written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come"
1 Corinthians 10:11
The Bible's narrative section are among its most readable passages. It is uplifting for us to read of the mighty deeds of God and of the great saints who walked the earth before us. Unfortunately, interpretation of narrative passages can be quite tricky because the authors use such a wde variety of literary devices and techniques. If we are not careful, we can arrive at terrible erroreous conclusions.
What is narrative? Simply put, it is those section of Scripture that relate historical events in story format, it portrays characters doing things in particular times and places. Unlike a parable, however, it usually has no moral point to make. Genesis and Exodus Joshua through Ester, and the gospels and Acts are books that are mainly narrative.
In seeking to find the meaning of narrative passages, we must remember that Scripture interprets Scripture. That is, to understand what a passage is teaching we should consult others parts of Scripture. In interpreting narrative, it is particularly important to consult the didactic portions of the Bible, the section that have the primary purpose of teaching The New Testament epistles are the clearest example of didactic literature. These section of Scripture give us inspired interpretations of the narrative sections. By reading narrative in light of didactic passage, we guard the temptation to draw improper theological and doctrinal conclusion from the Bible's stories.
Here are some example of how failure to let Scripture interpret Scripture can lead us to incorrect conclusions. In Genesis 22, God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son. When Abraham almost does so, God declares, "Now I know that you fear God" (v. 12). Thus it appear God did not know Abraham's heart, but other passage declare God's total omniscience. In another example, Genesis 1:27 teaches that God made man in His image. We might read this and deduce that since this is so, and since man has a body, God must have a body too. The Mormons makes this error, overlooking passages that teach that God is a spirit. Finally, we err by blindly attempting to omitate saints from the past. We must evaluate their deeds in light of all Scripture. Even imitation of Jesus is not always right. He was circumcised but we need not be. He forgaves sins but we cannot. Scripture itself helps us understand the stories it contains.
We are often drawn to the narrative passages of Scripture, finding them compelling and easier to read. But we put ourselves at risk of drawing wrongful conclusion by focusing only on Bible stories. The only way to guard against this danger is to read all of the Bible. Make a commitment to read through the entire Bible in the next year or two.
No comments:
Post a Comment