Obstacle #2: Author and Intention
Authorial Intent – There are different responsibilities of Scripture interpretation by Ministerial and Academic Theologians. Ministerial Theologians accept their denominational viewpoints as a matter-of-fact and form their Scripture interpretations accordingly. Academic Theologians spend countless hours debating and refining proofs upon one or the other writer identities of Scripture where the author is unclear. Entire fields of theological study are developed upon this search for authorship as honed textual examination is conducted to discover deeper traits and speech usages that can be attributed to one or the other.
Professional Theologists, as always, stand in the gap to ensure that not only authorial intentions are discovered when possible, but that God’s intentions take precedence even over the author’s. That approach requires Professional Theologists to know both sides of the debates and consider those while focusing strictly to the Word of God that flows from that writing, and making application that reflects God’s Truths fully and withstands both sides of critical debates of authorship as much as possible. But, interpretation of God’s Truth must always side with Him first, with secondary author attributes placed in proper perspective.
Old Testament surety of authorship is lacking in many of its books. There is simply no way of knowing exactly who wrote what. Even the first five books of the Christian’s Old Testament Bible, also known as the Jewish Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) attributed by all theologians of all major belief systems (Christian, Jewish, Islam) as written by Moses has a small apparent problem since his death is recorded in one of those books (Deuteronomy 34); it is unlikely that he wrote the entire book of Deuteronomy, especially the ending, after his death.
Anonymous Author - When the author of Scripture remains unknown, the Professional Theologist should direct the full focus of interpretation to God’s intentions, with just a cursory explanation to the reasons the author is unknown, and the unique contributions the anonymous author brings to the text.
The attempt to the discovery of authorship and intent of every Scripture passage is a flawed idea for scholarship sake according to Biblical Scholar Dr. Michael S. Heiser.[1] Professional Theologists cannot represent the truth of Scripture without the consideration of authorship by God; but, they can represent the Truth of God without knowing the human authors or their intentions. All interpretations must find God’s will in the writings without becoming mired down in the flawed ideas of identifying authorship and intentions of things that matter little to the Truth of God.
Footnotes
[1] Michael S. Heiser, Bi101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources (LOGOS Bible Software), Segment #3.
Bibliography
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Links
About the Author
Kathy L. McFarland is President and Founder of Becker Bible Ministries, Inc. and the Becker Professional Theology Academy. She is also a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, is on track for the Master of Divinity (Professional Ministries Track) degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School in 2016 and will be seeking a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Theology and Apologetics beginning in the fall of 2016. She is the originator of the newest theological movement to encourage Christian leaders to minister within the modern-day marketplace as Professional Theologists. She is also the Curriculum Developer for Becker Professional Theology Academy and a teaching faculty member. Kathy's favorite studies to teach include the connections between Old Testament exegesis, Christian Apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
©2014-2015 Kathy L. McFarland. All Rights Reserved.