PA saints
Scholars have observed that from time to time, New Testament authors use Old Testament references in ways that they consider illegitimate. Some are so bold to say that Jesus and the Apostles would flunk their hermeneutics classes for misappropriating the Old Testament. They admit they don't know how to read the Old Testament the way that Jesus and the apostles did.
To explain their deficiency, these scholars used the term sensus plenior to describe the meaning that God intended in the scriptures that was unknown to the human authors. They debated the topic at the end of the last century. Only those who could not read the scriptures the way that Jesus did, were invited. As a result, the debates were like blind men arguing if rainbows exist. Some said that rainbows (sensus plenior) does not exist, and even suggesting that they do puts your salvation at risk. Some say that the NT authors invented the rainbows from the OT text. Others say they do exist, but we are not allowed to look for them because we are not apostles.
Yet Jesus was always showing his disciples things in the scripture that were not obvious. If they had been obvious, they would not have needed to be shown. At the time of the cross, they had forgotten that he had told them about his death and resurrection. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained the scriptures again, opening their eyes to the mystery of the cross and the church hidden within. And finally, he sent the Holy Spirit to remind them of everything he had taught them.
These things were not plain and easily understood. They had been hidden from the beginning and revealed after the cross. These things can be read today. You to can learn to read it.
There are some barriers to understanding it:
- 1. You may have been taught things about the Bible which are not true and which prevent you from fully believing it.
- 2. You likely have been programmed with 'Western' or Greek philosophy, rhetoric, logic and myth. The Bible is a Hebrew book, and we must think Hebrew to see the mystery.
- 3. To see the mystery in its depths, you must understand Hebrew. However, much of it can be seen in any language if we learn to think in Hebrew and to identify patterns.
- 4. You must learn to play like a child again. The wisdom of God is hidden in child's play.
Please be aware that these studies are original observations. We love to debate opinions but that is not the purpose of these studies. The purpose is to share observations which will be self-validating. You will not be able to search online, or buy a book to validate them. If we use historians to interpret the Bible, then we make the historians into apostles. The Bible is self-contained. We will not need them. The New Testament will validate the Old, and the Old will validate the New. God has entrusted you with his word.
Because of this, we won't be debating theology. We will be learning to think Hebrew. What's the difference? The Greek reads a passage and uses rhetorical invention to come up with questions: who, what , where , why, when, how? The Hebrew will read God's word and ask if we are sure we read it right; then ask if we understand what he said. Our questions will come from the text, not from rhetorical invention. We will ask what is the doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness.
Jesus said that the scriptures spoke of him. For two thousand years the church has studied about Adam, Abraham, Israel, and all the people of the literal-historical record. There are lots of books if we wish to study them. But we will study about how the Old Testament speaks of Jesus. If we miss him in the scripture, we have missed the point.
