Really Reading the Bible
On days when life is difficult and I feel overwhelmed, as I do fairly often,
it helps to remember in my prayers that all God requires of me
is to trust Him and be His friend. I find I can do that.
Bruce Larson
Part 2: Introduction:
The Need To Interpret
Often you will hear people say,
“You don’t have to interpret the Bible,
just read it and obey what it says.”
Such remarks are often a reflection or people’s protest
over what they see as “professional” scholars, pastors and teachers
who, through their interpretations
make it difficult for the common men and women of God
to feel they can interpret the Word on their own
These tend to ‘dig around’ so much in the word
that they ‘muddy the waters’
so what is read doesn’t seem clear anymore.
It is certainly true that Christians should
learn to read, believe and obey the Word of God.
and
The Bible need not be
an obscure and difficult book to understand
if it is studied and read properly.
Indeed the problem is often
that most people understand the Word too well…
but fail to walk in obedience to their understanding.
Example:
Philippians 2:14 instructs us to
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
When this is read by people
it is clearly understood,
but they often fail to apply it
to their daily life.
At times the preacher or teacher
may be prone to digging so deeply in the text
that they unintentionally cover up
the plain meaning of the text.
They dig first and look later.
The aim of interpretation
must always be accuracy
and not the endeavor to be unique.
Interpretation that aims or thrives
on being unique can usually be attributed to pride –
an attempt to out-clever the rest of the world.
It proceeds from a false understanding of spirituality
and fosters special interests
(the need to support the writers viewpoint theologically –
especially when dealing with texts
that go against their own bias or presuppositions.)
Interpretations that are unique
On days when life is difficult and I feel overwhelmed, as I do fairly often,
it helps to remember in my prayers that all God requires of me
is to trust Him and be His friend. I find I can do that.
Bruce Larson
Part 2: Introduction:
The Need To Interpret
Often you will hear people say,
“You don’t have to interpret the Bible,
just read it and obey what it says.”
Such remarks are often a reflection or people’s protest
over what they see as “professional” scholars, pastors and teachers
who, through their interpretations
make it difficult for the common men and women of God
to feel they can interpret the Word on their own
These tend to ‘dig around’ so much in the word
that they ‘muddy the waters’
so what is read doesn’t seem clear anymore.
It is certainly true that Christians should
learn to read, believe and obey the Word of God.
and
The Bible need not be
an obscure and difficult book to understand
if it is studied and read properly.
Indeed the problem is often
that most people understand the Word too well…
but fail to walk in obedience to their understanding.
Example:
Philippians 2:14 instructs us to
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
When this is read by people
it is clearly understood,
but they often fail to apply it
to their daily life.
At times the preacher or teacher
may be prone to digging so deeply in the text
that they unintentionally cover up
the plain meaning of the text.
They dig first and look later.
The aim of interpretation
must always be accuracy
and not the endeavor to be unique.
Interpretation that aims or thrives
on being unique can usually be attributed to pride –
an attempt to out-clever the rest of the world.
It proceeds from a false understanding of spirituality
and fosters special interests
(the need to support the writers viewpoint theologically –
especially when dealing with texts
that go against their own bias or presuppositions.)
Interpretations that are unique
for the sake of uniqueness are usually wrong.
Correct understanding of the text
may often seem unique
to the person that hears it for the first time
Uniqueness however is not the aim of our task
Our aim must be to rightly dividing the Word of Truth
15Be diligent to present yourself
approved to God as a workman
who does not need to be ashamed,
accurately handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:14 NAS
The Bible is full of deeply buried truths
waiting to be mined
by the spiritually sensitive person with special insight.
God doesn’t hide things from His children
He hides them for His children to find
as they are obedient to search the scriptures
The aim of good interpretation
is to get to the plain truth.
The most important factor in doing so
is enlightened common sense.
Correct interpretation of the Word
will bring relief to the mind
as well as a prick or prod to the heart.
While plain meaning is the goal,
interpretation is need for two reasons:
the nature of the reader
and the nature of Scripture.
Correct understanding of the text
may often seem unique
to the person that hears it for the first time
Uniqueness however is not the aim of our task
Our aim must be to rightly dividing the Word of Truth
15Be diligent to present yourself
approved to God as a workman
who does not need to be ashamed,
accurately handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:14 NAS
The Bible is full of deeply buried truths
waiting to be mined
by the spiritually sensitive person with special insight.
God doesn’t hide things from His children
He hides them for His children to find
as they are obedient to search the scriptures
The aim of good interpretation
is to get to the plain truth.
The most important factor in doing so
is enlightened common sense.
Correct interpretation of the Word
will bring relief to the mind
as well as a prick or prod to the heart.
While plain meaning is the goal,
interpretation is need for two reasons:
the nature of the reader
and the nature of Scripture.
End Part 2
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