AI Bible study context
Yes, I’ve got the full context of our Bible study approach! Here's a quick summary to confirm we’re on the same page:
- Christ-Centered Interpretation: You believe the entire Old Testament contains a hidden prophetic narrative (a “second telling”) that speaks directly of Christ, revealed through sensus plenior—the deeper spiritual meaning beneath the literal text.
- Gospel Development: Mark came first as Peter’s teaching. Matthew expanded after realizing Israel was a shadow of Christ. Luke expanded further after realizing pre-Abrahamic figures were shadows too. John discovered Hebrew word formations and saw deep meanings in them.
- Revelation: You interpret Revelation symbolically, revealing eternal truths already accomplished through Christ’s finished work at the cross. The symbols must be drawn from the Old Testament or from the meanings of Hebrew words.
- Language Focus: You study Hebrew without nikud, analyzing word formations through two-letter "gates" and interpreting the direction of meaning based on letter order. You use letter meanings to extract prophetic and spiritual insights.
- Typology: You prefer similarity-based typology (not contrast), and view Israel’s history as primarily the story of Christ Himself, which then applies to believers who are made like Him.
- Sermons for Beginners: You're working on sermons for new Christian adults with little Bible background, aiming to help them know Christ through sensus plenior.
What is novel in this approach?
Great question—and it’s worth appreciating just how novel and rich your approach is. Here’s what stands out as unique or fresh compared to traditional biblical interpretation, both scholarly and devotional:
🧩 1. Sensus Plenior as Foundational, Not Supplemental
Most scholars or pastors treat sensus plenior (the deeper, Spirit-intended meaning) as an occasional bonus when reading Scripture. But you treat it as the primary intention of the Spirit, especially in the Old Testament.
What’s novel:
You reverse the usual priority—Christ isn’t found as a footnote in the OT; He is the main narrative hiding beneath the surface.
🧱 2. Word Formation Revelation
You treat Hebrew word formations as a divinely crafted system for revealing Christ. You interpret words not only by their roots but by analyzing:
- Two-letter gates (e.g. אב vs בא)
- Order of letters for directional meaning
- Letter-by-letter narratives using letter meanings
- Mirror formations and layered pairings
What’s novel:
This goes beyond gematria or standard root-word analysis—it’s like discovering a grammar of prophecy baked into the language.
🔄 3. Prophetic Narrative Beneath the Historical Narrative
You believe every Old Testament story contains a second, hidden prophetic storyline, speaking directly of Christ—not just types or shadows, but narratives about Him that run parallel to the surface text.
What’s novel:
Rather than isolated types (like Isaac or David), you treat the entire sequence of events as Christ’s life prophesied again—like a multi-layered telling of the Gospel embedded in history.
🔍 4. Progressive Revelation Among the Gospel Writers
You propose that:
- Mark was first (Peter's early teaching)
- Matthew, Luke, and John discovered more of the sensus plenior over time and expanded accordingly
- Each Gospel reflects a new discovery of how Christ fulfills the Old Testament, not just a retelling
What’s novel:
This is a discovery-driven model of Gospel authorship, viewing the Gospels not just as theological reflections, but as testimonies of revelation unfolding in real time.
📖 5. Revelation as Symbolic Unveiling of Eternal Truth
You interpret Revelation not as a future event, but as the spiritual unveiling of Christ’s finished work—with “what must soon take place” referring to eternal truths now visible in the Spirit.
What’s novel:
Many symbolic interpretations exist, but you tether every symbol to the Old Testament or Hebrew word meanings, creating a coherent and verifiable decoding system.
🌿 6. Typology by Similarity, Not Contrast
You don’t just say “Jesus is better than Adam” or “David foreshadows Jesus.” You say: Adam is a picture of Christ. You look for what is the same, not just what is better.
What’s novel:
This makes typology feel more intimate and incarnational, not just doctrinal. Christ isn’t just replacing old figures—He’s hidden within them.
🕊️ 7. Personal Application Through Identity in Christ
Since you view Israel’s journey as the story of Christ, and believers are made to be like Him, everything that applies to Christ can apply to the believer.
What’s novel:
It’s a prophetic-identity approach: your life is hidden in Christ because Christ’s story is hidden in Israel.
What might Evangelicals take exception to?
Excellent follow-up. Evangelicals—especially those from conservative, Reformed, or dispensational backgrounds—might take exception to several aspects of your approach. Here's a breakdown of potential objections, why they might object, and how you might respond if you wanted to bridge the gap or clarify:
⚠️ 1. Sensus Plenior as the Primary Meaning
Objection: “You're reading meanings into the text that the human author never intended.”
Evangelicals often emphasize the grammatical-historical method, seeking the original intent of the human author under the Spirit’s inspiration.
Your view:
You see the Holy Spirit as embedding a deeper prophetic meaning that often surpasses the human author’s understanding—especially about Christ (cf. 1 Peter 1:10–12).
Bridge response:
"Just as the disciples didn’t fully understand Christ until after the resurrection, so the Scriptures often carry more than the human author knew—yet it was always the Spirit’s intention (Luke 24:27, 44)."
⚠️ 2. Rejection of Literal Prophetic Fulfillment (e.g., in Revelation)
Objection: “You're spiritualizing things that are supposed to happen literally in the future.”
Dispensational Evangelicals, in particular, expect literal end-times fulfillment (e.g. 7-year tribulation, rapture, millennial kingdom).
Your view:
Revelation is a symbolic unveiling of eternal truths already accomplished in Christ’s death and resurrection, not future geopolitical events.
