But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10
Does verse 10 really mean that every human being in Asia heard the gospel? This is a great opportunity for a lesson in reading the Bible. Many pride themselves in the fact that they read and interpret the Bible “literally.” Those who actually do this, especially if they do it all the time, are surely going to misinterpret the Bible. One of the most common errors in “hermeneutics” (interpreting the Bible) is what I call “wooden literalism.” Wooden literalism interprets every word, every phrase, and every sentence in the Bible with absolute literalism. This is a BIG mistake!
Think of how confused you would be if you did this with everything you hear, or read outside of the Bible. If someone says it is “raining cats and dogs,” even a modicum of wisdom informs us that animals are not falling from the sky!
The word “all” is commonly misinterpreted in the Bible. I remember being told “All means all, and that’s all it means.” Sometimes, yes. Many times, not at all! A friend tells you that he attended a party and says “everyone was there.” Would you naturally assume that every human being in the world was there? I hope not! Even if your friend was reporting on an office party, or a family reunion, and he said “everyone was there,” would that axiomatically mean that everyone from the office or family was there? Not necessarily.
The Bible is filled with figures of speech (as our communication often is). The usage of all or everyone is often a figure of speech. The world “all” can mean all literally, but it can also mean: (1) all of a particular group; or (2) all hyperbolically, or virtually. I’ll give some examples of these next time. For now, let us resolve to NOT make the common mistake of reading the Bible with wooden literalism, but with discernment to know what is being said and what isn’t.