Why can’t Bible scholars agree on how to interpret the Bible?

It is true that there is wide spectrum of opinions when it comes to interpreting the Bible. Different opinions are not unique to biblical studies – scholars disagree about how to interpret Plato or Hume – but the disagreement is often far more pronounced amongst biblical scholars. One reason for this is that people have a lot invested in the results of biblical scholarship.

If the Bible is the Word of God, and contains ethical and spiritual instruction, then understanding the message is very important. So no wonder people sometimes disagree. If there are certain things I need to do or believe to be saved then that is a big deal and I will want to make sure I have understood those things correctly.

There is always a danger that we try and interpret the Bible to suit our own beliefs rather than letting it speak for itself. For example, if I believe that Christians need to keep the Sabbath I will put a lot of emphasis on those passages which talk about the importance of the Sabbath, and maybe play down those passages which say that the Law no longer applies.

The other danger is that we bring our own presuppositions to interpreting the Bible. For example, if I believe that miracles our impossible (perhaps because I am a materialist or because I think that God does not intervene directly in the world) then I am unlikely to interpret the miracle-stories in the Bible literally. I might choose to interpret them allegorically or regard them as simply false. But that is not what the Bible is saying, that is simply my interpretation of the Bible. Scholars often disagree about the interpretation of the Bible because their presuppositions disagree.

A good bible scholar should reveal his presuppositions and be consistent. He or she cannot simply pick and choose, saying that bit is literal and that bit is allegorical. First he or she should decide how to tell the difference between what is allegorical and literal, and then apply that principle to interpreting the bible.

In summary, bible scholars disagree because they have a vested interest in certain interpretations being true and because they approach the bible with different presuppositions. This is the position that we all find ourselves in. The best we can do is be honest with ourselves and ask why do I believe such-and-such, and is that actually what the Bible is saying?
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Rob J Hyndman

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Were allowed to willfully break the Law of Moses

Stephen Schwer has a very good question, which we are also been asked often.

Where in the Bible were people allowed to willfully break the Law of Moses to suit a higher purpose?

For example, Joseph in Matt 1:19 is 'just' for not obeying Deut 2: 23 and Num 5: 12-22. David was allowed to eat from table of shewbread in 1 Sam 21: 4-6. The disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath in Luke 6: 1 etc. Others?

Tim Brumby ‎2Kgs5:18-19 Naaman (a Syrian - so not sure if this is consistent with other examples you might have) and the temple of Rimmon

Where in the Bible were people allowed to knowingly and willfully break the Law of Moses to suit a higher purpose? For example, Joseph in Matt 1:19 is 'just' for not obeying Deut 2: 23 and Num 5: 12-22. David was allowed to eat from table of shewbread in 1 Sam 21: 4-6. The disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath in Luke 6: 1 and were defended by Jesus. Any other examples please?

Phil Poggo There were the 7 daughters who challenged Moses that they would not get an inheritence - God actually chaged the law to accomodate them!Madeleine Schwer Maybe 2 other examples are when Jesus touched lepers & dead bodies, and "cursed was he that hung on a tree" Gal.3 v 13 & Deut.21 v 22-23 . xo:)Mike Szabo I don't know if this qualifies, but Moabites were not allowed into the household of faith until the 10th generation and Ruth was taken in immediately based on her faith.Phil Poggo Jesus 'made out' that he was going to walk further on the road to Emmaus - did the means justify the end?

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2014 January update:

 

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A new exodus and offering of a Lamb

Lord's Evening Meal Instituted.

Over 15 centuries after the Exodus, on Nisan 14 of the year 33 C.E., Jesus gathered with his 12 apostles in Jerusalem to celebrate the last valid Passover, and then, having dismissed the traitorous Judas, he proceeded to institute the memorial of his death by means of the Lord's Supper, or Evening Meal. (Matthew 26:17-30; 1Corinthians 11:23-25)
Before Nisan 14 passed, he died as the Lamb of God.

On Nisan 16, the day the priest at the temple waved the firstfruits of the barley harvest, Jesus, as the firstfruits of the resurrection, was raised up to life again. (Luke 23:54-24:7; 1Corinthians 15:20).

What do we have to do? Remember?

