Biblical interpretation 1

BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION:

An explanation or establishment of the meaning or significance of something. A
particular meaning.

"And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a
lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But
know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation." [2
Peter 1:19,20 NAS]
We can't have a "sure word" about the meaning of Scripture (or anything else) unless we have a
sure method to interpret the words.
The following eight rules are the center of all grammatical interpretation. They have been accepted and
used by scholars from Socrates to the present. While my hope is that they will be used to "rightly divide
the word of truth" of the Holy Bible, they are equally applicable to legal, historical, and other such
language.
Since the Bible teaches that God is not the author of confusion [1 Cor. 14:33], how can the many
disagreements today between Christians and the proliferation of the cults be explained since all, or
nearly all, claim to use the Bible as the basis of their doctrines?
Nearly all false doctrines taught today by Christians and cultists alike can be traced to the distortion of
the meaning of Biblical words.
"When two interpretations are claimed for a Scripture, the construction most in agreement with all the
facts of the case should be adopted. When all the facts of an interpretation are in agreement they sound
together in harmony, like notes in a chord.

Biblical interpretation is more than knowing a set of rules, but it cannot be done without the
rules. So, learn the rules, and rightly apply them
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Here are the rules:
1. 1The rule of DEFINITION:

What does the word mean? Any study of Scripture must begin with a study of words.
Define your terms and then keep to the terms defined.
The interpreter should conscientiously abide by the plain meaning of the words.
This quite often may require using a Hebrew/English or Greek/English lexicon in order
to make sure that the sense of the English translation is understood.

2. The rule of USAGE:

It must be remembered that the Old Testament was written originally by, to and for Jews. The
words and idioms must have been intelligible to them - just as the words of Christ when talking
to them must have been.
The majority of the New Testament likewise was written in a environment of Greco-Roman (and
to a lesser extent Jewish) culture and it is important to not impose our modern usage into our
interpretation.
It is not worth much to interpret a great many phrases and histories if one's interpretations are
shaded by pre-conceived notions and cultural biases, thereby rendering an inaccurate and
ineffectual lesson.

3. The rule of CONTEXT:
The meaning must be gathered from the context. Every word you read must be understood in the
light of the words that come before and after it. Many passages will not be understood at all, or
understood incorrectly, without the help afforded by the context.
A good example of this is the Mormon practice of using 1 Cor. 8:5b: "...for there be gods many
and lords many..." as a "proof text" of their doctrine of polytheism. However, a simple reading of
the whole verse in the context of the whole chapter (e.g. where Paul calls these gods "so-called"),
plainly demonstrates that Paul is not teaching polytheism.

4. The rule of HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
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The interpreter must have some awareness of the life and society of the times in which the
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Scripture was written.

The spiritual principle will be timeless but often can't be properly appreciated without some
knowledge of the background.
If the interpreter can have in his mind what the writer had in his mind when he wrote - without
adding any excess baggage from the interpreter's own culture or society - then the true thought of
the Scripture can be captured resulting in an accurate interpretation.
Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Our only interest in the past is for the light it throws upon the
present."

5. The rule of LOGIC:
Interpretation is merely logical reasoning. When interpreting Scripture, the use of reason is
everywhere to be assumed.
Does the interpretation make sense? The Bible was given to us in the form of human language
and therefore appeals to human reason - it invites investigation.
It is to be interpreted as we would any other volume: applying the laws of language and
grammatical analysis. As Bernard Ramm said:
"What is the control we use to weed out false theological speculation? Certainly the control is logic
and evidence... interpreters who have not had the sharpening experience of logic...may have
improper notions of implication and evidence. Too frequently such a person uses a basis of appeal
that is a notorious violation of the laws of logic and evidence." (Protestant Biblical Interpretation, Boston: W. A.
Wilde, 1956)

6. The rule of PRECEDENT: (pattern)
We must not violate the known usage of a word and invent another for which there is no
precedent.
Just as a judge's chief occupation is the study of previous cases, so must the interpreter use
precedents in order to determine whether they really support an alleged doctrine.
Consider the Bereans in Acts 17:10-12 who were called "noble" because they searched the
Scriptures to determine if what Paul taught them was true.

