Hello everyone. In the previous video I promised that I was going to share with you the method for Bible study that would enable you to break free from the false teachings and self-serving interpretations of men.
Often, when you hear two people arguing over the meaning of some Bible verse, one will say, “Well, that’s your interpretation.” The implication is that there is no precise truth, that everything is open to interpretation. What does that imply about God’s ability to teach us truth? What kind of Father would God be if He’s incapable of teaching His children to distinguish between what is true and what is false?
Think about this. Who would want you to believe that everything in the Bible is just a matter of personal interpretation? Who benefits from sowing that kind of doubt about the veracity of God’s word? That’s the kind of thinking that Satan and his minions want to promote.
But some will ask, “Why doesn’t God just state everything clearly so that anyone can understand?”
The answer to that question was given to us by Jesus when he was asked why he spoke in parables. He declared, “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to babes. Yes, O Father, because to do thus came to be the way approved by you.” (Matthew 11:25, 26)
Yes, our Father has managed to communicate truth in plain language. But he does so in such a way that only those deserving of it can understand it. How remarkable and praiseworthy that is!
Personal interpretations have no place in Bible research. Remember what Joseph said to Pharoah of Egypt: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8)
So, where do we start? We start with love. Now, that might seem like an odd thing to say, but bear with me for a moment. The Apostle John reveals to us that “God is love.” The identifying mark of Jesus’ disciples is love. (John 13:34, 35) In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we are told that opposers perish because “they did not accept the love of the truth that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
If you do not love truth, you will not understand God’s word. Truth often leads to places people don’t want to go. They prefer the false comfort of a lie. But if you really love truth, you’ll pursue it despite the cost. And there will be a cost, I assure you. That is evident from Jesus’ parable of the travelling merchant who sold everything he owned just so he could buy a single pearl of great value. (Matthew 13:45, 46)
For me, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the cost wasn’t financial, but social. It cost me all my friends and associates. It cost me my position and reputation within the community in which I had invested my entire life. And yet, as the Apostle Paul said,
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NLT)
But on the other side of that decision, there is the promise our Lord made to us which I’ve also found to be true.
Jesus said: “I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.” (Mark 10:29, 30 NLT)
Okay, now we get to the matter at hand, the purpose of this particular video. How can you study the Bible in a way so as not to be misled by the teachings of false religious leaders?
There are two ways that people study the Bible. There is the method that all religions use, including the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That way is known by a word of Greek derivation: Eisegesis.
Eisegesis means “to lead into.” It refers to the process of interpreting a Bible text by reading one's own ideas, biases, or presuppositions into it, rather than drawing out the text's original meaning. It often involves imposing one's own views onto the text, which can lead to misinterpretation or distortion of the text's original or intended message.
You’ll see in a minute why I say that all religions, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, use this method. Of course, not one of them will admit to using it. Instead, they will all claim to use the correct method for Bible study and research called exegesis.
Exegesis is the opposite of Eisegesis. Exegesis means “to lead out of.” It refers to the process of critically analyzing and interpreting a Bible text based on its context, language, scriptural harmony, and historical background to uncover its original meaning. In other words, to draw the meaning out of the text.
Let’s start with a practical example. I’m going to read a single verse from the Bible and for this study, we’ll use the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures Reference Bible,1984 English Edition. This should translate well into other languages.
We’ll read Daniel 12:1 to begin.
“And during that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people. And there will certainly occur a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book.” (Daniel 12:1)
This verse talks about three moments in time: a time when Michael, the great prince, stands up; a time of distress; and a time of escape. The relevant question is: When do those three events occur?
Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret this verse eisegetically, meaning they read their own beliefs into it. This is an excellent example of why eisegesis is a very misleading and harmful way to study the Bible.
Here is a summary of the latest JW eisegetical reasoning on Daniel 12:1 from a 2022 Watchtower article:
4 The book of Daniel reveals the sequence of exciting events that will occur during the time of the end. For example, Daniel 12:1 reveals that Michael, who is Jesus Christ, is “standing in behalf of [God’s] people.” That part of the prophecy began to be fulfilled in 1914 when Jesus was appointed as King of God’s heavenly Kingdom.
