Part 5: Interpretation How Do I Study the Bible? Give Me the Bible Part 5: Interpretation How Do I Study the Bible?

Revelation – What is the Bible Revelation – What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s revelation (Lesson 1). Inspiration – Can I Trust the Bible? Yes, the Bible can be trusted (Lesson 2). Formation – How Did We Get the Bible? There is a “chain” link between God and man (Lesson 3). Translation – Which Bible Version Should I Use? An accurate and clear version (Lesson 4). Interpretation – How Do I Study the Bible?

Interpretation

Bible Interpretation We Must Not Twist Scripture (2 Peter 3:16). We Must Give Diligence to Rightly Divide God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15).

Bible Interpretation OT interpretation is necessary. Dreams were interpreted or explained by Joseph (Gen. 40-42), an un-named man (Judges 7:15), and Daniel (Dan. 2, 4, 5). The priests “gave the sense” and explained the scriptures (Neh. 8:8).

Bible Interpretation NT interpretation is necessary. Words were interpreted (Mt. 1:23; Mk. 5:41; 15:22, 34; Jn. 1:38, 41, 42; 9:7; Acts 4:36; 9:36; 13:8; Heb. 7:2). Jesus interpreted the scriptures (Luke 24:27, 32, 45).

Bible Interpretation There was the gift of interpretation (1 Cor. 12:10, 30; 14:3ff). What About 2 Peter 1:20: “no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation”? This is speaking of the origin of scripture, not the right to study scripture.

Bible Interpretation What are the proper steps to study and interpret the Scriptures (Nehemiah 8)? First, examination – What does the text say (8:3)? Second, interpretation – What does the text mean (8:8)? Third, application – How does the text apply to me (8:18; see also Neh. 9:3; 13:1)?

Examination EXAMINATION – What does the text say? Read the text: “Seek out the book of the Lord and read” (Isa. 34:16). Read the text carefully: “Did you never read…” (Mt. 21:16, 42; Mk. 2:25) … “You do err, not knowing the scriptures…” (Mt. 22:29) … “Have you not read…” (Mt. 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31; Mk. 12:10, 26; Lk. 6:3).

Examination Read with understanding: “Let him that reads understand” (Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14) … “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Ac. 8:30). The OT was to be read (Ex. 24:7; Deut. 17:9; 31:11; Josh. 8:34-35; Isa. 34:16; Jer. 36:8; Acts 8:30-32; 13:15; 2 Cor. 3:14). The NT was to be read (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:13).

Interpretation Observation Observe the text: “What is written in the law? How do you read?” (Lk. 10:26). Observe where I am in the Bible: “takes away the first that he may establish the second” (Heb. 10:9).

Interpretation Where am I in the Bible? OT or NT? What type of Bible literature am I reading (law, history, poetry, prophecy, gospel, history, epistle, revelation)? What type of language am I reading (figurative, poetic, symbolic, parabolic, literal, narrative, etc.)?

Interpretation Question Ask questions of the text: “Of whom speakest the prophet…” (Acts 8:34). Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Interpretation Definition Define words: “Immanuel … God with us” (Mt. 1:23) … “Corban, that is to say, Given to God” (Mk. 7:11) … “Ephratha, that is, Be opened” (Mk. 15:42).

Interpretation What word am I studying? What is the Hebrew word (OT) or Greek word (NT) behind the English word I am studying? What does the English word mean? (A good English dictionary is necessary.)

Interpretation Construction Observe the grammar of the words in the sentence: “I am (singular) the God...” (Mt. 22:32) … “not to seeds (plural), but to your seed (singular)” (Gal. 3:16).

Interpretation Contextualization Keep scripture in its context: “For it is written, he shall give his angels…” (Mt. 4:6; quoting Psa. 91:11-12 out of context). Each text will have a literary context, historical context, cultural context, geographic context, and theological context.

Interpretation Harmonization / Correlation Scripture must harmonize with scripture: “again it is written” (Mt. 4:6-7).

Interpretation Collection Get all the Bible verses related to your study: “For this Melchizedek…” (Heb. 7:1-5) ... “For there was a tabernacle…” (Heb. 9:1-10). Put all the verses together into a coherent statement: “And again another scripture says” (Jn. 19:37) … “And to this agree the words of the prophets…” (Acts 15:15) … “and again … again” (Heb. 1:5-6; 2:12-13; 4:3-7).

Interpretation Evaluation Is this text applicable to me? I need to look for… Direct statements that apply to all Christians (Acts 15:1-9; 1 Pet. 3:1-2; 1 Jn. 2:3-4). Commands that apply to all Christians (Jn. 14:15; 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Jn. 5:3).

Interpretation Approved examples that apply to all Christians (Acts 15:12; 1 Cor. 4;16-17; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9; 1 Tim. 4:12). Necessary inferences that apply to all Christians (Acts 15:7-11; Heb. 4:6-9). Law that applies to all Christians (Rom. 8:2; Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:22; Jas. 1:25; 2:12).

Interpretation Silence (Acts 15:24; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 1:5, 13; 7:11-14). Pattern (Acts 2:42; Rom. 6:17; 2 Thess. 2:15; Heb. 8:5; 2 Tim. 1:13). Covenant (Heb. 8:8-13; 10:16).

Interpretation After all other study has been done, then you are ready to explain what the verse is teaching: “He opened (explained) to us the scriptures” (Lk. 24:32) … “And beginning with this scripture he preached Jesus…” (Acts 8:35) … “reasoned with them from the scriptures … opening (explaining) and alleging (proving)” (Acts 17:2-2) … “mighty in the scriptures … showing by the scriptures” (Acts 18:24, 28) … “Every scripture … profitable for teaching” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Interpretation Make sure that you are not adding to (eisegesis) or taking from the text in order to make your point (2 Cor. 4:6; 2 Jn. 9; Rev. 22:18-19).

Application Apply the text: “Do it” (Lk. 8:21) … “Hear … and keep it” (Lk. 11:28) … “Be hearers and doers…” (Jas. 1:22-25) … “fulfill the royal law” (Jas. 2:8) … “keep the things that are written” (Rev. 1:3). Hezekiah applied the law after it was read (2 Chron. 29-31).

Application Josiah applied the law after it was read (2 K. 22-23). Ezra applied the law after it was read and interpreted (Neh. 8).

How Do I Study the Bible? Examination … Interpretation … Application! We Must Have A Readiness of Mind to Study: Open Minds, Open Bibles, Open Schedules (Acts 17:11). Bible Interpretation is “Hard” When One is Dull of Hearing (Hebrews 5:11) and When One is Untaught and Unstable We Are Going to Twist the Scriptures (2 Pet. 3:16).

How Do I Study the Bible? Let Us All Be Willing to Grow in Knowledge (2 Peter 3:18; contrast with Romans 10:3 and Hos. 4:6).