Interpretation

Intro

Why do we strive to interpret well? The answer is found in 2 Timothy 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

We want to strive to understand God’s word correctly and apply it to our lives as close to rightly as possible. To do so you got to study and know how to apply. Think about math. You don't go to math class all the time and not study and expect to make well on a test. How much more important is our faith. Dr. Hendricks says this about interpreting:

We’re asking: What did this mean to him (God)? Before we ask what does it mean to us?

In other words Scripture can only be interpreted in one way, but applied in many ways. The depth of interpretation though many times can get deeper and deeper each time we dive into Scripture.

Things to Consider When Interpreting the Bible

The Bible was originally wrote in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.

Keep this in mind sometimes when the translators are translating to English their is not always a clean or fully descriptive translation. Some of the depth of a word can be lost if we don’t take time to dig in. Example we have used in the past is love. Greek has six different words for love. And when you figure out which one is used in a passage a lot more meaning can be pulled out of the word.

Don’t let your opinions or feelings get in the way of properly interpreting the Scripture.

Let Scripture mold you, don’t try to mold scripture. Read people who believe a little different than you, to help you keep your own culture from distracting you from truths. For example when i study the Old Testament I have a Jewish commentary I like to read some. I also have a Africa Bible Commentary and South Asia Bible Commentary I like to refer to when studying. Then sometimes I like reading some of the early church writings on Scripture.

Types of Biblical Literature

Exposition

Exposition- straightforward argument

It is kind of like appealing to a jury. Paul’s writings are expositions. When reading an exposition you typically don’t have a lot of figurative language. You can read it and for the most part pick out what is being said.

Narrative

Narrative- tells a story

Their are a lot of narratives in the OT. Their is narrative in the Gospels and the book of Acts.

Narratives can have a lot of subgenres. Uncover your plot to help draw the meaning out of the text. Apply your Bible study questions to the characters. Ask what have they done? Ask why?

Poetry

Poetry- type of literature based on the interplay of words and rhythm

(not my definition)

Typically are written as worship, prayer, and sometimes prophecy. You will see some figurative language given the artistic nature of poetry. Use some wisdom in deciphering if it is figurative or literal.

Is Psalm 100:3 figurative or literal language?

Psalm 100:3 ESV

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

One key to unlocking a lot of meaning from a Psalm is looking up the instance the Psalm was written out of. Realize the notes before you would the actual psalm are a part of the text, so their is trustworthy Biblical background info to be gained from them.

Best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.

Proverbs

Who can guess which book primarily this refers to?

the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs- a principle not a promise

Sometimes the proverbs are refereed to as wisdom literature (Proverbs 1:1-7)

Proverbs 22:6 ESV

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Do we see this truth play out every time? No. Do we see it most of the time? Yes. So if you follow the proverbs, you are setting yourself up for spiritual success. But if the result does not come out like the Scripture said tat it is a principal but their are things we do or others do sometimes that affect the outcome of our actions.

Prophecy and Apocalyptic

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Types of Prophecy

The two major categories of divine message are:

1. Prediction, or the foretelling of future events

2. Admonition, which can be either accusatory or exhortatory

This is a large part of the OT.

Apocalyptic- is prophecy that refers to end times

What book/s are apocalyptic? Revelation and parts of Daniel

Prophecy is full of symbolism, and a lot of times their will be double meaning to some passages. Such as Isaiah 14:3-23. This passage tells us how satan fail from heaven and also it tells of the overthrow/fall f the Assyrian king/tyrant Sennacherib.

Given the figurative nature of a lot of prophecy their is often a lot of debate on what is meant, in particular Revelation. Their is really four schools of thought on Revelation. To me Revelation is a fun book to discuss just because of so much debate surrounding it.

Most OT prophecy is a little easier to understand because of hindsight, the majority of it has been fulfilled and many times we see it fulfilled in Scripture. Revelation is still stuff to come, so it is easy to speculate. The main four categories it is broke down into: Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, Historic Premillennialism, and Dispensational Premillennialism.

remember this though when reading Revelation. Dr. Michael J. Svigel:

No passage of Scripture directs Christians to prep for the antichrist, but numerous passages instruct them to await Christ’s return. It’s a real problem if your end-times expectations are antichrist-centered (fear) rather than Christ-centered (hope) (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

How to Figure Out When Scripture is Talking Figurative/Symbolic

Default to reading literal. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

Sometimes the text will signal you to read figurative.

For instance when it tells you a dream (and many times the dreams are followed up with verses explaining). You see some simple examples of this in Genesis 37:1-11 where Joseph has two short dreams that are quickly followed up with explanations. Also we see these dreams fulfilled later on in Genesis.

Use the figurative when the literal makes no sense.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Do we go around stabbing people with our Bibles? No. So what does Hebrews 4:12 mean?

Resources to Help With Bible Interpretation

Concordances- helps find verses containing certain words

Bible apps really have replaced them.

Study Bible- Bible that has notes at the bottom of the page describing the verses.

Bible Dictionaries- regular dictionaries can help but sometimes when studying theology a Bible dictionary gives you a more exact and specific definition in relation to Bible study

Commentaries- are books that break down a verse.

kind of like having your pastor siting beside you.

Keep in mind though they are written by man and can contain errors in interpretation.

Bible reference Books- their are many resources to Bible study. You can get Bible books on Biblical maps, names, etc.

Quote good to keep in mind:

First the Word of God; then secondary sources