Biblical scripture is greatest treasure
“The Goonies” shows that the dotted line leading to the treasure passes through kidnappings and booby traps. If not these, then other challenges, e.g. alligator infested swamps. Even if you know where the treasure is, you have no guarantee that the treasure will be yours.
The Bible is this treasure. Inspired and “Godbreathed,” it has more than pure, revealed truth. The Scriptures offer something of that Spirit through which it was written. The dotted line leading to this treasure is just like any other treasure map — trials, risks, dead ends, confusion and dangers.
Here, I want to a) show that Scripture is universally helpful, and 2) show the challenges of interpreting Scripture.
First, the Bible is universally helpful. “All Scripture … is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect …” — 2 Tim 3:17.
This maybe a little of “I’m helpful because I said so,” which is a circular argument. However, does not our experience highlight the helpfulness, the profitability and the usefulness of Scripture? You don’t have to be an expert to find help and support in the Sacred Word.
Second, we distinguish what is helpful with what is authentically true. Usefulness and accuracy are two different things. Useful means that it helps me in practical things. Accurate means that it is true and corresponds with reality, whether I believe it or not. Every sincere person will find Scripture to be helpful, but who can claim that their personal interpretation will be THE accurate interpretation? We might consider a few challenges, not to what is helpful, but to what is an accurate and timeless interpretation:
Challenge No. 1 — The Bible is complicated. I’m not a genius. Challenge No. 2 — I hardly know the cultural/ linguistic context. I’m more familiar with individualism and smart phones, and not a world that uses an outhouse, that deals with foreign invaders and that has 613 religious laws.
Challenge No. 3 — I have sin (personal and original sin), and my mind has been darkened and clouded by it.
Challenge No. 4 — In addition to darkening my mind, sin causes me to have pride (even hidden), which affects my reading of the Bible. It is too easy for me to impose my own vision of the world, to read the Word of God with “me”-colored-lenses.
Reading scripture for personal benefit is an absolute key for growth in discipleship. Please, read scripture excessively! Reading scripture, considering oneself as the absolute interpreter seems irresponsible and too bold.
Could an emphasis on personal interpretation be the reason for the splintering of Christianity into however many denominations, into persons picking their church based on a pastor’s interpretation, into churches picking their pastor based on the pastor’s interpretations? Is the Church devolving into consumerism? Is there no authentic interpretation of scripture bigger than the individual person? Would Jesus leave the interpretation of His Truth to the whims of each of us? Wouldn’t He have provided some kind of universal safeguard?
I say He does. He is not dumb. Scripture is a treasure worth safeguarding and protecting, not putting it at risk of the fickle human opinion.
O’Brien is a Catholic pastor in both LeFlore and Haskell counties. In LeFlore County, he pastors both at Immaculate Conception Church in Poteau and St. Elizabeth’s Church in Spiro. He can be reached by telephone at (918) 6473475 or by e-mail at spobrien007@gmail.com.