripture . It is important to see the role that the two school of interpretation play in that change , specially the school of Alexandria , with expositors as Clement , Origen and others who use the Allegorical method to interpret scripture , I believe that even after the reformation , there are still many who approach the bible , looking for hidden meanings , secrets things that only the one who is “smart “can see , last year I went to a Bible college to train an evangelist and it was just remarkable to see that one day one of our teachers said reading the chapter 5 of Mark “ Jairus’ Daughter was a symbol of the New testament church and that the Woman with the flow of blood was the old testament church “. Just , reading the passage it is not there .but that is not our only problem since the bible conference of 1919 some leaders got this idea of “ verbal inspiration , WW Prescott among them, this” conservatives” leaders tried to defend the spirit of prophecy . so the stage was set , something that Dr. Timm missed is what happened in the 1950’s and the treatment that our doctrines received with the way they used the Spirit of Prophecy , Leroy Froom , and others” Cherri pick “ in writing QOD .In the 1980’s Desmond Ford , made used of the” apotelesmatic “ principle which is practically preterism , that led him to the conclusion that Daniel 8:14 referred to “ Anthiocos epiphanes “ instead of the papacy , Later in the 1990’s we have Alden Thomson , recommending in his books the use of the historical critical method of interpretation . I asked a retired Pastor recently , what happened if we forsake Historicism as our method to study the prophecies and he said” we cease to exist as Adventist” we need to read the bible as it is , God has raised the Adventist to restore and uplift the Bible as the word of God , May God help us to this faithfully. Fredy Reinosa
Let the Holy Scriptures speak!
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
First of all let me agree with Dr. Hanna in that I also believe that the Scriptures are a unique revelation from God and as it stands is the rule of faith and practice. But also through scripture we see and learn of new revelations from God as well and they each have their role to play. God has given us manifold evidence in the Cosmos as well as in the person and work of Christ. And all of these revelations are necessary for a wholistic view of God and the mission of Christ. As the chapter explains, each revelation has there own primacy within their respective field and yes there is a order among them that I agree with. Christ is the supreme authority and has ultimate primacy because every revelation points back to Him. Also this is a good standard by which to test any revelation, because if it does not point back to Christ than we can say assuredly that they are not of Christ. Again, Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of them all. Thought the scriptures are unique and they have epistemological primacy, outside of Christ they are meaningless concerning salvation. Jesus said in John 5:39-40, that the scriptures should only lead others to Him who alone can give life. However the Pharisees of that time had given scripture a place and a position that was Christ’s alone. We do not worship scripture because scripture cannot save us or redeem us, but Christ did and he is the living word. When we survey all of the revelations manifested to us in this world, we should be thankful that Christ has gifted us with these evidences to bolster our faith in Him.
It has become apparent through my walk with Christ that he does not desire to be hidden and yet it will take a whole lifetime to be able to understand him. This is because the deciphiring and wholistic understanding of the total composition of the infinite is beyond the grasp of our finite human comprehension and also because of the confines of human reasoning that we effectively place ourselves in. Of the two the problem does not lie with the existence of the later.
In my opinion, cultural traditions does much in creating human confines of natural reasoning towards the understanding of Christ. The early christians seemed to have had a much better understanding of God than we do. This was most likely because thier own culture condemned them putting many of them to death and because of this they were at odds with thier own traditions and practices. We on the other hand limit God's workings to the way that we can see them according to our own cultural biases and even form some of our ecclesiastical institutions thereby. Christ is found within scripture but more importantly on your knees in prayer. We must continue to foster a personal relationship with our creator which will illuminate the understanding of the scripture that we read and will bring us to the realization that Christ is beyond tradition, practice, and culture for the very reason that he is beyond man. In conclusion, one thought that comes to mind is that spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
Understand Scripture: An Adventist Approach
“God never ask us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our faith . . . Yet God has never removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. Those who wish to doubt will have opportunity; while those who really desire to know the truth will find plenty of evidence on which to rest their faith” (pp. 16)
It amazes me how God defines love. He epitomizes what love is and how it is expressed. 1 John 4:8, 9 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (ref. John 3:16). It is only this agape love that could create human beings with free will; because with free will is the possibility of rejection. Rejection is difficult for anyone to deal with, even God. Yet God still created us. Why did he do it when he foreknew that we all would one day reject him? Why did he create us when he knew that sin would one day marr the splendor of his creation? Why did he create us when he knew that one day we would deny his very existence? I can’t explain it, but I choose to believe him. I could doubt, but I choose to believe just like he chose to create me and give his life for me.
I was deeply impacted by the section in chapter two of, Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach, where the author says that the fallen angels are present to negatively influence the interpretation of Scripture. I am very familiar of the great controversy, but I never saw it in this light. I never thought that fallen angels and the devil himself are interested and present when we approach the study of the Scriptures. We figure that since we pray and study in worship that the devil cannot enter into our sacred time with God, however, further in the section we see how the devil may influence our study. The author points out how Satan is able to influence our study by using our self-reliance as his foothold. A quote from the Spirit of Prophecy (4SP 417) affirms the above point. The reason why this point jumped out at me is because it is very easy for us as Adventists to approach the Scriptures in this way. We have been blessed with so much truth that it leads to the temptation of self-reliance and we approach the Scriptures with nothing to learn. This self-reliance can easily lead us into a Jewish experience in which we fall short of fulfilling our ordained purpose in these last days. The misinterpretation does not have to be as extreme as David Koresh or Jim Jones, but more subtle like the Jewish leaders leading up to the First Advent. The latter is just as, if not more dangerous.
Understanding Scripture
The section I found most interesting in chapter one was the description of the four contemporary hermeneutical challenges that Adventist face. Honestly, the idea that our church cannot agree on the best method to interpret scripture left me a bit disturbed in my spirit about where we may be headed in the future. Questions arise like; will our Adventist church ever come to a consensus about which hermeneutical method is best? And as we near the time of the end will we see even more confusion erupt in the church?
Chapter two seems to come on time and helps to give greater light as to why there are so many interpretations of the bible. I really enjoyed the flow of the chapter as it clearly explained the relation between faith, reason and the Holy Spirit. The importance of casting off our deceitful and worldly mind and putting on the mind of Christ by the Holy Spirit was explained. The second half of this chapter focused on the cosmic conflict and how holy as well as fallen angelic powers come to our aide while trying to interpret scripture. These chapters reminded me of the importance of sincerely seeking Christ before studying the word of God for the best understanding of his will and purposes.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
A summary of the first chapter of this book implies that the book of Incarnation (Christ), the book of Inspiration (Scripture) and the book of Creation are all pieces that come together in the grand puzzle to help one understand God. I was really intrigued by the implication that the Bible reveals Christ, but if the search of Christ is only confined to scripture than the magnificence of Christ can be lost. I am excited to understand further how the veil of misunderstanding and improper interpretation will be removed and things of heavenly inspiration imparted.
Chapter three entitled, “Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!” begins with an interesting example of how many Christians treat the Word of God like a child instead of like the divine word of our Father. The chapter basis it’s interpretation on Daniel 12:4. The interpretation of this text indicates that the people who will be running to and fro are not only sinners but the saints of God. Also the knowledge that will increase will be sacred as well as secular. Honestly, I had never heard this interpretation of this biblical passage. This reminded me of the importance of knowing and understanding scripture within its proper context and sometimes variety of interpretations.
Is it Safe to Disregard the Prophet Ellen White?
A recent class discussion centered about the question of whether the writings of Ellen G. White are necessary for the church. Some asserted that based on the sola Scriptura principle her writings are eliminated. One statement that she made was brought forward which says that she is the lesser light that leads to the greater light of Scripture; the conclusion being that she is unnecessary. We have asserted for a long time that new light needs to be tested by the Bible; therefore, it could be argued that the new light is not needed.
There is more to be said on the subject. In Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; and Revelation 22:18-19, we have divine instruction about how to handle divine light: we are to neither add to or take away from. This would seem to take the choice of what to do with additional light away from us by divine command.
We are warned that there will be false prophets after the time of the biblical writers (Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:11, 24, Mark 13:22; 1 John 4:1). The implication is that there will be true prophets as well, otherwise, it would make sense to warn against all prophets. In the last passage we are commanded (imperative) to “test the spirits” because there will be false prophets. In Isaiah 8:20 we are told to do the testing by the law and the testimony, the Bible.
Down through the ages we have had those that wanted to add to or take away from what God has said. We have an apocrypha to the Bible along with other writings that some considered to be of divine origin. We have had some the wanted to take away from what God has said, like the Sadducees. They were mostly priests and most of the priest were Sadducees. In Matthew 22:23-33, the Sadducees, who said that there is no resurrection, asked Jesus a question that assumed a resurrection to try to confound Jesus before the people, but Jesus silenced them by referring to what the did accept as Scripture, Exodus 3:6, and condemning them for nither knowing Scripture nor the power of God. Quite an accusation by Jesus to the official clergy of the day.
We have see that God commands us to not disregard what He has said, but to test the prophets by the Bible lest we get in trouble with Jesus like the Sadducees did because they knew neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Comments on Chapter 3 of Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach
Under the “Biblical Presuppositions” heading of chapter two in the book, I had a ‘revelation’ of my own! The concept of God revealing himself through Scripture seems obvious to most Christians. We have been raised to understand that we get to know God better through reading His Word. However, we point people in the direction of the Bible even when they do not believe in it as God’s revelation to man. While I was doing evangelism in Uganda, I encountered some gentlemen of the Muslim faith that had no respect for the Bible. What I found was that they realized that the Bible does not necessarily attempt to prove itself, and they saw this as a lack of proof that it is from God. It is difficult to relate to someone that God’s Word is true when they are not willing to look at it though the eyes of faith. As I tried to find some common ground with the Muslim gentlemen, I went with the Bible’s passages on the natural world.
Were these men baptized at the end of our meetings? No. But I wish I would have read this chapter before that encounter. I believe that one of the keys to understanding Scripture is recognizing that the themes in the Bible agree with our inner desire to know a creator and see our own sin.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration, and Hermeneutics, Fall 2009
Comment on Chapter II : Faith, Reason and Holy Spirit in Interpretation of Scriptures
This Chapter is clear on the fact that without supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit there can be no proper interpretation of the truths of the Scripture, no matter how hard one engages to rational powers. Only through the Spirit of God can the mind be illuminated, enlightened, and prepared to find in the Scriptures the revelation of God's will as the Bible is unlike any other book. It is also clear in the chapter that the interpretation of the Scriptures is a religious experience, not simply an intellectual one. When confronted with the Scriptures we must be willing to surrender our preconceived ideas and submit to its message. Interpreting the Scriptures is also an intellectually enriching experience. The Spirit does not bypass our rationality or our reason. The Lord expects us to use our sanctified reason to study the Bible. Wisdom from God is grounded on the fear of the Lord, on a complete commitment to Him as Savior and Lord. This wisdom listens to the Scriptures and is willing to follow them wherever they take us in our search for truth. It should also be noted in this chapter that Faith transcends reason, because it is not limited to human theories, logic, reason, knowledge, and understanding. The mind of the interpreter should be transformed to the mind of Christ by the Holy Spirit who guides in the Hermeneutical process to bring biblical truths.
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” – Chapter 1
In chapter 1 of the book, Dr. Hanna sets out some very basic guidelines that are required to be able to read Scripture effectively to help us have a proper understanding of who Christ is, and of course to ultimately know Him and what He can do for our lives. In another class I remember the professor mentioning that he met a lady who had wrote more than 20 books about Jesus, and yet was not a Christian! That thought baffled him (and of course the rest of the class when he shared it), but it is evident that in this lady was merely on an academic pursuit of who Jesus is, and the veil she had left had blinded her to Truth of the matter. Dr. Hanna establishes the need to have this veil removed from the start.
It is important to note that we all come with our presuppositions, and Dr. Hanna provides a resolution of sorts by understanding a few concepts. They are the three Scriptures principles, three revelations of God and relations between Theology and Science. They are all separate pieces that fit into the puzzle in not just reading the Bible, but essentially in knowing the Cosmic Christ who is the Creator of the Universe. Too often we argue about a certain issue or theology, thinking that’s the main problem, but more often than not this is just a symptom. The real problem usually lies in the way we each approach Scripture, i.e. hermeneutics, and up until taking this class I have to say I myself did not pay as much attention as I should have to this when debating theology. I believe that if we can set the foundations right, the debates (and the contention and confrontation that inevitably comes with it) will be significantly reduced.
Quigley Morris
During my read this week I cam across one statement that rock my mind, since then I have pounder on it logical and spiritual foundation and have come to the conclusions that the author is right. The statement from understanding scripture states “those who turn from the plain teaching of Scripture and the convicting power of God’s holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons” one may want to ask is that true? Well my friends I do not want to surprise you but this is the gospel truth.
Just think about that if Christ is not in your life then you are vulnerable to the devil. There are two powers in the world and one is always in control of our life, and there is no middle ground, remember we are solders in a battle call the Great Controversy. So if I accept Christ then I have welcome him into my life and now I am ready to dress in uniform and take up arms to fight for what I believe, and I have push the devil away. The same will happen the other way around if I refuse Christ then I have welcome the devil in my life because the two cannot exist together in our lives.
Jesus said the Spirit will guide you in all truth, John 3:16 place the Holy Spirit in basic charge of the hermeneutical process. So there is nothing to fear God is willing to lead and carry us when he has too, but we have to give in to the influence of the Spirit. I have notice a lot of people in our church enjoy a system of Godliness which mean they know how to sing and be in church on time and do all the little and big things.
But the main thing just slip pass them every day, they do not have a relationship with the savior. During the three days of spiritual emphasis at the chapel I heard some one said “you can pass all your subject with an A and go right pass the CROSS and that hit me hard. To get to heaven is not hard the fact is Christ have made all the hard things that had to be done. Paul said “but whenever a man turns to the Lord the veil is taken away now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Sprit of the Lord is there is liberty”.
All that is needed now is to accept the Spirit and give God presentence in our lives and we will live like people who know the savior as a friend. The fact is those who turn from the plain teaching of scripture and the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to Read God’s Three Books
Section/Chapter 2 of this book highlights a very important question: “If scripture is the guide, why are there so many disagreements concerning correct Christian faith, knowledge and practice?” This question has plagued me for so many years as a young Christian growing up. While introducing people to Christ, I constantly get the question, how do I know your religion is the right one? This is a fair question. There are so many denominations reading from the same Bible, yet all of them are interpreting it differently. I quite often refer those individuals and questions to the bible, suggesting to them that a thorough study of scripture in comparison to denominational teachings will resolve their conundrum.
It dawned on me recently that most people, including those who are regular church attendees, hardly read the bible for themselves. A vast majority of Christians have no clue of how to effectively study the bible for personal growth and edification. Quite often Christians subscribe to reading the bible in a year campaign, in order to show that they have read the bible through and through. Or many settle for the minister’s weekly breaking of the bread. All of which seem to be fruitless. What is needed is a re-education of Christians of the proper method of bible study. The question then becomes what is the proper/correct method of bible study; for it is our presuppositions and theology that shape our method of bible study. I have a sneaky suspicion this dilemma will not be resolved in my lifetime, if ever. It would take every denomination subscribing to the same presuppositions and theology in order to defeat this problem. Nevertheless, I believe we still can be effective in solving this problem by teaching the tools to individuals interested in sound bible study. This approach will at least help people to grow spiritually, but it will also help them critically analyze what they are being thought by others.
Understanding Scripture
An Adventist Approach
Edited by George W. Reid
Chapter 2 deals with the role of faith and reason in our hermanuetical approach to the Bible. I would like to comment on this chapter from the perspective of demonic vs. angelic influences upon the exegete as they open the Word. It is not hard to assume that, as ministers of God’s word to the world, we are under attack from the forces of evil. Satan and his fallen angels are bent on our misinterpretation of the Word that will cause others to be led astray and fall away from the Lord. So what is the solution for this imminent problem? The book rightly asserts that we as the interpreter must approach the study of the Bible with a teachable and humble spirit, prayerfully considering the task at hand and inviting the Holy Spirit to be our guide (pg 20.) I submit that this act of worship will accomplish more than simply protecting us from evil influence, but it will also renew our minds to be more like Christ and allow us to have deeper understanding of the Work of God. It will motivate us to invite the Spirit to control and influence every aspect of our lives, not simply in exegesis. Once we see the power of the Spirit in exposing the truth of Scripture, we will see our need for His revelation in every part of our lives.
God Bless each of you!
Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach
Edited by George W. Reid
Chapter 3 Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture
As I am reading this chapter, I have come across the section ‘Necessary Attitudes and Presuppositions for the Interpretation of Scripture’ and I am reminded of my path to the Adventist Church. I grew up “in the church” and held to many traditional beliefs about the nature of God, the end times, and death. When I approached the Word of God to make my faith and relationship personal and not simply a family tradition, I asked the Lord to take away my preconceived opinions and beliefs about what the Bible says. The result of that study, made in harmony with the Spirit of God (for the first time in my life), was a revelation of truth that rocked my life to its foundation. The book is outlining this critical ingredient in God inspired revelation from His Word and includes the others that make our searching fruitful. Having a clear picture of God and His nature strengthened my faith in Him. My realization of who I am in contrast to His glory and Holiness causes humility that places me in dependence and submission to Him and His will. Recognition of His love and His commandments demands my obedience, immediate and unwavering. The response to an understanding of His nature and His compassion gives me understanding of His great love for me and having the mind of Christ focuses my love on those around me. Prayer becomes the line of communication with God that allows Him to speak to me continually and allows Him to reveal the truth of His word to me. This section of the book has helped me to organize and communicate my experience with the Lord through Scripture more clearly both for my own benefit and for those with whom I share it.
Praise the Lord, He has made my life anew!
Understanding Scripture Chapter #2
Chapter 2 focused on Faith, Reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics. While all three influence each other, the reading had me focused on the Holy Spirit and His role in my understanding of Scriptures. It really had me considering the many times in the past where I read the Scriptures without understanding the role of the Holy Spirit. I took it for granted that He was there solely to help me with “difficult” theology and to remind me of things I’d forgotten as per John 14:26. The author remarked, “the attempts of Satan and evil angels to redirect interpretations the Bible cannot be dismissed” made me realize how many times I may have gotten the message without giving much though to the process. I’m just so glad that He is a readily available to help me (Jer 33:3). Given my innate tendency to ‘see it/understand it before I believe it’ I know that I haven’t always made His job easy. The Bible challenges my reasoning and demands that I leave my presuppositions at the door so to speak when I enter its pages. This reading made me realize just how much I need to rely on The Holy Spirit to renew my mind and to give me a fresh perspective each and every time I read Scriptures. It is too easy to bring a casual mindset to its reading. For me, the Holy Spirit is the hinge on which my faith and reasoning hangs when it comes to my understanding of Scriptures.
In chapter 14 of Understanding scripture Dr. Paulien gives some very valid points and explanations in understanding an Seventh-day Adventist approach to biblical apocalyptic hermeneutics. He mentions that the apocalyptic books were the main sources that developed Adventistism. This is a fact that some Adventist tend to forget when doing biblical exegesis or in presenting a message from an Adventist pulpit. Our understanding of prophecy in the context of a historical hermeneutical approach is at the backbone of Adventistism. To the postmodern mind an historical viewpoint of prophecy seems hard to believe. From this prevalent doubt towards these prophetic beliefs there are those who have branched off with their own personal viewpoints. Pauline makes a very powerful statement when he says, “While we may not know truth in its fullness, it was embodied in Jesus Christ and revealed sufficiently in His Word that we can have a meaningful relationship with Him. Historical apocalyptic is a part of that revelation.” (p.247) I couldn’t agree more because it seems that too many people try to discredit aspects of the Adventist church, particularly prophecies, because they do not understand the “big picture”. This ignorance doesn’t mean that we should throw it all out. This goes back to what Dr. Hanna is teaching us about being able to think two thoughts at the same time. We see one thing wrong with our hermeneutical approach to apocalypse and we stop preaching it all together. I feel mostly because Adventist preachers are getting lost in the hype and temptation to cater to the feel good generation of postmodernism…well maybe because they want to hear a “shout”.
In regards to “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” chapter 1, I really like how you identify the life and ministry of Christ, the Bible, and nature itself as three separate books. Once we absolutely learn how to understand how to read these books, then will we become much more knowledgeable about our own beliefs and theology, but also our faith will grow. Our relationship with Jesus will thrive as well learn to understand the world around us and how to interpret the word of God as we read and study for ourselves. It’s also important to notice the lesser light, which is Ellen White. It’s effective how you set up this book to be readable to people who are Seventh-day Adventists, but also people that are not apart of our faith. I think this book paves the way for people to understand the cosmic Christ of scripture even though they may not have previously understood or even heard of how religion or faith works. This book is embedded with scripture, which only goes on to prove the point that scripture must be the number one authority, after Jesus Himself. To understand that through forming a relationship with Christ, will we be able to understand scripture eve more.
In regards to “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” Let the Holy Scriptures Speak, I think you make a good point about how too often people interpret the Bible for themselves and forget the big picture that the writers had in mind. All three books, Christ, nature, and scripture work together for one goal, and one goal alone: to proclaim the glory of God. It’s why everything was made, and when people forget this fact, they can get lost in the exegesis and in the translating, and the theology, and they can forget the most important part about these books: Jesus Christ, and forming a relationship with Him. I think Daniel 12:4, the verse used to open this chapter, perfectly describes how things are now. Knowledge rules society. The people with the most education usually make the most decisions. They have all the money, they distribute power and shift it around, when in the end, these earthly powers will cease. Nothing will last except for the Glory of God, and when earthly riches and treasures are piled up, it can be easy to be lost in them. When earthly knowledge is gained, it’s easy to pile that knowledge into the interpretation of scriptures. This is why God tells us to come to Him as children. Completely innocent, and reading His words with a sacred obedience, not allowing our preconceptions or other knowledge to block our understanding of Biblical truth.
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” – Chapter3
In my walk as a Christian, I have heard many people who claim to live by ‘the Bible as my only and final authority’. Yet, most of them do not have the same practices, lifestyle, and even values, some of which seems to clearly contradict Scripture. I had struggled with this for awhile, especially in my earlier years as a young Christian, and it wasn’t until I realized that a wholistic approach needs to be used when reading Scripture in order to begin to properly grasp the great treasure stored within.
In essence, this is what Dr. Hanna highlights in chapter 3 of the book. Scripture no doubt has epistemological primacy, that is to say that our knowledge of Jesus and who He is, along with the world that He has created and how we ought to live in it is found primarily in Scripture. However, this does not preclude the epistemological function of Christ and the cosmos, as Scripture clearly state that both have their sphere of function to play in epistemology. It can be said that the three essentially work in harmony with each other, and as Dr. Hanna puts it – “Christ and the cosmos do illuminate Scripture. However, this process of illumination is normed by the divine authority of the Cosmic Christ as mediated in the revelation of Scripture.“ To totally discount any of the three would be risking an incomplete revelation if you will, thus possibly leading to a misuse of Scripture itself.
This comment is on chapter 3 in the book Understanding Scripture that dealt with the subject of Presupositions in the Interpretation of Scripture. As I understand the scripture record, Sin is about man trying to take the place of the Almigty God. I believe at times we can approach scripture in an effort to take the place of God. If Scripture is Gods Word and is to be our rule for faith and practise it must be clear that we would be willing to submit and resist any presuppositions that would put our reasoning in the place of God. This chapter addressed the issue of Pride which has been and still continues to be a stumbling block when it comes to the interpretation of God's holy word and thus it is not coincidental that pride was the very seed that Satan planted in the heart of Eve that dreadful day in the garden when he put a play on interpreting Gods word "Has not God said" followed by you can be a god (pride). I enjoyed this chapter very much but in conclusion I believe the conclusion of the matter was spelled out in the chapter this way "IF ANYONE WILL TO DO THE WILL HE WILL KNOW THAT IT COMES FROM THE FATHER
On Chapter 4 Revelation and Inspiration:
John Chapter 12 verses 31 through 33 says: "Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." In my opinion these three verses are important relative to chapter 4 of understanding scripture. The problem with Revelation and Inspiration is that there are so many that claim to have a revelation and to get inspiration only some of which are the real Mc.coy. The trouble is that in coming to the truth we usually get in sync with popular opinion. What is right concerning revelation and inspiration is of Christ and as we see from John chapter 12 verses 31 through 33 what is of Christ will not cause us to be popular as he died for our sins and what he believed in. The right Revelation and inspiration will oust the enemy in as much as it is connected to Christ who is God.
Matthew 5 verse 17 says: "Think not that I come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Many who claim to be proponents of revelation and inspiration fill us with new inspiration but do not fulfill the law that is. True revelation and inspiration will agree, one cannot denounce the other. If we come to this realization concerning it, it will take us more than a long way towards understanding scripture.
Comment on
Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!
Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic Christ Connections, Berrien Springs, 2006.
It was a “revelation” in itself for me to discover that it is possible in Christian experience to believe in the “Sola Scriptura” principle and at the same time undermine the content of the Scripture. But now, the more I think about it the more examples of this mistake I find in my personal system of beliefs. As difficult as it might be for Christian to keep in mind the “wholistic” model of understanding God’s revelation; the truth is that the Bible itself gives this “wholistic” model to us. I took some time for me to wrestle in my mind with the statement that “divine authority cannot be reduced to Scripture without contradicting Scripture”. Honestly, I always believed that the Bible IS a “textbook containing all the knowledge”. Now I begin to understand that Scripture is truly a “rule” by which all other extra-biblical revelations are measured.
Reading the part of the chapter entitled “Daniel: Is There any New Light in the Old Lamp”, I felt a need in a more detailed explanation of the passage (Daniel 12:4) as a foundation for further development of the argument. I agree with the author “in spirit” that Daniel 12:4 “illuminates the wholistic model for theological method” but a broader explanation of the point drawn from Dan 12:4 would be very appreciated.
Kenita Spencer
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
Comment 1
September 27, 2009
Chapter Two, in Understanding Scripture, was a refreshing read. As students of the Bible we must take a humble approach to studying scripture. True understanding of the Word warrants that we use faith and reason as tools. Faith takes priority over reason in hermeneutics. It has the finally authority even over sanctified reason.
