“Biblical interpretation”?
You aren’t supposed to interpret the scriptures.
You are supposed to read and obey.
Simple instructions that God gives require no search for “interpretations”.
If you do not interpret the scriptures correctly, then how can you obey them?
Nowadays people like to say that the only ultimate reality is
personal opinion. This is especially true where “religion” is concerned. It’s “my beliefs” against “your beliefs,” and there isn’t anything solid or objective against which to measure our different viewpoints.
Don’t get me wrong. I realize that people can take a book like the Bible and try to make it mean whatever they want it to mean. That doesn’t prove that they’re justified in doing so. The words of Scripture
do mean something in their own right, whatever you or I may say about them. What’s more, they
can be misrepresented or misconstrued. So it’s
not just a matter of “personal interpretation.”
Think of it this way. In every trial, the defense, the prosecution, and each member of the jury all have an equal opportunity to examine the facts. Each of these parties may see those facts from a different angle. But in the final analysis there is only
one truth about what really happened. A similar observation applies here.
That’s why it’s so important to study the Bible carefully, diligently, and with as much help as possible from those who are trained and skilled in the art of “rightly dividing the Word of Truth” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Biblical interpretation or
hermeneutics is a broad and complex subject. If we really want to grasp the
intended meanings of Scripture, we will have to do our homework.