Any Christian article or book worth our attention will be faithful to God’s word. And one way that writers strive for that faithfulness is to quote and refer to the Bible.
These quotes and references are often called “proof texts.” For any reader of persuasive Christian writing, these are crucial elements of an argument. Proof texts are not mere sprinkles on the cupcake.
Two Different Flavors
Because the Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) framework offers a grid for all communication, it’s no surprise that it lends us a hand in this matter. Just as there are two ways to outline a Bible passage, proof texts also come in two varieties.
In observation proof texts, a writer refers to a verse or passage and the reader needs only to observe the Bible to verify that the text supports the point. For example, a writer might cite John 5:18 to help establish the claim that Jesus refers to God as his father.
When a writer uses interpretation proof texts, their reader must do some interpretive work with the verse or passage cited. In this category, a writer might refer to the parable of the prodigal son to support a statement about Jesus correcting the Pharisees’ notion of loving God.
Examples
These different kinds of proof texts show up in many varieties of Christian writing. Here are two examples.
The Heidelberg Catechism
Take a look at the sixth question and answer from the historic Heidelberg Catechism. (I have not included all of the catechism’s proof texts here.)
Q. Did God, then, create man so wicked and perverse?
A. No, on the contrary, God created man good[1] and in His image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness,[3] so that he might rightly know God His Creator, heartily love Him, and live with Him in eternal blessedness to praise and glorify Him.
The reference [1] points to Gen 1:31; this is an observation proof text, because that verse says that God called all that he created (including man) “good.” The reference [3] points to Eph 4:24; this is an interpretation proof text, because Paul is writing about repentance and putting on the new self, not (explicitly) the original creation of man. It takes some interpretive work to agree that the phrase “true righteousness and holiness” as used in Eph 4:24 is being used accurately and legitimately in the catechism.
The Meaning of Marriage
Here are additional examples from Tim Keller’s book The Meaning of Marriage.
Keller writes this when discussing the permanence of marriage.
The problem is not with marriage itself. According to Genesis 1 and 2, we were made for marriage, and marriage was made for us. Genesis 3 tells us that marriage, along with every other aspect of human life, has been broken because of sin. (Keller, page 44)
The references to the first three chapters of Genesis are interpretation proof texts. We cannot pluck the conclusions Keller asserts from the surface of those texts.
On the next page, however, when describing Jesus’s sacrifice, Keller writes this.
Jesus the Son, though equal with the Father, gave up his glory and took on our human nature (Philippians 2:5ff). (Keller, page 45)
This reference to the second chapter of Philippians is an observation proof text, because the words Keller writes come almost verbatim from those verses.
Associated Dangers
Knowing there are two different kinds of proof texts can help us discuss the dangers associated with each. The lines here are not always sharp and the categories are not always disjointed, but some distinctions can be helpful.
A common error when using an observation proof text is to miss the passage’s context. Most errors associated with context involve a quick, surface reading of the passage. But the obvious reading of a verse may not be the intended or accurate reading. (See this page for a multitude of examples.)
Interpretation proof texts are, unsurprisingly, prone to bad or incomplete interpretation. Sometimes writers assume too much of their readers; sometimes they simply misinterpret the Bible.
Neither type of proof text is inherently good or bad. And while neither type is better than the other, interpretation proof texts are the less stable of the two. They require more work and more care.
Conclusion
As we read Christian writing which attempts to persuade, let’s be aware of these two kinds of proof texts. We can often identify which type a writer is using by context clues.
When a writer uses an observation proof text, their claim should be easy to verify. Look up the reference, nod your head (hopefully), and move on. When the writer uses an interpretation proof text, we will need to do some interpretive work to see if their claim is supported by the text.
Knowing the distinction between these two kinds of proof texts won’t solve all our problems. This will help us to be better readers, able to know when (or if) a writer’s ideas square with God’s written revelation.
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