John Piper recently posted a meditation on Isaiah 42:21, which demonstrates both excellent observation of the text and pursuing the implications of those observations.
Why We Should Care Who the Audience Is
In yesterday’s post we considered who the primary audience of Proverbs was. Why bother?
The main reason is because, although the Bible was written for us (1 Cor 10:11), it was not written to us. Every book of the Bible was written by a particular person, for a particular group of people, in a particular situation. We put ourselves in danger of misunderstanding the text if we don’t first understand these historical circumstances. We must put ourselves in their shoes.
Imagine if I showed you a letter in which I wrote the sentence “You’re making me go crazy.” How would you read that line if you knew I had written the letter to my child? To my employee? My neighbor? My wife? My pet snake? A customer service rep at a store from which I made a significant purchase?
At the office where I work, we maintain a quote board for just this purpose: to catalogue the random statements which, removed from any context, become hilarious. We have entries on the board like:
- “Did you forget the pot this morning?”
- “If you’re gonna die, it’s nice to do it at home.”
- “I’m going to do number two tomorrow, but it’s going to take me a while, because I haven’t done it in awhile.”
- “The longer I live, the more I don’t want to.”
- “I keep trying to say funny things to get on the quote board.”
When it comes to studying the Bible, let’s keep the original audience in mind. Otherwise, we can miss the point. For example:
- Genesis (as a book) was prepared for a nation of people who had just come out of centuries of enslavement and were trying to figure out their identity. It was not primarily written to people who were examining the origin(s) of all things.
- Daniel was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon and Persia to help them understand how God could possibly still be in control. Daniel’s predictions were largely intended to prepare these people, and their converts, for the coming Messiah (King of the Jews). It worked, since some from that region knew what to look for at just the right time (Matt 2:1-2).
- Revelation (and it’s rich symbols) was not primarily about 21st century events. The book would have made sense to believers in churches scattered across Turkey in the 1st century AD (Rev 1:4). We ought to read it accordingly.
Whenever you approach a book of the Bible, make sure you find out who the original audience was (as much as is possible) and do your best to put yourself in their shoes.
Videos of Talks from DiscipleMakers Refresh Conference
This past weekend, DiscipleMakers hosted Refresh: A Conference for Alumni and Friends. The theme was “Broken Dreams to Restored Hope: The Gospel in the Psalms.” Videos are available of all the main session talks.
Session 1: Broken Dreams (Psalm 88) – Rhys John (highlight)
Session 2: Broken People (Psalm 42) – Dave Royes (highlight)
Session 3: Restored People (Psalm 32) – Peter Krol
Session 4: Restored Hope (Psalm 103) – Mark Fodale
How’d You Do That? (6/17/12)
We just finished examining a bit of Solomon’s biography and credentials for authoring the book of Proverbs. We saw that God’s wisdom, God’s promise, and great wealth qualified him for this task.
How did I come up with these principles?
The main idea here is that the narrative books of the Bible often give us key information to help us interpret the didactic (teaching) books. We learn about Solomon’s story from the books that chronicle his life. As I studied those sections, I began to draw connections to the Proverbs. Especially helpful was 1 Kings 3:1-15, where Solomon asks for wisdom, and 1 Kings 4:20-34, where Solomon demonstrates his wisdom.
We can follow this same procedure for other parts of the Bible.
- When reading Paul’s letters, first check out the biographical information on Paul in the book of Acts. The most helpful parts are the sections where he ministers in the cities he later wrote letters to. For example, study Acts 16:11-40 for background on the book of Philippians, Acts 17:1-9 for background on 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Acts 18:1-18 for background on 1 & 2 Corinthians.
- Consider Acts 14:8-23 and Acts 16:1-3 for information to help you interpret 1 & 2 Timothy.
- Certain Psalms are connected with events in David’s life. Psalm 3:1-8 makes sense after you understand 2 Samuel 15:1-37, and Psalm 51:1-19 should be read in connection with 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25.
I’m sure you get the idea. When you study books of the Bible, first try to understand the author’s life situation and character. The Bible itself can help you do this.
What Star Wars Taught Me About Bible Study
It’s a little known fact that I’m a Star Wars geek. I’ve been watching The Clone Wars cartoon with my children (which is fantastic), and we just finished Season 3. I think it’s a good time for a Star Wars post.
Star Wars (both in the films and the cartoons) makes abundant use of a fun literary device called the “type scene.” The Bible uses the same device, so Star Wars can help us understand it.
If you and I are discussing the Star Wars films, and I say, “I love that scene where the evil Sith lord cuts off the good guy’s appendage,” you would be right to ask, “Which one: Episode 2, where Dooku chops off Anakin’s arm, or Episode 5, where Darth Vader slices Luke’s hand off?”
For more examples, see if you can name which Star Wars movies have the following scenes:
- Sith asks Jedi to join with him and overthrow his evil master. Together, they could rule the galaxy.
