About

Jesus says: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth
in me, and I ih him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without
me ye can do nothing. (John15:5).

On this website I offer studies of single Bible passages and studies of topics, where I bring together several Bible passages related to one theme. For example the page Jesus on Trial analyses Mark 14. Whereas Israel and the Church presents several Bible passage of the Old Testament and the New Testament and explains the relationship between Israel and the Church.

In the “Posts” section you will find articles that are not related to the study of the Bible. One short comment, for example, explains how to get the landing page in Hugo working.

I think it is important to let my readers know, how I interpret the Bible, which basic hermeneutic principles I apply.

I believe that we need to seek to do God’s will, when we study His word, the Bible. Ezra is an example for us. “For Ezra had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10). His study was not just an intellectual exercise, he studied the Law of God that he might obey it and to teach the people of Israel to obey it, too.

Jesus said: “If any man will do his [God’s] will, he shall now of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17). Without seeking to do the will of God and to submit to his word, we will sooner or later go astray.

In any field of knowledge we need to know the meaning of words. When we say “I hope it will not rain tomorrow” we express uncertainty about what the weather will be the next day.

We read in Roman 4:18, “[Abraham] Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken:
So shall thy seed be.” In this one verse we find two meanings of the word “hope”: the hope based on human experience and the hope based on God’s promise to Abraham. In the Bible, hope in the promises of God always expresses certainty. The use of the word “hope” in the Bible can be very different from the use in our language today. Without knowing the difference, we do not understand what the Bible, God’s Word is saying.

Every language has several words for the same object or person: I call my wife Nancy, my children call her Mom, the grand children call her Grammy; she is called by several names but still the same person.

In the Bible we find the names Christ, Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God, Emmanuel, Jesus - all these words point to the same person. In one short sentence the Apostle alerts us that word “Israel” points at two different objects, two different Israels. Paul writes in Romans 9:6

For not all who are of Israel are Israel.

The opposite is also true: Bob, Katie, Jill, Frank, Harry, Brian, Roger - each one of these words can name a multitude of different persons. When my wife talks about Sherry, she has to make clear which one of her friends she is talking about, her old friend from college or the lady in her prayer group. When she switches from talking about Sherry to taking about the other Sherry without mentioning that she is “changing the subject”, it gets confusing.

The fact of languages is:

• Several names can point to one person/object
• One name can point to several persons/objects
• The context will tell us which person or object is meant.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives us a nice example of the literal and the figurative meaning of one sentence:
The literal meaning of “know your ropes” is “to know a lot about ropes,” while figuratively it means “to know a lot about how to do something.”

The Bible contains both literal and figurative
speech. How do we know what is to be taken literal and what figurative? The only reliable way to distinguish between the two is to look for indicator in the text itself. “This parable
spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (John 10:6-7).

Other passage are not that obvious.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. (Luke 22:35-38).

In all of the New Testament we dd not find on report telling us that the Apostles and the church defended themselves with swords. When Jesus announced to church of Smyrna that persecutions were coming he did not order them to get their sword ready. But in Ephesian 6:11-20 we are told to take up the amour of God, the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

In Hebrews we read: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 ).

Considering that two sword were really not enough for the twelve disciples, the fact that church of the New Testament never used the sword for self-defense, and that the sword is a symbol of word of God, I decide that Luke 22:35 figurative speech.

Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28).

I know of one Dr. Seminary Professor who wrote a who book based on this verse promoting women’s liberation. Nobody of the esteemed faculty asked one simple question: “What is the context of this verse?”

If we take this verse out of its context, it will contradict other verses that the same Apostle Paul wrote about the role of men and women in the church. Look what is written in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, 1Corinthians 14:1-40, Ephesians 5:15-33, 1 Timothy 2:1-15.

Paul writes to the Galatians about salvation through faith in Christ. All be they Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female are saved through faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law. In the next verse Paul writes: And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. All Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female are “heirs according to the promise.”

People have claimed that there are contradictions in the Bible, and that can be easily done by disregarding the context of Bible verses.

Luke reports how Jesus responded to a question of one scribe. Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan. The text does not say that this was a parable. Jesus simple said:

A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. (Luke 10:30-33).

This passage ends this way:

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:36-37).

What was Christ’s intention, why did he answer the man who wanted to tempt him in this way? Jesus wanted the scribe to examine himself, to find out if e was as righteous as he thought he was. Any sermon preached about this passage should lead the audience to self-examination.

The Story of the Good Samaritan has one more lesson for us. Jesus did not speak to his disciples, but to the scribe who was setting up a doctrinal trap. Many sermons have been preached about the Good Samaritan, how we all need to act like he. But those sermons missed the fact that this was a message to a self-righteous man, and not to the disciples.

Well these are the principles that I seek to apply to the articles on this website.

Copyright © 2012-2022   Bernd Neumann