Reading the Scriptures Anew--Part 1: Intro to Interpreting Scriptures and the Writer's Purpose

Introduction

Each time we open the scriptures read from them, we are engaging in an act of interpretation. In fact, interpretation is a constant activity done outside of reading. We interpret language throughout our daily life. Some interpretation is direct while other types are inferred. For example, if I were to tell someone to take out the trash before 6pm, that person, in order to accomplish the task, would have to be able to interpret what I meant. Since the taking out instructions are fairly straightforward, the person shouldn't have too much difficult in interpreting what I want done.

However, the task becomes more difficult if I said, "Take out the trash before the garbage truck arrives." To the person to whom the task is directed, they would understand the general meaning, but their interpretation, that is the conclusion of meaning drawn from the language, might not match up. For instance, while I said that the trash needs to be taken out before the garbage truck arrives, I still might have meant for the garbage to be taken out earlier than the morning of. Such an interpretation would occur if the person knew what I preferred from previous incidences.

Different Theories of Interpretation 

While the act of reading and interpreting language may be taken for granted, there are varying theories about what is the appropriate method of interpretation. Some argue that an understanding of the context and history is important for one to correctly interpret the text. Others argue that the only thing needed for interpreting is what the text says, and that outside knowledge is not necessary. Others go further to assert that there is no inherent meaning that can be accessed and that the role of the reader to create the meaning for himself.

This dispute over the correct method of interpretation is typified in legal analysis. For those who follow legal news, or remember your college government class, you may be familiar with the question about how to interpret the constitution. In essence, the debate is about whether the constitution should be interpreted according to its original meaning or whether it should be interpreted based according to society's understanding. The former advocates a fixed meaning, while the later advances a fluid and challengeable meaning. While people have differing opinion, the point is that there is a divergence about how a text should be interpreted. This divergence also exists when it comes to the scriptures.

When it comes to interpreting the scriptures, some readers adopt a static and fixed approach, believing that there is a fixed meaning to the text that can be discovered. While others, probably the majority, read and interpret scriptures according to their understanding, approaching the scriptures as a changeable document.

While the specifics are not important at this point, I bring up this point to illustrate the challenge that a reader faces when it comes to interpreting the text. And that this challenge is pervasive but also also ramification when it comes to our connection with God.

Interpreting the Scriptures 

For most of us, we do not think about how we are interpreting the scriptures. We often read along, maybe highlighting something that sticks out, and continue reading and interpreting the text. These interpretations usually derive from the culture to which we associate. For example, we learn the meaning of a verse and then that meaning becomes the predominant meaning. We then use that understanding as a tool to interpret other verses. 

Sometimes this is not a problem. But most of the time, the meaning we are extracting for our interpretation is too simplified, incorrect, or distorted. When this happens, our ability to access truth is severely limited.

Recording the Truth--Identify the Writer's Purpose 

To see why incorrect interpretation is a problem, we first need to determine the writer's purpose. This can come through two ways: 1) identify the purpose of the writer by what the writer says about the topic (e.g., Book of Mormon); 2) identify the theme of the text. Both are effective tools, but they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Because the circumstances of the Book of Mormon are unique in that the writers were aware of a future audience, approach (1) is applicable. The Bible is a bit different. It is not clear that the writers were directly aware of a future audience. This is made evident by the way the text is structured and arranged. The Old Testament assumes that the reader is Jewish. It takes no effort to clarify historical context and linguistic structure. This is similar with the New Testament. While future readers can read from it, it appears that the writers were communicating their understanding to the current world.  Because we don't have the same circumstance as the Book of Mormon, wherein having a writer speaking his purpose is readily ascertainable, approach (2) is the best approach.

To see how this is done, let's explore the Book of Mormon and Bible, while applying the two tools used to identify the writer's purpose or message.

Book of Mormon 

Since the Book of Mormon is unique in that its writers were aware of a future audience and prepared the record based on the understanding, it will be easier to identify the writers' purpose. So let's start there. To do this, we will take approach (1) from above-- identifying what the writer says about the topic.


Nephi writes,

...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 

For Nephi, he states that one of his purpose and others who write about Christ is to point their children to the Savior and the source of their remitted sins. In an earlier verse, however, Nephi is commanded to write a record of his people (see 1 Nephi 13:35), thereby showing that he is aware of future audience/reader. Thus, the statements he writes can also apply to us. That is, he is telling us how to source we can look to for a remission of our sins.

Likewise, Moroni is clear in his intentions. He states,

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32) (Emphasis added). 

Moroni's intention is clear from the first clause: he is recording the scriptures for the readers to come unto Christ. Moreover, in earlier verses he makes it clear that he is writing to a future audience --sometimes specifically stating the sub-group (see Moroni 7:3).

Furthermore, the fact that Mormon is abridging the records to preserve therm reveals he had a future audience in mind. Also, Mormon's tone throughout his abridgment also reveals that he is aware of a future audience. He often shows this by adding his commentary to certain events so that the reader come to a certain understanding.

Alma the Younger also shows this understanding (Alma 37:14).

From this, we can broadly conclude that the writer's in the Book of Mormon wrote the things they did to convey the nature of God and their experiences with Him, with the hope that we may have the same experience or relationship with God.

Now, let's look at the Bible.

The Bible 

The Old Testament

Unlike the the Book of Mormon, where the writers were given understanding about a future audience, the Old Testament doesn't. One characterization of the Book of Mormon is that some of the writers communicate with the reader. 1 Nephi 1 is the prime example. "I Nephi..." In the first verse, Nephi establishes the purpose of his record and in doing this is directs his writings to the reader. This, however, is absent in the Old Testament. Instead, the Old Testament structure is not directed towards a reader specifically, but is structured to provide an account of the Israelite's interactions with God -- whether it be through historical accounts, poetry, or warning from the prophets.