There are two directions in which hermeneutics leads: transformation or degeneration of the soul. We must submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit in all that we do. In interpreting scripture, there is no exception. If we forget that the Holy Spirit is the master teacher and forfeit his divine guidance, we will not uncover the truth of scripture.
There are some guiding questions that the student and interpreter of the Word must ask himself or herself before, during and after the hermeneutical process:
1. With what attitude(s) am I approaching scripture?
2. Am I willing to prioritize faith over reason?
3. Am I willing to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit?
4. For what purpose am I attempting to interpret scripture?
5. Whose influence am I under?
6. Am I willing to share the interpretation with my community of believers?
7. Am I willing to make adjustments where possible after getting feedback from my community of faith?
Kenita Spencer
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
September 27, 2009
Comment on Assignment 1
Robert, I’m with you. If not for the Holy Spirit where would we be? It is tremendously comforting that if we are led by Him, we will do proper hermeneutics.
GSEM510-2
Understanding Scripture Chapter XII
I have to admit that after reading this chapter I realized that biblical exegesis is a lot more difficult than I thought. Difficult in terms of its complexity. I am also pleased to have read that sitting down to interpret GOD's Word is a matter to be taken very seriously and that it can not be done without prayer. Guidance from the HOLY SPIRIT should always be of utmost importance in reading and understanding the Word of GOD.
In this chapter Ekkehardt Müller, D.Min. Th.D., provides the definition of the Historical-Biblical Method for interpreting the Bible and also a list of 10 basic exegetical steps for doing so. After providing the list he goes on to elaborate on nine of the ten steps. I appreciated the fact that he not only gave a definition for the step and its exegetical function, but he also brought out the biblical significance of why the step is important.
The steps that caught my attention were Reading the Text and Applying the Text. Something that Dr. Müller stated in reference to the benefits of Bible memorization that opened my eyes to the ways that GOD works in revealing HIS truth to us was, “repetition causes the paragraph to come alive to the reader, opening new understanding.” This was neat because in just taking the time to read the Word of GOD over and over, GOD can talk to me. That is amazing. The application of the text was another interesting step because it gave the work of exegesis meaning. Hermeneutics is not just doing scholarly work on a passage so that I can sound intelligent, it is about searching for what GOD wants to tell me and what God wants to tell those HE has entrusted me to teach.
GSEM510-2
The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 2
In this chapter Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., seeks to help the student of the Bible to understand that not all methods of Bible study are appropriate. He more enigmatically addresses this by stating that, “Some methods of Bible study can be deadly.” I think this is a very important point, because we study the Bible in an effort to draw closer to GOD, get to know HIM better, and ultimately enjoy the blessing of eternal life with HIM. If in reading the Bible we get a completely wrong picture of JESUS due to a faulty method of Bible study then we won't want to be close to GOD and that will lead us to loose our salvation by our rejection of it. This is why Dr. Hanna reiterates that, “yielding to the Biblical authority needs to go hand in hand with using the proper methods for reading God's books.”
The rest of the chapter is an overview of the theme of the book and chapters three and four. The theme of the book being the relationship that we find between the Bible and CHRIST and the Bible and the cosmos. In other words to get a complete picture of who JESUS CHRIST is we need to look at HIS personal revelation, as well as that of the Bible and the Cosmos. I appreciate the openness of Dr. Hanna in stipulating from the beginning his view of the Bible, “the authority or 'rule' for Christian faith and practice.” Seeing this openness so early in the book helps me to see him as someone transparent and sincere in his effort to help the reader to have a better understanding of who JESUS is.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#1 September 27, 2009
From: The Cosmic Christ
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
The authoritative nature of scripture is a subject that is so vast and deep that many are still polarized by it and the revelation of God gets lost along the way, amidst scholarly theological debates or minimized to varying forms of secularism, such that God remains shrouded in mystery in so many ways. Yet in the third chapter of the book, The Cosmic Christ of Scripture the author presents a well organized and carefully defended body of work to substantiate his call for a possible need of what he is defines as a “wholistic definition of the Scripture Principles used to recognize the authority of God in scripture and other methods by which God uses to reveal himself”.
The first position raised in the chapter, speaks to that which the author describes as inclusive and exclusive ways in which scripture is used to “compromise the divine authority” of scripture as “the rule of faith and practice”. A plethora of scriptural references from Daniel and many other Bible texts are introduced to support the author’s assertion for the need to possibly expand and incorporate other relevant methods into the definition of the Scripture Principles (tota, sola, prima scriptura) as discussed earlier in chapter one. Building upon these principles, along with the utilization of specific scriptural references about the nature of Christ, Christ’s creation (the cosmos/universe), and the doctrine of Scripture - three perspectives, divisible yet unified in nature, is explained providing guidance and relevance to the authority of scripture. In practice, therefore, God can be revealed and understood more and more through careful systematic search of the scriptures, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as proclaimed in scripture and the things in nature that supports this revelation, without being polarized on the issue of its authority.
Reflection on Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture by Frank M. Hasel
by John R. Treat
Frank M. Hasel made some good point in his article in the book Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach. First, he writes that interpretation is dependent on minds that come with pre-understandings that conflict with the Bible, but if we do not come to the Bible trying to prove our point, but if we do come to the study of the Bible wanting to know what God thinks, we can put ourselves on a path where we will come into greater and greater harmony with God. He also brings in John 7:17, which states that coming to a right knowledge of the Bible is dependent on our willingness to do the will of the Lord. If we come to Scripture trying to prove our theology or with a self-sufficient attitude, God will leave us on our own, which is likely to end with the wrong conclusion. On the other hand, if we study Scripture with humility before God willing have God work in us to will and to do (Phil 2:13), the Holy Spirit will illuminate us and we will rightly understand Scripture.
Second, he explained the sola Scriptura principle. Hasel asserts that sola Scriptura implies that Scripture should interprete Sculpture. He also states that there should be a unity of Scripture if Scripture has a divine origin as it states. Luther used this Sola Scriptura principle against his Catholic opponents, but he used it in a special way that raised his understanding of certain passages of Scriptura over others. Luther is famous for denigrating the book of James because it did not agree with his concept of justification by faith alone and of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This resulted in a canon within a canon. This implies a disunity of Scripture (like the historical scholars say) or the need of other authorities besides Scripture, (like the Catholics say).
Third, Hasel presents a Christological principle that is different from many who claim that they are Christocentric. Friedrich Schleiermacher and others have claimed to be Christocentric, but brought in wrong doctrine because they used the Christocentric principle to ignore whatever disagreed with their ideas. Hasel is not willing to let a Christocentric principle set aside part of Scripture, but states that we should let the light Calvary illuminate all Scripture.
Fourth, Hasel agrees that Christ is above Scripture, but brings us back to the reality that it is Scripture that tells us of Christ. Connected with this he denies that taking Scripture seriously constitutes bibliolatry, because Scripture informs us about Christ.
Chapter III: Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach
PRESUPPOSTIONS IN THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE
Though the notion of presupposition plays an important part in biblical interpretation as the chapter suggests, the principle of Sola Scriptura brings a unique authority of the Scripture.
A fundamental principle set forth by Scripture con¬cerning itself is that the Bible alone is the final norm of truth, the primary and absolute source of authority, the ultimate court of appeal, in all areas of doctrine, practice and faith.
Humankind’s mental and emotional faculties have also become depraved since the Fall; but even before the Fall, neither human reason nor experience could safely be trusted apart from or superior to God’s Word. The principle of sola Scriptura implies the further corollary of the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible stands alone as the unerring guide to truth; it is sufficient to make one wise unto salvation as Timothy puts it.
Scrip¬ture thus provides the framework, the divine perspec¬tive, the foundational principles, for every branch of knowledge and experience. All additional knowledge and experience, or revelation, must build upon and re¬main faithful to, the all-sufficient foundation of Scrip¬ture. Also its clear in the chapter that Scripture interprets Scripture. Martin Luther said “Scripture is its own light” as there is unity between different passages in the Bible. Its also clear that there is clarity in Scripture which is very true. Its possible for Bible readers to read the Scriptures and understand it by themselves.The implication is that the meaning of Scripture is clear and straight-forward, able to be grasped by the diligent student
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#2 September 28, 2009
From: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach
(Chapter 5)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
It is sad to know that within the Adventist Church the issue of whether or not Scripture continues to be the authority, by which our day-to-day activities are tempered, is alarming! As a Seventh-day Adventist, the question for me is not how can Scripture remain the authority or continue to be viable, but rather why is it that in this postmodern society, Seventh-day Adventist’s are dismissing or disregarding Scripture from being the authority regarding the practice of their faith? What then becomes the guide? In this chapter, a number of biblically based evidence is introduced by the author to support the authority of Scripture, the nature of God, the revelation of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in this process.
As rightly stated by the author in chapter five of the book Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach, “the writings of Moses and of the Prophets as Holy Scriptures” have been accepted by Jews for over three thousand years…to them were committed the oracles of God…the Scriptures are the oracles of God”. As such, “Christians have accepted the Gospels and other books of the NT as deserving the same sacred designation”. Further, the early Reformers of the Christian faith such as John Wycliffe and Martin Luther, “appealed to the scriptures as the only standard of faith and doctrine” over any non-canonical writings or assertions made by the Church. So if the Jews accepted Scripture as authoritative as did the early Reformers and other Christians since the beginning of God’s Church, then what is happening within the Seventh-day Adventist Church today?
While reading chapter VI I of Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach was able to understand more about the process of inspiration. Firstly, the formation of both the OT and NT canon display how God was able to use imperfect humans to transmit His word. We can clearly see through this process how mistakes could be made, but that those mistakes would not invalidate the Scriptures. Scholars point to the completion of the OT Scriptures by the end of the 5th century. God was able to use the Jews during a time when the nation had fallen away in apostasy to close the OT, with the correct books included. When we take into account that there are no levels to inspiration and therefore the process of canonization is just as inspired as the writings themselves we better understand how God uses humanity to communicate His will.
What was also interesting was how the Bible writers (mostly) in the NT made reference to apocryphal or secular works in order to make a point. Their use of these extra-biblical works gives us a clearer understanding of inspiration.
Lastly, we must be careful not to allow our presuppositions to interfere with the process of inspiration. It seems so obvious as to why the apocryphal books should/were not to be included in the canon. However, when traditions supersede the Bible anything can happen. We must always be careful of this danger, especially since it has happened twice already; the Jews did it leading up to the first advent and the Catholic Church did it during the Dark Ages. These occurrences make me wonder if the devil has been successful in blinding us again. Has the fact that we have the OT, NT and the Reformation made us invincible to the devil’s ability to blind us with traditions?
Blog #1
Chapter 4 from The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
I think that it was very wise for Dr. Hanna to discuss whether or not Ellen White’s writings not only accurate but if they point to and support Scripture. Ellen White is widely read, not only among Seventh-day Adventists, but people all over the world from other cultures and religions. Some people read her writings as a support to the Scriptures, but others read her writings and view them as the ultimate truth, even higher than the Bible.
However, Dr. Hanna speaks about her writings and shows how they truly are a support to the Scriptures and shows that Ellen White’s writings are the lesser light and the Bible is the greater light. I also appreciated that Dr. Hanna encourages us to “go to and fro” through the Bible and through other writings that support the Bible in order to have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and inspiration. In his book on page 57, Dr. Hanna says, “Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus says the Lord’ in its support. I appreciate that Dr. Hanna specifically teaches in his book that we must always go back to Scripture for everything.
Cosmic Christ of scripture in its first part talks about how scripture teaches about Christ. According to scripture Christ is not a philosophical principle or energy diffused throughout the world. Christ is instead the creator of the universe. Many people find it hard to understand scripture because of their rejection of Christ. They reject Christ because their minds are blocked. It takes only Christ to open their minds for them to understand. To the writer many bible students have a problem of focusing on Christ who is the living word, for the fear of forsaking the authority of the writing word. Christ and scripture goes hand in hand. For scripture does not forsake Christ in the world, neither does Christ forsake scripture. Scripture reveals Christ to us while Christ points us back to scripture. Both are God’s revelations to the world. This idea was discussed under the following headings: three scriptural principles; three revelations of God and relations between theology and science.
Latin words, sola scriptura- all scripture, tota scriptura-scripture alone and prima scriptura- scripture first are the technical terms which serves as a guide for reading God’s revelation through scripture. God’s three revelations as revealed in this book are scripture, Christ and cosmos. All these revelations of God have it own primacy. In these we have ontological primacy of Christ, contextual primacy of the cosmos and the epistemological primacy of scripture. The relations between theology and science focus on how to fit these lines of revelations into the study of theology and science.
From the reading we can conclude that bible reveals to us who Christ is, and Christ is one of the medium through which God reveals Himself to us. Scripture itself is another form of God revelation to His creatures. Cosmos also by its beautiful design reveals to us the intelligent creator God. For theology and science to relate they need to acknowledge this fact of revelations.
Geographical, cultural and religious factors within Judaism have a credit for the development of three major distinctive approaches to the interpreting scripture. Rabbinic Judaism approach was promoting obedience to Mosaic Law and Hebrew scripture in order to protect Jewish tradition and identity from being diluted. Hellenistic Judaism adopted allegorical interpretations of scripture thought by Philo to accommodate its beliefs to the platonic expression of Greek philosophy. The ascetic Qumran community based their interpretation on eschatology, trying to show contemporary events relating to their own community fulfilled OT prophecies.
Christianity came from rabbinical Judaism context and expanded through the realm of Hellenistic Judaism before its challenges posed by paganism during the Roman Empire. Christ and the apostles emphasized on the exclusive authority of scripture over all other sources of religious knowledge. They did not followed hermeneutics of Judaism. Post- Apostolic Christianity lost its original hermeneutics by accepting the hermeneutics of Greco- Roman culture. During the middle ages, Biblical interpretation was dominated by Origen’s allegorical method of interpreting scripture; this method of interpretation helped the medieval church to claim biblical support for many of its non-biblical teachings. Some bible interpreters rejected the allegorical approach to scripture. During this same period Antioch Christian catechetical school also came up with historical-grammatical method of interpretation. During the time of the reformation, interpretation of scripture was focus on sola scriptura and tota scriptura- allowing the bible to speak of itself as a source of authority.
Method of interpreting scripture from the days of Judaism to our modern time has gone through different principles of interpretations. Even today theologians and many denominations continue to argue on which principle is the best method to interpret scripture. They all hold on to one principle or the other.
The development of the Seventh - day Adventist church method of interpreting scripture could be traced its genesis from the Millerite framework. Seventh-day Adventist continues to hold on to sola scriptura and tota scriptura as a means of interpreting scripture.
I appreciate what our reading in "Understanding Scripture" says about biblical presuppositions. It suggests that our interpretation of scripture and the resulting theology is directly affected by our presuppositions and that it is impossible to separate them. As a result, interpretations that are absent of neutrality/objectivity cannot be achieved. After contemplating the consequence of this truth I can think a little more clearly about why such variety exists when it comes to drawing theology from scripture. In fact it doesn’t take too much conversation to realize that most people you talk with about theology (excluding seminarians and their professors, of course) proffer improvised moral nuggets that are actually undeveloped presuppositions or inherited ethical framework. I really should include myself because more often than not, when asked about my own theological stance on issues, I can sooner refer people to writers and thinkers whom write books that agree with me instead of exact scripture that I agree with. Beyond that when I refer people to thinkers I am probably directing them to people who’s presuppositions I mirror. How many times have theological debates been transformed into fiery arguments by people who receive more satisfaction from demonstrating the superiority of their presuppositions rather than a presentation of carefully investigated and applied text?
Donald Henderson - The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, Chapter 1
In the first chapter of the book The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, Dr. Martin Hanna proposes that God has revealed himself to mankind in three forms, and we should seek to use all three forms in developing our faith. They include Jesus, scripture (the Bible) and creation (nature). He describes God’s revelation through Jesus as the process where Jesus came to earth, took on the form of a man and showed us God’s character through the life He lived. We are also told that scripture and all of creation are God’s revelations that help us to understand Christ. Hanna points out that although Jesus is the ultimate authority among the three, scripture takes primacy for us, in that it serves as the guide for how to understand Christ, creation and scripture. I can agree with Dr. Hanna, that today, scripture takes precedence over Christ and creation as it relates to understanding God. John 5:39 says, “search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Christ is our ultimate reference for who God is, but he is no longer here on earth with us. God has provided us with scripture, which explains who Christ was and also explains how we can see Christ in His creations. The ultimate goal of scripture and creation is to lead us to Christ who leads us to God.
Ryan Kilgore
Comment on "Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture" by Frank Hasel in Understanding Scripture.
In this chapter, Frank Hasel lays the foundation for a proper Adventist hermeneutic by describing the presuppositions that must underlie such a hermeneutic. In section 2, "Biblical Presuppositions," he outlines various things which affect the interpreter, such as pride, self-deception, doubt, and others. Unfortunately, perhaps due to space constrictions, it is not clear how these presuppositions interact with each other.
For example, in one section Hasel describes how pride can interfere with the interpretation of Scripture, "The proud person is characterized by an arrogant mind-set that elevates oneself over God and His Word and thus loses any balance that might grow out of a recognition of one's true position in relation to God and to His Word." In another section, he points out that doubt will also interfere with interpretation, "God, however, does not call for an attitude of "criticism" and "doubt" to gain an understaning of His Word but requires faith."
Where do these two things intersect? Should the interpreter eliminate all doubt? Wouldn't that be the same as pride? I think I agree with Hasel, but his discussion of these issues leaves ample room for misunderstanding. In my opinion, he would have been better off using the term "skepticism" instead of "doubt."
Comment on "Historical Background of Adventist Biblical interpretation" by Alberto R. Timm
It is interesting to note that the original Christian Church, the apostolic church, was founded on the hermeneutical platform of the Bible as its own interpreter. This is interesting because as you look at the history of the Christian church from that point further their hermeneutics became corrupted and incorrect. It's even more interesting to see the relation between the history of the Christian church and the history of Judaism. They too once started out correctly divided the Word of God and for various reasons developed improper and incorrect hermeneutics of the old testament. If you look at the history of the church from perspective of hermeneutics the actions of the church actually seem logical. If ones ideals and beliefs are founded on incorrect interpretation then ones actions will be incorrect and improper. It is a blessing when one considers the history of the Adventist church in terms of hermeneutics. Our original founders had an incorrect interpretation of Daniel. Comparing this situation to other religious sects, it is but the grace and mercy of God that our founders sought a more balanced and correct approach in dealing the with 2300 day prophecy. This pattern of reexamination of interpretation continued for perhaps the first 100 years of our church. However, this desire to continue to review and examine our seventh-day Adventist beliefs has ceased to exist and what we believe seems to be taken as pure gold, without the refinement.
Free your mind!
Expand your thinking. Stretch your mind. These are the concepts that we hear preached in class. I have been thinking about these concepts paired with concepts in The Cosmic Christ of Scripture. Regardless of the position that one happens to hold on a theological topic, the one truth is that everyone holds a preexisting opinion. As Seventh-day Adventists, we seek to get people to open their minds to topics that they may have held a firm position on for many years. Many of our unique doctrines are completely foreign to other Christian denominations. As I have read through the chapters in the book regarding the ministry of Ellen White, I thought about how easy it is for me, having been exposed to her writings for my entire life, to accept them. However, for someone who is not familiar with her ministry, it is quite difficult to get past the ‘strangeness’ of taking one’s writings as inspired who is not in the Bible.
One thing that will help us, as ministers, reach those who may struggle with this is to wrestle with the concepts ourselves. It is easy for us to overlook the challenges within our own doctrinal system, but if we can take a step back and look at the process from a different perspective, we will be better equipped to teach these messages to others.
Michael Paradise
September 30, 2009
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books”, Chapter 3
This chapter was a powerful reminder of how, no matter how well intentioned, we undermine the Scriptures especially when it is not in keeping with our desires. There are times when we may even take a text out of context to promote an idea that my not be in keeping with the overall theme of the Bible, but we persist as it helps to support our position. The Bible even promotes that we need to search the scriptures. We cannot only use one text. Interestingly enough as well, the Bible teaches of a progressive unveiling of the old yet it still provides new revelations of Jesus Christ, Scripture and the cosmos. To me this means that there are some ideas that may not be clear to me now, but may become clear with time. This is how Scripture remains contemporary, fresh and new to its readers. As said by Dr. Hanna, “The unique primacy of Scripture may be expressed by identifying Scripture as a special divine revelation”.
Another thing the reading touched on is how we can be selective in how we interpret Scriptures. Some use the Scriptures to undermine prophetic writings of EG White because they feel since she was not included in the canon she is not a true prophet. All the while ignoring 2 Pet 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”. So after reading that, they still refuse to accept the fact that the Holy Spirit was the Source. Dr Hanna aptly stated, “Divine authority cannot be reduced to Scripture without contradicting Scripture”. We think that sola scriptura means that the Scripture is the only inspired Word of God, but even the Scripture does not support that. Since the Scripture has epistemological primacy everything else has to stand in harmony with it. So if a writer is not in harmony with the Scriptures, then he/she is not inspired. And conversely since the Scripture is the inspired word of God it has to stand in harmony with other inspired revelations of God.
Ryan Kilgore
Comment on chapter 4, “Are Ellen White’s Writings Biblical?” in The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna.
In chapter 4, Martin Hanna compares his holistic model of revelation to Ellen White's understanding of the way that God communicates. He finds that Ellen White encourages an approach to God that in addition to Scripture, also recognizes his channels of communication in the person of Jesus Christ, in nature, and in experience.
I especially resonated with her statement, quoted on p. 56, where she says, "God desires His workers to gain daily a better understanding of how to reason logically from cause to effect, arriving at wise, safe conclusions." As a result of my own experience (and due, no doubt, to my personality), I am passionate about presenting the best possible arguments for my faith. I want to learn to think more clearly, to reason more logically, and then to present the truth in the clearest way possible.
Too often I’ve seen the truth presented poorly and with poor reasoning, which led others to reject truth because it did not make sense to them. Let us make every effort to improve our minds and sharpen the tools we’re gaining here at the Seminary to understand scripture and present it in the best way possible.
This response is in light to the history provided in Chapter 1 of the Understanding Scripture. Although it is difficult to summarize two thousand years of hermeneutics, the author was able to offer a feel for the challenges facing the church in deciding the appropriate way of interpreting Scripture. This chapter caused me to think about culture/tradition and how the Seventh-day Adventist church addresses hermeneutics in the 21st century.
There is a great point that culture cannot undermine Scripture, but we cannot deny the power and positive influence that a culture can have in interpreting Scripture. Indeed, the knowledge we have in science, medicine, engineering, and even theology far surpasses that held in the first century. Through the course of time, cultures have wrestled, discovered, and improved many fields that we benefit from today. Perhaps there is something to learn, and implement, from the different methods of interpreting Scripture.
My concern is that the Seventh-day Adventist church fails to gain further knowledge of Scripture and, more specifically, interpretation of Scripture by trying to preserve its own traditional beliefs. By no means am I implying that we have based our beliefs on non-Biblical support, but we continue to have different views on what is the best hermeneutical method for the Bible. My wish is that we look into other methods of Scripture rather than dismissing them, without personal investigation, simply because the majority of church has so in the past.
PABLO ARIZA
Understanding Scripture: Chapter 1: “Historical Background of Adventist Biblical Interpretation.”
This was a very insightful read and I learned a lot about our Hermeneutical approach as Adventists. It's amazing how History seems to repeat itself over and over again; the literal approach, to an overly culturally dogmatic approach, to an allegorical method, to a philosophical and scientific approach, and now we are still arguing over what the Bible really is. Yet I have met many people who leave the church because the church doesn't believe as they do. This causes a real problem for those who believe that all Adventists will be saved based on having Truth. In other words, if you're an Adventist and you leave the church, you will be damned to Hell. I remember in one of our lectures in class, a student asked Hanna "What do we do with Evangelism if we are to accept other points of view?" I really like Hanna's answer because it depicts the actions of Christ to do as such. If we join the Adventist church we are not to just sit back and think our salvation is secured by our 'membership cards.' We need to be a part of the mission for the church to a world lost in its own objectives. Hermeneutics has a lot to do with this. In the course of History, many have come and gone but the church remains; yet it still grows, fragments, and then comes back together newer and stronger than before. I guess the question is do we now turn to archaeology as our new method because science is the new rage? How far do we take this new found tool for the Bible’s reliability if at all?
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: Part II of Chapter 3- “Let the Holy Scriptures Speak!”
I think a huge problem in our world today is that we accept many things as they come without testing them from the Scriptures. After reading portions of this section, it was nice to find a sort of paradigm from which to look at a Wholistic picture of Scripture in comparison to Christ and the Cosmos. Nevertheless, I fear a sort of problem that comes with this. It seems that we cannot ignore all the knowledge of the world because some of it is quite useful. I don’t think people will disagree with me on this point. Yet I see problems when it comes to the grey areas; evolution, post-modernism, open-philosophy (accept all philosophy over Biblical principle), and the list goes on.
In addition, the fact that we have a World Church further begs the question of who has the right to say what we believe or not as a Church. I fear that because some are more educated than others that there will eventually be split in our church based on what others believe is true based on science and others based on Scripture. This idea of the ‘Wheel’ paradigm illustrated by Hanna gives a better paradigm from which to talk about the world around us. Yet, others may have a different paradigm that conflicts and does the exact opposite as the one presented to us. So the question is, “How do we find a way to keep our church together? Or should we alter the question and say, “The church must believe as we (we being any party in the church) find it in the Scriptures.” Or should we ignore the question all together and let our church go?
Chapter 7: Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture
I enjoyed the guidelines and structure put forth by chapter seven in Understanding Scripture by Ekkehardt Muller. In class, Dr. Hanna stressed the fact that we need to be aware of the presuppositions that we bring to scripture before we interpret it. As long as we recognize those presuppositions and are open to them being changed by scriptural evidence, then we are on the right path to correct hermeneutics. Specifically when dealing with the application of a text, the eighth step in Muller’s article, the author suggests that we ask three questions. What difference does it make? What does it mean? Is it true? I will discuss the second question alone in this posting.
