Audience Relevance

Audience Relevance

As we read and study a text of the Bible, we must keep in mind audience relevance – what did the original audience understand this to mean?
The Bible was written for us but not to us. I have had some Christians flip out on me for making that statement. They think that the Bible is written to us.

 

It should be quite simple to show them otherwise.
I was discussing this very subject with a man in my office who said, “All the Bible is written to us.” To show him how ridiculous this position was, I took him to:

 
Joshua 6:3 (NKJV) “You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.

 

I asked him, “Is this command to march around Jericho to you?”
He replied, “Yes, it is.” At that point I ended our discussion.

 
This is an absolutely insane view. I don’t think that he actually believed that he was commanded to march around Jericho (even though he said he was), but to admit that would be to admit that the Bible is written for us and not to us.

 
If you ignore audience relevance and view this verse as written to you, what do you have?

 

Joshua 6:25 (NKJV) And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. SO SHE DWELLS IN ISRAEL TO THIS DAY, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

 

You have a lady that is well over 3,000 years old. Is Rahab still living in Israel today? Of course not!

 

Why does the Bible say she is still living in Israel today when she isn’t? When the book of Joshua was written, she was still living in Israel.

 

This statement was true and accurate when it was written. But to us, some 3500 years later, it must be viewed in light of audience relevance.

 

Let’s try another verse:
2 Timothy 4:21 (NKJV) Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

 

Is this written to us? Where are we to go before winter? Which winter? Paul was writing to Timothy. When? He was to come before the winter of AD 67.

 

Philippians 2:19-23 (NKJV)
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you SHORTLY (tacheos), that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.  For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.  For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.  But you know his (Timothy’s) proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.  Therefore I hope to send him AT ONCE, as soon as I see how it goes with me.

 

The Greek word for “shortly” is tacheos. According to Arndt and Gingich Lexicon, tacheos is used in the LXX and certain non-canonical writings to mean speed, quickness, swiftness, haste, suddenly.

 

Are you (in 2016) excited about Timothy’s soon arrival? Why not?

 

The Bible says that Paul will send him “shortly.”
But I don’t know of any Christians that are looking for Timothy to arrive soon.

 

Are you?

 

Christians understand that Paul was speaking to the Philippians in the first century when he said this.
They don’t understand the “shortly” to be to them but to the Philippians of the first century.

 

 

Why then, when it comes to the subject of the return of Christ, do they want to ignore the principle of audience relevance?

Jonathan Forgor

HOW TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE

HOW TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE

By Charles S. Meek

I’ve had a lifelong interest in theology. Some things Christians believe are curious to me. For example, many conservative evangelical Christians, the group which I generally consider myself to be a part, proudly say, “We take the Bible literally.” Indeed, they use this statement as a test for orthodoxy. Well, here are few questions I’d like to ask them:

• When Jesus said that He is the vine (John 15:5), did He mean that He is a plant?

• Is God literally a rock (2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:2, etc.)?

• Should we literally hate our mother and father so that we can be Jesus’ disciple (Luke 14:26)?

• If your eye causes you to sin, should you literally pluck it out (Mark 9:47)?

• Must we sell everything we have and give it to the poor in order to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18-22)?

• Is it necessary to literally eat Christ’s body in order to have life (John 6:53)?

• Did the mountains and the hills really break into song and the trees clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12)?

• Is it literally true that serpents and scorpions cannot harm Christians (Luke 10:19)?

• Would the moon literally turn to blood before the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31)?

• When God judged Babylon, an event in actual history, did the stars and sun literally stop giving their light (Isaiah 13:10) and the heavens literally tremble (Isaiah 13:13)? When God judged Edom did the sky literally roll up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4)? When God judged Israel according to Micah 1:2-16, did the mountains literally melt and the valleys split? Read these passages and numerous others like them in the Bible (for example, Isaiah 24:23; Ezekiel 32:7; Amos 5:20; 8:9; Zephaniah 1:15) and then consider what you think of Matthew 24:29.

Some Christians may insist that, indeed, even these passages are to be understood “literally.” But certainly at least some of these are examples of how the Bible uses a variety of language techniques to describe real things in NON-literal language. Note that Jesus himself often used hyperbole, for example, to make important points.

I have a very conservative view of the Bible and believe that it is the inspired Word of God in its entirety—and that it communicates a literal sense even when it employs non-literal genres. But that does not mean that every word or phrase was meant to be taken in a wooden literal sense. The fact is that nobody is a consistent literalist, nor should anyone be!

In our everyday language, we use figures of speech so often that we do not even think about them. We sing metaphorically “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We say things like “I could eat a horse,” “cat got your tongue,” “the four corners of the earth,” “the sky is falling,” “coming apart at the seams,” “he has a yellow streak down his back,” etc. We use hundreds of such idioms that are not literal, but people in our culture understand exactly what is meant.

The Bible too uses a variety of literary devices. It uses parables, poetry, hyperbole, allegories, metaphors, and many other figures of speech. In particular, it is common in the Bible to use astronomical language to describe important prophetic events. These events are often when God “came down” in judgment against the Jews or their enemies.

