Proof-Texting. Did Jesus use it? How should it be used?

[reddogs]

I have come across many who say Proof-Texting is [SIZE=-1]wrong and that from the beginning of the Advent movement, pioneer Seventh-day Adventist used the proof-text method to establish true doctrine.[/SIZE]

Yet, Jesus often used a 'proof text'.

The Temptation of Jesus

1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[a]" (Deuteronomy 8:3)

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[b]"

7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[c]" (Deuteronomy 6:16 )

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'[d]" (Deuteronomy 6:13 )

11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

 

[StormyOne]

flawed premise.... [SIZE=-1]"used the proof-text method to establish true doctrine." Which is why continued study is necessary.... all that was established was not true, though it became doctrine....
[/SIZE]

 

[sentipente]

Using a text for proof is not the same as proof-texting.

 

[Sophia7]

Proof-texting is taking a bunch of verses from different parts of the Bible out of their original contexts and stringing them together to try to establish biblical support for a doctrinal position. That is not what Jesus was doing when He quoted Scripture to rebuke Satan.

 

[Sophia7]

flawed premise.... [SIZE=-1]"used the proof-text method to establish true doctrine." Which is why continued study is necessary.... all that was established was not true, though it became doctrine....
[/SIZE]

Exactly.

 

[djconklin]

One is almost hard put not to use "proof-texting" (sometimes the label is falsely used--note the times it is claimed it is being used without any ervidence being prersented that that is what is being done.) because the Bible isn't written as a theology book.

 

[reddogs]

Proof-texting is taking a bunch of verses from different parts of the Bible out of their original contexts and stringing them together to try to establish biblical support for a doctrinal position. That is not what Jesus was doing when He quoted Scripture to rebuke Satan.

That is a excellent explaination, now does anyone have a Adventist example were 'proof-texting' was done in a incorrect manner?

 

[Jimlarmore]

One is almost hard put not to use "proof-texting" (sometimes the label is falsely used--note the times it is claimed it is being used without any ervidence being prersented that that is what is being done.) because the Bible isn't written as a theology book.

I think this is right. In some cases a verse can stand alone for the truth it reveals as what I call a "declarative" statement.

For instance Ecc 9:5 says "the living know that they shall die but the dead know not anything." You can read the context of this verse but it does not change the truth it reveals about what happens when we die. I have come from a lot of different belief systems like the Baptist and pentacostals and they really know how to take verses out of context and make a false doctrine/belief out of them.

SDA's of all the Christian faiths out there have been upfront to take the context into consideration before using a text to build a belief on.

I can't think of one of the fundamental doctrines we have that is taken out of context. Any challenges to this? I'd like to hear them.

God Bless
Jim Larmore

 

[woobadooba]

Proof-texting is taking a bunch of verses from different parts of the Bible out of their original contexts and stringing them together to try to establish biblical support for a doctrinal position. That is not what Jesus was doing when He quoted Scripture to rebuke Satan.

And you haven't done this?

 

[reddogs]

And you haven't done this?

Be nice woob....

 

[Sophia7]

Be nice woob....

Thank you, Red.

 

[woobadooba]

Be nice woob....

It was meant to be a thought provoking question.

 

[reddogs]

It was meant to be a thought provoking question.

Well a better way to ask such a question is to make it general such as...:

Why do most Christians 'Proof-Text' as a norm, if there is a problem with using 'Proof-Text' at what point does it occur and how do you catch it or prove it?

 

[woobadooba]

Well a better way to ask such a question is to make it general such as...:

Why do most Christians 'Proof-Text' as a norm, if there is a problem with using 'Proof-Text' at what point does it occur and how do you catch it or prove it?

It wasn't meant to be a general question, but a question designed to encourage personal reflection.

 

[djconklin]

Originally Posted by Sophia7
Proof-texting is taking a bunch of verses from different parts of the Bible out of their original contexts and stringing them together to try to establish biblical support for a doctrinal position. That is not what Jesus was doing when He quoted Scripture to rebuke Satan.

That is a excellent explaination, now does anyone have a Adventist example were 'proof-texting' was done in a incorrect manner?

Still not answered.

 

[sentipente]

Still not answered.

I think Anyone cancelled his subscription.

 

[Jon0388g]

Proof-texting is taking a bunch of verses from different parts of the Bible out of their original contexts and stringing them together to try to establish biblical support for a doctrinal position. That is not what Jesus was doing when He quoted Scripture to rebuke Satan.

For example?


How are doctrines established Sophia?


Jon

 

[reddogs]

Still not answered.

Proof-Text accusations are really a dodge from what I've seen, but lets see if there is anything out there......

 

[tall73]

More frequently what I see is a text used to support an existing doctrine without the text actually being about that doctrine.


For instance, we had an evangelist at one time cite this text for the health message:

1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
1Co 3:17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.


There is another text within the same book that gets across the idea that our bodies individually are a temple of God. But this verse is not speaking of that.

 

[tall73]

Another proof text I heard on the radio from Herald Camping (think that is how you spell it) multiple times is that the Sabbath is done away with because it said in Matt. 28:1 the end of the Sabbath (he notes the plural but not its usual usage, so says Sabbath) it dawned towards the first day of the week...

In other words, he thought the first day was overshadowing the Sabbath(s) theologically, rather than it being just a description of fact...one day was ending, another starting.

He would use that when Sabbatarians would call his question and answer time.