Twisted Scripture?
If Scripture can be twisted, as Peter warns us, to the point that the followers face destruction, then we should take extreme caution in allegorizing the Bible beyond God’s intention. For, the more we lean toward figurative interpretation, the further we get from a clear picture, because a passage could mean one thing to one person and be interpreted differently by another. It is prudent, therefore, to recognize the precedents set by the people in Scripture interpreting God’s word for us. Jesus does this in Luke 20:34-38,
“Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35“But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36“nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37“But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38“For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Thus, Jesus illuminates our understanding to a passage we may have read hundreds of times and not realized the deeper meaning of the text. We can have confidence in Jesus interpreting Scripture for us, as he is the Messiah. Explained for us in John 4:25-26,
“The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
Indeed, if more ‘Christ-ians’ systematically learned all that Jesus said, realizing that his authority is from the Most High, there would be less confusion regarding Scripture, and thus less division between us.
