April 15, 2018
Luke 24:44-48…“Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,” vs. 45
Being familiar with the scriptures wasn’t enough for the disciples to have a clue about what had happened in Jesus. Nowhere was there a straightforward indication that the promised messiah would suffer, be crucified as a criminal, and then die. One option would have been for them to completely abandon the Hebrew scriptures and focus on building a new faith tradition–something no one ever seriously considered. Instead, guided by the resurrected Christ, the disciples took a new look at the scriptures and began to understand them differently. Some of us have had that same experience with scripture in the course of our lifetimes. The old ways of interpretation have just not been satisfying and we’ve had to open our minds to new possibilities. That’s never an easy thing to do–particularly when so many minds are closed with regard to biblical truths. In order to defend scripture, some Christians have insisted on literal and wooden interpretations and they’re quick to attack those who think differently. In the last century, countless divisive battles have been fought and some people have pretty much even stopped reading the bible. Fortunately, many more have continued their study of scripture with open minds and have found amazing inspiration in its pages. The bible is our community’s story…and we neglect it at our peril. Without it, the stories are forgotten and faith is quickly eroded.
Thought for the Day: Why is it important to understand scripture?
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