КАК ДА ЧЕТЕМ И РАЗБИРАМЕ БИБЛИЯТА

КАК ДА ЧЕТЕМ И РАЗБИРАМЕ БИБЛИЯТА

Получавам много молби от слушатели, които търсят методи и принципи за изучаване на Библията, затова реших, че ще е полезно да изложа някои полезни насоки за всички в този блог.

Една от важните отправни точки за разбиране на Божието Слово е да определим целта, с която го четем. Библията не е учебник по математика, физика, медицина, химия или който и да е друг учебен предмет. Нейната цел е по-скоро да ни научи на истината за Бога, да изяви проблема с греха и плана за спасение. Тя съдържа всички необходими истини за възвръщане на хората към познанието за Бога, което би помогнало да Му се доверят и да преживеят изцеление в сърцето и ума си.

Но да знаем какво е предназначението на Библията – да предава истината за спасението на хората – не е достатъчно. Човек трябва да изучава Писанията с желание да вникне в смисъла им, а не просто да заучава думите.

Преди много години прочетох ценно прозрение от книгата “Притчи Христови”, което наистина ми помогна да разбера това:

Не е достатъчно само да слушаш или да четеш Словото. Който иска да има полза от Писанията, трябва да размишлява върху истината, която му е представена. С пълно внимание, прилежност и размишлявайки в молитва, той трябва да успее да вникне в смисъла на думите на истината и да пие дълбоко от духа на светите пророчества (стр. 59, подчертаването е от мен).

Това е ключът към всяко изучаване на Библията – не да знаеш оригиналните думи, а да разбираш вложения в тях смисъл. Мнозина избират грешен подход и толкова се увличат в спорове за правилната “дума”, че в края на краищата пропускат правилното значение.

Когато пишех “Тhe Remedy” /преразказ на Новия завет/, това беше един от основните принципи, от които се ръководех: Кое е най-точното и прецизно значение? Получавал съм имейли от хора, които не са съгласни с перифразирането ми на определени стихове, защото английските думи, които съм избрал, не съответстват на гръцките. Но не думите са от значение, тъй като думите могат да променят значението си (например помислете как думата “гей”, чието първоначално значение е “весел” е променила значението си през последния век и се е превърнала в нарицателно за нещо негативно). По-важен е смисълът, който се придава, затова винаги съм предизвиквал тези, които имат притеснения относно някой перифразиран стих, да ми кажат какво според тях е значението му.

Това трябва да правим при прочита на цялата Библия. И е особено важно да го правим, когато става въпрос за символи, метафори, сравнения, образи, притчи или други изразни средства.

Ето някои основни насоки, които според мен са полезни за правилното тълкуване на Писанията:

  1. Трябва да разбираме цялостния контекст на Писанието – не само непосредствения контекст, върху който се концентрират много изследователи на Библията и както се казва заради дърветата изпускат гората, т.е. за сметка на тясното послание изпускат цялостното послание. Цялостният контекст е универсален и в него Бог винаги е любов, а Сатана е егоистично същество, което се опитва да унищожи това, което Бог е създал.
  2. Битката между Бога и Сатана не е физическа битка, а битка на идеи, концепции и убеждения – стремеж да бъдат спечелени сърцата и умовете на хората на едната или другата страна. Основните Божии оръжия са истината, любовта и свободата. Основните оръжия на Сатана са лъжата, основаният на страх егоизъм и принудата.
  3. Библията изявява истината относно Бог, Неговия характер и методи, както и плана Му да изпрати Исус, за да спаси човечеството. Тя също така разобличава Сатана като източник на злото, смъртта, болката и страданието и разкрива проблемите, които отклонението от Божия дизайн причинява през цялата история на човечеството.
  4. В старозаветните времена на земята се е водил глобален конфликт между Бога, който е работил, за да изпълни обещанието Си да се роди “Семето”, което един ден ще смаже главата на змията (Битие 3:15) и Сатана, който се е опитвал да се противопостави на Бога, стремейки се да затвори пътя, по който ще се роди Месията.
  5. В древността са се раждали и са живели милиарди хора, но в Стария завет са записани историите само на няколко от тях. Това са били реални хора, които са вършили реални неща; следователно Библията е книга, която е исторически достоверна. Но защо Бог е избрал да запише само историята на малцина? Това е така, защото фокусът на Писанието е планът за спасение. Така Бог е вдъхновявал Своите писатели да записват истории, които са не само достоверни, но и които разкриват глобални истини – и те метафорично представят битката между Христос и Сатана и разкриват плана за спасение.
  6. Ето някои специфични правила за тълкуване на библейските пророчества:
  • Ако една част от пасажа е символична или метафорична, то и останалата част е символична или метафорична, освен ако в текста не са посочени ясни причини за буквалното му възприемане.
  • Библията трябва да се използва за тълкуване на самата себе си (т.е. тълкуванията на символите трябва да се основават на библейските им дефиниции и само ако няма такива, трябва да се прибягва към други дефиниции).
  • Главната тема е за конфликта между Христос и Сатана.
  • Естеството на Божия характер е любов и никога не се променя; следователно тълкуванията никога не трябва да водят до изкривено представяне на Божия характер, различно от любовта.
  • Божият закон на любовта никога не се променя; следователно тълкуванията винаги трябва да са в хармония с Божия закон на любовта.

Останалите Божии закони на дизайна също са неизменими; следователно тълкуванията не бива да нарушават Божиите закони на дизайна на живота.

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Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 13

I borrowed “Healing The Mind” DVDs from a friend and showed them at my home for a small gathering of women friends. Neither of my friends are Adventist, but they both enjoyed and embraced the messages you taught. In fact, one of the ladies prayed out loud in our group and that was the first time she had ever had public prayer.

J.B. ,Dalles, OR, USA

 

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, USA

 

Testimony 24

I wanted to thank you very much for presenting your understanding of God. I’ve always been troubled by this question: Why did Jesus have to die? Since my conversion I understood that The Father & Jesus are one, I did not have issues with that. But was there not any other way to save us than for Jesus to die? I guess I actually had a question about God – if He is so wise, how come He did not find another way? I did not see the real ‘beauty’  in the cross. Only when you explained the picture in the medical context, Jesus providing medicine for my selfishness, have I started to finally ‘see the light’. Thank you so much. Your seminar, “Healing the Mind,” are absolutely marvelous & have shared them with my family and many other people, including colleagues at work. Thanks, thanks, thanks. May God bless you abundantly in your ministry.

M. W., Australia

 

Testimony 47

I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

Liz H., Port Angeles, WA, USA

 

 

Testimony 2

I continue to enjoy your lessons every week. The more that I research your conclusions, the more I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has lead you to distill out the essence of human redemption. Thank you for your courageous stand for the truth.

S. G., TX, USA

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 30

God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

Kessy B., Australia