The Seven Deadly Sins of Bible Interpretation

[aineo]

A former pastor of mine, a man for whom I have great respect, posted this on Facebook today:

Avoid the 7 Deadly Sins of Bible Interpretation:
1. Choosing to preserve relationships rather than obey the Bible.
2. Feeling that the Lord is "leading" in a way that contradicts Scripture.
3. Following the "consensus" among Christians that contradicts the Bible.
4. Explaining away the Bible as figurative, allegorical or metaphorical.
5. Dismissing the Bible as obsolete.
6. Thinking "The Holy Spirit is doing a New thing" and thus jettisoning the teachings of Scripture.
7. Individualizing Scripture to what it means "to me" while dismissing what it means period.

In 2017 let's avoid these Deadly Sins and instead
Hear the Word
Meditate and understand the Word
Obey the Word

(The list of 7 adapted from Mark Galli in Christianity Today)

I've never had the discussion about polygyny with this man - we rarely cross paths anymore, but I find this to be a great segue into a discussion on the topic.

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The problems come when we start thinking of the Bible as an inspirational book instead of The very Words of The Living God.

 

[Verifyveritas76]

Not sure how far I'd take this, but in the same vein of thought, the Golden Rule of Biblical Study: When common sense makes good sense, seek no other sense! Dr Billy Kanoy.

 

[Verifyveritas76]

There's a post on here somewhere about 6 levels of Biblical authority that I found interesting and would be a good link to this post.

In addition to those, I have added my own additional filters that I use when studying.
In no particular order of authority.
1 Direct Exclusions,
2 Implied exclusions
3 Patterns & pictures
4 First & Last mentions
5 Historical context
6 Cultural norms and maxims /idioms
7 Grammatical context
8 Language/Translation/Dictionary comparison.
9 Traditional confirmation (documented)
10 Sequences and benchmarks/ connect the dots.

 

[Verifyveritas76]

11 Defining a word by how it is used in other passages (original and English)

 

[NetWatchR]

4 First & Last mentions

I have never been a big fan of this one. It is too easily thrown about to ridiculous ends. If it can be used with such ease for false teachings, what good is it for teaching truth? It has no power.

Examples of first mentions:

• Polygyny = Lamech
• Shoes = Moses and the burning bush
• Crying = Abraham when Sarah died

I've heard whole sermons built around each of these things, their ever important meanings and spiritual significance. Blaggh! Every word ever uttered was spoke for the first time at some point. Every script scribed was scribbled for the first time somewhere. Maybe it was significant, maybe it wasn't.

One of my pet-peeves. I digress. Carry on.

 

[Verifyveritas76]

I know this is probably a can of worms and I don't have time to do it justice this a.m. before I head out the door, but here it is anyway

Polygyny. Let us make man in our own image (triune???)
Male and female created He them. Gen 1:27
Gen 2:20
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
And the LORD God causeda deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the fleshinstead thereof;
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, madehe a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Can't explain it to my own satisfaction, but strictly taking it as written/translated

 

[FollowingHim]

Polygyny. Let us make man in our own image (triune???)

Not a reference to polygyny.
For one, the relationships among the Godhead are not marriage.
Secondly, the word "us" does not necessarily imply a trinity, for instance historically many Christians have also held a binitarian view (God = Father + Son, Holy Spirit is a force not a person). While scripture mentions the "seven spirits of God", just to confuse the matter even further. Or, the word "us" can simply be used by a single individual as a statement of their rank (the "royal we"). I'm not making a particular point about the nature of God, just saying that it is inappropriate to jump from "us" to "three" and then think it's about polygyny - this is more complex than that.

I think you're over-thinking it. There is no "law of first mention". Just leave it at that, the rest of your points were good!