Many times readers of the Bible take what the text says and bring their own interpretation. They use this interpretation as a rule of faith for themselves and try to persuade others to do the same. We must guard against taking what the Bible says and putting in our own ideas around it and presenting them as Biblical truth. One tool that helps readers correctly deal with the Bible is using its context. As the colloquial saying goes “a text without context is pretext”. The words of Christ in Matthew 5:30 can be easily misconstrued to think that we are to literally cut off any part of our body that causes us to sin. However, when taken in context, Jesus may be telling his listeners to make sure they carefully guard their actions so they will not sin.
Chapter II: Faith, Reason and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics
The role of faith and reason is a valid question that needs to be addressed. John Baldwin does a commendable job of using biblical scriptures to state his point. He posits that despite our sinful natures, with faith in God and a mind transformed by the Holy Spirit, we can correctly interpret what God has to say. The first question I had in mind when dealing with the relationship between faith and reason stemmed from the fact that the human mind is sinful. How can it be used to correctly interpret the holy words of God? It was a sigh of relief to hear the words that all of scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and it implies that the divine sources played a role in the recording of scriptures. Romans 12:2 encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in order to properly understand the will of God. From these texts, I believe that God helped man put forth divine ideas through the medium of mankind. I believe that God wants His children to learn about Him through the Scriptures and that if we allow Him in our hearts to guide our study of the Bible, we can reason the truth.
Even when we prayerfully attempt to interpret scripture, we must realize that there are times when the Bible is confusing and seemingly contradictive. We must stand in our faith in God as we try to understand what He is saying. Often times as a Bible student, I have been approached with the question of why God acted a certain way. I feel that I was under pressure to “defend” God and I answered on what I thought God was trying to do. I now realize that I am not called to defend God. He can defend Himself through His word. If my mind is too small to grasp this meaning, it is my duty to read and pray more, not to make statements based on human reasoning.
Many of the guidelines found in chapter 7 for Interpreting Scripture seemed obvious, but it’s interesting to see how we often time rush, skip, or forget about some of these steps. Prior to outlining and elaborating on the steps the author addressed the significance one’s faith and attitude plays in interpreting Scripture.
Whoever reads scripture must have faith or a spiritual attitude. This statement carries immense truth because we tend to bring a supposition that the Scripture we are reading is inspired. If we read the text with a mind eager to learn truths, then we will be able gain a much fuller understanding of what has been written. Frankly, it would be difficult to read the text as a skeptic and then expect a change. Faith is required in order to believe that a book containing stories of a donkey that speaks, a virgin who gave birth, and people who resurrected can actually contain great truth relevant to our day.
By no means am I implying that we need to be ignorant and simply choose to believe what we believe. Rather, it’s a matter of realizing the significance our attitude plays in interpreting Scripture. We need to, at some degree, presuppose that the Bible is inspired. In the end Truth will stand on its own, but we need to give it a chance.
PABLO ARIZA
Presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture .
Understanding scripture chapter 3
When we come to the study of the word of God , we experience the effects of sin in our trying to understand the bible. Sin has brought to our lives things like Pride , doubt , and separation from God . when we approach the bible we should pray that God can search our hearts and he can through the power of the holy spirit can give us true humility , love for God and his word and willingness to obey ,those are the requirements to understand the word of God . When we come to study the word of God , we need to recognize that the word of God , his revelation is bigger than ourselves and we can not approach it like when we approach other books . The bible is the inspired word of God. Dr. Hazel gives the Martin Luther who was never able to put together the book of Romans and the book of James . We need to understand that God can not contradict himself , and that there is unity in the scripture . We just need to be receptive to the Holy Spirit and search the scriptures as if we were looking for a hidden treasure , and if we listen to the voice of the Holy spirit we will experience an Emmaus’ walk with Jesus . If we read the scriptures looking to have a personal encounter with Jesus , we won’t be disappointed .There is a problem when we sit as judges trying to figure out witch part of the scriptures are or are not inspired . The bible claim is that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God”. We need to read the scripture as it is . We as Adventists have been experiencing for some time a crisis over the word of God with scholars from inside and outside the church challenging our views on different doctrines . We need to understand that since our early history God used the ones who were willing to let Jesus to empty their hearts so he could be everything . The bible is our only rule of faith and practice so let us hold unto that and let’s stay connected to the true source of knowledge the only true God , Jesus Christ .
Comment on
Chapter 4: Are Ellen White's Writings Biblical?
Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic
It is very encouraging to know that Ellen White always pointed to the Bible as "the rule of faith and practice". This statement strengthens one's assurance in the writings of Ellen White as a channel for the revelation of God to men. Yet, there are more than enough instances within Seventh-day Adventist Church where the principle of the unique primacy of Scripture is neglected. Sometimes it seems even inappropriate to suggest that Ellen White’s writings are a subject to the approval of the Bible as any other extra-biblical revelations. The fact that Ellen White admits that she is just a “lesser light” compared to the Bible, adds to her writings a great deal of value.
The harmony of God’s revelations that “are interrelated” is a beautiful subject to be studied more fully yet (at least it’s true for me). I’m very appreciative to the clear and structured method that Dr. Hanna uses in order to help the reader to comprehend the very important matter. The statement made in previous chapter that “Obviously the Bible makes no claim of presenting complete knowledge of cosmos” makes so much sense when it comes to the question of whether the writings of Ellen White should be taken to the consideration or not. The Bible compels us to study the “book of cosmos” and thus to study Ellen White writings as a part of “cosmos”.
Kenita Spencer
Blog Response #2
From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture and Understanding Scripture
September 30, 2009
I really appreciate chapter 3: “Let the Holy Scripture Speak!” How does it speak? It speaks when we acknowledge all the revelations recognized by scripture and when we put them in their proper place. The light shed on Daniel 12:4 in the Cosmic Christ is quite interesting. Furthermore, it facilitates a clear understanding of what it means to let the scripture speak for itself: God’s people should go to and fro in scripture to increase knowledge (2 Tim 3:15-16); we should go to and fro from scripture to Christ to increase knowledge (Jn. 14:16.17&20; we should go to and fro from Christ and scripture to the cosmos to increase knowledge (Job 12:7-10). In essence, if we go to and fro between the revelations we avoid ignoring the divine word, we acknowledge the primacy of the revelations and their role in the illumination of scripture.
In Chapter 3 of Understanding Scripture, another dimension, from a hermeneutical perspective adds to how scripture is allowed to speak. It is done when we allow our presuppositions to be reshaped by the bible. How does this happen? In Martin Hanna’s words (as supported by scripture), when we go to and fro in scripture. In Frank Hazel’s words (as supported by scripture), with successive exposure to God’s word enables the interpreter’s background knowledge or presuppositions be reshaped and become in line with biblical truth. When the interpreter’s presuppositions are in line with the bible, the scriptures will surely speak because our presuppositions influence the outcome of the interpretation of scripture.
Debbie
I find it intriguing that fallen angels can influence human reason. Ellen White says the enemy can take control of the thoughts. These fallen angels do not have to reveal their identity. Add to this the bible’s statement that our hearts are deceitfully wicked and who can be sure of what is in their own heart. This suggests that we cannot even be certain that we are not filled with prejudices. How do we ensure that we are coming to the Word with a humble and teachable spirit? The real fact is that most Seventh day Adventists approach bible study with the presupposition that they are members of a denomination that has discovered truth all ready. One of those suppositions is that demonic possession and control exist, if at all, in the communities of unbelievers. As a result to even picture that the assistant in bible study at one’s side could be Satan himself is anathema to the Advent representative. These assertions beg the question, is this why we have so many varied interpretations of subject matter in the remnant church? Is it merely that we have moved away from a holistic model of interpretation or is the problem deeper?
Enoc Lopez
Understanding Scripture – Chapter 2, Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics.
The second chapter in “Understanding Scripture” talks about how faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit interact in hermeneutics. One of the main points that the author kept driving, which was affirmed in the class discussion, is that hermeneutics is a combination of divine and human inputs. It does say that faith has a higher priority than reason, however not at its complete exclusion. Now I may be way out to left field with this thought but I wonder how this concept of faith and reason, or in other words the divine and human, working together towards hermeneutical progress can coexist with the election theology volunteered by Calvin. This question is not meant to compare our differing understanding of salvation but rather to investigate the validity of human participation in hermeneutics if there is no human participation in salvation. I do ask this question without actually having researched Calvinist hermeneutical principles, but I do wonder if it (divine + human) would work under the umbrella of efficacious grace. Perhaps my question about hermeneutical principles might also leak into the realm of inspiration and revelation. I am probably reading to far into it, and am definitely over-simplifying, but removing the human element from salvation makes it seem like a human investigation of scripture is moot unless you are one of the elect.
Donald Henderson
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
Chapter 3: Let the Holy Scriptures Speak
In this Chapter Dr. Hanna examines how Christians tend to limit revelation of God to scripture, when scripture itself recognizes other revelations. It is suggested that our faith in Christ is derived from scripture and as such, we accept it as the authority of God. He proposes from scripture that Christ and the cosmos (creation, nature) are also divine revelations of God, and we should being going back and forth between the three to get a better understanding of God. Hanna also submits that Scripture is the prime means of the revelation of Christ and the Cosmos, and its authority is derived from the same Christ which it reveals. Therefore Christ is the supreme authority. Finally the Cosmos is God’s revelation that helps us to understand Christ in the light of scripture.
First let me say that I totally agree with Dr. Hanna in spirit. I understand, that the God whom we believe in and trust, in his infinite wisdom decided to provide us with all the markers we need to come to an understanding of who He is. Like the Pharisees, we can easily become caught up in keeping the commandments of the Bible and miss out on who it is leading us too. The Bible should lead us to a relationship with Jesus. Nature testifies to the existence of a supernatural being, who was intimately involved in the design process of this earth, but it is only when we turn to the Bible that we learn about that person. That person is Christ and it is through Him that we able to understand scripture and the cosmos. Through scripture we get a better understanding of Christ and how we should live in the cosmos. Although we are not able to physically see God, by using scripture, the Cosmos and Christ, God is brought to life and He is able to truly be the guide of our lives.
A Statement by Ellen White in the book The Cosmic Christ that jumped out at me was the inference that the evil that anyone of us on planet earth does harms all of us. She reiterated that heavenly angels were working to bring us together. Inherent in that statement is the opposing thought that the enemy of souls finds paradigms to divide us. There is a website of humor about Adventists and it boasts a tee shirt which reads ‘The great controversy” and under that a picture of a set of drums.’ Now it is not even funny because painfully some of the captions have validity. The irony is that we follow the cosmic Christ of scripture whose divinity and humanity were the essence of sacrificial love. In reality we grapple with selfish desires to be first and to be the greatest and many times we believe the end justifies the means as we trample each other to be recognized. Many times we debate items that have no relevance to our salvation, issues in the bible that no amount of hermeneutics can unveil until Christ comes. What becomes our benchmark for justification of the title remnant church is it once called always called, is it our formula for exegesis? Or is it as we maintain our Christ Connection and our passion for seeking and saving the lost?
Richard Calhoun Jr.
Chapter 5 Reading the Revelation of Divinity in humanity: will the real Christ stand up?
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”
The title of the chapter jumped off the page to me will the real Christ stand up? So many times we try to but Christ in a box in attempt to understand Him fully. The “theiotes”, biblical term Godhead/Divinity, can only be understood fully by God. Once we have to realize humanity cannot fully understand divinity and when we recognize our limitations we are ready to consider revelation of divinity. I like the quote from Mr. Webster. He states if he could comprehend Christ He (Christ) would be no greater than us humans. The chapter brings out that the heart of Christian theology is the doctrine of the divine-human Christ. In the world we live in critics of Christ are always trying to take away his divinity. The history channel magazines books/movies like the Da Vinci code want to make him just an extraordinarily good human. In the revelation of Divinity we see four things. First Christ divinity and humanity is United truly meaning it’s no trick or gimmick its real it’s not a figure of speech. Second Christ divinity and humanity is United perfectly meaning he was not fully God and partially human or vice versa. Thirdly Christ divinity and humanity is United undividedly meaning Christ divinity is not a separate entity from his humanity. Lastly Christ divinity and humanity is United unmixed meaning even though Christ divinity is undivided that doesn’t not mean that his humanity and divinity spill over into each other hence they are united perfectly. Through these four points we see a glance into the picture of the revelation of divinity in humanity.
Comment On Mark Daniels' comment
By charles M. Branch
I agree with Mark and also find it interesting that both angels and demons can influence people as they study God's word. I think if people looked at the bible as an act of worship they might come more sincere and deep as they investigate God's word.
Richard Calhoun Jr.
Chapter 6 The theme of the Bible is Jesus
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”
The chapter brings out that Jesus is the center of the scriptures. So many times people try to regulate Christ to the New Testament and the New Testament only. The title of the chapter properly states that Jesus is the theme of the Bible. Jesus is the Messiah that the Old Testament People were waiting for and the New Testament Savior of the Lost. You cannot separate the two. I heard a preacher say the old testament preaches a good sermon and the new testament says amen. I would say after reading this chapter that sermon would be titled “Jesus.. The God man” because the bible tells the story of how man sinned and Jesus in all his “Godness” if you please put on humanity and came to save a dying world from sin the we might have life and have it more abundantly.
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
Chapter One
God communicates His word through the Holy Spirit, yet there comes the question of how God can communicate with imperfect people. Reid states that, “the human rational power, reason, or mind consistently is characterized as impacted by sin” (17). If we are consistently impacted by sin through our reason, when can we truly understand God’s message to us? Even though we are imperfect by sin, God inspires people to lead His people to the truth. It is important to realize that God’s intention with inspiration is not to upgrade the human mode of thinking but to reveal God’s truth. The fact that God does everything in order to reach us shows me that He truly does care. God will not let His creation be turned into dust. Reading this chapter just helped me truly understand the different levels in which our God works. He reveals and inspires us through His creation, but most of all, He works with the Holy Spirit. I sometimes forget how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives. It is crucial to let Him work in our lives because it is through Him that we truly become transformed with the ability to understand and be drawn to the truth. God communicates with us through the Holy Spirit.
It’s important to understand scripture. Reid says that, “Biblical doctrines stand independent of time and culture” (128). In other words, God’s divine word (scripture) never changes. Just because we are living in a different time period then the writers of the bible, doesn’t mean we can change the biblical doctrines according to our modern culture. It is important to keep God’s principles within His word that is why understanding scripture is a key element to being a follower of Christ. This reminds me of the passage found in Proverbs 3:5-6 where it is said the trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on our own understanding. In other words, we must lay out trust in God in order to truly understand the scriptures. Nevertheless, this trust should not be half-hearted. In order to understand scripture, we need to ask God to truly help us in the exegesis of scripture. This is crucial because if we do not come to scripture with the Holy Spirit, then Satan can use his sinful distractions and confuse our conception of God’s word, and it is through confusion that the seed of doubt is planted, and doubt is the leading emotion that leads to sin. However, God is more powerful and can lead us into clarity and the truth of His word
Ofa Langi
The first chapter of “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” opens with an overall theme to reading scripture. Hanna introduces the cause of the misunderstanding of scripture “because of a rejection of what it reveals about Christ”. Therefore, in times past and present there has been a “veil of misunderstanding which covers the hearts and minds of the people when they read Scripture”, due to the fact that Christ is not the center. I firmly believe that often in our ministries we have emphasized the bible truths that God has revealed and given to the SDA denomination; but we have not shared this message in a Christ-centered. We definitely have bible truths, Sabbath, State of the Dead, Sanctuary, etc., but it has no value to the world if they cannot see Christ in it. In a postmodern society where God is not a necessity for life, where God exists but is distant from the earth and doesn’t really care about the sufferings and pains of the earth is not true. As Adventist, we have the most beautiful picture of God that this postmodern world is dying and longing to see; yet only if we can paint that picture as Christ as the center of it all. A picture of God that recognizes our life of struggle and the need for a break, so with His infinite love gave us a weekly holiday, Sabbath. A picture of God that hates to see death, dying and the pain of sin that He has promised to end it all by coming again, not only to heal us from our sickly bodies, but will renew and restore us into His marvelous light and likeness. A picture of a God that loves us so much, He became like us in order to save us. The unveiling of our eyes to the Christ of Scripture will help us teach Christ as the center of Scripture and our beliefs.
One of the most thought provoking brought up in class were the questions that Dr. Hanna posed was about the comment that Jesus made when he said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16)” It was a challenging ideas for those whom he was speaking to, Jews who had become exclusive. Dr. Hanna turned the text around and applied it in a theological way to ask us if this text could be applied to us now, as Adventist. “I have sheep that do not belong to the Seventh-day Adventist church. They too will listen to my voice.” As we’ve been discussing in class, it is important for us to take the words that we read in Scripture and ask questions and look at it from all angles, and face the difficult questions and challenging ideas that we might come face to face with. If we are doing these things, based on good hermeneutics and prayerful Bible study, we will be more equipped to answer the hard questions. If we engage ourselves to look for answers we may never find, in that journey God can reveal new light to us that we would have missed if we’d never had the courage to get a little lost.
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, hermeneutics and Inspiration
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Assignment: Blog #2
Book Read: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach
Topic: The Authority of Scripture
In the book Understanding Scripture an Adventist Approach, the author states, five important points on Scriptural authority.
First, “The authority of Jesus Christ and the Authority of the Scripture.” A number of Scripture were given by the author where Jesus frequently made reference to the Scripture as He predicted His Messianic Journey. Jesus made many claims in the Scripture and those claims come in a series of I Am‘s example, “I am the Resurrection and The Life…” Jesus claim divine authority for himself.”
Second, “Biblical evidence affirming the Supreme authority of the Scripture as the word of God.” The Scripture handed down to us as God divine authoritative word.
Third, “ The Protestant reformers and Biblical Authority.” The sola scripura became the embodied statement of the Lutheran faith. Furthermore the early Reformers of the Christian faith such as John Wycliffe and Martin Luther, “appealed to the Scriptures as the only standard of faith and doctrine.” The fact that it stands alone in proclaiming the gospel of Christ and the Spirit of God.
Fourth, “The scope and the Sufficiency of the Scriptural authority.”
Fifth, “Divine authority, human response and Biblical hermeneutics.” In spite of the fact that God’ authority is supreme, He give each and everyone of us the freedom of choice.
ASC
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, hermeneutics and Inspiration
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Assignment: Blog #1
Book Read: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
Topic: Let the Holy Spirit Speaks.
‘Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end: many will run to fro, and knowledge will increase.’ The author states clearly that the authority and power of the Scripture have been undermined and has treated like a child that can be seen but not to be heard. No regard for Scripture can been seen is the “exclusive and inclusive approach of individuals. Scripture alone is the only authority on earth that incandescent divine revelation… The information that he presents in this chapter is well arranged to champion his call for the “wholistic definition of the Scripture principles that acknowledge the authority of the Supreme God in the Scripture and the other instrument in which he chooses to make know or reveal himself. This “wholistic model of the Scripture principle can be vital in relation to Bible teaching in regard to the manifestation of the growing of old, yet ever new, revelations of Christ, and the Cosmic. He uses the Book of Daniel as supporting evidence.
“In summary of this chapter, Dr. Hanna states that he is convinced that the Scripture is the only Christian rule of faith, practice and knowledge.” This book contains the authoritative word of God. Through a careful studying of the Scripture one can clearly seen and understand the power of God.
ASC
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Course: GSEM510 Revelation, Inspiration, and Hermeneutics
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Topic: I Know a Man in Christ Fourteen years ago.
Can hermeneutics reveal who this man was?
1. Who that was man Paul talking about?
2. Was he referring to himself?
3. If yes, what are the evidences?
4. Why didn’t Paul say I was caught up…?
5. What thorns in the flesh is he talking about?
6. How did he got those infirmities?
7. Why Paul chooses to glory in infirmities?
These are some the questions I will seek to answer, or at lest try attempt to answer them.
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics
Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ
Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10
“I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV)
After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs.
So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of?
Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can.
What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven?
The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul?
According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man?
Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?”
Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself?
Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation?
The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics
Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ
Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10
“I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV)
After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs.
So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of?
Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can.
What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven?
The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul?
According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man?
Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?”
Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself?
Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation?
The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Professor: Dr. Martin Hanna
Course: GSEM510-2 Revelation, and Hermeneutics
Research Papers Topic: I know a man in Christ
Can hermeneutics reveal who is this man?
Scripture for hermeneutics 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10
“I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such one was caught up to the third heaven.” (KJV)
After a much analysis of many scholars all agree that the man that Paul speaks of is really Paul himself. However, none have given any penetrating evidences to justify their beliefs.
So the question still remains, who was this man Paul speaks of?
Why then Paul didn’t say, “I Paul was caught up to the third heaven fourteen year ago. Whether in my real body I cannot tell only God can.
What are the reasons for making Paul the person that was caught up to the third heaven?
The Greek word “ouk oida” means do not know. The fact that Paul says that he doesn’t know if this person was in the body or out of the body, could it still be Paul?
According to Paul the things that the man heard were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” when he the man?
Why would Paul say, “Of such one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in his infirmities?”
Could it be that he chooses to remain humble by not boasting about himself?
Would it be safe to say that Paul received his infirmities as a result of the vision and revelation?
The New Living Translation puts it this way, “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my or out of my body, I don’t know only God knows.” The question still continues, who was this man. Was it Paul or some other person who was caught up in The Third Heaven?
“We cannot talk about God unless we talk to God. We cannot talk to God unless He had first started the conversation. Dr. Martin Hanna”
If He had not first started the conversation, if the Great and Immeasurable God we serve hadn’t first gotten up and joined us at our table, or tiny little corner in the universe, we wouldn’t be able to hear or comprehend what it is He’s saying to us. He takes steps down to reach us, we can’t take steps up to reach Him, unless He wants us to and allows it. At every turn, he condescends to reach us, He opens avenues to REVEAL Himself to us. He reveals about his character, love, plans, involvement, passions, hopes, desires and aims for us. He does it so we can get to know Him. He does it so that the only doors that are closed between Him and us are the ones we choose to place there. God is going to say things that we don’t understand, and it seems like it’s the most natural thing to do, in order to keep those lines of conversation open, so it doesn’t end, so we can keep coming back to him, on our knees, in his word, through our thoughts, back to him to get more clarity. An ongoing conversation and exchange with about God with God, He made the first move so we wouldn’t doubt His intentions. He’s in this with us for eternity.
Quigley Morris
The scriptures comes to us as the word of God, they address us with divine authority, the authority of the one true God. But it is true that words are not inspired and thoughts only are inspired. So when the bible writers wrote they were communicating God’s idea to their readers. But it was revealed to us as the words of God. The word comes to us through human language, cultural, world view and intelligence. And the strange thing about it the bible is understood in our language, cultural, world view and intelligence.
Have you ever wonder why there is so much power in the words of the bible; if words are not inspired then where does this authority comes from and who maintain and control its effect in the human heart. There are so many stories of people who hear the word and that changed their lives for ever. Is it true that these words are as powerful as the preacher said they are? Is it true that God live in these words and every heart that is touch is vulnerable to the might acts of God?
I watch with tearful eyes from the door way as my uncle stand in the shadow of the near by tree that was pushed by the evening sun to the kitchen door, he was holding a new testament in his left hand and like a drowned as he was spoke evil of the bible. He tossed the bible in the garbage and said it was garbage and that is where it belongs.
But nothing happen to him I believed he would fall and die; as if this went on unnoticed. A few years later the same man who spoke evil of the bible found Christ through the words in side the holy book. I have come to realized that there is so much power in this words the promises are true and God is looking at every one of his creation hoping he can save us if we are willing to be save.
Through out history under the inspiration of the enemy man have tried to destroyed the bible but this book have survived to prove the words in there are not the achievement of men but Holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Spirit. The creator of heaven and earth seeks to save us, but we must believe that his words are true and that the scriptures comes to us as the word of God, they address us with divine authority, the authority of the one true God.
Marlon Gregory
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
200 words comment 1
Interpreting Scripture, Chapter 1
Looking at the historical background of Adventist biblical interpretation has given me great insights into the development of where we’ve come from. From the time of Judaism to modern Christianity biblical interpretation has been through a lot changes. It is now much clearer to me why Jews put in place all those extra Biblical rules to try to keep the commandments, the thing it did to them however was to make themselves legalists and judgmental of others. It is also mentioned in the text that the post- Apostolic Christianity lost most of its original biblical identity by accommodating Greco- Roman culture and that has trickle down through the ages. It is also seem that a large number of nonbiblical traditions were treated as canonical during the medieval church. Then came the savior for Bible doctrines, the reformation period which brought back in view the true biblical principles. Then came the Seventh day Church that got their hermeneutical methods from the Protestant grammatical- historical method of Biblical interpretation; a method still held by our church. However, the church has gone through a number of challenges including selecting essentials from the historical- critical method and methods in prophetic interpretation which include futurist, preterist and principles drawn from postmodernism. This has caused some division in the church over the acceptance of these views by some. However I believe that the church will not allow anyone to disrupt order and cause us t move away from our two original stands of sola and tota scriptura. This for me is the true hermeneutical pillows on which we stand.
Marlon Gregory
Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
200 words comment
Interpreting Scripture, Chapter 2
In reading this chapter, it is pointed out clearly that reason is a gift from God and is to be carefully used in the process of hermeneutics. It is of great importance that nothing takes the place of reason and sound thinking in the process of sound biblical interpretation.
I was not surprised when to the author allude to the fact that the Holy Spirit should not substitute the ongoing exertion of the human mind to improve and advance hermeneutical skills. This is not say that the Holy Spirit does not play a major rule in this process; in fact it is He Who lifts up the fallen human mind to a position where it can be used as a launching platform for higher service. He will equip the mind that searches with humility of heart and with purpose. It is He Who inspires in the first place and will reveal what is relevant and necessary for the times. While reason is relevant and important to biblical interpretation it must never be said that a faith seeking approach is irrelevant. As a matter of fact, this is the way that the author prescribes “a faith and reason relationship.” Oftentimes in many religious settings in the past and even in today’s most secular and liberal society, faith and reason is portrayed as “David and Goliath” with an ongoing battle. If not properly understood a marriage of these two terms could end in divorce but if this should occur for any reason then faith should have the upper hand. According to the author there is a spiritual war going on between the Holy Spirit and the fallen angels over the interpretation of Scriptures. It is true that there’s no true interpretation of scripture unless there are holy angels and the Holy Spirit at work.
