Principles For Interpretation
INTERPRETING THE BIBLE CORRECTLY is perhaps the most important step for effective Bible study. This is because how you interpret the Bible will directly determine how you apply it to your life. So, it is critical that we learn how to properly interpret the Bible.
Do not “proof text,” which means do not take verses out of context. Perhaps the most common mistake people make when reading the Bible is to take a verse of scripture out of its original context. In doing so, you will form a theology or a belief system that is not consistent with what the rest of the Bible teaches. Read the surrounding chapters and the verses before and after the verse you are studying. Get the whole picture. Don’t study verses out of context. Look at the outline of the book. One of the most important keys or steps to proper Bible interpretation is to study each verse within the context of that passage, each passage within the context of that chapter; each chapter within the context of that book; each book within the context of the entire Bible. ( Take the whole Bible as God’s Word. Don’t just concentrate on one verse or one idea. See if the teaching is explained more fully in other parts of the Bible. Look at the small cross-references in your Bible to help you find other verses on the same subject.
Some scholars might be divided about certain passages or verses in the Bible. So, don’t form your theological belief or ideas about the scriptures. But look at what else the Bible has to say about that topic. Sometimes you have to let the scriptures (on whatever topic you are studying) interpret another scripture because God’s Word will never contradict each other. ( Do not try to force a passage to fit with our preexisting beliefs or experiences.)
This is another very important key. Please do not ignore the historical setting and background of whatever book you are reading in the Bible. That is one reason why I created this website to give you the readers information about each book in the Bible. For example, If you understand why the apostle Paul wrote a certain letter, why he sent the letter to the recipient (Chruch, saints, etc.), and learn about the false teachings that were happening during his day and time, then you could understand a little more of the scripture you are reading. If we read the Bible through our twenty-first century Western eyes, we will misunderstand its meaning.
Please distinguish between Prescriptive Events and Descriptive Events. This is a very common mistake in Bible interpretation. For instance, there are certain things that are prescribed for every believer. Every believer should be baptized. Every believer should share their faith. Every believer receives the Holy Spirit. Every believer receives a spiritual gift from God. These are things that are prescribed for every believer. However, oftentimes in the Bible, the biblical writers are simply describing events that are taking place. In other words, Descriptive Events are things that are described in the Bible as things that have happened to certain believers, but it is not a promise to all Christians, and it's not a promise that all Christians will receive the same things. Yes, it is possible that we can still receive those things, but that is up to God. For example, many churches believe that you have to speak in tongues to be saved, but that is false. Even Paul said that we all don't speak in tongues. People will try to use events in the Bible, such as the "Day of Pentecost," to prove that all believers can speak in an unknown tongue, but Paul disagrees. Paul asked a question in 1 Cor. 12:30 do we all speak in tongue? He replied No! Some people teach that you have to wait to receive God’s Holy Spirit, which is a misconception. God promised in the Bible that all you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried and that God raised Jesus from the dead. God will immediately place HIS Holy Spirit in you the second you believe. You do not have to do anything extra; besides, you can not earn HIS Holy Spirit. It’s free. Read Ephesians 1:13. You will see that God marked us in Jesus Christ with a seal. That seal is the Holy Spirit. Another version of the Bible (NLT) says, “….And when you believed in Christ, HE identified you as HIS own by giving you the Holy Spirit….” The following is an example of a Descriptive Events Read Mark 16:17-18. It will let you know that those people in the Bible who believed in Jesus were able ”…. to cast out demons in Jesus’s name and speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” Can people today do those things? Yes, but only if God gives them the gift and the power to do so, but we know that not every Christian can cast out demons, speak in unknown tongues, pick up snakes without being bitten, and drink something that is poisonous without dying. As you can see, it can be dangerous if you do not understand the difference between Prescriptive Events and Descriptive Events.
Don’t Let Your Experience Influence Your Interpretation—As you attend church, you will undoubtedly have a variety of experiences with God. Be careful not to allow your personal experience to dictate or influence how you interpret scripture. Remember, you should always interpret the validity of your experience in light of whether or not it is consistent with the Bible; not the other way around.
Be Careful Not To Misread The Text—One very common mistake is to simply misread the scripture or verse, thus never really being able to get to the proper meaning. This typically happens when a person is simply quoting something they may have heard someone else say without really reading the verse/passage for themselves. Read the entire verse/passage rather than parts of it.
Interpret Different Genres Differently—The bible includes poetry, wisdom, narratives, parables, history, and prophecy. Each of these different genres must be interpreted differently.
Read The Text For Its Plain Obvious Meaning—Do Not get overly creative. It's tempting to look for some mysterious, hidden, symbolic meaning that no one has ever seen before. But it's also dangerous. Don’t read into the text something that is not there. Don’t look for some strange meaning to the text that has been hidden from every other commentator and biblical scholar. Remember that God can show you many different ways to APPLY the Bible to your life, but there is only one correct interpretation. Don’t look for deep symbolism unless the text suggests you do so.
Don't Base Your Theology On One Verse—This is perhaps the biggest mistake people make in biblical interpretation. People can make the bible say just about anything they want it to say if we simply pick one verse from here and one from there. Instead, you want to compare scripture with scripture as much as possible. The best commentary on the bible is the bible. Remember, you rarely have to go outside of the bible to understand anything inside of the bible.