Do We Need to be Taught How to Understand Scripture?

In my last post I mentioned that I hope to follow my friend Glenn Lucke's advice to do some blogging on biblical interpretation.

So I begin today with the question "do w need to be taught how to understand Scripture?"  You may think it odd that I would ask such a question.  I will answer the question with a hearty "yes!"  But I asked it so that I can share what I believe is a very important qualifier.

The qualifier is this - most people can understand most everything they need to understand from most of the Bible most of the time.

I might even be willing to substitute the phrase "vast majority" every time I used the word "most" in the above sentence.

I throw out this italicized qualifier in remembrance of an exhortation from one of my Greek profs in seminary.  He loved Greek and encouraged us to study and appreciate the value of it, but . . . He said that sometimes pastors overdo the Greek from the pulpit and this can have an unintended and injurious effect.  It communicates to the people in the pew that their Bibles are insufficient.

If a pastor or teacher makes a habit of saying "the Greek word for this means . . ." and especially if that meaning often differs from the translation in the text they are reading, and super-duper especially if that meaning differs from all of the major translations, then the person in the pew can eventually imbibe the idea that their Bible is pretty unreliable.

My prof's advice can be expanded in a number of ways.  Even if we say something as innocuous as "to really understand this passage you need to know the historical background and delve into the grammar and . . . " might we accidentally convey that "to really understand this passage you need your Bible plus 50 lbs of dictionaries, encyclopedias and commentaries?"

Please understand - I am all for studying the Bible in it's historical, grammatical and redemptive-historical context and believe that such things deeply enrich our understanding.  But I also want us to never lose confidence that we can hand someone a Bible, say "take up and read" and trust that God can open the eyes of their heart to understand what is in the text.

 

Here are a few considerations which support what I just said.

1. The Bible is "revelation."  As revelation it is meant to "reveal," not "conceal."  It is not a book of hidden mysteries (although there are some mysteries in it), it is a book meant to open the understanding of the reader.

2. The Bible is "clear."  This has been a fundamental belief of Christians throughout the centuries.  The fancy theological phrase for this is the "perspicuity of Scripture," with "perspicuity" meaning "clarity."  The Bible, by and large is clear.  Yes, there are some things hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16) but only some are hard to understand, not all, not even most.  Most things are not so hard to understand.

3. The believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead Him into all truth (John 16:13).  Although this verse needs greater explanation and should not be taken alone as a full statement on the issue, I John 2:27 says that we have no need for anyone to teach us.  Again, we can't let that verse stand alone and uncommented on, given that God has gifted His church with teachers and commanded us to show proper respect to them.  But, the point stands, the Holy Spirit is able to guide us into all truth.

It is with that foundation that we can move forward into more in-depth study of Scripture.  But this forward move into more in-depth study of Scripture must also be carefully considered.

First of all, one of the foundational principles of biblical interpretation, possibly the foundational principle, is that Scripture interprets Scripture.  This means that anyone with a Bible can use that Bible to help them better understand those parts of the Bible that are hard to understand.  In other words, if Mrs. McGillicuddy is having difficulty understanding something in one passage of the Bible, we may not be able to give her immediate relief, but we can tell her with confidence that she has every reason to believe that if she keeps reading the Bible she has, widely and regularly, there is a very good chance she will find the answer she needs. 

Hence, the greatest method of in-depth Bible study there is, is to simply read the Bible - a lot!  To that end, I'm happy to recommend "The World's Best Bible Reading Program" by Dan Edelen or Joe Carter's post called "How to Change Your Mind," which "contains a four step process that could transform your life by, quite literally, changing your mind."

Secondly, there are numerous tools out there to help us understand the Bible and that will greatly enrich our studies.  But when we use those tools we ought to think of them as adding color depth to our understanding of what we read, rather than unlocking a bunch of secret hidden stuff that is unavailable to the average person.  Using the tools may help us go from a black and white picture to a color picture of the Bible.  The picture was there before, but the tools help us add color.  And going deeper and deeper into our study is like going from 8 colors, to 256 colors to 16 bit, 24 bit, and 32 bit color and more.  It's of great value, but this way of looking at things affirms the value of using more advanced tools for Bible study, while keeping us from thinking that only elites with those special tools can really understand the Bible.

Comments

[Bob W]

The plain statements of Scripture are so often much too plain for my taste. I mean, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" just doesn't leave much room for interpretation, now does it? Worse, that nagging word "ALL" just kicks the legs right out from under my high horse.

But there's nothing quite so refreshing as hearing the word plainly taught by one who's spent years preparing for the ministry and hours preparing for the lesson.

[David Wayne]

Bob - I agree wholeheartedly that there are few things to rival hearing the word taught by one who has spent years preparing. I just want to encourage everyone that they are capable of understanding the Bible themselves.

[DLE]

David,

Thank you for the kind citation of the Bible-reading plan I propose over at Cerulean Sanctum. I appreciate your confidence in that methodology. It's definitely not what most people hear, but I think it's a great plan. I know it's been good for me. in particular, my appreciation of Galatians this last year has increased significantly after spending several weeks going through that entire book day after day.

Blessings.

[Patricia Burns]

I believe that one needs to pray before one begins to study the Scriptures.

I believe that one must believe the Bible, as it is “written”; not read more into a verse than there is; as one example - believe the words of end-time prophecy: year, day, hour, as they are “written”.

I believe one should study as instructed at Isaiah 28:10, below.

I believe the Holy Spirit opens ones spiritual eyes. I also believe that insight comes from divine revelation through the Holy Spirit.

Isa.28:10 For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:

[Bonnie]

David, I appreciate your encouragement to the "everyman" (and -woman) that we can understand what we need to by just reading our Bibles.

But I have to admit that I find a lot of it hard to understand, and when I try to study (comparing translations, reading commentaries, etc.), things only get worse.

I read the introduction to the Comparative Study Bible the other day at a relative's home, and remember a statement to the effect that the job of translation is very complicated and difficult. Many decisions as to interpretation and rendering of the text must be made by scholars and translators, to produce a readable and accurate translation. It is not an infallible process.

I guess what I take from this is that the essentials of faith can be readily understand from a relatively faithful translation, but there are a number of lesser points that are not so clear. But it seems to me that many try to nail down these doctrines anyway, many of which are based on complicated cross-referencing, etc. But perhaps it's not wise to assume some things are clearer than they really are? (Or maybe I'm just an over-complicator...)

[becky baker]

Nothing takes the place of personal Bible Study. I have a Pastor who really believes that....and it used to frustrate me that his answer to most questions was "Just keep reading your Bible."
I thank the Lord for that wise counsel! Truly, Man does not live by bread alone.......

[Michael Snow]

I agree with both your hearty 'yes' and your qualifier.

Christians really need to get back to understanding the Bible's [God's] teaching on basics like love, forgiveness, etc. The spirit of the times has swayed many evangelical Christians in their understanding. [Just look at the divorce rate among Christians.]

And the problem amongst evangelicals with 'proof texting' without context remains a major short coming.

[Ikedi]

Wec definitely need to be shown how to read the scriptures, but the main teach is the the Holy Spirit, she will let us know if what we are being taught is correct or not http://www.themessiahspurpose.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-baptism/