12/7/23
Inferential Reading:
Inferences are certain conclusions that are legitimately reasoned out from words adequately explained. Biblical inferences are those that form a correct view of all Christian doctrines, Christian works and/ or take any actions that may be required.
From any conclusions we may form on inferences, we are authorized, both by the odd character of the Hebrew and Greek languages, which, when correctly viewed and examined, not only mean what the words uttered in themselves imply but also what may be reasoned from them by legitimate events, this is cause and effect. And likewise by the authority of Jesus Christ and his apostles, who have sanctioned this practice by their example.
To illustrate the above: In Matthew 22:23 to 32, Jesus, when disputing with the Sadducees, cited the declaration of Jehovah recorded in,
Exodus 3:6. He said, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” and from there, He proved the resurrection of the dead inferentially, that is, by lawful deductions.
Abraham had been dead for more than 300 years before these words were spoken to Moses, yet Jehovah called Himself the God of Abraham. Jesus appropriately remarked that God is not the God of the dead, (this word (dead) being equivalent, in the sense of the Sadducees, to eternal annihilation, but of the living. So, it follows that if He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they have not altogether perished, but their bodies will be raised again from the dead. At the same time, their spirits or souls are alive with God, not with-standing they have ceased for many centuries to exist among the living.
In the same reply, Jesus further disputed, inferentially, another opinion of the Sadducees, via their saying there are neither angels nor spirits; Jesus showed that the soul is not only immortal but lives with God even while the body is detained in the dust of the earth, which will afterward be raised to life, and be united to the soul by the miraculous power of God.
The foundation of inferential reading is the never-ending harmony of the things written in the Bible. When considering and understanding a single doctrine, we can easily deduce many other doctrines that depend upon it, as they are linked together, forming a single chain.
But, to conduct this kind of reading, this having many advantages, we must bring to it an accurate and sober judgment, one that is capable of penetrating deeply into all truths and of bringing to light tireless attention and patience to them and also of deducing one fact from another by solid reasoning. The further the mind possesses a sufficient knowledge of sound words in both faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus, the more we will advance our understanding of God’s love for us.
2 Timothy 1:13, “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Without this knowledge, it will be impossible to make any positive or beneficial progress in understanding the Bible or discover the exhaustless variety of essential truths contained in the Scriptures. It will likewise be required to compare inferences when drawn, to be sure that they are correct and worthy of the words or names by which they are called. For this purpose, the following rules can help us.
1. In some cases, inferences must not be deduced, nor should they be expressed in the very words of the text.
Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you,”
The following conclusions can be drawn from the above.
A. First, the Kingdom of God is to be sought.
B. It is necessary that we seek the righteousness of God.
C. To him that seeks, all other things shall be added.
Although these are in themselves weighty truths, they are expressed too plainly in the very words of Scripture to be called inferences. They are rather truths seated in the text rather than truths deduced from the words.
2. Inferences must be inferred from the genuine sense of the words, not from a false or counterfeit sense, whether literal or mystical. (hidden or secret)
Let me give you an example by looking at two verses. I use this example because it was a horrible period for the Christian community at large and humanity in general.
Acts 10:11, Peter had a vision; he saw heaven open and a vessel descending from heaven. It was a great sheet, holding all types of four-footed beasts of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air. Every species of animal and bird were seen on the sheet. These were both clean and unclean; the unclean were forbidden by the Jews to be eaten and were not to be used in their ceremonial law. But the clean and unclean were seen together, “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” At first Peter refused the Lord, saying, “I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”
Now compare “kill and eat” with John 21:16. Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” (sheep referring to the Jewish people) Those leaders of the Catholic Church, who had claimed, and still claim to be the successors of Peter in past centuries, have used both of these verses in the following manner.
From the command, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat, compared with the Lord’s direction to Peter, to “Feed my sheep,” they have, by a two-fold false inference, fed the Church and have put thousands of Christians to death. Put to death were all who chose to dispute them. It becomes self-evident that their inference is derived from putting a false and fabricated sense upon these passages.
The following inferences are always to be preferred when their approach is nearest to the scope of a passage.
In John 6:37, Jesus said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” The following inferences can be drawn from this verse.
A. Jesus is the safest place for all persons whose consciences are burdened.
B. Christians should receive those who are weak in faith, after the example of Christ, and treat them with tenderness.
Though both these inferences are reasonable in themselves, the first is to be preferred. Why? Because it harmonizes best with the scope of the passage, see verses 38 to 40.
Jesus said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all (Christian’s) which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which sees the Son, and believeth on him may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Inferences should embrace applicable truths on which the mind may meditate and then be led to a more intimate acquaintance with the doctrines of salvation and Christian morality.
Inferences can be divided into two classes:
1. Internal and 2. external. The first is inherent in the text and flows from it, considered in itself. The second is derived from comparing the text with other passages and circumstances.
