POP EISEGESIS

Craig Groeschel, the pastor of Life.Church, introduces his book Winning the War in Your Mind with this thesis:

"Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we are."

He seems to think he might get some pushback on these statements. Perhaps from people who argue that our thinking doesn't really matter? Our thought patterns don't affect our lives?

Regardless, he is prepared for opposition. He continues, "But don't take my word for it. Both the Bible and modern science provide evidence that this is true."

He promises that in his book he will "unpack both Scripture and what we've learned from scientific research". 

But by page 3, rather than un-packing Scripture, he is clearly packing it. 

In other words, he is practicing eisegesis. 

Take a look: 

Groeschel writes, "What science is demonstrating today is what God told us through Solomon almost three thousand years ago: 'For as he thinks in his heart, so is he' (Prov. 23:7 NKJV)."

First, notice he only quotes the first half of the verse.

Then notice the translation he cites. The New King James Version.

His default translation throughout his book is the New International Version. So why intentionally choose NKJV here?

Because in the NIV Proverbs 23:7 doesn't quite say what Groeschel is wanting it to say:

"For he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you."

It doesn't even look like the same verse, does it?

Unfortunately for Groeschel, the NIV is the more accurate rendering of the Hebrew text. This becomes obvious when the verse is placed in context:

"Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies; for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments. (Prov 23:6-8, NIV)

I don't think these verses say anything about the way our thoughts shape our actions in any general sense. In fact, these verses specifically describe a stingy man whose thoughts and actions do not line up.

I don't have a quarrel with Groeschel's thesis. My quarrel is with this shallow handling of Scripture. 

A pastor should refrain from eisegesis. 

Especially a pastor with such a large platform.