Exegesis versus Eisegesis -- Letting the Scriptures speak to you versus imposing your view on the Scriptures.

 This excerpt from Skye Jethani's devotional this morning spoke to a point made in yesterday's sermon:

"a well-known Bible teacher recently said that Christianity has a “masculine feel.” Not surprisingly, the person who said that is a man. I suspect a socialist would say Christianity has a “socialist feel,” and the polygamists would say Christianity has a “polyamorous feel.” Like Rorschach’s famous inkblot test, many of us see in scripture what we want to see, rather than what is actually there. Therefore, those of us from more patriarchal faith traditions are unlikely to notice the parts of scripture, like Exodus, which speak of the Lord with feminine language and will insist on the Bible’s “masculine feel.” But does this emerge from an objective reading of the biblical text, or are we simply reading the text through cultural lenses that have a masculine tint?"

As we discussed yesterday, we must be careful to not read into the text of the Bible to try to make it say what we want it to say. This is called eisegesis -- allowing our cultural, societal, and political biases to cause us to read things in Scripture that God is not really saying.

The correct way to read the Bible is through exegesis, reading it in context and receiving it as the original audience would have received it. Ask yourself, "What was God saying to this particular audience at that particular time regarding this particular issue?" Then, and only then, do you try to apply that spiritual truth to your life or your situation.

Read the Bible with discernment and never take verses out of context nor try to impose your human values into the text. Be honest with the Scriptures and let God speak to you and tell you what He wants you to hear.