Before we go further into the Bible and Gospel Proclamation, let us try to address a possible apprehension from many quarters about the relevance of the present Study when there is no dearth of related materials in and outside the Church. For this very reason, our Study does not try to repeat the endeavors already executed by others. Instead, it is a reflection on the Bible, mainly the New Testament and specifically the four Gospels, with the background of theological insights similar to those we have in the Bible itself. It is heavily loaded in favor of the future possibilities of the Gospel Proclamation in the 21st century. However, it is hoped that everything in this Study is thoroughly based on the teaching of the Church, entrusted by Jesus to teach and preach to the whole world.
The Bible can be interpreted in myriad ways and in fact from the beginning of the Church, attempts have been made to interpret it in various ways. Since the Bible emerged from the collective consciousness of the people chosen by God Himself, any interpretation of the Bible by an individual should necessarily be subject to the religious authority entrusted by God to teach others. An example for the misinterpretation of the Word of God may be seen in what Jesus said: "And they shall all be taught by God"( John, 6: 45). The same idea we have in Jeremiah, 31: 34, Hebrews, 8: 11 and 1 John, 2: 27. Does this mean that there need not be any teaching authority other than one's own conscience? In all the above instances we see that the reason why people need not be taught by anyone is that God Himself has put His Spirit into their hearts. When Jesus offered his own body and blood as food and drink, those who murmured against him did so because they were not drawn by the Father to come to Jesus. On the other hand, those who were drawn by the Father were able to believe in Jesus as they were directly taught by God. This kind of teaching cannot be provided by any other agency including the Church as it belongs solely to the power of God. The same may be said about the anointing by the Spirit received by the faithful referred to in 1 John, 2: 27. It is self-evident that no authority and power other than those of God can teach the humans in a most fundamental and intrinsic manner that is able to transform them into new creatures. All the teaching functions should be subservient to the teaching initiated by God himself , which cannot be taken over by any other agency. Thus a fine balance between the teaching of God and the teaching entrusted by God to human agents should be harmoniously worked out. This delicate function is exercised by the teaching authority of the Church. The function of the teaching Church is to prepare the ground and present it for God's action to produce fruits, remaining as a servant both of the Lord and of his people. The Church should never arrogate to itself the glory and honor due to God alone, but develop the people of God to be self-sufficient and full of life of their own.
We should guard ourselves against two pitfalls that are common in interpreting the Bible. One is the too literal interpretation of the Bible word by word that leads to fundamentalism, fanaticism and superstition, being deprived of the light of true understanding. The other is the too scientific and secular interpretation of the Bible by means of literary criticism, form criticism, historical criticism and the theories like those of demythologisation of Rudolf Bultmann and secularization of Paul Van Buren. By their tendency to question the historicity of events in the Bible, these critics lead people to skepticism and the inability to know anything for certain. They are ready to peel off the myths surrounding realities to the point of confusion about the underlying realities themselves. For, no myth can stand on its own unless fundamentally and basically supported by hard core realities not amenable to any compromise.
Similarly, secularization of the Word of God is attempted as a requirement of relevance for the Word of God in the present world by recourse to one or other theory of the Analysis of Language. Keeping this tendency in view, the present Study tries to understand the Word of God in the Bible with some of the principles of Linguistic Analysis serving as background to our way of understanding the Bible. At the same time, we don't find it repugnant to use the same method used in the Bible for presenting facts. Thus, for example, the chronological sequence of events highlighted in our Study is to properly place the events in our narration and not because of their historical accuracy.
Although the Gospel is meant for the whole of mankind, it is specifically addressed to the poor (See Luke, 4: 17-19; 7: 22; Isaiah, 29: 18-19; 61: 1-2). The Word of God specifies the poor to be those who are obviously so like the prisoners, the blind and the broken victims. In other words, the poor are those who are powerless on their own who have no hope of release from their infirmities except through the power of God. People of good will have peace from above (See Luke, 2: 14) because they too are poor before God. Those who are upright and devout like Zechariah and Elizabeth and those who wait for and work for the Kingdom of God like Simeon and Anna of Jerusalem , Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethea as well as the disciples of Jesus were truly poor. It did not matter if some of them were really rich according to this world's standards as they were genuinely poor in the sight of God. This is what Matthew calls the poor in spirit (See Matthew, 5: 3) who are eligible to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is but a continuation and deeper experience of eternal life offered by Jesus. The proclamation of the Gospel is necessary to call people to repentance for turning away from their present way of life so that they become poor in the sight of God. The inner penitence and humility resulting in verifiable deeds of goodness make a person both rich (See Luke, 12: 21) and poor in spirit in the sight of God. Such a person is governed by the values cherished by God that are diametrically opposed to worldly values. Such persons are wise before God and fools before the would. (To be Contd).