This comment is based on Dr Hannah’s book the Cosmic Christ of Scripture the chapter titled what the Bible says, I thought that the statement by Carl Rascke"that perhaps the most formidable obstacle for Theological thinking is the epistemological challenge posed by modern science" was both interesting and disturbing. I don’t believe at all that modern science is a challenge for a Christian Theologian that believes that God is because His Word declares that He is and that God created all things as His word declares and so it is a matter of Faith. The Bible declares that "Without Faith it is impossible to please God for He that comes to God must believe that HE IS and that HE IS a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him" Heb 11:6. All science when given its proper place and properly interpreted speaks of God. EW says in Steps to Christ ch 1 Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love. Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of Joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature. Think of their marvelous adaptation to the needs and happiness, not only of man, but all living creatures. The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creators love..."
Psalm 19 declares that the Heavens declare the glory of God and the earth His handiwork. One only has to take the time out to diligently look at and study the creation account in Genesis to know that there is a Divine mind behind the operation of the cosmos: Science is guided by Divinity and without God this world would cease to exist in an instant..
Another quote I found equally troubling in this chapter was "Science and biblical study are separate and mutually exclusive realities whose presentation in the same context leads to misunderstanding of both" I say to this person: Consider the Ant you sluggard! The word of God speaks of science in the context in such a way to highlight the realities of the magnificent wisdom and splendor of our Creator God. Again this is said by those who do not have Faith in God nor His word and are seeking to remove God from His creation. God bless ya.
October Comment #1
“The Cosmic Christ of Scripture” – Chapter 6
When someone digs deep into the Bible and gets into the really theological side of things (i.e. exegesis, hermeneutics and the like), it’s quite easy to be too caught up in the semantics and the details and totally lose sight of the big picture. Dr. Hanna reminds the readers in this chapter that theme of the Bible is and always has been Jesus, and that everything revolves around this fact. If we have taken the right approach to studying the Bible, that is to take wholistic model of the Scripture principle, it will lead us to ”clearly distinguish Christ from Scripture without separating Christ from Scripture.”
One just needs to remember that Jesus is God, and as mentioned in the introduction to chapter 5 by Mr. Webster, ”If I could comprehend Him (Jesus), He would be no greater than myself. I feel that I need a super-human Savior.”. It would do well for us to not ‘humanize God’, and to never lose sight of this thought. Then, questions about Him being fully human and fully Divine at the same time will be more easily and readily accepted. The most important thing really is as Dr. Hanna puts it, "It is wonderful to note that Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers of divine nature." As such, I have the hope that because of Christ, I can live through Him in me and overcome whatever the world and the devil throws at me.
Historical Research in the Hermeneutics of The Inspired Word
by John R. Treat
The amount of historical research that goes into the study of the inspired word varies greatly depending on who is studying. Historical critical scholars put great stress on the historical research. Many others make little use of historical research in their study. The question arises what is according to God’s plan for the study of His Word?
Paul stated that “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Paul said that faith comes from the word of God (Romans 10:17). While some might argue that this does not cover as much territory as it seems, it would certainly seem to cover doing theology, because doing theology defines what sin and faith are. Therefore, the hermeneutics of doing theology needs to be directed by the word of God.
The question then becomes, does the work of God direct us to use sources that are not inspired, like non-inspired historical records? In MR No. 820 - Historical and Geographical Backgrounds Helpful, Not Essential, Ellen White acknowledges that historical documents can be helpful when studying the word of God. She immediately follows with a limitation: such study of historical sources is not essential to get to heaven, because the path to heaven is clearly presented in the Bible. If we are studying the historical or prophetic portions of the Bible, then studying history outside the Bible could be helpful. On the other hand, if we are studying the Bible for the plan of salvation, secular history would seem to be a distraction at best.
In the Ministry of Healing page 441, Ellen White is even more cautious about reading “historical and theological writings”; she says that the “laborious study of the opinions of men tends to the enfeebling of their ministry rather than to its strengthening.” This does not seem to leave much room for historical research if we want to have a vigorous ministry.
While there are certain passages of the inspired word in which the study of history can be helpful, much of the inspired word concerns our salvation and therefore we do not need help from historical sources. History does not point the way to heaven, but Jesus came for the purpose of saving us (Mat 1:21); I am sure that He told to us through the inspired word how to get to heaven.
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3: Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture
If there is one thing we must know before ever opening our Bibles, it is that we all come with presuppositions, preconceived notions and opinions. These come from our own worldview, the culture or the environment in which we were raised. A presupposition is like a pair of glasses depending on what type they are they in some way or another change how you see through them. So it is with us. Our past experiences, the things we would have seen and heard prior to coming to the Bible are resident in us and in fact there is no real way of eradicating them. As the chapter points out we will always have them and because of this we will always come to the scriptures (or anything for that matter) with them. But our presuppositions are not to have the preeminence over what the Bible declares. At some point it does not matter what we have previously known now it is up to us to approach God’s word with an open-mind understanding that our opinions are not equal to the claims of scripture. However, this does not invalidate our personalities and prior experiences completely. The Holy Spirit even allowed for the human personalities of the men commissioned to write to the Bible to shine through. But of course it was, again, guided and lead by the Holy Spirit. In other words our presuppositions and who we are inherently by nature or nurture still has value, but not above the teachings of the Bible. And we would do well to check them at the gate when it comes time to interpret God’s word.
October Comment #2
“Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 2
In this chapter, Dr. John Baldwin draws out a very logical but more importantly very biblical argument in the discussion and application of faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit in hermeneutics. Too often, the interdependency (for a lack of better word) between these three aspects of Biblical interpretation and hermeneutics are overlooked, resulting in interpretation and viewpoints that are perhaps quite far removed from what the Lord has intended to be. The over-reliance and use of reason and human intellect seems to be at the forefront of this problem, and Dr. Baldwin addresses the point that while reason is certainly important, it must be subject to faith and the working Holy Spirit. It is only then that a “sanctified reasoning” is developed, as opposed to “unregenerate reasoning”, which of course results in incorrect hermeneutics. One will definitely be changed in mind and thought if allowed to work upon by the Holy Spirit and he/she will then be able to hear and understand God’s Word as it should be heard and understood.
Another very interesting point that Dr. Baldwin brought out is the relationship between the cosmic conflict and hermeneutics. It is clear that the holy angels, working with the Holy Spirit can exert a positive hermeneutical influence, but one must never forget that the fallen angelic powers can also have a very negative hermeneutical influence. It is truly a supernatural war that is being fought here, and we would do well to remember to be fully submitted and dependent on God when reading and interpreting the Bible.
Assignment on the Book: THE COSMIC CHRIST OF THE SCRIPTURE
Chapter 2: Reading the Book of Scripture: Is There a Problem with Biblical Authority?
Martin Hanna says this as far as Biblical Authority is concerned “The authority of the divine revelation in the book of Scripture defines the theological authority of the divine revelations in the “books” of Christ and the cosmos”
In response to this I would like to say that the fundamental principle set forth by Scripture con¬cerning itself is that the Bible alone is the final norm of truth, the primary and absolute source of authority, the ultimate court of appeal, in all areas of doctrine and practice. Isaiah warned apostate Israel against turning from the authority of the Law and the Prophets to seek counsel from spirit¬ist mediums (Isa 8:19). In the NT era other sources of authority were threatening to usurp the final authority of the biblical revelation. One of these was tradition. But Jesus and Paul clearly indicate that Scripture is the superior authority over tradition, including the tradi¬tion of the religious authorities (Matt 15:3, 6; Col 2:8). This does not deny the usefulness of Judeo-Christian tradition, as some wrongly interpret sola Scriptura, but rather upholds the primacy of Scripture over all tradition as the final norm of truth. Tradition, even ecclesiastical tradition, must be judged by Scripture. This means that if we put Scripture as the guide then question which martin Hanna addresses in this chapter of theological disagreements will be sorted.
Assignment on: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: Chapter I : How to read God’s three books: A Christ centered introduction.
Martin Hanna in his book says that Ellen Whites writing are evaluated in the light of Scriptures principles which I do strongly agree. While Seventh-day Adventists do not see a difference in the nature or character of Ellen White’s inspiration compared with the Bible writers, they are very clear on the difference between the role and function of Bible and her writings. Therefore Adventists compare her writings to non-canonical prophets. It is clearly that Adventists and Ellen White clearly ascribe fundamental authority to the canon of scripture and I would say that they do not see modern prophetic visions and dreams as additional scripture. Ellen White wrote extensively on the relationship of her writings to the Bible and on the role of the Bible in faith and practice. She categorically subscribed to the tenet of Sola Scriptura. She wrote: “The Bible and the Bible alone, is our rule of faith.”. Ellen white was more than a gifted writer as Martin. Hanna puts it. She was appointed by God as a special messenger and help people prepare for the second coming of Christ. Therefore we should always read her writings in the light of the Scriptures.
Chapter 4: “Are Ellen G. White’s Writings Biblical?”
We truly have to think on two levels when we consider the Bible and extra-biblical writings. Dr. Hanna points out that Ellen White vehemently pointed to the Bible. And she never once lifted her writings above that of the authority of scripture. Which must lead us to believe that she would never under any circumstances recommend that her writings be placed on the same level of authority as the Bible. Of course one her most common statements reveal this: “the lesser light leading to the greater light”. The Bible is the measuring rod and standard for all spiritual things. But in order to understand the Bible among other revelations which are important as well, but at the same time possibly not as authoritative. And then even above the Bible is the supreme authority of the Christ. And so we as Christians have to be able to discern the hierarchy of God’s revelations. Ellen White also talks about the cosmos or nature as a source revealing God as well. So three channels of God’s revelation include Christ, scripture, and nature. Also we as Christians are also channels of God to be used to reveal Him to the world.
Each revelation has their own primacy. Christ is the supreme revelation of God because of He is the source of all divine revelation. Nature and the cosmos have contextual primacy, But the scriptures have primacy in that they are the supreme standard for theological interpretation. Ellen White would not have her writings be considered to have the primacy of scripture given this understanding that she related to in her writings. But in any event thank God for all of His many revelations!
In chapter one of Understanding Scripture, the historical background of Adventist Biblical Interpretation is explored. I found it interesting how far back our roots really go to. Even though our religion has come so far, all Christians can trace their interpretation back to the capture of Judah in the sixth century B.C. Christianity was really born within the context of Rabbinic Judaism, and as Judaism changed throughout history towards Hellenistic Judaism, and again through the Roman Empire, the interpretation of scriptures would be affected as well. It was interesting to see the steps that our Adventist Heritage has taken through the ages from the Reformation to William Miller and to the different Bible Conferences. What really struck me the most was the realization that God’s hand has been through the process every step of the way. This encourages me to realize that even though I may not know what is going on, or what something means, I should take heart, because God is always in control. When I’m confused or feeling overwhelmed, I need to take a step back, and remember that God has protected His people throughout every single cross road they have encountered, why wouldn’t He be able to get me through the Seminary?
In chapter two of Understanding Scripture, the nature of faith, reason, and the Holy Spirit in hermeneutics is explored. There are so many elements involved when it comes to understanding hermeneutics. What I don’t understand is why does something so simple as understanding God’s word have so much controversy surrounding it. Sometimes the word Hermeneutics itself gives me a headache. I think it’s important to not overcomplicate hermeneutics and to learn to be open and receptive to the opinions and views of others. The point of hermeneutics should be to find Christ within the texts, and to be able to figure out how to be able to simply show Christ’s presence to all those are inter into the text themselves. The problem is, because of sin, people feel as if they need reason and evidence, but as this chapter suggests, faith is the most crucial part to the process. But if one really contemplates the reality of this, one would understand that no matter what one is facing, faith is going to have to come into focus, even if one is an atheist. It takes so much faith to NOT believe in anything, why not believe in something? Once faith becomes a reality, that’s when transformation takes place, and all the confusion and controversy will seem to be meaningless. That’s how true discovery will be revealed through scriptures.
Recently I have run into a lot of Adventist who do not believe that Jesus is fully God and fully human. They would reason more with the fact that He is fully human but it is hard to wrap their minds around Him being equal with the Father. I am commenting on what Dr. Hanna says in his book about Christ as a divine human person. Doc brings out four Christ-centered connections with the divine and human with four themes. He first talks about the “social nature of humanity in the image of divinity.” The fact that God made us in His own image is key. Hanna says, “Just as there are divine persons within one divinity so there are human persons within one humanity.” Then he uses the example in Gen 5:1-2 of how when God made male and female He called them both “Adam.” I like this example showing the mirroring of how divinity and how humanity is. It gave me a little better understanding of the trinity and of Jesus Christ and His divinity. He also brought out how it was Jesus who created humanity and ultimately connects humanity with divinity. We had our earth but we lost the priesthood. Jesus comes as our original creator and also the redeemer to bridge the gap. Wow. I think Doc may need to preach this in class some more!
Comment on "Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy" by Richard Davidson in Understanding Scripture.
By Ryan Kilgore
On the surface, many Old Testament prophecies seem straightforward and clear. Others appear vague and mysterious. But when one begins to dig deeper, what is clear can often become murky. How should we understand many of the prophecies of Israel’s seemingly unconditional rise to eternal greatness? And what about those prophecies that seem like they could be messianic, but don’t really seem to say one way or the other?
In this chapter, Richard Davidson has given us an excellent set of tools to help us investigate the divine meaning in these messages. Of particular interest to me is step/checkpoint 5, regarding determination of the type of prophecy in question. Is it a messianic prophecy, oracle against foreign nation, or a kingdom promise to theocratic Israel? In the case of a messianic prophecy, Davidson recommends asking whether the prophecies are dependent on human choice in order to help ascertain whether the prediction is intended to be conditional. If a prophecy is not directly messianic, the interpreter should look for indicators in the text that the language transcends “what is applicable to the OT person, event, or institution and points forward to the Messiah.” (201). I hope that these hermeneutical checkpoints will help me as I examine some of the New Testament’s description of fulfilled Old Testament messianic prophecies.
Commenting on the chapter Are Ellen Whites writing biblical. I thought that the quote on pg 54 was interesting and it really raised some questions for me. The quote was "Clearly all knowledge is Gods knowledge and us useful for christian theology." I asked myself and all that read this blog is this true? What about the knowledge that was to be disregarded by Adam and Eve by refraining from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Does there still exhist a tree of knowlege of good and evil (symbolically) that we are to shun. I think so! but I have questions. If there are things (knowledge) that we are to shun, how can it be Gods knowledge and further more how can it be useful for Christian theology? Satans suggestion to Eve in the garden gives me shivers as I consider His language, "EAT" Gain more knowledge for God is just holding back from you for He knows that in the day that you do (eat from the tree and gain more knowledge) you will be as gods knowing good and evil. Please dont get me wrong, I do belive we are to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ but why does it seems that for many, the more knowlegable they become the less faith they have. Just some thoughts my Brothers and Sisters.
God bless you
Comment on
Chapter 6: The Theme of the Bible is Jesus
Martin Frederick Hanna, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture: How to read God’s three books” Cosmic
As the central chapter (in my opinion) in the book "Cosmic Christ of Scripture", it states so clearly and rightfully that "Christ is the center of the Scripture". Even though it is very clear from the first look at the statement it is not so clear when we look closer to the issue. Personally, even after reading the chapter several times I'm not quite sure that I understand the meaning of the words of Scripture regarding Jesus that He is given "the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9). From the prospective of the sinner who is being saved by Jesus it is not a question whether Jesus has any supremacy or not. He is THE Savior! He is THE only one that can save me! That is why He has "the name... Above every name". But when it comes to the "Christ Among the Divine Persons" and the "divine unity in diversity" I stop and humbly take of my shoes… That is about all I can do. I should say that I was really challenged by the ability of Dr. Hanna to wrestle with these ISSUES in the chapter. I hope and pray that by the power of the holy Spirit my mind will be opened to a deeper understanding of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as One God "truly", "perfectly", and "undividedly" united "unmixedly".
Comment on
Chapter 4 "Revelation and inspiration"
From the book "Understanding Scripture"
I appreciate the honesty with which the author admits that "we have no idea about what a 'divine breathing' could mean". He goes on to say that, we can only attempt to understand it metaphorically. Also, when talking about the problem behind Revelation-Inspiration in which "divine and human agencies interfaced", Dr. Canale states "Scripture nowhere addresses this problem". I was stung with this statement. If we are left without clear Scripture’s light on that issue should we even take a risk of "embarking on a theological task"?
I think it is an important job to analyze the history of interpretations of Revelation-Inspiration, but with the thought in mind that we are trying to comprehend not comprehensible. In my very humble opinion everything starts with faith. As the author states, “Fundamentally, we presuppose a God who personally acts within the flow of human history”. We choose to believe that the Bible is the word of God. It’s our conscious choice. And as the result of our choice we allow the Scripture strengthens our faith. I believe, it relates to the writings of Ellen White as it does to Scripture. Concerning the issue of Revelation-Inspiration Ellen White wrote, “The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen”. It's up to us to accept it or not.
I find this chapter very informative and important for analyzing Adventist doctrine of “Revelation-Inspiration”.
In Chapter 6 of The Cosmic Christ of Scripture Dr. Hanna highlights how Jesus is the theme of the Bible. This is particularly important when we do a lot of reading that suggests that the theme of scripture is its laws or moral mandates. One of the best lines in this section I found at the beginning of Chapter 5, “Nevertheless, the best way to avoid confusion is to study the genuine Christ of Scripture.” This is in response to the idea that identifying false christs will be easy or natural. The truth is that identifying Christ is not something that is easy at all. If the 1st century Jews struggled with identifying Him and they had all their schools and prophecies then it is plainly not easy. It seems like scripture is also suggesting that part of their denial of Christ as the messiah is that they weren’t prepared to accept some of the things presented in this chapter such as that He was born fully human and fully divine. Even more so that there was a divine relationship between humanity and divinity. This is evidenced by them denying a divine connection between any man that was not a Jew. The mystery of Christ is far from figured out. I just hope I have studied the original enough for when the counterfeits appear.
Translating the Text
“All those who do not have access to the respective biblical language should consult—where possible—a number of good translations.”—Understanding Scripture, pp.115
Why has believing in God become so complicated? The simple message of believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, as espoused by Peter to the jailer, not enough anymore. Is it because we have too much information now? I wish salvation was still so simple, but I am afraid that today simplicity can become an impediment to salvation more so than a help. Here is what I mean. Today, our faith in Jesus Christ is contingent upon what we know about him; and the way garner that information is through the Bible, whether proclaimed by preachers or read by the individuals themselves. Yet, that source of information must be carefully analyzed to see whether it is the most objective; most literal translation of the original manuscripts. Like the above quote admonishes, anyone who wants to read the Bible should consult a “good” translation. This implies that there are bad ones; and it also implies that no particular version stands out as being the best translation. How does the reader choose which one to read?
The guidelines given involve choosing a version that fits the readers need. If the reader is looking for literal translation of study and understanding, then the Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Version are good choices. If the reader is looking for dynamic translations that “. . . try to create a relationship between reader and translation. . .”; then the New English Bible (NEB) and Today’s English Version (TEV) are good choices. Don’t even mention the paraphrase version that is not even a translation, but a person’s interpretation of the Bible, with the name—Bible. The challenge that I have is what do I say to a non-believer who is seek a relationship with Jesus, should I provide them with the paraphrased version? Is it right for me to believe that the paraphrased version will be best for them since they are newly entering into a relationship with Christ? Is God’s word to difficult to understand, that I should feel impressed to send them to someone else’s translation or a user friendly version? If for example the paraphrased version is not the Bible, but a written masterpiece based on the Bible, does it point the reader back to the original source? Hmmm. I believe as we search to answer these frivolous issues, I somehow hope we will be able to find Jesus, because it boils down to, what tool or person will best help me form a relationship with Jesus.
“The nature of divinity as Father . . . and as Spirit . . . is unveiled in the divinity of Jesus . . . who is the uniquely begotten Son of God . . . .”—The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, pp.72
The triune God is a mystery and I believe forever will be until we have an opportunity to ask God how. Yet, I believe it is necessary for us who believe that God, the father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit are one. To truly understand this concept, we must think on several different levels to fully grasp what God is revealing to us in the mystery and wonder of who he is. Thus, I believe we should spend most of our time trying to understand what God is trying to reveal to us about himself and the relationship he is trying to cultivate with us in the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
I believe it all boils down to one simple matter, God desires to be among us and to live in harmony with us as he originally intended before the fall. So, in order to accomplish this tremendous task he has designed a plan that involves him sending his son to live among men and die for them—the penalty of sin. Then, I believe, through the Holy Spirit living in our lives we get to experience him on a daily basis so no matter where we go he is with us. Could it be that God represented him in time and space in order to convey to us that he does interact with us according to our time and space, which completely shatters Plato’s view of a timeless God? Finally, is God trying to show that he not only wants to interact with us in our time and space, but wants to be ever-present in our lives? I believe all these facets of interacting with God are pertinent in preparation for what it will be like in eternity. So maybe the only important point for God being represented as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is to teach us how to interact with him as we prepare for eternity.
Quigley Morris
On page 183 of our text book the writer said and I quote “the bible specifically claims that God is able to predict the near and distant future” this is not surprising to us bible students because throughout the bible God have led his people through prophets and dreams.
Imagine Isaiah mention Cyrus name 150 years before he was borne, he said what he was going to do and he did it just as the prophet said he would. God announced to Adam and Eve that the redeemer would come and they believed and hoped he would come in their life time. Although it took 4000 years later but he was here as God had promise; in fact the bible said when the fullness of time was come Jesus was borne.
Joseph told the king of Egypt to get ready a famine would come, and indeed the famine came just as he said God said it would be. So throughout the bible we can count hundreds of time when God said some thing would happen it did happen just as he said. There have also been times that God said something and man tried to stop it or try to do something else and they fail.
After the flood the people said they would build a tower to reach the clouds so if there is a food again they will not be killed. They undermined what God said and started the project, now God could have let them build and reach the clouds as they said they would. And then send a 9.0 earthquake to flatten the whole thing in stead he decided to just stop the project by changing their language; by the way there are 6809 languages in the world today.
God said there will never be one nation ruling the world again, Hitler tried and he was very close to being successful. History tells us that the Germans were raining booms on London from occupied France and the English men could not respond. England was in deep trouble, one afternoon in the midst of their trouble a thick fog came over the English Channel and settled there. The Germans could not see a thing and so they stopped the booming and England had a chance to re group. How did it all happen and what did God say?
You see friends nothing goes on in this world unnoticed God said one sparrow will fall from the sky and he will know. The hair on my head is numbered and that to me means that God is in control of this planet and it does not matter if you believe it or not, he is just the big boss.
I appreciate Quigley's comment I think the portion of scripture that bolsters his argument is the very words of God Himself found in Isaiah 46:10, "I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." God is sovereign and His purposes will stand and His plans will always prevail. God is a true prophet, surely we can trust His word above any other. This message is good for the broad umbrella of the Great Controversy, but also can be applied to the individual lives we lead everyday. Whatever God has outlined for our future it will be that. Whenever God, through whatever means or methods, he chooses to, reveals to us what will come to pass, we can be steadfastly assured of its completion.
I read in Understanding Scripture on page27 about presuppositions and the inability we have as biblical students to separate ourselves from our past, experiences, ideas, and preconceived notions and beliefs. I would like to propose that, in some cases, our presuppositions can be used to intensify the act of revelation on our lives. My personal experience with the truth of God’s word has been one of total transformation. I believed many things about the word because I was told to do so. I came to hunger for the word later in life carrying all of the presuppositions with me to the text. Instead of these things being a hindrance for change, they acted as a “highlighter” on the need for change because of the obvious break from the word of God. In the same way, I continue to leave behind my presuppositions because I have learned that they can hinder my growth. I would not have understood the significance of this conscious act had I not come with my notions from the start. We must be in a state of perpetual pliability so that we can be changed by Him through His word to have a greater, clearer view of His truth.
Chapter 7: Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture by Ekkehardt Muller
“Understanding the Scripture: An Adventist an Approach.”
Through this chapter, the author provides us with general guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture and specific exegetical steps. Concerning the first part, emphasis is put on the historical-biblical method of which basic suppositions are: (1) The Bible alone is the final and the highest test of truth. (2) The Bible is the written Word of God, as a whole, not simply here and there. (3) The analogy or the harmony of Scripture is seen in three points: (a) Scripture is its own expositor. (b) There is a fundamental agreement or unity within Scripture. (c) There is also clarity in the Scripture. (4) Spiritual things must be discerned spiritually. In the second part, the author comments basic exegetical steps in interpreting a Biblical text. These are: (1) Turning to God in prayer; (2) Reading the text; (3) Using the best possible reading; (4) Translating the text; (5) Investigating the context; (6) Analyzing the text; (7) Performing theological analysis; (8) Applying the text; (9) Using resources; (10) Taking time.
Reading this chapter led me to wonder: why so many Christian churches today? Why so many Christian churches at a time we would have been expecting Jesus’ prayer to be fulfilled? 2000 years ago, shortly before he ascended, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples throughout generations (John 17: 20, 21). 2000 years later, the Christian church has never been so divided. Obviously, the primary reason is the understanding of Scripture, its interpretation. This seems to vary from one Church to another, from one group of Churches to another. Reading Muller led me to wonder again: Are we free to define our principles of interpretation of Scripture? For, I believe, different interpretations can only lie on different principles of interpretation. Looking carefully at the guidelines provided by the author, I came to the conclusion that no one is free to define his or her principles of interpretation. The Scripture provides for its own principles of interpretation, in other words, even our hermeneutic principles have to be rooted in the Bible. There may be several methods of interpretation. However, whatever the method of interpretation, if it is rooted in the Scripture, they will all lead to the same conclusion because of the primacy that the Scripture doesn’t contradict itself.
The unity of understanding lies on the unity of interpretation. The unity of interpretation lies on the unity of the principles of interpretation. The unity of the principles of interpretation lies on their rooting in the Scripture.
