Verbum Solum Habemous

Submitted by Michael (United States), Sep 1, 2006 at 02:54

"The convoluted method of Bibical interpretation" you refer to is the literal method of interpreting Holy Writ: that is, God says what he means and means exactly what he says. Says equals Means unless Scripture clearly indicates a figure of speech, simile, parable or some other literary devise. This is a fundamental principle of Biblical exegesis since the Reformation when allegory was rejected.

A serious Bible student cannot read any of the O.T. Prophets and not know for a certainty God has never permanently rejected Israel for the sake of his iterated sworn promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. There is always a remnant of Israel that is faithful to God. Saint Paul and our Lord Jesus Christ, himself affirm racial Israel will finally see him as their Messiah. God chose Israel as his people and "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." The Church is the Church and Israel is Israel, two different covenants and two separate flocks that will become one in God's time. The Church Fathers made an enormous error with inexpressably tragic consequences when they adopted and codified the unscriptural doctrine of "Replacement Theology" or Supersessionism.

Their error lay in trusting their reason and logic over and above the clear Word of God. That is idolatry. If you say the Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus Christ and were rejected by God, I say you and I are no less responsible and yet have been not been rejected but accepted by God. If You say the temple was destroyed and the Jews taken captive to the diaspora, I say it wasn't the first time and the Jews were restored to their promised land after captivity and the temple rebuilt. Nothing is impossible with God even the restoration of Israel, literally, as prophesied time and time again. As Jesus told the Sadducees regarding the Resurrection," You are greatly mistaken because you do not know (and believe) Scripture or the Power of God."

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