What is the Bible about? Are there central storylines or themes that tie each book of the Bible together? That tie the whole of Scripture together? And does recognizing such storylines and themes aid us in properly interpreting a given passage of Scripture that we come across during devotional reading, Bible studies, or sermons?
I think that the intuitive answer to each of those questions is “yes.” Most of us have had the experience of having something we have said taken out of context. Just a couple of days ago I was speaking with a friend, and one of us described a headache as “feeling like someone kicked you in the head.” A third person approached us just at that moment and heard nothing but “kick you in the head.” He correctly inferred that he must have missed the context. But had he taken it out of context, he could have come to some awful conclusions about the speaker’s character and intentions.
Taking things out of context can lead to interpretations and conclusions that fall wide and short of the mark. That much appears obvious from everyday experience. So why would we make the same mistake when interpreting a text in the Bible? A paragraph surrounds every sentence. An epistle or gospel or some other genre of literature surrounds every passage. The Bible, the grand story of God working in history to redeem humanity and restore His creation in Jesus Christ, surrounds every book in the canon.
We cannot properly understand any portion of Scripture without placing it in its immediate textual context and its context within its book. Otherwise we will miss what the human author intended. And ultimately we need to understand texts in their context in the whole of Scripture. Otherwise we will miss what the Divine Author intends.
That is a fine sounding idea. In principle I agree. But what should I do when confronted with a particular text? There are several tools we can use to help us, tools we will think about in subsequent posts. But in my estimation (though admittedly limited and fallible), most of our goings astray in interpreting Scripture would be corrected merely by being aware that there is a bigger context into which each passage fits. That may sound oversimplified, but it seems to me to be true. The matter of context seems to be where many a Bible study, sermon, or book goes astray. So just being aware of context is helpful.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
God's glory and our joy
Last night, on the final evening of Vacation Bible School at Adirondack Bible Chapel, I spoke to 20 or so teenagers for about a half-hour on Matthew 13:44.
I hoped they would understand that in Jesus Christ there is more joy to be found than in anything else or anyone else we might desire. We started by thinking about what is most valuable to us, whether a possession, a relationship, or an aspiration. Whatever it is, what is so valuable to you that if you lost it, you would be devastated? And I went on to suggest that there was something to be found -- or someone -- still more to be treasured.
This very brief parable of Jesus has at its center a treasure for which a man sells everything he has. I asked why the man did that. The text tells us: the Greek can be translated "in his joy" (NIV, ESV) or "out of joy for it" (similar to NASB). The point is the joy. He wanted the treasure because of the joy it brought him.
So often when talking to teenagers -- and to adults and children for that matter -- we speak of spiritual matters as if rules and living righteously were at the heart of Christianity. I do not mean to suggest that rules and righteous living are unimportant; but if we think they are the heart of our faith then we find ourselves in agreement with the Pharisees and Judaizers. Or we try to scare kids into the kingdom of heaven through threats of hell. I do not mean to suggest that the threat of hell is unimportant; but the Scriptures present us with more than the option of torment versus non-torment. Or we beat teens over the head with truth. I do not mean to suggest that absolute truth is unimportant (ask someone who has disagreed with me on a point of theology or philosophy about that); but there is a Person behind truth who is Himself Truth.
Ultimately we all do what we desire to do. I think this is a reality Jesus recognizes throughout His teachings and especially in this parable. We all ultimately pursue what we think will make us happy. And that is not necessarily wrong -- in fact I would argue that it is part of how we are made. The issue is not whether to pursue joy and happiness or not; rather the issue is what will actually give us lasting, strong, unshakable, and eternal joy. What I wanted desperately, what I was praying that these teenagers would grasp as the Spirit of God quickened their hearts, is that pursuing joy is okay. But the only place to find the deep joy that our hearts yearn for is by knowing God. God Himself is the treasure for which we joyfully sell everything we have.
But there is a problem. We cannot come up with the payment due to purchase the joy God offers. The price He requires is wholehearted, every-moment devotion to Him. And I cannot pay that price -- none of us can. Not only so, but I am already in debt beyond my ability to repay because of my sin, because I continually look in other places to satisfy the craving in my soul for happiness and satisfaction, thereby alienating the God who created me and earning His wrath. Everyone finds themselves in the same state. None of us can buy the field.
So someone else will have to buy it for us. The Father sent the Son to become a man named Jesus. He lived the perfect, wholehearted life for God that I have not lived. By dying as my substitute, as the substitute for all who turn from their idolatry and turn toward Him in faith, He satisfied God's wrath. He rose from the dead. He paid my debt and credited me with His perfect life. Now the treasure is mine. God's Spirit is now at work in me making me more like Christ and enabling me to know increasingly the joy and love that exists between the Father and the Son.
