Interpretations of the Bible
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When interpreting the Bible there are two basic approaches, the literal reading
and the historical-critical reading. Fundamentalists are literal readers,
claiming to take the text simply for what it says. However, even fundamentalists
interpret the Bible completely literally, as the rule of interpretation states
that a text means whatever it means to that person or the general society.
Historical-critical readers rule interpret the text by keeping in mind the
message those who wrote it were hoping to convey. The text has to be understood
in its original situation before the intent of the biblical teaching is
discovered. A classic example comes three of the Gospels, Matthew 19:24, Mark
10:25, and Luke 18:25 where Jesus says, "It is easier for a camel to pass
through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
To a literal interpreter, it would appear to mean it is difficult for the
wealthy to enter heaven, yet the meaning is changed with the historical-critical
method of interpretation when background information is applied to the
situation. In Jerusalem, there was a low and narrow gate through the city wall
which was called "the eye of the needle." When camels passed though, they had
to be unloaded and then reloaded inside the city wall after being led through
the gate crouching down. Given this interpretation, Jesus actually meant it
would be difficult for the rich to get to heaven until they laid down their
material concerns...