I’m sure if this was followed by all, Christ’s prayer would have been fulfilled and why not, He would have come back.
Be willing to obey the truth. Work together with people of experience. Use common sense.
These three statements stand out to me from the final chapter of Understanding Scripture. It is obvious to me that I have met many Biblical scholars who knew everything about the Word, but were not willing to put its teachings into practice or reshape their lives to fit the Biblical model. Without this aspect of Biblical study, we have missed the point of the study.
Working with others who have more experience allows me to gauge my interpretations and gain deeper insight. I have discovered that I get many different answers about the same text or topic in the Bible. This doesn’t discourage me, it encourages me to broaden my approach and understanding. As scholars we need to be in constant contact with other scholars to act as a check and balance for our interpretation and as a lens to broaden our understanding of the scriptures.
Using common sense seems to be easy for the world around us, but somehow the concept escapes those in theological study. We must guard ourselves against this error. The teaching of the Bible is clear to those guided by the Spirit. I caution myself against seeing beyond the text to a meaning that cannot be derived from the words on the page. I am not suggesting that a great revelation is not possible, only that we must be practical in our approach and application of the word.
I am intrigued by Wouabe's comments about our freedom to create our principles of interpretation. He is correct in his assessment that we have created our own division by creating our own methods of interpreting scripture. Perhaps we should go back to square 1 and begin again with the proper tools to eliminate our differences.
Understanding Scriptures: Chapter three
Even though there are challenges as to how the word of God can be interpreted correctly. The issue is that the Bible is not a humanly book to be interpreted with the knowledge of mathematics or physics. It is divinely book which need power from the divinely source to be able to understand it correctly. Although reason is good tool that aids in Bible interpretation, it takes faith to understand certain portions of the Bible. Entrance of sin in our world has affected our human reasoning power to understand heavenly things. It takes the only the power of the Holy Spirit to restore our reasoning power. The blind spot in our understanding of scripture can be removed by the Spirit of God if we submit our will to Him, without exercising any power of pride, self-deception and doubt. As we bring our presuppositions to the word of God, we must understand the spirit of humility as an ingredient to acquire divinely knowledge. Another aspect to adequately understand Biblical message is an openness of mind willing to learn. Wisdom and knowledge comes from God. With the openness of mind willing to learn, God, is ever ready to grant us needed wisdom and knowledge to understand His word. What we need then is to exercise faith, be obedient to his will and with approach of prayer toward studying his word. The Bible as we know is a divine word of God. It is the same Spirit that imbued the writers of the Bible. The Bible is in unity because the same Spirit worked through all the inspired writers.
Understanding scripture ch. 4
Throughout history many forms of inspiration have presented themselves. Among the many a few are more prominent than others. Verbal inspiration states, “that god was believed to have written the words of scripture.” This view of inspiration led to a high view of biblical authority. The words of the bible are the actual words of God. In claiming that a timeless God is the author and writer of scripture, verbal inspiration places the origin of biblical thought in the non historical realm of the supernatural. Encounter revelation states “ the content of revelation is regarded no longer as knowledge about God, not even info from God, but god himself from the historical conditioned response of human beings to the personal non cognitive encounter with god. The bible is a human book like any other book. Adventist thoughts on inspiration include a view called thought inspiration which states “the prophets where inspired but that in a very particular way the men themselves where inspired.
I agree with Wouabe's question. It seems like because we all have different interpretations of the Bible, many of which are not what He intended for us, we have slowed down His second coming. The problem we are faced with is that we are dealing with human beings who are difficult to understand and reason with. In our own families there are problems and disagreements, how much more the family of God? We should be humble and admit that we may have made mistakes in our theologies and be open to learning about how to overcome them to finish Christ's work. After all, is that not our purpose?
The cosmic Christ of Scripture: Chapter Two
Scripture is an authoritative word of God. It is a rule of faith and practice of Christians. It reveals to us about Christ. No one has ever seen God; scripture reveals to us the creator. We belief in Christ Jesus because of the faith we have in Him. Our faith in Christ is the knowledge about Him which is revealed to us by the Bible. Although the Bible reveals to us about God, it does not treat every subject of life. Other source of knowledge about God is the cosmos. It declares the glory of God and shows His handy work of creation. Scripture is a guide as to correct knowledge, faith and practice of Christians. The Bible is a divine book which needs to be treated with respect and diligence. It should be allowed to speaking for itself. Scripture is the only revelation of God which reveals to us about the other revelations of God to man. Scripture again reveals to us about the work of the Holy Spirit. There is a holistic approach to scripture. These approaches help us to link both the OT and the NT together. For example the OT presents the prophecies concerning the Messiah. These prophecies saw is fulfillment in the NT. The Bible must be studied in its entirety so as to understand God’s revelation to man
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#2 October 28, 2009
From: Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach
(Chapter 3)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
Have you ever had a conversation with someone where the questions being posed to you were extremely difficult to answer or needed to be rephrased because the questions were what we call value laden questions or closed ended questions? Any answer you give would undoubtedly be incorrect. Thus is the issue with chapter three; the conflict that arises “when we come to the task of interpreting Scripture” (Reid, 2006). It is absolutely impossible to put aside ones value system and belief system, yet it is integral to do so with regards to the interpretation of the Bible.
Chapter three identifies that this internal conflict stems from our presuppositions and out of these presuppositions, two things occur: it sets the limits by which biblical interpretation “can and should properly function” and establish the proper methodology, “and through the method, also influence, to a considerable degree, the outcome of our interpretation” (Reid, 2006). In other words, as Solomon wrote …”as a man thinketh so is he” (NIV). Even on our best days after communing in the presence of the living God, our very nature (which has been shaped by sin) is anti-God and wishes to assert self and selfish desires. This is why Paul cry’s out, “…Oh wretched man that I am”.
Nevertheless, the author provides hope for those who desire to seek a full knowledge of God in spite of this handicap. He invites you to be intentional and purposed about how and when you engage in the study of Scripture; having a “disposition of mind and of heart that leads to understanding” (Reid, 2006). This disposition asserts the opposite of our human nature. It asserts that God is and therefore whenever we approach Scripture, God is there intentionally to reveal Himself without reservation, again and again. By faithful obedience, humility and openness of mind and heart to Scripture, divinity and humanity become co-laborers in excavating the unfathomable truths of Scripture.
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3
Based on my readings, one important hermeneutical principle that deal with states that scripture interprets scripture. An example of this is found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17. Ever since Jesus had hit the scene, everyone, especially the Pharisees and teachers of the Law thought that He was breaking the law. However, Christ states “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” This begs the question…. What law is Christ referring to? Who are these prophets? To understand the answer, we must turn to different scriptures. In John 3:3, John the Baptist points readers to the prophet Isaiah with these words “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.” This reference will take us directly to the prophet Isaiah in his warning to the people. This text is originally found in Isaiah 40:3. The same principle can be applied to the law, which will lead the reader back to the Pentateuch where Moses gives the people of Israel the Law of the Lord which must be followed forever. With a understanding that scripture interprets scripture, we can prayerfully know that God has the right answer for us, and with prayer and patience, He will reveal them to us.
GSEM510-2 October 09
Understanding Scripture Chapter IX
In chapter nine Greg A. King makes an argument for the importance of a proper understanding of the historical narratives in the Bible by focusing on the interpretation of the Old Testament historical narratives. He begins by stating that about “half of the Old Testament is of this nature and over one third of the entire Bible.” Any Bible student after reading this statement realizes that if the author is right, then misunderstanding these portions of Scripture is basically not knowing what the Bible really says since most of the Bible is written in this structure.
Dr. King provides the following guidelines for interpreting the historical narratives in the Bible:
- Read the Text Closely:
Pay close attention to the details of the story
- Study Literary Features
Notice and srudy at east the following elements in the narrative: “the plot, the setting, the characters, and the narrator's view point.”
- Take Note of Repetitions
Pay attention to the words and phrases that are repeated throughout the narrative “can be helpful in determining the meaning intended by the author.”
- Look for the Divine Perspective
The narratives in the Bible are more than just a story, they portrait how GOD worked in, through, and sometimes inspire of HIS children. They intent to “communicate theological truth to the reader.”
- Recognize the Exemplary Nature of Narratives
The narrative do not usually teach a command from GOD, rather they “assume and illustrate a command or doctrine taught else where.”
- Evaluate the Actions of the Character
The narratives “record what actually happened, not necessarily what GOD wanted to happen.”
Dr. King finishes the chapter by providing an example of Biblical Historical Narrative exegesis focussing on Ruth 2: 1-13. While reading it I felt that he took some liberties with the development of the narrative character. One of this liberties that really caught my attention was his statement that Ruth had a “corresponding attraction to him” talking about how she felt about Boaz. I went to the passage and was not able to see anything on the behavior of Ruth towards Boaz that indicates attraction. I felt tat since Dr. King is trying to illustrate the above mention guidelines he should have used them more explicitly in his interpretation of the passage.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#4 October 29, 2009
From: The Cosmic Christ
(Chapter 3)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
The issue of the acquisition of knowledge and learning and the recognition of other authoritative sources outside of the Bible in this process (more specifically in relation to the prophetic writings of Ellen G. White) continues to be a controversial topic among Adventism. The Bible declares that God is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end”; the beginning and end of all things, to include knowledge and wisdom. Through the process of inspiration, God then moved upon the writers of Scripture to make known His plan “for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (Reid, 2006). In the first book of Timothy, Paul writes 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” (NKJV). From this, we can gather that Scripture speaks authoritatively on all matters of life and Ellen White believes this as well. She writes, “Let everything be brought to the Bible; for it is the only rule of faith and doctrine” and thus is the claim being made in this chapter by Dr. Martin Hanna (Hanna, 2006).
What kind of knowledge and/or learning does this refer to? Does this refer to a limited kind of knowledge and or learning that is relative to the Bible alone? On this matter, the author identifies three of four ways in which God is revealed to humanity in the Bible (Christ, Scripture, God’s universe) and shows how these same ways are likewise reiterated by and re-emphasized in the writings of Ellen White. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are admonished by Ellen White, “to make natural law plain, and to urge obedience to it, is a work that accompanies the third angel’s message” that is to say, that “every law governing the human system is to be strictly regarded…all nature expresses the law of God, but in our physical structure” (Hanna, 2006). Thus there is no limit to the vast amount of knowledge one can learn about any and everything in life because God has ordained in scripture, multiple opportunities, through the three identified means for learning take place. Even through the prophetic writings of Ellen G. White.
GSEM510-2 October 09
The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 3
In this chapter Professor Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., talks about the problem that bible students sometimes faced. We promote the validity of the Scriptures but sometimes do not allow it to talk. This is greatly seen in our inability to recognized the sources that the Bible itself acknowledge as conduits for GOD's revelation. To provide a solution to this problems Dr. Hanna proposes a “wholistic definition of the Scripture principles which recognizes the authority of GOD in the Scripture as well as in other revelations.” In this definition the Bible alone defines the role of other revelations of GOD and how they illuminate Scripture itself.
With Daniel 12:4 as his backdrop he explains how his “wholistic” model for Bible interpretation would work. He states that his model is in harmony with “the tota, sola, and prima Scripture principles. Then he goes on to show how in his model by the Bible's own admission GOD reveals HIMSELF to us through the epistemological primacy of Scripture, the Ontological primacy of JESUS CHRIST, and the contextual primacy of the cosmos. He concludes by reassuring the reader that “Scripture is the only rule of faith, practice, and knowledge.” The he reiterates that the reason why GOD can be revealed through JESUS, the Bible, and the cosmos is because the Bible says so.
I though that the information presented by Dr. hanna was practical and Bible based and thus deserving of prayerful consideration and upon conviction of the HOLY SPIRIT, personal application.
CCS: Chapter 6
Explaining the divinity of Christ, the humanity of Christ and his sinless nature was always difficult for me. As Paul said in Hebrews, Jesus was tempted in all things, yet without sin. I appreciated Dr. Hanna’s approach to this matter, but I have some questions that I don’t believe were answered through his book. Is there a way to understand just how Jesus was tempted and never sinned? Is this a literal meaning of “never sinned” or is it figurative as in Jesus wasn’t a perfect kid, but as he grew in his knowledge of God and of the scriptures, he learned how to curb the desires of the flesh? I can’t imagine a child not making one mistake, after all, he was human. And since he was fully human and fully divine and he was tempted in every way and never sinned, how did that work? Was his divine nature assisting him as he grew up, helping him keep out of trouble? How can a man never experience pride? Or, how can a man be tempted with pride, but never experience it? This point has always left a question in my mind as to how Jesus did it. I don’t doubt the scriptures for one minute, but I would like to know how for issues such as this one.
Blog #4
US Chapter 10
The authors of this chapter, Gerhard Pfandle and Angel M. Rodriguez did a great job with helping the reader to better understand the wisdom books of the Old Testament. The books that they mentioned such as Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, all have such wisdom that we can all learn from…if we understand them. To understand these, there are layers that must be understood to understand the full meaning of the text. I really appreciated the teaching on the different kinds of poetry that the Old Testament uses. Hebrew was a very skillful language and you must have a good understanding of the forms in order to get a good understanding of what the text is saying. I love how they show you what poems meant what and how to decide which kind of poem it is. Psalms and Proverbs both speak of real life and it is so inspiring to know how such great men handled the good and the bad times in their lives, but to understand the Hebrew forms of poetry, gives you a deeper understanding of the concepts that the author was trying to share. This really gives the reader a new reason to really study the scriptures rather than just glance over them.
Understanding Scripture – Chapter 7 Guidelines for the Interpretation of Scripture
Before taking this class I really didn’t understand how a number of scholars could interpret one Bible passage in so many different ways. Even within the Seventh-day Adventist church there are a variety of ways to interpret scripture. Chapter seven in the book Understanding Scripture helps to break down some of the basic exegetical steps for interpreting scripture. From reading this chapter two important steps stuck out in my mind as most important. Step number one and ten. Step number one is turning to God in prayer. I think this step is essential in order to gain more than just biblical knowledge. This is the stage when the bible student has the opportunity to be open to the bible and learn as well as be transformed in heart and mind. There are many scholars who study the bible but don’t believe in God. The Christian has an opportunity to not just think but to be changed. The last step in the process of interpreting a Biblical Text is taking time. This is a step that I know I have to work on. It’s so easy to want to accomplish the goal of interpreting the text and then tackling another one. Patience is not a virtue of many. True bible study requires moving at the pace of God and pulling away from the microwave world and learning at the feet of Jesus. Once the impatient spirit is removed, the Holy Spirit will reveal biblical truth.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture – Chapter 4 Are Ellen White’s Writings Biblical?
I found this chapter to be very interesting. It’s so easy to get caught up in the debate of whether the writings of E.G.W. are biblical, without seriously examining her writings and what she clearly says. Ellen White states in the Great Controversy, “Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain, ‘Thus says the Lord’ in its support.” Nowhere in the writings of Mrs. White does she caution people to take her words above that of scripture. I love the story of the last session at General Conference where the 82 year old prophet attended. With the Bible in one hand and trembling with age she says, “I commend unto you this book,” and left the platform. To me this illustrates not just the life of Ellen White but also her writings. She points people to Christ and the Bible. I believe her writings are totally Biblical and if placed in their proper perspective and used within context can definitely lead others to Christ. I fell in love with Jesus Christ and accepted him as my personal Savior by reading the words of one of her books, Steps to Christ. I believe people hesitate to use her writings because others have twisted her words to support their own agenda. Before condemning a prophet it’s important to test the prophet and see if the things they teach contradict or coincide with the Word of God.
It is very interesting that we talked of presupposition as something to be cautious but we forget that it is important to have some presuppositions. I will reject both extreme that to have presupposition is a must and to not have any presupposition is a must. Do you know anyone in the scripture who did not have any presuppositions? I believe that it is important to some presupposition if you attend to have an easy and good hermeneutic. Some that I think are important are: the Bible is the inspire word of GOD, all books agree among each other to the main theme of salvation and that it has unity of scripture.
And because every author of the Bible had a presupposition so the bible itself has its own presupposition to the reader. We have focus and mention more of the hindrance of presupposition and forget that there is a blessing in having a good presupposition.
Our life journey helps us see the scripture in a more personal way because of our experience. We have a background which is only unique to us and we can see in the scripture what others will not be able to see. The word of GOD we must remember is infinite and all the living being coming together cannot exhaust all possibility of the meaning of a text. I love to listen to others share their meaning of a passage in the scripture. I have always experience from others sharing their understanding of the scripture, to have something new and amazing that I did not see. The Bible is a living Word and it is relevant to us no matter what our experience in life was.
Chapter 8 - Innerbiblical interpretaion: Reading the scriptures intertextually
From my time in the seminary I have begun to understand the importance of reading scripture intertextually. Many times we treat the bible like a novel, that is, it says what it says and therefore we can read it for what it is. The more time we spend with scripture is the more we realize that this is not true. At the same time when you read a novel you must have a beggining to understand the end and without an end you will not understand anything. From this we can take that even though scripture is a book unlike any book just like a book it is subject to certain qualities that any book would be subject to. We realize that it is what the book contains that sets one from another. The problem concerning the bible is the two extremes associated with this. That is, while some treat the bible like any book, others do not treat it as a book at all. As a regular novel must have a beggining, middle, and end which means that each part is interelated the scripture must be of the like concerning this principle. If we are to expect to have a book to have these portions the bible as a book must be expected to contain these as well. Therefore where anything contains interelation there can be inner interpretation the only thing that is different with the scripture however, is that because of the quality of the read the inner interpretation will be more intense than any novel can or will ever be.
Chapter 10: reading Psalms and the wisdom literature
This chapter is most relative to me at this point because I am now in the book of Psalms devotionaly speaking. Of a certainty, this book and other wisdom books should in my opinion be read slower than most in the bible because it is very easy to walk away from the text with a wrong interpretation. I find that many of the texts in the wisdom literature gives answers which will be relative to the reader. Psalms like life is complicated because it is about life and I feel that as you read it the holy spirit will guide you to the chapter or text that will allow you to hear God speak to you and in some circumstances your situation. The book of Psalms is not more important than any other book of the bible but I would say that if we were to look at the whole bible as a man and the chapters as divisions of organs, Psalms would be the heart. In my opinion it is God's way of speaking to us and telling us that you are not as bad as you think, the fight between evil and good within us will be difficult, or in general to hold on and continue the race as it is not important who comes first or last but whether or not you are able to finish.
Kenita Spencer
October Blog #1
From: Understanding Scripture
As I read the subtitle: “A working definition of Inspiration “in Chapter 4 of Understanding Scripture I was humbled by the fact that we have finite minds, but God reveals his truths to us as he sees fit and that as Seventh Day Adventist s we have acknowledged that we have not arrived in regards to a deeper understanding of revelation-inspiration.
Like the theologians and apologists of old the Seventh Day Adventist Church realizes that we are affected by truth and errors inside and outside of the Church. During the times of the early church the Canon came about in response to the need to create stabilized pillars for the church. The Nicene Creed was in response to Christological controversies and the Apostles Creed was in response to heresies—more specifically, Gnosticism. Apologists sided with different camps (the correlationists or the orthodox) in order to defend the faith of the fledgling church.
In regards to Revelation and Inspiration the SDA church has been forced to articulate its position or working position grounded in the Bible. While doing this one of our objectives is to bring others to a Biblical understanding of revelation and inspiration. The author of this chapter states, “One thing is clear. Adventists are not united in their understanding of the fundamental issue of R-I…Some Adventists have searched for a better way of understanding R-I…Building on their work, we have suggested…a new model of understanding R-I…It is the Biblical Model, because it is built on biblical foundational hermeneutical presuppositions and carefully listens to the range of biblical evidence…We must continue to search for a better a deeper understanding of the Biblical Model of R-I.” pp. 71-72
Kenita Spencer
October Blog#2
From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
“I commend you to this book”. It is safe to assume that Ellen G. White was a woman of many words. She wrote many books that have inspired and illuminated our minds. Her exit off the world stage seems anticlimactic, however, it was a poignant illustration of how important the Bible was to her and how it should be for us today. For her to say these words, it meant she believed in sola scriptura. The Bible is the rule of faith and practice, not her work.
I must confess that I have struggles with Ellen G. White—I mean the Ellen G. White that others have portrayed to me. As I have read more and more of her work and where she stands on the place of her work in relation to the Bible I have come to appreciate her work and guidance to the Body of Believer of which I am apart of—the Seventh Day Adventists Church.
“I commend you to this book” in light of “if they do not speak according to God’s word there is no light in them” is the sure way to decide on the Biblical basis for Ellen G. White’s writings.
Donald Henderson
October Blog #1
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3
The common views on the process of revelation inspiration include verbal inspiration, encounter, revelation, and thought inspiration. Verbal inspiration says that God is the author of scripture and he accomplished it by taking control of the writers of scripture. Therefore the words of the Bible are the words of the God. This view of inspiration suggests that the words of the bible are inerrant. It also implies that because God is the author of the Bible, then the words of the Bible are really timeless divine truths without historical context. Supporting this type of a view revelation inspiration undermines the Seventh day Adventist belief in the historical literal meaning of the Bible. Basically without that as the basis the grounds for many of our beliefs would be undermined. Encounter revelation is described as a divine human encounter devoid of the impartation of knowledge. It suggests that after the authors of the Bible encounter God, they simply write about their experience, which in reality lacks any type of divine guidance from God. If this is accepted, then the Bible is not seen as authoritative, it is not a revelation from God but a mere look at the effect of God on a person within his historical settings.
Finally thought inspiration says that revelation and inspiration is the process by which God affects the thoughts of the writer but not his words. Therefore although the words of the writer might contain error, the message is infallible truth. The problem with this view of revelation inspiration is that you are left wondering how to determine what part of the authors words are error and how do they affect the message. Our understanding of revelation and inspiration forms the basis for our claims to the authenticity and authority of the Bible, and it directs our beliefs. Therefore, as a church, it is important that we develop a Biblical base view on the process of revelation and inspiration so that we are able to boldly proclaim the historical literal truths of the Bible, and guard our fellow believers against heretical claims.
Donald Henderson
October Blog #2
Understanding scripture Chapter 4
The Bible presents messages that are clear and easy to understand. This clarity is based on the language in which the Bible was written. Today we have translations of the Bible. To get the clearest interpretation of the Bible it is important to study the Bible in its original languages, such as Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. This allows us to get the fullest meaning of the words being used to convey the message of the Bible. One such reference can be seen in Exodus 20:13, which is translated in most versions of the Bible as, “thou shall not kill”. A proper study into the Hebrew language shows that the word text can be translated as “thou shall not murder”. The words murder and kill carried different connotations in the Old Testament and they carry different connotations today, but understanding the difference in translations would make it easier to understand different acts of violence in the Old Testament. In studying the Bible it is important that we allow the Biblical principles of hermeneutics to be our guide, but the ultimate illumination comes from the Holy Spirit. He was involved in the work of creating the Bible and Jesus promised that after he left the Holy Spirit would be involved in our work of interpreting the Bible (John 16:13). When we approach the Bible, we must recognize that it is Gods will that is being revealed to man; therefore we must petition Him in prayer so that He helps us to understand his will for our lives
Understanding Scripture Chapter 3: Presuppositions in the Interpretation of Scripture
I have had more than a couple people come to me to vet their interpretations of scriptures. Only recently after listening to a very conservative member of our church vent why we need to keep drums out of the church I had to consider how many people may not be aware of the steps in interpreting Scripture. When I gave my (contradictory) answer, there was a very pregnant pause at the end of the phone. Their response when it eventually came made me feel as if my education at the Seminary was in fact turning me into a liberal without any regard for Scripture or inspired writing. In other word, it was doing more harm than good. What I’ve found to be the culprit is people’s presuppositions. Often times, people will cling to texts that validate or correspond with their own biases. They most often refer to 1 Cor 14:40 and applied it to everything that is in variance with their own taste – and in this case it was the use of drums in the church. She mentioned how many times EG White mentioned it and that the use of drums was also a sign of the end. Great efforts were being made by her local church to band its use and many meetings were being held to discuss the issue. I was amazed at how much other church matters, just as weighty, that were being ignored as a result of this issue. When I investigated EG White, her main source, I only found 1 actual citing. In fact it was the same quote that was repeatedly used in many different compilations and it did not apply to how it was being used in her church. This reading has made me realize how much training is needed in our church. Ministers can no longer focus on preaching. More effort has to be made to teach the congregation how to best understand Scriptures, but how our presuppositions affect our interpretation of it. It will not only help each member grow in their spiritual walk, but empower them to share the gospel with others. And of course will reduce the incidence of false teaching that often times arise.
From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture- Are Ellen G. White’s Writings Biblical?
I grew up hearing EG White being quoted almost synonymously as the Bible. There were some who had her complete writings which was considered a mark of a good Seventh-day Adventist. I have to confess there was a time when I found her work hard to read. The language was strange and my spiritual insight was rather dim so I never got very far. As I grew spiritually and started reading the scriptures more for myself, I found that when I finally attempted to read her work, it gave me a deeper appreciation for the Word. Her book, “Steps to Christ” has had a profound on my relationship with Christ. Could I have gotten that from the Bible only? Most likely, but for me it facilitated my understanding of the Scriptures and then the Scriptures being echoed in her work, made me appreciate her work more. Her love for God is evident. She refers to scripture time and time again to make her points. None are ever at odds with the Word of God. If nothing else, it makes the reader see Scripture with more clarity. One of my presuppositions about EG White was that she was inspired by God. Her work is not Scripture, but it points you back to Scripture. That being said, I believe that her writings were Biblical. She even said, “before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘thus says the Lord’ in its support”. To me that clearly says that she believed that the Bible, the ‘Thus says the Lord” was the litmus test. We too should do the same. We should take the time for ourselves and use the Bible to determine if in fact her writings are in fact biblical or not.
I am writing on chapter 2 of Understanding Scripture.
Faith should rule reason. We must take what has been written and told us by inspiration, test it with reason and against truth, and then believe it if it withstands. yet our faith should not be blind and be truthful. Therefore reason is important but should be tamed and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Christ stated that if we only had faith as big as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Now I know His statement was not only literal. There was also the theological and personal elements that, I have not seen many "mountains" being removed and cast into the sea.
