Getting a Grip on the Basics of Knowing How to Properly Interpret God's Word

I find it quite amazing that people who are on the social media especially the average churchgoer have not yet master the basic fundamentals of Bible interpretation.  It is very unfortunate that many who called themselves Christian leaders in the church today are unskilled when it comes to "properly" interpreting the Bible.  Instead of properly reading the scripture they in fact read over biblical passages of the Bible without taking into consideration the "wording" of the text of scripture, comparison passages that will shed light upon a particular difficult Bible passage nor understand the grammatical structure of the context of scripture as to its literal meaning, the type of literature, and the interrogatives so as to question the text in and of itself (2 Timothy 2:15).

   Once again the church have not yet graduated from "The Fundamentals of Bible Interpretation." Many believers remain to on the milk of God's Word by which their senses are not exercised to discern truth from error.  The centrality of the gravest of errors is when the Church deny that of the authority the Bible as to what the church ought to believe and how to live their lives (2 Tim. 3:16). Whenever their is such explicit denial of the inspiration of scripture as to say, "There are parts of the Bible that is "inspired" by God but other parts are completely inspired." The Bible God's Word must be the centerpiece of many evangelical pulpits today but instead the church seek some kind of spiritual "revelation" that is outside the boundaries of what God's Word says.  For emerging church leaders, postmodernist, and neo-evangelicalism that the absolute authority and inspiration of the Bible is not what is truly absolute, but what is relative:  that of personal interpretation, preference, and biases that is the "norm" of the Church's interpretation of the Bible. For many evangelical churches and its own leadership to deny that of the absolute truth of God's Word in favor of what is relativism is very much well on its way out the door of the church into the world (Rom. 12:2).  We see the evidence of spiritual apostasy that is running rampant in the professing church today (1 Tim. 4:1).

   Throughout this article I will begin to lay out the basics of Bible interpretation as to the church getting a grip on the fundamentals (1 Cor. 2:13, 14). The basics of Bible interpretation is comparing scripture with scripture. In so many words in order to understand a biblical passage/s of scripture is to find similar Bible passages to shed light upon the immediate context of scripture. It is always advisable to read the wider context of scripture as to its previous and preceding verses even chapter to understand the passage of scripture under study.  Even those difficult passage of scripture that are misunderstood is that there are other passage of scripture that will shed light upon it. The student of the Bible does not need to be discourage just because they do not understand the Bible.  The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to aid the believer in the understanding of God's Word. The Holy Spirit gives illumination; not revelation (Jn. 14:26).  God has already given the church the written Word in the form of such propositional truth (Jn. 18:37).  Now it is time that I give a preliminary view as the student of the Bible getting a grip on the basic of Bible interpretation (1 Cor. 2:13).

   First, for the student of the Bible is know the basics of Bible interpretation is to believe in the authority and inspiration of scripture (2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:16).  When it comes to the "authority" of the Bible is what the church ought to believe as it pertain to the Christian faith and what must governs our lives as believers. Whenever there is a clear denial of what God's Word says then it adversely affect the moral life and teaching of the church today (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).  Postmodernism, relativism, pragmatism, and mysticism have in fact blurred that of the church ability to be able to properly read and study God's Word.  We live in a postmodern culture and society that does not believe in the absolute truth of God's Word but what is relativism as to people perceiving there own "truths" by which the Holy Spirit does not bear witness.  In order for the student of the Bible to see the trees from the forest is for the student of the Bible to have such a clear understanding of the authority and inspiration of scripture (2 Tim. 3:15, 16).

   Secondly, in order for the student of the Bible to know the basics of Bible interpretation is understand the "wording" of the context of scripture. In so many "words" have meaning so as to understand it in light of the standard definition of the Bible.  There is no need to consult a dictionary first until the student of the Bible understand biblical words in light of its context. The inspired Word of God is what is spirit taught words by which it must be defined based upon the standard definition of the Bible. Semantics, spiritually "retarded" sayings and explanations, and worldly concepts cannot possibly explain the words of scripture that are in fact inspired by God. The inspiration of the Bible as it relates to the "words" of scripture are spirit taught words that must be defined based completely upon God's Word.  The problem with the church today especially those who called themselves biblical "scholars" are "guilty" of attempting to understand spirit taught words with such "worldly" definition.  The Bible warns against worldly philosophies and human speculations (Col. 2:8).  The most powerful arsenal in post-cult evangelism is the cultist utilizing Christian biblical terminologies by which they have totally different meanings. To strip the cultist of its most powerful arsenal is to insist they define biblical "words" according to the standard definition of the Bible. Many of the cults like Jehovah's Witness and Mormonism believe that Jesus was created and that the eternal Son was the "First" to be created. They deny the eternal preexistence of Christ who created the universe (Col. 1:15-17).  The word "Firstborn" is the misunderstanding of many cults today that believe that Jesus is God's First Created Being.  The word "Firstborn" according to Colossians refers to rank; not order. Jesus Who is the creator of the universe is to be worship as the eternal preexistent Son as to His creation of the universe (Col. 1:15-17).  For the student of the Bible to clearly understand spirit taught words that is inspired by the Holy Spirit are within the confines of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:15, 16). 

