This is an issue that needs to be addressed before one can move forward in looking at the other doctrines contained in the Bible, for example God and Jesus. However, it is an issue that is not often covered in many general theological text books and is often left to specialised text books that deal with hermeneutics or homiletics.
However, if one is going to arrive at the correct message of the Bible, one must use a method or system of study. Without one it is easy to end up with puzzling and chaotic application of the Bible. Those who reject a methodic study of God's Word either has ulterior motives, or has been duped into thinking that he can find the truth without it.
Reasons why People Prefer Not to Have a Method
Fear of the truth
People are afraid of what the Bible may expose about their lives, their teaching and their practice.
Extra Knowledge
Some people think that they have a special enlightenment that somehow overrides the Bible and its message.
Unintelligible
Some think that the Bible is not meant to be understood in the same way we understand other books. They hold to the idea that it is a mystical book and therefore its teachings cannot be studied or understood like other writings and disciplines.
A Riddle
Some think that the Bible is some sort of riddle and that no one has the real meaning. They think that the Bible can mean different things at different times. They subscribe to the idea that one meaning is as good a another.
A Box of Chocolates
Some people think that the Bible is like a box of chocolates where one can go to the Bible and just pick out what one likes and leave what they do not like.
The Need for a Method
There are four basic reasons why we need a method to study the Word:
- The Bible contains a normal message and therefore needs to be interpreted in the same manner you would any other normal message.
- The message is also written in normal everyday language. Language that needs to be properly understood before the message can be fully determined.
- The proper message of the Bible needs to be sought out in order for their to be proper application.
- There is original thought in the Bible – the thoughts of God. And as He is the same yesterday, today and forever, so His thoughts have remained the same.
The following methods have sustained those things known to be false and have made the Bible to either teach what we know to be untrue or contradicted itself.
Mystical Method
This is one of the oldest method in interpreting the Bible and originated in paganism. This idea began with the idea that only certain people were properly “in tune” with God and are able to derive the true meaning of the written words. The result is that it gives prominence to people of “higher calling”.
The main premise behind it is that the literal word has a mystical meaning and it is this mystical meaning that is the true interpretation. One is lead to believe that the literal word of the Bible is inferior, even useless or dangerous, and needs to be thrown away as unacceptable.
This method leaves us with the question: If the Bible does not mean what it says, then how do we know what it does mean?
Allegorical Method
In this method one treats the entire Bible as one big riddle. It promotes the idea that each person has the right to draw out of the texts the lesson he/she feels is true for them.
The danger here is that the reader does not draw the real meaning of the text out of it, but rather thrusts something into it.
Superstitious Method
This method is rich in emotion but poor in reason. Here the reader digs for all manner of hidden meanings by tirelessly examining thoughts, numbers, items, names, etc and combining them so that they form strange conclusions and odd arrangements. It gives more attention to the incidental details and actually confuses the orderly arrangements and divisions that are naturally found in the Bible.
Ecclesiastical or Hierarchical Method
This method holds to the idea that the church and its leadership is the only true exponent of the Scriptures. One who uses this method neither looks to God nor himself to understand the Bible, but rather to the church, the church's statement of faith, or to the priest. According to this method, what the church says stands.
Dogmatic Method
This method has its origin in the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages due to the church's desire to rule in spiritual matters.
This method assumes a certain thing is true then defends it by showing, from Scripture, “proof” that it is true. These “proofs” are generally called “proof-texts”. The obvious danger with this method is that we can prove almost anything to be correct.
What we need to remember however is that the Bible was not designed to be some sort of proof for the doctrines we formulate, but instead is to reveal the doctrines of God.
Rational Method (Modernism)
Rational refers to reason. This method exaggerates the position of reason by making it the supreme authority in all judgements instead of using it as a tool for understanding. It places human reason superior to anything that is revealed in the Bible. The result is an interpretation of Scripture that never violates human reason.
Only those things in Scripture that reason says are possible are accepted. Those things that do not seem reasonable, such as the virgin birth, the miracles of Jesus, the resurrection, are either considered mythical or discarded altogether.
