Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom,
but in those taught by the Spirit,
combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words -1 Cor.2:13
Biblical truth must be rightly understood in order to obey it properly. God wishes every one of His children to be able to “correctly handle the Word of truth” -2 Tim.2:15. God promises: Prov.1:23: “Behold, I will pour out My Spirit upon you; I will make My Words known unto you.”
But for this to happen we must pray: Ps.119:18: “Open my eyes that I might behold wonderful things from Your Law.” 2 Tim.2:15: We must also “be diligent to study to show yourself approved unto God, handling accurately the Word of truth.”
Understanding the Word of God is work, yes: but God will help you if you desire to know Him and His ways. Here is a simple guide to interpret the Bible.
[1] Context. Words have meaning in context. The surrounding verses and the context of the Scriptures as a whole provide the needed context for each verse.
Some words have more than one meaning even in the same passage. For example, the word “fear” is used in three different ways in 1 Pet. 3. In verse 2 it means “respectful behavior,” in verse 14 it indicates “intimidation,” and verse 15 signifies “reverence.” The context tells us which of the definitions is correct.
Surrounding verses must also be carefully considered and not just one isolated verse alone. For instance, a verse commonly quoted out of context is Prov.23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Many cite this partial reference and proclaim that one must think great things of himself, thinking positively about one’s business and possessions.
But when we look at the surrounding verses, this has nothing to do with positive confession or obtaining riches. Rather it is warning us about the deception of a rich man who flatters you for his own selfish purposes. It is a warning against greed.
Prov.23:4-7 says: “Do not weary yourself to be rich. Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, or desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so he is. He says to you, ‘Eat and drink!’ But his heart is not with you.”
[2] Harmony. All truth is one and individual truths do not contradict one another. For example, Jn.2:13-17 says that the Temple was cleansed at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, while in Mt.21:12,13, almost at the end of His ministry. This is not a contradiction but simply means that Jesus cleansed the Temple twice.
The clear passages interpret the unclear, and many difficulties in the Bible can be answered by asking the simple question, “In what sense?”
For example, God had told Adam that he should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen.2:17: “In the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
Yet when Adam ate of it, he did not immediately die. Has the Word of the Lord proved to be false then? No, by answering the simple question: In what sense? will resolve the difficulty.
The Lord says in Isa.59:2: “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you.” This resulted in them becoming “dead in trespasses and sins” –Eph.2:1. Many years later their bodies also died.
[3] Precept. The clearly stated commands and teachings in the Bible are what interpret biblical narrative. For example, when Abraham went down to Egypt he said to Sarah his wife in Gen.12:13: “Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live because of you.”
The narrative itself does not tell us whether this was right or wrong of Abraham. Someone may read this and may think that it is permitted to tell a lie in a difficult situation as Abraham did. But was it good what Abraham did here?
The narrative of Gen.12 does not tell us. His actions must be judged by the clearly stated commands and teachings of God found elsewhere in the Scriptures. But Col.3:9 says: “Do not lie to one another.” Thus interpreting the narrative by precept we see that Abraham sinned.
Another example was the fact that King David married many wives. Since he was a man after God’s own heart, a person may think that God approves of that. But when we read Deut.17:17 we discover that God says: “The king shall not multiply wives unto himself.” Thus the clear precept interprets the unclear narrative.
[4] Illustration. The narratives of the Scriptures may contain spiritual illustration contained in their historical stories. These provide a vast wealth of illustrations about Christ and His salvation.
Ex.12:1-29 gives the account of the Passover for the nation of Israel upon the evening of their leaving Egypt. They were to sacrifice a lamb to save them from the wrath of God.
Christ is our sinless sacrificial lamb. His own blood redeems us from the judgment of God that is coming upon the world. Jn.1:29 says about Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” 1 Cor.5:7 adds this: “Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed for us.”
Again, Heb.11:7 says: “Noah built an ark for the salvation of his household through which he condemned the world.” This illustrates Christ who alone can save from the wrath of God and carry those in Him to a new creation.
[5] Covenant. There is a vital distinction between the Old Covenant under Moses and the New Covenant in union with Christ. The basic difference is that what the Old demanded, it did not supply. What the New requires, God supplies through Christ.
What is true of the Old Covenant externally and physically, is seen to be true in the New Covenant internally and spiritually. Here are some ways this principle is evident.
Israel had the Law written on stone tablets. In the NT, 2 Cor.3:3 says that the Law of God is “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
Israel offered animal sacrifices. In the NT, Jesus offered Himself once as the final sacrifice for sins. Heb.10:14: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those that are being made holy.” And so now in the NT, Christians are directed in Rom.12:1 to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God.” Christians now offer up spiritual sacrifices of devotion and love from the heart.
In the OT, Israel fought human enemies with literal swords in the land of Canaan. In the NT in Eph.6:12: “our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers.” And the Christian’s weapons are not fleshly and physical but, spiritual as in Eph.6:16,17: “taking up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
Blessings in the OT for Israel were physical in the land of Canaan. But in the NT, Eph.1:3 says Christians are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Failure to understand the difference between the two Covenants will greatly confuse and hinder your progress in the faith. Trying to apply the requirements of the Old Covenant to Christians in the New Covenant cannot be done without spiritual ruin.
May the Lord bless you as you seek Him in His most excellent Word. We will be happy to help you in your pursuit of knowing Him as Jesus said in Jn.8:32: “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Copyright Steve Phillips 2020