The Language of God: A Commonsense Approach to Understanding and Applying the Bible

by David Crabtree, David Crabtree, Dallas Willard

“Understanding the Bible requires integrity and skill…but one need not be a trained expert. God chose to put His message in a form accessible to virtually every human being.” from The Language of God If you can talk and think, you can understand the Bible. Many believe that you have to be a highly trained language expert in order to understand the Bible. Not so. Our Creator made us to be knowers, to use our minds and intuition to make sense of the world around us. And we can use these same gifts to correctly interpret the Bible. Biblical interpretation requires dedication and hard work, but anyone can do it once the right skills are acquired. The three authors of The Language of God?David Crabtree, J. A. Crabtree, and Ron Julian?have combined their wealth of education and experience in biblical hermeneutics to help you develop the skills necessary for sound Bible study. The Language of God addresses topics such as: ? Solid biblical interpretation principles ? The Bible’s language and culture ? How to think critically and apply God’s worldview ? The importance of language conventions, background information, and reading in context ? Considering alternative interpretations ? How to seek a consistent and coherent view of the Bible and life Between the covers of our Bibles, we have the truth of who God is and what He has promised. The Language of God will give you the foundation you need for learning to effectively interpret what the Bible says, and in turn, living your life in the light of the gospel.

Genres: Theology

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2001

Reviews

[Not-So-Good Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Academically challenging, yet simple to understand... I like a book that challenges me to think without trying to make me feel dumb, and this book did just that.

[Mark Nenadov · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy reading this book for a number of reasons. It yas been a while since I've finished reading it, so pardon the lack of details. When I picked up this book, I was eager to start. But once I did, I found to be rather sub-par.

The idea behind this book is great, but the book's composition could use some rethinking. I don't feel that the book does a good job of teaching the subject matter. At least 3-4 chapters needlessly drag on and seem to be the rough equivalent of a burdensome rant. That is not the best way to instill a passion for the subject in those who are looking on.

In retrospect, I'm left with very little tangible benefit from reading this book and the only things I took away from it are the author's drawn-out argumentations regarding I Cor 3 and James 5 in addition to their tedious argumentation that we should only see a single level of meaning in prophesy, and all scripture.

I walked away from reading this book with the impression that the authors failed in fulfilling the goal implied in the subtitle: Teaching the Reader "A Commonsense Approach to Understanding and Applying the Bible". I have no doubt that Ron Julian, J.A. Crabtree, and David Crabtree are brilliant, helpful, and interesting individuals, but I think you should look elsewhere if you are trying to find a book that will give you a commonsense approach to Bible interpretation.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book on biblical hermeneutics written from by men who hold a Reformed perspective. As such I was pleasantly surprised by their emphasis on "one meaning" and "author's intent." I didn't feel their examples always fit their stated methodology, and there was a heavy emphasis on individual logic and reason (as opposed to a hermeneutic shaped by the Body of Christ) but overall this book was an encouraging, challenging read.