Interpreting the Bible is very wonderful if we can do it well. There is no better time to discuss like this. Three reasons will be adduced. One is the rate of Biblical ignorance and illiteracy in our generation among both the clergy and the laity. If some are confronted like the Ethiopian Eunuch and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” the answer will still be “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8: 30).
This will be in spite of the years they have been in the church, and these may be the humble ones! The second reason is the rate of heresy out there, which is stylishly creeping into our folds too.
It is the days of what a General Overseer (GO), TV evangelist, an eloquent speaker, or renowned or acclaimed prophetic speaker says – not what people sit down or deduce from the scripture through their personal Bible study and proper interpretation skills. The third reason is the haste to get into application, prayers and prophecies or prophetic declarations without understanding what the passage meant.
So. We shall go into three important assignments as we embark on this task. First, we will seek to understand what Bible study and interpretation is, look at different types and ways we can engage in it, consider useful tools in the exercise and go into some practical sessions to see how we can do it ourselves.
Bible Study and Interpretation
While we want to avoid technical theological terms as much as possible, we would still consider some basic concepts and see the simplest ways we could capture their meaning. The two basic theological terms for interpretation are exegesis and hermeneutics.
Exegesis is derived from the Greek exegeomai, which means “to lead out” or to “draw out.” Exegesis, therefore, is interpretation. Once there is a close reading of the text to decipher its meaning, exegesis is done. Hermeneutics is defined as “the art or science of interpretation.”
It is from the Greek hermeneuo (which means to interpret). It is also defined as the art of understanding a world different from the one in which the text originated. A simpler way to define Hermeneutics is to see it as the study of the principles and methods of interpretation, in this case, understanding and correctly applying the Bible.
Illustrations of the Bible Study
It is a science because it follows certain predictable methods or rules. But that has a limitation because Biblical hermeneutics deals with human beings. It is also an art because it demands some skills. Basically, we can say that Hermeneutics is the art and science of Bible interpretation, and exegesis is extracting from a document what the original author intended to communicate.
One word that is usually brought in at this time is Exegesis. While in exegesis, the interpreter brings out the true meaning only inside the text, in eisegesis, the interpreter brings out meaning from outside the text. Eisegesis is from a compound grade term meaning “to lead into.” So, eisegesis is “a twisting of Biblical texts and a forcing on them of alien readings.”
Needs for Interpretation of the Bible
Since we aim to interpret the Bible by studying it appropriately, we will also need to examine the meaning of two words related to Bible study. They are inductive and deductive. By “induction”, we mean “evidential”.
Inductive Bible Study is a “commitment to the evidence in and around the text to allow that evidence to determine our understanding of the meaning of the text, wherever the evidence may lead.” By deductive, we mean “prepositional”.
It is a “commitment to certain assumptions (whether stated or implicit) that we allow to determine our understanding of the meaning of the text. Interpretation is, therefore, a process of bringing out the meaning of the text before explaining and applying it to our contemporary life and situation.
This could then be done inductively by allowing the evidence in the text to determine our understanding and meaning, or deductively by going into the text with our presuppositions.
Interpretation Types
Why do we need to take the issue of study and interpretation seriously and acquire the right skills for it? It is because of the gap between the ancient and modern readers and interpreters.
Examples of those gaps are:
- Historical – Thousands of years apart
- Geographical – Climate/weather/topography
- Cultural – Ancient Near East compared to Yoruba.Igbo/Hausa
- Literacy – Genre, Figures of Speech, Language
- Grammar – Language
Closing this gap is not a cheap task. It involves going right into the world of the Bible writers to understand what they mean and how their listeners understood them before relating them to our own time.
Engaging in Bible Study and Interpretation
Thomas D. Lea suggested three ways in which Bible study could be done. This is sketched out in this table.
Synthetic Bible Study
This helps us get a complete overview of a Bible book by reading in a single sitting. This gives the Big picture.
