Interpreting the Scriptures
Tied to the importance of properly understanding the Bible is knowing how to rightly interpret it. Interpreting here does not mean translating it into different languages but the proper way of determining its intended meaning. More often than not, those that are trying to guide us in the wrong direction concerning the Bible’s message will use methods other than a literal interpretation. These, who claim to understand the Bible’s “hidden” message that you and I cannot see on our own, prey on people’s ignorance of the Bible. Using this type of method, the Bible has been used as “the proof” for the worst of religious and spiritual nonsense. Regrettably, more people are caught up into these types of religious systems than some might readily accept.
The Apostle Paul instructs Timothy to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. Yes, God intends for His Word to be understood, but proper understanding hinges on rightly dividing. Two main methods of Biblical interpretation are the allegorical and the literal methods.
The allegorical method is complex and a very subjective approach that basically says that all the Biblical accounts have a hidden meaning other than what is on the surface. Those who use this method can “find” the hidden spiritual truth in the story transforming the characters and activities into something else. The problem is that the key to knowing what everything means depends upon the intuition of the teacher. There is no way to independently verify the meaning or to dispute it. Questions against this interpretation are quickly dismissed because we just do not have the understanding the teacher has because he knows that the word “half” in a certain passage is to be interpreted actually as “the whole” and so forth.
While we learned previously that we are dependent upon men to help us to understand spiritual truth, there must be a means to verify their teachings against the truth in the Bible. That which the Bible teaches is always supported by internal evidence. Therefore, interpretations should not depend upon a system of religious traditions as developed by either a man or a church. God Word is the authority on God’s Word.
What is the right way to discern a Scriptural passage meaning? The literal exposition method of interpretation can be verified because the meaning is absolutely dependent upon the context and the Scriptures as a whole. What many churches and religious systems find troublesome about this method is exactly that. With this method “the lay people” can study any man’s teachings and see how they line up with the Bible. Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
The Dark Ages are still not over for many as they are still deceived by those that wrest the Scripture from its true meaning to build their religious systems. Others who thought they had escaped that darkness through the Reformation are no better because they have only substituted one religious system built on traditions for a newer form of the same thing. Are you rightly dividing the Word of God?
Read Simple Bible Truths Series, Part 8.
Read Simple Bible Truths Series, Part 6
