2 different churches 2 interpretations
As I was listening to a Nooma video I'm doing for small group this week I decided to get out my "Velvet Elvis" book to help me with preparing what to talk about One of the questions in the Nooma is "Is it ok to have different interpretations of the Scriptures?" I started to think about this question more because of the fact that I attended church this weekend at two different churches with 2 very different styles
"teacher" vs "preacher" The chapter on "Yoke" actually helped me with this
"The idea that everybody else approaches the Bible with baggage and agendas and lenses and I don't is the ultimate in arrogance. To think that I can just read the Bible without reading any of my own culture or background or issues into it and come with a "pure" or "exact" meaning is not only untrue, but it leads to a very destructive reading of the Bible that robs it of its life and energy."
The key I think is individual wrestling with the word of God
"Because when you wrestle with the text, you walk away limping And some people have no limp because they haven't wrestled But the ones limping have had an experience with the living God"
So today I have been wrestling and questioning and limping
"teacher" vs "preacher" The chapter on "Yoke" actually helped me with this
"The idea that everybody else approaches the Bible with baggage and agendas and lenses and I don't is the ultimate in arrogance. To think that I can just read the Bible without reading any of my own culture or background or issues into it and come with a "pure" or "exact" meaning is not only untrue, but it leads to a very destructive reading of the Bible that robs it of its life and energy."
The key I think is individual wrestling with the word of God
"Because when you wrestle with the text, you walk away limping And some people have no limp because they haven't wrestled But the ones limping have had an experience with the living God"
So today I have been wrestling and questioning and limping
posted by Rochelle @ 6:38 PM
3 Comments:
At 7:34 PM,
Mike said…
There is probably no dead on interpretation of much. What we really have to understand is that in a room of 100 Christ followers there is going to be 100 different kinds of Christianity. Personal experience plays heavily into what kind of lens we see through. Most people would try to deny that religion is subjective, but they are fooling themselves. If it is not subjective then why do so many people stress the importance of a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ?"
At 9:44 PM,
Grafted Branch said…
Hi. Happened upon your post by searching the word, "yoke."
Good thoughts. There is much cultural history that goes into the nuances of both the Old and New Testaments.
We have to be careful though, that our personal relationship with Christ moves us toward an ever-increasing understanding that it is ALL about HIM. There may be many different interpretations, but there is only one God, and in the end -- one interpretation will stand. We can trust that He will give wisdom to those who truly seek and submit to His Spirit.
Today we see through a glass, dimly, but then face to face!
Keep studying and wrestling and limping. God bless.
At 12:17 AM,
darker than silence said…
That book is absolutely amazing. I loved the chapter on interpreting the scriptures as well.
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