Opus 2026-029: Says Who?

When you come to a statement in the Bible which is obviously false you move to an interpretation which makes allowance for figures of speech, such as metaphor, simile, hyperbole.  You do this pretty much naturally on some of these statements.  For instance, does God have feathers?  That seems like a silly question.

Psalm 91:4 (KJV) He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

So if you believe in literal interpretation of scripture, and read this verse, then you have to believe that God has feathers.  Maybe He does.  I’m not sure I found any verses that says, “God does not have feathers.”  At the same time most of us agree it’s a pretty silly individual who accepts this or demands that it be interpreted literally.

So when we have statements that do not make sense or are totally illogical, even the definitive dispensationalist would say that it is figurative.  We have established the principal.  Now the problem comes in applying that principle.

You see, one person’s logic is often another person’s nonsense.  Columbus was convinced that the Earth was round and that if he sailed west, he would reach China.  To him this is a matter of logic, information and reason.  There were people who disagreed with him.  Which one gets to determine what science teaches?

In areas of Bible interpretation and theology one of the unfortunate truths is that most people start with the traditions of their elders, their system, their theology and twist the scripture to fit into the gaps.  I think we all do this.  The difference is that some of us are aware of it and struggle with it whereas others just get that smile of superior wisdom, and administer a pat on the head.  Or as it was sometimes in the history, they burn us at the stake.

I just watched a short video where James Tour presented an argument that I’ve heard from John Lennox before about how if we lived 500 years ago, we would’ve all been Immovable Earthers.  Why?  Because the Bible says so.

Psalm 93:1 (KJV) The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, [wherewith] he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

His point was that with more knowledge we eventually changed our understanding and switched from literal to figurative.  It does not change the actuallly point of the verse.  Understanding the poetical nature of a passage does not rob it of meaning.  In some cases it deepens it.

We need to work on our discernment as well as our credulity. 

homo unius libri