In obedience to Christ's instructions, "Keep doing this in remembrance of me," the 14th day of Nisan continues to be observed by his followers till this day as the time for memorializing Christ's death. (Luke 22:19, 20)

The Hebrews began their day in the evening, after sunset, and ended it the next day at sunset. The day, therefore, ran from evening to evening. "From evening to evening you should observe your sabbath." (Levites 23:32) This follows the pattern of Jehovah's creative days, as indicated at Genesis 1:5: "There came to be evening and there came to be morning, a first day." (Compare Daniel 8:14).
The Hebrews were not the only ones who reckoned a day from evening to evening; the Phoenicians, Numidians, and Athenians also did so. The Babylonians, on the other hand, counted the day from sunrise to sunrise; while the Egyptians and the Romans reckoned it from midnight to midnight (as is commonly done today).

Was Jesus Religious

Jesus showed an adamant indifference to dogmas, systems, priestly sacrifices, altars with emphasis on outward forms - including fasting and the sabbath, which were part of the law of Moses.

It is noteworthy that while Paul referred to his life as a Pharisee as “the strictest sect of our religion,” he never refers to his faith in Christ as religion. While he at least once referred to pagans as religious, he never describes Christians that way. No writer of the New Testament even hints of Jesus introducing a new religion.

> Read >

Was Jesus Religious? - Leroy Garrett

Do we need to keep the Sabbath

Is there still a difference between the days of the week? For most of the people every day looks the same. People want to have the shops, bars and places of entertainement open 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Sporting and other events are held on any day from Monday to Sunday.

Those who keep most to a sacred day in the week seem to be the Muslims who do not skip their Friday prayer.
We can wonder if God has commanded that there should be kept one day in the week by abstaining from all forms of self-indulgence? Should this then be the first, or seventh, a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, a special day of the week? Do the Jewish sabbath day laws have any meaning for today's society? Should they be kept by followers of Christ?

Quite apart from religious belief, most people accept that the pattern of five or six days of work, followed by a shorter period of relaxation or rest, is a healthy one. They would soon complain strongly if their employer suddenly decided to require them to work with no weekly break at all! It is not the pattern of work and rest that creates the difficulty. The question focuses on what men and women can or should do on their day of rest, and which day of the week that should be.

Did God say people would be punished for not resting on the seventh day? Was there a pattern of work and rest enforced for the nation of Israel?
Six days of gathering and one day of rest? We do find such an example in Genesis. Did God's activity in Creation became the example for His nation? Can we say that by resting on the sabbath, man would identify himself with God, and with the completion of His creation, when He was able to review "everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31)?

Did God provided the sabbath to confer benefits on anyone who was oppressed-it was "made for man"  and do you need to keep the Sabbath?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

- The Sabbath, NOT Sunday, is divinely ordained and must be kept.
- In Christ, every day is a Sabbath day, not just one day.
- Sunday is now the Sabbath for Christians.
- Keeping the Sabbath or not is irrelevant to a Christian.
- Don't know

Go to Do you need to keep the Sabbath? to give  your reply at This is yourbible.

Holy Sabbath

Dutch version / Nederlands > Stille zaterdag

Beginning of the Sabbath

“It was Preparation Day, so in order to prevent the bodies’ hanging on the cross during the Sabbath (for the Sabbath was a great day) the Jews begged Pilate to have the legs broken, and the bodies taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who had been crucified with him. But upon coming to Jesus they saw that he was already dead, and did not break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a lance, and immediately blood and water flowed out. And he who saw it has borne testimony, and his testimony is trustworthy, and he knows that he is telling the truth in order that you may believe. For this happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Not one of his bones shall be broken. And again another Scripture says, They shall look on him whom they have pierced.” (Joh 19:31-37 MONTNT)

 Jesus in the grave

“Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good man and a righteous, he who came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and who was on the watch for the kingdom of God. He had not concurred in the designs and deed of the council. This man went to Pilate, and begged for the body of Jesus. Then taking it down, he wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb hewn in the rock, where no man has ever been laid.” (Lu 23:50-53 MONTNT)

“Nicodemus also (the one who visited Jesus by night, at first) came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing nearly a hundred pounds. So they took the body of Jesus and wound it in linen with the spices, according to the Jewish mode of burial. There was a garden near the place where Jesus had been crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. Here, because of its being Preparation Day, and as the tomb was near by, they placed Jesus.” (Joh 19:39-42 MONTNT)

