Must We

1
Must We Interpret the Bible?

• It means what it says.
• Is there more to Bible study than just reading
  the text?
• Searchers Class 05

2
Have you been to this class?

• Teacher John read the next verse.
• John (reads the passage)
• Teacher John, what does it mean?
• John It means just what it says.
• Teacher Any other comments? Tim, would read
  the next verse?

3
Why Bible Study?

• Should we all go home and just read the text of
  the Bible?
• Are there passages that require some
  interpretation?
• What does the Bible say about the need for a
  proper interpretation?

4
Why Bible Study?

• 2 Timothy 215 - Be diligent to present yourself
  approved to God, a worker who does not need to be
  ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• Thayer - to handle aright, to teach the truth
  directly and correctly

5
Websters Dictionary

• INTERPRETATION, n.
• 1. The act of interpreting explanation of
  unintelligible words in language that is
  intelligible.
• 2. The act of expounding or unfolding what is not
  understood or not obvious as the interpretation
  of dreams and prophecy.
• 3. The sense given by an interpreter exposition.
• 4. The power of explaining.

6
Strongs Greek word

• INTERPRETATION
• Strongs 1955 epilusis - explanation, that is,
  application - interpretation
• Occurs 1 time 2 Peter 120
• Strongs 1956 epiluo - to solve further, that
  is, (figuratively) to explain, decide -
  determine, expound
• Occurs 2 times Mark 434 Acts 1939

7
Interpretation in NT

• 2 Peter 120 - knowing this first, that no
  prophecy of Scripture is of any private
  interpretation,
• Mark 434 - But without a parable He did not
  speak to them. And when they were alone, He
  explained all things to His disciples.
• Acts 1939 - But if you have any other inquiry to
  make, it shall be determined in the lawful
  assembly.

8
Expound in NT

• Luke 2447 And beginning at Moses and all the
  Prophets, He expounded to them in all the
  Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
• Acts 1826 So he began to speak boldly in the
  synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him,
  they took him aside and explained to him the way
  of God more accurately.

9
Expound in NT

• Acts 1823 So when they had appointed him a
  day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he
  explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom
  of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from
  both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from
  morning till evening.

10
Explain in NT

• Matthew 1515 - Then Peter answered and said to
  Him, Explain this parable to us.
• Mark 434 But without a parable He did not
  speak to them. And when they were alone, He
  explained all things to His disciples.

11
Guide in NT

• Acts 831 - And he said, How can I, unless
  someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come
  up and sit with him.

12
Interpretation

• Language Translation from Greek, Hebrew
• Type of Literature
• History
• Law
• Poetry
• Apocalyptic
• Setting / Purpose for writing
• Author / Speaker

13
Cautions

• Our prejudice We bring our preconceived ideas
  to the text
• Our desire We often want the text to teach
  certain things and we look for statements that
  support our desire.
• Previous teaching We start from what we know
  to be correct our understanding
• Basic assumptions We often start with some
  false assumptions that make our conclusions false

14
Rightly Interpreting the Bible

• What is the proper method of interpreting the
  Bible?
• Searchers Class

15
Method

• Method is a way or path of transit
• Bible Study requires that the proper path to be
  taken in order to arrive at Scriptural truth.
• This implies that improper paths can be taken

16
Method

• Having a proper method is important
• Heart surgeons
• To operate a computer
• Auto mechanics
• Warning in NT 2 Peter 316b - some things hard
  to understand, which untaught and unstable people
  twist to their own destruction, as they do also
  the rest of the Scriptures.

17
2 Peter 316

• This passage reminds us
• The Scriptures can be twisted
• Some things are hard to understand
• Using the wrong method will leads people to their
  own destruction

18
Do Not Mishandle

• 2 Corinthians 42a - But we have renounced the
  hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness
  nor handling the word of God deceitfully,
• 2 Timothy 215 - Be diligent to present yourself
  approved to God, a worker who does not need to be
  ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

19
God Created Language

• God created Adam and Eve
• He gave them intelligible speech
• God was able to communicate with them
• God chose language as a means for revelation and
  communication

20
God Created Language

• Deuteronomy 2929 - The secret things belong to
  the LORD our God, but those things which are
  revealed belong to us and to our children
  forever, that we may do all the words of this
  law.
• Same rules of interpretation must apply to the
  Bible as other speech

21
Intended Meaning

• We must not superimpose a meaning on the text
• We must seek to discover the meaning the author
  intended
• Meaning is determined by the author
• Meaning is discovered by the reader

22
Intended Meaning

• Exegesis drawing meaning out of the text
• Eisogesis superimposing a meaning onto the text
• By using eisogesis you can make the Bible teach
  anything you want

23
Intended Meaning

• Genesis 2464 (KJV) Rebekah lighted off the
  camel Here is a woman smoking
• Matthew 2417 top (k)not come down opposed
  to women wearing their hair up
• Ridiculous? Of course!

