The Most Misused Stories in the Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood

by Eric J. Bargerhuff

Are You Sure You Know What Your Favorite Bible Stories Mean?A surprising number of popular Bible stories are commonly misused or misunderstood, even by well-intentioned Christians. In this concise yet thorough book, Eric J. Bargerhuff helps you fully understand the meaning of David and Goliath, Jonah and the Big Fish, the Woman Caught in Adultery, and other well-known Bible stories.Providing fascinating historical and scriptural insights, Bargerhuff helps you sort through modern-day distortions of fourteen well-known Bible stories and grasp their original meaning and purpose for us today.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Old Testament, New Testament, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Biblical

155 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2017

About the author

Eric J. Bargerhuff, PhD, has served in pastoral ministry in churches in Ohio, Illinois, and Florida. He received his doctorate in biblical and systematic theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His passion is to write systematic and practical theology for the purposes of spiritual growth and reform in the church. He is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology (SAET) and the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS).

His first publication, Love that Rescues: God's Fatherly Love in the Practice of Church Discipline, explores the grace and fatherly love of God that should be embodied in a church's efforts to restore a brother or sister in Christ who has gone astray.

Eric and his family presently live in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book by its title; I had not heard of Eric J Bargerhuff and I had not seen it was published by Bethany House Publishers.
I therefore was expecting a more liberal analysis of the stories; perhaps even debunking some biblical accounts and characters, implying that our Sunday school teaching was just filling us with stories.
It is American. It is nothing like I imagined. Rather it is written from the basis of evangelical conservatism with a solid belief in scripture and that faith comes from hearing the word of God and through biblical preaching.
Therefore, in some Christian circles it may counter their own teaching in terms of baptism in the Spirit, transubstantiation and even prosperity theology. I cannot find fault in this however as the author has strict ideas on interpretation and he is consistent in his arguments. Indeed, it is largely where I would place my own understanding.
A book aimed at Christians, for students of the bible and anyone seeking to understand God better through the pages of the Bible. I am glad I had an opportunity to read it for myself and it was nothing like I thought it might be initially.

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book, and the title intrigued me. I wanted to know "The Most Misused Stories In The Bible"! I am so glad I picked it up because this book exceeded my expectations.

Bargerhoff tackles so many issues and misinterpretations in this book, some that I was not even expecting. However, the part that I was really pleased with is how he incorporates principles for proper biblical interpretation while sharing these stories. He not only tells you how and why they are misunderstood, but how a proper Bible study method and interpretation of Scripture can help us avoid similar mistakes.

Everything in this book was biblically sound, the author shows the biblical support for his arguments about how certain Bible stories are misused, and he really got me thinking about new things with some of the stories he presented. He also is not afraid to shy away from controversial topics, taking a strong stand on the truth of God's Word.

The drawback of having literally no complaints about a book is that the review ends up being rather short - but it's a pleasant problem to have. This book was excellent, and I'd highly recommend it. I think I'll be picking up the other book by the author, The Most Misused Verses In The Bible as well!

Note: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.

[Lydia Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I Choose this Book:

The title intrigued me, and the conversation drew me in. I'm always eager to understand the Bible better, so this book was a natural one to gravitate toward. 

What I Thought about this Book:

The title felt a little off to me - maybe like it was "click bate" (if such a thing is possible with a book...). The tagline about the popular way the stories are misunderstood seems a lot more on point, but I guess that doesn't flow as smoothly. 

A lot of good points were made in this book. I like the balance the author has with how much time to spend on each chapter - it didn't feel overwhelming with a deluge of information, but neither did the pace feel rushed. He also did a good job of incorporating some personal facts and stories that made the book feel a lot more relatable. 

He hit fourteen "major" accounts or discussions from the Bible, and then at the end of the book he gave a brief "conclusion" section where he gives a quick outline of various ways where even well-meaning Christians often trip up. I appreciated the attitude that the author portrays in the book - instead of making it sound like he was judging or looking down on Christians who misunderstand the biblical accounts that he discusses in the book, he points out how confusing things can be at times, and why it's so important  to search out the scriptures. 

Overall the book didn't meet my expectations. It might be because I'd already heard a lot of the information that he presents us in the book, but I didn't have a lot of lightbulb or "ah-ha" moments. I did enjoy the deeper look into the Bible though, because no matter how many times I've read biblical accounts, I can still learn more. 

Conclusion:

There were several different theological differences I have with the author, but I still enjoyed learning from his well-researched book. 