“And it was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was near at hand. Then the women who had accompanied him out of Galilee followed after, and noted the tomb, and how his body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.” (Lu 23:54-56 MONTNT)

“and Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching to see where he was laid.” (Mr 15:47 MONTNT)

Communion and day of worship

* Do Christadelphians keep Communion?
Yes. They usually call it the Breaking of Bread (Acts 2:42). The Lord Jesus has commanded us to meet together regularly to break bread and drink wine, in memory of his sacrifice until he comes back. The bread represents his body, and the wine represents his blood (1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 6:53-56).

* Why is it necessary for us to break bread and drink wine?
(a) Baptism is described as a new birth. A growing child needs food at regular intervals. The breaking of bread is a symbolic meal, which provides us with spiritual food.
(b) In baptism our past sins are forgiven, but our weak human nature cannot stop sinning. The breaking of bread service reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ and gives us opportunity to ask for the forgiveness of our sins again.
(c) By the breaking of bread we are reminded of the vows we made at our baptism. It is a time for rededication. It reminds us that Jesus, though now in heaven, will come back to the earth.
(d) The Breaking of Bread also strengthens our fellowship with our fellow believers. We are told not to stay away from the assembly of believers, but to be present as an encouragement to those who share our beliefs. To stay away from the believers’ assembly is to wilfully sin (1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Acts 2:42, 46, Hebrews 10:24-25).

* Must we break bread and drink wine on any special day?
No. The breaking of bread was instituted on a weekday evening. Jesus said we should keep it ‘often’, but he did not say how often, or on which day. The early disciples usually kept this ceremony on ‘the first day of the week’ - Sunday. For most people nowadays, Sunday still seems to be the most convenient day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26).

* What other services do Christadelphians hold?
They hold meetings for preaching the true gospel and for studying the Bible. Christadelphian meetings usually include hymns, prayers, and Bible readings. These should be supported as much as possible (Hebrews 10:24,25).

* Must we keep the Sabbath Day?
No. Jesus fulfilled the law of the Sabbath (Matthew 5:17). When God gave the fourth commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day …” (Exodus 20:8) He was providing one day a week rest from the curse placed on Adam to work “all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17). For those who trusted God and kept the Sabbath, He made a special provision to sustain them (Exodus 16:22-24). To reject God’s Sabbath, therefore, was to refuse God’s gift of grace. But Jesus came as God’s gift of grace to all who believe in him. He performed God’s work on the Sabbath and declared himself ‘Lord of the Sabbath’ (Matthew 12:5-8; John 5:17). Jesus removed the burden of the curse of Adam (Matthew 11:28-30; 6:31-33). Now all days become a sabbath to the true Christian for whom God has prepared an eternal Sabbath of rest (Hebrews 4:8-10).
Some like to set aside a special day or special moments for dedication to God. This is good, and the principles for doing this are explained in Romans 14:5-9.

* Should a Christian pray every day?
Yes. God wants us to pray to Him regularly. Jesus gave a parable to teach that men ‘ought always to pray and not to lose heart’. Christians who do not pray soon lose contact with God. The Lord Jesus sometimes spent whole nights in prayer. Prayer should be a very important part of our lives too. Jesus Christ is our High Priest in the presence of God, and we pray to God through Christ (Luke 18:1; Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 6:12; James 5:16-18; Romans 12:12; Acts 2:42; Revelation 5:8).


- From the CBM booklet Preparing for baptism # The Christian Life

> Sabbath according to the Scriptures
> The Breaking of Bread
   To take the emblems of Christ's sufferings and sacrifice is the highest honour which a man or woman could have.
Along with prayer and Bible reading, regular obedience to Christ's command to break bread and drink wine in memory of his sacrifice is vital. "This do in remembrance of me", Jesus commanded (Luke 22:19). It was his wish that his followers should regularly do this until his second coming, when Jesus will share the bread and wine with them again (1 Cor. 11:26; Luke 22:16--18).

also of interest > Ecclesial Life

In Dutch:

> Avondmaal des Heren
> Teken van het verbond
> Sabbat of zondag
> Zondagrust of sabbatviering