The Bible can be interpreted in myriad ways and in fact from the beginning of the Church, attempts have been made to interpret it in various ways. Since the Bible emerged from the collective consciousness of the people chosen by God Himself, any interpretation of the Bible by an individual should necessarily be subject to the religious authority entrusted by God to teach others. An example for the misinterpretation of the Word of God may be seen in what Jesus said: "And they shall all be taught by God"( John, 6: 45). The same idea we have in Jeremiah, 31: 34, Hebrews, 8: 11 and 1 John, 2: 27. Does this mean that there need not be any teaching authority other than one's own conscience? In all the above instances we see that the reason why people need not be taught by anyone is that God Himself has put His Spirit into their hearts. When Jesus offered his own body and blood as food and drink, those who murmured against him did so because they were not drawn by the Father to come to Jesus. On the other hand, those who were drawn by the Father were able to believe in Jesus as they were directly taught by God. This kind of teaching cannot be provided by any other agency including the Church as it belongs solely to the power of God. The same may be said about the anointing by the Spirit received by the faithful referred to in 1 John, 2: 27. It is self-evident that no authority and power other than those of God can teach the humans in a most fundamental and intrinsic manner that is able to transform them into new creatures. All the teaching functions should be subservient to the teaching initiated by God himself , which cannot be taken over by any other agency. Thus a fine balance between the teaching of God and the teaching entrusted by God to human agents should be harmoniously worked out. This delicate function is exercised by the teaching authority of the Church. The function of the teaching Church is to prepare the ground and present it for God's action to produce fruits, remaining as a servant both of the Lord and of his people. The Church should never arrogate to itself the glory and honor due to God alone, but develop the people of God to be self-sufficient and full of life of their own.
We should guard ourselves against two pitfalls that are common in interpreting the Bible. One is the too literal interpretation of the Bible word by word that leads to fundamentalism, fanaticism and superstition, being deprived of the light of true understanding. The other is the too scientific and secular interpretation of the Bible by means of literary criticism, form criticism, historical criticism and the theories like those of demythologisation of Rudolf Bultmann and secularization of Paul Van Buren. By their tendency to question the historicity of events in the Bible, these critics lead people to skepticism and the inability to know anything for certain. They are ready to peel off the myths surrounding realities to the point of confusion about the underlying realities themselves. For, no myth can stand on its own unless fundamentally and basically supported by hard core realities not amenable to any compromise.
Similarly, secularization of the Word of God is attempted as a requirement of relevance for the Word of God in the present world by recourse to one or other theory of the Analysis of Language. Keeping this tendency in view, the present Study tries to understand the Word of God in the Bible with some of the principles of Linguistic Analysis serving as background to our way of understanding the Bible. At the same time, we don't find it repugnant to use the same method used in the Bible for presenting facts. Thus, for example, the chronological sequence of events highlighted in our Study is to properly place the events in our narration and not because of their historical accuracy.
Although the Gospel is meant for the whole of mankind, it is specifically addressed to the poor (See Luke, 4: 17-19; 7: 22; Isaiah, 29: 18-19; 61: 1-2). The Word of God specifies the poor to be those who are obviously so like the prisoners, the blind and the broken victims. In other words, the poor are those who are powerless on their own who have no hope of release from their infirmities except through the power of God. People of good will have peace from above (See Luke, 2: 14) because they too are poor before God. Those who are upright and devout like Zechariah and Elizabeth and those who wait for and work for the Kingdom of God like Simeon and Anna of Jerusalem , Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethea as well as the disciples of Jesus were truly poor. It did not matter if some of them were really rich according to this world's standards as they were genuinely poor in the sight of God. This is what Matthew calls the poor in spirit (See Matthew, 5: 3) who are eligible to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is but a continuation and deeper experience of eternal life offered by Jesus. The proclamation of the Gospel is necessary to call people to repentance for turning away from their present way of life so that they become poor in the sight of God. The inner penitence and humility resulting in verifiable deeds of goodness make a person both rich (See Luke, 12: 21) and poor in spirit in the sight of God. Such a person is governed by the values cherished by God that are diametrically opposed to worldly values. Such persons are wise before God and fools before the would. (To be Contd).
No comments:
Post a Comment