Lesson 5

How To

Study the Bible Lesson 5: Step Two Is Interpretation

By Shane Scott

In the last lesson we studied the first step of the Bible study process: Observation. Now we are going to continue with the second step: application. The method we are going to follow consists of three basic steps:

STEP ONE: OBSERVATION: What does the text say?

STEP TWO: INTERPRETATION: What did the text mean to its original recipients?

STEP THREE, APPLICATION: What does the text mean to me?

The Need for Interpretation

In Acts 8 the Ethiopian eunuch was reading a section of Isaiah, or observing. But his observations were not adequate to understand the text he was reading. He needed someone to guide him. This episode illustrates the need for interpretation.

Interpretation is necessary because several barriers exist between us and God's word. The first barrier is simply that of communication. It is hard to always communicate clearly with someone else. There are language barriers. Even though there are many good translations of the Greek and Hebrew, there are still many nuances that English speakers may miss because of the different languages. There are also cultural barriers. The Bible was written in times and places much different from our own. All of these obstacles make interpretation a critical facet of Bible study.

Genres of Bible Texts

What kind of movies do you like? Comedies? Drama? Action? Suspense? There are many different styles of movies, and those different styles require different ways of looking at those movies. Similarly, there are many different kinds of biblical texts, and the first step in the interpretative process is to decide what kind of text you are reading. These genres fall into five basic categories:

1) Expositional texts. These are passages which simply set forth ("expose") certain truths. The law sections of the OT and the epistles of the NT are the primary examples of expositional texts.

2) Narrative texts. Narratives are stories, such as the historical sections of the OT, and the gospels and Acts of the NT.

3) Poetic texts. Many of the most loved texts of the Bible are poetic, particularly the Psalms.

4) Wisdom texts. Much of the Bible is written from the standpoint of an older, wiser, advisor passing on the insights he has gained. This is called "wisdom literature." Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job are the three most outstanding examples.

5) Prophetic texts. These texts set forth God's proclamations concerning history, and generally (though not always) they use highly symbolic language to express these truths.

Figures of Speech

Another important step in interpretation is determining how the author is getting his point across. Is he using straightforward language, or is he using figures of speech. There are many common varieties of figures that are used in all the different genres of biblical text. Here are some of the most common:

Simile. A simile is a comparison of two objects using "like" or "as." A good example if found in Ps. 42.1* "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, 0 God." Parables are really just extended similes.

Metaphor. A metaphor is also a form of comparison, but does not use "like" or "as." Here is a metaphor. "You are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). Allegories, such as Gal. 4:24-31, are just extended metaphors.

Hyperbole. This is a deliberate exaggeration for effect Paul's statement about "robbing churches" to preach in Corinth is a hyperbole (2 Cor. lt-8).

Personification. This is attributing human characteristic to something that is non-human. Paul personified the physical creation as groaning in Rom. 8:22.

Irony. This is when an author says one thing but means the opposite. This is also called sarcasm. Paul's tongue-in-cheek praise of the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 4:8 is a prime example of irony.

The Process of Interpretation

Interpretation is basically answering the question, "What did this text mean to the people to whom it was written?" In doing a thorough job of observation, this question will often answer itself By reviewing what you discovered in the who, where and when, and what questions, many text immediately explain themselves.

However, there are some important rules to keep in mind when interpreting any text:

Rule #1 Let Scripture interpret Scripture. This means a couple of things. First the Bible is its best interpreter. Use your cross-references and a concordance to see what other passages say about the matter you are discussing. Second, it means that the Bible does not contradict itself, so it is important that your conclusions harmonize with the rest of the Bible.

Rule #2 Always interpret Scripture in the normally understood sense unless there is a compelling reason not to. Don't look for all kinds of hidden meanings. Interpret the text at face value. There are occasions when the Bible must be interpreted figuratively. For instance, the author may tell you he is using signs (Rev. 13). Or, a literal interpretation may contradict another plain passage.

Rule #3 Always keep the context in mind. If you have observed the author's main emphasis, keep your conclusions in harmony with it Also, remember to keep in mind the historical setting of the text.

Rule #4 Check your observations with several trusted sources. If you come up with some new discovery that no one else has uncovered, you may be in trouble!

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. Why is interpretation necessary?

2. Explain the five genres of biblical text:

3. Match the following texts with the figure of speech:

Simile