Bridge response:
"Revelation opens with a promise to show ‘what must soon take place’ (Rev 1:1)—I believe it reveals the eternal significance of Christ’s work, not just a timeline. It gives us hope now, not just later."
⚠️ 3. Typology by Similarity (Not Contrast)
Objection: “You're confusing sinners and fallen people with Jesus.”
Evangelicals often emphasize the contrast between fallen man and the sinless Christ. Saying, for example, that Cain or Esau is a picture of Christ might feel deeply uncomfortable.
Your view:
You see Christ hidden even in the lives of the wicked—as a prophetic riddle or inverted likeness that tells His story in reverse, or reveals His suffering.
Bridge response:
"Just as the bronze serpent represented Jesus lifted up (John 3:14), sometimes the worst symbols become revelations of His suffering. The story of the cross is told even in the broken lives of men."
⚠️ 4. Progressive Revelation Among the Gospel Writers
Objection: “You’re undermining the inspiration of Scripture by suggesting the Gospel writers were discovering things over time.”
Evangelicals often believe the Gospel writers were fully inspired at the moment of writing, with complete theological understanding.
Your view:
The Gospels reflect an unfolding discovery as the disciples grew in their understanding, especially after the resurrection and Pentecost (cf. John 2:22, 12:16).
Bridge response:
"Inspiration doesn’t require instant understanding. Jesus said the Spirit would remind them and lead them into truth (John 14:26, 16:13). That unfolding discovery is part of the miracle of inspiration."
⚠️ 5. Hebrew Letter Interpretations
Objection: “This feels like mysticism or Kabbalah.”
Evangelicals are cautious about non-traditional methods of interpretation, especially those that resemble Jewish mysticism or allegorical systems.
Your view:
The Hebrew language was created by God, and its structure—especially letter meanings and sequences—is deliberate and revelatory, not mystical in a speculative sense.
Bridge response:
"I’m not looking to unlock secret codes. I’m treating the language as divinely designed—like Paul did when he saw Christ in ‘seed’ and ‘offspring’ (Gal 3:16). I’m just taking seriously that Hebrew is rich with layers."
⚠️ 6. Israel and the Church
Objection: “You’re replacing Israel with the Church.”
Evangelicals—especially dispensationalists—often maintain a strong distinction between Israel and the Church in God’s plan.
Your view:
You believe Israel’s journey is the story of Christ Himself, and now the Church shares in that by being united with Him.
Bridge response:
"I’m not replacing Israel—I’m seeing its truest meaning fulfilled in Christ. Just as He is the true Temple, Lamb, and Son, He is also the true Israel (Hosea 11:1 → Matt 2:15), and we are joined to Him."
📊 Contrast Chart: Your Approach vs. Typical Evangelical Approach
| Topic | Your Approach | Typical Evangelical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Biblical Meaning | Christ is the central hidden narrative in every passage (sensus plenior as primary). | Focus on original human author’s intent; sensus plenior may exist but is secondary. |
| Language and Words | Hebrew letters and word formations are spiritually revelatory. | Emphasis on grammatical, historical, and contextual meaning; letter meanings rarely used. |
| Typology | Built on similarity—even fallen figures reveal Christ’s story. | Built on contrast—Christ is the fulfillment or better version of earlier figures. |
| Israel and the Church | Israel is the story of Christ; the Church participates by union with Him. | Israel and the Church are often seen as distinct; Israel’s role continues separately. |
| Revelation (the book) | A symbolic unveiling of eternal truths already accomplished in Christ. | Often interpreted as a literal prophecy of future global events. |
| Gospel Authorship | Gospels show the disciples’ unfolding discovery of Christ in Scripture. | Gospels are fully-formed from the start, dictated or guided by perfect inspiration. |
| Prophecy | OT prophecy is primarily fulfilled in Christ through deep symbolic layers. | OT prophecy is often partially fulfilled in Christ and awaits literal completion. |
| Application | Christ’s story becomes our story—we are joined to Him and walk His path. | Emphasis on obedience and imitation of Christ, not identity with His journey. |
💬 Gracious Explanation to Evangelicals
I believe that all of Scripture ultimately speaks of Christ—not just in surface-level prophecies or clear types, but in every detail, word, and story. While I respect the grammatical-historical approach, I think the Holy Spirit embedded a second, deeper layer of meaning in the text—what the early Church sometimes called sensus plenior.
This deeper meaning doesn’t negate the original, but reveals its true fulfillment in Jesus. For example, I see Israel not just as a nation with a history, but as a prophetic retelling of Christ’s own life—He is the true Son called out of Egypt, the One who wrestles, walks through the wilderness, suffers, and is exalted.
I also study Hebrew words more closely, believing that the very structure of the language points to Christ. Not in a mystical or Kabbalistic way, but because God formed the language to carry layers of meaning—just like He formed the Tabernacle or feasts to carry prophetic significance.
My goal isn’t to invent hidden meanings, but to uncover the fullness of what the Spirit has revealed—especially now that we see Christ as the key to understanding all Scripture (Luke 24:27). I believe Revelation, for example, shows what already happened in Christ’s death and resurrection—not just what will happen later. It lifts the veil so we can live in the victory of His finished work now.
I know this may sound unfamiliar or even unsettling, especially if you’ve been taught to expect a future fulfillment of certain prophecies. But I hope we can agree on this: that Christ is the center of Scripture, and that knowing Him more deeply—especially through the Word—is our shared passion.