7. The rule of UNITY:
The parts of Scripture being interpreted must be construed with reference to the significance of
the whole.
An interpretation must be consistent with the rest of Scripture.
An excellent example of this is the doctrine of the Trinity. No single passage teaches it, but it is
consistent with the teaching of the whole of Scripture (e.g. the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit
are referred to individually as God; yet the Scriptures elsewhere teach there is only one God).

8. The rule of INFERENCE:
An inference is a fact reasonably implied from another fact. It is a logical consequence.
It derives a conclusion from a given fact or premise.
It is the deduction of one proposition from another proposition.
Such inferential facts or propositions are sufficiently binding when their truth is established by
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competent and satisfactory evidence.
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Competent evidence means such evidence as the nature of the thing to be proved admits.

Satisfactory evidence means that amount of proof which would ordinarily satisfy an
unprejudiced mind beyond a reasonable doubt. Jesus used this rule when he proved the
resurrection of the dead to the unbelieving Sadducees in Matt. 22:23-33.
Learning these eight rules and properly applying them will help keep any interpreter from
making errors and will hopefully alleviate many of the disagreements unfortunately present in
Christianity today. However, these eight principles are no substitute for the Holy Spirit which will,
if you let Him, guide you in the truth [John 14:26].
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto
wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation." [Prov. 1:5,6]

BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

In case you are not familiar with this terminology,
what I mean by canon is the standard or rule that
writings are measured against for inclusion in what
we refer to as the inspired Word of God
(commonly known as “the Bible”). In order to be
included in the Bible, writings had to live up to
some pretty strict standards. And needless to say,
there has always been some controversy over
what should and should not be included.

http://bibledude.net/bible-interpretation-canon-essays/

http://trinitypastor.wordpress.com/category/christian-theology/help-me-read-the-bible/
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HOMILETICS: THE SCIENCE AND ART OF testimony of the Gospel), the truth concerning the
PREACHING THE MEETING OF THE TEXT Living Word of God (Jesus Christ, see John 5:39-40).

EXEGESIS: THE APPLICATION (ART) OF
Jesus
THE PRINCIPLES OF HERMENEUTICS.
We believe that Scripture is rightly interpreted in
HERMENEUTICS: THE SCIENCE the light of the answer to a key question: Who is
(PRINCIPLES) BY WHICH THE MEANING Jesus? Scripture answers that Jesus is fully God (the
OF THE BIBICAL TEXT IS DETERMINED. doctrine of the Trinity) and fully human (the
doctrine of the Incarnation). Through his
representative - substitutionary life, death,
resurrection and ascension, Jesus has united all
humanity to God (the doctrine of the Atonement).
Accurate understanding of Scripture occurs as we
prayerfully conform our thinking to this revelation
of the person and work of Jesus.

Universal & personal
Accurate interpretation of New Testament passages
often necessitates discerning between two
"realities." One is God's reality - the truth of
the universal (objective) inclusion of all humanity in
God's love and life in Jesus. The other is human
reality - the personal (subjective) experience of
people as they either embrace God's reality or
reject it (or, as is often the case, are simply unaware
of it). Some passages testify to God's reality (and
invite people to receive it - e.g. Col 1:15-20), while
others testify to the results of not believing (and
warn of continuing to live in the darkness of
unbelief with its fallen distortion of God's reality -
e.g. Col 1:21).

Context & language
Principles of biblical interpretation
Careful interpretation also involves accounting for
A primary purpose of this blog is demonstrate a
the historical, cultural, and literary context of each
theologically sound process for interpreting and
passage. In addition, because the richness and
then applying the truths of Holy Scripture
subtleties of the original text are sometimes lost in
understood in the light of the historic/orthodox,
translation, it is important to check alternative
Trinitarian, incarnational Christian faith. The process
translations and consult lexicons or other
used here is grounded in the following principles:
translation helps. For more on this issue, see Elements of
Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers by Michael Gorman
Scripture & Gospel (Hendrickson, 2009). Http://thesurprisinggodblog.gci.org/p/principles-of-

biblical-interpretation.html Ken Silva pastor-teacher on May 25, 2011 in
We view the Holy Bible as the written word of God,
Bibliology, Current Issues, Features, Quotes
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inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal,
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through the apostolic word of God (the Apostle's

interpretation and make it say whatever they
would like it to say.

