The Most Misused Verses in the Bible

Due to my current work schedule I don't have much time to read. Therefore, I try to be wise in what books I select. A few weeks ago I was wandering around a Christian bookstore when I came upon The Most Misused Verses in the Bible. My first thought was the following, "If the author deals with Jeremiah 29:11, then I'll buy the book." When I opened to the table of contents I found that Jeremiah 29:11 was the second verse dealt with. I was hooked.

I admit to preferring books that are 150-200 pages long. Anything longer than that should usually be shorter. This book, written by Eric Bargerhuff, is just a little over 150 pages. In that span the author addresses seventeen different verses that are frequently misinterpreted within the church. I appreciate that Bargerhuff's main emphasis is the absolute importance of keeping verses in context as we try to understand them. He consistently stresses this from beginning to end.

Many books that deal with the issue of interpretation are, in a word, boring. This book is not. The author focuses on each verse for only five to six pages. This forces him to get straight to the point. Because of this, The Most Misused Verses in the Bible is very readable for any Christian. No one needs to be intimidated by it. If you are looking for lengthy exegesis, this is not the book for you. However, if you'd like something that you can read fairly quickly but will still be informative, then buy this book.

In my opinion Bargerhuff's five most significant chapters target the following verses:

Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that you be not judged."

Jeremiah 29:11-13, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

We all need to know how to read and interpret the scriptures correctly. This short book is a useful tool in that endeavor. I highly recommend it.