If we continue to use a word that we find in the New Testament in a sense which the New Testament itself doesn’t support, that is our responsibility. But if we then seek support for our ideas by consulting a passage where the word occurs, we are locking ourselves in to misunderstanding the text in question, and locking ourselves out from the possibility of ever really understanding what the text actually does say.”1
I was reading the Economics and Politics blog by Paul Krugman who happen to be awarded the Noble Prize for Economics last year. He said:
And I thought I was just saying what everyone knows. Put it down to the wonkish fallacy: when you spend a lot of time immersed in a subject, you tend to forget that others aren’t.”2
When I read those words, I had a I feel ya moment. I realize that the average individual (whatever that is) doesn’t care enough about church doctrine, five common views on inspiration, church history and so forth.
Most folks were I’m from, worry about making ends meet, paying off debt, putting food on the table and living pay check to pay check. Situations in this country are brutal for many; young men my age never escape the block or the street dream, which continues to ruin lives and destroy families.
People are distracted, confused and lack education.
Rules to Remember
- Basic Rule of Interpretation: as the most reasoned discourses in Scripture, special attention must be paid to lexical and syntactical matters, as well as the logical flow of the argument. THINK PARAGRAPHS!
- Place of Context: not only with individual portions of text, but also the historical- cultural and rhetorical situations of the text.
- Common Hermeneutics: use of common sense in deciding what to do with types of statements encountered in epistles. Some texts are easily understood as commands to us even today (e.g., 2 Tim 2:3, endure hardship) and those clearly not (e.g., 2 Tim 4:13, take cloak to Paul). But with those in between texts, we lack consistency, relying on the”common sense” of our theological heritage, ecclesiastical traditions, cultural norms, orexistential concerns.3
As I noted before, a text can never mean what it never could have meant to its author or his/her readers. Therefore, reading the text at surface level won’t do if one really seeks understanding and meaning. Learning the cultural, political and historical backdrop of the writings is essential.
If you want to read for pleasure, that fine. But don’t come to me and start running off at the mouth claiming the text says this or that when you haven’t and refuse to do the research. Maybe it’s just me… I like doing my homework.
I appreciate and respect when others do so as well.
good news, gospel, word:
Scholars say it has a double meaning for first-century Jews. The roots come from the book of Isaiah, it meant the news of YHWH’s long-awaited victory over evil and rescue of his people.
The word of also used in the Roman world of the accession, or birthday, or the emperor.
For both Jesus and Paul the announcement of God’s inbreaking kingdom, which happens to be the central teaching of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, was both fulfilment of prophecy and a challenge to the world’s present rulers. The terms gospel become a shorthand for both the message of Jesus himself, and the apostolic message about him.
Misunderstanding Gospel in the Modern Church
Notice, the word itself isn’t about how someone “gets saved.” People can’t seem to understand this, mostly because we’re led to believe from our content that we know exactly what it means. Let’s think about it… as a young person and adult, we’re invited to what’s called “a gospel rally.”
What normally happens at such events? Event coordinators plan what’s called an alter call. you know, repeat a prayer after me so you know for sure “you’re saved” and get to go to heaven after you die (I’ll discuss the problems surrounding that in another post).
We need to stop and examine the text to see if our modern usage lines up with that of the NT (New Testament) writers. Many times, we’ll discover that it actually doesn’t. Again, “the gospel” in certain christian circles have come to denote “an order of salvation.”4
What’s wrong? People use a word and mean something different than what is meant in Paul’s world. Today, gospel goes something like the following: how someone gets saved, Christ takes our sin, Jesus becomes my personal savior, I confess I’m a sinner, believe that he died for me, commit my life to him and so on.
Anything else unusual jump out at you? Beside the fact that the word itself isn’t used in that sense by the apostle Paul.
No guesses? These words and thoughts come to mind: self focused, individualistic, based on a private religious experience and misleading. For Paul, this message is the vehicle of God’s saving power (Romans 1. 16; 1 Thess 2.13).
The gospel writings are particularly concerned about a private spirituality (more on that later)5
This post is already longer than I wanted… so I’ll save it for now. 
Best,
Miguel
