The Problem with Biblical Wisdom

Have you ever noticed that many people come to you and tell you, "Jesus says ____," or "The Bible tells us that ____"? It has been my observation that many, many times well-intending people are quite wrong when they fill in that blank. This isn't necessarily because they are mean-spirited, or even theologically inaccurate--though that can certainly be the case in some instances. Here is a short list of the reasons that well-intending people are just wrong when they provide each other with "biblical wisdom" (if you wish to see others, David Croteau authored a great book on some of the topics I'm discussing).

1. Sometimes, the Bible doesn't actually say that. A small list of examples include:

• "God only helps those who help themselves." In point of fact, the Bible consistently declares that God helps those who precisely cannot help themselves. 
• "Money is the root of all evil." No, it's not. "The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). The clear difference is that money itself is not "evil," but if a person's heart turns to a love of money, that will lead to significant problems (among which Paul lists ruin, destruction, and wandering from the faith). Money is not the problem. Greed is. And greed captures the heart of the rich and the poor.
• "Pride comes before a fall." This is a more moderate mistake: the concept is found in Scripture, but this is not a quote. So please don't treat it like one.

1. Sometimes, a person will take Scripture completely out of context to make a point that Scripture was not likely making. Examples include:

• "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). So here's my confession: this was one that I used when I served in a combat zone in Iraq, back in 2005. Of course, I used it to remind myself that, should I die, it was gain. But Paul was probably focusing on the first part of that verse: "To live is Christ" is a much more prominent feature of Philippians, a letter where Paul was entreating the Philippian believers to a unity of the faith empowered by the gospel, in shorthand, "living in Christ." And I might add that, for Paul, dying was gain precisely because living was Christ.
• "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Again, this is pulling from Philippians (not trying to pick on Philippians!). This verse is seen on Tim Tebow's face, or in the mind of a boxer as he dishes out punishment to his foe. But this verse has nothing whatever to do with physical strength, nor does it have to do with actively doing an activity in the midst of trials. The verse in Greek is probably best represented by translating "do" quite differently (the word "do" is not there): "I can endure all things through him who strengthens me" might be a better way of understanding Paul's point. Paul is saying that, in whatever circumstance God has placed him, Paul can endure that circumstance--not "do things"--through Christ who strengthens him. Paul can be hungry, or live in abundance; Paul can suffer need, or live in prosperity. But Paul can only endure this through a long-established habit of Christ-sufficiency. Christ is sufficient for the moment. And Paul has learned to depend on Him in enduring his circumstances.
• "'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope'" (Jeremiah 29:11). The context of this verse is (1) speaking to a people living under a specific covenant, and (2) speaking to that people who were in the middle of experiencing the curses of disobeying the terms of said covenant. Israel had disobeyed. Babylon was God's way of bringing upon them the covenant curses. And in the midst of experiencing those curses, God is reminding them that they are still his people. God has not forgotten them. This would be a great comfort to the Israel of God, a people who had forgotten their God, and a people whose God had not forgotten them. Please don't use this to suggest that God "has plans for good" for some specific person by using this verse. One could as easily respond by suggesting the opposite: "This is what the Lord says: 'Look! I am preparing disaster for you and devising a plan against you!" (Jeremiah 18:11).

1. Memes that misrepresent Scripture:

• There are simply too many of these to list. The most recent one that I've seen represents Jesus speaking with his disciples:

• Certainly the intentions are good with this one. The suggestion is a political one: You should not assume that taxing the people and giving the taxes to the poor is a good substitute for being generous with the poor and helpless in your local context. The problem? Jesus lived in a day when an Israelite's tithes and offerings--which would have been considered under a larger rubric of "generosity"--were given to Israel's political and religious class. When an Israelite tithed to the Temple, he was tithing to the political institution. These tithes, in turn, were a way to sustain the Priesthood--who were part of the political class--as well as the poor and helpless. And yes, Jesus taught that tithing in that situation was good. And he taught that generosity was good. The tither was not giving to the Romans, but he was giving to Judea, a Roman province.

We live in an age of biblical illiteracy. If you wish to give biblical wisdom, the process of learning it is longer than memorizing a list of favorite passages, so please be cautious with it. When you teach, when you decide to give that biblical wisdom, as well-intending that you are likely to be, intentions are no substitute for the hard work of proper interpretation. There are no shortcuts! As James reminds us: "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1).