Ps. 119: 130 "The unfolding of your words gives light."
What does it mean for God's words to "unfold?" 1 It seems to imply that God's words have a richer meaning than can be discerned at first glance or on the first pass. 2 The meaning of God's Word is so rich that it must be unfolded? What does this mean? The following ideas come to mind:
First, any passage of Scripture can be viewed from the many different perspectives that we find in Scripture. For example, we could look at it from the perspective of God's covenants, or God's presence, or his justice, or mercy or kingship, etc. Each perspective might provide a different nuance of meaning. So every time we read a passage, we can get something new from it because we can be looking at it through one of the many lenses provided by Scripture itself. This seems to be what the four gospels do with the person and work of Christ. Reading about Christ from these different persepctives unfolds God's Word.
Second, all of these perspectives come together in Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" 3 and who himself is the Word of God. "The Bible has a story line. It traces an unfolding drama" 4 that reaches its climax in Christ and his people. Scripture is an unfolding of God's Word that is enriched by every new revelation until it blossoms with the coming of Christ. And we still await the revelation of his second coming in glory.
Third, there is a sense in which God unfolds his words to us as we obey him, and as we love him. For example, the same Psalm (verse 100) says, "I have more understanding than the elders because I obey your precepts." In other words, as we put God's words into practice by obeying them in different contexts, we understand them better. Their fuller meaning increasingly unfolds as we obey. Furthermore, according to Philippians 1:9-11, the more we love, the more we know and are able to discern the things that take priority. When, by God's grace, 5 we mix his words with obedience and love, he unfolds them to us.
If God unfolds his words to us as we apply them in different situations, then those who have had different experiences might tend to see different nuances of the rich meaning than someone else who has had other experiences. This has implications for how we relate to other members of the body of Christ who have different personalities and backgrounds than we do. No one sees all the rich meaning. It's only together with all the saints that we can understand what is otherwise beyond understanding. 6 And seeing these different nuances, we can either enrich one another, or irritate and avoid each other.
This dynamic is more obvious when it comes to dealing with the members of the body of Christ who are from a different culture. In this case the differences of perspective and background are exaggerated. Believers from different cultures, I believe, tend to see different nuances of the rich meaning of Scripture. Again, we can either enrich each other, or avoid talking about these things.
This is why I think missionaries should work shoulder to shoulder with national believers. It's when the saints get together than God unfolds his words to us.
Gary Waldecker
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