The truth is, we interpret things every day. Every time we read something we interpret what we are reading. We don’t even realize when we are doing it. This is the good and the bad with interpreting the Bible.
What is the most common question people ask after reading the Bible? It is a very reasonable and important question. Are you ready for it? Here it is:
What does this passage mean for me?
This question is so important for any person who wants the Bible to speak into their life. However, this is a question of application, not interpretation. It isn’t the right question. At least, not yet.
Before you try to understand what the Scripture means for you, you must first understand what the Scripture means.
This is the most challenging part of really understanding the Scriptures. I naturally want to know what it is telling me. I interpret as I am reading (often unknowingly), and then try to figure out what God is telling me.
The goal of a solid interpretation is to first understand who the writer was writing to and what the writer meant for them. Then, I can consider how, or even if, this passage could relate in our day. Only then can I determine what the passage means for me.
This is why I suggest that basic Biblical interpretation happens in three phases:
- Interpretation begins before you read.
- Interpretation builds as you read.
- Interpretation broadens after you read.
1. Interpretation begins before you read
You might be surprised to learn that good interpretation begins before you even pick up the book.
The Bible is not impossible to understand, nor too complicated for anyone to interpret. Truly most of what it says is pretty clear. We just need to begin with the honest reality that what may have been obvious to the people back then may not be so obvious to us today.
Before you start reading it is helpful to understand a few things about the Bible.
- The Bible is a collection of 66 books (traditionally)
- There are over 40 authors across all of the books
- The Bible was written over the course of about 1400 years
- The Bible was written in three primary languages
- The Bible is based in a culture that is likely very different than the culture you live in today
- Different parts of the Bible are written in different styles that should be read and interpreted differently: history, law, poetry, narrative, instruction, prophesy and more.
- Oh, and the last book was written about 2,000 years ago
When you begin reading a book of the Bible it is very helpful to learn the background, context and setting of the book. What time was it written? Who was it written to? What styles of writing are used in this book?
There are plenty of commentaries (often within your Bible) that can start you off in the right direction.
2. Interpretation builds as you read
Once you have a general overview of the book or passage, then you read the passage and try to understand what the original reader (or hearer) may have been understanding.
The passage cannot mean to you what it could not have possibly meant to them.
Each of us have different experiences that come across our mind as we read. These experiences have the potential to enhance or distort the actual intent as we read a passage. This is why we need to do our best to read with the original intent in mind.
3. Interpretation broadens after you read
Once you’ve finished reading, then you can bring clarity to the passage with a few key questions. These questions come before “what does this mean for me?” (next week’s topic). The good news is that you don’t need to know all of these answers before you ask “what does this mean for me?”
Here are the next questions:
- What is the main point of the passage? Another way to ask this is: “Why did the author write this passage?”
- How does this passage relate to the passages before?
- How does this passage relate to the passages after?
- How does this passage relate to the rest of the book?
- How does this passage relate to the rest of the Bible overall?
- How does the meaning of this passage relate to today? What similarities exist between this passage and the modern day?
Not all of these are easy questions. Many of them take time to consider and ponder. That is why I say, “Interpretation broadens after you read.”
Biblical interpretation is a process, not an event.
The truth is, the process of biblical interpretation will continue throughout the life of a believer.
Next week we talk about application – what does it mean to me?
The better your interpretation, the better your application!
For those who are interested in a helpful book for those beginning the biblical interpretation process, I encourage “How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart.
Here is a note for the friendly Bible scholar who may be reading this. I have intentionally not used words like “hermeneutics” or “exegesis”. This is also why I did not dive into the multitude of interpretation principles (repetition, first mention, comparative, progressive, etc.). “Why not?” you ask. Because the purpose of this short blog is to give the reader a simple tool for biblical interpretation. That said, I encourage you to share the tools you use to help you interpret the scripture.
Love and blessin’s,
David