Biblical, Schmiblical – What does "biblical" mean and why should I care?

Greeting / Open the message in prayer

Continuing our series called Foundations for Evangelism. Today we are going to talk about what does “biblical” really mean. Much like Tad’s sermon on the cannon a few weeks ago, this sermon is going to be more teaching focused that is usual for us.

It seems to go without saying “biblical” and evangelism go hand-in-hand. So, why am I preaching about it? If we are going to tell people about the God of the Bible, we should probably make sure what we are saying is correct to the best of our ability.

[Example] Me going through OT scripture when I was a young Christian - find things that sounded good and then holding on to them because they were “biblical.”

How I explained the Bible to people 20 years ago would definitely be different than how I explain things today. I didn’t have anyone to give me the tools, or the guidance necessary to help me think through some of the stuff that was presented to me as being “biblical” and that I parroted to others as being “biblical.” I lacked discernment, and, I bought into some common understandings of certain scriptures that were not correct. We, as disciples of Christ, must do better.

Picking up from Don’s sermon a couple of weeks ago, 2 Tim 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

There is no question about the importance of Scripture, but we must always remember that Scripture was written for us, but not to us. It was written to a particular people, in a particular culture, at a particular time in history. This requires that we spend a little time understanding what it was saying to them, so we can understand what it is saying to us.

So, is something “biblical” just because it is in the Bible?

Discuss our culture - “biblical” is everywhere..

Biblical Leadership

Biblical investing

Biblical justice

Biblical foods

“And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them. (Eze 4:9 ESV) (bread of witness against Israel)

And, how about

Biblical voting?

Confused yet? If you are, that makes two of us - it can be a bit overwhelming when you think about it.

What does the word “biblical” really mean?

A standard dictionary definition is:

Biblical: Of, relating to, or contained in the Bible.

I think most of us hearing that definition would probably say, “Yup - I think that is a pretty descent definition.”

For now, lets roll with that definition - just keep it in mind as we explore this issue.

Tonight, I’m just going to take two pieces of Scripture for this message - one OT and one NT. What we’re going to do is take a look at these examples and how they are generally understood, then we are going to look at a tool to help us better interpret scripture, and then take another look at those examples and see if the common understanding holds up on review. Make sense?

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This verse is plastered all over Facebook, Pinterest and living room walls.

In general, this verse is often presented as a comfort verse that “good things are on the way for you” or “God has plans to prosper you.” Implying that if you believe in “God,” all things are going to go good for you because God has a plan for your life - and it is for you to prosper!

But, how else are we supposed to read this? The Bible says it, it’s there in black-and-white - “plans to prosper me.” I can stand on the promise that God has a plan to prosper me - its biblical, right?

Can you see some ways this understanding might cause harm? Might be abused?

Now, let’s look at what is probably the most quoted NT verse after Jn 3:16:

Philippians 4:13 ESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

The understanding here is that, with God on your side, you can accomplish anything - It is a rallying cry for human ambition - I can climb any mountain, press harder and faster, cross any sea, because Christ strengthens me.

Again, how else are we to read this - it is in black-and-white - I (me) can do all things; not some things, not a few things, but all things. Its biblical, right?

Can you see ways this understanding might cause harm? Might be abused?

OK, lets set those two verses aside for a few minutes and talk about this idea that the Bible was written for us, but not to us.

Today, I’m going to introduce you to a tool from some training called Bible Pathways. It is program designed to help pastors in remote areas, but it is useful for our topic today - so I’m just going to introduce the very basics. This process is not new - in fact it is quite old - but this is just a simple way to remember some of these foundational things for studying Scripture.

At the top of this triangle you see “God’s message” i.e. Scripture. In the lower right you see “Original readers” and in the lower left you see “Us.”

Remember me saying Scripture was not written to us? Does that bother you? It shouldn’t, and I’m going to explain why. Scripture was written to a people, in a place, in a time, in a particular culture. It was written for the “Original readers.” Yet, our tendency is to want to go straight from “God’s message” to “Us” and cut out the middleman - the “Original reader.” That is easy to do...

When we take that shortcut, we almost always end up taking text out of context and violate the #1 cardinal rule for understanding the Bible - CONTEXT. When we, in our time and culture, reach into the Bible and “cherry pick” verses - we inevitably use them improperly and try to make them mean or say things never intended.

So, our first goal is to keep Scripture in context. Understand what kind of writing it is - history? prophecy? wisdom? poetry? song, epistle, gospel? What do the verses or chapters before and after the text say? And, most importantly, what does the text actually say? Are certain words or concepts repeated?

The second goes hand in hand with the first, and that is to try to understand what the text was saying to the “Original reader.” As best as you can, try to understand what the text meant to the original reader in their own context. Was it written to the Jews in exile or was it written to early Christians suffering under persecution? Was it written to convey a history of origins or was it written as song or poetry.

How do we do this? We start by observing - what does the text actually say? And we ask good good questions about the text - What is the passage talking about - what is the subject? What is the passage saying about the subject?

