How the Bible Means Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D. Department of Religious Studies John Carroll University

How the Bible MeansHow the Bible Means

Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.

Department of Religious StudiesDepartment of Religious Studies

John Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll University

How the Bible MeansWhat is “Revelation”?

How the Bible MeansWhat is “Revelation”?

an “objective” view: God makes known the divine an “objective” view: God makes known the divine reality and will reality and will viavia an explicit message an explicit message exact formulation (doctrine) is content of revelationexact formulation (doctrine) is content of revelation intellectual knowledge of God’s truths is object of revelationintellectual knowledge of God’s truths is object of revelation faith outcome is assent of the mind to these divine truthsfaith outcome is assent of the mind to these divine truths

a “subjective” view: God makes self & will known a “subjective” view: God makes self & will known viavia an interpersonal relationshipan interpersonal relationship establishing relationships with human beings is vehicle for revelationestablishing relationships with human beings is vehicle for revelation the Divine Self is the content of revelationthe Divine Self is the content of revelation faith outcome is a personal commitment in response to the God who faith outcome is a personal commitment in response to the God who

revealsreveals

How the Bible MeansQueries:

How the Bible MeansQueries:

1: How did you come to know your best friend? By 1: How did you come to know your best friend? By hearing things about the person? Or by entering into a hearing things about the person? Or by entering into a relationship with the person?relationship with the person?

2: Are there “things” that you know about your friend? 2: Are there “things” that you know about your friend? E.g., can you describe that person to another? Can you list E.g., can you describe that person to another? Can you list her/his character traits? Can you tell stories that illustrate her/his character traits? Can you tell stories that illustrate what kind of person your friend is?what kind of person your friend is?

3: Will this description, list, or set of stories convey 3: Will this description, list, or set of stories convey everything your friend is? If someone wants to really everything your friend is? If someone wants to really understand & know your friend, what would you suggest?understand & know your friend, what would you suggest?

How the Bible MeansThe Paradox

How the Bible MeansThe Paradox

the revealing God is the revealing God is beyond human knowing,beyond human knowing,

YetYet God is active within God is active within

human history as Revealerhuman history as Revealer what is one illustration of each what is one illustration of each

of these two statements?of these two statements? what do you see as the what do you see as the

implications of each of these implications of each of these two statements?two statements?

How the Bible MeansIs the Bible God’s Revealed Word?

How the Bible MeansIs the Bible God’s Revealed Word?

The “revealed Word of The “revealed Word of God” isGod” is, in its fullest , in its fullest sense, sense, the human person, the human person, Jesus, the ChristJesus, the Christ

We also find God’s Word in:We also find God’s Word in: Jesus’ words & deedsJesus’ words & deeds Jesus’ words & deeds in the Jesus’ words & deeds in the

proclamation of the apostles proclamation of the apostles (= the (= the kerygmakerygma))

the Bible, a written record the Bible, a written record of the apostolic of the apostolic proclamationproclamation

So, the Bible is So, the Bible is derivativelyderivatively “God’s “God’s word”word”


Saying “The Bible is Saying “The Bible is God’s Word” means God’s Word” means by reading the Bible, by reading the Bible, we can come to know we can come to know the God Who Revealsthe God Who Reveals

Q: Do you agree or Q: Do you agree or disagree? Why? disagree? Why?

How the Bible MeansClaim 1: reading the Bible, we can know God the Revealer

How the Bible MeansClaim 1: reading the Bible, we can know God the Revealer

Biblical stories illustrate how God interacts with the world, Biblical stories illustrate how God interacts with the world, especially human beingsespecially human beings

The stories of God’s activities provide directions for The stories of God’s activities provide directions for understanding characteristics of God (e.g., God as giving, understanding characteristics of God (e.g., God as giving, loving, faithful, merciful)loving, faithful, merciful)

Biblical theologians present their interpretations of events Biblical theologians present their interpretations of events and of God’s role in themand of God’s role in them

They also present their own ideas of God, which give us They also present their own ideas of God, which give us further directions for understanding (i.e., knowing-in-further directions for understanding (i.e., knowing-in-relationship)relationship)


Claim 2: Claim 2: The Bible is The Bible is God’s Word God’s Word in human in human wordswords

Q1: Do you agree or Q1: Do you agree or disagree? Why?disagree? Why?