24
Context

• Person running for office saw that their name
  was last on the ballot
• Matthew 1930 Many that are first will be last,
  and the last first
• Knew they would be first in the voting because
  their name was last on the ballot
• They lost the election

25
Context

• Every Word is part of a phrase
• Phrase is part of a sentence
• Sentence is part of a paragraph
• Paragraph is part of a book
• Book is part of Scripture as a whole

26
Context

• No word or phrase can be divorced from the
  context
• Most errors will be corrected by a study of the
  context
• There are two types of context
• Immediate context
• Broader context

27
Context

• Immediate context paragraph or book
• Broader context the entire Bible
• Each individual verse does not exist in isolation
  but is part of the whole Bible.
• J. I. Packer, If we would understand the parts,
  our wisest course is to get to know the whole.

28
Historical Considerations

• Christianity is based on historical fact.
• Jesus was seen and heard
• John 114 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt
  among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as
  of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
  and truth.
• Many witnessed the resurrection
• 1 Corinthians 155-8

29
Type of Literature

• Historical (Acts)
• Dramatic epic (Job)
• Poetry (Psalms)
• Wisdom (Proverbs)
• Apocalyptic (Revelation)
• A parable should not be treated as history
  poetry is not apocalyptic.

30
OT in Light of NT

• The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed
• The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed
• The Old Testament becomes clear when seen through
  the lens of the New Testament.

31
Example of Jesus Christ

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Creation, Adam and Eve Matthew 1335 Matthew
  2534 Mark 106

• Matthew 1335 - that it might be fulfilled which
  was spoken by the prophet, saying I will open
  My mouth in parables I will utter things kept
  secret from the foundation of the world.

32
Example of Jesus Christ

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Creation, Adam and Eve Matthew 1335 Matthew
  2534 Mark 106

• Matthew 2534 - Then the King will say to those
  on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My
  Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
  the foundation of the world

33
Example of Jesus Christ

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Creation, Adam and Eve Matthew 1335 Matthew
  2534 Mark 106

• Mark 105-6 - 5And Jesus answered and said to
  them, Because of the hardness of your heart he
  wrote you this precept. 6But from the beginning
  of the creation, God made them male and female.

34
Example of Jesus Christ

• Matthew 2438-39 - 38For as in the days before
  the flood, they were eating and drinking,
  marrying and giving in marriage, until the day
  that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not know
  until the flood came and took them all away, so
  also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Noah and the ark Matthew 2438-39 Luke 1726-27

35
Example of Jesus Christ

• Luke 1726-27 - 26And as it was in the days of
  Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son
  of Man 27They ate, they drank, they married
  wives, they were given in marriage, until the day
  that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and
  destroyed them all.

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Noah and the ark Matthew 2438-39 Luke 1726-27

36
Example of Jesus Christ

• Matthew 1240-41 - 40For as Jonah was three days
  and three nights in the belly of the great fish,
  so will the Son of Man be three days and three
  nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of
  Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this
  generation and condemn it, because they repented
  at the preaching of Jonah and indeed a greater
  than Jonah is here.

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Jonah Matthew 1240-41

37
Example of Jesus Christ

• Matthew 1015 - Assuredly, I say to you, it will
  be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and
  Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that
  city!

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Sodom and Gomorrah Matthew 1015

38
Example of Jesus Christ

• Luke 1728-29 - Likewise as it was also in the
  days of Lot They ate, they drank, they bought,
  they sold, they planted, they built 29but on the
  day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
  brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

• Jesus consistently interpreted the Old Testament
  as literal and factual
• Lots wife Luke 1728-29

39
Is the Bible Sufficient?

• The average person can read and know the will of
  God
• John 1820-21 - 20Jesus answered him, I spoke
  openly to the world. I always taught in
  synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews
  always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.
  21Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me
  what I said to them. Indeed they know what I
  said.

40
Is the Bible Sufficient?

• The average person can read and know the will of
  God
• 1 Timothy 41 - Now the Spirit expressly
• 2 Timothy 315 Even a child can understand
• Isaiah 358 - A highway shall be there, and a
  road, And it shall be called the Highway of
  Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But
  it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road,
  although a fool, Shall not go astray.

41
Is the Bible Sufficient?

• 2 Timothy 316-17 - 16All Scripture is given by
  inspiration of God, and is profitable for
  doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
  instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of
  God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
  every good work.
• Scripture is complete, able to meet all demands

42
Handling the Word Correctly

• John 663 - It is the Spirit who gives life the
  flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to
  you are spirit, and they are life.
• Any reinterpretation that yields another Jesus or
  another gospel (2 Corinthians 113-4 Galatians
  16-9) will only lead to eternal death
  (Revelation 2011-15).