Lesson 8: The Right Use of Scripture
OT Narrative
One of the most notorious and damaging misuses of an OT narrative text was based on Genesis 9:20–27. In these verses, Moses recounts how “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.” (Gen 9:22) After Noah’s other sons covered him with a blanket, Noah awoke and cursed Canaan, Ham’s son.
Remarkably, some used this text as a ground to order societies according to racial hierarchies. For example, in Rwanda, European colonists used this text to help establish a racial hierarchy. Rwandan author Emmanuel M. Katongole explains:
Along with their philosophy of history, Europeans brought to Africa the idea of race . . . Hutu and Tutsi existed in precolonial Rwanda as roles that determined people’s place in society. But Europeans ascribed biblical explanations to these roles, insisting that they could see in Tutsis’ physical features that they were descendants of Semites. The same ‘science’ that was used to justify slavery also measured nose width and calculated average height in order to demonstrate Tutsi superiority. What had been a fluid system of complex relations quickly turned into a set of simplistic racial categories that defined the Tutsi minority as superior and the Hutu majority as inferior. —quoted in “The Curse of Ham: How Bad Scripture Interpretation Inspired Genocide,” by Eliza Thomas.
Author Eliza Thomas then explains how this misuse of the Bible eventually contributed to the Rwandan genocide:
These designations, then, became the backbone of a social and political system cultivated by Belgian colonialists that privileged Tutsis over Hutus. This was, as Katongole accurately notes, “European anthropology of the worst kind.” And as these imported tribal identities became entrenched over more than a century, resentment and hatred took root. Ultimately, the bitter fruit of genocide was the result. —Eliza Thomas in “The Curse of Ham: How Bad Scripture Interpretation Inspired Genocide”
Thomas goes on to explain where such an abhorrent use of Scripture came from:
The use of Genesis 9 to justify slavery and racial hierarchy grew from a particular strain of European anthropology, not from sound exegesis of the biblical text. Those who wanted to establish a biblical basis for racial superiority suggested that God had sanctioned the curse of Ham and, by extension, all those descended from him, relegating them to be slaves. But in Genesis 9:18–29, one of the most notable elements is the silence of God. God did not curse Canaan, Ham’s son; Noah did. And it’s important to remember that Noah, too, was a guilty party in this story, set in motion by his own drunkenness. While it’s not clear that the curse of Ham was part of God’s design, it is obvious that all three sons came from the same father—they were not different races. —Eliza Thomas in “The Curse of Ham: How Bad Scripture Interpretation Inspired Genocide”
As Thomas points out, these false teachers misused Genesis 9 to justify their godless theological systems and wicked aims. To do so, they had to twist the meaning of the text, ignore clear biblical statements opposed to how they interpreted and applied Genesis 9 (such as Gen 1:26–27, Deut 10:17–18 and Col 3:10–11), and apply the text in ways clearly disconnected from its purpose and meaning.
Lord, deliver us from such vile, satanic misuses of your Word!
Biblical Models for the Right Use of an OT Narrative
How ought we to use an OT narrative rightly?
Consider two biblical models for using an OT narrative. The first example comes from Moses, and the second example comes from Paul. Both examples use the OT narratives of Israel’s exodus and wilderness wanderings.
Example #1 - The Sabbath Command in Deuteronomy 5
In Deuteronomy 5:12–15, Moses relates the narrative of Israel’s exodus to the Sabbath command. Let’s take a closer look at how Moses used this narrative:
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. —Deuteronomy 5:12–15
Note at least three ways Moses used the Exodus narrative. For example, Moses used the Exodus narrative as a true story that really happened (Deut 5:15).
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Example #2 - Paul’s Warning in 1 Corinthians 10
In 1 Cor 10:1–11, the Apostle Paul relates the narratives of Israel’s exodus and wilderness wanderings to the Christians in Corinth. Let’s look more closely at how Paul used these narratives:
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Note at least three ways that Paul used these OT narratives. For example, Paul used these narratives about Israel to warn this church about sin (1 Cor 10:6).
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The Right Use of OT Narrative
How does the Bible's own use of OT narrative guide us in its right use?
The Bible's own example calls us to use OT narratives as true stories that reveal God, culminate in Christ, and edify the church.
Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
1 Corinthians 10:11
True stories
We cannot miss that the Bible consistently treats OT narratives as true stories that really happened in history. The Bible does not treat OT narratives as myths, fables, fictions, or even one-sided embellishments.¹ Moses called Israel “to remember” the exodus as a true event in history (Deut 5:15). Paul described these narratives as events that “happened” (1 Cor 10:11).
We too should use OT narratives as true stories that faithfully and accurately recount what really happened.
Reveal God
The Bible uses OT narratives as testimonies to God’s nature and character. These true stories reveal God by recounting who he is and what he has done. Moses used the Exodus narrative to support the Sabbath command. One way the narrative supported the command was by revealing the LORD’s concern for the most vulnerable. Just as the LORD delivered Israel from Pharaoh’s cruel captivity and provided them with rest, so he intended Israel to represent him rightly by providing rest to all within their household ( Deut 5:15; 10:17-18).²
Similarly, Paul supported his instructions by appealing to the Lord’s character as revealed by these OT narratives. In Paul’s use, these narratives reveal the LORD’s holy wrath against sins like idolatry, sexual immorality, “putting Christ to the test,” and grumbling (1 Cor 10:6–11).
As we develop doctrine and ethics, we too should use OT narratives as accounts that faithfully reveal God‘s character and deeds.
Culminate in Christ
The Bible consistently uses OT narratives as parts of a larger story that culminates in Christ. Even as Moses used the Exodus narrative, he used it knowing that Israel needed a greater exodus out from the dark dominion of Satan, sin, and death. Israel would break the covenant and forsake the Sabbath (Deut 31:14–32:43), but after sending them back to captivity, the LORD would accomplish an even greater exodus (Deut 30:1–10; 32:43) through a prophet like Moses (Deut 18:14–20).³ Indeed, the whole Bible uses the Exodus narrative as a pattern for the greater salvation that the Father would accomplish through Christ (Col 1:13–14).
Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 10, Paul used the Exodus and wilderness narratives as true stories that culminate in Christ. Most clearly, Paul sees Christ present as the LORD in those narratives (1 Cor 10:4, 9). But he also interprets these narratives as patterns that culminate in Christ and his church (1 Cor 10:11).
We too should use OT narratives as parts of a larger story that culminates in Christ and continues in the church.⁴
Edify His Church
The Bible consistently uses OT narratives to edify, instruct, encourage, and warn Christ’s church. Paul states this principle stunningly in 1 Cor 10:11: “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”
Other biblical models to consider: Deuteronomy 4:1-4, Matthew 19:1-12; Luke 1-2; Acts 7; Galatians 4:21-31; Hebrews 11:1-12:4; Revelation 2:20-23.