Nehemiah 8:8-12 is an example of what? 

This is an example of what happens when people understand the text. It says it was read to them and they were made to understand and they repented and rejoiced greatly.

Examples of missunderstandings of Bible truths in past history.

1. The disciples missunderstood Jesus's death.

2. 1844

3. Daniel didn't understand his own vision

The allegorical meaning goes deeper than surface understanding.

mystical meaning. Reading of scripture that construes it as referring to a world to come.

God's message, given to a prophet and from the prophet to everyone. (However, God is also revealed in the Bible and in his second book, nature. But specific Revelation is given to a prophet.)

Is given to a prophet of God, someone who speaks for God.

Explanation of a text, with emphasis on getting the meaning from the text itself. This is often used in contrast to Eisegesis. (Eisegesis is: is the process of misinterpreting a text in such a way that it introduces one's own ideas, reading into the text)

Reasons for missunderstanding scripture

 (from Jan. 17 lecture)

1. We are so remote from the oringinal text

2. We may interpret it by current culture

History

Linguistics

Culture

Archaeology.

What were the principles or the war cry of

Interpretation of the Reformation?

1. Sola Scriptura: The Bible and the Bible Only
2. Tota Scriptura: The entirety of OT and NT is inspired by God
3. Analogia Scripture: Analogy of scripture = scriptural harmony.
4. Spiritualia Spiritalite Examinatu: The Bible can only be understood by someone whose spirit is open to God with reverence. (Spiritual things are spiritually understood.)

Recognizes that what is revealed is outside ourselves. So God can be known by only what he chooses to reveal to us.

a. What God has revealed in the Bible isn't comprehensive. There is much more, but it is sufficient for our salvation. The purpose of revelation is salvation.

b. Revelation isn't a search or discovery but a manifestation of God's grace.

Revelation takes place outside of us. The flow is the following:

Revelation begins with God

|

Which is revealed

|

Man

What does God do for us, according to

II Corinthians 5:18-19

How does God speak to us?

Hebrews 1:1, 2

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Revelation as Discovery

(This is a continuation of a previous card to give the entire picture. This is from the lecture for January 17)

Recognizes that what is revealed is outside ourselves. So God can be known by only what he chooses to reveal to us.

a. What God has revealed in the Bible isn't comprehensive. There is much more, but it is sufficient for our salvation. The purpose of revelation is salvation.

b. Revelation isn't a search or discovery but a manifistation of God's grace. II Corinthians 5:18-19 and Hebres 1:1,2

c. Revelation is propositional. It communicates eternal truth about God that can not be changed. When we receive God's Holy Spirit who drives the point to our hearts then that illumination.

Important Key Texts on Inspiration/Revelation:

II Timothy 3:15-17

II Peter 1:20,21

II Timothy 3:15-17  and II Peter 1:20,21

II Timothy 3:15-17"that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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."

II Peter 1:20,21 "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of Godspoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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.

knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of Godspoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

1. The hermeneutics of the text

2. hermeneutics of theological issues

3. hermeneutics of philosophical principles.

The belief that God dictated the Bible and every word is in the Bible is what God said directly to the prophet word for word.

1. The Holy Spirit guides the hermeneutical process

2. By baptism of the H.S. Biblical interpreter was  equipped with the mind of Christ

3. Brings Biblical truths and images to the mind of the interpreter

4. The Holy Spirit illuminates the mind of the interpreter with fresh meaning.

Places in the Penteteuch, (like Genesis 5:1 which belongs in the previous chapter) where a Toledot occures, means that this is a closing formula. It is like ending a letter with "sincerly" or "God bless". Genesis 10:1 also belongs at the end of the previous chapter.

Problem: History tells us that Nebonitus was the last king of Babylon but the Bible says it was Belshazzar.

Solution: Neboitus gave Balzshazzar reign while he retired to study etc. So they co-reigned, so both accounts (historical and Biblical) are accurate.

So some of our problem is our western mindset in understanding how things were done in Bible times.

The theory that revelation is simply an encounter or experinece with God. It is true that revelation includes an encounter with God as we have a I/Thou encounter or relationship as opposed to I/it which would be intellectual only. Encounter revelation looks good because it is a revelation between man and God but  even rationalist say that Revelation is a cognative process.

He was a German Jewish Philospher and theologian. He wrote a book in German called Ich und Du ("I Thou") which was later translated into English.

We say that Revelation comes from God to the person. Encounter revelation believes it is where the person has an experience with God.