How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words


This is the official teaching of the RC ChurchThis is the official teaching of the RC Church God did not write the Bible; God “inspired” God did not write the Bible; God “inspired”

human authors to write the Biblical materialshuman authors to write the Biblical materials ““inspiration” = guidance, not dictationinspiration” = guidance, not dictation the authors aimed their messages so they would be the authors aimed their messages so they would be

understood by their own audience (i.e., the one at understood by their own audience (i.e., the one at the time when it the text was written)the time when it the text was written)

their meaning may not be at all obvious to us nowtheir meaning may not be at all obvious to us now


T he B ib le is G od's W ord in H um an Language

C ultura lE xpectations

Language

E conom icS tatus

S oc ia lS ituation

P atterns ofB ehav ior

C om m on Ideasof the T im e

H um anA uthor



Q2: What are the implications of this statement?Q2: What are the implications of this statement? A1: Human beings of different times and places wrote the A1: Human beings of different times and places wrote the

Biblical stories, laws, etc.Biblical stories, laws, etc.



there were many human authors to the Biblethere were many human authors to the Bible each book of the Bible each book of the Bible (and often even (and often even

different passages within the same Biblical book) different passages within the same Biblical book)

iis a distinct composition s a distinct composition written on its own written on its own and for its own unique purposeand for its own unique purpose

these writings were not produced for the these writings were not produced for the collection we call the Bible collection we call the Bible (= “the books, the (= “the books, the library”)library”)



How then do we read the Bible?How then do we read the Bible? remember that the human author chose the images and remember that the human author chose the images and

shaped the language of each textshaped the language of each text learn the social, cultural, economic and historical context learn the social, cultural, economic and historical context

of each text of each text understand the language and use of images in each textunderstand the language and use of images in each text ask what each author ask what each author assumedassumed due to cultural factors due to cultural factors ask what each author ask what each author might have omitted might have omitted from the text due from the text due

to social, cultural, or historical factorsto social, cultural, or historical factors



e.g., “Jesus’ words” are the sayings of Jesus e.g., “Jesus’ words” are the sayings of Jesus the way the way they are recalled they are recalled by the Biblical authorby the Biblical author

the authors changed the impact of Jesus’ sayings by the authors changed the impact of Jesus’ sayings by collecting them and reporting them collecting them and reporting them seriatumseriatum, without , without mentioning their original contextmentioning their original context

the authors adapted Jesus’ sayings to new situationsthe authors adapted Jesus’ sayings to new situations the authors inferred from Jesus’ teaching and deeds the authors inferred from Jesus’ teaching and deeds

what he would have said or done in a new situation, and what he would have said or done in a new situation, and wrote their stories showing thiswrote their stories showing this



Why not God’s Why not God’s DictatedDictated words? words? Exegetes from II CE onward have noticed, Exegetes from II CE onward have noticed,

e.g., that the four gospels have contradictory e.g., that the four gospels have contradictory details about the life and deeds of Jesusdetails about the life and deeds of Jesus Tatian’s Tatian’s DiatessaronDiatessaron (Harmony of the Four Gospels, ca. (Harmony of the Four Gospels, ca.

