It is one thing to read the most popular, published, translated, studied, quoted, influential, and most accurate ancient literature ever. It is another thing to understand It. Understanding God’s Word to man sounds impossible. But God intentionally wrote It by inspiring men from all occupational, personality, and educational levels, using common everyday language, so all could easily understand It. He has also promised that His Spirit will use His Word in all hearts and minds that are willing to receive Him and His Word. That brings us to an important discussion on interpretation or hermeneutics of the Bible.
The Bible, just like almost all deep communication does contain non-literal language. But all communication should always be interpreted literally, unless it does not make sense when interpreted literally. If it does not make sense, then we should look for words or grammatical rules that tell us literally what type of non-literal language is being used. Non-literal, frequently figurative or symbolic language such as similes (comparison identified by the words “like” or “as;” e.g. Jdg. 16:12, where Samson broke ropes “like a thread“), or metaphors (comparisons that do not make sense literally and do not use “like” or “as;” e.g. John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches“), or symbols (something that represents something else; e.g. Rev. 17:18, “the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth“), or allegories (a story revealing a deeper spiritual or moral meaning; like two women, two covenants, two sons, and two places in Gal. 4:24, “Which things are an allegory…which is“), or types and antitypes (where a lessor symbol is used to refer to something greater in the future called an antitype; there are many types of Christ is the Bible; e.g. John 1:36; Rev. 17:14, “the Lamb,” Deu. 32:3-4, “the Rock,” etc.), or parables (a short clear earthly story revealing a higher heavenly, mysterious meaning, or spiritual truth; e.g. Mat. 13:3, and Jesus “spake many things unto them in parables;” like the Parable of the Sower).
You’ve heard it said, “that is just your interpretation.” No, there is only 1-correct or true interpretation or meaning, but many incorrect interpretations. There are many applications of that truth. Some verifications to discern whether your interpretation is incorrect can be performed by observing whether your interpretation is in conflict with the context of the specific passage you are interpreting, also if it is in conflict with any clear doctrine, or if it is in conflict with any other Scripture. Many bring to the Bible their bias or preconceptions, and unfortunately read into the text this “spiritual baggage.” This spiritual baggage can come from the unsaved, from cults, your family, or even from well-intentioned churches.
Some well-meaning Christians use a hermeneutic called “spiritualizing,” which certainly sounds spiritual and good, but is not supported as a means of understanding any communication. It basically permits the reader to take a specific statement, command, promise, or prophecy that is written to a specific person, role, group, or nation and substitute themselves or another role, group, or nation. This ignores the literal historical grammatical method of interpretation. No matter how well-intentioned a person is, it is not appropriate to take someone else’s command or promise and say that God Word said this to you. Now it clearly may be something you can apply in your life, but it does NOT change what It specifically means. The Bible says that “these things were our examples” (1Co. 10:6), but that does not give us the right to change the meaning or the audience. This may sound obvious, but there are whole branches in Theology where certain denominations, cults, and religions claim specific timeframes are spiritual, not literal, that certain roles are spiritual, that certain promises or prophecies to specific people or nations are spiritual, and not literal, etc. Some may take another passage with a clearly grammatical non-literal word and attempt to interpret that same literal word and change it to a non-literal meaning in an entirely different context and passage. This is not a proper hermeneutic or way of interpreting any communication and leads one to a misinterpretation.
We will not take the time here to discuss related topics of Dispensationalism (which I believe God worked in specific ways, with specific commands, with specific people, at specific times, e.g. only one command in the Garden of Eden, 611 or 613 commands of the Law, the Age of Grace or the Church Age, the Tribulation, the Millennium, etc.) or Dispensationalism’s related discussion that relegates certain commands to only being “Cultural” and not for us today.
Many wrongly employ what I call a “Dislike, Disbelief, or Disobedient Hermeneutic.” This is defined as anything a reader does not like, does not want to believe, or does not want to obey, they just claim it is non-literal or cultural, so they can say it means whatever they wish God had said. They want to accept a little of “Dis” (this) and a little of “Dat” (that). And of course, they believe they can still have God’s authority to back up what they want to like, believe, and do. Of course, this does not let God speak through His written Word, but permits the interpreter to make God’s Word say what they want it to say. This is deployed often by the unsaved, atheists, or immature Christians in order to reject what God clearly has written in Scripture. Many unsaved people who do not even believe or accept there is a God or that Scripture is God’s Holy Word, still frequently use this “Dis-Hermeneutic” and wonder why they have a “Mis-interpretation.“
This is probably one of the most frequently used devices by the unsaved or atheists to use when they say, “that is just your interpretation,” or “I don’t take that passage literally.” Christians are often compelled to change to a non-literal interpretation of a passage if they are repeatedly bullied and brow beaten by a politically correct “scientific” opinion. For example, the world believes it took billions of years to create the earth or do not believe there is any way Jonah and the great fish story could be true. So, they believe that both of these Biblical accounts must be reinterpreted as non-literal in order to accommodate the world’s “scientific” theory, or just reject them as untrue. As a result, theories of Theistic Evolution (God created all, but He used Evolution) like the Gap Theory (inserts unwritten events and billions of years in between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2) or Day-Age Theory (changes a “day” to a non-literal period of time so can be dynamically adjusted as science changes it’s timeframe guestimates) are all non-literal hermeneutical compromises.
Even Christians get compelled to change the normal literal meaning of a passage by hermeneutical gymnastic contortions to compromise God’s Word to fit with the prevailing worldly beliefs of the day. Most often, Politically Correct, is not Biblically Correct. And political correctness or acceptance almost always tries to reconcile a supernatural historical event by God and make it fit an unsaved naturalistic explanation, which will never work. It does not work intellectually, and it certainly is not appropriate hermeneutically. Don’t worry, don’t knuckle under, God’s Word has and will stand the test of time and veracity, and has like no other book! The correct method of interpretation of Scripture is just like any other communication, it is best when it emanates from a “Loving, Believing, and Obedient Hermeneutic.” When you love, trust, and obey God, you will love, trust, and obey His Word. This is the only way to have a spirit-filled proper hermeneutic, and that will be a literal interpretation, which is always consistent.
May God’s Spirit lead you into all Truth, especially the absolute authoritative, practical, wisdom of the Word, which is able to save you eternally, and give you life abundantly…above all that you can ask or think.
Well done godly brother! This is probably the best brief teaching on a biblical hermeneutic I have ever read. Thank you for putting it out there. Love and respect you soooo much! Jeff
From a Dr. and Pastor of Stepping Stones Church of McKinney, TX, and great man of God like you, that means a lot. Thanks.
What a fantastic Bible teacher you are! It is not often that we have the opportunity to learn from a man that has studied the Word of God since he was a small child, gone to Christian Schools up until he entered his Ph.D. program, and has loved and served the Lord his entire life. We always hang on every word of your teaching, and this study is no exception. May the Lord bless you and keep you, as you are making HIS name great on the earth!
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