“You can make the Bible say whatever you want.”
Have you ever heard this claim? In one sense, this is absolutely true. Certainly, if someone takes Bible verses out of their intended context, or is committed to finding “proof texts” to support a certain pet doctrine or dearly held belief, they CAN make the Bible say whatever they want! However, I think all would agree that this is certainly not a responsible way to interpret any ancient text!
In his 2014 book Stealing from God, Dr. Frank Turek suggests using the acronym S.T.O.P. to discover the meaning of any given biblical text.
It is as follows:
S-Situation?
What's the historical situation? What do you need to know about the people and events in the story? What's the larger context?
T-Type?
What's the type of literature? Is it historical narrative? Poetry? Prophecy? Law? Wisdom? Epistle? What literary devices are being used: Hyperbole? Parable? Metaphor? Apocalyptic Imagery?
O-Object?
Who is the object of the text? Everyone? Specific people? Ancient Israel? Is it the Old or New Covenant?
P-Prescription?
Is this passage prescriptive for us today or merely descriptive of an historical event?1
Further, on any given topic, one should always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear passages.
I freely concede that the Bible is a complex book full of various types of literature; however, it seems that many times otherwise intelligent people forget how to think when considering these sometimes challenging texts. My hope is that the S.T.O.P. acronym will aid those who desire to treat the biblical texts fairly and strive to understand their intended meaning.
While I admit that there are significant doctrinal differences within the body of Christ, I, for one, am grateful that God has made the main thing VERY clear:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”2
Courage and Godspeed,
It is as follows:
S-Situation?
What's the historical situation? What do you need to know about the people and events in the story? What's the larger context?
T-Type?
What's the type of literature? Is it historical narrative? Poetry? Prophecy? Law? Wisdom? Epistle? What literary devices are being used: Hyperbole? Parable? Metaphor? Apocalyptic Imagery?
O-Object?
Who is the object of the text? Everyone? Specific people? Ancient Israel? Is it the Old or New Covenant?
P-Prescription?
Is this passage prescriptive for us today or merely descriptive of an historical event?1
Further, on any given topic, one should always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear passages.
I freely concede that the Bible is a complex book full of various types of literature; however, it seems that many times otherwise intelligent people forget how to think when considering these sometimes challenging texts. My hope is that the S.T.O.P. acronym will aid those who desire to treat the biblical texts fairly and strive to understand their intended meaning.
While I admit that there are significant doctrinal differences within the body of Christ, I, for one, am grateful that God has made the main thing VERY clear:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”2
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
Footnote:
1. Frank Turek, Stealing from God, p. 123-124.
Footnote:
1. Frank Turek, Stealing from God, p. 123-124.
Comments