Eric J. Bargerhuff

This was such an interesting book, full of great information that clears up so many things in the Bible that are confusing. Eric does a good job of breaking things down and explaining these things.

My favorite part of the book is at the end of each chapter, he gives us the Scriptures and then questions so that we can gain more understanding of what we have just read. I like when an author lets us dig into the Scripture ourselves and doesn't just spoon feed us information. Yes, he gives us the information we need to start our journey of understanding but he helps us to really get into the Scriptures.

There are so many questions answered in this book. If you've ever wondered about something that seems strange or odd in the Bible, you'll most likely find the answer to it in this book. I also like that this book was easy to read and not dry as dust. It was a pure joy to read!

I highly recommend this book as it is very informational. I give it 5 stars.… (lisätietoja)

Title: The Most Misused Stories in the Bible
Author: Eric J. Bargerhuff
Pages: 176
Year: 2017
Publisher: Bethany
My rating 4 out of 5.
I read the book in a couple of sittings so I could digest what the author was presenting. There are some very good points the author makes to correct misapplied or misunderstood parts of the Bible. I agree with the author who states that context determines the meaning along with using the whole counsel of God.
Most of what is presented is definitely food for thought. There are a few chapters though where I disagreed with the author mainly because it promotes Church to the exclusion of the Jewish people. In other words, he leaves out the need for a historical, ethnic and understanding of the times when these events took place. The other problem was where I felt he was encouraging people to the New Testament while downplaying or ignoring The Old Testament.
So regardless of what I think, if you read the book please read discerningly.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”… (lisätietoja)

This book went free on Kindle the week I happened to be listening to Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology lectures on biblical interpretation, so I couldn't pass it up.

I was at least 30 years old before I learned how to read my Bible, or perhaps I should say how not to read it. I grew up going to "Bible-believing" Baptist churches that never taught me proper exegesis, and I never saw improper exegesis corrected. The church newsletter ("The Porter Vision") ripped Proverbs 29:18 out of context. "Life verses" like Philippians 4:13 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 were common and inappropriately painted on walls or included in various decorations. I attended Bible studies where "I think passage means..." were common. I even read deep theological books (Piper, Packer), but none of them ever dealt with teaching the reader how to read the Bible. Now I understand that's the most important thing a pastor can do for his congregation.

I thought I understood context. I recognized, for example, that Habakkuk 1:5 was a verse of judgment, God was raising up the Chaledeans to conquer Judah as a consequence of its sin. So, when people (like the missions arm of the denomination) used Habakkuk 1:5, I could say "wait a minute." But I was still prone to begin my Bible reading with "God, what do you want me to get out of this passage today?" and come across a verse seemingly related to what I might be feeling or dealing with and say "Aha! A sign!" Like, I might be wondering whether to ask for a raise and then happen to read 1 Timothy 5:18 and say "Yes, I should!"

The proper question should not be “What does this passage mean to me?” but rather “What were the author’s original intentions and how did the audience who first received it understand those intentions in the original context?” And then, only after discovering this is it appropriate to ask, “How then does the timeless biblical principle contained in this passage apply to me today? (loc. 1815).


I see a difference among fairly recent graduates from seminary, who seem to grasp this point, and those who graduated decades ago. The younger preachers I listen to are always harping on "don't take this verse out of context," etc. whereas I never used to hear that. Not reading Scripture properly has led to a whole host of problems in our churches, like in exercising church discipline (see example below).

Bargerhuff quickly takes the reader through several verses, teaching how not to read them. This is a short book that fulfills its purpose nicely: illustrate the importance of proper interpretation. Ask yourself: Who was the original intended audience? What else is happening around this verse, this passage, this book? Does this passage relate to a particular theme found in Scripture?

I think Bargerhuff does the best job on Jeremiah 29:11-13. This is similar to Habakkuk 1:5, it is a verse intended for Israel. The Christian can take comfort that God is in control and that one day we will live in Christ's kingdom, but Jeremiah 29:11-13 was specifically for Israel at a specific point in time. Most who were alive and heard Jeremiah's words would have died in exile before experiencing their fulfillment.

"God is speaking to the Israelite nation of Judah here. This is his plan for the nation, not necessarily a personal promise that is directed to any one person per se. It is a 'corporate' promise. Therefore, we should be cautious about grabbing it out of its context and inappropriately applying it to individual believers in the twenty-first century...The majority of people who hear this promise from Jeremiah’s lips will never see it fulfilled in their lifetime. They will likely perish in exile before it comes to fruition...I can still use Jeremiah 29, but I must apply it appropriately. Without a doubt, a future 'heavenly hope' exists for those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ alone for their salvation" (loc. 423-457).


Other verses:
Matthew 7:1 - "Do not judge..." about hypocrisy
Matthew 18:20 - "Where two or more are gathered..." - God is omnipresent, He is there when only one person is present. This is most likely about the affirmation of decisions reached among Christians about reconciliation and church discipline.

"Jesus is saying that whenever the church is pursuing and is involved in a reconciliation process with someone who has refused to repent, they can rest assured that God’s blessing is with them in their efforts. In other words, as the church renders judicial decisions on matters of right and wrong that are based on the truth of God’s Word, they should be confident that they are doing the right thing and that Christ himself is right there with them, spiritually present in their midst" (loc. 593).