Rating:

I’m giving The Most Misused Stories in the Bible 3 out of 5 stars

*I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review 

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gospel of God's grace needs to be explicitly preached and taught so that desperate hearts stand a chance of experiencing real life transformation and change. We have to proclaim the truth about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the need for sinners like you and me to repent and believe that God in Christ has provided atonement for and forgiveness of our sins through the cross. But when this is not the central message of the Church, it becomes weak, people are sold a lie, and going through the motions and playing church become the norm. It becomes nothing more than a religious social club with some humanitarian causes mixed in.

We can easily make the stories of the bible about us. About having a better life, a marriage that others want, raising our children, all good things but that is not the gospel. Bargerhuff pulls 14 well known bible stories or misconceptions that we have to make the gospel central. How easy it is to make facing our fears in David and Goliath about us and not about the character of God. We all do this and what we can learn from our biblical characters, they did it as well. The story of Jonah is a prime example of this and even shows how much we are like Jonah. God pursues Jonah and the people of Nineveh thru Jonah. If the glory is about the people, then the glory of God is not the main thing.


Having a correct understanding in context will only help us have a hunger for the things of God. Who he is and what he has done. It will encourage us to lead a more faithful life where God is central and we are more spirit led to think more of others than ourselves. Bible interpretation is about context and how we view God correctly. Taking things out of context only leads us to believe incorrectly in a god that is egoistical and not as a God who redeems.

I highly recommend.

A Special Thank You to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I have frequently heard and read about scripture (just a verse or two) being used out of context, I have not read a book about people misusing entire Bible stories. The book contains 14 chapters with each chapter focusing on a popular Bible story, such as Cain and Able, David and Goliath and Jonah and The Big Fish. Each chapter presents a story, with the matching scripture and explains how the story is meant to be interpreted and how it was been misused.There is also a section at the end titled "Conclusion - Handle With Care, Using Scripture Appropriately." The author talks about how the word of God is precious, as well as a gift from God and therefore needs to be handled with caution as to not misuse certain scriptures and stories. The author also states that the "Bible is a gift from God, it is God's voice and it is extremely important that we seek to embrace sound interpretive principles in order to hear its message correctly in the context of our believing. Understanding cultural, historical and grammatical issues that go into Biblical interpretation can be challenging at times." I liked the last part of that statement as I have had more then 1 Pastor explain things to me differently when you take into account cultural and historical issues from the time period when the Bible was written.

I thought this was a very interesting book and I previously have not read anything about entire Bible stories being misused. I did not agree with everything the author wrote, but overall I thought it was fairly interesting and a good reminder to make sure we are using scripture appropriately.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book.

[Becky Van Daniker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title The Most Misused Stories in the Bible immediately catches the reader’s attention. If you grew up in the church, then you’ll be familiar with all of the stories the author talks about. Dr. Bargerhuff’s solid Biblical teaching is shown throughout by breaking down how many interpret the stories and what the Bible is actually telling us through studying the Scriptures.
I don’t always like to read these type of books because they can be over wordy and give one a headache just trying to figure out what the author is trying to convey to the reader. That is not the case with this book. Dr. Bargerhuff writes in a clear and easy to understand way for the modern day reader.
The chapters are super short, each one focusing on a different story, that can easily be used as a devotional. If you are a Christian who wants to grow closer to Christ, new believer, or just thinking about God, then this is for you. This can be done as a group Bible study or on your own, either is fine. Either way, the goal is to encourage to grow in your understanding of God and the Bible.
Highly recommended!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, and nice to revisit (with way more context) some of the stories I learned in Sunday school.

[James Frederick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very hard to rate. As a Christian, any book that is written with the intent of helping someone understand the context behind and meaning of the Bible is something that I think needs to be read and read carefully.

Unfortunately, I cannot rate this higher, in spite of the author's admittedly good intentions. First off, while I understand that the "Most misused..." is part of the author's "hook," I think it is completely misused and misapplied, given the content of the book. A MUCH more honest title would have been, "Some stories from the Bible and what I want you to think about them." Or even, "What *I* think these Bible stories mean..."

MOST of the stories in this book will be familiar to any Christian who has been around the Bible for any length of time. They are not particularly controversial or hidden or, from my perspective, stories that have been horribly misconstrued, over time. Has any person ever misunderstood or failed to grasp the main point of any of these (or any other) Bible stories? I am sure it has happened. But I do not think that has happened with THESE stories, any more than any others in the Bible. So to say they are the MOST misused is...misleading.

I will also say that with Christians, as well as anyone else stating their beliefs, I admire people who are strong in what they believe. But I am wary and suspicious of people who seem to feel that THEY, (and only they), have all of the answers. That is the tone that the writer conveys throughout much of this book, and I found it very off-putting.

That is not to say that there is nothing here of value. There are some very good and helpful comments made throughout the book. I was particularly interested in the chapter that dealt with Communion vs. the Eucharist. There were other statements that I thought were "right on."

