RULES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION
“It shall greatly help you to understand the scripture, if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom, and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what follows after.”
“Exegesis of a text must take into account both the basic meaning of the verse and what the rest of scripture teaches on the subject.
When interpreting scripture, we must allow the meaning of a text to speak for itself unless there could be a contradiction of the text in another part of scripture.
So when interpreting a text, we must take into account the historical nature of God, and how God is portrayed in His attributes in the text that you are studying. ”
These are some simple yet effective rules of interpretation when studying the bible.
1) LET SCRIPTURE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE
A. This is called Biblical Exegesis
Exegesis - Exegesis is a theological term used to describe an approach to interpreting a passage in the Bible by critical analysis.
1. Proper exegesis includes using the context around the passage.
2. Comparing scripture with other parts of the Bible and applying an understanding of the language and customs of the time of the writing.
3. It is an attempt to understand clearly what the original writer intended to convey.
4. In other words, it is trying to "pull out or bring out" of the passage the meaning inherent in it.
John 16:13 - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
B. Eisegesis
1. Eisegesis - is the process of misinterpreting a text in such a way that it introduces one's own ideas, reading into the text.
2. This leads to allowing someone to get the interpretation that follows their view instead of the view of historical Christianity.
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
2) CANNOT CREATE DOCTRINE WITHOUT THE STUDY OF ALL THE VERSES RELATED TO THE BIBLICAL SUBJECT YOU ARE STUDYING
A. Biblical Context – Is the broadest context possible, studying the entire Bible;
1. This allows us to ask if our interpretation is consistent with the whole of Scripture.
2. Scripture is never contradictory to itself.
B. New Testament doctrine always supersedes Old Testament doctrine.
1. New Testament always fulfills Old Testament theology.
a. The law.
2. Does God have to do everything we ask?
John 14:13 - And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
1 John 5:14 - Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
3) ALL 27 NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS WERE WRITTEN TO BELIEVERS AND FOR BELIEVERS
A. Must remember when sharing your faith with someone.
1. We preach to unbelievers.
a. Preaching to unbelievers is a must.
b. Cannot teach unbelievers because the word of God is a mystery to them until they have their spiritual eyes open to the word of God.
2. And teach believers.
a. Believers can understand the mysteries (word of God) reveled by the work of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:14 - But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
4) TAKE IN ACCOUNT THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURE OF THE TIME OF THE WRITINGS TO CREATE DOCTRINE
A. Consider the Author - Who wrote the book?
1. What was his background, language, culture, vocation, concerns, education, circumstance, what stage of life?
B. Consider the Audience - Why was the book written?
1. Who was the audience? What would these words have meant to its original hearers?
The purpose of interpretation is to grasp the meaning of the passage or passages in its historical context, looking for the meaning of words, phrases, customs, etc. and trying to bring out the theme that the author intended.
C. Know if the doctrine is for the time of the culture.
1. Women covering their heads.
1 Corinthians 11:4 - Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
D. Know what is to be practiced as doctrine in the church at any time.
1. Women are not to teach or oversee men.
1 Timothy 2:12 - And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
5) CANNOT CREATE DOCTRINE SOLELY FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS OR THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A. Cannot create doctrine from the experiences in the book of Acts.
1. Can use the book of Acts to expound on doctrine found in the Gospels and the Epistles.
B. Cannot create doctrine from the experiences in the book of Revelation.
1. Can use the book of Revelation to expound on doctrine found in the Gospels and the Epistles.
2. Can only use the book of Revelation to expound on eschatology views.
6) DISCERN SPIRITUAL APPLICATION FROM PHYSICAL APPLICATION OF SCRIPTURE
A. Understand Grammar – How things are being expressed to apply to our lives as either a physical or spiritual application.
1. The text could be crucial to follow which is a command.
Luke 9:23 - Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
a. Means less of me and more of God in my life.
2. The text could be Subjunctive (it usually expresses something that you wish for) which would be “would you like to do this?”
Matthew 21:21 - So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
a. two quite different meanings result.
7) BIBLICAL DOCTRINE ALWAYS SUPERSEDE TRADITIONS OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
A. Never allow experience or tradition to interpret the scriptures.
1. Always let the scriptures interpret all experience and traditions.
B. The church can have traditions
C. H. Spurgeon - “It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others.”
1. But cannot force traditions as a means to doctrine.
2. Cannot create biblical doctrine from any traditions or denominations.
Michael Horton - “The best way to guard a true interpretation of Scripture, was never to embrace the infallibility of tradition, or the infallibility of the individual, but to always recognize the interpretation of Scripture.
8) KNOW THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLICAL WORDS IN THE TEXT
A. Each book of the bible was written in a certain language.
1. Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic so use the proper word study books for the study of the language.
2. Use Greek word study books for the study of the New Testament.
9) INTERPRET THE UNCLEAR PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE IN LIGHT OF THE CLEAR
A. Though all Scripture is God breathed, every passage is not equally clear (easy to understand).
1. The Apostle Peter struggled with Paul’s writings at times, as he found some of it hard to understand.
2 Peter 3:16 - consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
10) INTERPRET WHAT IS WRITTEN BEFORE AND AFTER THE TEXT STUDIED
A. Before any doctrine can be created, must study what is written before or after the text to get the correct interpretation.
Proverbs 8:22-23 - “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
1. Are these verses speaking of Jesus?
11) WHERE THE BIBLE REMAINS SILENT, WE MUST BE SILENT
A. Many places in the bible we do not know how events took place.
1. We should never add to an event to create doctrine.
B. Example – How Jesus got into the room with the disciples?
John 20:26 - And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
1. Did Jesus walk throught the door, or did He climb in through the window?
a. The bible did not say that Jesus did either one.
12) RULES WHEN INTERPRETING DOCTRINE
A. Did Jesus practice it an act or did He teach it.
B. Was it practiced or taught in the book of Acts.
C. And was it taught in any of the Epistles.
13) GUIDELINES FOR EXAMINING A PASSAGE
A. Who wrote/spoke the passage and to whom was it addressed?
B. What does the passage say?
C. Are there any words or phrases in the passage that need to be examined?
D. What is the immediate context?
E. What is the broader context in the chapter and book?
F. What are the related verses to the passage’s subject and how do they affect the understanding of this passage?
G. What is the historical and cultural background?
H. What do I conclude about the passage?
I. Do my conclusions agree or disagree with related areas of Scripture and others who have studied the passage? If so, why?
J. What have I learned and what must I apply to my life?
“It shall greatly help you to understand the scripture, if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom, and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what follows after.”
John Wycliffe 1324-1384 - It shall greatly help you to understand scripture, if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom, and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what follows after.