5. Subjected to Subjective Madness
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
Nehemiah 8:8
A gripping movie is The Iron Lady. I begged my wife to watch it with me, and she has yet to become interested (Maybe this will encourage her). The story explores the complicated issues of aging, which discriminates for no one, not even former Prime Ministers of Great Britain. With age even the most influential will struggle to buy something at a convenience store while suffering dementia. While aging is the movie’s theme, a very poignant scene takes place when a very lucid Margaret Thatcher has an exchange with her doctor. He asks her how she feels, and she responds, “People don’t think any more. They feel. ‘How are you feeling? Oh, I don’t feel comfortable with that’. Oh, I’m sorry, but we the group were feeling…” She then says, “Do you know one of the great problems of our age is that we are governed by people who care more about feelings than thoughts and ideas. Now thoughts and ideas…that interests me.” I love that quote because I “feel” we need to apply it in evangelical Christianity.
I think it is fair to say that in Christian circles, feelings often supplant biblical truth. So often people live their lives subjectively, solely on internal impressions and thoughts, while ignoring truthful ideas of Scripture. Perhaps you too have heard said, “I feel God is leading me…” and then they go on to talk about things that are blatantly anti-Scripture. I’ve heard it all. “God has given me the peace to live with that married woman…God has shown me that I need to keep that affair going…God has told me to quit church…God has told me…” Ah, the most dangerous words ever uttered. People say such things because they have been erroneously taught that their happiness was the most important aspect of their Christian walk and not their holiness.
This begs the question, “Are we committed to things like context, exposition, and reading narratives?” We certainly do in areas such as English grammar. Any good teacher will tell you that you look for the setting, the context, the main thesis of the story. Yet, with the Bible we treat it like a book of magic spells. Pull a verse here, pull a verse there, make life decisions on pretext ideas.
In Christian Education we have our foundation rooted in the objective truth of Scripture. That means that we must double down on reading the bible wisely. Pulling verses out of context will not help you. The truth is, you can prove anything with the Bible if you pull verses out of context. This is how cults and madmen have existed for centuries. Dishonest people convincing undiscerning people. In the school setting we are given a great deal of trust. Our students need to know that we are doing the simple work of studying the Scriptures contextually.
In Nehemiah 8 the Israelites had returned from 70 years of captivity. Their nation had been conquered decades before and most were carried off as slaves. The books of Esther, Daniel, and Ezra are examples of the years Israel was in exile. When King Cyrus of Persia (modern day Iran) conquers Israel’s captors, he allows groups to return to their homeland. The scene in Nehemiah is one where the people have returned to a ruined home. They have been without the law of God (The book of the law) for almost a century. The priests stand to read them the law, and the way in which this is done is instructive. They read the book from a pulpit of wood (this partially why we have pulpits today). They stand at the reading of Scripture (We do this in our church for this purpose) and the priests expound the text. The text says, “They gave the sense…” That wording there means they uncovered and explained. It conveys the idea of digging up what is there and exposing it. It is where we get expository, exposition, and the like. Some churches don’t do this kind of teaching. They give themselves to topical messages that often pull verses out of context, and at best give context a nod. While that is going on in too many churches, it should not go on in Christian Education. We wouldn’t have it any other discipline, so we certainly shouldn’t tolerate it concerning our most important book.
My encouragement to you is that you take the bible expositionally first and foremost for yourself. Read Scripture in context. While we can depend on a devotional booklet to throw us a verse, maybe we decide to pick a smaller book of the Bible and read it. Ask questions, take notes, buy a study bible. There are so many resources for us so we have no excuse.
My second encouragement is that you teach it expositionally. Give the sense, so that the people understand. When you teach it, help them uncover what is there. Adrian Rogers used to say, “Read your bible. Don’t worry about what you don’t understand. Read it, read it again, and soon what you don’t understand you will understand. Understand?”
So, when it comes to Scripture, let’s talk more about thoughts and ideas than feelings. Now thoughts and ideas…that interests me!
Discussion Questions:
How do you study your bible? What resources have you used from church or home that could help one another?
How can we lovingly help those subjected to being led too subjectively?
How can a teacher who may not teach Bible as a subject be expositional in the times they use Scripture?
