BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE (PART III)

Attitude determine one's aptitude!  What must be our attitude towards interpreting God's Word? It is the goal of the interpreter of the Bible is to seek the plain meaning of scripture? Or should we seek to "personalize" God's Word as it relates to our present situation?  Why is it that there is no interest in sound biblical doctrine in place one's own personal interpretation of the Bible? Throughout this article I will begin to address such questions in light of the Bible; not the Bible in light of one's own personal preference when it comes down to interpreting scripture within a person's culture understanding in "how" they interpret God's Word.

Even though there are some who wonder why are there is many interpretations of the Bible have not consider the fact that it is due to the sinfulness of man's heart (Jer. 17:9).  Man because of his sinfulness have such unbelief whose attempt is to go against the clear teaching of scripture despite of the contrary. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.  Unbelief, suspicion, and evil surmising stems from man's corrupt sinful heart.  The problem is not with the Bible; the problem is with man. God Who is the Author of the Bible is divine Truth, therefore the Holy Spirit does not contradict Himself (Jn. 14:26).  

The Believer Must Have a Proper Attitude towards God's Word

Many of liberals have accuse many of "fundamentalist" Christian of worshiping the Bible.  The reason for such accusation is that the Bible become the Christian idol of worship as to their belief in the authority and inspiration of the Bible as their final authority (2 Tim. 3:16).  Many of liberal scholars and theologians have sought to "deconstruct" the Bible so as to questioned its truthfulness and reliability.  The approach by which theological liberalism interpret the Bible is through that of textual criticism, history, and grammatical epoch. 

Even though many of "fundamentalist" Christian who have a literal approach in interpreting the Bible, but the same accusation that they accuse liberals of mishandling God's Word are charge with "spiriualizing" the context of the Bible so as to seek some "deeper" meaning of scripture.  Instead of believers seeking to understand the plain meaning of scripture is that they seek to read beyond the "mere" words of the Bible.  In order that a person to "fully" understand God's Word is to be given some "specific" revelation from the spiritual realm from the above, or Pleroma (Col. 2:18, 19).  

Many Charismatics and Pentecostals have also accuse "traditional" churches of possessing the letter of the law; not the spirit of the Word. Such charismatic will contend that the "letter kills, but the spirit gives life" by which they will have the Church to believe.  The Holy Spirit gives illumination; not revelation.  The revelation of the Bible is God's message to His people: that which He has disclosed of Himself.  There is no need for any further revelation, nor revelation of the spirit (2 Pet. 1:20).  For any person to add or take away from God's Word is to incur God's divine judgment (Rev. 22:18-19).

It is a fact that many Charismatics are "guilty" of idolizing such spiritual "revelations" that is outside the pale of biblical orthodoxy.  The "revelations" in and of itself is their source of authority; not what is nature and character of scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).  The reason for the proliferation of cults and heresy is due to the Church improper attitude towards God's Word; that of its reverence and respect for the Bible.  We cannot no longer treat the Bible (i.e. the Book) as any other book or literature.  The Bible must be acknowledge for what it is: that of being the inspired, inerrant Word of God.

The Goal of the Interpreter: Seek to Understand the Plain Meaning of Scripture

What does it mean to understand the "plain" meaning of the Bible?  It is important that the interpreter of the Bible compare scripture with scripture (1 Cor. 2:13).  Whether the scripture is in whole or part that each part of the Bible must have such corresponding parts so that everything will be in its proper place.  

The interpreter of the Bible must ask a series of questions so as to establish the true biblical meaning of the context of the Bible. The most fundamental of all questions is for the interpreter to ask of the biblical text of scripture, "What does this particular passage mean?" For the true interpreter of the Bible to establish the concrete meaning of the particular passage under study is to look at both the immediate context as well as its surrounding context.  We must look at previous and preceding passages of scripture in shedding light upon the immediate context of the Bible.  Such interpreter of the Bible must be prayerful as well so that the Holy Spirit give such spiritual illumination in understanding the scripture.  Without a person being born of the Spirit will be impossible for unbelievers to understand God's Word (Jn. 3:3-7).  There are unbelievers, infidels, and agnostics who would attempt to understand the Bible without having such a changed heart.  

Thus the goal of the interpreter is to seek to understand that of the Bible; not that of a person's own preference. Postmodernism, relativism, and pragmatism have in fact rob the Church of its understanding of the Bible, thus people today have chosen their own way in "how" they perceive the truth of God's Word.