- A dismembered C3PO makes all kinds of corny jokes.
- The young, attractive politician attracts the unconventional warrior.
- A chase through an asteroid field.
- The young but skilled pilot wins the battle by blowing up the giant space station.
Such vague descriptions could describe numerous “type scenes” that keep repeating in the Star Wars movies. With each repetition of the scene, a creator connects two different characters or scenarios without having to say “this one is just like that one.”
Let me give some examples of this technique in the Bible.
- The man of God leaves the land of promise due to some sort of famine or distress. In a foreign land, his wife masquerades as his sister but gets kidnapped. You may have read these stories in Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-18, and Gen 26:6-11. What’s the point? Abraham faced similar temptation all through his life, and Isaac struggled with it just like his dad did.
- God rescues his people from Egyptian captivity, and brings them through the Sea and wilderness. Of course this happens in the book of Exodus, but the prophets use the same language to describe the Exile (for example, see Isaiah 10:24-25). Jesus went through it, too (Matthew 2:14-15, 3:13-17, 4:1-2). What’s the point? Jesus endured all that Israel endured, as their representative.
- God’s ambassador heals a lame man by the city gate, and the Jewish officials get riled up about it. Jesus does it in John 5:1-17, and Peter & John do it in Acts 3:1-4:22. What’s the point? Jesus’ disciples truly act in His name, with his full authority and power (Matthew 28:18-20).
Star Wars shows us how useful type scenes can be. The Bible does it even better, though.
One more tip: pay attention whenever a Star Wars character says, “I have a bad feeling about this.” It demonstrates another great literary device: repetition. I’ll save that one for another day.
How’d You Do That? (6/8/12)
In our last Proverbs post, I looked at what sort of genre proverbs are. Let me give those comments a context.
When we come to learning how to study the Bible, one of the first steps is to observe the text carefully. But what should we observe? I generally consider five categories:
- Words
- Grammar
- Structure
- Mood
- Genre
You can observe the words themselves, considering repetition, tenses, number (singular or plural), etc.
You can observe the grammar, considering issues such as sentence structure (subjects, verbs, objects, etc.), pronouns, or prepositional phrases.
You can observe the structure, considering things like comparison, contrast, section divisions, or the shape of the text.
You can observe mood, identifying how the author communicated: excited, angry, patient, personal, etc.
Finally, you can observe the genre. Primarily, you’ll want to notice whether you’re reading prose or poetry. If I write of red roses, it’s important that you understand the genre. On the one hand you might find just what you need in a pinch. On the other hand, you could create too many giggles. Don’t mix up genres!
In the case of Proverbs, I discussed the wisdom genre of proverbs. We should not read proverbs like laws, or even like prophecies. Proverbs are intended to address many fine details of life. As we go through the text, we’ll see how this fact plays out. But by way of introduction, I wanted to draw attention to the significance of genre.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I observed Proverbs’ genre,
Now you can, too!
Seven Things Not in the Bible, Revisited
Yesterday, I listed seven things which are commonly believed to be in the Bible but really aren’t. Now that you’ve had time to stew, I’ll show my work. Here goes:
1. Adam and Eve frequently walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden
Despite what the old hymns say, it’s just not in the Scripture. All that Genesis 3:8 says is that there was one particular day when Adam and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden. It may have been a regular habit of his, but we just don’t know for sure.
2. Jesus walked through walls after his resurrection
Observe John 20:19 carefully. It never says that Jesus walked through walls. Sure, the doors were locked. Sure, Jesus came and stood among them. But how did he get there? Was his resurrection body somehow immaterial such that it could pass through solid structures?
Perhaps. But maybe he came in through the window. Maybe he picked the lock and walked through the doorway. Maybe he knocked and knocked until someone opened the door for him. Maybe he opened up a hole in the roof and had four friends lower him on a pallet. All these things are possible; we just don’t know.
Since Luke 24:39-43 makes it abundantly clear that Jesus was not a ghost (a “spirit”), I’m personally disinclined to believe the Jesus-walked-through-walls idea.
3. Christians are commanded to pray before every meal
Mark 6:41 and Luke 24:30 show Jesus “blessing” a meal. 1 Timothy 4:4 suggests that we receive everything with thanks. But I’m not aware of any command in Scripture to offer up a prayer before eating a meal. So, next time you’re visiting with unbelieving friends – especially in public or on their turf – don’t make a big deal out of praying! The Gospel will be offensive enough; don’t put any other stumbling blocks in their way.
4. Young Daniel was tossed into the lion’s den
He had to be around 90 years old when it happened. He was carried to Babylon as a teenager in 605 BC (Daniel 1:1), and he was thrown to the lions during the first year of Darius in 539 BC (Daniel 5:31-6:1) – almost 70 years later. We have one children’s Bible that gets this right; Daniel is an old, old man with the lions. Most of them get it wrong.
5. Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, inherited the rights of the firstborn and became chief heir of Jacob’s blessing
Some suggest that since Reuben (Genesis 49:3-4), Simeon, and Levi (Genesis 49:5-7) lost the rights of the firstborn, they must have gone to Judah, the fourth son. This view is attractive, considering that Jesus descended from Judah.
But the Bible makes it clear that, although Judah, and thus Jesus, was promised the kingship (Genesis 49:10), Joseph inherited the blessing of the firstborn. That’s why his two sons became their own tribes (double portion of the firstborn – Genesis 48:14-16). If you have any doubt of this fact, see 1 Chronicles 5:1-2.
Why does it matter? Because a major theme in Scripture is the preeminence of the younger brother over the rightful older brother. Jesus is the younger brother who replaced all the older brothers who went before him and screwed things up (especially Adam). So also, we who are young, weak, and foolish, were rescued by God to shame the strong and the wise (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
6. Money is the root of all evil
It’s the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evils (1 Timothy 6:10).
7. God saved Noah because Noah was the only righteous man on earth
This one drives me nuts when I read children’s Bibles to my kids. Noah didn’t find favor with God because he was righteous (no-one is righteous, no, not one – Psalm 14:1-3). He was righteous because he found favor with God (Genesis 6:8-9). Just like us (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Seven Things You Always Thought Were in the Bible But Really Aren’t
We can discern common Christian legends by observing the text carefully! I don’t think you’ll find any of these things in the Bible, but please feel free to comment if I missed something.
- Adam and Eve frequently walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden
- Jesus walked through walls after his resurrection
- Christians are commanded to pray before every meal
- Young Daniel was tossed into the lion’s den
- Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, inherited the rights of the firstborn and became chief heir of Jacob’s blessing
- Money is the root of all evil
- God saved Noah because Noah was the only righteous man on earth
Why Book Overviews Matter
When we began the process of adopting our twin sons, the U.S. State Department required numerous criminal background checks. First, the Pennsylvania State Police cleared us of any misdemeanors or felonies. Second, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare cleared us of any history of child abuse. Third, the FBI cleared us of any federal offenses. In addition, despite our spotless history in the United States, the Ugandan magistrate also required a background check from Interpol. Once again, our records were so clean you could have disinfected a toilet with them.
Why did they require such thorough investigation into our history? I imagine it was because we were pursuing a lofty objective with weighty consequences. How could they not examine every corner of our lives to make sure these precious boys would have a good home with us?
When we study a book of the Bible like Proverbs, we must likewise investigate its background. Therefore, over a few posts we’ll examine four topics that are foundational for understanding this book: the genre, the author, the audience, and the author’s intentions for his audience.
Stay tuned!
What the Avengers Taught Me about Bible Study
I just saw The Avengers and thought it almost lived up to all the hype. It’s well worth seeing, and it can teach you about Bible study!
Characters, characters
This movie was well set up by all the (mostly) independent prequels: The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and Thor. Each of those movies tells the story of a single hero. All the heroes come together as a team in The Avengers. Needless to say, the movie’s greatest strength was its characterization.
There is no narrator to tell you what’s happening, and there’s not much explanation of plot or setting except through dialogue. All you have that drives the drama and action is the characterization of the heroes as they relate to each other, and it works beautifully.
Tony Stark (Iron Man) considers himself a “genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist,” and his choices, especially in his relationships, directly reflect this chosen identity. Bruce Banner (Hulk) remains pretty introverted, fearing the monster that rages within him. When asked how he keeps the monster at bay, he reveals his secret: “I’m always angry.” We can reinterpret his quiet withdrawal in light of this revelation.
I could go on, but the point should be clear that much of a story can be told through strong characterization. Notice how the Bible uses the same technique:
- Jacob’s character drives much of the last sections of Genesis, as his affinity for conflict (Gen 25:22) and deceit (Gen 27:18-19) is used against him by his uncle (Gen 29:23, 31:26-28) before the Lord redeems it and makes him fruitful through it (Gen 32:28).
- We are told very little about the prophet Elijah, but we resonate with the one whose nature was just like ours (James 5:17) as we see him alternately hiding (1 Kings 17:5-7) and confronting (1 Kings 18:17-19), inspiring (1 Kings 18:38-39) and raving (1 Kings 19:10, 14). The man who demanded justice (1 Kings 19:10) and saw the Lord only in wind, earthquake, fire, and whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12) eventually saw the fulness of God’s glory on that mountain in the face of Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:2-3).
- One leper’s character shines when he returns to thank Jesus (Luke 17:15-19).
- A whiny, victimized, blameshifting invalid (John 5:6-7) demonstrates the opposite of faith even after meeting Life in flesh (John 5:14-16). We don’t need the author to tell us to avoid his example.
When you read the Bible, be aware of how the characters are portrayed. By their description, choices, and dialogue, we receive instruction in how to flee temptation by remembering that Jesus is our escape (1 Cor 10:6-13). If you still have the chance to see The Avengers, do so, and become a better Bible student.
