I am NOT an accredited Bible scholar, but then for the most part, neither were the authors of the Bible. However, I have spent a good deal of the last twenty-five years studying not only scripture itself, but commentaries, historical documents and archaeological evidence. I am an ordained clergyperson with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. 

 HOW I APPROACH THE BIBLE:

     I don't believe it was God's intention to create the Bible strictly for scholars to tell us how to think. If that were true, God would not have given us the ability to think and reason for ourselves. Our intelligence is one of the greatest gifts God gave us. Since God has given us intelligence, then God expects us to use that gift and not just render ourselves sheep to follow and be led along by those who proclaim themselves to be the "experts".

     There are those who take the approach that God wrote every single word of the Bible, and therefore, it must be taken literally. The only problem with that thesis is that no one knows for sure what the Bible says word-for-word. We don't have the originals. The manuscripts we do have are copies of copies of copies, and each subsequent copy is subject to copywriting error. The earliest manuscripts were written in ancient languages: Hebrew, Chaldee, Aramaic and Greek. The Hebrew presents a special problem in that the writings were done without the benefit of vowels. The vowels would be inserted during the reading based on the context of what was written.

     Another problem is that the scriptures were written to an ancient people living in an ancient civilization and reflect the thoughts, problems, and culture, not to mention the colloquialisms and idioms of the day. I approach the Bible just as though I were working a diamond or gold mine. Not every stone taken from a mine is either diamond or gold, but that which is precious must be extracted from that which is not. While scripture tells us that everything in it is there for our edification, we must remember that it speaks of scripture in the original languages.

     Jesus also used the example of the wheat and the chaff in reference to people–that both grow together and the chaff ultimately is winnowed away by the Maker. We must remember that the bible was written by human hands–with the inspiration of God, of course, but we cannot assume that every word we see is "gospel." Not even scholars do that. If all scholars interpreted every word written in the same way, there would be only one translation. As it is, there are numerous translations. We have to trust that God knows what God is doing. If there are many translations, and if the Bible is truly God's Word to the people to teach us how to live happily and in relationship with God and with each other, then we must accept the fact that it is OK with God that scripture is interpreted in more than one way. 

     Jesus provided us with the ultimate interpreter for our needs–the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us in John that He had to go away so that the Counselor would come–the One who would lead and guide us into all the truth. Jesus in earthly life was hampered by the limitations of the body to one time and place. But the Holy Spirit, as Spirit, is limited neither to time nor place. If we take Jesus' word literally, then we can trust that if we, as individuals, search the scriptures with an open and willing heart, if we ask the Spirit for guidance the Spirit will come to us on a one-on-one basis, and "guide us into all the truth" for our personal lives. 

     This is what I call divine inspiration. Our ultimate interpreter–the one we can truly rely on–is the Holy Spirit. I don't believe it is the duty of preachers, scholars or other "experts" to tell you what to think or believe. Their responsibility is to provide information and opinion. The rest is up to the Spirit.