How to Interpret the Bible - Context Continued - John 3.16 скачать в хорошем качестве

How to Interpret the Bible - Context Continued - John 3.16

IV. Contextual Interpretation. An adage says, “A statement taken out of context becomes a pretext.” In the general sense, pretext means “a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.” The English word originated in the early 16th century: from Latin praetextus ‘outward display’, from the verb praetexere ‘to disguise’, from prae ‘before’ + texere ‘weave’. Taking a statement out of its context to defend a position or prove a point is not 1) not being fair to the original use of the writer or speaker, and 2) it advances a false conclusion. An example of this is when Jesus was on trial and was brought before “the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes” (Mark 14.53ff). We read in verses 57-58 that “Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58 ‘We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” Luke tells us it was false testimony, but why was it? We have to go back to an earlier time as recorded in John 2.18-22. 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.” In the first place, the accusers were not looking for answers with honest motives. They had tried to kill Jesus before the actual trials began (Matt. 12:24), so they were trying to make sure this time He would be killed. They were plotting against Him. (Matt. 26:4). Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 1) They had not asked the Lord what He meant. 2) They added words to His original statement, “…made with hands.” Motives matter when it comes to the use of Scripture. Trying to prove a point to make a case can be right or wrong. Proof-texting is right when the text is taken from its context. Proof-texting is wrong when the text is taken out of its context. So, observing the context is crucial to both understanding and teaching. John 3.16 is often used by many to teach the doctrine of “faith only.” Jackson wrote: ...that whosoever believeth on him... Again, the term “whosoever” (literally, “everyone”) reveals the universality of God’s saving plan. The gospel is addressed to “the whole creation” (Mark 16:15), and, as the final great invitation of the Bible has it, “. . . he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). The word “believeth” is a present tense participle, literally, therefore, “the keeping on believing ones.” But exactly what is the biblical “belief” of which God approves? Some have defined the term as simply an acceptance of the historical facts regarding Christ, along with a willingness to trust him as Savior. This is the view of those who advocate the doctrine of salvation by “faith alone.” But the truth is, there is more to faith than a mental disposition. The verb “believe” in the Greek New Testament is pisteuo. In addition to the acknowledgment of the historical data, and a trusting disposition, the word also includes the meaning, “to comply,” as Liddell & Scott observe in their Greek Lexicon, (Oxford, 1869, p. 1273); and, as they further point out, it is the opposite of apisteo, which means “to disobey. . . refuse to comply” (p. 175). Prof. Hermann Cremer noted that “faith” (pistis) both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament “is a bearing towards God and His revelation which recognizes and confides in Him and in it, which not only acknowledges and holds to His word as true, but practically applies and appropriates it” (Biblico-Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, T. & T. Clark, 1962, p. 482; emp. added). W. E. Vine declared that faith involves “a personal surrender” to Christ (Expository Dictionary, Vol. II, p. 71). Lexicographer J.H. Thayer noted that belief is “used especially of the faith by which a man embraces Jesus, i.e. a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah — the divinely appointed author of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ” (Greek-English Lexicon, T. & T. Clark, 1958, p. 511; emp. added). Saving faith cannot be divorced from obedience... https://christiancourier.com/articles...