Interpreting the Bible 12 – Progressive Revelation

(This is a continuation of the “Interpreting The Bible“ video blog series.  This post assumes the prerequisite watching of earlier videos in the series.  Click the link above to watch the entire series up to this week’s installment.)

This week’s topic in the series involves the principle of “progressive revelation.”  Progressive revelation essentially enforces consideration of the fact that God did not reveal all theological truth at once, but over a long period of time.  The fullness of what Moses knew about Jehovah, Noah did not know.  What the apostles knew, Moses did not know. 

Through millennia- from Adam to the apostles – God revealed his plan by small revelations which built upon one another.  Even the understanding of Messiah began from an Edenic concept as simple as “a seed of woman” and was further developed in scripture to involve the seed of Abraham, Judah and David.  By the time of Christ a composite sketch of many centuries had formed to give Israel an accurate accounting of what she should expect when Messiah was revealed.  At the time of Isaiah, however, this portrait of Messiah would have been exceptionally limited; virtually only to lineage.

Understaning the principle of progressive revelation prevents the interpreter from injecting theological knowledge of a later date into the minds of earlier writers.  While it is true that later writings bring clarity to earlier ones, it is not true that earlier theological truths are trumped; being interpreted in light of later ones.  If that were so, then the earlier writings would have no meaning whatsoever to those to whom they were delivered.

Today’s video lesson explores the impact of progressive revelation on our interpretive process.

Bible Interpretation Pt. 12 from Jeff Kluttz on Vimeo.