The final statement in this book says, "Let us strive to be faithful, and in humility, allow ourselves to be corrected along the way." Adam Hamilton has said that it is important for Christians to have a sense of humility when we try to explain our faith to others. We are dealing with events that took place thousands of years ago. These are events that were not even written down for decades after they occurred and sometimes much longer than that. So to take a stance that "it means what I say it means and that's it..." can come across as arrogant and offensive.

In trying to figure out who to recommend this book to, it is very difficult to say. It is tempting to say that all Christians should read it. CERTAINLY, all Christians should read the Bible and read as much as they can about the history and context of the Biblical stories, so that they can defend their beliefs, to themselves and others. Unfortunately, I think there are MANY other books out there that do a much better job of illuminating that, than this one. "The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible" by Kenneth Boa and John Alan Turner is one of those books. "The Bible Tells Me So" by Peter Enns, is another. "Answering the Toughest Questions about God and the Bible" by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz is a VERY similar book to this one. The way that the material is presented in those books made for a much more enjoyable reading experience, however.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Most Misused Stories In The Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood by Eric J. Bargerhuff is an informative glance at 14 popular Bible stories and ways they are frequently misunderstood or misrepresented to serve a purpose other then their intended meaning. While a lot of what Eric states as the true moral of the story could be considered mere speculation, he does do a pretty thorough job of walking the reader through his deductive chain of reasoning to reach his conclusions, using a combination of related Bible references, commentary notes, original Greek wording.

Some of the misused stories and their errant interpretations are ones I was familiar with, such as David and Goliath telling us to face our fears (when, as Eric shows us, it is very obvious that David was not afraid at all). However, about half of the stories in this volume are ones that include interpretations I'd never heard. Once Eric explained the popular usage for these alternative meanings, I could see how some people (and ministries) would use these stories for their benefit instead of God's.

A few of the stories covered are Gideon and his fleece, Cain and Abel, the woman caught in adultery, Zacchaeus the tax collector, the three wise men, and the rich fool.

While Eric lays out these stories in order to share his deductions with us, this book is more than just a set of essays comparing different views of the same stories. Eric has chosen to use it as his personal platform for reminding us how sacred the Bible is, how careful we must be in our interpretation, representation, and retelling of it, and common mistakes that people and churches make when referring to portions of the Bible.

I think The Most Misused Stories in the Bible would be a good book for anyone looking for a deeper understanding and appreciation of classic Bible stories. It would also be a good fit for anyone lost in the depths of trying to sort out one interpretation versus another, while trying to discern which truth to believe. 4/5 stars.

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary print copy of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of this honest review. All opinions are my own.*

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Bethany House Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

In many cases, misuse is in the eye of the beholder. So it is with this book. There are many stories that are greatly misused in the Bible, and many of the stories I think of as characteristically being misused in the discussions I have with other believers are not even discussed here. So, I thought it worthwhile here to discuss some of the flagrantly misused stories of the Bible that are not included here: the stories of the healing Jesus Christ did on the Sabbath used erroneously in support of anti-Sabbath false theology, the use of Philemon to justify American slavery in the antebellum period, the misuse of Acts 10 in opposition to biblical laws on clean and unclean meats, the misuse of the story of John on Patmos in support of an erroneous view on the Lord's day, and so on. All of these misuses, and others, I have written about elsewhere [1]. So, in the interests of accuracy and truth-telling, this book ought to have been called Some Of The Misused Stories of the Bible, because it is not a complete list by any means.

It is not just to review the book we would have preferred to have read or written, but rather the book that actually was written, and it is to that task which I will now turn. A few aspects of this book stand out in particular. For one, the stories chosen are familiar: Gideon's fleece, David and Goliath, Cain and Abel, Jonah and the big fish, the woman caught in adultery, Jesus' inability to do miracles in his hometown, Zacchaeus, sowing our seed, the wise men, Judas, the Samaritan "Pentecost," the rich fool, the use of symbolic language to justify transubstantiation, and what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. For another, in many ways, the author shows himself to be writing a polemical book, which manifests itself in at least two ways. First, the author uses many of these stories in a way that directly criticizes the religious practices of others. This is most in evidence when he criticizes Catholics for transubstantiation, a criticism I would echo, and when he comments on the way Gideon's fleece has been used to justify those whose lack of faith is not unlike that of Gideon himself in the story. Second, the author frequently gives praise to authors like Piper and MacArthur who wear their polemical Calvinism on their sleeve. As I comment quite frequently, this is not a viewpoint I greatly enjoy reading when engaged in polemics.

