TOOLS TO INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE PART 2

2 Peter Chapter 3



















Today we are walking in: Tools To Interpreting Scripture










Today we look to the word-KNOWLEDGE- H847 da'ath--knowledge, perception, skill, discernment







The Torah testifies.....................




Exodus 31:3




And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom,and in understanding, and in knowledge, H1847 andin all manner of workmanship,






The prophets proclaim..................




Isaiah 33:6




And wisdom and knowledge H1847 shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.









The writings bear witness.............



Job 34:2




Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.






Studying the Scriptures for Ourselves




Why should we study the Scriptures for ourselves?




Most Citizens today have heard Evangelists, Ministers, Pastors, Teachers, and Spiritual Leaders, faithfully teaching the Scriptures. Many would ask, "Are these teachings not sufficient?" Some would even say, "We have heard enough to be Born-Again, and we are now saved. What more is needed?"




Fiveamprayer, there are some Scriptural reasons for studying the Scriptures, that we have not understood!




We are called to walk as Messiah walked, and to live our lives as He did (1 John 2:6). But to do this, we must remove the stumbling-blocks.




Removal of Stumbling-Blocks




As Citizens, and as Followers of Yahushua, we are called to live our lives according to the Scriptures.




But before one may live a life according to the Scriptures, a great number of obstacles ['stumbling-blocks'] must first be removed. Stumbling-blocks are those things that prevent us from walking 'upright' in The Way, while yoked with Messiah. These stumbling-blocks are 'Religious Doctrines' which Scripture calls 'Traditions' and 'Commandments of Men.'




The terms 'traditions of Men,' 'Commandments of Men,' and 'Doctrines of Men' are the Bible's terminology for the collection of man-made teachings and traditions that men have heard and accumulated over the years.




These teachings and traditions are man-made Bible doctrines that have twisted the true meaning of Scripture, changing a Bible passage to say something it does not really say. This twisting creates a false paradigm — a false perspective or way of understanding of the true meaning of a Scripture passage, and results in blinding a person to the true meaning of the passage.




This twisting occurs when men see the Scriptures through the lenses of their own Doctrinal Statements [mostly based on decrees of Rome], or through a faulty interpretation based on their own understanding. That is, they read their own meaning into a Bible passage [called 'eisegesis'], rather than reading from the Bible passage what it actually says [called 'exegesis'].




Most Bible Schools and Seminaries practice their own forms of eisegesis, in order to conform to the particular Doctrinal positions of their founders and sponsors. And because many Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders are produced from these schools, these twisted meanings based on non-Biblical paradigms become propagated and transmitted from one generation to the next. They become widely taught in many congregations, and today these man-made teachings and traditions are widely practised by most Citizens.




These many non-Biblical paradigms then become mixed with Biblical truths, and the result is pictured in Scripture to a confluence of two rivers or streams — one of pure water, and one of polluted water. This merging of two streams produces a mixture, and the result of this mixture is confusion. As we shall see, the Bible has a name for this system of confusing doctrinal mixture: "Mystery Babylon."




Today Citizens are being called out of the confusion of Mystery Babylon, and are being called to return to the pure waters of Scripture alone.




And so our goal is to properly exegete, or draw out from the Scripture passage, what it actually says, even if it goes against all we currently understand! Our goal, however, is not to properly understand the Bible merely for the sake of understanding or 'head' knowledge — but for the sake of becoming a "DO-er" of what it says!




When The Most High's Covenant people do not correctly understand the Scriptures, they are not able to walk as He walked, in accordance with the Scriptures. And so the vital importance of correct Scripture understanding can now be seen.

And so we must ask again, "Why is it important for all Citizens to study the Scriptures carefully for themselves?"




The tragic truth is, that most Citizens today continue to believe and embrace teachings from their Pastors, Ministers, or Spiritual Leaders, without question. Many Citizens today are not as the Bereans — they do not search the Scriptures for themselves, to see whether these teachings are true, or not!




The Bible however, calls all Citizens not to believe everything they hear, but to diligently study the Scriptures on their own:

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. (Proverbs 14:15)




Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)




I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)




Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [actions] of saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)




The reasons we are called to study the Scriptures for ourselves can be seen the above passages. Notice the warning, telling us we are to study, in order to avoid the shame of nakedness, of being found without our 'clothing' of righteousness. Messiah living within us is our Righteousness, but the clothing speaks of something that is outwardly seen.




