Interpreting the Bible …
“If the Bible is indeed God’s Word written, we should spare no pains and grudge no effort to discover what he has said (and says) in Scripture” John R.W. Stott.
So, how do we interpret the Bible accurately so that it’s not just our opinion? What are the basic hermeneutical guidelines? Here are three teachers, three principles, three questions, and three rules:
Three Teachers.
The Holy Spirit.
The best interpreter of any book is its author. The Holy Spirit is the only One who can reveal and illuminate truth (cf. Psalm 119:18, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Matthew 11:25).
The Church.
God reveals truth (from the past to the present) to and through the community of faith (cf. Ephesians 3:18-19, Colossians 3:16).
Personal.
We must also teach ourselves, yet do so in full dependence and humble submission to the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 12:57, 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, 10:15, 2 Timothy 2:7).
Three Principles.
Natural Sense (the principle of simplicity).
Look first for the obvious and natural (figurative or literal) meaning of the text. Consider the intention of the author/speaker.
Original Sense (the principle of history).
The message of Scripture can only be understood as it relates to the circumstances in which it was originally written.
General Sense (the principle of harmony).
There’s an organic unity in the Bible. Approach the Scripture believing that God doesn’t contradict Himself.
Three Questions.
What did it mean to the original audience?
The Bible was written for us, but not originally to us. Pay attention to the first life setting (sitz im leben).
What type of literature is it?
Each genre of biblical literature must be interpreted on its own terms (the different genres of literature in the Bible include history, narrative, wisdom literature, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic, law, parables, gospels, and letters/epistles).
Where does it fit in the Bible’s overall story?
Read with the meta-narrative in mind. Track the trajectory of the passage in relation to the major ‘acts’ within the ‘drama’.
Three Rules.
Use good translations.
Use several good translations so that you are not committed to the exegetical choices of a single translation (e.g. NIV, ESV, NRSV, GNB, NLT).
Stay true to the original meaning.
A text cannot mean what it never could have meant to its author or his/her readers.
Identify the life situation.
When we share similar life situations to the first hearers, God’s Word to us is the same as it was to them.
And a vital closing comment from Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, “The Bible contains its own hermeneutic … In a word, Jesus is the thread that holds all Scripture together … The Bible has no real meaning unless it is grounded in Christ.”
Have your say. Share three things about interpreting the Bible.
Sources
Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Zondervan, 2003.
John R.W. Stott, Understanding the Bible, Zondervan, 1999.
Related Articles
The Key to Interpreting the Bible
Correctly Handling the Word of Truth
Summary
Interpreting the Bible accurately requires careful attention to its context and meaning, guided by three primary sources: the Holy Spirit, the Church, and personal study. Key principles include seeking the natural, original, and general sense of Scripture, while asking what it meant to the original audience, the type of literature, and where it fits in the Bible’s overall story. The interpretation should be based on solid translations, faithful to the original meaning, and mindful of the life situations of the original readers. Ultimately, Christ roots the Bible’s true meaning, unifies and gives coherence to the entire text.
© Scripture Union Canada