So, is this work a worthwhile one to read? For the most part, yes. As this book reminds us, the essential truths of passages can be blurred and our attention can be guided amiss by the way stories are told and the details, sometimes false, that are added in the retelling or those details in the Bible that are missed. A classic example of this is the story of the magi from the east, whose number is not given in scripture (although there were three gifts) and the timing of whose visit must be determined through careful reading that shows it was after Jesus Christ was presented in the temple and the family had moved from its manger to a house in town. So, despite the fact that I find the perspective of the author occasionally irksome, and find the author very selective and not at all complete when it comes to stories of the Bible that are misused on a regular basis by professed Christians, perhaps even by the author himself in his other polemical work, this is a worthwhile book. At the very least, this book points out some of the stories in the Bible that are misused and instructs the reader on our own characteristic biases on how we misread the Bible, all of which is worthwhile and informative, and makes this book worthy of a recommendation, especially for the last chapter of the book that discusses how we (and the author!) misread scripture consistently.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

[Paul C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eric J. Bargehuff has provided a book that can easily fit on the shelves of pastors and clergy alike, a great strength of 'The Most Misused Stories In The Bible' being the undertone of simplicity. It will also be appreciated by some that it’s not at all a lengthy read, with only 176 pages.

The format of this new release is to go through each of the following Bible stories while exposing strange or erroneous ways that they are tied into today (by some Christians):

David and Goliath
Jonah and the Big Fish
The Woman Caught in Adultery
Zacchaeus, the tax collector
Gideon and His Fleece
Judas, the Betrayer

In skimming through the Table of Contents my initial reaction was surprise at some of the stories the author chose to address. Bargerhuff addresses this, writing, “I realize some may want to argue that this or that story should not have been included over others. All of this, of course, is a subjective decision pertaining to one’s experience in life and in the church. By no means are these the most misused stories for everyone” (Introduction, p. 10). But he (Bargehuff) believes that “pointing out the common misuses and misunderstandings of these stories can lead to similar discoveries and application points to other Bible stories not covered” in Misused Stories (same p.)



Why I most appreciate this book is that it is a call for Christians to at least acknowledge that the the Bible says it, I believe it approach too many times falls flat: the Bible requires caution, even finesse, in it’s interpretation, rather than a rushed/frantic hermeneutic that doesn’t allow for actual studying.

He hits the hammer on the head when he writes, “We stand on the shoulders of church tradition and thousands of years of interpretation. It would be chronological snobbery to think that we are the only ones who have the best insights into the truth” (Introduction, p. 12). Though I know perfectly well that the history of interpretation of the Bible has never been infallible, it’s refreshing to read someone pointing out the sentiment of pride held by many Christians today in their “correct” interpretation of Scripture.

It would be chronological snobbery to think that we are the only ones
who have the best insights into the truth.

Though holding a PhD as well as being a professor, Bargerhuff doesn’t come across as speaking in the foreign tongue of an academic; while it’s evident he knows his stuff, it’s equally evident that he lives in the real world, too. I commend him for maintaining such simplicity throughout, and would recommend this to anyone who is first learning the “walk” of exegesis. This new release reminds me of the tone of a book I recommend to laypeople left and right titled How To Read The Bible For All it’s Worth (a great primer on biblical interpretation), and thus I recommend Bargerhuff’s newest work which seems to capture the very spirit of this classic.


*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House is exchange for an honest assessment

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

We know stories are powerful. They can convey truth but they can also be misunderstood. Bargerhuff says it is important that we learn how to interpret Bible stories in context using all the aids available along with the power of the Holy Spirit. He has chosen some Bible stories to show how they have been misused and misunderstood.

Most of the misunderstandings, it seems to me, are rather innocent and are not harmful. He tells us that the story of David and Goliath is about trusting God to deliver rather than about fear at facing our giants. The real point of the story of Zacchaeus is that Jesus sought him, not the other way around. He clarifies the identity and timing of those from the east who visited a young Jesus, clarifying some Christmas carols.

Bargerhuff retells each Bible story at length. This is something a new Christian will appreciate. Seasoned Christians who have read the stories many times may find the retold stories redundant. Christians who have studied the Bible much at all will have found most of the material Bargerhuff shares from commentaries or other study books they have read.

Bargerhuff really comes down hard on the prosperity gospel preachers. He calls them con artists with hearts full of darkness. (Loc 954/2093) He clarifies their misuse of the parable of sowing seed. This may be the only story Bargerhuff included that I found to be deliberately misused by some teachers.

He argues that Pentecost was a unique and one time transitional event, as was the later similar experience with Gentiles in Acts 8:14-17. It is a mistake, he says, that we should think that what happened then should be happening now. (Loc 1431/2093) The Book of Acts “was not meant to be a prescription for how the church was supposed to operate today.” (Loc 1440/2093) Because of Bargerhuff's viewpoint, charismatic Christians, like me, may find this book less than pleasing.

