Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

Never does Jesus tell us not to think. Instead, He spoke to us in parables, forcing us to examine what he said, making us use the logic that He gave us. There will be times where faith defies logic, such as when we are forced to ask “How is it that one man dying grants salvation to so many?” However, to not use the minds that God gave us would be disregarding God’s gift and forbid us from fulfilling God’s purpose for us. We must open our eyes and minds to all the nuances of the scriptures and their lessons if we are to understand them, instead of closing them and focusing only on a strict reading.

2 quick examples -
The scriptures are not a purely historical document. Instead, they range a broad spectrum of genre, from poetry to allegory and yes, to historical account. The style of each book can drastically change its meaning, therefore one must be willing to look at each book separately, in addition to as a part of the whole, in order to fully grasp its intentions and message.

Also, the translator has a strong ability to influence how a passage is read. Many words in Greek and Hebrew have multiple English translations, each with their own connotation. Additionally, in the original languages of the Scriptures, there was no punctuation; all of it was added in by later translators and editors. Therefore, we must be open to different translations and use our minds and logic in order to see the whole story and to find the most accurate readings.