Scientific method - 2
Hypothesis
Before we speak of the key that Jesus gave Peter for more revelation, look at some clues to the mechanism that God uses to communicate to us.
We are looking for a mechanism which cannot be misinterpreted. If you put down a fleece as did Gideon, you are asking God to perform an insignificant miracle to satisfy your curiosity. I doubt he'd go for that. Besides, Peter didn't know he had gotten a revelation. Anything relating to something perceived with senses is out of the question.
Peter knew something that no one taught him. God had done something in his mind without Peter being aware of it. Maybe he gave him knowledge? That is unlikely since we are told to study to show ourselves approved.
Here's are some clues:
▸ ± Pr 25:2 [It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.
▸ ± Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Perhaps the key has something to do with the scriptures having something hidden inside. Notice that Jesus did not say you had to believe the scriptures first. But you must use them to prove him.
One last clue:
▸ ± Lu 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
When Jesus read the scriptures, he did not see Adam, Noah, Abraham and all the others; he saw himself.
Why did no one else read the scriptures that way? Even Protestant, Catholic, and Evangelical theological experts confess that they cannot read the scriptures the way Jesus and the New Testament authors did. There is no one to teach us how to read the Bible. This is something only God can do. I think we're getting close.
▸ ± Pr 1:5 A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
▸ ± Pr 1:6 To understand a proverb [parable], and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Jesus read the scriptures seeing himself because in them the history is a parable of him hidden in riddle [dark sayings]. What is the key to understanding the parable and riddle?
▸ ± Mt 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
▸ ± Mt 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
The cross is the key to understanding all the parable and riddle. But this has been known for 2000 years and still men do not see Christ in the scriptures the way he did.
Something is missing? What could it be? from the time of Augustine, a form of 'sola scriptura' or 'only the scriptures' has guided the interpretation of scripture. This has resulted in the confession that no one can read the scriptures the way Jesus did.
Maybe we need God's help? He said that the wise solve the riddles, but what if we are not clever?
▸ ± Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Oh the missing part is that God will help us. The Holy Spirit was given to guide us in all truth. Why aren't we taught how to access him? We have a riddle to solve. Riddles by their nature cannot be solved just knowing the content of the riddle. Something else must be known. But God is not going to give us knowledge magically; how do we get it?
Back to study...Jesus showed them something in the Old Testament.
▸ ± Mt 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
He showed them in the scriptures what they had not seen before. He showed them what was hidden in riddle. He gave them the key to solving the riddle... to accessing the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
The hypothesis is (which we don't have to believe, but must use it to test it):
Peter knew what Jesus had done. He knew the OT scriptures; being raised a Jew. The Spirit helped him correlate it so that he could declare that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.
If we learn what Jesus did, then look for him in the Old Testament we will not find him there since men have been looking for 2000 years. But if we then ask him for wisdom, we can go back to the same scriptures and see Christ.
How do we validate it? How do we know that we didn't make it up and use free-for-all allegory? Coming in Scientific method - 3.