It all sounds great, and there is importance in studying with faith as our guide, But we all come to the table with presuppositions and baggage. We all came with "our version" (mine is the JMV) and the we study the bible. We engage in hermeneutics and exegesis. We consider different avenues of interpretation and understanding. Yet all along we are being driven and influenced subconsciously by our own baggage. My question is; How can we move past that? or can we? if not, how can we open-mindedly do "true" hermeneutics?
Writing on Chapter 2 of "the Cosmic Christ of Scripture"
Is there a problem with biblical authority? As Christians we are a part of a large group who hold to sacredness and authority of scripture. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are part of an even smaller group who hold not only to the sacredness and authority of scripture, but we also hold to a tight framework of Biblical interpretation and are quick to enter into debate with anyone who challenges our "comfort zone".
Let us, for a few moments expand our cope of focus to the world. Every established religion outside of Christianity also has their own sacred authoritative, guiding,life-changing, compilation of Holy writings. Each individual will, and many do, defend with their lives, what they have put their faith in. Is there a problem, in their mind, with the authority of their religious scriptures?
Look at the golden tablets of Mormonism or the Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism. These documents are not put under scrutiny and microscopic inspections. Members of Islam do not sit around at night and argue the hermeneutics of the Koran.
As Christians we have been given a great gift and yet we are cursed under that gift. Except in some orthodox traditional christian arenas, we are free to question. We are free to examine for ourselves and to develop our faith according to our studies. There in lies the gift and the curse. Until glorification, we will argue amongst ourselves the fine points of doctrine.
Understanding Scripture an Adventist Approach
Chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture
-Turn to God in prayer: The importance of prayer in the process of hermeneutics is monumental to try and do hermeneutics without prayer is equivalent to trying to work on a car without opening the hood not much is going to be accomplished. After the great disappointment the early advent believers were wrestling with the text trying to understand the meaning in the Daniel Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Dan 8:14 through earnest prayer and then bible study were they able to receive illumination from the Holy Spirit after their hermeneutic.
Understanding Scripture an Adventist Approach
Chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture
Using the best possible reading: When using the best possible reading allows the bible student to further enhance his or her hermeneutic attempt of gleaning the message from the text. If I’m working on a 1999 Chevy Camaro and I have two editions of the manual the 1986 and the 1996 both are capable of allowing me to work on the 1999 model the benefit of using the 1996 manual is the wording most likely will be closer to the vernacular of the present time. So it is with Bible reading in exodus 20 the Ten Commandments are recorded and verse 13 it states thou shalt not kill. Someone could take this to mean if there is a roach in my house I have to let it live. The NIV it reads thou shalt not murder which paints the picture for English readers because in the Hebrew this same sentiment is expressed.
Comment on chapter 6 of The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, “The Theme of the Bible is Jesus.”
Ryan Kilgore
In this chapter, Dr. Hanna proposes that “Christ is the theme and center of the Scriptures.” He also states that “according to Scripture, the divine-human Christ is the mediator between divinity and humanity” (83). If I understand Dr. Hanna correctly, it seems that we may learn from this that what we find about Christ in the Scriptures should give us a picture of what it means to be connected with God. First we see him as the example of the union of divinity and humanity. Then we can extrapolate the meaning for our lives today as we seek to follow his example.
Dr. Hanna points out that “Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers of divine nature” (82). This helps us to understand Scripture better. We need not separate Christ’s experience from our own. There are two temptations we can easily fall into: First, that Christ’s divinity precludes us, who are not divine, from experiencing victory over sin or a selfless reproduction of the character of God. Second, that Christ’s humanity while living a sinless life means that we must strive for the purposes of our salvation for a sinless perfectionism. Understanding the divine-human nature of Christ and his intention to restore our complete humanity by partaking of divinity, we can grasp that a perfect, sinless character only comes as the result of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Chapter 7 of Understanding Scripture
This chapter was very insightful. The author did an excellent job of putting everything together in a way that is easy to understand. It is possible for anybody to interpret the Bible correctly, even the person that is not trained. I like the fact how he pointed out that the purpose of studying is to be transformed by the passage. However, I cannot be transformed by the passage unless I am able to see what God was trying to say.
The author made a point on page 116 regarding the temptation of Jesus. He stated that Satan actually took Psalm 91 out of context in his attempt to deceive Jesus. This highlights the point of the necessity for using guidelines when interpreting the Bible. We are going to see more and more of this in these last days. It won’t be so much “truth mixed with error” as it will be “truth mixed with misinterpretation”. There are many sincere Christians who mean well but do not understand how to correctly handle the Bible so they end up being misled and misleading others. Although anybody can interpret Scripture, it must be approached in a certain way.
Lastly, one cannot help but notice that even though the steps are clearly defined it is still going to take considerable time to interpret a passage. When considering the literary tools that the ancient writers used (such as chiasms) one must admit that understanding a passage is going to take hours of research and prayer. This is especially important for us pastors to remember. It is easy to proof text a bunch of passages together to throw a sermon up on Sabbath, but diligent Bible study pays off in more than one way. Lastly, if we as pastors don’t take the time to study the passage thoroughly and prayerfully then may become proliferators of “truth mixed with error.”
Dr. Hanna brought out an important point a couple of weeks ago concerning the acknowledging the larger context of Scripture. He spoke about the “Signs of the End” found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Traditionally, Adventists have used these passages (especially “wars and rumors of wars”) to prove that the end is near. However, this is not the point of the passage. Jesus is admonishing his disciples to beware of false teachers, for many will come saying that the end is near and that Christ has come. He also admonishes them to watch and pray. Jesus tells them that they should not be alarmed when they see these things happening. Yet Adventists are the first to be alarmed at every bit of major breaking news. From the emergence of the Social Security Number to Y2K. Just recently, David Gates was running around telling people that September of 2008 would usher in the closing events of earth’s history and he used Matthew 24 often. People were alarmed and were making plans to run for the hills. We even have seminars taking place on campus to teach people how to live in the last days taking place during Divine Hour. All of this happens because people fail to look carefully at the text and its larger context; poor hermeneutics. It is clear based on the larger context of Matthew 24 that the key to preparedness is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, watching and praying, and asking God for an abundance of oil.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
The most profound section of this book for me is the section that talks about us needing to go to and fro between Scripture and Christ to increase our understanding of God. This is a direct appeal for us to develop a personal relationship with Christ Jesus himself. This is a revolutionary thought because we are not taught that there is any possibility of learning anything from a personal intimate connection with Christ that we couldn’t obtain from reading in the Bible. Will God reveal his secrets, his great ideas to his servants? What an erotic thought that we could so commune with our Saviour and Lord that we have a moment by moment rapport with the Creator of the universe. In fact the idea of bibliolatry was a phenomenon I thought was possible but dared not ever ask the question. It is equally as dangerous to leave a relationship with Christ out of our Bible studies as it is to leave the study of the Scriptures out of our personal walk with Jesus. How cunning is the enemy of Christ as he tries to counterfeit even the attempt at a one on one connection with God. How convoluted is the thought that we could be ardent students of the Word of God and regard the Bible as being ontologically superior to God himself? The idea that we could be spiritually sick amidst enormous insight and knowledge is incredible. Thank God for the Holy Spirit without Him we would have no chance.
Understanding Scripture
I want to discuss the realm of evil and spiritual powers and whether they could possibly be at work in our theology today. In the chapter Faith, Reason, and the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics the author speaks about the evil angels seeking to influence the minds of interpreters of Scripture. I often wonder at the myriad of opinions in the Adventist church. I know that many subjects are not simply black or white and the whole concept of a wholistic approach may disarm some discrepancies. It is also easy to say that some are not using correct hermeneutical techniques when they disagree with us. However if most factors are kept constant we can still end up with unexplainable gulfs between opinions. How effective is Satan the imbuing the mind with truth altering concepts when interpreters have insisted they have asked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Can Satan intercept revelation from God? Can he misconstrue messages and counterfeit interpretations? Is the Great Controversy so multifaceted that we dare not take our eyes of off Christ for a second?
Blog on Chapter 4 Understanding Scripture: Revelation and Inspiration
“Theopneustos” The greek work for God breathed. I had never considered the following question until it was raised by the author. What exactly does it mean when it says the scriptures were God breathed? It’s a very interesting statement. There are so many angles you could look at it. Are the scriptures God breathed in the same way that the stars in heavens breathed out by our Creator at the beginning of time created for the same purpose: to give us Light that can guide us in the darkness after the son had left. Did God breathed also refer to the Holy Spirit being a part of the DNA of scripture? So many thought arise even as we attempt to interpret this metaphorically. Even more interesting how do the bible writers fit within the scheme of “theopneustos”? As stated in class even when Paul wrote that he wasn’t referring to the New Testament. Even if you say that that is was a manifestation of God’s thoughts and actions you still cannot fully explain the method to receiving and communicating God’s thoughts and actions in a human being. Examining verbal inspiration and thought inspiration still leads to more questions no matter which view or even hybrid view you decide.
Blog on The Cosmic Scripture Chapter 6: The theme of the bible is Jesus
Understanding the theme of the bible is Jesus Christ is not only important but deep in knowledge and understanding of the entire Godhead. As one reads the bible the three members of the God head as well as their roles become evident. What may not become as evident is their relationship to one another. However doing some problem solving and putting together the pieces of the puzzle it begins to be clear. Although not fully explained, perhaps because we may not fully understand it, God does allow for us to get a glimpse into this topic. From the plurality of “Let Us” to the numerous usages of the Jesus stating that “I am the Father and the Father is in me” and he was the “I AM” as well as Jesus saying “I will come to you” in reference to the Holy Spirit point to three unique persons of the Godhead all being made exegete by the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. His teachings show how each member of the Godhead is submissive not out of weakness but out of unity. Further the words of Christ also explained the words and thoughts of the Old Testament and displayed how they referred to Him. Now to make this idea personal is theme of our life, the only bible somebody may read, Jesus Christ? When people hear or see us does it point theme to Jesus just as the scriptures?
Blog on Chapter 3 Understanding Scripture: Presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture
It is interesting understanding why and the affect of presuppositions in the interpretation of scripture. As with any other thing people, food, even movies, people have a predetermined expectation or bias before they open God’s word. Now this isn’t always bad just as expecting the correct flavor for Morningstar grillers so it is with the presupposition of God’s word when a person believes that it is “in an indivisible, indistinguishable union of the divine and the human.” However it is when presuppositions prevent us from hearing the Word of God and or being moved by the Holy Spirit there becomes an issue. Creation is an excellent parallel to this thought. In creation the Word of God spoke and made things stand in their place. In addition, even before that the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the earth. Both were needed for the earth to have new things, and improvements. It is the same way in our life. The transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit is needed before we hear God’s Word, so that we don’t impede the new things God has in store for us. And again even as creation has being hurt by sin so has our interpretation of the bible. However again just as we can still see and enjoy God thru creation so we can still see and enjoy God’s messages to us in His holy word if we only open, honest, faithful, obedient, loving, and prayerful.
November Comment #1
“Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 7: Guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture
In this chapter, Ekkehardt Muller provides a very systematic, but most importantly very practical method of studying and interpreting Scripture. The Historical-Critical method is obviously the ‘superior’ method, for a lack of better term, of studying the Bible as acknowledges the self-testimony of Scripture and studies its phenomena. The presuppositions and the principles which this method takes are certainly founded on the Bible and if followed correctly, would certainly be able to expose the reader to the wonderful truths and promises as found in His word.
I am particularly grateful also for the detailed exegetical steps as outlined in chronological order by Muller, especially since he caters not just for the budding theologian, but also for the casual (but serious) Bible student as well. Even more so is his use of Scripture to support each of the steps as outlined, which again provides a solid foundation and basis for proper hermeneutics and Bible study. A tool such as this should certainly be taught to the local congregation so that they too can discover the gems that are hidden within the Bible.
November Comment #2
“Understanding Scripture” – Chapter 17: Ellen White and Hermeneutics
As a Seventh-Day Adventist, I believe without a doubt that Ellen White was an inspired prophetess of the Lord and she should be treated as such. In this chapter, Pfandl of course acknowledges this from the get-go, even going so far as to say that the her inspiration, not her authority, is of the same type as the inspiration of the Old and New Testament prophets. I think in many ways this is where the ‘over-emphasis’ for Ellen White begins because too many Adventists put her writings on par with Scripture, if not above it even when she herself has said that she’s the lesser light.
This is where Pfandl’s article is valuable as he provides several principles for the interpretation of her works as well as for Scripture. The driving force behind a proper interpretation of Ellen White’s writings is context, both immediate as well as the larger, extended context. Just like the Bible was written in biblical times, Ellen White’s writings were written for her times, hence the right hermeneutics as well as proper understanding of the context and the principles which she tries to derive from these writings is absolutely crucial. Without doing so, it will be inherently too easy (and dangerous) to elevate her above Scripture and without understanding the context, many things may even be in direct contradiction to the principles of the Bible.
Quigley Morris
On page 267 of our text book is a very interesting statement on Revelation 17:10. I have always been interested in the many interpretation of this verse; so here I am giving my view on the topic base on my understanding.
I once had the opportunity to listened to a pastor in California on the said topic and he was saying five popes were dead and that is from 1929 after Masculine reestablish the papacy. And that is Pius 12, Blessed John, Paul 6, John Paul 1, John Paul 2; these five popes have died and then he said the six will be for a short time and then the seventh who is Lucifer himself will take the throne as the seven and final Pope.
When Benedict was elected at the age of 79 I said to my self that this pope will be there for a short time as the pastor said. When John Paul 2 died the new was he appointed a cardinal that no one knew about; and to me I was saying that must have been Lucifer getting ready for the job. So this started playing in my mind until I read and discovered the following.
As mentioned in our text book understanding scripture; this verse has three critical points (1) the seven heads represented all powers that oppose God’s people and work on earth have already passed off the stage of history. (2) those who are thinking the first five heads as Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Papacy considered that these five had all fallen at the time the deadly wound was finally administered to the Papal head of the beast in 1798.
And (3) those who are thinking the first five as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece consider that the point indicated by verse 10 is the time of John when the vision was given. What is going on here probably the angle is saying to John all the powers in the world which is going to stand against God’s people will not be successful.
The fact is pointing to the pass and it is true a long list of world leaders have tried to destroyed God’s people and they failed. And the leaders today will try and they too will fail, and the leader to come will again try and he two will fail. This to me is the main point in this vision, and it is a message that is found through out the bible and that is God’s people will never be complete be destroyed.
Marlon A. Gregory
Revelation Inspiration and Hermeneutics
2nd Postings
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
It is true that Scripture holds a unique place in the revelation of God and I believe that nothing is qualified to stand where it stands. Indeed Scripture is fully inspired and the unity found in Scripture, after it was written over such a long period and by so many writers is awesome. The Holy Spirit of God is the common denominator that unifies Scripture. According to the author Scripture is the only rule of faith and practice for the Christian church, in other words “if the Bible says I believe it and that settles it for me.” Scripture makes it clear that there are no other authority but that of God and that which He ordains. The Scriptures also point to other forms of revelation for instance Jesus Christ, Who it states is the Supreme revelation of God, nature the general revelation and the church the ecclesial revelation of God. The author points out that there is new light in the old lamp of Scripture by this he is alluding to the fact that Scripture is always timely and relevant for us. In other words Scripture has not lost its meaning and its themes are of utmost importance for all generations.
Marlon Gregory
Revelation Inspiration and Hermeneutics
Understanding Scriptures: Chapter 6
Based on the chapter at hand, there is a split among Seventh day Adventist scholars on the issue of inspiration. There are some of our scholars who hold fast to the concept of thought inspiration while there are others who are comfortable with the notion of verbal inspiration. It is interesting to note that Friedrich Schleiermacher presented a strange kind of theology that would later be followed by so many. He proposed that revelation is a divine-human encounter devoid of impartation of knowledge. This theory flies in the face of verbal inspiration and illuminates the point that the content of revelation is about God Himself. As a result nothing we find in Scripture is from God and he calls this revelation encounter revelation, to this I totally disagree. It is brought out clearly in this chapter that Ellen White the prophetess to the church who greatly influenced our views on inspiration and revelation leans firmly to the side of thought inspiration. Thus, majority of Adventist theologians and scholars have held the position of “thought inspiration” from the beginning of the twenty-first century. According to the author, Adventists are not united in their understanding of the fundamental issue of revelation and inspiration.
John Coaxum
Chapter 8 – Inner biblical Interpretation
Innerbiblical interpretation as well as intertextual analysis are very important to hermeneutics and exegesis. It is essential in discovering the overall unity and cohesiveness of scripture. The New Testament has theological significance grounded in the Old Testament, and at the same time the OT points to the theologically fulfillments in the New Testament. Diop speaks about Typology as the hermeneutical key. In the OT there are so many types that are met with an antitype in the New Testament. These are not arbitrary or by coincidence the interpreter must believe that God intended for these types, antitypes, “hints and clues” to be preserved in scripture. Furthermore as one studies the totality of scripture it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that these innerbiblical interpretation is of no value. If we simply take Jesus, who is the main focal point of all scripture and we simply examine His life against the backdrop of Old Testament prophecy the result is staggering. There is no question that the entire OT points to Christ and His first advent, whereas the New Testament speaks of His life on Earth and points to His second advent. Diop says that Christ is the center of innerbiblical interpretation. I agree with this concept as I study the NT and see clearly for myself that Christ fulfilled and deliberately lived out the claims of the OT. This in my mind only gives more credit to this type of study and propels me to look for more of these hermeneutical keys and clues embedded in scripture. There is a legitimate mandate from scripture to search its pages for passages in scripture that relate to one another, that have similar words, or similar theology. God’s word is a uniquely unified text. Although written by many different people in many different places, each text is theologically parallel and invites us to study all its parts for clearer revelation.
This comment in on Understanding Scripture ch 11 titled Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy. I must admit that this has been a difficult one for me because as Adventist our interpretation of Old Testament Prophecy differs from just about every one else. I do believe that we are correct in our interpretations and it is my belief that we arrive at our correct conclusions specifically because we have been guided by the Holy Spirit and generally because we often put in more time in the study of the scriptures than our other Christian brothers. As I read and study Old Testament Prophecy especially as it pertains to the Jews my heart is oftened saddened and perplexed because it doesnt appear that any of the covenant promises made to Israel came to fruition. I guess I should not say any but rather only a few. The promises of what Israel would do and what they were to become after captivity never came true because of their disobedience. How sad, but I guess this all proves to show that God covenant promises are conditional with respect to our choices.
This comment is based on the chapter Interpretation of the Gospel and Epistle. I dont know about you but I found the Historical and Cultural information provided by Abraham Cohen on Mark 7:33; 8:23 (Jesus putting spiitle on the eyes of the blind man to heal him) exciting and thought provoking. I was reminded about how important it is to know the historical/cultural back ground of these bible stories. It is my firm belief that this type of information is as important as knowing the biblical languages. I also find it comforting that we have four gospel narratives. I believe this is God's way of saying that He considers every nation kindred tongue and people when it comes to sharing the gosple story. I believe that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John cover all the bases together that neither of them could cover by themselves, well perhaps I should not say could not cover by themselves after all the Holy Spirit could have had one person cover all the bases if He wanted to but He did not see fit to do it that way and I for one am Thankful. The four gospels are rich with meaning, diversity and unity that speaks of the supervision of an all powerful all knowing and ever present God.
Quigley obrin Morris
In the book the Cosmic Christ of Scripture page 81 peter declared that Christ bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. My question is how can we die to sin?
This is not the process of one loosing consciousness and passing away. To me it is more a way of life that involves living a life for Jesus. Let us think about it; it is really giving all that you have. To die to sin means to live a life free from sinning as a child of God.
It was Paul who said I am a living sacrifice but I live; to me these men understood giving all that they had to follow Jesus. To die to sin is leaving as Christ leaved, and that is to be in harmony with the Father. To lead men to Christ through the influence of example; and there are no better ways to reach another person.
To be a living sacrifice is to think about God and not you’re self. That means to put away the needs of the flesh and see Christ as the only provider through which you can know him better. That also means to stand up for what is right consistently in spite of what your desires are and what people think about you.
There have been men who have gone the distance and sacrifice their lives for God. It is not an easy battle but the men who are willing to have it that way God provide the tools to help them be successful.
I have spend time thinking about Paul and all his sufferings; I have often wander what kept that man so strong; I have thought about peter and how was he able to trust Jesus so much that he was able to walk on water raise the dead. In fact he did all the things that Jesus did while he was on earth.
I remember Stephen as each stone cannon into his broken body there was never a sign of weakness. He did not lift his hand in surrender and quite taking blows but he stood up until his wounded body could not take another missal from the angry crowd. His weak body lay on the ground to the success of the stone throws, but triumph lingered in the bones of the dying Stephen.
Where to this men of God get such passion, to walk the other mile, to heal the sick, raise the dead? To face death with dignity as if it was the reason for their existence. The sacrifice my friend; that is the hold mark of true discipleship; the walk that will galvanize our efforts to understanding the simple things that can make life worth living when Christ is the only reason for our existence.
In chapter 7 of Cosmic Christ, Sister White’s writings are analyzed as Christ centered or not. In the beginning of this chapter it begins with a story of a minister making a statement about Ellen White being all about the law, a statement which Ellen adamantly refuted as false. She seems to be very strong on the point that she nor any other Adventist believe that we are saved by the law. Even though we find this to be her position in her writings, I find people today who will still say such nonsense. In this chapter we find that Sister White’s writings definitely uplift the divinity of Christ. We also find that her writings uplift the humanity of Christ. I never really had given it much study but it seems that she believed clearly in the Trinity. She believed that Jesus was God. This is something I have personally found to be a topic of disagreement among many offshoot Adventist. I have been convicted on this from the Bible and I was happy to see the Sister White agreed. I will add this quote from the book that may interest you in reading more about what she believed. “For Ellen White, the Christ-centered connections of divine and human persons involve three overlapping themes of Scripture which I mentioned in chapter six. (1) The social nature of humanity in the image of divinity; (2) the corporate nature of humanity in the first and last Adam; and (3) Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood (p.90).”
In chapter 5 on the Authority of Scripture there is an interesting section about the authority of Christ. It reminds us that Jesus claims for Himself divine authority. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). Some may question this reality because they would like this claim to be verified. But how can it be verified when Christ is the highest authority there is. It is interesting that this claim is written in a book inspired by the Holy Spirit about the witness of God in human form. It can be considered to be a circular argument but who else can Christ authority be verified by but Himself? “And it is Christ, of whom the Spirit-given Scriptures testify, who puts the seal of His divine authority upon the God-breathed Scriptures” (p.77). I really like this because it makes you think. Christ is the all in all. Unlike anyone else, He doesn’t need someone else to give Him authority. He has authority because He is Christ. I also like how His authority is different than the human understanding of authority. His authority is based on love not lording over someone. This is why we welcome Jesus having authority over us in our lives.
Comment on
Chapter 17: Hermeneutics and Culture by Lael O. Caesar
Understanding Scripture, An Adventist Approach
I have never felt the great challenge to preaching the Word of God in a meaningful way to today’s listeners as I did at the end of this reading. I realized how, most of the time, we do quote the Bible to peoples, comparing peoples in the Bible and peoples today without paying any attention to the settings. “How can the Bible, writes Lael, a Semitic book formed through oral and written traditions in an entirely different geographic, historical, and cultural context, appropriated and interpreted for so many centuries by the West through hermeneutic tools designed to meet different needs and shaped by different historical factors now be interpreted in Asia by Asian Christians for their own people?”, (I continue) be interpreted in Africa by African Christians for their own people, be interpreted in the 21st century by 21st century Christians for their contemporaries and so on. It’s quite a challenge, challenge many preachers unfortunately don’t realize. It's a challenge to bring this old message of more than 2000 years to the 21st century man, it's a challenge to read this Semitic book in a meaningful way to a European, American, or African, it's a challenge to present this Christian worldview to a Muslim. Buddhist or Animist
At the end of this reading, I understood what a high responsibility it is to preach the Word of God today. It seems as if I was told: “Beloved Preacher, before you open your mouth to preach to people, make sure you have truly identified their needs.” How sad it is to preach, to shout and jump from the pulpit and instead of meeting people’s needs we just meet our needs... What a waste of time! What a waste of energy! What a possible lost of souls! It is a high responsibility to preach the word of God for if we fail to meet people’s needs we may turn them against the Bible. Therefore as a preacher, we are to be very careful how we handle this task. It’s not as easy as many of us do think. And as Lael clearly expressed it “every effort should be made to proclaim the gospel in an appropriate and meaningful way to today’s subgroupings, whether gendered, continental, or ethnic”.
Comment on
Chapter 7: Are Ellen G. White’s writings Christ-centered? By Martin F. Hanna
I do agree with the author that Ellen G. White’s writings are Christ-centered. Personally I have no doubt about that fact. Nevertheless, the author’s attempts to prove it just awaken some questions: Did Christ inherit our sinful nature? Are we sinners because of our sinful nature (nature we have inherited from our first parents) or because of the sins we do commit?
I especially enjoyed the emphasis put on Christ’s ability to live a sinless life while He was on earth not because of his divine nature but because of his humanity united with divinity, unity He has made possible to all. In other words, every human being, united to God as Christ was, can live a sinless life on this earth. Some months ago, I attended a Sabbath School Adult Class where I told the members it was possible to live on this earth without sinning. What a surprise to see that many didn’t agree with me claiming that this will only be possible on the new earth. If we don’t believe that it is possible to live a sinless life on this earth, we will never live it and we will keep on finding excuses to our sins. Eternity starts now. Therefore, we can and we are called to live a sinless life as from now. This chapter reveals the secret: “Jesus is fully human in the same way that sinful human beings are human. He is absolutely sinless. This sinlessness is not the result of some human advantage over sinners. It is the result of the advantage of the union of divnity and humanity which Christ makes available to us.”
Marlon Gregory said..