John 14:13-14
Rom 8:28 All things work together . . . this verse is about being conformed into the image of Christ.


Col 1:15 Christ the firstborn . . . an apologetic against Jehovah's Witnesses.
I Tim 6:10 Money the root of all evil . . . many forget the "love" part and context matters.

I Cor 10:13 No more than you can handle . . . this is about temptations, not trials. It's important to remember that early Christians suffered unto death, which is often not on the mind of people who quote this verse.



Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child... the literal Hebrew allows for a few possibilities, but it is not a promise so much as a common sense correlation.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things . . .this is about contentment.
Exodus 21:23-25

James 5:14-15 "Is anyone among you sick...?" I think think Bargerhuff does his worst job in this chapter. He wonders why God did not respond to his prayers when his father dies. His father was deteriorating after a series of heart problems. Scripture tells us in many places to pray for the sick, but it's not God's will to heal everyone. That would be enough-- we're still to pray. But Bargerhuff rightly points out that the word translated "sick" is not the same Greek word used elsewhere in referring to those with disease. Mark 6:13 for example "And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them," at first glance reads a lot like James 5:15. But the words in the Greek are different, the root in Mark being used extensively but a quick check of my lexicon says the word used in James is only used elsewhere in Hebrews, and really only works there as "weak." Bargerhuff suggests this passage in its entirety is dealing with reconciliation and those who had fallen under pressure due to persecution. I know from studying church history that dealing with those who betrayed the faith under persecution was a big deal for the early church, and that seems to fit into the theme of this passage.

Acts 2:38 Repent & be baptized . . . an apologetic against those who baptise for the remission of sins.
Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart . . . has nothing to do with making yourself less vulnerable in relationships.The word for "heart" does not contain our American understanding of it.

John 12:32 "When I am lifted up I will draw all men to myself" - this is referring to Jesus' crucifixion and many worship leaders talk about "lifting Jesus high" in appropriately referring to this verse. It's like they're saying "I want to see Jesus crucified again and again!"

I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. It is succinct, well-written, and does not contain a lot of fluff. Just enough detail, I highly recommend.… (lisätietoja)

This book was rather disappointing for me. I thought it would an exegetically in-depth discussion on how certain verses in the Bible ought to be properly interpreted. It is not that Bargerhuff's method of interpretation is necessarily wrong, but discussion was superficial and interpretations ascertained solely on the basis of context (and maybe some common sense and simple logic). Nothing beyond that is developed.

If the book was "all about learning to properly interpret and apply the truths of the Bible", as the author claims in his "Acknowledgements" (p.12), it leaves out much to be desired. He somehow misses certain pertinent points. Therefore, while his conclusions are not entirely wrong, they do not reflect accurate interpretations of the Biblical texts he cites, which can lead to erroneous views regarding God's moral character as good.

For example:

1. On the interpretation in chapter 5 on John 14:13-14, about asking anything in Jesus' name, as the author concludes, "Our goal in prayer is to see God glorified no matter what" (p.61); and here I have no disagreement. However, that does not necessarily mean God would deny a request that, while it may not be something He specifically willed, nevertheless, is a desire of the petitioner that does not violate His general will. Cannot God answer a prayer even if it does not directly bear on glorifying Himself but is merely a desire of the petitioner that God answers simply because He is gracious?

2. Regarding Rom 8:28, chapter 6, the author states that "all things that happen in the Christian life are designed” to shape us into Jesus’ image (p.67). By the word “design”, does he mean God ordained, in the Calvinistic sense, "all things" that occur to occur? It would seem so because he further suggests that God is the one who brings "terrible tragedy" upon us (p.69). The question needs to be asked, what loving and good father would do that?

Again, Bargerhuff says, "Even the worst evil that happens...is for a greater good" (68) and gives us some examples. First of all, those examples do not necessarily prove that God designed/preordained these tragedies. These examples only show that God can overturn the resultant evil consequences for a good. His interpretations of the events are mere speculation.

If it is the case that God designed/preordained such events used as examples, then these events actually a great good and not genuinely evil. Furthermore, if his premise is correct, then no evil event is in reality an evil event but a good event. Bargerhuff practically agrees when In an endnote to this chapter, he asserts that "anything that glorifies God and advances his kingdom purposes could rightly be called good" (#3, pg.170). Essentially, he is saying that there really is no such thing as evil or tragedy.

Bargerhuff seems to hold to certain errors found in Calvinism and engages their ususal brand of double-speak. This was the most unsatisfying chapter.

3. Chapter 10, regarding God allowing no more than one can handle, is the best chapter, even of handled lightly.

4. Chapter 14 on the "prayer offered in faith" is handled confusingly (as I read it) and leaves open at the conclusion whether or not God will answer the pray made in faith, which flatly contradicts the promise left us in James 5:15, the specific verse he uses to correct what he sees is a flawed interpretation of it while, nevertheless, adding to the error rather than correcting it.

As I stated earlier, his engagement with the texts he choose is rather simplistic and confusing. Therefore, if you're looking for an in-depth book that makes good sense and corrects the misinterpretation others have of certain verses, particularly the ones the author chose to answer, this is not the book.… (lisätietoja)