We were made for joy. Those who trust in Christ have been redeemed and re-created for joy (see for starters Ps 27:4; 37:4; 42:1-5; 63:1-3; 73:25-26; 84:10; Hab 3:16-18; Jn 10:10; 15:11; Gal 5:22; Phil 2:1-3; 4:4-6; I Pet 1:3-9). When we rejoice in God, we declare Him to be that which is most valuable, most lovely, most praiseworthy, most glorious, most satisfying in all the universe. Ultimately God's glory in us and our joy in Him through Jesus Christ are one and the same. Christians have known this through the ages. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You" (Confessions I.1). The 17th century pastor Jeremy Taylor once said, "God threatens terrible things if we will not be happy." The Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever" (WSC 1). John Piper has said it so many times: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
This is the type of faith that endures when houses, friends, family, jobs, and even churches are lost. This is the type of faith that does not need to turn to sin for happiness, but rejoices in obedience to God regardless of circumstances. Joy is not optional. God demands it of us for our own good. This is the faith toward which He has been drawing me again over the past two months up here in the mountains. It is the faith I desire for those teenagers. And it is the faith for which I hope you, dear reader, yearn as well.
I hoped they would understand that in Jesus Christ there is more joy to be found than in anything else or anyone else we might desire. We started by thinking about what is most valuable to us, whether a possession, a relationship, or an aspiration. Whatever it is, what is so valuable to you that if you lost it, you would be devastated? And I went on to suggest that there was something to be found -- or someone -- still more to be treasured.
This very brief parable of Jesus has at its center a treasure for which a man sells everything he has. I asked why the man did that. The text tells us: the Greek can be translated "in his joy" (NIV, ESV) or "out of joy for it" (similar to NASB). The point is the joy. He wanted the treasure because of the joy it brought him.
So often when talking to teenagers -- and to adults and children for that matter -- we speak of spiritual matters as if rules and living righteously were at the heart of Christianity. I do not mean to suggest that rules and righteous living are unimportant; but if we think they are the heart of our faith then we find ourselves in agreement with the Pharisees and Judaizers. Or we try to scare kids into the kingdom of heaven through threats of hell. I do not mean to suggest that the threat of hell is unimportant; but the Scriptures present us with more than the option of torment versus non-torment. Or we beat teens over the head with truth. I do not mean to suggest that absolute truth is unimportant (ask someone who has disagreed with me on a point of theology or philosophy about that); but there is a Person behind truth who is Himself Truth.
Ultimately we all do what we desire to do. I think this is a reality Jesus recognizes throughout His teachings and especially in this parable. We all ultimately pursue what we think will make us happy. And that is not necessarily wrong -- in fact I would argue that it is part of how we are made. The issue is not whether to pursue joy and happiness or not; rather the issue is what will actually give us lasting, strong, unshakable, and eternal joy. What I wanted desperately, what I was praying that these teenagers would grasp as the Spirit of God quickened their hearts, is that pursuing joy is okay. But the only place to find the deep joy that our hearts yearn for is by knowing God. God Himself is the treasure for which we joyfully sell everything we have.
But there is a problem. We cannot come up with the payment due to purchase the joy God offers. The price He requires is wholehearted, every-moment devotion to Him. And I cannot pay that price -- none of us can. Not only so, but I am already in debt beyond my ability to repay because of my sin, because I continually look in other places to satisfy the craving in my soul for happiness and satisfaction, thereby alienating the God who created me and earning His wrath. Everyone finds themselves in the same state. None of us can buy the field.
So someone else will have to buy it for us. The Father sent the Son to become a man named Jesus. He lived the perfect, wholehearted life for God that I have not lived. By dying as my substitute, as the substitute for all who turn from their idolatry and turn toward Him in faith, He satisfied God's wrath. He rose from the dead. He paid my debt and credited me with His perfect life. Now the treasure is mine. God's Spirit is now at work in me making me more like Christ and enabling me to know increasingly the joy and love that exists between the Father and the Son.
We were made for joy. Those who trust in Christ have been redeemed and re-created for joy (see for starters Ps 27:4; 37:4; 42:1-5; 63:1-3; 73:25-26; 84:10; Hab 3:16-18; Jn 10:10; 15:11; Gal 5:22; Phil 2:1-3; 4:4-6; I Pet 1:3-9). When we rejoice in God, we declare Him to be that which is most valuable, most lovely, most praiseworthy, most glorious, most satisfying in all the universe. Ultimately God's glory in us and our joy in Him through Jesus Christ are one and the same. Christians have known this through the ages. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You" (Confessions I.1). The 17th century pastor Jeremy Taylor once said, "God threatens terrible things if we will not be happy." The Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever" (WSC 1). John Piper has said it so many times: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
This is the type of faith that endures when houses, friends, family, jobs, and even churches are lost. This is the type of faith that does not need to turn to sin for happiness, but rejoices in obedience to God regardless of circumstances. Joy is not optional. God demands it of us for our own good. This is the faith toward which He has been drawing me again over the past two months up here in the mountains. It is the faith I desire for those teenagers. And it is the faith for which I hope you, dear reader, yearn as well.
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