The Bible: Personal Interpretation

There are many believer who are also "guilty" of personalizing God's Word as to put their "name" in a verse. For example: The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me."  Interpretation goes before application, but the twisted logic of many within that of the professing church today is always application; not interpretation. In order to properly interpret Philippians 4:13 is to look at previous passages of scripture that will shed light upon what Paul states in this particular verse.  Paul itinerary ministry was faced with many oppositions as he was called to preach the Gospel (vss. 10-12). The application in regards to Philippians 4:13 is that many times as believers will have experience God's grace and strength to sustain us through life difficult moments in our spiritual lives.  Interpretation must be first before we seek such application of the Bible.  

So for the Church to "personalize" God 's Word for example Philippians 4:13 by saying, "I, name here can do all things through Christ who strengthened me" so as to interpret this verse as for the believer to make such affirmation of faith, or positive confession by affirming, "Greater is he that is within me than he that is in the world" not only misinterpret the Bible passage, but with wrong application.  

Many of prosperity faith teachers are "masters" at putting money in many of verses that they utilize (3 John 2) so as to accumulate wealth at the expense of their followers.  Whenever there is wrong interpretation of the Bible it leads into such illogical and irrationality.  Everything in scripture is interpret at the whim of the interpreter of the Bible at its own will.  A person can make the Bible say whatever they want it to say, but it does more harm to its divine message.  People who sit under unorthodox leadership and churches will have a wrap sense of the Bible, God, and the world around them.  

For believers to claim their own "personal" faith at the altar of sharing one's faith is not genuine faith, but a counterfeit faith that does not edify the church.  

The Need for Sound Doctrine Avoided by the Church

The apostle Paul declares in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [3]  But in verse [4]: They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  The question [?]: "Why is there less of a interest in sound biblical doctrine in place of false doctrine? "  

Many of Believers are Lazy

There is a frontal attack upon churches and ministries who accurately interpreting God's Word of truth as being too doctrinal.  There is a disdain for propositional truth, or doctrine simply because of the fact that "doctrine" is associated with "tradition."  The "traditional" churches are accused of "having the letter of the law; not the spirit" as to relentlessly interpret biblical doctrine and theology.  Many of believers are not willing to do the leg work in order to dig out the "spiritual" nuggets of God's Word in understanding scripture. Such lazy Christian are so codependent upon the leadership of such authoritarian leadership that they are also willing to let anything go down their spiritual windpipe. Such gullible naive believers are carried about with every wind of doctrine by the cunning craftiness and trickery of men that have in fact led them astray.  

Biblical Christianity VS. Experiential Christianity

True biblical Christianity is based upon the content of biblical truth.  Experiential theology is based upon what is "mere" experience who are clueless as to know biblical truth.  Many of churches today whose preaching is based upon what is prophetic revelations through some self proclaimed prophet who claim to receive a fax from heaven to give to believers today.  Many believers faith have become so toxic is that the "word" of a prophet carries more weight than God's Word.  They also wait in the line for the latest "word" of such self-proclaim prophets as God's spokesperson that they too are spiritual "junkies" looking to get a "spiritual" fix in place of them desiring to want to know the truth of God's Word.  In order for faith to be authentic is through what is experiential, esoteric revelation; not what is the content of biblical truth. Subjectivity holds sway within the church today than what is the objective truth of God's Word (Jn. 4:24).

The Power of Myth

The whole idea of myths have in fact infiltrated the church today. There are false teachers who have convince themselves and others as to be in God's presence through such OBE experience, conversation with the Almighty, and receiving some "newer" or fresh revelations.  Whenever believers are ignorant concerning the truth of God's Word are prime candidates for proselytizing and cult recruitment. The power of myth have such a "spiritual" awe whereby false teachers act as if they are God who pronouncement of judgment upon those who does not give heed to their prophetic message.  The intoxication of myth causes people to suspend their God-given reasoning for what is within a person's own [human] spirit. Truth comes from within; not without.  People become the criterion of their own truth, but it is revealed within their spirit.  Therefore such individuals deny the authority and inspiration of the Bible in place of what is revelatory knowledge. The "avenue" by which a person is saved is through spiritual knowledge, or "gnosis"; not through personal faith in Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:36).  The "Faith" believer must "recognize" the god within as the Master over sin, sickness, disease, and death. The awesome power of myth is that it drain the lifeblood of the church into such mythological thinking (1 Tim. 1:3-11).

Rev. Darryl L. Miller, is founder & Lead pastor of Contending for the Faith Church of Decatur, Georgia. He is also president and Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries and travels extensively throughout the United States and the continents. As a apologist, pastor, evangelist, senior researcher, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of Atlanta, Georgia. 

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