Everybody says you have to read Scripture in its "historical context" (ie: who wrote it, what their culture was, when they wrote it, where they wrote it, why they wrote it, who they wrote it to, and what language they wrote it in) in order to understand it... ...the problem is, everyone gives a DIFFERENT "historical context", one scholar says one thing, and another says a different thing. This teacher says the issue was X, that teacher says the issue was Y. One person says it was written in Hebrew, another Greek, another Aramaic! In order to understand this letter, you have to realise that there was a pagan temple and women were in power there, and so on, and so forth. NONSENSE! The entire idea that you have to have EXTRA-biblical knowledge of the Bible in order to understand the bible is complete and utter nonsense. In fact it is an outright lie. It is ADDING to the Word of God, and is the reason that there are 30,000+ denominations in Protestant Christianity, why Catholics have a Pope, and why Jews have Rabbis! The only thing you need to understand the bible, in it fullness, is the Spirit of God. Everything else is contained within the pages of the Scriptures themselves. Yeshua was NOT LYING when He said the Spirit would lead us into "ALL TRUTH", the Apostle John was NOT LYING when he said that we have "NO NEED THAT ANY MAN TEACH [US]", and again he was NOT LYING when he said that the “ANONTING TEACHES [US] ABOUT ALL THINGS". The bible may have been penned by men, but it is the WORD OF GOD. Time and time again I encounter people who believe and teach error, and almost always, without fail, when I engage them in conversation they will begin to quote the words of men, Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, the Church “fathers”, the Popes, the Talmud, this Rabbi or that Scholar, etc. etc. Their entire view of the WORD OF GOD is tainted and twisted because they view it through the lens of man’s wisdom. But listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, CAME NOT WITH EXCELLENCY OF SPEECH OR OF WISDOM, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. AND MY SPEECH AND MY PREACHING WAS NOT WITH ENTICING WORDS OF MAN’S WISDOM, BUT IN DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF POWER: That your FAITH SHOULD NOT STAND IN THE WISDOM OF MEN, but IN THE POWER OF GOD. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: YET NOT THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us BY HIS SPIRIT: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? EVEN SO THE THINGS OF GOD KNOWETH NO MAN, BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD. Which things also we speak, NOT IN THE WORDS WHICH MAN’S WISDOM TEACHES, BUT WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES; COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned. But he that is Spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF MESSIAH.” You can not learn the Word of God at Seminary, studying the words of men. The Word of God is taught by the SPIRIT OF GOD, and you learn it through prayerful meditation of the Scriptures themselves, and by putting the things you learn into practice. Now, is there a place in the Body for teachers? Absolutely! But they will not teach you the words of men, but as the Apostle Paul wrote above, they will teach you in meekness and in fear and in trembling, and in the demonstration of the Spirit of God, and of Power. I have quoted the words of men before, to try and show their followers certain truths or more often errors. But they are NOT the Words of God, they can not be the foundation of our Faith, nor must they serve as a theological lens through which we should interpret the Scriptures. When we put our own wisdom or the wisdom of others equal to, or above the Wisdom of God, then we are doomed to walk in darkness, as the blind leading the blind. But when we are led by the Spirit, and teach by the Spirit, then we will have light for our path and we will see men saved and set free! I have preached before, sermons that I had planned, and worked on, and nothing happened! But I have also preached sermons which God had put on my heart and I saw the eyes of the blind opened, and demons tremble at the Name of Jesus! We as a people must return to the Word of God, and repent of the Traditions of our fathers, and this is not a call to those in the Protestant Christian Denominations alone, but to those in the Messianic and Hebrew Roots Movements as well! Let us heed the Words that are written in the book of Proverbs. “Trust in YHVH with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear YHVH, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” May God bless you and keep you all. Shalom.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 01:46:20 +0000