I felt his best discussion was on the story about Jesus not being able to heal in his home town. Bargerhuff notes that God sometimes does withhold healing because of lack of faith but that is not always the reason. Keeping in mind Paul's experience, Bargerhuff says that healing (or not being healed) may have nothing to do with faith but is rather in accordance with God's sovereign plan. (Loc 802/2093)

This book is a good resource but I would suggest readers keep in mind that Bargerhuff writes from his own viewpoint and does not present other possible interpretations of the stories.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Tung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bargerhuff is a pastor and seminary prof, and in this book, he picks out 14 passages of Scripture that he asserts are the most misused passages and attempts to correct the reader’s understanding of them. He mentions in the preface that his intent is not to pick all of the misused stories; just the ones he feels are used incorrectly the most often. For example, his first chapter is on the story of David and Goliath. Bargerhuff notes that many pastors use that story to encourage folks to face their biggest fears (the giants in their lives). But he points out that in that story, David actually showed no fear whatsoever, and that this story is less about facing our fears and more about trusting in the Lord’s strength (like David did). In another example, Bargerhuff discusses how the story of Gideon is not about putting out tests to God (commonly taught) and more about God working His will despite weak faith. Each of these chapters is essentially a mini-sermon or devotional on the actual meaning of the text. Bargerhuff does a great job in explanation and explication in demonstrating why these passages should be seen in a different (and truer) light. I’d rate this book higher but I had two issues. First, there were several chapters where I felt Bargerhuff did not choose the passage because it was frequently misused but rather because he had a point he wanted to make and found a passage to connect it to. For example, in chapter 8, he rants (beautifully, I might add) about the evils of the prosperity gospel. And while a great rant, it feels a bit shoe-horned into the passage he cites; and I can come up with more misused stories than the one he chose. My second issue with the book is that when the title says “most misused stories” I read that to indicate that these chosen stories are Bible passages that are used by pastors and teachers incorrectly or improperly. But some of these stories are simply ones that people have common misperceptions about and aren’t stories that are “misused”. For example, Bargerhuff cites the story of the magi visiting Jesus in the gospel of Matthew and points out that the Bible does not describe three kings presenting presents to baby Jesus in a manger; in actuality, it’s an unstated number of wise men not kings who likely visit Jesus in Nazareth rather than Bethlehem. Thanks for that clarification, but again, that makes the Matthew passage a misunderstanding rather than misused. It’s not as if pastors around the country are preaching on three kings as a key doctrinal point. This book is still a solid and interesting read, but I think I’d enjoy even more a book written about the actual most misused passages in Scripture.

[Shaun Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who would the intended audience for this book be? Christians who sit under pastors who utilise an eisegetical method of preaching, or Christian friends who wish to emphasise to the abovementioned group the importance of an expository/exegetical method of studying God's Holy Scripture.

In Pg 49 of the Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (1999), Stanley Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling explain what these two terms mean: "Exegesis is the process of seeking to understand what a text means or communicates on its own. Eisegesis is generally a derogatory term used to designate the practice of imposing a preconceived or foreign meaning onto a text, even if that meaning could not have been originally intended at the time of its writing."

Having studied the context and reflected upon the theological application of many of these stories for the purposes of teaching/preaching, I was mightly impressed by Bargerhuff's commentary on the stories in the opening of the book - David and Goliath (Chapter 1), Gideon's Fleece (Chapter 2), Jonah and the big fish (Chapter 4), The woman caught in adultery (Chapter 5), Jesus could not do miracles in his hometown (Chapter 6), Sowing your seed (Chapter 8). The content was lively, engaging, and highly accessible; Bargerhuff's theological reflection and application were spot on! I thought that this was an easy 6 star book that would be useful for reference for sermon preparation or that which I had to purchase multiple copies of to give away! But then later came the second half of the book which sadly I found to be unsuitable for my target audience...

Many of the subsequent chapters were often excellent (Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Chapter 14 was brilliant even) - but many chapters were tainted by the divisive advancing of his theological positions. Bargerhuff appears to be highly reformed/Calvinistic and a - he quotes John MacArthur (author of the notorious Strange Fire) and John Piper. I felt that it was unnecessary to be fixated on secondary or tertiary matters of The Calvinistic notion of Perseverance of the Saints ("Once Saved Always Saved") in The betrayal of Judas (Chapter 10), Cessationism in The Samaritan Pentecost (Chapter 11) and Transubstantiation in This is my body (Chapter 13).