Spiritual Interpretation Method
This method is similar to the Rational Method, differing only in its scope. Instead of reason being the basis, it is special enlightenment that tells us what we should be keeping and what needs to be discarded or ignored.
Apologetic Method
This method maintains that all statements in the Bible are absolutely perfect. It regards anything and everything that can be found in Scripture to be from God no matter who is speaking.
As we shall see later, this stands in opposition to one of the first rules of interpreting Scripture: to know who is speaking.
Literal Method
This method is a reaction to the rational method in that it makes all the language of the Bible literal. It forces the Bible to be literal even when it is obviously symbolic, as in many of the prophecies. It may also quote all passages with equal weight even putting a quotation of an uninspired man or the devil himself, on par with the words of an inspired man or God.
Inductive Method
Induction is to reason by noting particular facts and occurrences and from them drawing general conclusions. That is how the Inductive Method operates.
This method demands that all the facts be reported. By reporting all the facts and allowing them to speak for themselves, no error will be possible. No interpretation of any fact can be true if it does not harmonise with all the other known facts.
This is a method that is seen in Scripture. In Luke 24:13-35 we read of the men on their way to Emmaus discussing the death of Jesus and how they were saddened that He had not been the redeemer that they had hoped for. Then along comes Jesus.
In verses 25-27 we read, “He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” Note the bold text. This is exactly what the inductive method does. It presents all of the truths which leads to an interpretation.
Two truths are never contradictory. When any fact has come to be known, and about it there can be no doubt, whatever may be reported afterwards which contradicts that fact, is rejected as false.
Rules of Interpretation
There are sixteen basic rules we need to bear in mind when we come to interpreting Scripture.
1) Put aside any preconceived ideas or doctrines
So often our preconceived ideas or doctrines influence how we read Scripture. We need to put them aside and not allow them to influence us in any way as we seek to find understanding.
2) Every passage has but one meaning
There are a number of exceptions to this rule (e.g. prophecy, which has both an immediate meaning as well as a future one), however, none of the meanings may contradict another.
3) The simplest, most obvious meaning of any text is usually the correct one
One should look for the most natural interpretation of a text. If the text has more than one meaning, though not necessarily incorrect, the simplest one is probably the correct one.
4) Always allow the author's own explanation of a text to stand
There are a few instances in Scripture where the writer explains what they are saying in a later text. Other time Jesus himself explains the Old Testament texts. As the original authors of the text, they have the right to explain what they are saying. We as the readers have no right to add or change those meanings in any way.
5) Always interpret a passage in harmony with the context
This includes the text that immediately precedes and follows the text in question. It may be a paragraph, a chapter, a large section, the entire book, and even the entire Bible.
All of Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 demonstrates a continuous, logical flow of thought, and a text should never be pulled out of this order and forced into the mould of some other thought. Often just an understanding of the context of the text gives a clear interpretation.
6) interpretation of the text should always conform to the environment of the writer
The writer, and God as the author, used the conditions of life at the time, and in the environment of the writing, to frame the revealed message. Customs of the day, opinions of the time, the circumstances of life, and the very personalities of the writers were all drawn upon to paint the picture.
7) Each passage must be interpreted in harmony with all other passages
No doctrine or interpretation can be true if it is opposed to any clear statement of the Word of God. When there seems to be a contradiction between the meanings of the passages, one or more of the interpretations must be incorrect and the passages need to be re-examined.
8) One passage will often explain another passage
Sometimes we come across an obscure passage that we cannot understand. These passages however can be understood when one looks at the meanings of other related passages. One needs to be cautious in this area so as not to force comparisons that are in no way related.
9) A passage must be interpreted in harmony with any idioms it contains
Sometimes we can read into words with twenty-first century understandings, when first century understandings are required. For example the text where Jesus talks about hating one's brother or mother can seem quite harsh if not the word hate is not understood as the first century idiom it is. In this case it means they are not loved as much as God is loved.
