6: View Scripture Through Scripture (Read it Right - Part 3) - MCI

This is week 6 of our series entitled, “Trusting the Word of God”, where we have & will continue to explore how the Bible came to be and why it’s trustworthy.

Today we dig in deeper as we discover 1 more rule that will help us READ the Scriptures RIGHT.

RULE #1: Never read a Bible verse.

When you only hear a PIECE of the story, you might not get the POINT of the story.

Context is the KEY to understanding what the text means.

So, we should read everything surrounding the verse, not just the verse.

Otherwise, people can manipulate and mangle what the Scriptures mean - bending the Bible to their beliefs rather than bending their beliefs to fit the Bible.

RULE #2: Author & Audience before Application.

We must remember that the Scriptures weren’t written TO US, but the Scriptures were written FOR US.

Cultural Differences: The original author & audience spoke a different language and lived on a different continent over 2000 years ago. We must place ourselves in THEIR context instead of transporting them to OUR CONTEXT.

Literary Differences: “I read the Bible like we do the sports page - trying to understand the intent of the author.” Is it POETRY, HISTORY, or METAPHOR? We read POETRY in a different way then we read HISTORY, and what about METAPHORS?

“It’s raining cats & dogs.” But what about the Chinese person just learning English?

“I have butterflies in my stomach” It would be silly to ask - how BIG were they? What COLOR are they? UNLESS…you are a master of Dad jokes!

RULE #3: View Scripture Through Scripture

The Scriptures give us real life examples.

Matthew 18:15-20 Confront, discipline, & restore the sinful brother/sister.

So what does that look like in real life? See confront & discipline 1 Cor. 5:1-5 & restoration in 2 Cor. 2:5-11.

The Scriptures give us clarity when it’s confusing.

There are some parts of the Bible that are tough to interpret. When we come to these areas we should...

Read what is UNCLEAR in light of what IS CLEAR.

Example: Many Christians quote John 14:12 where Jesus says: “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” (CSB)

As we read the Scriptures, outside of the apostles of Jesus - to whom He was talking in John 14, not many Christians were able to perform miracles. Certainly NO ONE - including the apostles did GREATER MIRACLES than Jesus. The apostles never walked on water nor raised someone from the dead after 4 days. We don't see them again feed over 5000 with a boy's lunch.

These greater works cannot refer to greater quality, but greater quantity. Jesus could only be in one place at one time, but the apostles & their disciples would take the gospel to the planet in the power of the Spirit. They would certainly do great miracles, as we see in Acts.

On the other hand, while Jesus had many people check Him out, and several hundred follow Him, we see the apostles on Pentecost Sunday, participate in watching over 3000 bow their knees to King Jesus (something that never happened while He walked the earth)! This is greater in quantity, not quality. Jesus had taken His message to Israel, but later used His disciples to take His message (and miracles) to the world (Acts 1:8), by the indwelling and empowering of the Spirit (as seen in Acts). The “greater works”, while at times accompanied by miracles, are now MILLIONS of saved souls!

We also have more clarity when we Recognize what is described vs prescribed. Many times the Scripture is DESCRIBING what THEY DID DO, without PRESCRIBING what WE SHOULD DO.

Example: David & Solomon had many wives. Is that what God told them to do? NOPE. It is NOT PRESCRIBING what we SHOULD DO, but DESCRIBING what they DID DO. And things didn’t end well. MEN need to NOTE: Marrying more than 1 woman at the same time WILL NOT end well.

The Scriptures reveal the Character of our CREATOR.

Throughout the Scripture we see God both bringing JUDGEMENT and extending MERCY.

OLD TESTAMENT

God brings JUDGEMENT against the enemies who fought against His people. But God also extends MERCY by sparing people who deserve judgement.

JONAH

God sends Jonah on a month-long journey to his arch-enemies in Nineveh, the Assyrian empire. He could have sent Jonah anywhere, but He sends him OVER 600 miles, to the same people who ripped God’s people out of Israel and took them captive. WHY THEM?

Of course, Jonah has a slight detour in a story that sounds quite fishy to me.

Jonah brings a message of JUDGEMENT, but when people turn from their sin and God spares the whole city (MERCY)!

