Narcigesis vs. Exegesis: How Should We Interpret the Bible?
I have grown increasingly encouraged by the number of young people I see becoming followers of Jesus, hungry for His Word, attending Bible-based churches, staying faithful, and bearing fruit. It truly warms my heart. It’s been a beautiful sight to behold.
However, as the Word of God grows, so have some weeds along with it. It has been heart-wrenching to see young people completely turn away from the Church and the Faith or, as I’ve observed, slowly slipped into doctrines and theology that are far away from our Orthodox, Bible-based path. One of my guesses for the exodus or apostatising of these former Faithfuls is that they have been fed a terrible doctrinal diet. As the Word of God grows in certain quarters, there has also been a very serious dearth of balanced and sound doctrine.
To narrow my point further, I believe most people no longer read, study, and interpret the Bible correctly. Even when they study, they get disappointed because their interpretations and expectations aren’t met and then turn to profess that Christianity and Jesus is not true. Sadly, they come to God and His Word in search of something and leave empty-handed and unfulfilled because they don’t find what they were looking for.
How Then Should We Study The Bible?
Jesus speaking to some religious leaders told them “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,” (John 5:39). All Scripture points to Jesus Christ! All Scripture bears witness about Jesus Christ! We must start there. Sadly again, a lot of folks go to scripture and think that it points to THEM. A gross miseducation. They study the scripture “narcigetically”.
Exegesis vs. Narcigesis?
I can’t recall exactly where I first heard that word but I laughed hard when I heard it. Basically “Narcigesis” is a coined word that marries “narcissism” and the latter part of the word “exegesis”. First, let us define Exegesis. It means to critically or analytically interpret scripture with the view of finding out what that scripture says. There is also “Eisegesis” which means you are studying scripture with a predetermined idea or concept and forcing these ideas or concepts into the scripture. But that’s for another day. We’re here to talk about Narcigesis which I believe is a subset of Eisegesis.
Narcigesis, simply put, is studying scripture to find/put yourself in it. It is reading the Bible just so you can feel good about yourself. It is going into the Word to see yourself and not to see Jesus. It is the wrong notion that all scripture points to You. Often this is done unintentionally.
In a world where Self is worshipped and glorified, where almost everything exists to stimulate the senses, where Self-Love is the ‘gospel’ and even Men off God preach that God exists for us and not the other way round. Narcigetical sermons and doctrines fill those pulpits. They turn God into an Eternal ATM, dispensing promises at the requests of the User. Like the Greek mythological figure, Narcissus, we become too self-absorbed in our own image and build our lives in our own image. This culture and worldly doctrine have crept into our pews.
When you study the Bible, regardless of the Book, are you searching to see how it leads to Jesus and his finished works or looking to see how it leads to you and getting filled? Exegesis is the careful study and interpretation of a text or scripture in light of Jesus and not in light of you.
Now, this isn’t to say that God’s Word doesn’t talk about you. It does, absolutely! The finished works of Christ purchased for us blessings beyond measure. The Apostles taught the Early Church and us this in their Letters, but always in perspective, His Word talks about you in light of the Son Jesus.
How have you been studying the Bible? Have you been going into the Word, exegetically, to see Jesus and see what the scripture truly means? Or have you been and studying, narcigetically, to show yourself approved unto YOU, seeing nothing but yourself?
Let us develop a culture of proper study and interpretation that honours God and bears witness to His Son, Jesus Christ.
BONUS:
I’m thinking of making this a series. Let me know what you think in the comments.
