Reenacting the Way
Join the BOOK conversation on Facebook
  • Book
  • Video
  • Author
  • Reviews
  • B.IQ Test
  • Seminar
    • Watch Bible Seminar
  • Contact
  • Blog

Why We Don’t Care What Jesus (or any Bible verse) Meant

6/3/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
We all have secrets. Some secrets we intentionally hide; others reside deep in our subconscious hiding unaware, pretending to stay out of sight for our good.

As I have studied the historical background of the Bible for the last 20 years, I have repeatedly discovered Jesus’ message to be shaped more by our attractions than his intentions. When I have shared what I learned in chapels and classrooms, Bible studies and beer gardens, the response has been mixed. Many would rather retain what they like rather than learn what Jesus meant.
We like to have our truth, rather than be disrupted by the truth. Our aversion to alter what we have assumed reveals a nasty secret in our subconscious. What is that secret?
Although we rarely articulate it, or even acknowledge such a warped inclination could control what we think, the secret is simple: We don’t actually want to know the truth.

For many of us, we like the freedom to extract phrases Jesus said and flood them with meaning we feel is right. We prefer to pull out powerful statements from the Bible and metaphorically make them speak to us however we so choose. We don’t like to change our minds.

As Blaise Pascal, the 17th-Century French scientist and Catholic theologian, said, “People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive” (De l'Art de persuader, 1658). 21st-Century science agrees.
“Myside Biased” Bible Study

I have sat through enough small group discussions, Christian businessmen’s meetings, and destination trip devotions to recognize the prevalence of the “choose your own adventure” method of Bible study. We love to start with what is important to us, find a verse that can express what we feel, and then deliver our opinions on the matter without regard for what the verse really means. We love to add “this is what the Bible says” before what we want to say.

That’s what happens when we read about Jesus calming a storm and then metaphorize it into a promise that Jesus will resolve the “storms”—or problems—in our life. We are inserting our desire to live a more stress-free life into narratives that have nothing to do with that. We start thinking about what problems Jesus could make go away before we ever take the time to think about what the point of Jesus’ action was in the first place (read chapter 5 of my book Reenacting the Way of Jesus if you want to figure out the original point of Jesus’ miracle).

Psychologists call this phenomenon “myside bias.” Myside bias kicks in when we ignore contradictory evidence that does not agree with our preexisting opinion. It causes us to search unwittingly for evidence that agrees with our views. This human tendency, which resides in us no matter how high we score on intelligence tests, makes it profoundly difficult to actually learn from someone or something else.

When we read the Bible, we do so with myside bias. We find what we are looking for. It’s a rarely discussed and dark secret inside all of us. We like to confirm our suspicions. We like to be right. We like to presume our best guesses are what God would say. And we don’t want to be held in check.
Reading Scripture with Uncomfortable Humility

None of us wants to endure the uncomfortable humility that we have been creating God in our own image all along. We would prefer to inject the Bible’s meaning with our personal interest in therapeutic self-care, or theologically-justified escapism, or the American Dream. We would prefer Jesus speak to the things that are important to us rather than us get on board with what’s important to him.

That’s why I have written my upcoming book What Jesus Meant. I have researched tirelessly in multiple languages so we can hear Jesus’ words in the ancient conversations that defined their meaning. I want to anchor his message in the original cultural moments that shaped them, and not in our assumptions. I don’t want our twenty-first century fads or personal preferences to masquerade as Jesus’ message.

The stakes are too high. Our myside biases too easily alter what his words meant. And if our assumptions go unchecked, then Jesus becomes a fleeting fabrication whose relevance fades whenever we pass into a new season of life.

It does take humility. We have to get comfortable with being wrong. I can’t tell you how many times I have sat discouraged when the research corrected my misguided presumptions. It is hard to accept that you have been slanting the truth to your side. It is disappointing to realize you have been believing something Jesus never really meant.

But it is worth it. Correcting our misperceptions through careful study of cultural artifacts and ancient texts, geographical dynamics and linguistic insights, should create a holy discontent with our standard practice of reading the Bible to reinforce preexisting opinions. Exerting the energy to hear Jesus’ unique message in his world rather than fitting him into ours is worth it. He can take us to a life we could never lead ourselves to.

If you want a taste of what is to come in the book, read one of these convention-bursting blogs:
  • The Widow’s Mite: Good or Bad Example of Giving
  • Jesus’ Kingdom Does Not Need Political Power (to change the world): John 18:36
  • Can Rich People Follow Jesus?
3 Comments
Laurence Pew
1/2/2021 06:16:58 pm

How do you interpret the "hammer passages" against LGBTQ folk.
Just to let you know, I used to be very anti and now through a decade or more I have come to understand the truth that the church is wrong to use a few passages to justify hate for these folk.
Thank you, Larry Pew

Reply
Josh Buster
11/16/2022 09:54:31 am

All thank to Dr Ayoola, My name is Josh Buster I live in California, I want to let the world know how this man changed my life and that of my family. I have been playing jackpot for so many years now hoping to win and start my own business, I have been a driver and same time I have being playing lottery game for more than 10 years now each time I play I always run out of luck. one day I was browsing with my phone when I saw some testimonies about this man call Dr Ayoola on how he has helped people win lottery games, I was shook and I ask myself if this is true and also contacted this man for help and told him everything, why I contacted him. He asked me if I have been playing lottery game before now and I said yes. He told me that he will help me with the right number to win if only we work together which I told him I am ready to work with him. After working with him he gave me a number to play, after playing the number Dr Ayoola gave to me, I came out a winner of jackpot of 1,000,000 millions dollars all thanks to you Dr Ayoola for your help I am so happy now. And now I am fulfilling my promise by sharing your good work to the world. Dr Ayoola is a great man and a man GOD has sent to help people and put a smile on peoples face. Thank you for what you have done for me Dr Ayoola I will be for ever grateful to you, you can contact him if you are willing to change your story for good via drayoolasolutionhome@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Ayoola-105640401516053/ text or call +14809032128

Reply
Diana Sean
12/21/2022 02:25:28 am

I want to give thanks to a great man who has brought back my happiness to my life. Dr Jumba is really a great man. He helped me with a lottery spell and love spell. after my lover left me for 2years,i was so frustrated i almost killed myself until i got in contact with Dr Jumba who told me that my ex will be back to me within 24Hours.At first i taught Dr Jumba was a scam until the second day when my lover called me on phone and started begging me that he was sorry that i should forgive him and he bought me a Gold ring and wrist watch i was so happy and really believed that Dr Jumba is really a great spell caster and not a scam like other fake spell caster who are online to add pain to your pain,Please people that need help i will love you people to contact Dr Jumba because i can swear with my life that Dr Jumba is a man to trust.You can contact him on his WhatsApp: +27651108524 , or email him wiccalovespelltools@gmail.com or check out his website : https://drjumbaspellhome.wordpress.com/

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    BUY the BOOK


    Author

    Paul Penley's training as a Bible scholar, life as a human being, and work as a philanthropic advisor overflows into this blog

    View my profile on LinkedIn
    Picture

    Top 5 Blogs

    1. Women Should Not Teach Men What?
    2. John Calvin Killed Rival Theologians
    3. Turning the Other Cheek
    4. I Wish You Were Cold or Hot, not Lukewarm
    5. When Heaven and Earth Passed Away
    Picture
    Picture

    Enter email address to receive monthly blogs:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Bible Interpretation Gone Wrong
    Faith Isn't Knowing Everything
    How To Follow Jesus
    How To Study The Bible
    Ministries Gone Wrong
    Narrative Theology
    The Character Life Demands

    Archives

    January 2021
    May 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.