Avizandam In Scots law, this term describes the careful consideration given by the judge before an important decision. Join me each week as we explore various topics from a spiritual perspective. and take matters Abyssendum How are you getting on in your Bible reading? What about in the Bible study you attend? Authentic followers of Jesus Christ realize that every day we need to be reading the Word of God.
It is food for our souls. Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy, reminded the devil that man shall not live by bread alone. but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. While our physical food is important, it is essential we read and obey the living word of God if we're going to live spiritually. Jesus says, we live by every word that comes, that's present tense, from the mouth of God.
As we read and study the Holy Scriptures, we're not just looking at ancient words in a text, but the living and abiding Word of God. It is through that living word that we're born again. as Peter explains towards the end of first Peter chapter one. But much of our Bible reading and Bible study. focusses on a few verses which are often read and discussed without regard to the overall context.
The first principle of Biblical interpretation And by far the most important principle is context. What is the context of the verses? Our enemy, the devil, knows scripture. but he quotes it out of context. But How do we discern the context?
One of our common problems is that much of our reading and study of Scripture is intensive rather than extensive. That is, most of us are better at analysing the text rather than synthesizing it. I strongly encourage everyone To try to get the big picture of a passage of Scripture by reading the whole book. No.
Some books of the Bible, such as Genesis and Jeremiah, are very long. But many of them, such as the minor prophets, and the epistles in the New Testament are rather short.
Some books of the Bible can be read in ten, or twenty, or thirty minutes. If you receive a letter or email from a friend, you don't just read a few lines. You read the whole of the email or letter. then you may go back to look at a particular section. In other words, we interpret the details in the context of the whole.
I'm certainly not arguing. that we should not look at the particulars of the text. But I am saying If you're reading and studying, say the book of Philippians, that you first read the whole book several times to get the overall message of the book. Then you could go back and look at some of the details. I recommend that say once a week you're trying to get some time on your own to read Scripture.
Perhaps you sit at the back porch of your home, or use your lunch break to read for an hour or two. I assure you, you will be blessed. Read extensively. You will not understand all that is written, but keep reading. And don't allow what you don't understand to cause you to doubt what you do understand.
Then When you meet for Bible study, you will have an idea of the big picture. the overall message of the particular book you will be studying. Instead of the focus being on What do you get from these verses? You will ask, what does the author intend for us to understand? Then How does what the author wrote apply to us today?
All of Scripture points to our Lord Jesus Christ. On the road to Emmaus the Lord Jesus opened the Scriptures. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. That's Luke chapter twenty four, verse twenty seven. John Stott, the Anglican pastor, preacher, and author, said that as in England all roads lead to London, so in Scripture all roads lead to our Lord Jesus.
Seeing the big picture sometimes takes hard work, prayer, meditation, and perseverance.
So Don't just focus on a verse or two of scripture. Read the whole book. And when you've read it, read it again and again. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And on his law, he meditates day night.
A night. Avazandum. You're listening to the weekly Avizandam podcast from The Verdict, featuring Pastor John Monroe. John is senior pastor at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Listen to John's daily program, The Verdict, on broadcast radio or major podcast platforms.
For more information about the Verdict Ministry, visit us online at calvarychurch.com slash the verdict.