Hebraic terminology may be unfamiliar to us but was clearly understood by first-century Jews. Certain events prophesied in the Bible in Hebraic apocalyptic language we know for certain have already been fulfilled, such as God’s judgment upon Babylon.

Are there times when we should understand the Bible literally? Yes! But, should we really interpret the Bible “literally” in every instance? Of course not. It is more faithful to Scripture to interpret each passage the way it was INTENDED in its context and understood by its original audience.

Why Preterism is correct

WHY PRETERISM IS CORRECT

In my earlier blog, I mentioned there are 4 Major / Popular views of the End Times / Last Days, and I believe that Preterism is correct view. I will give you the reasons why I believe it to be so.


Reason 1: AUDIENCE RELEVANCE

When we read about the last days, or end times in bible we need to read it as if the original readers or listeners understood these scriptures.


The Bible was written about 2000 years ago to a very different people from our 21st Century people. They have different cultures, different history, different languages and different world.


So the Bible was actually written TO them, but also FOR us.
I repeat: This is very important:

The Bible is not written To us, but FOR us.


It was addressed TO them as what Paul always start his message with "To the church at ...". But we can say it is also written FOR us to understand the way how God dealt with them, how the mind of God is, to understand the exact situation at that time.


Many of the writings were in Aramaic (and later Hebrew) and communication both written and spoken were mainly in their Semitic languages (Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic). Hebrew is a language and culture that uses lots of metaphors, symbols in their writings and prophecies.

Here is some writings on the use of the original language of Aramaic in the scripture:

https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2021/07/why-aramaic.html

We need to know how did the original audience understood these writings and words.

For example, the words like "heaven and earth burning up", "the sun, moon and stars getting darkened", "Jesus riding on a cloud with sword coming out of His mouth", these are common Hebrew metaphors and they know exactly what they mean (EXCEPT US in the 21st Century).


How do we understand these metaphors (since we are not Jews) .?

Answer: By comparing these metaphors with similar metaphors written in other scriptures that uses them. We have to find these terms and concepts in other parts of the scriptures, and see how they are used in the same context. So we let those similar scriptures give us understanding when we find similar metaphors in those New Testament prophecies.


Reason 2: TIME STATEMENTS

Or you can call it Historical Relevance.


Jesus and the apostles made many statements that the last days events would happen back then, and not in the 21st Century or much future.
The New Testament has many many many statements about events that are happening to those who are alive back then.


When the bible talks about these events that are going to happen:

SOON (Rev 1:1; 22:6)
SHORTLY (Rev 2:16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7; 22:12; 22:20)
NEAR (Rom 13: 11-12; Phil 4:5; Heb 10:25; Jam 5:8; 1Pet 4:7; Rev 1:3; Rev 22:10)
ABOUT TO (Acts 17:31; 24:15; 24:25; 26:22; Rom 8;18; Eph 1:21; 2Tim 4:1; 1Pet 5:1; Rev 1:19; 17:8)


Again we read Jesus telling those in front of Him, in Mat 24:34

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION shall not pass, till ALL THESE THINGS be fulfilled.


PRETERISM pays importance and attention to all these Time Statements above.


Question: Can we IGNORE all these Time Statements.? Of course, NOT.

If these reasons are not followed, then we can misinterpret the bible in hundreds of ways, and come up with many many interpretation of End Times / Last Days. Now you understand why there are so many people (quacks) in this past few centuries claiming themselves to be the Jesus of the Second Coming and bringing in the Last Days. All because of misinterpretation of scripture by not following the above 2 main reasons.
Don't just blame them. Blame also the millions of followers who follow after them blindly. Sadly, many lost their lives believing wrongly.


Argument:

To say that all the last days prophecies are going to happen in the  far far future, because the bible says "for a 1000 years is but 1 day, and 1 day is but a 1000 years", is Incorrect. This is a terrible excuse for not paying attention to the Time Statements above. If you are really serious, we cannot Ignore such bold FACTS.


Let me ask these critics a few questions:

Did Jesus died for 3000 years after resurrection, since 3 days is equals to 3000 years.?
Was Jesus tempted in the desert for 40,000 years, since he was there for 40 days?
Did Moses and Israel wandered in the wilderness for (40 x 365 x 1000) years, since they were wandering for 40 years?


See, that argument does not hold.

When Peter wrote those words in 2Pet 3:8, he was quoting from Psalms 90:2-4.

And in Psalms, the Psalmist was praising God as an Ageless God, an God who is from everlasting to everlasting.

Psa 90:1  A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 

Psa 90:3  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 

Psa 90:4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 


It wasn't writing about how God deals with time or measure time.

Throughout the bible, when God speaks about time events, He always uses the human time clock to say exactly what He means. When God put Moses in the wilderness for 40 years it was not meant to be (40 x 365 x 1000 = 14,600,000 years). No man can live so long. It is impossible. God does not confuse His people like that.


CONCLUSION:

So when the apostles said that the Last Days or End Times events were ABOUT TO take place, they meant what they say.

If they did not mean what it was supposed to say, and they mean the Last Days are about 21st Century or much more in the future, doesn't that make Jesus and the apostles liars.?

If we are honest and interpret correctly, the Last Days and End Times events DID happened in the 1st Century, and Jesus and the apostles DID mean what they said or wrote.







(updated March 2022)