I’ve been struggling with a question about the validity of the Bible. For example, many interpret Pilate to be innocent in Jesus’ persecution but then this thought process is turned on its head when I read my minister’s view. “Of course, Pilate washed his hands of Jesus!” says he (loosely quoted.) “What was his alternative? Stand up to empire? Who in today’s society wouldn’t wash their hands of Jesus and go along with the crowd?” Only one other sermon has turned such sensibility on its head as severely as the first and that was the skewing of the “Good Samaritan” ideal. Another sermon where the switch up, saved me for I was living as the man in the ditch for a good long period.
Are these interpretations correct? The answer lies in the word “interpretation.” So there is no right or wrong answer, is there? But kudos to the ministers who take on the accepted and unchallenged “norm” and challenge us and presumably moreso, themselves. Of course, they will be tossed out on their asses at some point but hopefully, it will have been worth it.
But here is my point, this “minister is leader of a church” idea and “the Bible can be interpreted many ways” leads one to question A: the minister B: the interpretation C: neither or D: both. In my case, I have (like most of us) gone with the interpretation I’ve wanted to hear but it doesn’t mean I was right to do so. It just means I belong to the larger “life congregation” at present time who doesn’t like to work too hard at discomfort and instead, prefers minimal upset to the routine.
Yet, this practice bothered me greatly and continually. But in reading a book recently, the question of the Bible came up and the author chalked it up to: the Bible is relevant because God ensured that it made its way into our hands as it is.
Yes – it is an industry unto itself and written by man but it, like you and me, are here through the Spirit. Sure, there are supposedly books missing but aren’t they missing for a reason? Do we lend ourselves to the belief that for centuries, a conspiracy has been successfully carried out to keep say, the Book of Judas from us? Or maybe even an undiscovered Book of Feminism??! Or can we rely on the fact that God’s Word navigated thousands of years and millions of hands to still manage to sit on my shelf with prominence, albeit among its various competitive and interpretive versions?
I may entertain the former with gladness (only to keep my fellow man on his toes) but I am finally content to accept the latter and with assuredness say, so be it.