If he releases a subsequent edition, I hope he focuses on the primacy on interpreting Scripture in context, illustrating applying it for the modern audience what the biblical author had intended for the original readers and not let his partisan views taint his exposition and commentary.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Most Misused Stories in the Bible
by Eric J. Bargerhuff

Surprising ways popular Bible stories are misunderstood

All too often we are taught from a young age what a story in the Bible is all about. But these stories are often made to fit the lesson that is being made. In this book, Eric Bargerhuff attempts to dispell our misconceptions about some of the most used stories.

David and Goliath - the classic example of facing and overcoming our fears is not about facing fear at all. David wasn't afraid of Goliath - in fact, he seemed to be the only Israelite not afraid of Goliath. Rather this is a story about trusting in God and in His strength.

Cain and Abel's story is explained and how too often we misunderstand the point of the story - which is not the rejection of one sacrifice over another or even murder. Rather the point is the condition of one's heart which only God can see. When we study the story of Jonah we tend to focus on the fish, rather than on God and what He accomplished. And the woman caught in adultery is not a shield giving us permission to sin with a free pass to "get out of sin card". Through this book, we will examine not only these stories but 10 additional ones that will help us to read in context and not add personal biases or beliefs to our interpretation of the Bible.

This book is both interesting and informative. A definite must to have on hand and share with those you know. In my opinion, this would be any excellent choice for either a group or family Bible study. Often we never look beyond the stories we heard in Sunday School and study them on our own to learn the truths that they have to offer us. Eric Bargerhuff offers us a look beyond that can help us decern other truths that we have allowed to lay hidden behind the comfort of the children's stories that we are comfortable and familiar with.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Most Misused Stories in the Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood" is a short, succinct book by Eric J. Bargerhuff, a Bible and Theology professor at Trinity College of Florida. It is easy to read and simple in its explanations. It rightly emphasizes the importance of context and considering the full counsel of Scripture. Several chapters have interesting "misinterpretations" and likewise insights as to Bargerhuff's understanding of the respective stories; for example, the story of David and Goliath is often cited as an example of facing one's fears and having courage, but the author argues the text reveals David was not afraid, so this story is "not about overcoming fear and facing your giants as much as it is about trusting in the power and character of God to deliver" (p 20). Other chapters are more nuanced as far as actual differences between the popular and the author's interpretations, and I found some fairly simplistic and would have liked more depth in digging into content and context. Also, the latter half of the book segues into addressing Biblical and theological concepts, questions, phrases, etc. (i.e., "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit") that are misunderstood or controversial, as related to a certain proof text or passage, which (albeit the content itself was fine) was somewhat surprising since it didn't follow the premise of the book as I understand it. Overall, "The Most Misused Stories in the Bible" is a generally thoughtful little book, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as one to purchase for your personal collection, it is an interesting afternoon read if you happen to grab it off the shelf at the library.

Disclaimer: This book was received for free from Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I’ve read other authors try to encourage a shift in thinking. The theme of some scholars seems to be that it’s impossible to gather all the information from a story simply by reading the Bible. Instead one needs to consider history and then surmise an implied meaning.

Thankfully, The Most Misused Stories In The Bible is not that type of book. Eric J. Bargerhuff does a bit of the opposite. Bargerhuff takes the reader straight into scripture. He focuses on what the words say without extrapolation. By taking the time to read the story as is, without emotion, one can begin to consider what the story is really focusing on.

Further, Bargerhuff teaches an important technique throughout these chapters. Sometimes to completely understand something and requires a conclusion to be drawn it becomes important to compare stories in scripture against each other. This is not done for the sake of highlighting contradictions as one might be used to. It’s done to remind the reader that God has multiple layers to his character. We won’t always understand the why in a situation. Drawing conclusions can be dangerous as they can box God in.

Many of the stories highlighted are ones that have variations told from childhood Sunday School through old age sermons. Jonah, David, Jesus, Cain, and Able to have stories highlighted and explored to name a few. I didn’t find his story conclusions to be surprising, but I believe that is because I’ve sat under excellent teaching and preaching. If you have found yourself confused by a pastor’s conclusion versus one that seems to be different than what you have read in books or come to understand yourself, then you might find more unique explanations.

Regardless, I found the author’s teaching to be easy to understand, insightful, and humorous when appropriate.

[Mary Early · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric J. Bargerhuff caught my attention through his title — The Most Misused Stories in the Bible. Based on his suggestion in the introduction, I used this as a daily reading. Some of Bargerhuff’s selections were familiar and I understood how they might typically be dismissed because they seemed to carry little if any meaning in today's world. I do not remember ever reading the story of Gideon, however, but Bargerhuff managed to provide a common-sense, relevant lesson in an ancient story about a sheep fleece.

