Excerpt from Luke 24:44-53

"Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures... And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." (NIV)
                                                               
Reflection by Kenneth L. Samuel
                                                                  
Much of the unrest in the church today has to do with disagreements over the interpretation of Scripture.  There are Christians who claim adherence to the literal words of Scripture (usually the King James Version), and there are Christians who believe that in order to take the Bible seriously, we cannot take the Bible literally.  However we view the Bible, I think we all would agree that Scripture holds a special place of authority and inspiration in the life of Christians and in the life of the Christian Church.  I believe that the post-resurrection encounter between Jesus and his disciples gives us some valuable help in our quest to understand God’s word.

Firstly, even though the disciples had read the laws of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms, they did not fully comprehend what they'd read until Jesus opened their minds or their understanding.  I think this points to the critical need for all that we read in Scripture to be in CONVERSATION with Christ.  If Jesus is the fulfillment of all Scripture, then all Scripture must be interpreted through the lenses of Christ’s life and teachings.  It is the word made flesh that gives meaning to the words in Scripture.

Furthermore, Jesus did not issue private revelations of Scripture to the disciples individually.  Jesus revealed the truth of God’s word in the COMMUNITY of disciples.  I believe that the best interpretation of Scripture is done in a community of believers, where the corporate experience, insight and faith of the body can be brought to bear on our understanding of God's word.  Scriptural interpretation is a community exercise.

Lastly, there is no evidence in Scripture that the revelations of God are ever finished or finite.  In the United Church of Christ, we say it this way: "Never place a period where God has placed a comma."  Even after the post-resurrection revelation of Christ, it was incumbent upon the disciples to maintain CONTINUITY in worship, in fellowship, and in their quest for discernment of God's truth.  The ongoing revelations of God called for the ongoing devotion of the disciples.  As God continues to speak, may we also continue to listen . . . together.

Prayer

Dear Lord, your word has given us life.  Now lead us into greater understanding as we remain steadfast in our devotion to you and in our love for one another.  Amen.

About the Author Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.

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