Reading History 6.16.2022

    Though the “technical” Biblical Studies genres tend to be academically delineated and narrowly specialized, it is an accurate generalization that much of the study for preaching involves historical analysis. 

    When we read and study scripture, we are considering the record of events the most recent being thousands of years old. In fact, many of the stories in the Bible are so well known that they have entered our general cultural lexicon, with a nearly universal relevance that reaches beyond their inspired meaning and spiritual intent. In our culture, the story of David vs. Goliath is just another description of the plight of the underdog. Virtually anyone can understand the analogy even when it is divorced from the spiritual content and purpose for which it was written (presumably by Samuel.)

    Scripture provides a particular understanding of history and a specific framework for historiography (the writing of history). For scripture, the processes of history and the recording of events and outcomes serve the central controlling purpose of revealing God’s nature, will, and requirements for humanity. Biblical historiography sees the past through the lens of God’s will and focuses on that past to create faith in the reader in the present. Though we are not professional historians, preachers tend to view the world historically. 

    So, reading even more history might not seem so pressing as other sorts of literature. If studying scripture is primarily reading history, why read even more? Reading and understanding history will help us frame good questions. Good questions infuse our preaching with dynamic engagement. Most importantly this dialogue is not just between you and the congregation but between the congregation and the past with you as an enabler. Let’s examine for a moment what kinds of questions historical reading will help you ask. 

Context

    The first rule of exegesis is context, context, context. You can never have too much context and reading history will provide the broadest possible stage for understanding the world. Once we master the Biblical context, we need to understand how the Biblical story fits into all the other stories which describe the human community. How have other cultures dealt with the issues addressed by scripture? What world events coordinate with events in scripture? How has the application of scriptural principles made an impact on the rest of world history? What impact did the emergence of the Church have upon the rest of civilization? All these questions begin by examining the big-picture history and correlating it with scripture.

Connection

    How are civilizations connected? When the terms are different, the stories confused, and the outcome leveraged for propaganda, how can we know what “really” happened? For example, we know that ancient Egypt and the Levant were inundated by a migratory group called The Sea Peoples in the aftermath of the great Mycenaean collapse. (If you do not know what that is, welcome to this essay.) What is the relationship between The Sea Peoples, the Phoenicians, and the Philistines? Does this connection explain the technological advances of the Philistines beyond their peers in Canaan? (The book of Judges implies that the Philistines entered the Iron Age prior to Israel and the indigenous Canaanite tribes.)

    These are historical questions dealing with connections of time, space, culture, geography, and the broader human condition. The Bible often plunges into a story without as much background as we might prefer, we are not really told who these Philistines are, they just sort of appear as enemies of Israel. Ignorance need not be permanent. It is correctable. In this case, there is available information, albeit some of it is incomplete, contradictory, and outdated—yet making at least a loose connection between The Sea Peoples and the Old Testament expands the context of understanding. 

Commonality

    People are people. Folks are folks. Reading the Bible in such a way that it draws a clear distinction between people groups, races, religions, and classes can be tempting. The Bible seems, at times to go out of its way to portray central characters with all their flaws prominently displayed. Humans are all sinners, and the Bible has several fine examples to make its case. Where we see differences the Bible often sees commonality. And what we hold in common is our fallen condition. 

    When we read the Bible and compare it with other historical information, we confront human beings in all their fallen, flawed, glory. The Greeks called them heroes, but the heroism of Achilles or Julius Caesar often looks like the heroism of a Samson or King David, and all are equally flawed. History reminds us that it is often the very virtues of the heroic which lead to their fall, not their vices. The Bible, if anything, reminds us to stay off the roof in the afternoon. 

Complexity

    History is messy. Human motivations are mixed. Intelligent, well-meaning leaders often do the wrong thing for the right reason and the right thing for the wrong reason. 

    As preachers, we know the Bible intimately. Because of that familiarity, we often "interpret out" the complexity. The Bible is complex because we live in a “mixed up, muddled up, shook up world.” Biblical history reminds us that this is a bug, not a feature. For secular history the opposite is true. Complexity is a feature. 

    In the mythic past, this complexity is often reduced to tragedy. When we compare Scripture with “secular” history we discover that tragedy and fall are two ways of describing the central phenomena of the human condition. 

    When we read history, we are reminded that our human story is disordered. The human story can be heroic. The human story has pathos, tragedy, humor, hubris, and honor. We read about all of these defining human characteristics in scripture. Scripture then goes on to address the root cause of the mess, sin. Reading history reminds us that the Biblical story provides God’s perspective on the broader human condition. History confirms the central Biblical story by establishing a larger setting in which the Biblical story is plausible for those who do not (or do not yet) have faith. 

    Historical reading reminds us that even for those who do not yet believe, the Bible is believable. That’s a good start. A good preacher like you ought to be able to work with that.