The Interpretive Journey/ Joshua 1: 1-9

The Interpretive Journey

The importance of the Bible.

People read the Bible because it is a fascinating book filled with gripping stories and challenging exhortations. People read it because it is an important book dealing with the big issues of life--God, eternal life, death, love, sin, and morals. People read it because they believe that in the Bible, God speaks to them through written words. The Bible encourages us, lifts our spirits, comforts us, guides us, chides us, builds us up, gives us hope, and brings us close to the living God.

Is the Bible easy to understand?

Some parts of the Bible are easy to understand, but much of it is not. Most Christians, however, desire to understand all of God’s Word, not just the easy portions. Many of us want to be able to dig deeper into that Word. We want to see more and to understand more of the biblical text. We also want to know that we understand the Bible correctly. That is, we want to be confident that we can pull the actual truth out of a text and not just develop an arbitrary, fanciful, or incorrect interpretation.

What do you want to discover when you open the Bible?

Why is the Bible so complicated to understand?

The process of interpreting and grasping the Bible is similar to embarking on a journey. Reading the text thoroughly and carefully lies at the beginning of the journey. From this careful reading, we become able to determine what the passage meant in the biblical context—that is, what it means to the biblical audience. Often, however, when we try to apply this meeting directly to ourselves, we run into problems. We are separated from the biblical audience by culture and customs, language, situation, and a vast expanse of time. These differences form a barrier—a river that separates us from the text and that often prohibits us from grasping the meaning of the text for ourselves.

How do you interpret Scripture? Take me through your interpretation process.

Any attempt to interpret and apply the Bible involves trying to cross the river. While often unconscious of their interpretive method, many Christians today nonetheless frequently employ an intuitive or feels-right approach to interpretation. If the text looks as if it could be applied directly, then they attempt to apply it directly. If not, then they take a spiritualizing approach to the meaning. Or they simply shrug their shoulders and move on to another passage, ignoring the meaning of the text altogether.

Such approaches will never land us safely on the other side of the river.

Intuitive/Feels-right approach

Wade in thinking it's knee-deep, but wind up in deep water and washed ashore.

Spiritualizing approach

Try to jump the river in one grand leap only to fall in and wash ashore

Shrugging/Ignoring approach

Remain on the far side of the river and simply gaze across without even attempting to cross.

Basics of the Journey

We do not create meaning out of a text; rather, we seek to find the meaning that is already there. However, we recognize that we cannot apply the meaning for the ancient audience directly to us today because of the river that separates (culture, time, situation, covenant, etc.).

We do not create meaning out of a text; rather, we seek to find the meaning that is already there. However, we recognize that we cannot apply the meaning for the ancient audience directly to us today because of the river that separates (culture, time, situation, covenant, etc.).

Step 1: Grasping the Text in their own town

Question: What did the text mean to the biblical audience?

The first step is to read the text carefully and observe it. In step 1, try to see as much as possible in the text. Look, look, and look again, observing all that you can see. Scrutinize the grammar and analyze all significant words. Likewise, study the historical and literary contexts. How does your passage relate to those that preceded and those that follow it? After completing all of this study, synthesize the meaning of the passage for the biblical audience into one or two sentences. That is, write out what the passage meant for the biblical audience. Use past tense verbs and refer to the biblical audience. Be specific. Do not generalize or try to develop theological principles yet.

Step 2: Measuring the Width of the River to cross

Question: What are the differences between the biblical audience and us?

The Christian today is separated from the biblical audience by differences in culture, language, situation, time, and other factors. These differences form a river that hinders us from moving straight from meaning in their context to meaning in ours. The width of the river, however, varies from passage to passage. Sometimes it is extremely wide, requiring a long, substantial bridge for crossing. Other times, however, it is a narrow creek that we can easily hop over. In this step, look for significant differences between our situation today and the situation of the biblical audience. If you are studying an Old Testament passage, also be sure to identify those significant theological differences that came as a result of the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Step 3: Crossing the Principlizing Bridge

Question: What is the theological principle in this text?

The theological principle is part of the meaning of the text. Your task is not to create the meaning but to discover the meaning intended by the author. As God gives specific expressions to specific biblical audiences, he is also giving universal theological teachings for all of his people through these same texts. Try to identify any similarities between the situation of the biblical audience and our situation. After reviewing the differences and identifying the similarities, return to the meaning of the biblical audience that you described in step one and try to identify a broader theological principle reflected in the text, but also one that relates to the similarities between us and the biblical audience. In essence, the theological principle is the same as the theological message or the main theological point of the passage. The principle should be reflected in the text. The principle should be timeless and not tied to a specific situation. The principal should not be culturally bound. The principal should correspond to the teaching of the rest of scripture. The principles should be relevant to both the biblical and the contemporary audience. Write out the theological principle (or principles) in one or two sentences. Use present-tense verbs.

Step 4: Consult the biblical map

Question: How does our theological principle fit with the rest of the Bible?

Reflect back and forth between the text and the teachings of the rest of Scripture. Is your principal consistent with the rest of Scripture? Do other portions of Scripture add insight or qualification to the principal? If your principal is valid, it ought to fit or correlate with the rest of the Bible. If you’re studying an Old Testament passage, consulting the biblical map is especially important, for here, you will run your theological principle through the grid of the New Testament, looking for what the New Testament adds to that principle or how the New Testament modifies it, if at all.

Step 5: Grasping The Text In our town

Question: How should individual Christians today live out the theological principle?

In step five, we apply the theological principle to the specific situation of individual Christians in the church today. We cannot leave the meaning of the text stranded in an abstract theological principle. We must now grapple with how we should respond to that principle in our town. How does it apply in real-life situations today? While for each passage, there will usually be only a few (and often only one) theological principle[s] relevant for all Christians today, there are numerous applicational possibilities. This is because Christians today find themselves in many different specific situations. Each of us will grasp and apply the same theological principle and slightly different ways, depending on our current life situation and where we are in our relationship with God.

The Interpretive Journey – In Review

Step 1: Grasp the text in their town. What did the text mean to the original audience?

Step 2: Measure the width of the river to cross. What are the differences between the biblical audience and us?

Step 3: Cross the principlizing bridge. What is the theological principle in this text?

Step 4: Consult the biblical map. How does our theological principle fit with the rest of the Bible?

Step 5: Grasp the text in our town. How should individual Christians and Christian communities today live out the theological principles?

Joshua 1:1-9 – The interpretive Journey

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Setting/Theme

Moses has passed and the Israelites are transitioning to new leadership. They are about to mount a military campaign to claim the promised land. Joshua, the long time assistant to Moses has been tasked to take over as the spiritual, prophetic, and military leader of the Hebrews.

The theme: Be courageous, follow God’s Word. God will be with you.

Moses [bondservant] - Ebed (servant owned by another, a minister) vs. Joshua [Servant/assistant] - Azar (partner, protector, bodyguard)

The Promise of God’s presence!

I will be with you/I will not leave you. [vs. 5 (three ways God says the same thing. Parallel. One is an affirmative promise and next two are promises of denial.

WITH - 72q (SN 5973) ʽim – actively with (BDB), suggesting direct, vibrant participation between people who impact each other.

LEAVE - it gives the sense of muscles not failing. God’s muscles won’t fail.

FORSAKE - to abandon. God will not abandon you.

The Call to Be Strong and Courageous!

Imperative that appears 3 times. The first as in command, the second as a restated command and the third as a positive question.