One of the most important theologians of the 20 century. He was a young swiss pastor who went to the university and learned Higher Criticism (from where the false JEDP theory of manuscripts of the Bible came from) , and went to N. Switzerland to pastor a congregation of factory workers. He found such theology was irrelevant to his listeners. He began to read the Bible as the word of God and strove for an encounter with God (instead of relying on JEDP, Higher Criticism etc.)

I do not have a good definition for this. If someone can email me one, I will update this card.

She was a NT scholar and believd in "higher criticism". She studied under Karl Bultman who said the resurrction of Jesus wasn't a historical event.  In the 1980 she was converted. She said that the JEDP methods she had taught, lead people away from Salvation. She is now a missionary in Indonesia.

It takes the object of God's word away. It takes away God's authority and is no longer the rule of faith, as it is just an experience.

Text on Revelation: Galatians 1:15-16

(this was something that happened, not just "inside ofhim")

Text on Revelation: I Samuel 3:21

(Again God appeared to the prophet. It wasn't just something "inside of him.)

God's initiative. (For instance on the road to Damascus, God got Saul's attention). He reveals truth about himself through his eternal words and revelations.

Jesus Christ. He spoke things into existence and he was the incarnate word of God. John 1:1-8 (The word was made flesh and lived amoung us)

What text says that God reveals his righteousness and wrath?

Romans 1:17,18 ^"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets."

Galations 1:11,12 "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Two sides of the same coin

Revelation is progressive as we get to know God more fully.

Moses looked through 1 mirror and prophets through 7 mirrors to God.

Paul when he said "It is my own opinion in matters of being "single"

EGW said she had no light on the 144,000.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." Deut 6:4

Inspiration was understood by church fathers to be a form of ecstasy = human mind was switched off (sort of like when taking drugs). It was a mechanical view of inspiration because the prophet was just a "machine" that wrote down God's dictations.

He was very influential. He said that the apostles were the hands of Christ. Their words were dictacted by Christ. This viewpoint is not inclusive of any human input.

Luther didn't have a set view of inspiration. H was against the Anabaptists as they were forerunners of the church who kept Sabath. Luther had a low view of inspiration as he didn't like the epistle of James.

This view is against Church orthodoxy. It was the origin of thought for many who came to America. It was an influential religious reform movement that began among German Lutherans in the 17th century. It emphasized personal faith against the main Luther's Church's perceived stress on doctrine and theology over Christian living. They emphasize the emotional and personal aspects of religion.

This is when rationalism came into being. It negated inspiration through rationalism. The result was "higher criticism".

II Samuel 8:4 700 horsemen

vs

I Chronicles 18:3-4 7,00 horsemen (NKJ) and 1,700 (ASV)

I Kings 6:2 vs I Chronicles something...about the size of something...cubits didn't match. :)

What three books of the OT have consistently overlapping stories?

Chronicles

Samuel

I and II Kings

Around 700 BC so 500 years between when he lived and when the book was transcribed. This was called the 4QIS (I think)

takes revelation and puts it into human words, to understand and communicate. Through inspiration God safeguards the transmission.

Where does it say that "All scripture is God breathed" ?  (theopneustos, also Genesis 2 says that God breathed life into man.)

Where does it say "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth"

God incarnates himself with human kind. He is God in human form. John says that Jesus is the word of God so the Bible then is__________

he responds to God's call. (Hazen Foss rejected the message God gave him and so God chose EGW.)

only the most important parts are obeyed by the human, so the criteria becomes subjective.

It means that God had to adjust his plans because we as humans went wrong.

True or false: In the Jewish Cannon Daniel is listed as a book of the prophets

By the 5th century BC the OT was decided

By the 2nd century AD the NT was decided.

True or False: The council of Jamnia was only for confirming the cannon of the OT not for deciding what would be in the cannon.

God gave everything that was necessary for our salvation in His Word. His word is:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Authoritative
2. Infallible revelation of HIs will
3. Standard of Character
4. Revealer of Doctrine
5. Test of Experience

Scripture. (Experience has to be submitted to Scripture. The problem is when people say that their experience trumps the Bible, so if you told something by the HS or who you think is the HS then you put a lot of emphasis in it.)

You can argue EGW or the Bible say anything you want it to say.

Example: Isaiah 66:23 "from one Sabbath to another and from one new moon to another shall all people come to worship before me." The very next verse talks about the dead bodies and the fire isn't quenched. Now if an inspired author uses apparently out of context then it is ok, but we shouldn't do it. If you use this verse to talk about the Sabbath then be sure EGW has been covered first.