We are then told that we must learn to handle the Word as a 'sword,' able to rightly divide the Words of Scripture, as a sword cutting accurately and steadily.




We are also called to make ourselves ready, as a bride preparing for a wedding, so that we may be clothed in the fine linen of Righteousness. We are then told (Rev 19:8), that this Righteousness consists of our actions of obedience to the Scriptures. This last step requires that we have an understanding of what actions we are to do — and what actions we are not to do — and this requires much study of the Scriptures!




We must first understand how Messiah living within us is our Righteousness. We must then understand how Messiah in us produces the fruit [outward works] of Righteousness in us.




The key to understanding how Messiah produces our Righteousness, can be seen as we study the Hebrew word for Righteousness in the Bible. This can be seen in Isaiah 45:8, and is explained in Matthew 13:3-9, Mark 4:3-9, Luke 8:5-8, Hebrews 5:13 and Philippians 1:11.




Many Citizens today are not preparing themselves with this fine linen of Righteousness, as a bride preparing for the wedding to the Bridegroom. They are not being taught what the Scriptures tell us about Biblical Righteousness, but are being given the milk of the Word, mixed with many man-made doctrines and other foolishness.




And so our first Scripture reason for studying for ourselves can be seen in this Scripture passage:




The simple ['foolish, gullible, deceived'] believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. (Proverbs 14:15)




The word for 'simple' in the above passage comes from a root word meaning foolish and deceived. If we do not study the Scriptures for ourselves, we will surely be deceived. The deceived Citizens will be found among the Foolish Virgins. They will not enter in with the Bridegroom.




Another important reason for studying the Scriptures for ourselves can be seen, as we realise that it was THE WORD of The Most High, the person of Messiah Yahushua Himself, who spoke the words to Abraham, Moses, and all the Prophets! (See Genesis 15:1; Num 3:16; Num 15:31; Jer 18:5; Zep 1:1; Zec 1:1; John 1:1, 14).




Many Bible teachers today deny this truth of Messiah's identity, by their teachings and by their actions (Titus 1:16). As a result, many Citizens today are walking in partial disobedience and partial deception, and do not yet 'know' Messiah.




But in order to understand how deception takes hold, we must take careful note of this one fact. The Most High has purposely spoken His Words in such a way that His enemies, as well as those not in covenant with Him, will not see nor understand the true meaning of His Words. Instead, they will take them incorrectly! (Isaiah 6:9-10; Isaiah 29:10; Mark 4:11-12).




Thus it is only after Messiah opens our eyes to see — to know Him, and to understand His Word — that we receive the correct meaning of the words! (Luke 24:16,31; Eph 1:17-18).




In contrast, when Pastors or Spiritual Leaders have received the meaning of the words from a Bible School or seminary, rather than from the Ruach HaQadesh, they open themselves to receiving error passed down from man-made doctrines. It is the Ruach HaQadesh alone, who will guide us into Truth (John 16:13; 1 John 2:27)].




Those who hear and follow these seminary-trained Leaders must therefore study for themselves (2 Tim 2:15), lest they too receive the same errors!




Let us now look at a Biblical example of how this studying is to be done.




When Paul and Silas went to Berea, they spoke and taught the Gospel [the Good News] of Messiah Yahushua and His kingdom. But notice what these Bereans did:




And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:10-11)




First we note that the Bereans were open to hearing the word of the Gospel, but they did not automatically believe everything they heard. Instead, they "searched the scriptures daily," to see whether or not the words of Paul and Silas were true!




Fiveamprayer, we are to do likewise! We should not simply believe everything we hear from the pulpit — but we are to be 'more noble,' just as the Bereans, and study the Scriptures, to see whether those things are true!




Perhaps the Bereans were told, "Wow! The apostle Paul will be speaking and teaching in our congregation today!"

Fiveamprayer, it does not matter who speaks or teaches! We are called to Beware!




It is significant that the words 'take heed' or 'beware' or 'warn' appear more than 40 times in the New Testament writings. Most of these passages warn us of the many kinds of error that could lead us astray. A few of these passages can be seen in 1 Co 10:12; Col 2:8; 1 Tim 4:16; 2 Tim 4:15; Heb 3:12; 2 Pet 3:17.




Fiveamprayer, if it were not possible for Citizens in Messiah to be led astray, there would be no need for the many New Testament warnings!




Let the Citizens Beware!




In the same way that we are to study the Scriptures for ourselves, we are likewise expected to interpret the Scriptures for ourselves!