5 However, Daniel was also told that Jesus would “stand up” during “a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time.” This “time of distress” is the “great tribulation” mentioned at Matthew 24:21. Jesus stands up, or acts to defend God’s people, at the end of this time of distress, that is, at Armageddon. The book of Revelation refers to these ones as “a great crowd who come out of the great tribulation.”—Rev. 7:9, 14. (w22 September p. 21 pars. 4-5)
Did you notice that it says that “Michael stands up on behalf of God’s people? Keep that in mind.
Alright. Eisegesis means that you read your own ideas into a Bible text. In this case, the Organization needs to find a scriptural way to establish their teaching that 1914 marks the invisible presence of Christ and the start of the last days. They also need to establish that the Governing Body of the Organization was appointed by Jesus as his Faithful and Discreet Slave to feed his sheep in 1919. The purpose of this interpretation is to get you, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to believe the end is near and that your salvation depends on obeying and supporting the Governing Body.
If you already believe the Governing Body’s teaching that we are living in the time of the end, then you’ll just accept that Daniel 12:1 refers to our day. But that’s lazy Bible research. You’ll be putting your trust in men as I did, once upon a time. You will not be acting like the Bereans who were critical thinkers. Well, no more of that lazy mentality, right?
But how do we figure out what time Daniel 12:1 is referring to?
We do that by drawing the meaning out of the Bible verse. That’s exegesis. We start by looking at the immediate context, then we factor in the historical and cultural context. It’s actually quite easy to do.
In just the first verse of Daniel 12:1 we are told that “Michael will stand up, the great prince, is standing in behalf of the sons of your people” and later in the same verse, that “your people will escape.” Who would Daniel, an Israelite in exile in Babylon, understand the sons of his people to be? His people were his fellow Israelites. Their sons would then be the descendants of the Israelites then living. Are we to believe that Daniel would consider the sons of his people to be Jehovah’s Witnesses some 2,500 years in his future? That would really stretch our credulity, wouldn’t it?
So next, we want to know who Michael is. The Watchtower says that he’s Jesus, but what does the Bible say? The book of Daniel mentions the name three times. He is the angel, one of the foremost princes, who stands on behalf of the Israelites. (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1) If we go outside of the book of Daniel, we find his name again at Jude 9 where he’s called an archangel and Revelation 12:7 where he’s warring with Satan.
The Organization needs Michael to be more. They need him to be Jesus Christ, because they want to apply Daniel 12:1 to 1914 when they claim that Christ returned invisibly. The problem with that is that nowhere in Scripture is Jesus called an angel. In fact, the Book of Hebrews make it very clear that Jesus was never an angel.
“. . .to which one of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; today I have become your father”?. . .” (Hebrews 1:5)
“Also, he says about the angels: “He makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.” (Hebrews 1:7, 8)
“But about which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet”?” (Hebrews 1:13)
Eisegesis will cause a Bible teacher to ignore scriptures like these and use a scripture like this one as so-called proof that Jesus is an angel.
“. . .because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. . .” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
This is where historical context helps us. At the time those words were written, when a King arrived in a city, he would come in a procession, led by trumpeters and a herald proclaiming aloud that the King had come.
Jesus would also arrive in the same manner. The herald in his case would be an Archangel, and the trumpet would be God’s. This is all metaphor, of course, imagery to help us see the importance of the arrival of our king. Hardly proof that Jesus is Michael the Archangel.
So, exegetically, we don’t need to infer anything. We can take the verse as it is presented to us. We are told there is an angel named Michael who is one of the foremost angels, and he is the one standing on behalf of Daniel’s people who are the Israelites. Daniel is told that there is going to be a time of distress coming upon his people’s descendants, “the sons of your people,” like nothing that has occurred before. There is only one historical event that fits the bill, the destruction of the nation of Israel. In 70 C.E. the city of Jerusalem was conquered, the temple was totally destroyed, and the majority of Israelites were killed. But, some of the Israelites escaped.
“And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book.” (Daniel 12:1)
Now consider the next three verses and apply our method of exegesis to them.