10) all passages on a given subject must be studied
No one should ever draw a general conclusion on any Bible subject until all the passages concerned have been fully studied and compared. It is only after all the relevant passages have been studied can one come to a full understanding of a subject.
11) Observe the proper balance of Scriptural truth
Some passages have been exaggerated or overemphasised, while others have been given very little attention or completely ignored. One must be sure to maintain the balance.
12) Let plain passages determine difficult passages
Some passages are difficult to understand. Always choose the meaning of an obscure or difficult passage that harmonises with the plainer or easier passages on the same subject.
13) Interpret a passage in its original setting
One must be very careful to keep a passage in the setting in which it was first given. It must be put in its rightful place according to the period of time and the covenant involved. One must take an historical approach to Bible study to be fully aware of the entire setting of a passage.
14) Rightly interpret the language
A good portion of the Bible is written in literal language. It is used to state facts, name people and places, relate incidents, issue commandments and warnings. Such things should be taken literally and one should not try to read into them for hidden meanings. A literal meaning is that meaning which is given it by those to who it is addressed.
Figurative language involves the use of symbols, stories or other descriptive means to express truth.
15) Know the meanings of words and sentences in their original setting
Modern usage of a word or sentence is meaningless. One must look at them strictly from the viewpoint of the writers, not only in the meanings of the words themselves, but also in terms of grammar and rhetoric.
16) Know the limit of divine revelation
God's revelation to man ended with the closing of the canon. There is no more new revelation, only illumination and understanding through the work of the Holy Spirit of the revelation already contained in Scripture.
Steps in Correctly Interpreting Scripture
There are five basic steps to interpreting and understanding a text.
Step 1: Original setting, audience, LANGUAGE and context
This step is the most crucial and will usually take the most amount of time to complete. This step must never be left out and forms the foundation for the steps that follow.
Some of the questions you need to ask yourself in this step include:
- What is the historical setting of the text?
- Who were the people that the text was written to?
- What language was it written in?
- Are there any figures of speech that have an understanding different to our own?
- What is the context of the passages immediately before and after the text?
- What is the context of the chapters/sections before and after the passages above?
- What is the message of the book the text is found in?
Based on the information gathered in Step 1, what is the meaning of the text to the original readers/hearers?
State this meaning in your own words in simple point form.
Step 3: Take it through the cross
How does our understanding of the cross, Jesus and the New Testament fulfil or explain the text we are looking at? For example, many of the Old Testament feasts and sacrifices were fulfilled by the work of Christ on the cross.
As a result, is the text we are dealing with prescriptive for our lives, or is it rather giving us a principle that needs to be carried through.
If the text you are dealing with is a New Testament passage, this step can sometimes be left out, however, as you proceed, keep the cross and Christ in mind so as not to come up with an interpretation that contradicts them. Even in New Testament passages, an understanding of the cross fully explains the meaning of another text.
Step 4: how is our life and setting different from the original audience?
If we are going to apply any Biblical text in the twenty-first century, we need to understand how we are different. It is pointless trying to literally apply a text to us that has no direct relevance today. The Old Testament sacrificial system is again an example of this.
Step 5: How do we apply the principles obtained in Step 2 today?
Taking all of the above into account, we are now in a position to apply the text to our own lives. If the text itself is not directly applicable, what is the principle we need to apply? If it is directly applicable, how?
Conclusion
The subject of interpretation is a vital one to consider when studying the Bible, however it is the starting point that will determine how you will proceed. If we believe God's Word to be fully inspired, without errors and as a direct result of His revelation to man, then how else can one interpret Scripture other than allowing it to speak to you directly as it is written.
By following the aforementioned rules and steps, one has a richer understanding of the text and one becomes certain in their own minds as to the truth of the Word, and is not easily swayed when faced with false or contradictory doctrines or interpretations.
This concludes our study of Bibliology – the Doctrine of the Bible.
Baruch atem b’Shem Yeshua! (Blessings in the name of Jesus!)
GW
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