Perhaps you‟ve been in one those Bible studies
where you go around the room and everybody
tells you what they think the verse means? Or
worse than that, “Well, to me this verse means,”
so-and-so. In the end, what you get is a pooling
of ignorance, unless somebody knows what it
means apart from them. The truth is it doesn‟t
matter what a verse means to me, it doesn‟t
matter what it means to you, it doesn‟t matter
what it means to anybody else, it doesn‟t matter
Now the task of
if it means anything to anybody else. All that
hermeneutics is to realize, first of all, that there
matters is what does it mean? What did God
is a God given meaning in Scripture, apart from
intend to say? Every verse has intrinsic
you or me or anybody else. Scripture means
meaning apart from any of us and the task of
something if means nothing to me, understood?
Bible study is to discern the true meaning of
It means something if it means nothing to you.
Scripture. That‟s why I can come to you week
It means something if it means nothing to
after week, month after month, year after year
anybody. It means something in itself, and that
and explain to you the meaning of the Word of
meaning is determined by God, the Author, not
God, apart from any personal experience I‟m
by one who is going through some kind of
having. That‟s irrelevant.
mystical experience.
The task of the interpreter is to discern the
The interpreter‟s task then is to discern that
meaning of Scripture. In 2 Timothy 2:15 it
meaning. To discover the meaning of the text in
says, “Be diligent,” or study, “present yourself
its proper setting, to draw the meaning out of the
approved to God as a workman who doesn‟t
Scripture, rather than to read one‟s meaning into
need to be ashamed because he‟s handling
it. The importance of careful, Biblical
accurately the Word of Truth.” If you don‟t
interpretation can hardly be overstated.
handle it accurately, you oughta be ashamed of
yourself. And if you‟re gonna handle it
We spend three or four years at the master
accurately, you have to be diligent, you have to
seminary trying to teach men how to do this
work hard at it. Clearly handling Scripture
because it is the heart and soul of effective
involves both of those things, hard work and
ministry. In fact, I would go so far as to say
diligence. It must be interpreted accurately, and
misinterpreting the Bible is ultimately no better
those who fail to do that have reason to be
than disbelieving it. So what do you mean by
ashamed…
that? Well, what good does it do to believe that
the Bible is God‟s final and complete word if
God has not hidden His truth from us, but its
you misinterpret it? Either way you miss the
meaning is not always instantly clear. It
truth, right? It is equally serious along with
demands hard work. That‟s why in 1 Timothy
disbelieving the Bible to misinterpret it.
5:17 it says that, “Those elders who labor in the
Interpreting Scripture to make it say what it was
Word and doctrine are worth of double honor,”
never intended to say is a sure road to division,
because it‟s hard work. That‟s why God has
to error, to heresy and to apostasy. In spite of
given teachers to the church so that we can work
all of the dangers of misinterpreting the
hard and understanding God‟s Word correctly,
Scripture, today we have these casual people
instructing people in the Scriptures through
who approach the Scripture whimsically without
persistent, conscientious labor in the Word.
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any understanding of the science of
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Now, today we have, frankly, a lack of respect married? You‟re miles apart. “Oh,” said the
for the work of gifted theologians, a lack of husband, “it was a sermon the pastor preached
respect for the hard work of gifted expositors in our church.” “What was the sermon?”
who have spent years studying and interpreting “Well, he preached on the walls of Jericho.”
Scripture. In fact, that lack of respect tends to “Jericho? What does that have to do with
be somewhat charismatically characteristic. marriage?” “Well,” he said, “God‟s people
They tend to sort of look at all of us that way. I claimed the city marched around it seven times
think I read you of the letter from the lady who and the walls fell down.” And he said, “If a
said, “Your problem is you‟re too much into the young man believed God had given him a
Bible. Throw away your Bible,” remember that, certain girl, he could claim her, march around
“and stop studying.” You see, Charismatics her seven times and the walls of her hear would