Once we have looked and determined what the passage is talking about, and what it is saying, then we need to look at the context - what comes before for the passage, and what comes after. What bigger picture do we see when looking around the verse. (remember - not originally written with chapters and verse)

Once we have done this, then we ask “How would the Original Reader have understood this section of scripture?” What was the writer communicating to them?

Whatever was being communicated, whatever is the main idea, the main principle - THAT is what you take and apply to us, what you apply to our context, that is what transcends time and cultures - and it helps prevent misreading of the text.

Remember, Scripture was written for us, but not to us. We need to look for the idea or principle that was being communicated in their culture, so we can understand it and then apply that idea to our culture. Make sense?

Now lets go back to our verses. For the sake of time I cannot fully go step by step through this process (good exegesis takes time - good bible study takes time), but lets go back and take a look at these verses - starting with Jeremiah 29:11. I will simply, and briefly, walk through the outline in your bulletin.

Open your Bibles to Jeremiah 29.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

welfare ESV / peace KJV

What does the text actually say? “the plans I have for you”

Ask good questions.

· What is the passage talking about? What is the subject? A plan - particularly God’s plan

· What is the passage saying about the subject? The plan is for prospering, not harm / peace not evil - for the purpose of hope/future - expected end.

· What comes before the verse/passage; what comes after? What is the bigger picture? (Go to the text) -Quote from a letter from God to the exiles telling them He is going to bring them home to Jerusalem.

What was the text saying to the Original Reader? What would they have understood? God is going to bring us back to Jerusalem. He is going to bring us back to home to Him. (and it is a good thing we are in exile - see vs. 17 on)

What was being communicated? Despite their circumstances - have hope, put your trust in God. He is in control.

(the “you” is not an individual, it is a people) In the bigger picture, God is saying the Jews are still going to be a people - His people - despite what they see. They are not going to be like the other cultures Babylon destroyed.

How does that relate to us today? The easy one is - No matter your circumstances, put your trust in God; He is in control. You could stop right there and you’ve done a good job.

But, I think there is even a bit more here. We are living in exile, foreigners in a foreign land, this world is not our home. Just like the exiled Jews in Babylon were not home yet, neither are we. Just like they suffered in a culture war, so are we. And, just like them, we can trust that God is going to bring us home to Him.

So, does Jeremiah 29:11 mean that “good things are on the way for me” or “God has plans to prosper me?” No. And, moreso, this verse is not about me - it is about GOD and HIS faithfulness.

Do you see how when we try to jump from Scripture directly to Us and cut out the Original Reader we open ourselves to an improper understanding of the text? It becomes very easy to have a God-centered text become a man-centered text when we don’t take the time to do the legwork of understanding the original reader - when we don’t Stop. Observe. Think and Pray.

Philippians 4:13 ESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Ask good questions.

· What does the text actually say? “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

· What is the passage talking about? What is the subject? Is the subject “I” or is it “Him” or… is it “all things?” Yes? (hold on to this for a minute - it isn’t clear yet)

· What is the passage saying about the subject? If the subject is “all things,” what are the “all things?”

· What comes before the verse/passage; what comes after? What is the bigger picture? (vs 4-9)

· Who is the Original Reader? (1:1)The “saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. People like you and I, true companions - loyal Syzygus - loyal yokefellows of Paul and Timothy.

What was the text saying to the Original Reader?

· What would they have understood? Through the power of Jesus they can do/will be able to put into practice “all things” = “pas” or “all” - referring back to vs 4-9 - no matter your circumstance.

What "big idea" / "main point" was being communicated to the Original Reader? Jesus will enable us to do the things Jesus has called us to do - being joyful, reasonable, no anxious - focused on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise

· How does that apply to us today? In the same way it applied to the Original Reader. Jesus will enable us to do the things Jesus has called us to do - being joyful, reasonable, no anxious - focused on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise

So, is this verse a rallying cry for human ambition? Is it telling you and me that no matter what we face, or what we think we can’t accomplish, that we can because of Jesus? Is this verse even about ME? NO! This verse is about Jesus. It is about following JESUS. It is an encouragement that JESUS will provide the power we need to follow HIM.

Again, just like in the Jeremiah passage, do you see how when we try to jump from Scripture directly to Us and cut out the Original Reader, and take the text out of context, we open ourselves to an improper understanding of the text? An improper application of the text. How it becomes very easy to have a God-centered text become a man-centered text when we don’t take the time to study our Bible well.

To wrap up, let’s go back and take a look again at our standard dictionary definition of Biblical:

Biblical: Of, relating to, or contained in the Bible.

Do you still think this is a sufficient definition for the term “Biblical?” If not, what would you change?

Of, relating to, or contained in the Bible as understood by, or in the context of, the Original Reader and applied to the world today.

Biblical, Schmiblical

What does it mean and why should I care?

I think we now understand what it means. Why should I care? We care about God; because we care about God, we care about His word; because we care about His word, we want to learn from it, we want to treat it with honor and respect - we want our understanding of the Bible to be Biblical. That is why you and I should care.

Close in prayer.