“And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)
Did not Jesus wake many up to everlasting life, while others, like the Jewish leaders that murdered him, brought upon themselves reproach and everlasting contempt?
“And those having insight will shine as brightly as the expanse of heaven, and those bringing the many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)
Did not the first-century Christians, anointed with holy spirit, prophesy and perform miracles? Would that not cause them to shine brightly with heavenly power, and did they not bring many to righteousness? Recall that the first day on Pentecost they got holy spirit moving Peter to preach. The result: 3,000 were baptized.
“As for you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4)
The Organization claims that the “roving about” means roving about in the Scriptures, but it’s far more consistent with history to realize that the roving about is literal. The good news was preached throughout the world of that time, spreading the true knowledge abundantly. Paul confirms this when he writes of “the hope of that good news that you heard and that was preached in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:23)
The meaning of Daniel’s words were sealed until the time of the end of the nation of Israel, what Peter calls “the last days” at Acts 2:17. But once the sacred secret was revealed in Jesus Christ, the meaning of his words became clear. Did not Jesus refer to Daniel’s writings when predicting the end of Jerusalem in his famous prophecy recorded in Matthew 24, specifically in verse 15?
But we are not finished showing how exegesis helps us to reveal the true meaning of Scripture and escape from the teaching of false teachers who are trying to enslave us to their personal theology.
Once we apply it, so many other related verses fall into place quite naturally. For instance, the preceding chapter of Daniel chapter 11 speaks of two kings, the king of the north and the king of the south. The lineages of those kings end at the time that Michael, the great prince, stands up. So we have no need to invent a fictitious fulfillment in our day involving Germany, Russian, and the Anglo-American alliance as the Organization has drummed up to fool you.
We also avoid looking silly by stretching the credulity of an interpretation to the point of absurdity. For instance, let’s see how these final verses of Daniel chapter 12 can be interpreted using both methods of Bible study, eisegesis and exegesis.
“And from the time that the constant feature has been removed and the disgusting thing that causes desolation has been put in place, there will be 1,290 days. “Happy is the one who keeps in expectation and who arrives at the 1,335 days!” (Daniel 12:11, 12)
Here’s how the Organization tries to explain this.
“of 1,290 days. This latter period reached its glorious climax in the 1922 international assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses at Cedar Point, Ohio, where the thrilling call to preaching activity was given in the historic words, “Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.” Additional to this, at the close of the assembly’s public address on the subject “Millions Now Living Will Never Die,”” (w60 5/1 p. 282 Part 37—“Your Will Be Done on Earth”)
A convention at Cedar Point, Ohio??? Really?! This momentous prophesy is fulfilled by a tiny convention in Ohio? And worse, it’s tied to the embarrassing failed prophecy of the “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” campaign?!
Since we know the time of the fulfillment of Daniel chapter 12 surrounds the end of the Jewish system of things, it is easy to see how those time periods fit the historical events. The disgusting thing that causes desolation was the Roman army invading Judea and desolating the land. The Roman army surrounded Jerusalem in 66 C.E., but then left giving obedient Christians a chance to escape—"those written down in the book”—while the rest of the Jews rejoiced over the short-lived victory over Rome. Then 3 ½ years later, the Romans returned. The last stand of the Jews occurred in 73 C.E. at Masada.
The importance of those times periods—1,290 and 1,335 days—mattered to Jewish Christians alive at that time in Judea. Really, they were a matter of life and death. We don’t have enough historical data to know precisely how these two numbers played out in the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. But for us, they are merely academic.
We will continue to use exegesis in all our Bible research, refining the technique through practice. Of course, more is needed than just a reliable research method. We need humility so that we can pray for and receive the guidance of holy spirit. It takes time, but with perseverance, we will unlearn all the falsehoods with which we’ve been indoctrinated.
“We will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the [congregation of holy ones]” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT)
There are many topics to deal with, but I’d like to start with the one topic that had the most impact on me when I first started to study the Bible exegetically, the right way. That topic is: “Who are the Other Sheep and what is their hope?”
Let’s make that our next video topic, shall we?
Thank you for watching.