Eighteenth Century preacher, J.C. Ryle, said, “We must read our Bibles like men digging for hidden treasure.” The late pastor of Westminster Chapel, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, said, “Every time we consider or study the Bible we are, of necessity, worshipping.”
Someone once said, “God feeds the birds, but He doesn’t throw the food into their nests.” This is true for the Bible student too. If we want fed from the Word of God, then we must search for the food that will feed us.
Bible teacher, Howard Hendricks wrote, “Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives. In fact, you are either in the Word and the Word is conforming you to the image of Jesus Christ, or you are in the world and the world is squeezing you into its mold.”
One of my favorite quotes from Pastor John Piper is, “Raking is easy, but it only yields leaves. Digging is hard, but you might find diamonds.”
The very first question in all of history was asked by the devil. “Has God said?” The first question ever recorded was a question of whether Eve knew the Word of God. If Eve couldn’t properly answer the serpent’s question then he could trap her. The devil knows the Word of God better than any one of us. It is important that you know Scripture and know how to properly study it.
Principles of Bible Study
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
1. Handling Scripture
There is a right way, and there is a wrong way to interpreting Scripture. “Rightly dividing” in the Greek means to cut straight. This word was used to refer to a stone mason laying bricks in a straight line; a carpenter cutting or measuring a straight line; a farmer plowing a straight furrow; building a straight road or path. Paul who was a tent maker may have been referencing his trade of cutting wood straight or fabric straight to build quality tents. If you have ever tried to cut a piece of fabric straight, or a piece of wood straight you know how difficult it can be. You have to have a steady hand or something guiding you. My mother was a seamstress and it always amazed me how she could cut a straight line in a piece of fabric.
Crooked interpretation of Scripture leads to crooked living. Straight interpretation leads to straight living. If you are going to walk straight, you must interpret straight. Correct theology leads to correct living. Crooked theology leads to crooked living.
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16).
Peter warned that Scripture could be “wrested” or in another words it can be twisted. Such twisting of Scripture leads to the destruction of souls. It destroys the one who is doing the twisting, and it destroys the souls of those who are taught twisted interpretations.
The greatest threat to Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church was the false prophet. It wasn’t idols; it was false doctrine concerning idols. The danger was the false prophet leading the people of God away from truth.
If we are to interpret Scripture properly then we must abide by the rules and principles of interpretation.
2. Hermeneutics
Biblical interpretation should strike fear into our heart with the realization that we are handling the very Words of the Eternal God. A God whose thoughts are not like our thoughts and whose ways are not like our ways (Isa. 55:8); a God who speaks (Matt. 4:4); The God who created the Heavens and the Earth by using words (Heb. 11:3). Understand this, that every word that He spoke had its intended purpose. When God said, “Let there be light” that is exactly what happened, light appeared (Gen 1:3). Therefore, God’s Word is intentional and has purpose (Isa. 55:11).
Hermeneutics is the science of Biblical interpretation. There is a correct way to interpret scripture and there is an incorrect way to interpret scripture. The Bible student is to be true to the text. It is not what is true to you, but what is true to the text. The Bible student is to read out of the text (Exegesis) and not into the text (Eisogesis). The belief that each of us could have our own interpretation of a particular Bible passage and that each of us is correct is called subjectivism. “Whatever you like is true for you and whatever I like is true to me.” This is what author R.C. Sproul calls subjectivism. In other words, what the Bible says is subjective to my interpretation. Truth only has one interpretation. It cannot be truth if there are multiple meanings. Then the interpretation is either true or it is false. This is why Biblical interpretation should be fearful to each of us. This is why it vitally important to interpret God’s intended purpose of every word that He has spoken.
Please keep in mind that the devil knows scripture (Matt. 4:3-11). While tempting Jesus, Satan took his liberty with interpretation and grossly took Scripture out of context. Jesus replied each time with, “It is written.” Satan attempted to single out a Bible verse and apply it to his cause. Jesus corrected Satan’s attempts by looking at how his flawed interpretation fit into the whole of scripture. We are no better than Satan when we twist and distort Scripture to fit our ideologies. We are no better than the devil when we misinterpret Scripture and take it out of context.
One must be converted before attempting to interpret the Bible. The unregenerate man is unable to discern the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14). His eyes have not yet been opened to truth. One must be filled with the Holy Spirit, for it is the Spirit that will lead us into all truth (John 16:13). However, being filled with the Spirit of God does not mean we are supernaturally enabled to know all things. Paul admonished the converted Timothy to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
Author A.W. Tozer wrote, “The Holy Spirit never fills a man’s head. The Holy Spirit fills his heart.” The Spirit filled Bible student is to fill his mind with the Word. The Spirit filled heart will help interpret a Bible filled mind.
To be true to the text one pursues the context. Context is fundamental to Biblical interpretation. Bad theology has been built upon the vacillating foundation of incorrect contextualization. This is where many have erred throughout history, cherry picking a Biblical passage and making it a doctrine. They refuse to look at the whole counsel of the Word of God and instead choose to build their thoughts only on part of the Scriptures.
There are several actions we can take and several questions we can ask to ensure correct context. First, we must work our way out of the passage. What chapter is the verse in? What book is the chapter in? What type of book is it? Is it an historical book, a poetic book, a prophetic book, or an epistle? Who wrote this particular book of the Bible? Who were the author’s intended readers? When was this book written? How does this passage fit into the scope of scripture? Are there other texts to which I can reference? These are just a handful of questions that we must ask before we can correctly interpret a particular Bible passage. A good place to begin finding these answers is a good study Bible. Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias, commentaries and handbooks are the tools that will help you mine for the vast riches of God’s Word.
Tips for Studying and Interpreting Accurately
• Each book of the Bible must be read properly. Reading history is not the same as reading poetry. Reading epistles is not the same as reading prophecy. Each literary genre must be given respect.
• Scripture interprets Scripture. Check your interpretation through the lens of the whole Bible. You cannot interpret the Bible through one verse; however, you can interpret one verse through the entire Bible.
• Don’t miss the forest for the trees. Read an entire book of the Bible before you attempt to interpret one verse from that particular book.
• Context, context, context! The context determines the meaning of the text. Historical context is the historical-cultural background of a Biblical text. Literary context relates to the particular type of book the passage is found in, and also relates to the words, sentences, and paragraphs that surround the passage. If our interpretation would not have made sense to the original writer and audience, we are probably going in the wrong direction. The true meaning of the Biblical text for us is what God originally intended it mean when it was first spoken.
Finally, beloved, one of Satan’s failed temptations in the wilderness was to entice Jesus to miraculously turn stones into bread. Let us not turn the living Bread into stone with our flawed interpretations. Instead, approach the Word of God with fear and trembling, leaning on the guidance of the Spirit to keep us true to the text.
Lesson One: The Purpose of Study
Lesson Three: The Practice of Study