From June 11 we have three presuppositions and five corollaries:
Presupposition 1: If divinity is true then the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek in the original manuscripts contain no contradictions—a conclusion we set down as a principle of interpretation.
Corollary 1a: If divinity is true then we must attribute any discrepancy in renditions to faulty translation or private interpretation
Presupposition 2: A presupposition is a principle of interpretation if and only if it can be derived from Scripture.
Corollary 2a: the assumption of divinity is a principle of interpretation.
Presupposition 3: Only Scripture can interpret Scripture—a conclusion we set down as a principle of interpretation.
Corollary 3a: For confirmation of any conclusion or principle we must compare Scripture with all of Scripture and only Scripture—a conclusion we set down as a principle of interpretation.
Corollary 3b: We can trust no one regarding interpretation—only Scripture itself.
Corollary 3c: Only Scripture can define its own vocabulary.
Deuteronomy 30:10 defines the Bible as a law book: 10If thou shalt hearken unto the…LORD…to keep his commandments…his statutes…written in this book of the law… So does Joshua 8: 31As Moses…commanded…Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses… Also Nehemiah 8: 3…he read…and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Galatians 3: 10For as many…are of the…law are under the curse…Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law… So we conclude the Bible is a law book. For a further discussion on God's law and salvation see June 15.
John 6:63 declares the Bible is a spiritual book: 63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. So Scripture concerns itself with spiritual matters: such as sin in Romans 3: 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God; Scripture concerns itself with spiritual matters such as judgment, as in John 12: 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day; Scripture concerns itself with spiritual matters such as salvation, as in 2 Corinthians 6: 2For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.); and Scripture concerns itself with spiritual matters such as sanctification, as in 1 Thessalonians 4: 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. So, as well as a law Book, the Bible is a spiritual Book.
Presupposition 4: The Bible is a spiritual book and a law book—a conclusion we set down as a principle of interpretation.
Corollary 4a: in any interpretation we must look for the spiritual meaning.
Anyone who doesn't understand Scripture's parabolic language will see verses as weird and nonsensical. God tells us in the New Testament: 34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: (Matthew 13). God predicted this language in the Old Testament: I will open my mouth in a parable… (Psalms 78:2). And indeed He did: people pick up poisonous serpents, drink toxins and eat the flesh of Christ without ill effects. A woman adorns herself with the sun, stands on the moon, and flees from a dragon with seven heads and ten horns. Deciphering this kind of language is not as simple as deciding whether Rex is a dog or a cat. So why didn't God write so that we could more easily understand? According to Corollary 3a, only the Bible itself can tell us.
10And the disciples…said unto him (Christ), Why speakest…unto them in parables? 11He answered…Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Matthew 13). 11… all these things are done in parables: 12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them (Mark 4). In Luke 8 we find the same language: 10And he (Christ) said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Evidently Christ didn't want certain people to comprehend Scripture. But our only purpose here is to understand. So we have to learn to interpret the parabolic language.
If we define a parable as a fictional or historic event that allegorizes spiritual truths, we have,
Presupposition 5: The Bible is written in parables—a conclusion we set down as a principle of interpretation.
Corollary 5a: We must look for the spiritual meaning (Corollary 4a) within the parabolic language.
On June 16 we use Daniel 8 as a Biblical history from Adam to the end of the world.
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