Here are a few examples to illustrate these definitions. The sources from where conclusions are drawn are called internal or inherent in the text when such consequences or conclusions are formed.
A. From the passion of the writer or speaker.
B. From the words and their signification.
C. From the emphasis and force of words.
D. From the structure and order of the words contained in the text.
The conclusions drawn from the writer or speaker’s words are left to the investigation of the interpreter, reader, or hearer. An example follows.
Mark 3:5, “And when he (Jesus) had looked round about on them (the Pharisees) with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he said unto the man, (this man had a withered hand) Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.”
Jesus’ anger was caused by an excess of grief brought about by the Pharisee’s obstinate stupidity and blindness. From this passage, we can draw the following conclusions:
A. A Christian must have a deep concern, not only for his sins but also to be grieved for the sins of others.
B. All anger is not to be considered sinful.
C. A person who does not bear the image of Christ but rather that of Satan can either look with indifference upon the wickedness of others, without feelings or rebuttal, or he can even rejoice in it.
D. Nothing is eviler than a man whose heart has hardened in feelings and who has become stubborn, persisting in wrongdoing, since it caused him (Jesus), who is the source of all true joy, to be filled with grief on beholding it.
E. Our indignation against evil must be tempered by compassion for those who are wicked.
Conclusions are deduced from words themselves and their meaning. Example,
Luke 21:15, Jesus said, “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom.” The inferences are,
A. Christ, the eternal wisdom, is the source and spring of all knowledge.
B. God gives; Those who attempt to procure wisdom by their own strength, without prayer, may rightly be charged with presumption. (supposed truths without direct or positive proof)
C. Concerning you. No person needs the gift of Divine wisdom more than those entrusted with the duty of teaching others.
D. Concerning the mouth. The act of speaking is a gift bestowed on a person by God, as are other gift.
E. Wisdom. A person can acquire knowledge by the mere force of a corrupted nature. But nature cannot possibly give true wisdom.
F. A person’s strong expression of emotion, designed to excite others when not united with wisdom, is of little use in promoting the kingdom of Christ.
Inferences can be drawn from the emphasis and force of words. Following are a few examples.
1 Peter 5:5, Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud,”
A. Humility. Christian humility does not reside in filthy or torn clothes but in a modest mind that entertains humble views of itself.
B. Christians are to be appropriately and modestly dressed. True beauty in a person is an ornament that decorates the mind much more than the most stylish clothes do the body.
C. When Peter said, “to be clothed,” this expressive word, clothed, implies that the humility of a Christian is one of the most ornamental graces of their profession of faith, should constantly appear in all their conversation as to strike the eye and ear of everyone who hears and sees them. This grace should be so closely connected with their person that on no occasion, temptation, or calamity, should this be able to be stripped from them.
Humility is a garment with which we cover both our virtues and the defects of others. This garment of humility is constantly being exposed to many of Satan’s snares and must be carefully guarded and retained by us.
The idea of the proud, they always exalting themselves above others! No sin can be less concealed or of escaping the observation of others than the sin of pride. God resists and sets Himself against the proud.
The inference drawn is that while all other sinners withdraw, as it were, from the presence of God and seek shelter against their indignation, the proud alone openly challenge God.
Inferences are drawn from the order and structure of the Scriptures:
Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat (food) and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
The following inferences may be taken according to the order of the words, which depend upon the connection and order of the subjects.
A. No constant and lasting peace of a person’s conscience is to be expected unless they had previously laid hold of the righteousness of Christ by faith.
B. Christians only possess genuine and permanent joy, and those who are justified cultivate peace with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
C. Those who continue in a state of hostility and enmity with God and man boast in vain of the righteousness of Christ.
D. A clear and peaceful conscience is the only source of spiritual joy.
The sources of inferences are external when the conclusions are from a text comparison.
A. With the condition and circumstance of the speaker.
B. With the scope of the book or passage.
C. With the context.
D. With parallel passages and other circumstances.
Inferences are drawn from the state of the writer or speaker:
Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest of kings, whose eagerness for worldly vanities was so great that he left none of his desires untried. He was unlimited in his means of gratification and his pursuit of pleasure and satisfaction.
When he explained in,
Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” the following inferences may be drawn from his words, compared with his state of mind.
A. The most ordinary handyman, craftsman, mechanic, etc., is not to be scorned when speaking of his business or trade. A person must be more than a fool if he does not give full attention when a President, King, etc., is about to speak.
B. How wonderful is God’s wisdom, who, when it pleased him to select a person like Solomon to proclaim and testify of all things human. The LORD chose a man who had a great deal of experience in how truly vain he was.
When great leaders, wise men, those given honors, having human wisdom, riches, and the facility for all pleasures, proclaim the vanity of all these things, everyone should receive his testimony with great respect. Since all great leaders are exposed to the wiles of pleasure, it is worthy to state that God raised a man, Solomon of their rank to admonish them and warn them of the danger.
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com