OceanSide church of Christ
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THE NEW HERMENEUTIC
(4)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
According to Deuteronomy
17:18-19, the king of
And it shall be,
when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy
of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall
read therein all the days of his life:
that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this
law and these statutes to do them.
1.
Three words are of interest
to our study: learn, read, and
keep.
2.
In the learning process, the
king would have to interpret what was read.
3.
The king had to do exactly
what we still have to do with God’s Word today: read, learn, and do God’s
will.
B.
There are some who do not
want us to learn God’s will.
1.
They cannot state this
overtly.
2.
Therefore, they have devised
a covert means of eroding divine authority.
3.
The new means is called the
New Hermeneutic, a new way of interpreting God’s Word.
C.
We have been looking at some
of the principles of the New Hermeneutic.
1.
The “Core Gospel”
principle.
2.
The “WWJD”
principle.
3.
The “NT is a Love Letter,
not a Constitution” principle.
D.
Let’s continue this study by
examining another element of the New Hermeneutic, “Silence is Permissive, not
Prohibitive.”
I. THE
CONCEPT DEFINED
A.
Silence refers to those
areas wherein God had said nothing.
B.
In times past, we have
worked under the rule that says that we can only do that which God has
authorized.
1.
If God’s Word has not spoken
on the matter, then it is not permitted.
2.
Instrumental music was the
main issue addressed using this principle.
God has not authorized their use in the New Testament; therefore, they
are not permitted.
C.
Those who advance the New
Hermeneutic want instrumental music in worship. Thus, they advance the idea that silence
is permissive, not prohibitive.
They will often say: “The
Bible does not say you cannot have instruments.”
D.
The Church in
Transition,
James S. Woodroof, includes a poem written by John Carroll Brown entitled: “”A Dream of Judgment: A poem concerning those who make laws
based on inferences from the silence of scripture.”
1.
“Tis YOU My silence do
abuse
When you forbid the means men
use
To carry out what I demand
Although I’ve given no command
Within My word about the way
They carry out what I did say.
By your command you say them
nay,
And to My word YOU add, NOT THEY!
By human precepts you have
banned
Good works; and you My
servants brand
As heretics, and them accuse;
Thus judging, you My saints abuse.”
(p. 190)
2.
“The sin of Aaron’s priestly
band
Was thus to set aside
command
For something which I had not spoke’.
They My command, not silence broke.
So silence neither gives consent,
Nor yet does silence e’er forbid;
But when I’ve bidden men, you see,
Silence gives no authority
To set aside what I have bid
For substitutes not provident”
p. 199).
II. ANSWERS TO THE
“SILENCE IS PERMISSIVE” PRINCIPLE
A.
Answer #1: If this principle is true, the floodgates
will be opened to all types of innovations in the church.
1.
The Bible does not say: ‘Thou shalt not have a
pope.”
2.
The Bible does not say: “Thou shalt not baptize
infants.”
3.
The Bible does not say: “Thou shalt not raise money by playing
bingo.”
4.
The Bible does not say: “Thou shalt not reenact animal
sacrifices.”
B.
Answer #2: The New Testament teaches the concept of
having a “thus saith the Lord” for all that we do and say.
1.
Matthew
28:20
Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto
the end of the world.
2.
Colossians
3:17
And whatsoever
ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God
and the Father by him.
3.
I
Peter 4:11
If any man
speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…
C.
Answer #3: The Bible teaches that silence is not
permissive.
1.
Noah and the ark (Gen.
6:14).
Make thee an ark
of gopher wood…
a.
What type of wood was authorized?
Gopher wood.
b.
NOTE: God did not say: “Thou shalt not use oak, pine, cedar, or
maple.” When God commanded gopher
wood all other woods were excluded.
c.
What would have happened to the ark if Noah had used a wood that was not
commanded?
2.
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron (Lev. 10:1-2).
And Nadab and
Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censor, and put fire therein,
and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he
commanded them not. And there went
out fire from before the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the
Lord.
a.
The fire Nadab and Abihu offered to God was not commanded. Since it was not commanded, it was a
“strange fire.”
b.
It is interesting to note that this fire was not specifically
prohibited. In other words, God did
not say: “Thou shalt not use this
fire.”
c.
The punishment for their act was severe, fire that brought
death.
3.
Jesus as a priest under the Levitical system.
a.
Jesus could not be a priest within Judaism (Heb.
8:4).
For if he were
on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer
gifts according to the law.
b.
The reason He could not be a priest is found in Hebrews
7:14.
For it is
evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning priesthood.
1)
The key words are “Moses spake NOTHING concerning priesthood” (emp. mine,
vme). He did not say
2)
If silence is permissive, then Jesus could have been a priest, but
inspiration says that He could not.
3)
Why? God’s Word authorized
the Levites to be priests (Num. 1:50-53).
The Levites were included and all other tribes were excluded. Since Jesus was from
4.
Answer #4: The “Common
Sense” Answer.
a.
Daily, we use this principle of “only what is stated is
authorized.”
b.
Example: At the Post Office
you tell the clerk you want to mail a letter by first-class mail. She responds saying: “That will be $7.80.” You are stunned. You thought the cost was forty-two
cents. You ask why the cost is so
high. She tells you that you are
paying for certified mail, insurance, and return receipt requested. You respond, saying: “I didn’t say that I wanted that.” To this, the clerk remarks: “Well, you didn’t say that you didn’t
want them.” NOTE: What we say is authorized. All else is
excluded.
CONCLUSION
A.
Silence does not
authorize.
B.
We speak where the Bible
speaks, and we are silent where the Bible is silent.
C.
Some get confused by this
concept.
1.
Questions
arise:
a.
Where does the Bible authorized church buildings?
b.
Where does the Bible authorized children’s homes?
2.
These things are authorized by the “general authority” of
scripture.
a.
Church buildings (Heb. 10:25).
b.
Children’s homes (Gal. 6:10; James 1:27).
3. Asking such questions shows that one respects Bible authority. This is the point. We must have authority for all we say and do.