God Centered Biblical Intepretation

It's been a while since I've updated the site, and so I return with a book review. But before that, some updates on what I'm doing now. It started of from something my mum said - for the first time in my life, she told me that I'm fat.

This is serious. I mean she has always been complaining me being skinny and bony and this is the first time in 26 years that she called me fat and wants me to loose some weight. So I'm tasked for these few weeks that I'm here, to shake off some of the extra pounds I put on from the last month of work. The stress less month has rendered me a bit rounder and it's not just my mum who's complaining I'm plump. *wink wink*

Back to the review, this is the first book that I've read from Vern Poythress. I've read it quite some time ago, and only decided to write the review now to summarize some things that I've learnt from it so far.

Poythress is generally very clear with his literary work, and it is an enjoyable read. The book starts off with a group discussion on how one should interpret the Bible. As expected, the group wandered off aimlessly because without a clear foundation, one can interpret the Bible to say whatever one wants to say.

It is thus the book's aim to argue on how the Bible is indeed an divine instrument of communication and how Biblical interpretation should be centered on God. As a beginner's book, it aims to provide the very foundation for us to interpret the Bible so that we can better understand what God is saying to us at our current generation. Poythress is also at home when venturing into technical depths of linguistics, terms and meanings of language in general, and he brings in fresh perspectives on how one should be firmly grounded in the orthodoxy of Christian interpretation.

True to a reformer, Poythress drives home the point on Creator - creature distinction on interpretation. Human are not only sinful after the fall, but we are by nature, finite. It is thus important for us to admit that our works and knowledge will never be the same as our Creator's, and our interpretation will always fall short of the perfect understanding like that of Jesus and the Father in John 17.

Ultimately, interpretation, like all other human endeavor, is in need of redemption by Christ. It is only through the active participation of the Holy Spirit that we are able to understand the Bible, and in fact, everything at all. The book has other discussions by fictional Christian characters who differ in their way of interpretations.

It is a thought provoking book, and one read is not enough to capture the essence that the author has poured into the paperback.

On Teaching

I came here with the intention of posting another book review, but instead I shall let my mind flow for this time.

I believe that there is a rule at work when it comes to learning and teaching. When the transaction in the form of a lesson is taking place, the learner is as important as the teacher.

Granted, a great teacher will inspire and arouse the interest of his students, like Jesus. But even Jesus preached to many deaf ears, with only a handful of disciples in need of tuition for 40 days before the Ascension.

The point I want to make is this: we are shifting responsibilities (and blame) everywhere but ourselves. We go for a course, didn’t get anything out of it – course lecturer has no content. We go for music lesson, didn’t know how to play well – music teacher incompetent. We go for sermon, slept – pastor uninteresting. I’m not a saint in this as well, and I’m writing this to remind myself of my flaws. Effective learning needs diligent work and the correct attitude. We failed many times to ask ourselves what we should be doing when learning, but instead we expect some magic pill to grant us immediate mastery effortlessly.

The reason I wrote this is because students who thinks there’s a magic pill somewhere irritates the heck out of a teacher. If there really is a magic pill, it lies in the form of prayers and a lot of sacrifices. The disciples probably got the most magic pill-ish understanding on Pentecost, but that is not without prayers and God’s sovereignty. Their sacrifices thereafter would be an understatement if I describe them here.

I used to give some guitar lessons, but I got quite fed up with people wanting to practice 1-2 hours a week and expecting to play like Steve Vai. When it dawns on them that it’s not going to happen, they give up. Plain and simple. It maybe my fault – uninspiring, uninteresting,  nothing but tedium involved. But that’s how you gain – repeating and practicing over and over again despite all the drills.

Which brings me back to the initial rule – that the learner is as important as the teacher. It is my hope that when I teach, I can inspire and arouse at least a hint of interest, but it is my prayer that the learners come prepared.