If you don’t know the word eisegesis, take a quick look at the unintentionally amusing video below, which I just stumbled upon, and you’ll see an example of it. It’s a professor preaching against Calvinism and trying to explain what Romans 9 really means.
But if you read Romans 9:11-12 you’ll see that the point of the text is designed to refute the very point this professor is making!
This professor, Ergun Caner (at Liberty University), really is a great guy with an incredible story. Unfortunately (and I have friends in his class that will say the same) he gets so narrow minded about things that he shuts off the possibility of being wrong. Dr. Caner is one of the leading apologists against Islam and Bhuddism for good reason, but his narrowminded ways even are seen through his teachings about Islam. (He came to America as a Musliam misisonary kid).
By: Doug on December 3, 2009
at 3:06 pm
It is really sad that someone can misread a text so bad. Romans 9:11-13 says, “Though they were not yet born (Referring to Jacob and Esau) and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God’ purpose in election might continue, not because of works but because of his call, she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” So Yes Ergun Caner, it was before the foundations of the world!
I heard this whole sermon awhile back on the “Dividing Line” by James White, he has a lot of good commentary concerning Ergun Caner’s eisegesis.
By: Sean Scheele on December 3, 2009
at 3:51 pm
wow
By: luukke on December 3, 2009
at 10:13 pm
He is not just “narrowminded.” He is arrogant and rude, just as he is toward reformed thinkers. He has repeatedly called Piper a Presbyterian on the Founders blog. He also can’t spell Arminian right.
By: Jonathan on December 4, 2009
at 11:31 am
And I am now appalled to learn that at the GGBTS Missions conference February, he is the key note speaker.
http://ggbts.edu/events.aspx?item=36
I was thinking about taking the conference as a class, but now I am not sure it would be a good investment of time and money.
By: Jonathan on December 5, 2009
at 6:33 pm
Wow. Wow…. wow….. sadness…. wow
By: Jon on December 8, 2009
at 4:15 pm
I had to come back to that… wow
By: Jon on December 8, 2009
at 4:17 pm
The text is right there; right in front of him and still he wants to drive his point into the text (eisegesis) instead of pulling the point out of the text (exegesis). I once had much respect for Dr. Caner’s teaching, but now…not so much.
By: Michael Brewer on January 4, 2010
at 1:25 am
Yeah, I’m bummed that he was here at GGBTS for the conference. Needless to say, I didn’t attend. Nor do I know why they asked/accepted him as the speaker.
This blog is right on. You can’t miss it if you read all the verses!
Most other speakers they bring in here at Golden Gate are pretty good or better. Sad.
By: Adam Christman on February 21, 2010
at 6:24 pm
So, in all of the sarcasm here, who took the time to pray for this man? Who made effort to try and reach him? Jeff, you’re a influential man, did you merely scoff at him without trying to get to him somehow?
If this man teaches incorrectly the word of God then what has more purpose: to denounce him over the internet or put effort into seeing his repentance? was not anyone else ever wrong about scripture before?
The heart of such dark humor is not of Christ, and does not lead to consider all as more important than yourself before God.
By: Jason on March 4, 2010
at 10:54 am
Jason,
Ergun, if we set aside his more recent troubles, has been approached more than anyone else I know. I am not sure that anyone thinks that they are better than Ergun (I don’t share such an extreme self perception). However, the point of the video is to help display what seems to be a horrible blindspot for those who are critics of “Reformed Theology.” I don’t think until recently, on unrelated matters, did anyone actually question his salvation. Once you have placed yourself boldy (brazenly?) in the public eye, criticism, providied it is charitable, cannot be considered unfair or ungodly.
Thanks for your input.
Jeff
By: jeffmooney on July 20, 2010
at 2:50 pm
Jason, do you really expect someone who puts his name out in larger and influential circles to be approached by everyone who hears his words? Can you expect Dr. Mooney or those of us offended by his misuse of the Scriptures to go physically see him or have a conversation with him?
A preacher is accountable for the words he says, as well as for the Scriptures he preaches. To do our part is sometimes to warn others away from a bad preacher’s sermons.
Is your comment something you think we should do? We should semi-anonymously comment on his website, call him to the carpet, and perhaps never follow up with him? This is all besides the appearance that your comment assumes that none of us have done our part, as people who do not personally know this preacher. What I mean by “our part” is: pray for this preacher, pray for those who hear his words, and warn others against giving his words as much weight as a more responsible preacher of the Word.
Considering one as more important than yourself is not necessarily the issue here. Instead, the issue is the responsibility one has when preaching the Scriptures. If I mishandle the Scriptures, thereby damaging myself and the flock who hear me (as well as pushing away those unbelievers who hear me), I deserve the consequences. Those consequences include my listeners warning others away from me, until and unless I can begin to handle them properly.
By: Adam Christman on July 20, 2010
at 2:56 pm
I don’t think Jason was trying to argue against the character of those that commented in any way, nor was he necessarily defending or even agreeing with what Ergun said. I think his point was simply that the negativity of the comments on this were targeted at the character of Ergun, and he would have hoped for more positivity and encouragement from fellow Christians. Whether we agree or disagree on more minor doctrinal points seems invalid in determining how we should treat others.
PS I do agree Ergun just butchers Romans 9 in this, but I feel publicly denouncing his character is a bit too far, as some of the comments on this blog have done. However, I did not take Mooney’s blog post or comments to be of that nature at all, they were simply observational remarks.
By: Matt on August 13, 2010
at 4:16 pm