In Praise for Making Sense of the Bible

When I think about how many people have been turned off to the Christian faith because of how they mis-read and mis-understand the Bible, I can only say, Thank you Jesus for this book! Its going to help a lot of people. Tony Campolo, Founder and President, Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education In these pages Adam Hamilton exhibits his wise, generous pastoral heart. His exposition of the Bible is wondrously accessible. He combines good scholarship with a light touch and a reassuring sense of humor. The result is a discussion that will permit readers to think again and faithfully about the Bible. Hamilton does not let us forget that he bears witness to the gospel, but gives readers lots of room in which to grapple with the challenge of the Bible as he has grappled with it. Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary Clear, straightforward, lucid, faithful, helpful: this book is a great gift to believers, seekers and anyone who has ever wondered if they would ever be able to understand the Bible. Highly recommended. James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage. There are so many books on the Bible. And many of them are terrible -- boring, old, and dry. Adam Hamilton has managed to write a book on the Bible that is honest, relevant, and actually interesting... even captivating. He asks taboo questions and refuses cliche' answers. He invites you to join him on a quest for truth, and even if you don't arrive at the same destination, you will sure enjoy the ride. Shane Claiborne, author and activist Anyone who has ever tried to read the Bible knows that it is a confusing book that raises more questions than it seems to answer. Pastor Adam Hamilton takes the problems of this ancient text seriously, acting as friend and guide to those who seek to read the Bible intelligently and with spiritual insight. With humor and common sense, he walks readers through the pitfalls of fundamentalism and dry scholarship, opening up both the Bible's profound humanity and its wisdom for living. Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity After Religion The Christian Bible has some of the richest and most inspiring passages of all of literature, and we Christians believe its where we find the Word of God. But our Scriptures also contain some of the most challenging and confusing texts of all the written word. I can think of no one more adept at bringing out the beauty and authority of Scripture, while also shedding light on the Bibles most controversial teachings than Adam Hamilton. Making Sense of the Bible is a must read for anyone who is looking for a fuller understanding of the Bible. Jim Wallis, President and Founder of Sojourners and author of On Gods Side Too many committed Christians are given only two unacceptable options regarding the Bible: accept it in the fundamentalist way or discard it entirely. If you hope there's a better way to read, live by, and value the Bible, Adam Hamilton has written the book that will help youand people you know and love. It's understandable. It's honest. It's wise. And it's so, so needed. Brian D. McLaren, author of We Make the Road by Walking

Making Sense of the Bible

 ALSO
BY

A Da M H a M I LTON

Love to Stay: Sex, Grace and Commitment When Christians Get It Wrong The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus Forgiveness: Finding Peace through Letting Go Final Words The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem Why: Making Sense of Gods Will 24 Hours That Changed the World Enough: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White Christianitys Family Tree Christianity and World Religions Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic Making Love Last a Lifetime Unleashing the Word Leading Beyond the Walls Confronting the Controversies

Making Sense of the Bible

R E D I s COV E r I N G T H E P OW E r O F S C r I p T U r E TO DAY

Adam Hamilton

All Bible quotations from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise noted. making sense of the bible : Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today. Copyright 2014 by Adam Hamilton. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address Harper Collins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007. Harper Collins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please e- mail the Special Markets Department at SPsales@harpercollins.com. HarperCollins website: http://www.harpercollins.com HarperCollins, Publishers. first edition Maps by Beehive Mapping Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Hamilton, Adam. Making sense of the Bible : rediscovering the power of scripture today / Adam Hamilton. rst edition. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 9780062234964 1. BibleIntroductions. I. Title. BS475.3.H3185 2014 220.6'1dc23 2013047578 1415161718RRD (H)10987654321

, and HarperOne are trademarks of HarperCollins

 Dedication
To my first grandchild, whose birth will occur about the day this book is published, in the hope that she will come to love the Bible, and that in it she will find her defining story.

Contents

Section One: The Nature of Scripture

Introduction:  A Disturbing, Wonderful, Perplexing, and Inspiring Book 3 One: What the Bible Is Not 7 Two: A Biblical Geography and Timeline 11 The Old Testament Three: The Old Testament in Fifteen Minutes 23 Four:  Who Wrote the Old Testament, When, and Why 31 Five:  Which Books Made It Into the Old Testament and Why 39 Six: Jesus and the Old Testament 49 Seven:  P rophecy, the Old Testament, and the Early Church 55

 The New Testament Eight: The New Testament in Fifteen Minutes 65 Nine: Reading Someone Elses Letters 73 Ten: Who Really Wrote Pauls Letters? 85 Eleven:  How, When, and Why the Gospels Were Written91 Twelve:  The Perplexing, Puzzling, and Profound John 103 Thirteen:  Which Books Made It into the New Testament and Why 109 Questions About the Nature of Scripture Fourteen: Is the Bible Inspired? 129 Fifteen: Is the Bible the Word of God? 145 Sixteen: How Does God Speak to and Through Us? 153 Seventeen: Is the Bible Inerrant and Infallible? 157 Eighteen: A High View of Scripture? 171

