Mining the Bible for Better than Gold en Honey (1 of 2)

Dear Saints,

Brief review:

#1. One gets more from the Bible when It is esteemed as better than gold en honey. See Psalm 19:10; Psalm 119: 72, 103, 127; Proverbs 16:16.

#2. One gets more from the Bible when God opens the mind (faculties) to understand His Word. See Luke 24:45, Psalm 119:18, Acts 16:14.

#3. One gets more from the Bible when it is correctly handled (straight, bold, bright, clear, clean cuts v. twisted distortions). 2 Timothy 2:15, Isaiah 55:11, 2 Peter 3:16.

#4. One gets more from the Bible when one does much of their own digging and discovery. See Proverbs 25:2, Acts 17:11, Matthew 11:25, Colossians 3:16.

#5. One gets more from the the Bible by acknowledging the bias/filter of tradition and theological preferences.

Here's a Verse: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. And He said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!” (Mark 7:7–9). Supporting Witnesses include: Titus 1:14, Romans 10:2.

If one approaches Scripture as a hammer, then all one sees are nails. I'm not asking for so-called deconstruction or disrespect of rich (esp. time-honored, fruitful) traditions. But Scripture is infallible not our traditions and theological preferences. And if not careful, tradition and preference can keep one from seeing The “whole” Truth.

In the Verse quoted above the Talmud (“normalized” writings of the rabbis) largely displaced the Torah (the Law/first five Books of the Bible) and Tanakh (the whole Old Testament). Oh, we do it too, often folks quote far more from their theological “hero” than they do from Jesus, Paul, Isaiah, David, etc.

Now sometimes tradition is used in a positive sense, e.g. 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 3:6; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Acts 2:42. Ah, but that was apostolic tradition (not contemporary Bible teachers) and those “traditions” largely became the New Testament.

What are some common biases or leanings we should at least be aware of and account for? Where do you place emphasis? Love or truth? (Philippians 1:9), Word or Spirit? (John 4:24), individual or church? (Hebrews 10:25), Word or prayer? (Acts 2:42, 6:4), relational unity or doctrinal unity? (Ephesians 4:3, 13), Red Letters or Black Letters? (2 Timothy 3:16), subjective or objective? (Romans 10:2, James 2:19), faith or works? (James 2:26), worship or preaching? (Acts 2:43, 4:31), reverence or comfort? (Acts 9:31), God's sovereignty or man's responsibility? (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21, 39; Philippians 2:12–13, Colossians 1:29; 1 Corinthians 15:10).

There are many more pairings. And most would acknowledge “both/and.” But where one places emphasis is where most blind spots and discord manifests. One will truly be more balanced to the degree they can set aside bias before God's Word. Push a bias far enough and it becomes a ditch to die in and not a “pathway of righteousness.” I try to acknowledge my bias to the extent I can play iron-sharpens-iron as solitaire. One may not always find balance with another perspective, but a lot fewer ears may needlessly fall to the ground while patience is employed.

One more point: Do you tend to cherry-pick or sound bite Scripture or search it out line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little (rf. Isaiah 28:10)? Francis Frangipane has a quote I have never forgotten: ‘The underlined & highlighted portion in your Bible is the Word/Jesus you know; those vast unmarked sections are aspects of Him one needs yet to get to know.’ The greatest bias is truncating, abridging the Bible to favorite Passages and ignoring “the whole counsel of God,” e.g. Acts 20, 27; 2 Timothy 4:2. To illustrate this, I'll often self-efface and say: ‘Amazing how the Holy Spirit generally seems to lead me to my favorite Verses.’ Beloved, we all have biases and, hence, blind spots.

#6. One gets more from the Bible looking for Jesus.

Here's a Verse: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39–40). Supporting Witnesses include: Luke 24:27, 44.

Yes, look for Jesus. He is ultimate Treasure of Scripture. So, look for the Incarnate Word in the Written Word. But we don't want to overtly force Jesus into every Verse which tends to allegorizing and fanciful speculations. Rather pay attention to plain Christophanies, pre-figures, types & shadows, allusions to Christ.

But when I commend looking for Jesus, I also mean the arc of God’s redemptive work, pointers to the cross, the Gospel.

Moreover, beyond the technical, I mean a disposition of heart that metaphorically-speaking is sitting at the feet of Jesus (rf. Luke 10:39)! May it never be one sits in judgment as arbiter, as critic, as editor. God forbid we negotiate with The Truth as presumptive equals! May we never lord over it as if its master!

One indication of having found Jesus in the Bible is if it leaves us progressively conformed to His image. I think of 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Finally, I think of worship as having found Jesus. Paul writes a magnum opus, a masterful treatise of the Christian faith in Romans 1:1–11:32 at which point he breaks out in praise: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? “Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?’ For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.” (Roman 11:33–36). O beloved, mine the Bible in such a way that theology ushers in doxology!

#7. One gets more from the Bible looking for (not forcing) an encounter and transformation.

Here is the Verse (O I love this): “For the Word of God is living and active (quick and powerful), sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). Supporting Witnesses include: John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26, Jeremiah 23:29.

The Word is surgery; the Word is a cleansing; the Word is a breaking of hard, recalcitrant attitudes and ideas. What I mean by the notion of encounter is when reading the Word, the Word is much more so reading and diagnosing me—a lil ouch and a lil ahhhh!

#8. One gets more from the Bible not settling for less than love.

Here's a Verse: “Those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Supporting Witnesses include: 2 Timothy 4:3–4, Romans 1:20–22.

Beloved, often the issue is NOT knowing The Truth, often the issue is NOT believing The Truth, the issue IS not loving The Truth. Often, we understand the Bible just fine; we are not confused. The real issue is simply not loving The Truth.

I know when I've hit this juncture. My mind and heart know The Truth in focus, and they believe the The Truth in focus. And I say: “I oughta do that.” Warning! Red Alert! Lockdown! Now why is that? Because my “oughta” isn't that powerful (rf. Romans 7:19–20). I may get by with that once or twice but never three times.

Sometimes the Verses we know best need the most time. It's called: Helper help! I know it, I believe it, help me love it!!! It is called Romans 7:24–25!

In our final session we'll go from preparation to practice. We'll explore specific mining techniques under the broad categories of observation, interpretation, and application. But please know that I do not repent for spending two nights on prerequisites, not at all. But thank you for your patience all the same. In the long run, we'll unearth far better than gold en honey, far more, by approaching the Bible aright.

In such glad hope,

tIM

PS. WHY??? “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4).