This lesson picks up right where Lesson 5 left off. Bible translations by their very nature involve interpretation. Bible translation committees often have to ask the question, “What English word would best convey the original Greek word ***insert Bible verse***?” In spite of this fact, some honest church goers talk as if studying the Bible involves no interpretation at all. Have you ever heard someone say, “The Bible is all we need! Anything besides the Bible is a man’s interpretation and is dangerous!” Their hearts are in the right place, but perhaps they have missed the mark by a hair.
The fact of the matter is this: the Bible can be understood, but understanding the Bible involves a human reading and interpreting what is written. There is a reason Peter said,
“Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you…in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction…” (2 Peter 3:15-16)
The Bible can be understood, but this does require diligent study and careful interpretation. The Ethiopian eunuch required Philip to interpret the Old Testament in light of its fulfillment in the 1st century when he said, “How can I (understand Isaiah 53) unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). You don’t need to go to seminary to understand what the eunuch understood! With proper care and reverence for God’s holy, inspired Word, you can understand the Bible just like the eunuch!
How should you interpret the Bible? All the lessons up to this point are foundational to answering this question today. You must first have an honest heart seeking the truth, decide there is such a thing as absolute truth, agree the Bible contains the very words of God from Genesis to Revelation, understand that every word in the Bible carries the full weight of God’s authority, and realize the importance of a good Bible translation. Without this foundation, you are apt to make the same mistake one preacher made in explaining Mark 13:15. The preacher declared women should never wear their hair up in a top-knot (“bun”) because the Bible said, “topknot go down.” The Bible actually said, “Let him who is on the housetop not go down.” While this supposedly true story is an extreme example of poor Bible interpretation, oh so many interpretations of the Bible apply the same “topknot” method when explaining away grossly large sections of scripture.
Six Truths About Bible Interpretation
1. The Bible is written by a single author, the Holy Spirit, with a single story line running from beginning to end. If you have not read the story of Adam and Eve sinning and losing their immortality, you will not understand what Paul says about Adam in Romans 5:12-21, and the application he makes.
2. The Bible is written over a 1,500 year period, utilizing many different forms of literature (i.e. poetry, argumentative discourse, legal documentary, narrative history, evangelistic discourse, apocalyptic prophesy, etc.) If you do not understand when a Bible writer lived and the literary style being utilized, you could walk away believing Daniel 4 is a prophecy fulfilled in 1914 like the Jehovah Witnesses’ Watch Tower literature claims.
3. The New Testament was meant to be read and understood only after reading the Old Testament. There is absolutely no way you will fully grasp the intended meaning of any New Testament book without first reading the Old Testament. The over 300 quotes of the Old Testament within the New Testament are proofs to this fact.
4. Chapter and verse divisions were added by Bible translators. “The Bible’s chapter divisions were created in the early 1200s by a lecturer at the University of Paris. Its current verse divisions were not fully developed until 1551,” (Smith 63). Understanding this will help you understand the continuous flow of thought across chapters and verses of the Bible (i.e. James 4 & 5). That to say, do not let verse and chapter divisions hinder you from seeing the big picture or understanding the meaning of particular verse.
5. Every Bible passage has an original, inspired meaning. Discovering that original meaning is the primary goal of Bible interpretation. Too often, people make application from a passage before understanding what the passage even means. Whether innocent or not, this habit can lead to much false teaching.
6. When reading a particular Bible verse, apply all the principles above, and realize the verse is positioned within a specific context. The surrounding verses make up the literary context. Secondarily, the author’s historical setting and purpose for writing constitute another important context essential to understanding the verse’s meaning.
These are six basic truths to help you start understanding the Bible. This study just brushes the surface of biblical interpretation. Peruse the list of articles and books below for more helpful reading material on this subject.
Homework Questions
1. What Bible story teaches that it is okay to ask for help to understand the Bible?
2. “Paul, according to the ____________ given to him, has written to you…in which are some things __________ to understand, which untaught and unstable people ____________ to their own destruction…” (2 Peter 3:15-16).
3. How many times does the New Testament quote the Old Testament?
4. What is the most helpful approach you have found in understanding the Bible?
Helpful Resources
How to Understand the Bible for Yourself by Aaron Battey
A Study Guide to Greater Bible Knowledge by Wayne Jackson
Introduction to Biblical Studies by James Smith
How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets by Peter J. Gentry
