The Five Fingers Rule

[ComfortMyPeople]

The Five Fingers Rule

Sometimes I’ve tried to help others not using the Scriptures to proof any kind of idea or behavior one person could have. I’ve used what I’ve denominated “the five fingers rule”, from the weakest to the stronger evidence

 

Only one finger: the evidence is only in the same division of the Bible, Greek or Hebrew Scriptures.

This is the weakest evidence. The explanation about our verse under scrutiny is in the “other side” of the Bible. We’re trying to prove some idea based in the Hebrew Scriptures with another verse from Greek Scriptures, or vice versa. So, there are centuries of distance in the meaning, language, cultural environment and God’s dealings.

If we use this approach we should be very careful. Only if we have direct mention of some application in the Bible we should feel free to try the same, for example:

• (Matthew 24:15) “…when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet…”

In spite we have here one verse in the Greek against other in the Hebrew Scriptures, as we have the direct mention of Christ we can, with confidence apply the verses.

Conversely, when we read (Da 4:25) “seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he grants it to whomever he wants”, and we try to apply the seven times to Jesus words in Lu 21:24 “…Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled” we only have a weak evidence. When we read in Daniel about “times”, we cannot think any mention in the Bible about “times” share the same or related meaning. And it seems a little bit farfetched to apply the Nebuchadnezzar happenings to Christ.

Two fingers: the writer is contemporary.

Either in the Greek or Hebrew period. Well, now our evidence has more weight.

• (Isaiah 37:22) “…The virgin daughter of Zion despises you…”
• (Jeremiah 14:17) “…For the virgin daughter of my people has been completely crushed and broken…”

No problem when applying the term virgin to the nation of Israel.

Three fingers: the verses share the same writer.

But, perhaps, not the same book.

• (Romans 3:20) “…no one will be declared righteous before him by works of law…”
• (Galatians 2:16) “…not by works of law, but only through faith…”

When we develop the idea about how obtain salvation, we have strong evidence, from the same Bible writer, clarifying the meaning.

Four fingers. The evidence is in the same Bible book.

Now, the evidence is still stronger.

•  (Zechariah 1:8) “…I saw a vision in the night. There was a man riding on a red horse, and he stood still among the myrtle trees in the ravine; and behind him there were red, reddish-brown, and white horses...”
• (Zechariah 6:2, 3) “…The first chariot had red horses, and the second chariot, black horses. The third chariot had white horses, and the fourth chariot, speckled and dappled horses…”
• (Rev 6:4-7) “a fiery-colored horse… a black horse… a pale horse…”

We have a good foundation If we think these horsemen represent angels. Both declaration in the same book of Zechariah share the same meaning: the horsemen meant spirits. And with Revelation, there is no other place in the Bible with this kind of visions.

Five fingers: the complete evidence.

Not only the same writer in the same book of the same period, but also in the immediate context.

(1 Corinthians 2:7-9) “…But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret, the hidden wisdom, … But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”

The application, based in the same context has to do with the secret, hidden purpose of God, only revealed by His spirit.

Applying the five fingers rule

• (2 John 7-11) “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those not acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist… The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For the one who says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.

When we even refused to say hello to a disfellowshipped person, based in the previous word from John, are we aware than the apostle was writing about deceivers and antichrist? This is five fingers. But if we apply this radical behavior for the person being spoken in 1Cor. 5, we have only the two fingers evidence. The Corinthians received the instruction to avoid eating (fellowship).

One more example:

• (Matthew 24:3) “...Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence…”
• (Matthew 24:30) “…Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, …”

The five fingers rule determine that the sign of the presence is the same as the sing of the Son of man. By the way, a sign completely visible, as the lightning.

Obviously they will be exceptions, but we should be cautious with these exceptions.