Interpreting the Old Testament: 3 Layers – Brad Jersak

Question:

I grew up in a Christian tradition where literal interpretation is the only way to read the Bible. I have always loved stories such as Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) and how God came to him after Elijah fled for his life (ch. 19). But there is a lot of violence in so many of these passages that I am truly not sure how to view them as anything but literal accounts.  

Response:

Drawing from my book, A More Christlike Word, when we read the Bible, we certainly do begin with a literal reading. This is just the first or surface reading, bearing in mind that the Scriptures have layered meanings as we dig deeper. It’s like drilling down through sedimentary layers of stone, looking to strike water or oil or gold… (all good biblical metaphors, by the way!).

While various labels are used to describe these layers, the early Christians distilled them down to three: (1) the literal, (2) the moral, and (3) the spiritual (or gospel) reading of each text. Let’s review these together.

The Literal Sense

The first reading of any biblical text is generally the literal reading. But remember that a literal reading does not mean “taking everything literally.” Rather, the literal sense includes:

(1) paying close attention to the genre. E.g., the literal reading of a poem is a poetic interpretation, the literal reading of a parable is to read it as a parable, the literal reading of a violent history is to read it as a violent history, the literal meaning of a vision is to read it as a vision, the literal meaning of a story is to read it as a story. To read literally means to honor the text as literature.

(2) paying close attention to the author’s intent. E.g., when the author tells us a story, ask what message the author is trying to convey. The author may be affirming or critiquing the actions of the characters in those stories. Often, it’s that latter (according to 1 Corinthians 10:11-12), used as warnings… “Don’t be like them!”

In fact, when writing about a violent episode, the author frequently exposes the ugliness of violence, its consequences, and calls us to the passage with our moral compass engaged. For example, I notice that in the story of Elijah, God never tells him to kill the prophets of Baal. God consumes the sacrifice as promised, Elijah slaughters his opponents, has to flee, and then falls into despair. Then, in God’s kindness, we see God come to him, not in the storm or the earthquake, but in quietness.

The literal sense asks, “Why did the author tell us this story? What does he want us to see?” And then we remember that we’re not done. It’s time for the moral sense:

The Moral Sense

After the literal reading, authors such as Paul call us to a moral reading. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us to watch for how any given passage shapes our discipleship, corrects our misconceptions, and invites us to Christlike righteousness, which is love.

The moral sense always has in view the way in which the Bible can help us grow into mature people in the image of Christ and how all of the Law and Prophets can be summarized by the greatest commandments: love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. They teach us that God requires mercy, not sacrifice, and that Old Testament morality hinges on doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

Until we get this deep into this moral layer, we’ve not yet read the Bible as Jewish Scripture in the pattern of the Hebrew prophets. From a Christian perspective, the greatest of the Jewish rabbinical interpreters was none other than Jesus, who takes us another layer deeper: to the fountain of living Water (Jesus), the oil of the Holy Spirit, and the gold of the kingdom of God.

The Spiritual (or Gospel) Sense

On the Road to Emmaus and in the Upper Room on Easter evening, Jesus calls his disciples, including you and me, to the spiritual or gospel layer of reading where he says, “These texts–Moses, the Psalms, the Prophets, ALL of the Scriptures–are ultimately about me. They prefigure my life, death, and resurrection. They hint at my betrayal, my suffering, and my victory in ways you could only see after I went to the Cross and rose from the dead.”

Until we get to this layer, we have not yet read the biblical texts as Christian Scripture. Until Christ opens our eyes and hearts to see how they point to him, they are beautiful examples of Ancient Near Eastern literature written by and for someone else… but they are not yet gospel. But once we see how they anticipate Jesus and his gospel, they are revealed as a wellspring of life-giving water, a reservoir of oil that never dries up, or a gold-rush of life for the reader.

Practicing with Elijah

So, if you want to get the hang of it, why not come to the story of Elijah with a friend, read those chapters together, and have a conversation on the points above:

(1) What is the literal sense of this passage: what events does the author describe? What is the author’s intent in sharing this story? How does it fit into the story arc as a whole? What seems to be the author’s agenda for the reader?

(2) What is the moral sense of these chapters: how does it depict righteousness in a way that forms my discipleship? What do we see in Elijah that inspires faithfulness and courage in the face of opposition and oppression? What are Elijah’s blind-spots, vulnerabilities, and missteps? And despite Elijah’s human emotions and actions, what do we see here about God’s faithfulness to him?  

(3) What is the spiritual or gospel sense of the passage? do we see hints of the New Testament in Elijah’s story? What or who does he foreshadow? Here, you can read what Jesus, the Gospel writers, and the New Testament say about Elijah.

For example, I notice two surprising details: Malachi 3 and 4, and Jesus himself, seem to connect Elijah with John the Baptist, both signs preparing the way for the Lord. Second, I notice that Elijah also appears on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus! What does this mean? Why Elijah? What is being prefigured? I’ll leave these questions for readers to ponder… but I recommend not rushing to study Bible or commentary for a quick answer. That’s a shortcut that slows down growth. Rather, sit with the text, the Spirit, and friends and do some of your own digging. There is satisfaction in that, but much more: the digging is where the transformation of your mind and life happens. Enjoy!

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