Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.
First, What is “Interpretation”?
Interpretation, in Biblical term, simply put, the discovery of the true meaning of the Bible. The tasks of interpretation involve basically two levels: “First, one has to hear the Word they heard; you must try to understand what was said to them back then and there (exegesis). Second, you must learn to hear that same Word in the here and now (hermeneutics)” [See How the Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart for more detail guidelines on how to interpret the Bible correctly].
Here are 5 things that are important to remember as we try to understand the Bible’s teaching more clearly:
It Must be Seen in Its Historical Setting
One of the ways in which we can understand the meaning of a Bible passage is to gain an understanding of its original meaning to the earliest readers. The more we know about the customs and politics of the Biblical times, the clearer its meaning will be.
For example, the New Testament commands that slaves should obey their masters. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters” (Ephesians 6:5). We must understand this in light of the fact that slavery was generally accepted at that time (even though it was seen as part of the order that was passing away because of Christ). It was a norm in the ancient times for rich people to have slaves in their homes.
Similarly, knowledge of customs at that time helps the modern reader to understand the meaning of Jesus’ command to His disciples to wash one another’s feet – which might otherwise seem irrelevant today.
It Must be Consistent with Its Surrounding Passage
We can better understand the meaning of a Bible word when we examine the sentence in which it occurs. In the same way, we can truly understand a sentence only when we look at the surrounding paragraph (the context). The leaders of many false cults and sects often twist the truth of the Bible by taking the sentence out of its context. In this way they use the Bible to support their own beliefs (I fear that most of us treated the Scripture like this, cut and paste, quote and claim verses out of its context – this attitude grief my heart greatly and displeased the God of the Bible. Forbid us from this error O Lord I pray).
Christians must be careful to find out what the Bible is really saying (even when it hurts). Nehemiah 8:8 recorded, “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly (or with interpretation, or paragraph by paragraph), and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading”.
It Must be in Harmony with the Rest of Scripture
Individual passages of Scripture are to be interpreted in the light of the whole Bible. When this is done, no one part of Scripture will be found to conflict with another. When we are confronted with apparent contradictions in the Bible, it is probably because we do not know the consistent teaching of the Bible as a whole. The challenge to the reader of the Bible is to develop a truly biblical way of thinking. Paul reminded us to “rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). And with that, we should try to understand and know the rest of Scripture also – not just little bits here and there – but the whole Big-Picture of the Bible.
It Must be Consistent with the Purpose of God’s Revelation
The Bible tells us all that we need to know about God’s plan for His creation and for mankind. There are many questions which we might want answered about which the Bible says very little or nothing. But God’s Word tells us all we need to know, sufficiently (not whatever we want to know) about Him and His plans (see Deuteronomy 29:29).
We must recognize that the Bible is first of all a book of salvation. Therefore, we should avoid making clever interpretations on matters outside its main purpose.
It Must be Understood in Changing Cultures
The Bible has a living message, with power to transform lives and characters. Although it was given in cultures far removed from those of modern times, its relevance to life is undiminished today. As we interpret the Bible, however, we must be prepared to wrestle with the words and term used by the biblical writers, and to translate them in ways that the modern reader can understand without watering down the truth and principles that are clearly taught in it.
My conclusion about the Bible “Its Interpretation”
Whenever I were asked to conduct Bible Study in colleges and universities’ Christian Fellowship I would introduce them to OIRA method. It is a standard and basic method of Bible Study. ‘O’ stand for Observation, ‘I’ stand for Interpretation, ‘R’ stand for Reflection, and ‘A’ stand for Application (Normally, I includes ‘Reflection’ together with ‘Application’). I think it is a good summary for all above points and good conclusion on how to interpret the Bible properly:
Observation always comes first. It considers what a text means. It asks what it says plainly in the text. What does it say? What is the actual content in the text? It answers questions: who, what, when, where, why and how.
Then Interpretation comes second. It determining the meaning of a text once all of the facts are in. our task is to discover the original intent and meaning of the author. What does it mean? What did God mean by what He said?
Finally, Application comes last. What does it mean to me? How does it apply to my life? Robert M. West writes, “Bible study doesn’t end with interpretation; it continues to the question, So what? The goal of Bible study isn’t only gaining information but also experiencing transformation. We’re not just trying to get through the Bible; we’re letter the Bible get through us. If there’s a good example, follow it. If there’s warning, heed it. If there’s a command, obey it. If there’s a promise, believe it.”
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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