Posted by PS on September 03, 2002 at 01:09:51:
In Reply to: proverbs posted by Bryon Schulz on September 02, 2002 at 18:06:17:
The Proverbs are a collection of wise sayings by various authors, sometimes presented in parables (like this one you picked), given to illustrate important principles, and they have value when applied correctly. They are valuable insights used for teaching younger or less experienced people the likely results of attitudes and actions in this world, so to help them make good choices. They are natural principles long observed and succinctly articulated by men of wisdom, temperance, and understanding.
They are NOT promises of God, nor are they prophetic declarations from the mouth of God, nor are they articles in God’s Law.
EXAMPLE 1 = Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
QUESTION = Has there never been a single believer who loved and raised their child in God's ways, and yet their child chose not to follow God, and died in an unbelieving state?
CONCLUSION = You can't make a wisdom statement into an absolute promise from God.
EXAMPLE 2 = Pride cometh before a fall.
QUESTIONS = Does everyone proud fall as a result of their pride? Is it inherent pride or a specific act of pride that causes the fall? If it is an act, how soon after the act do they fall? How do you know it is because of pride that they fell? Does every one who falls do so because they were proud? Isn’t everyone proud to some degree? If everyone is proud, how would you know if someone ever fell NOT because of pride?
CONCLUSION = You can't make a wisdom statement into a systematic theology.
Visit the Psalms to see some of the worst systematic theology in the whole Bible. We value these pieces as beautiful devotionals--sincere expressions of joy and sorrow, love and anger, confidence and fear, trust and doubt. You will read anguished cries like: “You hate all workers of iniquity.” “Smite the wicked, God!” “Save your holy servant who trusts in you!” Now just try to make those into a New Testament theology... Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, but then pray to God to smite them! Yes, God so loved the world that He gave Jesus, but God & Jesus both hate workers of iniquity, and they will answer you because you are holy and smite them for you.
Most psalms are heartfelt prayers, but often with extreme emotions and misunderstandings, and are not theological teachings. But there are also amazing prophecies of Christ in some Psalms, and even historical information in some Psalms. So even among the Psalms, you had better recognize what kind of psalm you are reading!
There are many other kinds of literature, but I will spare you all further specific examples here--I know you get the general point:
There are many different types of literature in the Bible. Widespread mis-interpretation of the various types of Scripture causes rampant false doctrine, misunderstanding of God and His will for us, and multitudes of disillusioned and confused Christians. We make passionate psalms into theological tenets, parables into laws, proverbs into promises, and prophetic imagery into literal predictions for the 21st century. Most people have no clue how the various Biblical writings were understood by those they were written for, nor the purposes for which the writers penned them, nor the situations which necessitated them, nor the history of the cultivation of the various writing styles. We only know one way to read and apply all scripture--as God’s literal will for us, by which we will be judged. We’ve made it harder to live under grace than it was for the Old Testament Hebrews to keep the whole Mosaic law and all the doctrines of the religious leaders.
I would recommend to any serious Bible student to start with some good books on biblical exegesis and hermeneutics. Some of you could be part of the minority of believers that really has a clue, and maybe you could even teach others. :-)