Lesson 7 The Interpretation of the Bible
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”. (2 Tim 2:15)
The aim of good interpretation is to get at the “plain meaning of the text.”
Two factors need to be noted in interpreting the Bible: the reader and Scripture.
The reader as interpreter
Every reader is at the same time an interpreter. As we read the Bible we also understand what we have read. Our understanding is affected by our prior experiences, our cultural background and our prior comprehension of words and their meanings. If we are not aware of this background influence, we may become less objective in our interpretation of the Bible and wrongly understand the teachings of the Bible.
The nature of Scripture
The Bible is the Word of God given in human words in history. The Bible is therefore both human and divine.
The divine aspect of the Bible gives its message eternal relevance. The message of the Bible is relevant for all peoples in all cultures for all time.
The human aspect of the Bible results in its message having historical particularity. The message of the Bible is given within the context of a particular people in a particular culture at a particular time.
When we interpret the Bible we need to bear in mind this dual aspect of the message of the Bible. We need to always begin from the particular historical context and end with the eternal significance.
We must first understand the historical context (the author, time of writing, the purpose of the writing and the historical background) and the literary context (the type of genre used in the writing in which the message was given). Then we need to do exegesis (determine what the message meant to the hearers at the time it was given; what we call the there and then). Finally, we need to do hermeneutics (determine what the message means to us now; the here and now).
Principles of Interpretation
(a) Interpret grammatically
(b) Interpret contextually
(c) Compare Scripture with Scripture
(d) Recognize the progressiveness of revelation
An overview of the Biblical Story
This overview will help us to keep the redemptive context of the Bible in mind as we interpret it.
(Genesis) In the beginning there is God. He is before all things. He creates the universe. The crowning act of creation is the creation of man in His image. The Fall of man separates him from God. Man is enslaved by sin. His relationship with God is broken. God then institutes His redemption plan. He makes a covenant with a man Abraham. Abraham and his offspring are to become a great nation and to inherit the land of Canaan. The story continues from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob (the story of the patriarchs).
(Exodus) Abraham’s offspring has multiplied. They are enslaved in Egypt. Through Moses God delivers them out of the oppression of Egypt. God meets with them at Mount Sinai in the Sinai wilderness. The nation of Israel is now established. God makes a second covenant with them. He gives them the law which includes the building of a tabernacle for God to dwell.
(Leviticus) The worship of God dwelling in their midst represented by the tabernacle as the dwelling place of God is done according to divine instructions concerning offerings and sacrifices.
(Numbers) The people prepare to leave Sinai and embark on the conquest of the promised
( Deuteronomy) land. Before they begin their conquest Moses gives them a review of their history, another overview of the law, and blessings and curses. Disobedience to God’s covenant meant exile but with the promise of restoration.
(Joshua) Joshua takes over the mantle of leadership from Moses. He leads the Israelites into the promised land.
(Judges) The Israelites turned to idolatry and disobedience. They fail to keep covenant with God. Israel is ruled by judges appointed by God. God had to keep on delivering them from oppression.
(Samuel) The Israelites ask for an earthly king. God gives them Saul and then David. God makes another covenant with David; that one of his sons will never fail to sit on the throne of Israel as long as they keep covenant with God.
(1-2 Kings) The kings did not fare any better than the judges. The story of Israel repeats itself.
(1-2 Chronicles) One king after another leads Israel astray into idolatry. Within two generations David’s kingdom is divided into two parts. The northern kingdom(Israel) falls to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The people cease to exist as an entity. The southern kingdom(Judah) falls to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The Babylonian exiles form the remnant who later returned to Jerusalem, thus continuing God’s redemptive plan.
(Ezekiel) The prophetic ministry of the prophet holds the people during this period of exile. The exilic period was a spiritually traumatic period for the people for they had lost their promised land and their temple. God promises them of a new covenant that is to come to be instituted in the coming of the Messiah.
(Ezra) The Babylonian empire was conquered by the Persians. The Israelites fared
(Nehemiah) better under Persian rule. A remnant was allowed to return to Jerusalem and they rebuilt the temple.
The Israelites go through a period of 400 years of prophetic silence, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. In fulfillment of the covenant with David, God sends His Son Jesus Christ as the Messiah in the lineage of David. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus climaxes the redemption plan of God. Through Him the broken relationship between God and man caused by the Fall can be restored. This redemptive act of God is effected for both Jews and Gentiles bringing them together into one body (the church). The Gospels witness to us the story of Jesus Christ. The book of Acts and the epistles tell us the story of the establishment of the church. The story continues with the Second Coming in the future and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth as revealed in the book of Revelation.
Conclusion
To interpret the Bible correctly it is helpful to have an overview of the biblical story, to keep to the basic guidelines of interpretation and to follow a context-exegesis-hermeneutic framework.
Review questions
- Do you think that it is important to learn to interpret the Bible correctly? Why?
- What is meant by context, exegesis and hermeneutics?
Evaluation and Review
Write a summary of what you have learned in this module based on the following questions.
Write a summary of what you have learned in this module based on the following questions.
- How does a person know that God exist?
- How does a person come to know God and relate with Him?
- Is the Bible inspired by God?
- Are there any errors in the Bible?
- What sort of authority does the Bible have over our lives?
- How do we know that the present books in the Bible constitute the complete text of the Bible as the Word of God? Can we add any more books to or take out any book from the Bible?
- How should a person interpret the Bible?
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