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
How to read the book of Christ
11.26.2009
I like the way the author starts the chapter with the intriguing movie scenario. He makes a gripping point that the multiplicity of counterfeit Christ increases the likelihood of deception. Jesus Himself said that many would come in my name saying I am the Christ and would deceive many. Counterfeits will come in forms in the last days, for me what is important is that we get to know the genuine, as much detail and characteristics as we can and we will on course for victory. The Bible says that “if it were possible the devil would deceive the very elect.” From what have seen the devil is working overtime to destroy true Godliness in our world. The subject of the divine-human relationship has always been a challenging topic, especially if one shares an incorrect concept of either term in this relationship. The author states that Scripture does teach however that both the nature of humanity and divinity are social. He goes on to explain the reasons for that statement and makes the point that this is due to the oneness which is found in humanity and in divinity. I do find though that this oneness that he speaks of is better represented in divinity. He moves forward by placing Christ at the centre of everything. He place I believe He justly earned; Creator and Redeemer all in one. This makes Him the theme of the Bible and the theme in the life of those who accept Him as Lord and Savior.
Marlon Gregory says..
Understanding Scripture
Interpretation of Biblical Types, Allegories and Parables
11.26.2009
Types, allegories and parables are rooted and entrenched in the fiber of Scripture. These are literary devices that are used by Bible writers to bring out spiritual truths. Some of them speak to special events in history. It is always going to important to study their method of literary presentation and their interpretation. If this is not done properly it could lead to misinterpretation of Scriptures. All three differ in meaning and in duty to and history but are all used to bring truths about life and about God. I love a statement that the author made when he said that “the genius of type and antitype is the way in which two historical events are drawn together as commentary on each other.” In other words both reveal important truths from each other. On the hand, allegories operated with the same concept but this time its not historic events but stories which commentate on each other. Parables though normally take reality and relate it to stories. I appreciated how the author spent time to clearly defined and highlighted the full meaning of the different terms in the chapter; he deepen my understanding in the subject matter. I also appreciate his intensity to details; he left nothing for anyone to guess about. The author makes the point that in relation to interpretation, the three literary devices have in common the importance of analyzing the text and its context carefully. In addition to this all three devices have a similarity in that each of them requires comparing the literary device with some other text or reality to explain the meaning of the device.
Marlon Gregory said…
Commenting on Ferron Gibson
As she looks at the four contemporary hermeneutical challenges that Adventist face, she states how disturbing it was to her that Adventist cannot agree on a method to interpret scripture. As I read I realized that there are different forces at work and that the devil is active to get his way even among our scholars. Just think about it, if he can get our scholars to have the wrong form of interpretation method, then we will be in error in some way or the other, so he will provide us with fanciful methods to distract us from the truth. As the remnant church it is of utmost important that we get it right. She raises a very intriguing question which says, “And as we near the time of the end will we see even more confusion erupt in the church? Ferron I bet we will. That’s when I think the bells of confusion will ring.
Marlon Gregory’s comment…
On Robert Best comment
It is always interesting to find out the presuppositions that an interpreter brings to the table when they come to interpret scripture. He presents a very intriguing definition of sin which states that sin is about man trying to take the place of the Almighty God. I never looked at sin in that light, probably in light of Lucifer as He wanted to be God but not as man. It is as I read further that I truly understood what Robert was fully saying. He makes a striking statement that he believes that sometimes that we can approach scripture in an effort to take the place of God. That statement I have found to be so true. There are those who approach scripture as if they are God Almighty themselves and that they are the final authority on God’s word. I believe that when we approach Scripture, it should be done in a prayerful and submissive mode; apt to learn and receive the light that shines from God’s lamb. I like the way Dr Hanna puts it, “we should learn to think two thoughts at the same time.”
Marlon Gregory comments…
On Kenita Spencer comments
Her opening comments pretty much took me back to my closing remarks on Robert’s comment that we should approach scripture with humility and allow the Lord to lead into His truth; instead of creating something out of nothing and then attach the truth to it and sell it as the final say on the subject matter. I must say that from her comments she sounds very convinced that this should be the approach to take when we approach the interpretation of scripture. She gives the basis idea that the writer tried to convey that “True understanding of the Word warrants that we use faith and reason as tools. Faith takes priority over reason in hermeneutics. It has the finally authority even over sanctified reason.” This is true, faith is essential and nothing can take the place faith not even the most sanctified of reason. It’s just insufficient. She carefully outlines the guiding questions that the student and interpreter of the Word must ask himself or herself before, during and after the hermeneutical process; which shows that she should make a great interpreter of the word.
The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
Chapter 7
This chapter asked the question of whether the writings of E.G.W. are Christ-centered? The chapter does a good job of explaining the three overlapping themes of scripture, (1) the social nature of humanity in the image of divinity, (2) the corporate nature of humanity in the first and last Adam; and (3) Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood. It is through these three connections that E.G.W. supports her writings about Christ. I especially like what she says about the third theme of scripture, Jesus as Restorer. “Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a channel of communication between God and man. “ I love this quote. I usually never think of Christ as needing anything from such fallen, fragile humans. This is so powerful. Just as Christ took on the life of a human and lived without sin, now I can take on the divinity of Christ and have the ability to overcome sin. What an exchange! In an answer to the question of whether Mrs. White’s writings are Christ-centered, I definitely believe that they are. In my opinion E.G.W. always sheds light on the life of Christ and uplifts his name. Her writings seem harmonious with the bible and serve as an arrow to point the searching soul in the way of true life.
Understanding Scripture
Chapter 11
This chapter focuses on the interpretation of OT prophecy. There are two basic genres of predicative prophecy. They are (1) General (Classical) Prophecy and (2) Apocalyptic Prophecy. The author of this chapter breaks down these categories into seven steps. Also, the author gives the various types of prophetic predictions, (1) Messianic Prophecies, (2) Prophecies about Foreign Nations and (3) Kingdom Promises/Prophecies concerning Israel. Understanding these types of predictions gets the seeker closer to the true interpretation of the text. One of the main points that stuck out to me in this chapter was that, “predicative prophecy was not given simply to satisfy curiosity about future events but for moral purposes, such as the establishment of faith in God and motivation for holy living.” This point is extremely important in light of the world’s obsession with understanding and knowing the future. If God where to just reveal the future simply for human knowledge there would be no need for faith. The Bible says, “Blessed are those who have not seen me yet still believe.” On the contrary, God knew that the majority of people would need both. Seeing the fulfillment of biblical prophecy happen right before your eyes is also a tremendous faith builder and is one of the reasons I believe God gave the gift of prophecy.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Book: The Cosmic Of Scripture
Topic: Let the Holy Bible Speaks
Chapter 3
Scholars of the Scripture have in some way have shown some form of disrespect for the Bible not knowingly. This, the author says is unmistakable clear ly seen in the exclusive and inclusive definitions of the Bible and as a result other “relations recognized by the Scripture are undermined.” He says that “wholistic models of the Scripture principles may be expressed in relation to Bible teaching about the progressive unveiling of the old, yet ever new, relation of Christ, Scripture and the Cosmos.” Daniel 12 speaks of the increasing of knowledge. This increasing of knowledge is not primarily speaking of the knowledge the secular world of the nonbelievers. Rather this is speaking of the increasing of holy and sacred things of God to His people. However, the author states that God’s people may contribute to an increase in both secular and sacred knowledge.
Further he says that evidence is shown in the Bible that there is a relationship between “sola and prima principles with reference to Christ, Bible and Cosmos. Bible also upholds the “sola and prima Christians fundamental beliefs. It does also uphold the “sola, and natura a principle.”
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Book: The Cosmic Of Scripture
Topic: Let the Holy Bible Speaks
Chapter 1(pgs.5-27) blog#4
The primary reason why the Scripture is been improperly misunderstood is because of the refusal to accept the discloser about Christ. He says that “Just as Christ does not eclipse Scripture, so Scripture does not eclipse Christ;” nor does the similar phenomenon with respect to “Scripture in the revelation of Jesus in the universe which He has made. Often time it seems as if the “veil” of false misapprehension or misunderstanding frequently remains
in the inner soles of the Believers whenever they take time to read the New Testament.
The primary central point of the author here is to uncover or to disclose the “Cosmic Christ of Scripture” by a way of research or a detailed examination and analysis of the subject of ‘the greater light’ of the Bible. However, his second focal point is on the ‘lesser light’ mirrored in Ellen G. White writings. Mrs. White states in her writings that “We are standing with the veil removed in the holy place of sacred things. We are not to stand without. We are to enter, not with careless, irreverent thoughts, not with impetuous footstep but with reverence and godly fear.”
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Book: Understanding Scripture
Topic: Faith, Reason and The Holy Spirit
Chapter 2(pgs15-24.) blog#5
Hermeneutics comprises of a wise and enlighten process that effectively put to use the reasoning ability of the human mental faculty; thereby allocating the basic essential role to human reason in breaking down the Scripture to gain the full understanding of God’s Words. We do recognize that when talk about faith and reason, the importance of personal faith, experiencing the genuine power of God. The author brings us to Daniel 8:6 where God “commissioned angels to work with specific individuals in understanding the Word of God.”
On the other hand there are also “fallen angels” that have the power to negatively impact on hermeneutics. This Paul warns us that “our struggle in not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
In concluding hermeneutics will not be completed by itself. However, having the mind of Christ dwell in you and adhering to the hermeneutics principles including a holy and a sanctified reason, is subject to the guidance of the angels of God and the enlightening of the Third Person of the Godhead, the Spirit of Life.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna Reading Report
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Book: Understanding Scripture Chapter3 (pgs1-12) blog#6
Topic: Presuppositions In The Interpretation of Scripture
Individuals who interpret the Scripture cannot strip themselves from the experiences of their past; concept and preconceived ideas, prejudice and biases and opinions before seeing the evidences. It is evidently clear that the Bible writers did not have a hidden agender to prove that there is a God. They simple state it as it is, “In the beginning God… Genesis 1:1. The author makes it clear that “Adam and Eve,” were created by God in His very own image.
According the author “God meets us in Scripture and meets us there for a special purpose, the approach to the study of Scripture on any other terms those delineated in God’s Word is to come to God with a wrong attitude.” To acquire knowledge of the Scripture one needs to have an openness and honesty, with willingness to learn. Ellen G. White encourages us to leave our personal views and preconceived ideas at the door of investigation. “You will never reach the truth if you study the Scriptures to vindicate your own ideas.”
From the existence, the Seventh-day Adventists Church has carefully acknowledged themselves as individuals of the Scripture. They do recognize that in order to have the correct analysis of the Bible, the Bible alone is essential. Martin Luther himself recognized that the Bible must be agreed in favour of Christ and not to oppose Him. “To affirm that Scripture is the sole final source for its own exposition is more than to uphold the primacy of Scripture.”
Every culture cultivates within itself a set of specific presuppositions. In order to the Scripture would be rightly interpreted the presuppositions must be taken in to consideration first. As Lael O. Caesar righty states it, “presuppositions define the way an individual experiences reality.” For example, for those that experienced oppression the Bible text will be viewed and valued as long as it talks about liberation. God is known first of all as the One who “cares enough about justice to defend and to vindicate the cause of the world’s despised…” For socially alienated the power of the gospel will be concentrated in Jesus’ words about community of faith being his own family. Unfortunately, in history of the Christian Church there were instances of misunderstanding the Mission of God. It was the time when by accepting the Gospel message was expected for converts to accept the culture of the missionaries. On the contrary, Paul as a missionary of the New Testament shows the approach in which he was “all things to all people.” To show God as the One who is inclusive to different cultures is the goal of Biblical mission. I like how the author explains it, “conscious, subconscious, or unconscious a priori commitments to self-vindication and against the other in Bible reading challenge the authority of sacred Scripture and compromises the transcendency of the sola scriptura principle.”
Above is a reflection on the Chapter XV of the book "Understanding Scripture"
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Comment on Kabah Stephen
Kabah Stephen made mention in the second chapter of the book “Understanding Scripture An Adventist Approach” under the topic: Faith, Reason and Holy Spirit in Interpretation of Scripture” that it is a clear indication that one cannot fully understand the truth of the Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit. He goes on further by saying that “interpreting the Scripture is a religious experience, not simple an intellectual one.” This is perfectly true.
It is important for us to realize that when an individual is interpreting the Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit, doing it for the glorification of their intellectual skills is always in danger of false interpretation. However, he says that “interpreting of the Scripture is also an intellectually enriching experience;” which I do believe it true. In concluding he states that “Faith transcends reason, because it is not limited to human theories, logic, reason, knowledge, and understanding.” Overall I do believe that he has done a good job.
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics 2009
Professor: Dr. Martian Hanna
Name: Ainsworth Chambers
Comment on Massiel
In commenting on Massiel blog, there is a quote in his blog from Dr Martin Hanna book, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture,” “We cannot talk about God unless we talk to God. We cannot talk to God unless He had first started the conversation. One has to realize that God has revealed His character to us so that we can know Him better. Massiel states that the door between God and us is always open. The only close door between us and God is the one we place there when we turn and refused to respond to His invitation.
He concluded by saying that an ongoing conversation and exchange with and about God, He made the first move so we wouldn’t doubt His intentions. He’s in this with us for eternity.
Comment on the chapter XVII of the book “Understanding Scripture”
Ellen G. White and hermeneutics:
I think it is very important to understand that we cannot read the writings of Ellen White “as is” just as we cannot read the Bible without proper interpretation. And the reason for this is the same type of inspiration both the Bible and Ellen White’s writings share. One of the guidelines of interpretation that has become very important to me is the advice to “Be open-minded” which means, “the student of the Bible must be… willing to surrender previously held positions.” I really like the words of Ellen White, “The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible.” It’s a statement that indicates the most honest approach of Scripture and God’s truth in it. In this chapter author gives interesting examples of interpreting the Bible homiletically. Ellen White used this method rather frequently. I think it’s very important to distinguish between her using the Bible homiletically and exegetically. How? By studying the Bible on our own. And after that the only way to combine the two is through the wholistic model of the interpretation Scripture that allows to say that it’s “neither/or” but both. Of course, this approach implies the acknowledgement of Ellen White as an inspired writer. “While there are many exegetical gems in her books, […] the bulk of her writings contains God’s message for the remnant church, not exegetical discourse on the meaning of biblical texts.” After reading this chapter I was somewhat confused with the logic that the author uses. In case of Ellen White when we see her using the pastoral method of interpretation Scripture we say, “this is the inspired word.” But, at the same time we as ministers are not encouraged to use the same method in our preaching. Can’t we be inspired also?
Kenita Spencer
Blog Response #1
From: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture and Understanding Scripture, Chapter 7
November 28, 2009
Jesus was clothed in humanity and divinity. He was completely human and perfectly divine. We are completely human. What God makes is perfect and so at one point our human nature was perfect. Adam and Eve forfeited relying on God’s divine nature and human nature became fallen. Thus, we sin. However, “partaking of the divine nature is the secret to our victory [over sin].” The degree to which we rely on our fallen human nature determines how we will meet temptation.
Jesus’ divinity and humanity has been a fascinated subject to me, though difficult to understand, overtime with more and more study my understanding has improved. I will never fully comprehend this until I am able to sit at Jesus’ feet when we meet face to face. In the same vein, Paul understood and I share the same sentiment, which C.S. Lewis, has penned so beautifully that Christianity is not simple. The Bible has “difficult and terrible doctrines…,” which we must grapple with. Although difficult, God will uncover for the believer what s/he needs to be saved.
It is important that we try to understand as humanly possible what it means for God to be both human and divine. This has implications for what we believe about what he has accomplished on our behalf on earth and what he is currently doing in heaven.
Kenita Spencer
Blog Response #2
From: Understanding Scripture, Chapter 17
November 29, 2009
In chapter 17 Gerhard Pfandl puts forth a succinct, coherent and clear discourse about Ellen G. White and hermeneutics. The chapter explores how Ellen G. White used scripture and provides guidelines for how to interpret her writings. Also, this chapter like other chapters in the book is very helpful to the beginner student of Bible. This scholarly work is not so aloft that the audience for which it is intended finds it hard to understand what is being said.
The same hermeneutical principles that are used to interpret scripture must be applied to Ellen G. White’s work: the use of immediate context, larger context and historical context, etc. If we do not heed to the guidelines, we risk understanding the true blessing of the gift that God has given to us through her.
Prandl’s work has given the Bible student fresh and new lenses to look at Ellen G. White’s work. As one read her work there are several questions to keep in mind: 1) how is she interpreting the biblical text? Is it homiletically or exegetically? And what are the implications for us?
In reading this discourse I am challenged and encouraged to be an active reader of the scriptures and Ellen G. Whites writings. I must read critically what interpreters have said about what she has encourage, exhorted and admonished us to do and be. This critically reading is not an end in itself, but a means by which I can own and affirm what she has said.
Dr. Ganoune Diop’s chapter on innertextual interpretation was very informative. He does an excellent job showing the importance acknowledging the link between the OT and NT. The Bible writers themselves were immersed in the OT because the OT was the foundation of their faith. I never saw how foundation the OT was to the NT. Diop shows how the life of Christ fulfilled every part of the OT, including the history of the Jewish people. Almost everything/everyone in the Old Testament point forward to Christ in some way; this includes prophecies, characters, experiences, rituals, etc.
It was also interesting to note how OT writers would use Patriarchal names to make specific points concerning the condition of God’s people. This gives more meaning to the text when we look at why the author used a specific name. The book of Hosea is a perfect example of this usage. It would make a big difference if in one section of a book the author refers to the Jews as the sons of Jacob and then later on refer to them as the sons of Israel, as these two names represent different phases of Jacob’s life.
It is definitely important for the Bible reader to be immersed in the world of the Bible. The more that we study the Bible, the more we will be able to pick up on the words, themes, etc. that connect passages.
Dr. Martin Hanna presents the need to understand God’s three books of Christ, Scripture and the cosmos in the first section of his book. I must say that before reading this work, I never saw the importance of understanding the cosmos. I used to focus strictly on the Scriptures, with a desire to encounter Christ. However, if the revelation is not relevant to the cosmos then further study is required. This requires that the student of Scripture make truth understandable to all people groups. God revealed Himself to us in a way that we can understand Him. God, who is beyond comprehension, took great pains to explain Himself to us. As pastors, we must make it a point to express truths in a way that even children can understand. The revelation must be relevant to the cosmos. If revelation is not relevant to the cosmos, then what purpose does it serve? Christ often drew lessons from nature to explain the Kingdom of God. He used simple things to reveal God’s kingdom and character. His use of nature further supports God’s revelation through the cosmos and His simple teaching highlights our responsibility of making truth simple as well. The cosmos has a primacy of its own.
Ryan Kilgore
Comment on Appendix B: The Use of the Modified Verstion of the Historical-Critical Approach by Adventist Scholars
Having studied under teachers who advocated using certain aspects of the historical-critical method, I was anticipating a high-quality discussion of this topic from a more conservative perspective in Angel Rodriguez’s chapter. I was somewhat disappointed.
First of all, he qualifies early on that his treatment of the subject is by looking at the results of studies made by Aventist scholars rather than by dealing with “abstract methodological arguments for, or against, its use” (341). Rodriguez affirms that at the theoretical level, using a modified version of this method could be possible, yet he concludes by denying its usefulness on the basis of “practical” reasons. I would have liked to see some of the “methodological arguments” addressed. Is it not possible that in his treatment of some of the uses of this method that he could really be addressing its misuse rather than its proper use? In other words, perhaps it is possible to use some aspects of the historical-critical method without the underlying presuppositions which deny God’s working, and yet he could argue against such uses on the basis of some who have misused the historical-critical method.
I would like to find a better treatment of this subject since I still have questions about it. If any of my brothers or sisters can point me to a good resource, I would appreciate it!
Understanding Scripture Chapter 8
Inner biblical interpretation is very important aspect of Bible interpretation. This method reveals to us that the Bible is its own interpreter. There are evidences in the Bible itself which support its own interpretation. The New Testament is built on the Old Testament. Without the OT, the NT is of no foundation. This method of interpretation was the method used by the Jewish scholars in the interpretation of the Bible. This was also the method used by the Bible writers. In this method both writers alluded to each other; they share the same quarry of words, word pictures, images, metaphors, and theology. The use of innerbiblical interpretation by the Biblical writers attests to the fact that the same spirit guided the process of divine revelation. The writers did not contradict each other even through their style of writing differs from each other. This was as a result of divine instruction. Jesus Christ Himself applied this method during His earthly ministry. He quoted the OT several times and we have many evidences of this in the gospels. Christ is the centre of inner biblical interpretation of the Bible; in fact Christ is the theme of scripture.
Understanding scripture chapter 7
Historical-biblical method of Bible interpretation is an important approach to scripture. This approach accepts scripture as God revelation of Himself, and that the Bible alone is the final and the highest test of truth. It also attest to the fact that God communicated His will to human authors through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible also interprets itself, and that the scripture is in harmony. Although the Bile was written in a language different from its readers today, we can still understand His will by applying proper hermeneutics. To understand the Bible by using this approach we need to investigate biblical texts and try to understand the language, the time and the circumstances under which these texts were written. Even though the Bible was written for a particular people at a particular time; it is still applicable to our situation today. The Bible is the word of God and for us to understand and interpret it correctly; we need to turn to God in prayer for insight. It was the Holy Spirit that led the Bible writers and this Spirit does not contradict what He has inspired. We need the power of the Holy Spirit for proper interpretation. We also need to do our part by reading the Bible text and perform proper theological analysis.
Response to Jose Medina’s Comments on
Understanding Scripture Chapter XII
I appreciated the honesty and openness of his experience in reading and processing chapter seven.
It is interesting how often we can forget that the study of Scripture is a complex and serious endeavor because we think that it is simply a matter of doing superficial reading rather than in depth study of Scripture. Some of the points the author recommended for the study of Scripture were obvious, but commonly overlooked. However, there were also points that deserve some consideration.
A great point he highlighted from the reading was the power of memorization of Scripture. There are many ways in which Scripture can come to life, but memorization is extremely helpful in accomplishing such task. By memorizing we also become more inclined to apply the teachings in our own life, where it comes to life the most.
Ryan Kilgore
Comment on Cosmic Christ of Scripture, ch. 11, “A Christ-Centered Conclusion”
In this chapter, Dr. Hanna provides a good summary to his book. I resonate with the balanced, wholistic conclusions he comes to. In particular, I appreciate what he summarizes on p. 130, “First, Scripture provides the principles which keep theology Chirst-centered and relevant to the world in which we live….Second, according to Scripture, Bible authority comes from the Christ of Scripture….Third, any effort to separate theological study from the study of the cosmos clearly involves intellectual suicide and obscurantism.” It seems to be, in my opinion, not uncommon for Adventist theologians to be selective in their view of Scripture’s self-understanding. Some emphasize the divine element of Scripture and others emphasize the human. Truly, we must have both. We cannot deceive ourselves with false piety by trying to claim that we have no other source of God’s revelation than the Bible. True science clearly reveals much about life and about God. On the other hand, we must not minimize or subjugate what the Bible does teach. I believe Dr. Hanna would agree: the Scriptures interpret the Cosmos, not the other way around.
“In the Cosmic Christ of Scripture, chapter 6, The Theme of the Bible is Jesus, Hannah mentions how Christ was killed because of their misconception of Him breaking the Sabbath and blaspheming God by claiming to be the Messiah. He goes on to explore the Divine nature of Christ by revealing Him among the divine persons, through his nature as a divine-human person, and through the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine persons and humans. I really like how the divine nature of Christ is truly expressed by looking at Christ’s baptism. I can’t think of any other time that all three members of the God-head truly make themselves manifest. They are all present. Jesus in the water, God the Father up in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove. What a blessed moment, when Christ rises from the waters, He sees His Father up in heaven, and the Holy Spirit soaring down to provide support, relief, and divine proof that the Godhead is three in one, that they are a reality, and that they are all working to achieve the same goal. Once the Father speaks and the earth shakes with his voice, all who are present know that Jesus is divine.
In the “Cosmic Christ of Scripture, chapter 7, Are Ellen White’s Writings Christ-Centered, Hannah explores the notion as to whether or not White’s writings are Christ-centered. He notes how in 1878 White overheard a minister saying that it was impossible for any man to keep the law of God, and that she was all law, and must be saved by the law. She countered by “developing the Biblical perspective on the law as mirroring sin and Jesus as our pardoning Advocate.” This is just a stable in our heritage: salvation by Faith and through faith doing good works. In studying for myself, I have realized how scripture driven Ellen White truly is. She never claimed to be divine, she only reflected Christ, which is a life-style we all should strive for. Although Christ was fully God, she mentions how he was fully human as well. He endured all trials and temptations and overcame them, in order that we may be saved and do the same. He set the perfect example, and all White did was point to that in her writings. I find it interesting there is so much controversy surrounding her; it goes to prove that so often Satan works hard to corrupt the truth and shine a differing light on those who only attempt to uncover it.
Response to Chapter 9- Interpreting Old Testament Historical Narrative-in Understanding Scripture
In Chapter 9 the author introduces us to guidelines for interpreting the Historical Narratives found in the Old Testament. While he claims that one third of the Bible is meant to be understood as historical narrative, he focused primarily on the Old Testament.
While he provided some helpful guidelines, I couldn’t help but think about how I look at films. Sure there is a difference between Scripture and movies, but when I watch movies and documentaries I am fully absorbed with what is happening. When the author pointed out how we should look at the plot, characters, and narrators viewpoint it reminded me that many of us do that with films already. We should allow the stories in Scripture to take life as we become immersed in the story in order to grasp all that is trying to teach us.
Another great point he mentioned was that we should not view the narratives simply about people from the past, but also of how God interacted in their lives and circumstances. Also, we must also see how redemption occurs in the narratives as God interacts within the story. We can relate to the characters in the narrative, but failing to recognize the role God plays would be a tremendous loss to the power of the story.
While God plays an important role in the narratives, we must be able to recognize that the choices and events in narratives are not always the will or product of God. There are clear examples of this in Scripture that deal with adultery, murder, and corruption, but even in less obvious ways are the events not a reflection of God’s intention. When we preach we must be even more careful in making it seem as though the story or the lessons of the narratives come from a direct and full dictation of God’s plan.
Overall, I was very appreciative of the insights and comments made regarding the approach to interpreting narratives of the Old Testament.
