Some Thoughts about Biblical Interpretation
The Bible is generally straight forward and easy to understand. Yet most words in every language can have multiple meanings. The author, however, had a specific meaning in mind. As it states in the Reformation Study Bible (page 844), "No allegorizing or other fanciful method that ignores the original writer's expressed meaning can be appropriate." If a concept needs clarification, it should be considered in context. Individual passages should be considered in their immediate context as well as in the context of the whole Bible. We say that “Scripture interprets Scripture.” This means that all passages on a relevant subject should be taken together to get the fullest meaning.
A common mistake is to build a theological position on some passages without taking them in light of other passages on the same topic. Similarly, some Christians arbitrarily emphasize some parts of the Bible to the minimization of other parts. This is one of the reasons that denominations exist. We think this is an error. While there are legitimate differences of opinions among sincere Christians on a few non-essential issues, most “differences” are a result of not seeing the Bible as a whole document.
For example, some groups tend to emphasize God’s justice and wrath. Other groups tend to emphasize his mercy and love. But the truth is that God is both just and merciful. In fact, his mercy makes little sense without an understanding of his justice. It is clearly wrong to arbitrarily emphasize just one aspect of God’s nature.
The Bible can and should be harmonized as a congruous document. With this approach, we are confident that the Bible is consistent throughout. There are no contradictions in the Bible. The student of Scripture should interpret the occasional uncertain passage in light of the clearest passages on a topic so that all passages harmonize. When the Bible is read in this way, there really are no seriously problematic passages.
Because of the vast amount of research accumulated over the years that supports the Bible as true, every word should be given the benefit of the doubt and taken as true. But this does not mean that the Bible should always be taken literally. The Bible, though mostly narrative in form, like other literature contains different literary devices, including poetry, parables, hyperbole, allegories, metaphors, and other figures of speech.
For example, when Jesus said that, “I am the vine,” he did not mean that he is a woody plant. Or when Isaiah (55:12) describes the mountains and the hills breaking into song and the trees clapping their hands, we are not to understand this literally. Another example is that Jewish writing often uses symbology through numbers. Thus, the "millennium" spoken of in the book of Revelation is most certainly not a literal thousand years, but merely a significant or completed period of time. This view is substantiated by the fact the millennium is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible and that it is in the context of much allegorical language in Revelation. So we should interpret the Bible in the way that it was intended.
Still another example is Jesus frequently referring to himself as the "Son of Man." This phrase has little meaning unless we understand that Jesus is referring to the term from the Old Testament book of Daniel (7:13-14), in which the son of man is one that comes from heaven to have everlasting dominion. So to understand the Bible fully we must sometimes cross-reference passages, which may require study.
Matthew, in his gospel has some 60 references to the Old Testament. And over two-thirds of the passages in the book of Revelation contain references or allusions to Old Testament passages. So while we study the Bible, we have to be alert to such things.
It is also incorrect to arbitrarily read into the Bible views or pre-conceived assumptions from secular society. For example, to assume out of hand that the biblical miracles could not have really happened is reading an atheistic assumption into the text.
For these reasons, you may want to supplement this study by reading the explanatory notes in a good “study Bible." There are many such study Bibles available on the market. Your local Christian bookstore will have several of them. Included among those Bibles that we use often are the NIV Study Bible (Zondervan Publishing House), the Quest Study Bible (Zondervan Publishing House), The Defender's Study Bible (World Publishing), and the Reformation Study Bible (Ligonier Ministries, Publisher). However, keep in mind that the notes offered by the authors of these study Bibles are opinions and are not inspired like Scripture itself.
They may include interpretations on certain topics with which other people disagree.
The Bible is the grid. The reader should not superimpose his own grid or pre-existing beliefs onto the Bible. Passages that do not seem to conform to your view of how you think they ought to be (either because of your arbitrary wishes or because of how you may have been taught) should not be glossed over. And, in general, the Bible should be read for its plainest and most obvious meaning.
In other forms of communication, we generally give the communicator the benefit of any doubt unless proven to be wrong. The reader should give the Bible the same benefit. While a skeptical reader will tend to make assumptions about the Bible based on his worldview, we encourage you to start with an open mind.
It is helpful to ask oneself when reading the Bible, “Why is this passage in the Bible? What does God want me to understand here?” The Bible is the most marvelous book ever—an all-time best seller. Enjoy it!
