The Bible as history means it is an historical book, filled with historical documents. The essence of Christian ministry is the ability to grasp the Bible as God’s special self-revelation. Then, use it to edify Christians and proclaim good news to all creation. (Matthew 28:19)
This may seem obvious or elementary, yet we need to be reminded of the Bible as history. That is, it was written in history by actual historical characters. Yes, the Bible is a spiritual book. Yet, that does not negate or cancel the fact that it is an actual historical document.
Handling the Bible with Care and Skill
Glorifying God through properly handling Scripture is a skill that develops over a lifetime of following Jesus. Therefore, understanding something of the basic nature of the Bible as history is critical to the church and all believers.
I serve as a church pastor and a hospital chaplain, and am a theologian and philosopher. I am also an historian with a few academic degrees to show for it. Even if a pastor or layperson is not credentialed as an historian, that person still does the work of an historian by handling God’s historical Word.
So, I cannot emphasize enough the need to approach the Bible as history with some common historical sense. If we don’t, we are in danger of misinterpreting God’s Holy Word for us today. As contemporary people who seek to apply the Bible to our present needs and situations, the historians’ craft can help us in our quest.
Paying Attention to History
John Fea, professor of American History at Messiah College, has rightly explained that the historian’s first task is not to find something relevant in history, but to do the work of helping explain the past. The goals of the historian, Fea says, are:
- To observe change over time.
- To interpret the past in context.
- To be constantly interested in the causes for an event.
- To keep the big picture in mind by seeing how events are influenced by other events.
- To realize the past is complex by resisting simplistic explanations that can be put into sound bites.
If we rip biblical characters from their historical context and roots; try and make them just like us; ignore their understandings and motivations; ask first what something means for us before asking what it meant for them; seek to selfishly use biblical persons as tools for our own propaganda in the present; then, we have done a disservice to the church, not to mention a disservice to the God whom we seek to honor.
Respecting the Historical Process
I insist we eschew cherry-picking from the past and the Bible. That practice is merely done to get positive accolades with the people for whom we minister to. The Bible as history is not to be used to get our point across. It is God’s revelation to us so that we can know the Lord better – and that we might grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. (2 Peter 3:18)
One needs not be a scholar to effectively learn or communicate Holy Scripture. Rather, I am pleading for some intellectual hospitality, some basic human decorum in handling the Bible. We need to learn and listen to both the characters of the Bible, and the people in our lives, with views that differ from our own.
Historical and Biblical Collaboration
Someone might argue that all we need is the Holy Spirit. And I would argue that only narcissists believe they can independently handle the Bible, as if the Holy Spirit speaks only to individuals and not the community of the redeemed as a whole.
Let’s examine the Old and New Testaments – not to give ammunition to our personal and cultural agendas – but because it has the potential to change our lives and transform us for compassionate service in the church and the world.
May it be so, to the glory of God.
Be safe. Be strong. Be smart. Be spiritual. We are all in this together.