150) rejected as wrong strategy150) rejected as wrong strategy Each evangelist offers something unique and significant Each evangelist offers something unique and significant

for understanding the person and message of Jesusfor understanding the person and message of Jesus

How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in Human words

How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in Human words

Contradictions exist in Contradictions exist in the Biblical text, but the Biblical text, but God cannot err or be God cannot err or be contradictorycontradictory

Thus, variations and Thus, variations and contradictions must arise contradictions must arise elsewhereelsewhere

The human authors are the The human authors are the only other source for the only other source for the Biblical textsBiblical texts

The assumption of The assumption of early authorship of the early authorship of the gospels is not valid:gospels is not valid:

No gospel was written No gospel was written during Jesus’ lifetimeduring Jesus’ lifetime

The earliest gospel was The earliest gospel was finished 40 years after finished 40 years after Jesus’ deathJesus’ death

evangelists were not evangelists were not eyewitnesses of Jesuseyewitnesses of Jesus


All the gospel material All the gospel material originated in Oral originated in Oral tradition tradition

Variations in the Variations in the gospel reports are due, gospel reports are due, at least in part, to at least in part, to variations in the oral variations in the oral tradition which tradition which underlie the textsunderlie the texts

Oral TraditionOral Tradition the “rule of three”the “rule of three” re-contextualizationre-contextualization habit of “relocating” habit of “relocating”

eventsevents acquisition of namesacquisition of names acquisition of detailsacquisition of details mnemonic devicesmnemonic devices

How the Bible Meansdepends upon how we read

How the Bible Meansdepends upon how we read

Four Common Reading Strategies:Four Common Reading Strategies: historicist or literalistic readinghistoricist or literalistic reading public reading in churchespublic reading in churches inspirational/spiritual readinginspirational/spiritual reading scholarly or analytical methodscholarly or analytical method

How the Bible Means historicist or literalistic reading

How the Bible Means historicist or literalistic reading

read the Bible text to learn facts read the Bible text to learn facts about Jesus’ life: “It happened about Jesus’ life: “It happened just like it says.”just like it says.”

take every text as historically take every text as historically factualfactual

add together the details of add together the details of history and doctrine from all history and doctrine from all the various Biblical booksthe various Biblical books

confidence in knowing what confidence in knowing what God expects of youGod expects of you

certainty that the Bible can certainty that the Bible can answer any questionanswer any question

How the Bible Meanspublic reading in churches

How the Bible Meanspublic reading in churches

direct proclamation of living direct proclamation of living word to contemporary audienceword to contemporary audience

may include some background may include some background data in expositiondata in exposition

show that interpretation of show that interpretation of Scripture must be done from Scripture must be done from within the community of within the community of believersbelievers

discover meaning of text for discover meaning of text for individual-in-communityindividual-in-community

insight into contemporary insight into contemporary meaning of textmeaning of text

How the Bible Meansinspirational/spiritual reading

How the Bible Meansinspirational/spiritual reading

meditative or meditative or imaginative strategiesimaginative strategies

begin with “face value” begin with “face value” of text and engage it of text and engage it with the imaginationwith the imagination

discover personal discover personal meaning for me (as an meaning for me (as an individual) todayindividual) today

find emotional comfort find emotional comfort and personal challengeand personal challenge

How the Bible Meansscholarly/analytical method

How the Bible Meansscholarly/analytical method

reminds us that Jesus’ time and reminds us that Jesus’ time and culture are foreign to usculture are foreign to us

provides background for provides background for understanding Jesus in his own understanding Jesus in his own social & historical context social & historical context

uncovers the fresh and uncovers the fresh and distinctive message of Jesusdistinctive message of Jesus

supplements other ways of supplements other ways of reading the Biblereading the Bible

shows that the Bible raises shows that the Bible raises important important questionsquestions for us as for us as well as providing answerswell as providing answers

How the Bible Meansdepends upon how you read

How the Bible Meansdepends upon how you read

Q1: What do you see Q1: What do you see as the advantages of as the advantages of each of these reading each of these reading strategies?strategies?

Q2: What is the Q2: What is the “cost” of each reading “cost” of each reading strategy?strategy?

Documents

How the Bible Means Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D. Department of Religious Studies John Carroll University