If Jesus wasn't a Bible literalist, if *HE* didn't think the Bible was inerrant...?

Question

...why should modern Christians favor Bible literalism and inerrancy?

Jesus teachings show a progressive view of Jewish law. (O ye hypocrites, sabbath was made for man, refutation fo purity laws, going against Moses's teaching on divorce, thinking for one's self, "You have heard it said ___________, but truly I say to you ____________" etc...) He clearly was into the Bible, but he was not a literalist and favored common sense when applying the scriptures.

If Jesus favored a, for lack of a better term, practical exegesis, why shouldn't modern Christians favor the same?

Answer 1

I love all the people answering with "Jesus didn't exist!" You should stop pushing your beliefs on them, James. You crazy fundie you!

Anyway, this is a great way to put it, I never thought of it that way. Next time someone accuses me of being unbiblical for being a Progressive Christian, I'll throw this at 'em!

Answer 2

Jesus was showing forth the intent of the law, whereas the pharisees, et. al. were seeing the points of law as being an end in itself. People do the same today all the time.

A stop sign is a good example. What is the intent? To prevent collisions in an intersection.

If you come up to a stop sign and slow down, but do not stop, yet you can see there are no cross traffic cars visible for a great distance either to your left or right (or ahead) and you proceed through without stopping completely, did you break the law? Yes, in the letter, but you did comply with the intent.

To a "literalist" then, the stop sign is an end in itself. You broke the law, regardless, even though there was no one harmed (no victim) and no possibility of there being a harmed party.

.

Answer 3

That reminds me of this comic...

http://xkcd.com/16/

A literal interpretation of the bible ironically includes taking most things literally except what Jesus said, which is often contradictory to other scripture. Jesus is taken seriously when he's easy to understand and easy to follow. For example, Jesus also told the young man to sell everything he had and give the money to the poor. Many modern Christians interpret this "literally", as in, he was just talking to that one guy, not everyone.

Jesus's position on literalism and the different interpretations of Jesus in different gospels leave the modern Christian in a difficult position - which Jesus was the most representative of the one that lived, what do you take as directed to you, when do you allow for culture and context, what do you interpret literally, and most importantly, where do you get information about the bible doesn't cover?

I think Christianity is a much more difficult religion than most people understand it to be. I think perhaps it's because the focus is not so much on what Jesus said, but on the bible as a whole.

And politics don't help, to put it simply. The "modern" Christian is often a hypocrite whose limited understanding of scripture is either used to batten political platforms or to condemn others.

I don't know if that answers your question, but I think it was a very interesting point.

Answer 4

Incorrect. Jesus didn't reveal new laws in the examples you gave; He explained the true meaning of the EXISTING laws, which, in most cases, had become so bogged down by extra-Biblical teachings of men that the law's intent had become corrupted.

And FYI, Jesus dictated most of the Hebrew Scriptures to the prophets, anyway (via His pre-incarnate form, known as The Word). So how can you claim the He didn't know what He was talking about the first time He gave the law?

Answer 5

I rebuke this, in the call of Jesus. The Spirit did no longer inform you this. The Holy Spirit would not contradict what God tells us. You suggesting that the spirit instructed you that Genesis is a parable is a contradiction of what his be conscious says. I do take the bible actually, there replaced right into a time once I did no longer, and that i additionally did no longer have the Holy Spirit , even however i replaced into saved. You look very doubt crammed, extra powerful confer with the Lord approximately that and ask Him to do away with it from you. EDIT: consistently ask for coaching from God earlier examining the be conscious, in any different case they are going to be a collection of words without which ability.

Answer 6

Well, first of all, modern Christians don't favor Bible literalism and inerrancy. Church leaders are constantly re-evaluating the Word of God to fit modern times as times change. Otherwise women would still be nothing more than chattle, property of their husbands. That's just one example.

Answer 7

God is more itnersted in the spirit of the law over the letter.
I have seen pleanty of people ebing to strict in their views or holding to very word that they get hostile and will start arguing over issues like the meaning of the word is....The earlist view of the canons and such have been guidlines with flexibility on pastorial discretion.

Answer 8

Your premise in your question is completely wrong.Jesus was a Bible literist. Jesus is called the Word in the Bible.

Jesus said the Word is truth. Jesus said the scripture cannot be broken. Jesus said His Word will judge everyone. The Bible is 100% true and is the only authority on all matters.

Answer 9

The only Bible Jesus might have read would have been in scroll form and consisted of various Old Testament scriptures read by the Hebrews at the time. There was no Bible at that time.

Answer 10

Oh, good grief!

Jesus wasn't renouncing the Law, but putting it back to what it was originally.

For instance, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" originally meant that if you absolutely feel the need to take vengence on someone who has hurt you, you can do no more damage than one eye for an eye, no more than one tooth for a tooth. Jesus went on to say that the BETTER way was Love. LOVE your enemies. PRAY for them that despitefully use you. do GOOD to those who hate you, et cetera.

You have heard it said thou shalt not commit adultery, but I'm telling you that even LUST is considered adultery.

You have heard it said that thou shalt not murder, but I'm including hate, since God sees the heart, and sees the murder you WISH you could carry out.

You have heard it said love your neighbor but hate your enemy, but I'm telling you that Love is greater. Love even your enemy.

Jesus didn't CHANGE the Old Testament Law that He inspired in the first place, but rather, He corrected their misunderstandings.