place more emphasis on letting people in the fall down. That‟s what I did and we got
congregation say whatever they think Jesus is married.” “That can‟t be true,” he said.
telling them the verse means, and to listen to “You‟re kidding, aren‟t you?” I remember him
what one writer calls, “Airy fairy theologians.” sayin‟ that. “You gotta be kidding.” “No, it‟s
There‟s a vast difference, by the way, between true. And there were many other couples that
the whimsical kitchen table interpretations of got married because of the same sermon.”
laymen, the teaching of skilled men who work Some people believe their marriages were made
very hard to rightly divide the Word. in Heaven. That was made in an allegory and a
bad one at that. That‟s the kind of interpretation
I heard a radio interview with a Charismatic that has gone on since the early days of the
woman pastor. She was asked how she got her church, continues today, especially in the
sermons up? She replied, “I don‟t get „em up, I Charismatic movement.
get „em down. God delivers them to me.”
That‟s an all too familiar thing. I can promise Remember listening to a series on the book of
you that God has never delivered one to me. I Nehemiah. The whole purpose of the book of
haven‟t gotten them down. I‟ve had to „em up. Nehemiah by this Charismatic preacher was to
Some people even believe it‟s unspiritual to teach Charismatic doctrine. Jerusalem‟s walls
study. After all, some say, taking another verse were in ruin and that was representative of the
out of context, didn‟t Jesus say, “For the Holy broken down walls of human personality.
Spirit will teach you and that very hour what Nehemiah was the Holy Spirit, the king‟s pool
you want to say,” so you just go into the pulpit was the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the
and whatever comes into your mind, you say? mortar between the bricks was tongues. And
And that‟s why they invent their theology as what Nehemiah‟s teaching is the Holy Spirit
they speak because they have no idea what‟s wants to come rebuild your broken walls
going to be said until they hear it. We should be through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and
greatly concerned about this ad lib approach. speaking in tongues. I had an opportunity to
You never ever make a point true or false at the talk to that preacher about that and we had an
price of a proper interpretation. Otherwise, you interesting conversation. I tried to show him
are the final authority and not the Word of God. that that was nothing but the invention of his
own imagination, read from the New Testament
Secondly, don‟t spiritualize or allegorize the back into the Old, but never the intention of
text. Some people think the Bible is a fable to Nehemiah, to which he agreed. That kind of
teach whatever you wanna get across. A myriad preaching is a form of hucksterism, and as I
of illustrations of this. I remember back when said, “You may come up with the truth that you
Jerry Mitchell was on our staff and a young teach, but if you spiritualize the text to do it,
couple came into him for counseling, marriage then you legitimize spiritualization of any text
counseling. He began to talk with them and which leaves you with any fanciful conclusion.”
after about 30 minutes, he said he‟d been
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married only six months and you‟re already on Well, the correct approach you probably need to
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the edge of a divorce? Why did you ever get go to Jesus and remember that when He was

walking on the road to Emmaus, He said, Luke
did, the beginning with Moses and with all the
prophets, He explained to them the things
concerning Himself in the Scriptures. The
Word explained is hermeneual from which we
get hermeneutics. He carefully interpreted the
Old Testament. He used hermeneutics. He‟s a
model of a teacher, used sound interpretive
methods.

So, when we teach the Word of God, when we
come to the conclusions that we come to, we
wanna be certain that we don‟t make severe
errors, one, by making points at the price of
proper interpretation, two, by somehow
concocting or spiritualizing something that isn‟t
there, and three, and I‟ve already talked about
this, by superficial study. Superficial study is
equally disastrous. But I‟ve said enough about
that not to have to say more. (Online source)

John MacArthur

http://apprising.org/2011/05/25/proper-biblical-interpretation/

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Biblical interpretation 1

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