Interpretation of Scripture

Correct interpretation of Scripture is critical for the believer. There is no private interpretation of Scripture. We are warned by the apostle Peter that we need to be concerned with the way we interpret Scripture.

(2 Pet 1:20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

(2 Peter 3:15-17) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17) Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away of the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

These verses tell us that it is very dangerous to misinterpret Scripture. In fact, it can lead to destruction. The apostle Paul, on the other hand, assures us that he handled the Word of God faithfully and exhorted Timothy to follow his example.

(2 Timothy 2:15) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Furthermore, in Deuteronomy God tells us that we are to neither add to nor take away from His word.

(Deu 4:2) Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Any valid interpretation of Scripture must be based on certain rules. The rules must always be applied consistently and we are not at liberty to throw them out because they may show that Scripture says something different than what we want to believe. We must endeavor to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves and believe by faith whatever they say.

In interpreting Scripture we are drawing out the meaning that God, as the author, has placed in the passage. We are not to superimpose our own meaning onto it. Scripture also tells us that we are to rely on the Holy Spirit’s illumination to gain insight into the meaning and application of Scripture.

(Job 32:8) But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

As a new believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit feeds us milk from the Word the same as a newborn infant needs a mothers’ milk. As we grow more mature in the spirit, the Holy Spirit changes our diet and starts to illuminate more and more from Scripture. This is much the same as we change a child’s diet from milk to vegetables and onto a mature diet as the body can handle it. This is what the Holy Spirit does with us as we mature in the Lord. The Holy Spirit will also never lead us to an interpretation that contradicts other Scripture, but illuminates what is already revealed in Scripture.

Rules for Interpreting Scripture:

1. The 66 books of the Bible (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament) are the complete and wholly inspired Word of God.

2. Scripture can NEVER contradict itself. If two or more verses appear to contradict each other then something is being misinterpreted.

3. The Bible itself will always be used to define its own terminology, symbols etc. No consideration is to be made to any man-made dogma, tradition, theory or writing such as the apocrypha or commentaries to explain Biblical terms and symbols which are already clearly defined within the Bible itself.

4. Scripture must always be taken in context. It must never be pulled out and twisted to try to make it say what you want it to say. Its interpretation will be determined not only by the Scriptures surrounding it, but by considering all Scriptures throughout the Bible that have bearing on the subject. The truth of Scripture can only be determined by bringing together all Scripture that deals with the subject.

5. Every passage must be given a literal interpretation unless the Scripture itself indicates that it is symbolic in nature. Such is the case where parables or visions are used. When parables and visions are used they will always be explained somewhere in Scripture and those explanations are literal.

6. Once a symbol is explained in Scripture it maintains that definition throughout the rest of Scripture where it is used as a symbol. An example of this is that Israel is referred to by God in the Old Testament as His “fig tree”. So, when a fig tree is used symbolically elsewhere in Scripture, we know that it is a reference to the nation of Israel.

7. The truth about any doctrine must first be determined by those passages which declare it in a clear, positive language and not by those which are symbolic in nature. No interpretation should be drawn on any symbolic passage which would make it contradict other passages which speak plainly on the same subject.

8. No doctrine can be derived based on a single passage of Scripture, an inference or an argument from silence. Any true doctrine will be found throughout Scripture.