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”
How the Bible MeansHow the Bible Means
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)
How the Bible MeansHow the Bible Means
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
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
How the Bible MeansHow the Bible Means
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
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
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.
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
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 the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
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
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
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
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
How the Bible MeansThe Bible is God’s word in human words
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
How the Bible MeansHow the Bible Means
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?