For some of the stories that I knew, I appreciated the additional clarification with another, perhaps, more applicable interpretation. Other stories did not surprise me since Bargerhuff’s interpretation was presented more or less according to what I’d always believed, but some of the misunderstandings he presented were surprising. In a few cases, the misunderstandings seemed a bit far out. I was, indeed, puzzled by his take on Judas who betrayed Jesus. The author examined this story from the perspective of Mark, Luke, and John but never mentioned that Matthew described Judas as remorseful, having returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests before he took his own life.

Bargerhuff offered clear warnings about “prosperity” preachers, who use Bible stories to convince people to give money to their churches with the expectation of financial abundance for the giver.

Overall, I found the book enlightening and liked Bargerhuff’s conclusion: "No matter what approach your pastor takes in the pulpit, context matters. No matter what kind of Bible study you are a part of, context matters."

Note: I received a free electronic copy of this from Bethany House Publishers. No review, positive or otherwise, was required. All opinions are my own.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it possible that we misunderstand the message of familiar Bible stories like David and Goliath or Jonah and the whale? Sure it is. This author takes the most popular Bible stories/situations and clairifies their intended message.

Besides those already mentioned, he addresses Gideon and the fleece, Cain and Abel, the three wise men, and several more. In each chapter, he begins with a Bible verse from the story. He presents how the story is commonly used and proceeds to show another perspective. For example, in David and Goliath, we often think of it as a motivational story to encourage us to "face our giants." But, the author maintains that it is about David's determination to fight for God's people. He points out that David was totally without fear, because he knew that God was his backup.

It is an interesting book, easy to read and understand. The chapters are short and could be used for daily Bible study. In my opinion, it is not meant for academics but for "regular people." I think I'm going to check out his other book, The Most Misused Verses in the Bible: Surprising Ways God’s Word Is Misunderstood.

Dr. Bargerhuff is a professor at Trinity College of Florida. He is director of the Honors Program and Associate Professor of Bible and Theology.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Phillip Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most people who have been in church for several years, I have heard the popular Bible stories many times. I like to be able to trust the person telling it to be correct in applying it to our lives, but people can mess up. Unfortunately, sometimes people continue in believing the wrong meaning of a Bible passage, and spread that information to others. In The Most Misused Stories in the Bible, Eric J Bargerhuff address some of the most common misapplications of Bible stories.

I was kind of surprised at how some of the stories I grew up with had been twisted, either out of selfish ambitions or through ignorance of context. To quote from the introduction, when we correctly interpret the scriptures by understanding the cultural and literary contexts and approach it without our biases, "we allow God's Word to master us more than we seek to master it." Though my understanding of the passages addressed agreed with Bargerhuff's, I still share in his caution of not trying to direct the Bible instead of letting it direct me.

The book is set up so that it can be used on your own or in a group. I would recommend it for anyone who leads a class or even parents to help with teaching their children. Even if neither of these apply to you, it is still a good book to have. With each story, the wrong interpretation and the one that fits context and meaning is given, along with tips to be better at understanding other Bible passages.

I received a free copy of The Most Misused Stories in the Bible from the publisher, but this did not affect my opinion in any way.

[Just Commonly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title, The Most Misused Stories in the Bible and the tagline, "Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood" caught my attention. The author, Eric J. Bargerhuff put together 14 Biblical stories that reviewed and explained how they were misunderstood, or when the message was taken out of context.

I read this out loud in the car on a road trip so my family and I can open up into discussion. Having done so, I think it allowed me to keep an open mind to the author's take on many of the main message of the stories. If I had read it alone, I would've felt the author's no-nonsense approach in some ways off-putting. I think his examples are great clarifications, but it doesn't give room for further interpretations that allows for it. Having read it in a form of group discussions, it helped to see perspective and allow for personal research and clarification. In all, I think this book is a great way for Christians, new as well as seasoned ones to open their minds for deeper examination of specific Bible stories.


This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents 14 Bible stories with the author carefully explaining why he feels those stories have been misused, and what we should actually take from them. He then finishes off with a summary of good biblical interpretation. This is all good stuff, but I had a few issues with it.

Firstly, the title is overdone. Most misused stories in the Bible? I am unconvinced and there is no objective basis for that claim. I think it is a marketing hook. Probably everything in the Bible is misused by someone, but I think these were just 14 stores about which the author had something interesting to say.

Secondly, how misused are they? For instance, the first story is all about David and Goliath, and the author tells us that people misuse this story by playing up how David overcame his fear to confront Goliath, but the Bible does not tell us he was afraid at all. Ok, the point is quite right, but I cannot remember anyone ever suggesting the wrong interpretation to me. Surely the Bible is quite clear that the older soldiers were afraid but David showed no fear. Instead he trusted God. That is always the slant I have heard, so there was no corrective here - just a new articulation of the interpretation I had always heard for this story.

