Interpret the Bible: Proven Steps to Prevent Confusion
- Hermeneutics is presented as the art and science of interpretation that helps readers understand Scripture in its proper context.
- Three core principles—observation, interpretation, and application—are explained as the process for arriving at accurate meaning.
- Cultural, linguistic, geographical, and genre gaps are highlighted to show why careful study is necessary to avoid taking verses out of context.
This question is absolutely dear to my heart: How do we interpret the Bible? When we speak about interpretation, we’re really talking about the process we call hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpretation by which we draw meaning from Scripture.
Believe it or not, all of us do hermeneutics each and every day. We interpret things on a regular basis, whether it’s a text message, an email, or a newspaper. We know how to contextualize what we read. So when we speak about hermeneutics, or how we interpret the Bible, we’re talking about how we correctly and accurately come to understand the meaning of what we read.
I want to be very clear that there are three dominant principles involved in this process that you’ll read about in this chapter: observation, interpretation, and application. When we speak about observation, we’re talking about reading the text and understanding what is there. This means reading it in context and making sure we are engaging with everything in the verse. Then, in interpretation, we begin to wrestle with meaning and do word studies to make sure we’re clear about what the author intended to communicate.Then, of course, there is application: what do we do with the information we have studied?
“All of us do hermeneutics each and every day.”
These are the three dominant concepts and principles we use for interpreting Scripture: observation, interpretation, and application. We cannot forget application, because what good would it be to interpret Scripture if we do not plan to apply it? But here is the caveat: if you want to have an accurate application, you must build it on proper interpretation, and it is hard to have proper interpretation if you do not do good observation. 
Observation, interpretation, and application are absolutely important to the process of drawing meaning from Scripture. That being the case, what is the reason for hermeneutics? Why do we have to interpret Scripture? It is important to understand the gaps that exist when we speak about interpreting the Bible.
The Bible, after all, was written in a different geographical area that we may not be familiar with. It was also written in different languages. The original languages of the Bible are Aramaic, Hebrew, and Koine Greek, and these are not languages that most of us are readily familiar with. Therefore, we need to close what we call the linguistic gap and the geographical gap.
“We need to close what we call the linguistic gap and the geographical gap.”
We have to travel back in time to understand how they would have understood language and how their geographical setting impacts how we understand Scripture. So there is a geographical gap, a linguistic gap, and even a cultural gap. This means they had a different cultural expression than we may understand. We need to become familiar with their culture, language, and geography, because all of that helps us properly interpret Scripture.
These are the gaps we must try to close when studying the Bible, and they make hermeneutics necessary. As we talk about the hermeneutical process and interpreting Scripture, we are not looking for some hidden meaning. We simply want to know what the text means in its proper context. That way, we can walk away with the proper meaning and ultimately have a proper application.
The hermeneutical process is very important. Another thing to be mindful of is that when we read Scripture, we are engaging with a multiplicity of genres. There are many different genres in Scripture, meaning different types of literature. For example, in the New Testament, you will read letters, and those letters must be understood in a certain way.
“These are the gaps we must try to close when studying the Bible, and they make hermeneutics necessary.”
At other times, you might read a historical narrative, which is a different kind of genre. When you get into the Old Testament, you may encounter prophecy, wisdom literature, or books that are poetic in nature. There are various kinds of genres in Scripture. The beauty of Scripture is that God gives us His Word through various literary styles, and it is powerful to engage with them.
This also means we need to be mindful of the kind of genre we are reading so that we can have a proper interpretation. I want you to read this chapter very carefully so that you can begin to understand the process of hermeneutics. How do we interpret Scripture so that we can walk away with a proper understanding of the will of God? God’s Word is absolutely important to our lives, but we have to know how to handle it properly.
We must handle the Word of God carefully so that we do not take verses out of context. I will tell you that the Word of God can never mean what it never meant. So we want to be clear about how we handle Scripture. Enjoy this chapter, because it is going to give you great insight into the hermeneutical process. God bless you, and I’ll see you at the next question.
This is Question #4 in Orpheus J. Heyward’s God’s Word: The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture.