Section Two: M  aking Sense of the Bibles Challenging Passages

Nineteen:  Science, the Bible, and the Creation Stories 185 Twenty: Were Adam and Eve Real P eople? 195 Twenty-One: Were There Dinosaurs on the Ark? 199 Twenty-Two: Gods Violence in the Old Testament 207

Twenty-Three:  Suffering, Divine Providence, and the Bible 219 Twenty-Four:  Can We Trust the Gospel Accounts of Jesus? 231 Twenty-Five: Did Jesus Really Say That? 243 Twenty-Six:  No One Comes to the Father Except Through Me? 247 Twenty-Seven: Women Need Not Apply 255 Twenty-E ight: Is It Okay to Get a Tattoo? 261 Twenty-Nine: Homosexuality and the Bible 265 Thirty: Making Sense of the Book of Revelation 281 Thirty-One:  Toward an Honest and Reverent View of Scripture 291 Thirty-Two:  Postscript: Reading the Bible for All Its Worth 301 Bibliography 311 Acknowledgments 313 Notes 315

Section One: The Nature of Scripture

introduction

A Disturbing, Wonderful, Perplexing, and Inspiring Book

love the Bible. Ive read it many times through over the last thirty-ve years. Each morning, I begin by reading one of its passages and reecting upon it. I study it in depth each week as I prepare my sermon expounding a passage or theme from it. I have committed to memory many of its verses. When I open its pages, I hear God speaking to me. Its story, particularly the story of Jesus, is the one story I hope will dene my life. The Bible captures my deepest hopes and highest aspirations. I love this book ... and I wrestle with it. There are parts, if Im honest, that I have questions about. There are statements on its pages that I dont believe capture the character and will of God. Im guessing that if youre honest, you have questions too. Were not alone. As a pastor, I regularly hear from p eople who are perplexed, confused, or disturbed by something theyve read in the Bible. A couple of years ago, I received a call from a man I love dearly, whose pastor I have been for more than twenty years. He said hed

Making Sense of the Bible

accepted my challenge to read the Bible cover to cover, but now he had questions. There were passages that he found troubling. Could we get together to talk? We sat on my back porch, glasses of iced tea in hand. He began, Im drawn to the God of Jesus Christ, who loved sinners and tax collectors and who laid down his life for the lost. But Im disturbed by the picture of God in the Old Testament. He seems petty and vindictive. He commands the Israelites to slaughter entire cities. Abraham and Moses both plead with him to show mercy to those he would destroy. This same God says adulterers, Sabbath violators, homosexuals, and children who curse their parents should be put to death. He hardly seems like the God Jesus came to make known. A science major in college wrote me to say that she was unsettled by the fact that the Bibles creation accounts could not be reconciled with modern science. Shed heard from other Chris tians that she had to reject contemporary scientic explanations for origins of life on our planet if she wished to be a faithful Chris tian. An attorney in the church I serve is troubled by the fact that the Gospels disagree with one another at various points. He notes, In a courtroom, when witnesses disagree like this, I know there is a problem with their testimony. How can I trust what the Gospels say about Jesus? These are just the tip of the iceberg. Does everything really happen for a reason? Does God will the death of babies or natural disasters that leave thousands dead and tens of thousands homeless? And what of the fate of p eople of other religions? Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Peter said, There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). Do these verses mean that everyone who is not a Chris tian will be damned,

A Disturbing, Wonderful, Perplexing, and Inspiring Book 5

as many believe? Is there any other way to understand these statements? Among the thorniest issues in society today are those that have to do with sexuality, particularly homosexuality. While much of society is becoming more accepting of gay and lesbian p eople, and a number of states in the United States have approved gay marriage, a signicant number of American Chris tians believe that same- sex intimacy is a sin. Ask them why and theyll tell you that the Bible says it is a sin, noting that both Moses and Paul were clear on this (Leviticus 20:13 and Romans 1:2627). Do these verses express Gods nal word and will regarding sexuality? Leviticus 20:13 calls for the execution of gay men. Do we believe this captures Gods will? Or is humiliation and condemnation enough? As you can see, there is no shortage of questions that might be raised about the clear teaching of scripture. Heres what I hope to do on the pages of this book you hold in your hand: I envision having a conversation with you, the reader, sitting on my back porch, each of us with a glass of iced tea. Each chapter will be a short discussion related to one of these questions. My aim is not to give you all the answers. I dont have all the answers. Part of the reason for writing this book is to sort through the issues for myself. Am I right in everything I say in this book? Im certain Im not. But the book is an attempt to honestly wrestle with the difcult questions often raised by thoughtful Chris tians and non- Chris tians concerning things taught in the Bible. If you are looking for a scholarly work or you want to go deeper, I include a bibliography at the end with books Ive read that will take you deeper still. But the aim of this book is not to offer a scholarly treatise on each of these questions. Instead Im hoping to distill down (not dumb down but rather summarize and express the essence of ) the work of scholars, while offering my own reections