This was a repeated theme. I was not really surprised by anything in this book.

Thirdly, I think the author does perhaps play to his own theological leanings a little, and perhaps that means it is not as much a corrective as he intends, but rather a timely warning to listen critically.

Nevertheless that does not make this a bad book. It is well written, and the information is good. Any disagreements I might have with the author's interpretation are small, and his principles for good interpretation are sound. What he has written, to my mind, is a series of 14 very good sermons. I can imagine he is an excellent preacher, and has interesting things to say about the passages, whilst attempting to be faithful to scripture that he clearly holds in high regard.

[Bobbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed at all. First, some points were straw men, like the story of David and Goliath. I've always heard that as being about faith, not facing one's fears as the author claims. Second, I don't like messages that try to relate biblical events to present day experiences. Example: the author says Jonah went down to Joppa, he went down to the bottom of the ship and he went down into the fish. That to the author is an example of how our lives are sometimes in a downward spiral. I'm always suspicious of that. Finally, I think he missed the point of blasphemy of the Spirit altogether. I say he is the one misusing that Bible story. He claims that the blasphemy is rejecting Christ whereas Christ said that the blasphemy is speaking evil against the Holy Spirit. The author admonishes his readers to consider context, yet he ignores the context here which was the Pharisees claiming that Jesus performed miracles by the power of the Devil

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books where I found myself agreeing and disagreeing with the author. Not every instance he labels as a misuse of a story was one I agreed with, but I did find myself agreeing with him on other misuses of a story.

The book is well written, well researched, and is an interesting and fun read. I enjoyed the author's retelling of these well known Bible stories and also enjoyed his insights into them. I did think he made a bigger deal of some of the so-called misuses of some of the stories, but I still enjoyed those sections.

If nothing else, this is a book that makes you look at some Bible stories in a different light and see some things in them you never noticed before. It is definitely worth reading.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sylvia Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this (on sale) because it was totally book clickbait. Come on, how can you pass up a title like that?

It was not at all the most life-changing and spiritually-enlightening book I've read. Its strength is definitely its readability. I think a lot of people can come into this and learn a lot. I might recommend it to someone just beginning to want to look more closely into scripture.

A lot of Bargerhuff's explanations could have been gathered just by reading the story from the Bible yourself, and in that way, the message was elementary. In another way, I learned something more about each Bible story he covered. I really appreciated this guy's perspective, and it proved to be founded in Scripture. Most importantly (and beautifully), the author deliberately refocused every Bible story on God.

[Shia Glasmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shone a new light on old stories of the Bible in a way I had never thought of. For example, David and Goliath isn't about facing your Giants, though you may be afraid, because God is on your side. It's about being completely unafraid, confident, and even forceful because God is with you. The story of Zacchaeus isn't about pursuing Jesus to the point of desperation, but how He pursues us in whatever position we are in. This book takes a biblically conservative view of some of the most common misused stories of the Bible and sheds light on their true meaning. It was great, and I can't wait to buy his other book, The Most Misused Verses of the Bible.

[Charlee Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you have read the Bible more than one time, there is a tendency to feel that you know it well, especially the stories that we heard in Sunday school and throughout our lives. Reading this book gives you a different perspective on what you know and what is truth.

Several of the stories, I had interpreted correctly, but other I was off-base on. I think everyone needs to understand the "Sowing a Seed" story. I did interpret that correctly but, I have heard so often that we should take it another way that I questioned my understanding.

I advise everyone who wants to understand the Bible and its meanings to read this book.

[Louis Fritz v · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong start weak end. Good hermeneutics though

Great hermeneutics in the text but the last half of the book was clearly reformed conservative focused attacking pentacolism with typical cessationist rhetoric, catholicism with a focus on why transubstantiation is sacrificing Jesus a second time, and how Judas is not an example of losing your salvation. While these topics are important discussion points they should not be in a book focused on helping rhe average layperson understand how the stories of the Bible get abused. Great examples in the early part like Jonah and David were hurt by the latter half which I also felt did more eisegesis that actual exegesis.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the title of the book was a bit misleading, as I don't recall a time in my life that I have consistently heard these stories being 'misused' in larger quantities than any other Bible stories. That being said, I did appreciate this book more as a refresher for some of the stories I had not visited in a while. The presentation of HOW the stories can be/have been misused (as stated in the sub title) was much stronger than the idea that they are regularly misrepresented.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting sound understanding of the Bible

Wow, what more can be said? Written in simple common sense language. Clearly understandable & unmistakingly sound & correct theology. More common sense with the proper understanding of how the culture lived & the way the people received or perceived the teaching & exposition is necessary for proper understanding & to correctly apply it in the daily living of the individual, family & the physical church as a corporate whole.