When "Biblical" Theology is Bad Theology

Of course, the word “biblical” is in quotes on purpose. If by the word, biblical, we mean “consistent with the message of Scripture,” then biblical theology is never bad theology. But if by the word, “biblical”, we simply mean that we derived the theology out of the pages of the Bible, then “biblical” theology may very well be bad theology.

The book of Ecclesiastes forms a perfect example of how one could draw some really bad theological conclusions from the text of the Bible itself. The writer of Ecclesiastes (probably Solomon), is an extraordinarily intelligent and wise man. He has very keen powers of observation, and he writes much that resonates with us based on his own observations of life in a fallen world. Nevertheless, the book of Ecclesiastes (unlike Proverbs) does not present us with the wisdom of King Solomon at its finest, but at its worst. For all of his depth of wisdom, Solomon’s thoughts and reflections led him to declare at the outset of the book: “Vanity of vanities; All is vanity” (1:2). In other words, careful and penetrating observations of the world around him have led him to the inevitable conclusion that life is meaningless. He uses the word “vanity” (meaninglessness) or “futility” no less than 30 times throughout the book to describe life. And by the end of Solomon’s reflections, we find that his view of ultimate meaning has not changed. Solomon ends the way he began: “Vanity of vanities; All is vanity” (12:8).

If a reader immerses himself in the text of Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 12:8, looking to form his theology from the text of Scripture, then he might arrive at the following theological conclusions along with King Solomon:

1. Death is the final chapter in the most ultimate sense. Man and beast face the same ultimate fate. The wicked and the righteous face the same ultimate fate. Therefore, the best way to approach life is to live for the moment: Eat, drink, and be merry. The pleasures of this life are the closest thing to reward we will ever achieve. (Eccl. 9:1-10)
   
   

2. God is real, but he is elusive. His workings in the world are such that he keeps men in the dark. He does not wish for us to discover any meaning to life. (Eccl. 3:10-18)
   
   

3. The people whom God really favors are the ones who never ask the deep questions of life. Such people are able to think that their efforts actually mean something. So, simplicity of mind, which keeps a man from discovering the truth, is the real gift of God. (Eccl. 1:13, cf. Eccl. 2:24)

I will not take the time to correct these theological conclusions. It is enough to say that all of them are drawn from the text of Ecclesiastes. The great problem here is that the whole book of Ecclesiastes (and its message of meaningless) finds meaning in the closing paragraph. In this paragraph someone other than Solomon (note the shift to the third-person voice) warns against Solomon’s conclusions and advises a very different conclusion: "Fear God and keep his commandments" (Eccl. 12:13). Many have remarked that while Solomon’s observations are all drawn from “under the sun,” the last paragraph of Ecclesiastes advises us to get “over the sun.” The point here is this. If we are not careful readers who give careful attention to context and the overall flow of discourse, we can very easily derive bad theology from biblical texts.

Not very many evangelical Christians arrive at the conclusions listed above after reading the book of Ecclesiastes. Nevertheless, many other more subtle conclusions have been drawn from a careless reading of the biblical text:

1. God wants me to be happy (Psalm 128:2; Eccl. 3:22). So, it’s OK for me to (fill in the blank) .
   
   

2. God loves me (John 3:16). So, when trouble comes into my life, it must not be from God but from the world or the devil.
   
   
3. God forgives sin and forgets it (Hebrews 8:12). So, even if I do this thing, it will be OK as long as I ask forgiveness later.
   
   
4. God is love (1 John 4:8). So, he would never send anyone to hell.

Do you see how “biblical” theology can be bad theology? The following suggestions might help us all avoid the ditch of "biblical" theology that is bad theology:

1. Read the Bible the way it was written. Remember, verses are a part of chapters. Chapters are a part of whole books. The chapters and verses were not there originally, and the books were meant to be read and understood as a whole.
   
   
2. Beware of devotional tools that pay no heed to context. Many devotional desktop calendars, “Open Windows” articles, etc. abuse the Scriptures by ignoring context. And reading them regularly conditions us to do the same in our own reading of the Bible.
   
   
3. If you are a preacher, preach expositionally. Take on large portions of Scripture and dedicate series’ of sermons to cover it. It is preferable to preach through whole books as a rule of thumb. Over time this will teach your congregation the importance of context and the right way to arrive at meaning.

Let’s make sure our theology is biblical and not just “biblical.”