This is Felicia Ferguson with Christian Mix 106 helping you build faith for the journey.
When we were in school, our teachers taught us that if we wanted to be successful in life, we had to study. When Joshua took over leading the Israelites from Moses, God told him study. But what did God tell Joshua to study? Battle strategies? His enemies’ tactics? No, God told him to study and practice what was written in the Book of Law. The Torah. The Bible. And because he did this, Joshua was successful in his leadership.
In New Testament times, Jesus recognized the need to study God’s word too. As a teenager, he stayed behind in Jerusalem at the synagogue so he could learn. The apostle Paul also encouraged the Roman church to study the Word of God.
So if we want to be successful in our lives, we should follow the examples of Joshua, Jesus, and Paul. Spend time in and with God’s word.
However, sometimes when we study, we fall into a trap of our own making.
The most commonly recommended way to study the Bible is called exegesis, which means “to lead out” or “to draw out.” Readers look at what the scripture actually says rather than looking for what they want it to say.
Of course, we all want to say we take scripture as it is written. But do we really? When we open our Bibles, each of us brings not only our worldview, but also our past experiences to our reading. Even if we don’t do this consciously.
Don’t believe me? Say you grew up in a legalistic, misogynistic church where women were seen as second-class citizens and you read some of Paul’s letters. You might want to punch him in the nose for what he says about women. And I wouldn’t blame you … if you didn’t know the context.
To get an accurate, truthful understanding of scripture we must understand the culture, the people, and the world events that were going on when it was written. Jesus’ teachings and Paul’s writings about women were actually revolutionary for the time. But if we read them through the lenses of modern culture and our woundings, we can miss their true intent and lose their impact. When we add in the proper context by looking at the history and culture, we can truly understand scripture as it was written. And often, our wounds can be healed.
The best way to do this is to have a good study guide and concordance while you read. Look up the original meaning of words in their Hebrew and Greek, read about the cities and culture. Dig a little deeper into the mindsets of the writers and the readers and their understandings of the times. Basically, walk a few miles in their sandals instead of wearing your own into their world.
The truth will shine brighter than the sun and will guide you on the road to not only healing of your wounds but also into a successful life. Just as God promised Joshua.
This is Felicia Ferguson. Thanks for listening to Christian Mix 106.