Often when someone quotes a Bible verse they do not realize that they have an unstated assumption about the verse. I have called this a template. An example: If you assume that all human souls are immortal, and then read passages about the afterlife, you will come to different conclusions than if you have a different template, such as the eventual resurrection from the dead for all. If you think "The Law" has been "done away," you will get a different interpretation from some passages than someone who doesn't.
There are many examples of this in I Corinthians. I will focus on two for this post. The first is I Corinthinians 15:29:29 Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? RSV
The Mormons have developed a rather elaborate ritual around this verse. They will research their ancestors, and not wanting them to go to Hell, (another example of the immortality of the soul template) they will be baptized vicariously for any they found who were not baptized as Mormons. My purpose is not to debate the validity of this. I only point out that a template has been placed on top of the verse to justify the practice--which was actually based on an alleged "special revelation" to Joseph Smith Jr. Click here for the Wikipedia entry if you want for information on this.
I am quite comfortable with saying I have no idea what Paul meant. This practice, if indeed it was a practice and not a metaphor, has no support anywhere in the Bible. So if someone quotes the verse to justify this kind of baptism, he is reading an idea into the text that may not belong there. In this case I am confident this interpretation does not belong there.
I am quite comfortable with saying I have no idea what Paul meant. This practice, if indeed it was a practice and not a metaphor, has no support anywhere in the Bible. So if someone quotes the verse to justify this kind of baptism, he is reading an idea into the text that may not belong there. In this case I am confident this interpretation does not belong there.
Another example of this is the template that is placed over I Corinthians 12:8:
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; KJV
What is the "word of knowledge" and the "word of wisdom"? Neither this passage, nor any other passage in the Bible, defines these terms.
What is the template that is often used to interpret the passage? Here is what the beloved editor of the Prophecy Podcast, Pam Dewey said on her own site in her "Religious Lingo Lexicon" section:
In Charismatic circles, someone is said to have a "word of knowledge" when they claim to know something about another person that could not have been known through the five senses. In other words, they are believed to have been given this piece of knowledge by direct divine revelation. Someone who is believed to be able to give such words of knowledge on a regular basis is said to have the "spiritual gift" of the "word of knowledge." This manifestation is often claimed by healing evangelists when they "call out" someone from the audience whom they do not know personally and explain that God has shown them that the person has a certain ailment. Investigative reporters have exposed a number of evangelists over the past few decades as falsifying this alleged gift, by secretly gathering information about audience members. The most notorious of these expose's was regarding televangelist Peter Popoff.
I have run into this in my life a few times. In each case the supposed "revelation from God" was wrong. In particular my mother was told that she would write a book. She was too ill, she did not. I suppose that I have just never run across a true manifestation of this. I suppose. So is someone who thinks that have received special knowledge by divine revelation lying? Some are. Are they insane? Some are. Are many self-deceived? You bet--that is the case for most examples of this. Often the "prophet" is unconsciously using a technique I have written about before called cold reading. This entry also discusses the fake preacher Peter Popoff.
Is it possible that under very rare circumstances God is actually revealing things? Yes, it is possible, but ask yourself a question: What are the fruits?
The fruit of a bad tree is bad.
Oh wait, I was wrong! God has just revealed to me by a word of wisdom that the Mormon doctrine of Baptism of the dead is correct. Since I would never lie to you, it must be true. I suggest those in the Polar Vortex currently in the Eastern US go out and get baptized for your dead unsaved relatives. Do not worry, if you die from pneumonia, one of your relatives can be baptized for you. As Jesus says in John 13:27: "What you are about to do, do quickly."