As on reads the Scriptures, theologians understand the Biblical text differently. Whose interpretation is correct? Is it the Pope or your Pastor? Is it the Bible commentators or the translators of the Bible? Why is there so many “different” interpretation to the text? Why can’t Christians agree to one interpretation of the text?
II Peter 1:19-21 in the NIV says this, “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (All quotes are from the NIV Bible).
Inspiration and Interpretation/Application of the Word are different. Christians are to uphold the inspiration of the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit moved/superintendent over the writer in writing the words. Interpretation and or application is the reader or listener seeking clarification of the text with the appropriate life lessons for one’s life.
I. Inspiration of the Scriptures.
The word, inspiration, has the idea of breath. II Timothy 3 says this, “6 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Greek word for God-breathed is theopneustos. This word is composed of two parts, theos which is God and pneu which is to breathe. Thus the idea of inspired by God. The inspiration of Scriptures relates to the original autograph, not to the copies of it.
As one reads the Old Testament, the words, “Thus says the LORD” would reflect that the prophet is declaring the words that is coming forth from his mouth is from the LORD God. It is not his own words. The prophet is declaring that he didn’t compose those words or ideas from himself. It didn’t originate from himself but from God.
Isaiah says this, “But I am the Lord thy God. And I have put my words into thy mouth” (Isaiah 51:15-16 ). Jeremiah says this, “And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth” (Jeremiah 1:9 ). The Apostle is guided in his writings in Revelations 1, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
The Apostle Peter in II Peter 1 affirms this these words, “20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Thus Christians believe that inspiration is found in the original autographs and preserved by the providence of God so that people of God will know the revealed will of God.
II. Interpretation and Application of the Scriptures.
The word, interpretation, has the idea of explaining or exegesis. The Greek word for interpretation is hermeneuo, which is used of explaining the meaning of words.
I Corinthians 2 says this, “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as so instruct him?”[d] But we have the mind of Christ.”
Acts17 says this, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
II Peter 3 says this, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes and warns about false teachers who will seek to distort the teachings that was delivered to them. Galatians 1 says this, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
In interpreting the Scripture, using the plain literal method will enable the reader come to better understanding of the text than the moral method of interpretation. The plain literal method seeks to understand the writer’s perspective, looking at the historical time, the context, the text of the passage, and comparison of other texts.
In choosing a Bible translation, may I suggest for a Bible study use a more literal translation from the Greek text than a dynamic translation for the contemporary reader.
The Navigators suggest this Bible study methods for beginners with my modifications:
- Use the NASB 1995 Version or the ESV Bible. The NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English by Marshall is very good.
- Chose a Psalm or short passage. Psalm 1, Psalm 23 or short passage a section from Matthew 6-8.
- Underline or highlight key words or phrases in the Bible passage. Use a pen or highlighter to mark new discoveries from the text.
- Put it into your own words. Read the passage or verse slowly, then rewrite each phrase or sentence using your own words.
- Ask and answer some questions. Questions unlock new discoveries and meanings. Ask questions about the passage using these words: who, what, why, when, where, or how. Jot down your answers to these questions.
- Define key terms or phrases. Use two online Bible Dictionaries for comparison for verification of terms.
- Note carefully the subject, verb, and object of the sentence. Attempt to diagram the sentence and see how the sentences are connected together.
- Capture the big idea. God’s Word communicates big ideas. Periodically ask: What’s the big idea in this sentence, paragraph, or chapter?
- Compare other Bible passages. Use a concordance or a topical study that may provide greater understanding to the passage.
- Read other commentaries. There are critical commentaries and there are devotional commentaries. Critical commentaries delve into the theological implications with its various meanings while devotional commentaries are more life related lessons. For general study, consider reading The Bible Knowledge Commentary and then a more in-depth commentary.
- Personalize the meaning. Respond as God speaks to you through the Scriptures. Ask: How could my life be different today as I respond to what I’m reading? Ask the “So what” question as to what is God speaking to me about from this Sunday. It is what He wants me to do with what He has revealed to me.
For Christians who wish a more in-depth understanding of Bible Study methods, a suggestion is “The New Joy of Discovery in Bible Study by Oletta Wald. There are many very good Bible Study Guidelines that one can look at the Christian Book Store or Christian Book Distributors which is a retail online book store on Christians topics and items.
SUMMARY: The Scriptures are not subject to one’s own interpretation of the authors of Scriptures, but rather letting the Scripture speak for its self. Using the plain literal method avoids reading into the text.