JERICHO

God destroys Jericho & everyone there (JUDGEMENT),

BUT GOD rescues all of Rahab’s family (Heb 11:30-31) & she is later in the family tree of Jesus as one of his great great great great grandmothers (see Matt. 1:5)! (MERCY).

GOD DESTROYS WORLD WITH FLOOD

When the people of Noah’s day disobey God after years of warnings, God destroys them in the flood (JUDGEMENT),

BUT God shows MERCY to Noah & his family.

NEW TESTAMENT

HUMBLE PROSTITUTES & TAX COLLECTORS VS PRIDEFUL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Jesus forgives prostitutes & tax collectors who ask for MERCY, BUT Jesus brings scathing JUDGEMENT & drops the hammer on religious leaders who reject Him (Matt. 23 & Jn. 8).

PETER DENIES & IS RESTORED

Remember when Simon Peter denies that he knows Jesus…3 times!

Simon Peter immediately leaves and weeps bitterly (Mt 26:75) - a picture of repentance.

Jesus forgives Simon Peter’s denial of Him as he repents (MERCY),

ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

BUT God drops a married couple dead when they lie to God & His servants (JUDGEMENT - Acts 5:1-11).

JESUS

Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is beaten to a bloody pulp and paraded before Romans and Jews like he was the worst of the worst kind of criminal.

Jesus dies on the cross as God JUDGES SIN, to make full payment for anyone who will turn from their sin and turn to Him for MERCY…but the warning of JUDGEMENT is attached as well.

John 3:16–18 (CSB)

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

BUT...Jesus - the same one who died on the Cross offer MERCY, will ultimately JUDGE those who reject His forgiveness...throwing them into HELL for eternity where they will pay for their sins (JUDGEMENT - Matt. 25:31-34).

Matthew 25:34, 41 (CSB)

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...“Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

This is NOT Bible Buffet. We can’t take the part we like - MERCY - and leave the part we don’t like - JUDGEMENT.

So….How can we make sure we read it RIGHT?

Never Read a Bible Verse

Author & Audience before Application

View Scripture Through Scripture.

Now, let’s put these 3 principles to work in John 10. The most well known and often quoted verse is John 10:10. Here it is by itself.

John 10:10 (NET 2nd ed.)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

RULE #1: Never Read a Bible Verse (Context)

Here’s the CONTEXT from John 9: Jesus has healed a blind beggar on the Sabbath. Jesus spit on the ground and made mud and then rubbed it on the man’s eyes. Jesus then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Viewing Scripture THROUGH Scripture, this is similar to what Elisha did with Naaman - who had leprosy (2 Kgs 5). As Naaman’s obedience by dipping in the water resulted in his healing, so too the blind - when he washed his eyes from the pool - COULD SUDDENLY SEE!

The neighbors asked how he could suddenly see. The man said that JESUS healed him. Problem is, the now healed blind man, could NOT recognize Jesus because he had only heard Him, but not seen Him.

When the neighbors brought the man to the Pharisees and asked how he was healed, he told them the same story. When asked who he thought Jesus was, he replied “He is a prophet.” (Jn 9:17)

The Pharisees refused to believe that Jesus, whom they called a sinner, could have performed performed a legitimate miracle from God.

John 9:24–25 (NET 2nd ed.)

Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.” He replied, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing—that although I was blind, now I can see.”

The Pharisees refused to believe the blind man’s story and when he continued to defend Jesus,

John 9:31–34 (NET 2nd ed.)

We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him. Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They replied, “You were born completely in sinfulness, and yet you presume to teach us?” So they threw him out.

John 9:35–38 (NET 2nd ed.)

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, so he found the man and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man replied, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus told him, “You have seen Him; He is the one speaking with you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him.

John 9:39–41 (NET 2nd ed.)

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, and the ones who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”

Then Jesus uses an illustration that everyone of that day would have understood.

RULE #2: Author & Audience before Application

John 10:1–3 (NET 2nd ed.)

“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

* Notice who the thief and robber is - a person who climbs in some other way.

John 10:4–6 (NET 2nd ed.)

