“HOW WE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE”

 

TEXT: II Peter 1:19-21.

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

1& Hot Topic Today

 

        A.        “Hermeneutics”

 

                1.        Science of Biblical interpretation

 

a. Binding not binding.

 

B.     Cause of unrest

               

2&      Historical problem:

 

A.     1906

 

        B.        Two diverse views:

 

1. Silence prohibits vs Silence authorizes

 

a. Two major issues:

 

1) Instrument & Missionary society

 

                                        a)        Other issues insued.

 

3&      Tonight

 

A.     How do we interpret scripture?

 

                1.        What is prohibited, What is expedient?

 

 

DISCUSSION:

 

1þ      THERE IS A BIBLICAL PATTERN.

 

A.     Biblical interpretation begins with pattern:

 

1. Pattern for Adam and Eve

 

2.                Pattern for Noah’s ark

 

3. Pattern in 10 commandments!

 

4. Pattern for the tabernacle

 

5. Pattern for the true tabernacle, the church!

 

                        a.        H                                            

Heb 8:1-4

                                II Tim 1:13

                                Rom 6:17

 

                        b.        “My” church…Christ’s!

 

1) Moses built the tabernacle by Divine blueprint.

 

2) Jesus built his church by Divine blueprint.

 

3) “His” church, his authority and headship alone determines…

                                        a)        Matt 28:18-20

                                                Eph 1:22

 

2þ      SILENCE IS PROHIBITATIVE.

 

        A.        “Blueprint” authorizes only what it specifies.

 

                1.        Can’t add to or take away…

 

                        a.        Deut 4:2

                                Prov 30:6

                                Rev 22:18,19

 

2. Things not included in the pattern cannot be bound.

 

a. Told to assembly and when;  Not told where.

 

b. Told to sing; Not told the tempo, the notes, the leader, number of songs, etc.

 

c. We are told to pray; Not told the length of the prayer.

 

1) Told “who” is to lead public prayer:

 

a)                I Tim 2:8-15.

 

3þ  THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS IN THREE WAYS.

 

        A.        DIRECT COMMAND:

 

                1.        Clear, concrete authorization            

 

2.        Matt 28:18-20

John 14:15

John 14:31. “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father…”

I Tim. 4:11. “Command and teach these things…”

                        I John 2:3. “…by this we know that we have…”

I John 5:2,3. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments…”

 

3.                Command is governed by covenant agreement:

 

a.                O.T. – Jewish covenant -

 

1) We are not included

 

2) Jewish commands not binding

 

3) Example: Contractor enters a covenant or agreement to build a house:

 

a) If it is not my house, I am not bound by that contract, nor do I receive the benefits entailed in it.

 

4.                But Christians are still under a covenant—Christ’s covenant: 

 

a. Contains both conditions and promises.

 

                        a.        II Pet 1:3-11.

 

        B.        APPROVED EXAMPLE:

 

                1.        Great binding lessons are taught by examples.

 

                        a.        I Cor 10:6-11.

 

                2.        Christ’s example is binding.

 

a. Rom 15:1. “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves…” 

 

1) Why?

 

 

 

a) V. 3. “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,  ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.’”

 

5.                J.D. THOMAS said in his book Harmonizing Hermeneutics that an approved example was:

 

a. “Any New Testament example that implies an underlying command…Stated simply, if the early Christians understood that they were required to do something, their example indicates that we have to do it.”

 

b. Some binding; others circumstantial.

 

                        c.        Acts 20:7 - A binding example.

 

1) Illustrates when and the purpose of the  assembly.

 

        C.        NECESSARY INFERENCE:

 

1. A logical, necessary conclusion drawn from a command or an approved example.

 

                        a.        Example:

 

1) “Baptism” by definition means immersion.

 

2) All New Testament examples illustrate  immersion,

 

3) Necessarily inferred that anything other than immersion is not valid baptism.

 

                        b.        Example:

 

1) Only command or example we have in the New Testament for music in worship is singing.

 

2) And since the New Testament church has a pattern, and since a pattern demands that silence on a matter is prohibitive, it can be necessarily inferred that instrumental music is prohibited in the worship of the church, because it is not expressly authorized.

 

2. Certain things not specifically mentioned are condemned by inference.

 

a. Gal 5:19. “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…”

 

3. Anything that is not an addition to a command of the Lord or does not take away from a command of the Lord, but merely aids in carrying out that command is inherently authorized.

 

a. For example, we are commanded to assemble on the Lord’s Day with the saints, but we are not told a specific time nor is there an example of one type of meeting place.

 

1) Inferrence: The time is a matter of expediency and we can rent a meeting place, build a meeting place or meet in the open air or in a home.

 

b. Any aid that does not add another kind of music into worship than singing is inferred to be scriptural.

 

1) Song book, tuning fork, pitch pipe, song leader, etc.