Day 3 - The Language of the Bible

When I speak of the language of the Bible I am not speaking about the original language texts that were used to write the words the Bible contains though they are certainly important. The language of the Bible is more than words recorded in ancient cultures whose customs are strange and unfamiliar to us today. God is speaking to us through the Bible today, He is very present in His communication and He speaks through symbols, numbers, history, prophecy and pictures that are timeless and cross cultural. Even colors are used in His communication.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and most or all of the New Testament was written in Greek.  Surely there is merit to learning the original languages and studying the texts of the Bible from these sources, but it is not required and very often not feasible. The Bible has been and still is being translated into other languages, there are over 7100 languages at the last count, and the Bible as God’s word is His message and revelation to the whole world.  There are many translations available in the English language and it is not my purpose to decipher which versions are the best or worst.

The Bible is actually a self –interpreting text when read and studied as a whole book. As far as which version is “the best”, the Bible says that in “in an abundance of counselors, there is safety (Proverbs 11:14) so I use a variety of Bible translations for detailed study especially when I come across difficult passages.

• God speaks to the language and culture of the people and individuals who authored the various books of the Bible. Often when we read things in the Old Testament, we do not understand the times or situation into which God spoke and worked and we miss or misinterpret the message that God is speaking. Finding the context into which the Bible speaks can provide a wealth of understanding far above the translated words on the page.

• Read verses in their context. Use a general rule to read at least four or five verses before and after a particular verse quote to be sure that you are getting a complete picture of the text.

• God speaks in pictures, types and shadows.

Hebrews 8:1-5 explains that the gifts, sacrifices, articles and construction of the Tabernacle of meeting erected in the wilderness are a “copy and a shadow of heavenly things”. The layout and construction, even the specific materials used in the Tabernacle all describe the Kingdom of heaven and Jesus, our mediator and Savior.  The priest’s robes, acts of worship and sacrifice all had clear interpretations of the operation of God’s plan of redemption in the Messiah.  These “types” of images and illustrations are found all through the Bible and they comprise a timeless, cross cultural and multilingual communication from God. It is said that a “picture is worth a thousand words” and this is certainly true in God’s word.

        What is a “type”? Typology is a special kind of symbolism. (A symbol is something which represents something else.) We can define a type as a “prophetic symbol” because all types are representations of something yet future. More specifically, a type in scripture is a person or thing in the Old Testament which foreshadows a person or thing in the New Testament. For example, the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 6-7) is used as a type of baptism in 1 Peter 3:20-21.

When we say that someone is a type of Christ, we are saying that a person in the Old Testament behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus’ character or actions in the New Testament. When we say that something is “typical” of Christ, we are saying that an object or event in the Old Testament can be viewed as representative of some quality of Jesus (from http://www.gotquestions.org/typology-Biblical.html )

• God speaks through people not just in their recorded words but also through their lives and situations.

Paul instructed the Church at Corinth that actions and history of Israel was itself a communication of God for our benefit

1 Corinthians 10:6-12

 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7  Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." 8  We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.  ESV

• God speaks through His creation.

Many of the parables of Jesus related common practices to fundamental principles in the unseen Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed  (Matthew 13:31)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven (Matthew 13:33)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure (Matthew 13:44)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant (Matthew 13:45)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net (Matthew 13:47)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a master of a house (Matthew 20:1)

• God speaks with numbers; He is a God of order. In Genesis the Spirit of God hovered over the chaos to bring order. Some of the numbers and their spiritual significance are listed below; this is not an exhaustive list. When these words appear in scripture, they often carry meanings associated with the subjects listed below. They can unlock knowledge that may not be obvious to the casual reading.

• God always speaks in the present second

Matthew 4:4

"It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes (is proceeding) from the mouth of God.'" ESV

Even though the books of the Bible were written over a long period of years and at different locations from different authors, God is always speaking to our heart. As we read or listen to the bible certain things will “quicken” or be highlighted to us as we go along. Soon we will become familiar with this type of process and it is often the Spirit of God speaking His written word to our Spirits in the present second. His word is alive and active performing the things to which they are sent.(Hebrews 4:12)

Because of God’s integrity, the words of the Bible are never contradicted or changed (God does not change) But at the same time God is constantly making things new ( John 13:34, Jeremiah 31:31, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 47:12, Isaiah 65:17, Ezekiel 11:19, Isaiah 66:22, Revelation 21:2, Isaiah 62:2, Ephesians 2:15, Isaiah 42:10, Jeremiah 31:22, Revelation 21:5).

God speaks out of faith. He always tells the future from the present. God speaks into nothing and it appears (Romans 4:16-18). Without Faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11).

Two kinds of Knowledge

Jesus said: My words are Spirit. (John 6:63)

Even with the best resources and extensive knowledge of the ancient texts, history and context it is possible to miss and/or completely misinterpret the Bible. Without the Spirit of God teaching us our comprehension of the Bible will be severely limited.

Intellectual knowledge is one thing and it can be a very good thing. But the scholars in Jesus day studied the texts of scripture and they disciplined themselves in what they presumed were the most stringent rules for obedience, but they missed the whole point and purpose of the scriptures.

John 5:39-40

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life ESV

The Spirit of God is our great gift and He is our teacher, but we also must be willing to be taught. If we keep our offenses and arrogance and refuse to change our lives, our   bible reading and study will have no effect on our lives. I know of several people who have read the Bible from one end to the other and they never changed. When we approach the Bible we need to consciously approach it as if God himself is speaking to us as we read.

God’s word is not a book of arguments; it is the book of the covenant. A covenant is not a simple contract or a set of rules; it is an exchange of persons. In the Bible, God is showing us how and equipping us to exchange our sinful flesh driven nature for Him. His language is more than words; it includes pictures, history, nature, and the common things of creation. Ultimately His communication to us is Jesus Christ Himself.

God's Supreme Revelation 

Hebrews 1:1-4

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.  NKJV

John 1:1-4

The Word Became Flesh  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.   All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  ESV

Discussion Questions:

 Day 3 - The Language of the Bible

• What is a “type” in the Bible? Give an example. Why is this significant to us?

• What is God’s ultimate revelation?

• Is God speaking to us right now through the Bible? Explain.