A common mistake is to build a theological position on some passages without taking them in light of other passages on the same topic. Similarly, some Christians arbitrarily emphasize some parts of the Bible to the minimization of other parts. This is one of the reasons that denominations exist. We think this is an error. While there are legitimate differences of opinions among sincere Christians on a few non-essential issues, most “differences” are a result of not seeing the Bible as a whole document.
For example, some groups tend to emphasize God’s justice and wrath. Other groups tend to emphasize his mercy and love. But the truth is that God is both just and merciful. In fact, his mercy makes little sense without an understanding of his justice. It is clearly wrong to arbitrarily emphasize just one aspect of God’s nature.
The Bible can and should be harmonized as a congruous document. With this approach, we are confident that the Bible is consistent throughout. There are no contradictions in the Bible. The student of Scripture should interpret the occasional uncertain passage in light of the clearest passages on a topic so that all passages harmonize. When the Bible is read in this way, there really are no seriously problematic passages.
Because of the vast amount of research accumulated over the years that supports the Bible as true, every word should be given the benefit of the doubt and taken as true. But this does not mean that the Bible should always be taken literally. The Bible, though mostly narrative in form, like other literature contains different literary devices, including poetry, parables, hyperbole, allegories, metaphors, and other figures of speech.
For example, when Jesus said that, “I am the vine,” he did not mean that he is a woody plant. Or when Isaiah (55:12) describes the mountains and the hills breaking into song and the trees clapping their hands, we are not to understand this literally. Another example is that Jewish writing often uses symbology through numbers. Thus, the "millennium" spoken of in the book of Revelation is most certainly not a literal thousand years, but merely a significant or completed period of time. This view is substantiated by the fact the millennium is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible and that it is in the context of much allegorical language in Revelation. So we should interpret the Bible in the way that it was intended.
Still another example is Jesus frequently referring to himself as the "Son of Man." This phrase has little meaning unless we understand that Jesus is referring to the term from the Old Testament book of Daniel (7:13-14), in which the son of man is one that comes from heaven to have everlasting dominion. So to understand the Bible fully we must sometimes cross-reference passages, which may require study.
Matthew, in his gospel has some 60 references to the Old Testament. And over two-thirds of the passages in the book of Revelation contain references or allusions to Old Testament passages. So while we study the Bible, we have to be alert to such things.
It is also incorrect to arbitrarily read into the Bible views or pre-conceived assumptions from secular society. For example, to assume out of hand that the biblical miracles could not have really happened is reading an atheistic assumption into the text.
For these reasons, you may want to supplement this study by reading the explanatory notes in a good “study Bible." There are many such study Bibles available on the market. Your local Christian bookstore will have several of them. Included among those Bibles that we use often are the NIV Study Bible (Zondervan Publishing House), the Quest Study Bible (Zondervan Publishing House), The Defender's Study Bible (World Publishing), and the Reformation Study Bible (Ligonier Ministries, Publisher). However, keep in mind that the notes offered by the authors of these study Bibles are opinions and are not inspired like Scripture itself.
They may include interpretations on certain topics with which other people disagree.
The Bible is the grid. The reader should not superimpose his own grid or pre-existing beliefs onto the Bible. Passages that do not seem to conform to your view of how you think they ought to be (either because of your arbitrary wishes or because of how you may have been taught) should not be glossed over. And, in general, the Bible should be read for its plainest and most obvious meaning.
In other forms of communication, we generally give the communicator the benefit of any doubt unless proven to be wrong. The reader should give the Bible the same benefit. While a skeptical reader will tend to make assumptions about the Bible based on his worldview, we encourage you to start with an open mind.
It is helpful to ask oneself when reading the Bible, “Why is this passage in the Bible? What does God want me to understand here?” The Bible is the most marvelous book ever—an all-time best seller. Enjoy it!
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Let’s begin our Bible exploration with one of Jesus’ parables, the “Parable of the Sower.”: Read Matthew 13:1-13
This parable is beloved by many. The message is that some people hear the “word” and will be like the seed that falls on rocky or thorny ground; it will have no lasting effect. But others will hear the word and it will take root. In our study of the Christian faith over the years, we have noticed that some people reject Christianity because of reasons other than the evidence; they reject it because they do not want to accept its implications. We hope that you will follow this study as a seeker of truth. We pray that you will be like the good soil, accepting the seeds of truth in Scripture, and will nurture and multiply them in your life. |
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