Making Sense of the Bible

as one who preaches and teaches the Bible and who regularly engages with questions from laity and pastors alike. Ive divided the book into two parts. In the rst section, well start with some foundational questions: What is the Bible, exactly? In what sense is it Gods word, and in what sense is it human reections on God? What do we mean by calling it inspired? Is it inerrant or infallible, as many Chris tians believe? Well also consider how the Bible was written and when it was written, as well as the various types of writings found in it. And well talk about who decided what books made it into the Bible, which ones were left out, and why. In the second section, well dig into the kinds of questions Ive described above. Well talk about the different pictures of God found in the Old and New Testaments. Well ponder science and the Bible. Well think together about sex and the Bible, as well as the Second Coming, and a few other questions you might not have thought to ask upon hearing them, I think youll agree they are important for us to consider. Well end this section, and the book, by looking at various ways to read the Bible, so that in reading it, you may hear God speak through it and nd its words to be life- changing and life- giving. I hear God speak through the Bible. Its words convict me, challenge me, and comfort me. And some of them disturb me. In this book, Id like to share with you how I and many others have wrestled with the Bible and have come to make sense of its thorny passages while listening carefully for the One to whom all scripture bears witness. So, grab a glass of iced tea, and lets begin...

chapter 1

What the Bible Is Not

ets begin our conversation by answering a seemingly simple question: What exactly is the Bible? Ive heard people describe the Bible as the Owners Manual. Im looking at the owners manual for my Ford Mustang as I write these words. It begins with a table of contents that starts with the basic safety features of my car, then moves to how to operate my vehicle, then how to do routine maintenance and repairs. Near the end it offers troubleshooting. Sitting next to my owners manual is my Bible. I wish it were written like my Ford manual. Instead, its table of contents begins with stories of p eople who lived in the ancient Near East thousands of years ago. Next come books of poetry, followed by books written by ery prophets warning about the wrath of the Assyrian and Babylonian armies. Next are the New Testament Gospels telling stories about what Jesus said and did, about his Crucixion and resurrection. These are followed by twenty- one letters, called the

Making Sense of the Bible

Epistles, written by people called apostles, to Chris tians living in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. Finally, about where the troubleshooting guide should be, theres the Book of Revelation with stories of multiheaded beasts and dragons. This is denitely not written like an owners manual. Ive heard p eople refer to the Bible as an acronym for

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

As fun as the acronym is, the Bible is neither basic nor simply instructions for what to do before you die. Some treat the Bible as though it were a Magic 8 Ball do you remember the Magic 8 Ball? It looks like a regular billiards ball, but on the bottom is a glass window. Inside there is mysterious blue uid and a die with twenty sides and twenty different sayings. You ask the Magic 8 Ball a question Should I quit my job to nd something better? and shake the ball. One side of the die comes up with your answer: Signs point to yes. Many treat the Bible the same way. We ask God a question, Should I quit my job to nd something better? and then we ip open the Bible to some random page and read, He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox (Psalm 29:6yes, I actually ipped my Bible open to see what would happen with a random verse!). Hmm. Perhaps its not meant to work like the Magic 8 Ball. Some expect the Bible to be a book of systematic theology, carefully laying out doctrine and dogma in each verse. But while Chris tian systematic theology is grounded in the Bible, youll seldom nd doctrine carefully spelled out in the biblical text. Try searching

What the Bible Is Not 9

for an explanation of the Trinity, or a comprehensive explanation of atonement theories, or how it is that Jesus is both human and divine. Even a chapter giving a complete explanation of the meaning of baptism would be great, but you wont nd this either. I attended a meeting of the Young Earth Creationists in Kansas City several years ago. Nice folks but very intense. Evolution is a lie. The evidence points to an earth that is less than ten thousand years old. Amid the comments was this one: There is only one eyewitness account of Creation. It is found in Genesis 1 and 2. God knows what he did, and he told us in his Word. And God does not lie. For them at least, Genesis 1 and 2 contain an eyewitness account of what happened at Creation, dictated by God to Moses, and therefore the most accurate account, upon which all scientic theories must be built. Yet the Bible doesnt read like a science textbook, and even its Creation accounts do not read like treatises on cosmology or physics or biology. Some read the Bible as though it were a book of promises from God. I met a woman several years ago who was angry with God. She had gone to church her whole life. She was part of a womens Bible study for years. Her son became gravely ill, and the women in her Bible study agreed with her to stand upon the Word and to trust its promises. They claimed certain scriptures like Psalm 91:3, Surely he will save you from the fowlers snare and from the deadly pestilence and James 5:14, Is any among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well (NIV). Yet her son died. The Bible now seemed to her a book of broken promises. Id suggest that each of the above concepts about the Bible is awed, and when the Bible is read while holding these assumptions

10

Making Sense of the Bible

the reader will, at some point, become confused, misguided, or profoundly disappointed. While Ive described what the Bible is not, in the remainder of this section, Id like to help you think about what the Bible is. That answer is a bit more complex and rich than our pat answers might imply.

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