Nevertheless, there are still clues we can use to the purpose. We use approach (2) --identifying the theme.  To begin, we look at page 1 -- Genesis.

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The general meaning is God creating Adam and Eve in His image. However, there is more to "imaging" than we realize. To understand the significance of these verses, it's important to understand the concept of image. On this point, Michael Heiser remarks:

Humankind was created as God's image. If we think of imaging as verb or function, that translation makes sense. We are created to image God, to be his imagers. It is what we are by definition. The image is not an ability we have, but a status. We are God' representatives on earth. To be human is to image God.  

Thus, Genesis starts us with information about who we are. We are not merely a copy of God (whatever that means) but we came to this earth carrying a status. And because we have a certain status, different form other creatures, we have a purpose -- a purpose of working with God to bring about God's work. This is what the Old Testament is largely about: accounting humanity's mandate and purpose, while at the same time charting how often we failed to live up to our role.

Piggy-backing off this idea of status and its implication John H. Walton states:

...The primary theme that progresses throughout the Old Testament...is the establishment of God's presence among his people ('I will put my dwelling place among you," e.g., Lev., 26:11) with the explicit intention of being in relationship with them/us ('I will...be your God, and you will be my people' e.g., Ex 6:7; Lev 26:12; Jer 11:4; Ezek 36:28)...It is the covenant that gives formal articulation to the stages off the relationship between God and his people; it is the promise of God that he will make such a relationship possible; it is the Torah that govern how people may live in the presence of God and sustain relationship with him; and it is the kingdom of God the expresses his role in the cosmos and in which we participate as we live out our relationship with him.

Besides this, the books of the prophets also have the restoration of a covenant relationship with God. Jeremiah mentions a New and Everlasting Covenant that will be established among the righteous; Isaiah details the dispersion and gathering or Israel; and Ezekiel prophesies the future establishment of a temple in Jerusalem. All of this carrying the central theme of humanity's relationship with God.

Thus, like the Book of Mormon, the Old Testament is also rooted in developing a closer relationship with God. And we can develop this relationship because of the status we have. We are children of God and because of this have the privilege of seeking his face-- of coming closer to Him.

The New Testament 

When it comes to the New Testament, much of the theme of the Old is carried on. However, instead of being rooted in an abstract concept of salvation and redemption, the New Testament is concrete -- it shows the way to God through the example of Christ. The synoptics (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke) provide accounts of the Savior's ministry from different perspectives, the Gospel of John focuses on love, and the letters (epistles) deal with Christ's mission after his death and resurrection. While they place emphasis on different aspects of the Savior's ministry, they all share a common thread -- the preaching of the Gospel, that is, the news of the kingdom. This ultimately means that coming to know  Christ is central. Let me explain.

The majority of the Old Testament was framed around a messiah figure who would come to save Israel. The New Testament no longer talks about the coming messiah, but instead focuses on carrying on the messiah's work -- through kingdom building. In order for the messiah to save, the world needs to be changed and the Kingdom of God established. People need to be given new hearts and changed from sinners to disciples. Hence the reason why Christ stressed the need to be born again. A person can have no part in the kingdom if they have not received a new spirit.

The Synoptics and the Gospel of John 

How do we do this? We follow the teaching of Christ as laid out in the New Testament. Almost from the first synoptical gospel, we are given the blueprint of heavenly conduct. In Matthew 5 we are taught the Sermon on the Mount, the quintessential framework for receiving a new heart. Afterwards, we read of Christ practicing what he preached. Albeit different perspectives an emphases by the different gospel writers, this is the general sequence in the synoptics. And this is what the writers want their readers to know: the kingdom is approaching and we better get ready. To do this, we need to come unto Him. Matthew records,

21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7) 

Quoting the Lord, Matthew links knowing the Lord with doing the Lord's will. Therefore, like the other scriptures, coming unto the Lord, knowing Him is imperative. Luke likewise expresses this when he quotes the Savior's command to "take up [our] cross, and follow [Him.]

The gospel of John follows the same path, but seeks to give us a broader understanding of who Christ is by rooting the message in love and in personal, intimate knowledge with the Lord. Reading the gospel, Christ becomes more than a Savior, but he comes off as a friend -- a person eager to extend the knowledge he has to others, and eager to be known. John records, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). A chapter later he records,

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

And to cap it off, John pens: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

With this, John shows that eternal life is predicated upon knowing God and Jesus Christ. And since our goal is to have eternal life, we are to know God and His Son.

The Epistles

The letters of the apostles track the gospels. They letters tell about the Good News, inviting the Gentiles and unbelieving Jews to accept and believe in Christ. While the audience is different for each writer (Paul focuses on the Gentiles, John the Jews) the message is still the same: come unto Christ. This evident by Paul's letter to the Romans where he discusses heirship and stresses our dependence on Christ. Peter conceptualizes this more, by encouraging the members to seek after one's calling and election by putting the "divine nature." He records,

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1 (Emphasis and paragraphs added) 

Using both approaches, we can safely conclude that the New Testament writers' purpose is the same as the other scriptures: to invite us to come unto God.

Conclusion

Although an analysis of Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price is due, I will stop here because I think the point has been made. The writers of the scriptures wrote what they did to teach us how to come unto God. This is important to realize. The writers meant to provide a blueprint their readers could use to experience God. Thus, our misunderstanding of the text can reduce our effectiveness at coming unto God.

Having established that there are different methods of interpretation and that the scriptures, varying in explicitness, reveal the writers' purpose and intention, we can see the importance of seeking the correct interpretation. But before we can learn of some methods to aide us in this, we first must look at the implications for incorrect interpretation. That is the focus of the next part: Part 2--Implications of Erroneous Interpretation.