When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice.” Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

BUT…every believer who knows his/her shepherd should know when it is the good shepherd versus a stranger who is a thief and robber. HOW? Sheep are so often near their shepherd that they know his voice. So should YOU.

HOW do we HEAR His voice?

A few years back I was at a large gathering and heard a well known Christian author spend an hour trying to convince people that they should consistently hear the AUDIBLE voice of Jesus due to this text.

This passage is NOT teaching that every believer should hear the audible voice of Jesus 2000 years later.

Instead, we should be trusting God’s LIVING Word - the Lord Jesus - revealed through the Scriptures.

John 10:7–9 (NET 2nd ed.)

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Permanent sheepfolds were built for shepherds to use them at night, when predators & thieves were most likely to show up. Sheepfolds often had thorns put on the top of the walls, while the shepherd would BE THE GATE - the protector of the sheep.

Now, in context…here’s the verse we started with...

John 10:7–10 (NET 2nd ed.)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

While many Christians have memorized John 10:10 and think it’s contrasting Jesus to the Devil, but Jesus has been contrasting Himself, not to the devil, but to some of the Pharisees (Jn 9:13-34) who were blind guides and didn’t care about the ‘sheep’. We appreciate this better when we apply…

RULE #2: Author & Audience before Application

Then Jesus said of Himself…

John 10:11–15 (NET 2nd ed.)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. Because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep, he runs away. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Now, you’ve GOT to see this.

This shepherd/sheep language was KNOWN to the audience. And when we apply...

RULE #3: View Scripture Thru Scripture

it will make even more sense!

Ezekiel 34:23–24 (LSB)

Then I will establish over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them; he will shepherd them himself and be their shepherd. And I, Yahweh, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, Yahweh, have spoken.

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy as David was king 400 years before this letter was written. The Scriptures are clear that the Messiah would be in the family lineage of King David, and JESUS was! (Mat. 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9; Mk 10:47-48, 12:35; Lk 18:38-39, 20:41)

John 10:16 (NET 2nd ed.)

I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.

* Mormons say this speaks of Jewish people who Jesus visited in the Americas. But when we view Scripture through Scripture we see how many nations & ethnicities follow Jesus (Read Acts).

Galatians 3:26–28 (NET 2nd ed.)

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Paul isn’t telling Christians to dismiss the diversity God has given us - NO - we celebrate the diversity! We are still Jew or Greek (Gentile), male & female, employer & employee, but that we are to recognize that we are ONE in JESUS!

Finally, we conclude today’s teaching with these last words from Jesus on the heels of healing the blind man.

John 10:17–18 (NET 2nd ed.)

This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

So, what are WE to apply from this 2000 years later?

FEET2FAITH

BE GRATEFUL: Thank Jesus our Good Shepherd, the One who laid down His life for his sheep - including us! And He lives! Because of that, we should...

BE FAITHFUL: Listen to the voice of Jesus by reading the Scripture right. That is how we judge whether or not other ‘voices’ are from God or not. All others are imposters. Are you LISTENING to Him…or to someone who DID NOT lay down his/her life for you?

PRAY

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These open-ended questions are designed to help you LIVE what you LEARN w/ Family, Friends, or Small Group.

What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? You might need to look back in your notes to help explain your answer.

The Bible gives us real life examples. Some of these are examples we SHOULD follow, while others are examples for us NOT to follow. Name a few we SHOULD follow and some we SHOULD NOT follow.

How does reading what is CLEAR help us with passages that are UNCLEAR? (Remember our example of John 14;12). How does asking whether this is DESCRIBED or PRESCRIBED help us with difficult passages?

Have you ever heard someone say, “The Old Testament God is a vengeful God, but the New Testament God is a loving God”? Discuss some of the examples of JUDGEMENT & GRACE in the Old and New Testament, and how these might help you point others to the character of our Creator?

Restate the 3 Rules of Interpretation. Which one of these benefits you the most in interpreting Scriptures? Give your reasons.

Read John 9-10:21, Ezekiel 34:23-24, & Galatians 3:36-38. How do the 3 rules of interpretation help you to better appreciate what Jesus was saying to his audience and claiming about Himself?

Share prayer needs and pray for one another.