Pages: 58 to 87
Time spent reading: 3 hours
Three Significant Discussion Questions based on the Reading
Question 1: If the interpretation of scripture is made difficult by the fact that modern humanity is separated with time, culture, and distance, yet the biblical message has remained unchanged for centuries, is the scripture still wholly applicable to the modern humanity or the contextual differences have makes its applicability partially relevant?
Question 2: Humanity is not limited to biblical truth since some events outside the Bible as well as other religions outside Christianity, including the differential cultures of the world, Islam and Hinduism, are seemingly truthful as well; does it mean that all these denominations that do not conform to the biblical truth are entirely wrong? If so, what makes the Bible an absolute source of truth?
Question 3: If most of the statements in the Bible introduces the scripture with “God says,” such as Hebrews 1:5–13 (KJV), and others begin with “the scripture says,” does it mean that God spoke at two levels; directly to the authors and indirectly through other authors?
Three points of useful/interesting Information:
Point 1: The study of biblical interpretation is founded on the fact that the nature of humans is limited in contrast with God’s divine infinite nature, the darkening of humans by sin, and the limitations in time, distance, and culture, yet the pursuit to understand the scripture is unending.
Point 2: Biblical hermeneutics is a field that finds approval from the biblical scriptures, yet the concept was formulated to understand the scripture.
Point 3: Biblical interpretation is diverse, such that it applies to the scripture, modern humanity, and individual life.
Critical Evaluation of the Reading
The scripture is an absolute manifestation of God’s word since it does not just contain God’s work, but it also resembles it. Its authors received divine inspiration from God without the individual differences being compromised (Davidson, n.d). The need for biblical interpretation arises from the finite human nature, differences in time, distance, culture, and humankind’s darkening by sin. Both old and new testaments attest to the absolute nature of the scripture. There is consistency between the scripture and hermeneutics, implying that to understand the Bible, one must also have a mastery of the procedure to understand it. Finally, it becomes easier to understand humanity and individuality by adopting a procedural way of perceiving the biblical truth.
References
Davidson, R., A. (n.d). Biblical Interpretation. Handbook. Pages 58- 87.
Holy Bible. King James Version.