The Need to Interpret

Chapter 1 Notes from How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

The Need to Interpret
Some people will often remark, "You don't have to interpret the Bible; just read it and do what is says!" Though there is some truth to that statement, as generally most people don't have trouble understanding Biblical principles, but instead struggle with putting it into practice. However, that statement is also false, as you often can't take the Bible at face value.

- The aim of good interpretation is not uniqueness, as unique interpretations are often wrong. Instead the aim is simple, to interpret the plain meaning of the text.

- The problem with us as readers is that we tend to believe our understanding is the same thing as the Holy Spirit/author's intent. However, everyone brings to the text all that they are, with their past knowledge, experience, culture, and so forth. So, whether people like it or not, they are always in the process of interpreting.

- Your Bible, whatever translation you use, as your BEGINNING point is actually the END RESULT of much scholarly work

- People can often interpret the "plain meaning" of the text to simply be what they desire that meaning to be, in order to justify or support their ideas

- The antidote to bad interpretation is not no interpretation, but good interpretation

- Much like the nature of Christ, the nature is Scripture is both human and divine - it has eternal relevance yet is given at a specific time, so it has historical particularity (conditioned by language, culture, and time of origin).

Step 1 - Exegesis
Exegesis - the careful, systematic study of the Scripture to discover the original, intended meaning (to hear what the original hearers heard)

-To make a text mean something God did not intend is to abuse the text, not use it.

-Good exegesis is to learn to read the text carefully and to ask the right questions of the text.

-Keys for good questions: context and content

Historical context - time, culture, politics, etc., figuring out the occasion an purpose of text
Literary context - placement in text, how it fits with the overall point of arguement
Content - definitions of words, grammatical relationships, etc.

Step 2 - Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics - how to apply these biblical principles to daily life today (how's does this apply to me?)