   Third, in order for the student of the Bible to know the basics of Bible interpretation is to compare scripture with scripture (1 Cor. 2:13, 14).  The best interpretation of the Bible is the Bible itself.  The student of the Bible must allow God's Word to speak for itself without "forging" the text of scripture. For the student of the Bible to understand a Bible passage is to find similar Bible passages that will shed light upon the verse under study.  Their are times by which the student of the Bible can understand any given Bible passage by looking at the wider context of the Bible: that of the books of the Bible and the unity of the chapters that make up the Bible as a whole.  Let's take for an example 2 Peter 1:20. In order to understand the background of this particular passage of scripture (2 Pet. 1:20) is to look at 2 Peter 3:3.  This particular passage of the Bible (2 Pet. 3:3) shed light upon 2 Peter 1:20.  It is very important that the student of the Bible begin to read 2 Peter 3:3 to summarize this particular verse in light of 2 Peter 1:20 to get a clear understanding of what it is saying.  Never should the student of the Bible give such "spiritual" meaning or explanation of 2 Peter 1:20 without first seeking to understand its "plain" meaning.  Their are cultist who will "spiritualize" their favorite passage of the Bible (e.g. "Bible prophecy") so as to proof-text the scripture. Whenever there is such pretext of scripture it becomes a proof-text (2 Pet. 3:16). The apostle Peter call such men as "unstable and ignorant" who distort the truth as they also do the other scriptures unto their own destruction (v. 16).  For many cult leaders to pervert that of God's Word will in effect causes many of their followers to promote such biblical distortion (2 Tim. 3:13).  

  Lastly, in order for the student of the Bible to know the basics of Bible interpretation is understand the grammatical structure of the text of scripture, the literature of the Bible, and interrogatives in questioning the context of scripture in and of itself (2 Tim. 2:15).  First, the student of the Bible must understand the structure of the text and how it is put together. Small words serves as a bridge to communicate one thought to another. Many times people overlook "small" words (e.g. "the") that serves not only as a bridge to communicating such thoughts of the original author's intent but is definitely apart of the whole of the text of scripture. To overlook or to misinterpret "small" words within the context of scripture is to miss the main content of the message. It is for the student of the Bible to know the grammatical structure of the text are put together. Just dealing with the basics of word structure in the text of scripture is the author's original intent as they were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). Secondly, when it comes to reading a chapter or  a particular Book of the Bible is that the student of the Bible must understand the type of literature they are reading. The Bible is not like any other book. It is God's Word to man by which God discloses Himself through the Person of Jesus Christ but also that of the written revelation of His Word (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16). Their are different kinds of literature in the Bible by which the student of the Bible must be able to discern the kind of literature that he or she is reading. In the book of Psalms is that of poetry, the writings of the OT is that of such prophetic, the Gospel which involves the life, teaching, and ministry of Jesus Christ, the NT epistles are both instructional teaching and doctrine of the church, and the Book of Revelation deals with the end times.  Once again it is so important for the student of the Bible to know what type of literature in the Bible he or she is reading. Thirdly, the student of the Bible must begin to ask key questions as to the particular passage of scripture under study. It definitely cannot be any questions but questions that are pertinent to the text of scripture that will in fact answer questions that are within its proper context.  Their is ill-advised but shrewd professing "Christian" teachers whose sole purpose of questioning the text of scripture is to seek such a "response" from his members or to "bend" that of the context of scripture to fit within the interpreter's contextualization of the Bible.  In so many words everything has to be seen through eyes of faith in regards to the interpreter's worldview devoid of the true objectivity of God's Word.
   Now as student of the Bible you have gotten first hand "how to" interpret the basics of Bible interpretation (1 Cor. 2:13, 14).  The student of the Bible must carefully avoid ill-advised leaders in the church today who will say that there is no need to study God's Word but allow the Spirit to give such spiritual "revelation." (2 Pet. 1:20).  Study is neither meditation nor meditation neither study. The church cannot afford to "substitute" that of the study of God's Word in favor of such "inward" voice of the Spirit. What the Church possess is the written Word of God in the form of such propositional truth (Jn. 18:37).  In order for the student of the Bible to understand God's Word is to be aided by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26). Even though the Holy Spirit gives believers the understanding of God's Word is that apart of understanding the scriptures is to studying diligently God's Word (2 Tim. 2:15).  It is unfortunately that there are so many of God's people who are lazy when it comes to studying God's Word. The reason for the proliferation of cults and heresies is the Church's misunderstanding of the basics of Bible interpretation and biblical theology (2 Tim. 4:3-4).



Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents.  Darryl is the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" by which it airs 24/7 @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. He is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? @ Amazon.com.  Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."