Analytical Bible study
This comes by shower, closer observation and deliberate study of the Bible for clear details. Words, sentences, paragraphs, prayers, commandments, and promises become significant and take a new meaning.
Background of the Bible Study
This takes us to the background and setting of the Bible book, who wrote it, why it was written, and what conditions surrounded its writing? This is where the history, geography, culture, political, economic and social factors influencing events in the Bible are studied.
We are more interested in the Analytical Study in this effort. But before going into some practical exercises, here are very important steps to take in the Bible study directed at correct interpretation.
1. Understand the writer’s meaning
This happens by discovering the writer’s literal meaning and figures of speech.
2. Observe the context
This may be context in terms of the section of the Bible where the verse or passage occurs or the culture or circumstances in which the statement or event occurred.
3. Accept the limits of revelation
In the words of Lea, “You should cultivate the ability to be content to know only what God wants you to know. The serious Bible student does not find it necessary to demand from the Bible answers that are not there.”
4. Identify the type of writing
Identify the genres – poetry, prophecy, narrative, letters/epistles and some consisting of sub-genres. Be alert to figures of speech when dealing with poetry or prophecy, and be more literal when dealing with narratives.
5. Use the Bible to interpret itself
Some Bible passages are difficult to understand, and become clearer when other passages illuminate it or when issues are raised briefly in one passage and explicated upon in another. Passages that fully cover a subject are best used to discuss doctrine (e.g 1 Cor. 15, Heb 11)
Apply properly by
- Applying according to its real meaning
- Using the Bible as a book of principles
- Using promises properly
- Using cross-cultural understanding
- Using the Bible wisely
Analytical Bible Study
This comes by slower, closer observation and deliberate study of the Bible for clear details. Words, sentences, paragraphs, prayers, commandments, and promises become significant and take a new meaning. The following are the steps of Analytical Bible Study
- Make a personal paraphrase
- Use observations, questions and answers
- Summarise the content
- Make a comparison
- Apply the Bible
Step 1: Make a personal paraphrase
- Use a periscope
- Read several times in different versions
- Notice the main verbs of the sentences (are they statements, exclamations, questions or commands)
- Observe important nouns (note words or phrases which modify the nouns as they help in your paraphrase)
- Paraphrase the writer’s thoughts, attitudes and purposes. Check with modern translations.
Step 2: Use observations, questions and answers
Observation can also come in the form of questions
- Who?
- What?
- Why?
- So what?
Observation can also come in form of checking out.
- Key: verbs (lexical), nouns, adjectives, adverbs
- Type of statement: advice, warning, exclamation, promise
- Contrasts and comparisons
- Repetitions: repeated words/phrases
- Questions: questions introducing new ideas or summaries
- Connectives: words like but, if, therefore, so that?
- Grammar: verb tenses, use of pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs
- Atmosphere: general tone of the passage
- Literary form: genre
- General structure: how the ideas relate to each other
Step 3: Summarise the Content
This can be done by stating a conclusion about what you have observed and questioned. What do you consider that the Biblical writer meant as he spoke his words? This can also be done by constructing an outline of the passage, using the declarations, commands or questions with a purpose as the main points.
Step 4: Make a comparison
This is a process of comparing a passage with other passages which teach or illustrate the same message. The comparison may be in terms of topics or subjects, persons or events and context.
Step 5: Apply the Bible
Useful questions include:
- What am I to believe?
- What am I to do?
- What have I learned about relationships?
- Is there a promise which I need to chain? What are the conditions?
Useful Tools to Use
- Bible (different versions)
- Commentaries
- Bible Atlas
- Concordances
- Online tools
Conclusion
The Bible is unparalleled as an asset of the Christian church and of individual believers. But it was written in a different culture, a distant land and a date from contemporary readers. So, it has to be properly studied, interpreted and applied.
Having looked at some skills in getting this task done, it behoves us to take the practical steps of daily study of the Word of God for our personal growth and daily witnessing to both believers and non-believers. You can read more similar posts on our Bible teaching page of the site.
