Not in a Vacuum

On Sunday evening, we talked about the idea that everyone interprets the Bible.  No one is able to just read it.  We all place our own biases on it when we read; it's impossible not to do that.  Knowing we do that is important, however.  If we are aware that our reading of the Bible is done through our selves - our biases and beliefs, our experiences and opinions - then we can watch for them.

Knowing that makes us more willing to listen to other people's thoughts concerning the scripture. How are they different from our own?  Could that difference somehow be related to our biases? What does the difference say to us?  To them?

In the same way, we interpret the world around us through our own biases.  Haven't you ever seen or heard a comment someone has made, and been certain you know what that person is talking about, only to find out that you were completely wrong?  Haven't you seen someone else do this?  I have. We need to be aware that our conclusions are not always - if ever - based in just fact.  Our thoughts and feelings are never formed in a vacuum.

All About God?

We're using a curriculum called Animate: Bible for our Sunday evening Bible study at church.  It's great - I would recommend it.

Last night, Bishop Willimon, in his video, gave five guidelines for helping us to interpret the Bible.  The first one was "The bible is all about God."

My goal isn't to argue with a Bishop, but do you think that is true?

Don't get me wrong; I do believe the Bible is about God. The Bible reveals to us who God is, what God is like, God's expectations for how we should live our lives, how God is present with God's people.  It is the revelation of God for us.  It shows us how God see the world and his creation.  The Bible is about God.

It's the "all" that is tripping me up.  Is everything in it about God?  Consider the parable of the two lost sons.  In it we have a beautiful image of the father - and through that, I believe, much of God's nature is revealed.  Through the parable, though, I think that Jesus is not only revealed what God is like to us, but also what we are like.  In the parable, we can find ourselves.  Some of that parable is about us.  Jesus is saying, "Are you like the first son, squandering what you have demanded to be given, and then coming back in repentance?  Or are you like the second son, resentful of the love and grace shown the first son?"

The Bible is about God, but in it, we also find out about ourselves.  I might be missing Bishop Willimon's point, but I just don't see that it is ALL about God.