Cosmic Christ
The Septuagint LXX has translated Elohim in Psalm 8:5 as angels but in the book Cosmic Christ it says that Deut 6:4 Elohim is translated as God. To me this can create a hermeneutical problem. For instance there are some that say that Psalm 8:5 should also be translated as God. The dilemma then becomes: were we created a little lower than the angels or a little lower than God? A group of Seventh day Adventists in Florida (not offshoot) says it is a little lower than God. It is my last entry I am going to have some theological fun. Ramifications? Well then if they are right they say I can walk into any professor’s office and because I have dominion over them I can say In the name of that authority I come against any grade they give me lower than what I want and it will be done. So classmates you see the importance of right word study as part of the hermeneutical question? Even more critical is coming to the Holy Spirit for guidance without any presupposition that you are not willing to let go. Indeed a mind set or worldview as Dr.Hanna suggests will result from God’s gift of wisdom and spiritual perception or lack of these.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ADVENTIST INTERPRETATION
Chapter 1: Understanding Scripture: An Adventist Approach
In this Chapter it is clear that Adventists held a high view of Scripture, approached with a sense of respect at times bordering on reverence. Its meaning was enhanced by the study of history and grammatical structures. Bible students accepted the substantive assertions of the Scriptures, allowing each its due weight. The influence of Ellen White was important but not definitive. Where she made firm assertions with respect to meaning, interpretation was significantly influenced although not determined by her statement. In general, this was the mainframe of Seventh-day Adventist hermeneutic.
Also its clear in this chapter that biblical backgrounds received much attention which produced rapid growth of the Adventist interest in Middle Eastern history, Hellenistic Jews, post apostolic Christians and biblical archaeology, including a number of unfortunate ark-chasing entrepreneurial ventures. The study of backgrounds was intended to illuminate the Scriptures and garner evidence of their trustworthiness, not to provide fodder for reinterpreting or conjectural ideas of biblical origins or teachings. Its is also explain in an explicit way the contribution of William Miller in Adventist interpretation of Scriptures. Adventists moved from the basic prophetic hermeneutics of Miller to applying hermeneutics of Scripture as a whole.
This historical overview has highlighted some of the major hermeneutical turning points within the Christian church that provided the larger background for the development of the Seventh-day Adventist interpretation of Scripture.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
LET THE HOLY SCRIPTURES SPEAK
Chapter 3: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna
We live in a very dark world. It’s so dark here that we can’t navigate our way around without clear direction from God. The Bible presents that direction. It is the light that illuminates our path. On this chapter, Martin Hanna explains clearly that God’s people should go to and fro in all Scripture to increase knowledge. He also illustrates Christ’s example and teaching that we should go to and fro from Scripture to Christ to increase knowledge. Jesus says: “search the scriptures for in them you have eternal life; and testify of me. And yet you will not come to me that you may have life” John 5:39-40. The words in the Bible are not just words. It is a message that is made of spirit and life with an unex-plainable inherent potency and vitality. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63 NKJV).When you read the Word with an open heart, it comes alive. It’s real, and it’s unlikely that anyone could ever open it—with sincere desire—and never get something out of it. It’s the Word that changed everything, and that Word is Christ. Moreover, Christ is eternity; thus the only book that will make a restful pillow when you’re dying is the Bible. Every other book will be like stone.
GSEM510-2 November 09
The Cosmic CHRIST of Scripture Chapter 4
In this chapter Professor Martin Frederick Hanna, Phd., talks about Ellen G. White's understanding of the role of JESUS CHRIST, the Scripture, and Nature in reference to teaching humanity about who GOD is. He concludes that Ellen G. White's writings show that she saw JESUS, the Bible and Nature as having “unique primacies that complement each other”. He arrived at this conclusion by pointing put how in her writings she encourages the study of Scripture upon Scripture, of the Bible as compare to nature, of the Bible as compare to JESUS. Also she believed tat the Bible, nature and the christian and experience all held truth. And area that she was strongly convicted of was that the Bible is the :rule of faith and practice, and knowledge of Christians, but at the same time JESUS and nature shed light into “the unique revelation of Scripture”. The primacies that are shown through Mrs. White's writings as JESUS being the “supreme revelation”, the Bible being the “special revelation, and nature being general revelation”. JESUS is the the source of al revelation, the Bible the standard of all interpretations of GOD's revelations and nature the context in which GOD's revelations are interpreted.
I like this chapter because it shows the importance of using GOD's word (the Bible) to text GOD's revelation while at the same time introducing the idea that GOD has revealed HIMSELF to us through more means that just the Bible. Yet, these other revalations ned to be tested by the Bible to see that they come from GOD.
GSEM510-2 November 09
Understanding Scripture Chapter I
The Bible is an incredible book because it contains the words of GOD. GOD has shared HIS words to humanity through human agents throughout the history of our world. HE also has preserved it for us to read today and some closer to HIM. Something that we need to understand is that when we come to the Bible not everything is black and white. Somethings require interpretation. Seventh-day Adventist as an organization believe in unitizing the historical-grammatical method (Historical Biblical Method) when interpreting the Bible.
In this chapter Alberto R. Timm, Ph.D. Gives a detailed analysis of the history of Bible interpretation from Judaism to present day Seventh-day Adventism. In this analyzes he shows the historical root of some unsafe method of Biblical interpretation that are prefer by some Seventh-day Adventist rather than the Historical Biblical Method. Also the areas of focus that Seventh-day Adventist can improve in when doing hermeneutics. He also talked about the development of the “historical critical method” for interpreting the Bible.
I like this chapter because it shows the importance of knowing where we came from to have a clear understanding of where we are going and where we need to go. In a day and age in which Christianity at large is trying to accommodate the Word of GOD to to human reason instead of allowing for the Bible to define our human reasoning I feel that as Seventh-day Adventist we should look at the strong heritage that we have as Bible student that allow for the Bible to interpret itself incorporating in the process only the elements that the Bible allows for (Historical Biblical Method of Bible interpretation) and unite as one church lead by GOD to once more allow the Bible to interpret itself.
Donald Henderson
Chapter 2 – Understanding Scripture
5th Blog
November 30, 2009
In Romans 12:2, Paul admonishes us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. In his examination of faith, reason and the Holy Spirit and their relationship with hermeneutics, John Baldwin illustrates Paul’s charge beautifully. I agree with his view that faith and reason are complementary processes in hermeneutics that are both dependant on the work of the Holy Spirit. Like Baldwin, I also believe that at times faith takes precedence over reason. As Christians we must realize that we will not always be able to prove every Biblical claim by modern measurements. However God through his word has provided us with sufficient evidence in the cosmos so that we can stand faithfully beside His truths. We are told through the New Testament, that the battle we fight here on earth is a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus also promised us in John 16:13, that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide us into all truth. With this said, it is important that when we approach God’s word for hermeneutical purposes, that we recognize our limitations and the struggles set before us by the devil in finding truth. As stated in Romans 12:2 we are only able to prove what the perfect will of God is, when our minds are transformed. Satan and his forces are set on conforming our minds to this world and it is only by turning in prayer to the Holy Spirit that we can receive transformation of mind and heart that allows us to understand God’s word. Baldwin points out that the Holy Spirit is available to all and He “guides a community of believers into complementary not contradictory, understandings of a particular truth”. He also says that, “this can guard against the unwarranted absolutization of a charismatic individual in hermeneutics. I must say that while I agree with Baldwin in spirit, we must also take care not to limit the abilities of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the ages of world, we can trace the work of the Holy Spirit, in leading individual men and women to truths that were not held by the larger body of believers. It was through the work of these radical men like, John Huss, Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Miller, and Ellen White, that God through the work of the Holy Spirit was able to lead his remnant to truth. 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 points out that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Therefore, as Ellen White suggests, we are to approach the interpretation of the Bible with humility, acknowledging that we need the Holy Spirits help, for it is only by His power that our minds can be freed from the bondage of sin.
In Chapter 9 of the Cosmic Christ of Scripture, I really appreciate Dr. Hanna’s ability to link together God, the Bible and nature, or as he puts it, Christ, Scripture and the Cosmos. I like how Dr. Hanna shows that the cosmos illuminates Christ and Scripture, Scripture is the illumination to Christ who is the light of the cosmos, and Christ is the light of scripture and of the cosmos. It’s a beautiful thing when you think about it. Everything is connected, if we look at nature, we can’t help but see God’s workmanship. If we look at scripture, we are looking at who God is, and how the cosmos came to be. And when we look at Christ, we understand scripture and the cosmos. This is a thought that I haven’t seen before. I have never seen someone connect these concepts in the past, and when I look at it, it just makes sense. For instance, when I spend time in the scriptures, I can’t keep from getting to know God on a deeper level, and appreciated his creation in an even more profound way. And it works the other ways as well, this seems to be the triune of understanding, you have to have all three for it to make sense.
Blog on Are Ellen g white’s writings relevant to the cosmos
It is interesting to see how Ellen G. White’s writings correlate with the ideology of revelation. She too does not limit it to just the church, Scripture or Jesus Christ, but also includes nature or the cosmos as a part of God’s revelation to man. I agree with her that though nature is a revelation, it has been marred by sin. In actuality all forms of revelations have been affected by sin in one way or another. The exception of course being Jesus Christ, but one could still argue that the manner in which he revealed God to man was still as a result of sin. I also agree that there has to be a combination of faith and reason as mention in the book understanding scripture. No reason cause faith to fall apart, but no faith becomes foolishness. Reason allows for proper hermeneutics but faith allows for still proper hermeneutics. Perhaps better put, reason allows for human insight or intellect, while faith allows for spiritual insight or intellect and being that people are both human and spiritual, we have to use both to understand any of the four revelations of God. Lastly I agree that the bible and nature illuminate each other while still illuminating God.
Daniel Birai
Cosmic of Christ: pg 85-95
Dr. Hanna clearly demonstrates in his chapter that Sister Whites writings are Christ centered. One thing that stuck out to me was the importance that Dr. Hanna places on getting his information from the original sources. This makes his work more credible because he is not making up facts, but quoting credible sources to prove his point. The chapter begins by identifying one of Ellen White’s sources dealing with divinity. She sees divinity as a social idea. God reveals himself as the Father. Christ also reveals himself as God. However God – Jesus is not the same as God-God. I will be the first to admit that the idea is sometimes difficult to grasp, but with prayerful humility we must admit what scripture teaches even if we do not agree with it or fully understand it. There is also the aspect of God as the divine spirit- or the Holy Spirit. Christ took on humanity, becoming a human being, like we are, in order to save us. Sister White is quick to point out that Christ becoming a man did NOT mean that he sinned, as humans do. He is the only human who never sinned. This distinction along with His sacrifice and his position as the Son of God makes Him the only one who could save us. This is only one portion of Sister White’s writings that point to her Christ-centered writings. I would admonish those with more doubts to study her writings and prayerfully consider scripture to confirm or deny her stance.
Assignments for Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics
THE THEME OF THE BIBLE IS JESUS
Chapter 6: The Cosmic Christ of Scripture by Martin Hanna
I agree on Martin Hanna’s description on the nature of Christ. He asserts that Christ was a Divine-Human person. He born in the same flesh and nature we have so that He could be understanding of our weaknesses and inclinations toward sin, and be a merciful High Priest for us. Jesus was divine and without sin even though He faced severe temptations. We can make those affirmations without hesitancy because that is what the Bible clearly teaches about God's Son. Jesus had to come as a man in order to experience death and pay the penalty for sin. He could not die as God. He had to put on a nature that was capable of dying. But here is the startling truth: If He had taken Adam's unfallen nature, He could never have died UNLESS HE HAD SINNED! That nature was not subject to death until after it was weakened by sin. Jesus could taste death only by being born into the fallen family of Adam's descendants. As one writer has put it, "Christ did in reality unite the offending nature of man with His own sinless nature, because by this act of condescension, He would be able to pour out His blood in behalf of the fallen race”. He was also fully divine and was one with God.
Daniel Birai
Understanding Scripture Chapter 17
This chapter in Understanding Scripture looks to deal with how to interpret Sister White’s writings. Her writings have been commonly unduly misinterpreted due to incorrect principles. Our church recognizes Sister White’s writings as inspired on the same level as that of the biblical writers; however they are not as authoritative as the writings of the bible. This is an important consideration to take in mind when reading her writings. The same principles you use when reading the bible, you should apply when reading Sister White. You should take her writings in context. She once wrote that spending money on bicycles was a waste of money. If this statement is said today, one would reasonable disagree. However back then, purchasing a bike was comparable to buying a car today. With such a heavy investment in an item that was for purely for the sake of expensive entertainment, Sister White wanted her readers to make the morally right choice. Do not try to take one part of what she has said and apply it only to a situation that favors your point. This is not fair to her. Another issue it pointed out was to understand the whole of her writings, not just one part of it. These principles, understood in their proper way make her writings a blessing to all who read them.
Daniel Birai
-response to Kenton Clark on 9/11
I agree to what Kenton says about our society limiting the confines that Christ can work with. We are so quick to put everything in a context that we understand, that we often miss out on a blessing because we don't agree with the 'Jesus' that people experience. A practical example is our traditional conservativeness. Now, while I do see some benefits from this, to say that someone who has experienced God in Pentecostal church is wrong is not correct. Although there may be some questionable practices of that church, Jesus has made himself known to them.
Before taking this class, my thinking always seemed centred around the ‘either/or’ as if it was either paradigm or the other. I believe that this is the same concept at work. The facts are there when one reads the Scriptures, but many chose one or the other when it comes to the Divinity/Humanity of Christ. For many, they can’t seem to wrap their minds around the concept that Christ was in fact the Son of God; God Himself who was from before time( John 1:3) and that He chose to come into our world as one of us to share in our experience (John 1:10). I will focus on Jesus as Divine Creator and Redeemer of humanity. Heb 4:15 says that Christ was without sin; so living without sinning is possible. But, I’d like to propose that Christ remained sinless by choice. He had a foreknowledge of what sin was. He also knew that He had a purpose, a mission in taking on the form of humanity. He knew that He was the only way humanity could be reconciled back to a sinless God. He suffered all that we suffer. We also see Him resisting the temptation to make bread after a 40 day fast in the wilderness. He was hungry, which again would be human characteristics. But He resisted and in so doing we too can overcome the sin of appetite. Appetite was the temptation that Satan used on Eve. We also know by Scriptures that Christ was divine because He healed the sick, He rebuked demons, He raised the dead. He was able to defy the laws of nature. He rebuked storms and walked on water! These were things that no one else could do. He told them that, “All power is given to Him in heaven and in earth” Matt 28:18. These were clearly signs of His Divinity. When one is able to look at the Scriptures wholistically; putting all the points together and laying aside any presuppositions to the contrary, the facts are clear to see: Christ was both divine and human at the same time.
Understanding scripture chapter 11
In this chapter Dr. Richard Davidson gives some good points on the difference between old apocalyptic and classical prophecy ,This chapter really helped me to understand the difference between the two .It is interesting that if we look at classical prophecy is conditional , it is depending on the keeping of a covenant relationship .One example is some of the promises God made to Israel were not fulfilled because they were not faithful .It is important that we see the difference between the two if we don't we are going to have problems understanding the role of the prophets. One clear example is the prophet Jonah , was he a false Prophet ? No , not at all , it just that his prophecy was if people did not repent , God was going to destroy the city of Niniveh .Apocaliptic prophecu it is going tobe fulfilled no matter if people do whatever they want . Example of the prophecy is the second coming of Christ and many More . Davidson , gives some really good points that are worth considering to understand the Old testament prophecies .
In Understanding Scripture chapter 15, I really liked Lael O. Caesar’s approach to cultural hermeneutics. I so appreciated his understanding of how culture plays an integral part in how Christians understand their theology and scripture. I think that this is very important for everyone to understand, but especially people in the ministry because as Caesar says, many people have presuppositions and those presuppositions can be the thing that determines if a person goes to heaven or not. So, presuppositions are very important, you have to know your scripture, and even so, be willing to change your presupposition if you are inspired by more understanding of the scripture to change your previous presuppositions. Now, culture plays a lot into this because when the Bible says one thing, to one person with a certain world view it can mean one thing and to another person with another world view it can mean something completely opposite. So, when someone of one cultural outlook believes one thing and tries to communicate it to someone else of a different cultural point of view, the two people have to be willing to communicate effectively by listening to each other and ask questions as to why they believe that way and not another. This is an excellent chapter which brings to light an issue that most don’t think about when they are sharing their version of scripture.
Understanding scripture chapter 7 Guidelines for the interpretation of scripture . In this chapter Dr . Muller gives some keys to interpreting scripture . The point he gives are very important for all of us who want to dig deeper into the scripture and want to share with our members .One of the keys is that Scripture needs to be christ centered , this is so important , specially for us preachers and Pastors . We need to take this seriously , I think one of the problems our church faces is that when we come to the book of Revelation we think that we are the "experts " but in most of our sermons we talk about the "beast" the 'plagues" the " antiChrist " and so much " scary stuff' that it seems that we are presenting a "horror movie" In the example of Jesus with his disciples " he show them the things concerning himself" starting with Moses and the Prophets ,I think we need to learn from Jesus preaching so much , we need to give hope to people that only Jesus can give , Iam not saying that the "plagues" the antichrist" should be ignored but they are not the center of our message , the center should be Jesus .
Understanding Scripture- Chapter 6. I find the topic of textual criticism very fascinating. Indeed its history of scribes copying the texts for more than 3000 years speaks to an incredible God in the person of The Holy Spirit. Jealously God has preserved and guarded the integrity and nuances in the language used and required for a right interpretation of His message to us. With increasing knowledge and understanding today why is textual criticism “still the least noticed and least understood sub discipline of Biblical Studies”? Is this related to a lack of understanding of the Holy Spirit and how He works? Is it a deeper problem possibly because we have relegated Him to a peripheral role? What does the author Gerald A. Klingbeil mean when he says it no longer occupies the “front row of new theological methods and insights? Have we veered off course? In the increase in knowledge of The Daniel 12:4 period is there a possibility of mixing and mingling secular and sacred insights that if it were possible even the very elect would be deceived? I am asking these questions because sometimes I wonder about our understanding of the remnant church. Is the Word of God correct when it says that the people of the world are sometimes smarter than the people of the church?
Jesus was the quintessential teacher. He taught so that He could be understood by the educated and the uneducated of His society. He was a story teller par excellence. His stories are still relevant even today. Parables occur over 50 times in the NT synoptic gospels alone. This is an indication that perhaps it was a common as well as effective way of communicating. According to Dr. Tom Shepherd, “types, parables and allegories in Scripture present us with both an intriguing opportunity in imaginative theological thought and, at the same time, introduce the threat of diverse interpretations that can contradict even the most central truths of Scripture.” Christ used these short stories to illustrate universal and eternal truths that anyone and everyone could understand. He relied on them to engage the emotions and touch the imagination thereby inviting the listener into the setting of the story, creating feelings that would respond to an invitation to prepare to meet God. Who can remember the first time they heard the story of the man who fell among thieves? Or the story of the son who took his inheritance and after squandering it, comes home to a hero’s welcome? Why did Jesus tell these stories? He wanted to drive home a point. He wanted to dispel myths and wrong theology about God. He wanted them to see themselves as the one who was disadvantaged and how they either received love, care or grace. For me, engaging my emotions allowed me to feel my need for God. It allowed me to recognize the incredible love God must have for me! It is an ingenious blending of the common everyday life and the eschatological Kingdom of God. Jesus has left us with many examples. We know that they still work. Today, many pastors use parables and stories at the close of a sermon and an invitation to choose Christ.
Donald Henderson
Chapter 4 – Cosmic Christ of Scripture
November 30, 2009
Isaiah’s warning in Isaiah 8:20 makes it clear that if anyone presents any new revelation that is not in accord with the law of God and the testimony given by his prophets within the Bible then there is no light in that person. Basically we are not to follow that persons revelation. Much skepticism has risen in the Seventh Day Adventist church regarding the authenticity of Ellen White as prophet of God. As Dr. Hanna has ably shown in this chapter, she fits perfectly into the mold required of Isaiah 8:20. Her lifetime support and affirmation of the Bible as the rule of faith, practice, and knowledge of Christ, is proof enough of her commitment to its authority. I particularly like how Dr. Hanna using her writings to illustrate the need of Christians to seek to gain knowledge of God through the Cosmos (secular knowledge). There seems to be a constant disagreement in the church between the primacy of science (cosmos) and scripture. It is clear from Hanna’s presentation of Ellen White’s writings that she views science as important to our faith. While our faith is directed by scripture, and scripture remains the final authority for our faith, scripture also directs us to science (cosmos) as a revelation of God. Thus our faith is strengthened when we are able to harmonize science with scripture. As Dr. Hanna suggest that the issue does not reside in the authority of the cosmos as a revelation of God but rather our understanding of its relationship with scripture. In our going to and fro from scripture to the cosmos we must be careful not to undermine the primacy of scripture with our scientific findings. If our scientific findings do not harmonize with scripture then we must not seek to alter scripture to correlate with our findings. We must simply acknowledge the differences while exercising faith in scripture as the final authority.
Marlene J. King Assignment: Blog#5 November 30, 2009
From: The Cosmic Christ
(Chapter 5)
GSEM 510-2 Revelation, Hermeneutics, and Inspiration Dr. Martin Hanna
This chapter focuses on introducing the subject of Christ as part of the Godhead/Trinity as yet another means for the revelation of God. Study of this subject as brought forth by the author is said to be “a complicated project” for two reasons: myriad of concepts regarding the nature of humanity that muddles the “uniquely Christian view of humanity” and due to a limited or complicated use and understanding of the word trinity in relation to the subject of divinity;
There is a real life visual of the Godhead/Trinity that one can behold within the sacred passages of Scripture. Further, this visual provides humanity with the supreme revelation of the Godhead/Trinity and Salvation. It is found in none other than Jesus Christ, “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”. It is mind boggling to think that because of God’s great love for man, before the beginning of time, God desired to redeem man from a life of sin by becoming man. Why would the creator become as a created being? If the Creator God has subjected himself to take on the human nature and flesh of sinful man, can He continue to be considered as divine? The subsequent chapters address the issue and many of the aforementioned questions.
Comment on chapter 11: Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy
It is refreshing to know that all answers past, present, and future can be obtained through diligent study of the scriptures. Also it is good to know that all of scripture must agree with itself. Knowing ourselves we get to understand that we are the only problem. When we see that scripture agrees with itself we see that it in fact is accurate and thus our faith in it is not all in vain. Despite these principles it is only us that fosters disagreement with the word of God. When interpreting the bible whether old or new testament we must remember to pray because once then will we come closer to God and inasmuch as the scriptures come from God he is the perfect being to give us illumination in that regard. Supplementary to this we must also remember to come to the reading of scripture with the right attitude as it is the great prophet Mrs. White who tells us that when we come to the canon with prayerful hearts and a humble spirit an angel of light accompanies us assisting in our understanding as we explore the word of God and that those who do the opposite get assistance from the other side.
Having said this it is of great importance to foster an understanding of the old testament so that we can prepare to understand the new. We realize that Jesus refered back to the old testament when preaching, teaching, and combatting the enemy. As such inasmuch as we understand the old testament we begin to get light as to where and how Jesus walked which can in turn give us answers relative to the ways that we should live our lives.
Comment on Chapter 13: Interpretation of Biblical Types, Parables, and Allegories
The Bible is tota scriptura, no other book can hope to hold a candle to its pure knowledge. We must also realize that those things that have the greatest affinity for doing good also is capable of equal and opposite realities. Point in case, Lucifer son of the morning, the light bearer and the greatest creature to come from the hand of God has become the sole enemy to all that is of the one who created him. Thus in understanding scripture we must be careful to study it in its entirety. We have all heard of the man who was one day seeking answers in scripture hastily and haphazardly opens the book three times getting the answers that each time led to his dismay and Judas hanged himself, do though likewise, and whatsoever though doest do it quickly. We realize that even slave traders of old used scripture to justify an ends to their means. When reading anything we must first know what it is meant to do for us and explore it in that regard if we take this attitude when reading scripture we will realize that the bible is meant to give us light. It is sad that at times we behave as though we are able to give light to the scripture. When interpreting biblical types we must remember that all things relative to scripture lead to simple understanding and the one that it leads us to is not veiled. God is the same and never has changed and because he says that I am God I changeth not we know that we are given the garuntee that he will always stay the same. Our understanding is the only factor that changes. In the midst of so many understandings, theories, and methodologies we must remember to depend on the one who stays constant and thus we will not get swept awat by the tumultuos storms of faulty understanding, disbelief, and doubt.
As a new Adventist, I have faced the persecution of my family that comes as a result of my change in denomination. One of the most common arguments against Adventism is that we are legalistic (I am not sure that they even understand this term) and therefore we use the law to earn our salvation. Adventist are viewed as grace killers that have forgotten the cross of Christ. Another issue that is often brought to my attention is the writings of Ellen G. White.
Because of these attacks, I find it reassuring to find writings like the one found on page 85 “The Cosmic Christ of Scripture”. In this chapter, Dr. Hanna addresses the issue of Ellen White’s writings and the belief that we are law alone in our view of Salvation. He recounts a story of an exchange between Mrs. White and a minister. She, along with Adventist, were being accused of legalism. Her response is one that we all should have on our hearts to speak to those who would question our view of Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifice He made for us. No where do we find E. G. White claiming to have authority over the Bible. In fact, we find her pointing the way to the Bible. It has been my personal experience that when I read her writings, I am motivated to turn to the Bible and explore it with more vigor. I am assured that we as a church have not lost sight of the cross, but we must be careful that we do not present a false truth to world around us. We should show our love for Jesus and our dependence on the power of His blood by our obedience of His eternal law.
It has been a wonderful experience completing this course and having a greater understanding of biblical study principles that we have covered. I appreciate the final chapter of the Cosmic Conflict that summarize the learning and give the opportunity to reflect on the principles. One truly important aspect of my learning is the understanding of what Dr. Hanna refers to as “a wholistic model” of biblical study. In his conclusion, he summarizes the relationships between sola, tota, and prima scriptura and the relationship between the ontological primacy of the revelation of Christ, epistemological primacy of scripture, and the chronological and contextual primacy of the cosmos. The balance of these relationships has really given me clarity when approaching scripture and developing my own theology.
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