Q
& A
Question: Is the following statement by James A. Fowler true? "To understand them we must attempt to reconstruct the historical context as best we can. They have to be "plugged in" to history. My first hermeneutic presupposition for the interpretation of scripture is, therefore, "It cannot mean now, what it did not mean then." http://www.christinyou.net/pages/romans1.html
Answer: No. That statement might be a useful justification for rejecting certain Scriptures, but it doesn't hold up under examination. Here are some examples that contradict that assertion.
For example, did Micah did not understand the full implication of these words God spoke to him centuries before Christ was born in Bethlehem? Was it understood then as it is now? Did not Matthew (and now his current readers) understand Micah's prophecy far better after its fulfillment than Micah did when the prophesy was first recorded?
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Mt 2:3-6
Did Moses understand the full implication of his God-given words when he gave these instructions to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt?
Old Testament: "So He humbled you, fallowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." Deut 8:3
Now consider their deeper meaning in this statement by Jesus:
New Testament: But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Mt 4:4
Here are a few more examples of the deepening understanding of Scriptures as God's eternal plan unfolds:
Old Testament: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;" Zec 13:7
New Testament: Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’" Mt 26:31
Here is a prophecy spoken through the proud high priest Caiaphas concerning their plan to get rid of Jesus. But Caiaphas and his listeners had no idea what the message really meant. Believing that Jesus must die to silence His revolutionary message, they simply received it according to their limited understanding. They didn't know that God was pointing to a completely different reason for the death of Jesus -- a purpose and victory which now is revealed to us.
"Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, 'What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.'
"And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, 'You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”"Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad." John 11:45
Did Malachi understand the full implication of these words spoken by our Lord?
New Testament: He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.” Mk 9:12-13
Old Testament: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with ma curse." Mal 4:4-6
------------And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Lk 4:3-8
So He humbled you, fallowed you to hunger, and gfed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall hnot live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." Dt 8:3
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But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’" Lk 7:26-27
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Is 40:3
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Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things." Lk 24:46-48
My aGod, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?" Ps 22:1
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight." Hosea 6:2
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And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make oMy Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” Jn 2:16-17
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me." Ps 69:9
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Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jn 6:31-33
------------------------Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him." Jn 12:14-16
“Behold, -your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey..." Zec 9:9
---------------Here is a prophecy spoken through the proud high priest Caiaphas concerning Jesus. Caiaphas and his listeners had no idea what the message really meant. Believing that Jesus must die to silence His revolutionary message, they simply interpreted it according to their limited understanding. They didn't know that God was talking about an entirely different reason for the death of Jesus -- a purpose and victory which now is revealed to us.
Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad." Jn 11:45
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16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be paccording to grace, qso that the promise might be 4sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, rwho is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, s“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, twho gives life to the dead and calls those uthings which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, v“So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, whe did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), xand the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised yHe was also able to perform. 22 And therefore z“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now ait was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe bin Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25
"Ro 4:16.....
20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, alest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written:
b“To whom He was not announced, they shall see;
And those who have not heard shall understand.”
"Ro 15:19