Ethical Interpretation of the Bible

A beloved former student whom I taught early in my career at the undergraduate level recently contacted me via social media to ask whether some of the views I express there represent changes in my thinking since that earlier time in my life and career. Specifically, this former student equated my public positions regarding a number of hot button social issues with an abandonment of confidence in the authority of Scripture. I responded that a fulsome treatment of the questions put to me would far exceed the scope of social media communications and promised to publish such a treatment on my blog very soon. Over the next several weeks I will publish here a detailed explanation of the principles or axioms that guide me as I read Scripture.

This first instalment of my response will, by way of preamble, assert that simply reading the Bible guided by the slogan, “the Bible says it – that settles it,” as though the Bible requires no interpretation leads one into a number of dangers. It is important, for example, to distinguish between the WORD of God, the word of God, and the words of God. The first is the Logos incarnate, the second is a term the church uses to acknowledge the Bible as a source for our faith; yet, the Bible is neither per se nor in toto the “words” of God. Lengthy speeches by Job’s friends constitute about half of the book. They make arguments that sound very orthodox and pious. Eliphaz the Temanite can represent them here:

“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart…For God abases the proud, but he saves the lowly. He delivers the innocent man; you will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands” (Job 22:21-22, 29-30 RSV).

These statements sound like some good memory verses, but the end of the book reports that, after speaking with Job, God spoke also to this same Eliphaz: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:5 RSV). In other words, the speeches of Job’s friends do NOT communicate God’s will. Instead, they function in scripture as part of its rich dialogue in the effort of the faithful to seek understanding.

No less than the Apostle Paul made clear on one occasion that one should distinguish between his personal opinion and the will of God.  In response to a question from the Corinthian church concerning the desirability of remaining celibate in light of, what they thought would be, the imminent Parousia, Paul advised them: “Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is…I want you to be free from anxieties” (1 Cor 7:25-26 RSV, italics added). One wonders how often Paul may have stated a personal opinion without indicating it as such. In much the same way, the Bible’s narratives report what Abraham, Naomi, David, Mary, and Peter said, not God’s words. It is simply dangerous to regard everything in the Scriptures as a statement directly from God.

Indeed, often the challenge is to comprehend how a particular passage can possibly be understood as word of God. The so-called imprecatory psalms clearly belong in this category. What is God’s word for God’s people in statements such as the conclusion of Psalm 139 (vv 8-9), an exilic prayer asking God to take vengeance on the Edomites and the Babylonians.

O daughter of Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall he be who requites you

with what you have done to us!

Happy shall he be who takes your little ones

and dashes them against the rock! (RSV)

The entire Psalter, of course, asks readers to grapple with how to consider it the word of God.  After all, every psalm represents human speech addressed to or about God. The psalter includes not only imprecatory psalms such as Psa 139, but complaints and laments charging God with inaction (cf. Ps 74, esp. v 11; Ps 79) alongside prayers of thanksgiving and hymns of praise. They are not the words of God, but, in the context of the overall witness of Scripture to a God who desires relationship, they constitute the human side of the dialogue.  God’s people need them as models. It is important to distinguish between the WORD of God, the word of God, and the words of God.