Why we have a hard time with understanding the Bible at times

1. The human mind is degraded after 6,000 years of sin and needs to interpret. Real interpretation is a burning in the heart. 

2. We need the wittness of both the OT and the NT in order to understand the culture and background.

3. We are separated by time, distance, culture and language (i.e. we don't take off our shoes to prove that we signed a deal)

What are we to do with in regards to sharing God's word? Leviticus 10:11

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

To understand we must read distinctly

give it sense which will cause people to understand it. Where it is found?

This is found in Nehemiah 8:8 where it says: So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

We need to ask people if they understand what they are reading so we can help them to understand if need be.

Acts 8:26-38

II Corinthians 2:17 talks against commercializing God's Word. What does it say?

 For we are not, as so many,peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Why was the crowd who stonned Stephen so angry at him?

He structured his speech (in Acts 7) in the format of a discolving of a contract, such as what would have been done legally. He was saying they had disolved the covenant between them and God. It ended the 70 weeks of the election of Israel. (I believe this was a Hitite legal form of of a speech that they used and knew well.)

What is the difference between the authority of Scripture and our interpretation of scripture?

1  If we have a wrong interpretation of scripture than it lessens the authority of scripture.

2.       The correct understanding of scripture affects its authority. (If it is only encounter revelation then understanding scripture doesn’t matter as much.)

How has the post modern viewpoint affected our view of scripture?

It teaches that each has their own opinion and allows for all kinds of opinions. This has permeated our opinion on the scripture. We do not want to talk about the right and wrong interpretation of scripture.

Texts on the authority of scripture: What text says, "do not add to the word that I command you, nor diminish it."

Deuteronomy 4:2

Texts on the authority of scripture: Where is the text found that says, "If anyone does add to the words of scripture God will add to them the plagues that are found in this scroll and take his name from the book of life."

Revelation 22:18-19

Texts on the authority of scripture: Where is the text found that says,  "In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the traditions of men."

Matthew 15:1-9

 What are the four key foundational principles of

Biblical Interpretation?  

1. Sola Scriptura: The Bible and the Bible only

2.  Tota Scripture: we must accept the totality of   scripture

3.  Analogia Scriptura: the scripture is in harmony with itself.

4.  Spiritalia Spiritalite Examinatu: Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. We must have a spiritual discernment for us to understand the Bible.

Isaiah 8:20 To the Law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this, it is because there is no light in them.

Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 11:13: ^"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.)

Ephesians 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

• Primacy of Scripture (not Prima. Primacy means the most important)
• The Bible is the highest level of authority. (Do not seek mediums and spirits but to the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them.)
• It is above everything including tradition. (Matthew 15:3-6 why do you transgress the law by your traditions?)

We must study the Bible for ourselves and not rely even on the SDA Bible commentary. 

Give an example of one such missunderstanding.

The dating of the exodus is said to be 1445 in the SDA Bible comentary but because of acession years of king's reighs and the co-reigns of Solomon and David for four years, the date is actualy 1450.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Nature.

Psalm 19:1-6 says: The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork. .....

But is natural revelation (nature) enough?

No

Romans 1:20-23 "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things." 

No

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

Texts for Sufficiency of Scripture:Which text says, "The scripture is to make you wise for salvation."

II Timothy 3:15 "and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

Texts for sufficiency of Scripture: The word of God can get to the real issue of the heart

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Texts for sufficiency of scripture: It leads to the humble acceptance of the Word of God.

Isa 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,”Says the Lord.“But on this one will I look:On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,And who trembles at My word.

II Timothy 3:15 All scripture is given by God and is profitable for......

Text that points out that there was more to the Bible than the NT which was recognized by NT writers. i.e. texts that show that NT writers quoted the OT.

I Timothy 5:18 "For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,”and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (Deut 25:4)

Texts that show that NT writers were quoting other NT writers showing they understood that those were inspired.   

Matthew 10:10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. (Luke 10:7)

Luke 10:7  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. (Matthew 10:10, )

I Corinthians 9:14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. (Paul had already identified these NT books as sacred. This is also a quote from Deut)

1. the prophetic word is made certain because it isn't the prophet's own interpretation.

2. It does not come by the will of men but by the Holy Spirit

Why are there different emphasis in the various books of the Bible or of various authors?

1. Each writer has a different or unique writing style.

2. Different personalities and experiences of the writers brings out truth from different angles.

I Corinthians 2:10-13 (explanation not quote) No one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.  So the Holy spirit works with the prophet and God's thoughts are combined by human words and conveyed to God's people.

