I have been in many Bible classes where the teacher asks the dreaded, open-ended question that seems rather innocent at first, but becomes increasingly more dangerous as time progresses. I’ve seen entire class periods go by, derailed by various inputs and futile speculations. I’ve watched brother and sister fight over topics and show animosity toward one another, creating rifts and divisions in God’s family. At the end of it all, I’ve witnessed God’s Word be twisted in every direction imaginable. All of these situations stem from the simple question of, “what does this scripture mean to you.”
When we craft a subjective question for an objective truth, the inerrant standard of God’s Word is free to be distorted and shaped however we’d like. We rule over the text rather than letting the text reign over us. Perhaps a better approach would be asking the question, “what does this passage mean for me” rather than “what does this passage mean to me.” It’s a subtle shift of inquiry, but by asking what it means “for me” allows an introspective response to the text whereas asking “to me” leads one to believe God’s Word can be interpreted numerous different ways. The text has its own existence set apart from you and me – it was here before us and will be here after us. It is not liberated to change its message willingly under the condition of time, culture, or experience. Therefore it is the Bible that has the authority to change me, and not the other way around.
Consider the Ethiopian in Acts 8. Philip precisely asked, “do you understand what you are reading?” He didn’t embark on the vain expedition of asking, “how does this text make you feel” or “what does this mean to you?” He assessed the level of knowledge and proceeded to teach the truth. This instance in particular is especially riveting for the dual-fulfillment prophecy of Isaiah 53; understanding that there was an initial truth for Isaiah’s time and a prophetic fulfillment for the age of the Messiah. After teaching of the suffering servant and alluding to the connection to Christ, there was significant obedience on the part of the Ethiopian (8:34-39).
I believe interacting with the Bible by asking questions (the right ones) is healthy for the devoted Bible student. But there is an inherent danger in asking “what does this mean to me” for by it, I am establishing a truth that could be contradictory to my neighbor. We know from the inspired writers that the text is there for our instruction, correction, and training (2 Tim. 3:16). We also know that scripture is perfect and without void (1 Cor. 13:10). Let’s strive to be honest, reliable, and immovable students of scripture. By doing so, we refuse to stand in the way of God’s message.
— Tyler King