What texts show that the written word is an inseperable union between God and man.

Revelation 19:13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Jesus is the word of God itself)

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Bible IS the word of God. It doesn't just CONTAIN the word of God! There are 1,600 occurences in Hebrew which says that. Give examples.

• "Utterences of Yahweh"  361 times
• "Thus says the Lord" 423 times
• "The Word of the Lord" 394 times (II Kings 21:10)
• "The Lord said by his prophets"  (II Chron 36:15-16)
• "It is Written" (Heb. 1:5-13, Rom. 9:17, Gal. 3:8)
• "Not by bread alone but by every word" (Deut 8:3)
• "Scripture can not be broken" John 10:34-35
• "Not one jot or one tittle will pasy away till it is all accomplished (Matthew 5:18)

There is harmony throughout scripture. There is a reciprocal relationship between Bible writers. They quote each other. Inspired authors take tests and string them together. They bring things together under inspiration and create a completely new whole. The NT and OT mutually illuminate each other. 

There are three principles under Analogia or of harmony of Scriptura. They are:

1. The Scripture is its own interpreter.

2. There is consistency in the scripture

3. There is clarity in the scripture

Scriptural demonstration that the scripture is its own light and own interpreter.

Luke 24 Story of Jesus with disciples on the road ot Emmaus, he pointed out how the OT prophecies had fortold that the Messiah would die.

I Corinthians 2:13 says that scripture needs to be compared with scripture for it's own light These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the HolySpirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Isaiah 28:10 We must study precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little.

John 10:35  If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken,

You have two forces in mutual opposition, good and evil, the flesh and the spirit, the ying and the yang, the sacred and the secular. It is almost like we have two equal forces which fight against aeach other. (We call it the Great Controversy. The difference is that the forces are not equally matched at all.)

The Biblical Worldview is Theocentric. What does that mean?  

God is in the center and He is in controll of everything. The victory has always been won. Satan is defeated and the snake head is crushed. God is all powerful and ultimately will work out His will no mater what Satan does to thwart it.

We are not comfortable with the theocentric view because...

Fire comes down from God out of heaven at the end. But if you read the Bible and see what happened to Annanias and Saphira you can't rationalize that God just withdrew his hand from protecting them. God has to destroy sometimes.

Job: He said "The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." This was the Hebrew mindset.

We need to see the purpose of God for our salvation, and He will do anything for our salvation. God puts limitations on Satan . We only see the here and now. We often do not see God's ultimate purpose in what he allows or does.

Jesus is expecting Scripture to be understood or he wouldn't have asked Nicodemus which is written in the law what is your reading of it? (luke 10:26)

Jesus expected people to read the OT he said "Have you not read, have you not heard...." Matthew 12:3, Matthew 21:42

An important hermeneutical principle for understanding scripture:

Scripture is to be taken literally unless there are strong indicators in the text itself that tell you that it is to be understood in a figurative way.

I Corinthians 2:11-14  "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. these things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the HolySpirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Ephesians 4:3-6: endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in youall.

Isa 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.

Having the characteristics of normal human language, and thus including both the literal and figurative.

Multivolume set of Jewish legal discussion and Biblical exegesis...... (see handout of terms as the defintion is long.)

Translation or paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures into Aramaic.

Reading of Scripture that takes it to foreshadow or represent later events.

A largely post-prophetic genre of biblical literature, although sayings of the wise are included as early as the Josspeh story, in which truth-claims are founded upon pratical experience rather than prophecy.

Hermeneutical priciple that understands Scripture alone as the ruling norm.

A catagory of literature labeled according to its form, style, or content, including narrative, doctrinal or ethical exposition, letter or epistle, poetry, parable, wisdom literature, and apocalypse.

This is a Greek word for measuring rod. Normative collection of Scripture, held to  revealed by God and serving as the basis of religious authority. Among Jews, Catholics, and Protestants, the canons differ in books included and in order.

A symbolic expression (story or explanation) which makes use of parallels or similarities between items in the expression and the things being explained. (Rich man and Lazarus for instance.)

Form of poetry in which the first letters of the stanzas follow an order, either of the alphabet or the spelling of a name.

(Greek word means hidden meanings) A collection of writings, mostly from the end of the biblical period, excluded form the Jewish canon but accepted as Scripture by the early Church.

Revelation is something that is "revealed" Isa 53:1

Ephesians 3:4,5

 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), ⁵ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

1. Authoratitative
2. Infallible revelation of His will
3. Standard for our character
4. Revealer of Doctrine
5. and our Test of Experinece.