How to Understand the Bible

Nancy Paulson

(Acts 8:30-31 KJV) And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? {31} And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?...

Do you ever feel that way when you read the Bible, that you cannot understand it unless someone explains it to you? The purpose of this study is to help you attain the key to understanding the Bible. Today, we have many denominations because someone had taken a passage, usually out of context, and built a doctrine based on that passage. To quote a pastor, "The Bible interpretations vary and that is why we have so many denominations, each sees the verses differently." That is not what God had intended when He gave us the Bible. He wants us to know what HIS plan and purpose are. Our interpretation of the Bible ought to be in accordance to what God is doing.

Principles of Bible Study

1. Right Division

(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This verse provides the key for understanding the Bible, "rightly dividing". If there is a right way, then it goes without saying that there is a wrong way.

There is a saying, "All Scripture is for us, but it is not all to us or about us." This means that we do not pick and choose bits and pieces of the Bible, but are aware that not everything in the Bible is for our application in this day and age.

How to rightly divide the Scriptures:

• Be aware of to whom the passage is written to:

When a passage is written for the nation of Israel it should not be used for doctrine for the church (the Body of Christ) today. I remember years before I learned to "rightly divide" that the pastor of a church I attended used to tell the congregation that in order to understand the Bible we need to pay attention to whom it was written, and then he'd preach on a passage in James and say that is what we ought to do today. I was totally confused because the first line in the Book of James says that it was written to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. I am not one of the twelve tribes which were scattered abroad, I never have been and I never will be. That first verse told me that it was not written to me, yet he said that I ought to apply what was written in James to my life. I did not understand because that pastor was wrongly dividing.

• Approve things that are excellent:

(Philippians 1:10 KJV) That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

The word approve means "to discern or to test" and excellent means "to differ". Also excellent implies that something is better than something else, it has more value. So from these definitions we can conclude that we are to discern the things that have more value.
Also, Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary gives this definition of discern: "to see or understand the difference" We need to understand the difference of the things which were written to the Nation of Israel and the things which are written to us, the Body of Christ. The things written to the Nation of Israel are not as valuable to us today as the writings of Apostle Paul (Romans through Philemon).

Do these verses contradict one another? NO! They are just written to two different audiences. What is intended for one (the nation of Israel) is not intended for the other (the Body of Christ).

2. Dispensations

What is a dispensation? The word comes from the Greek word oikonomia - which comes from the Greek words: oikos, a house and nomos, a law. These words put together signifies the management of a household or of household affairs. In other words, a house law or rules of a household.

In the Scriptures we see two different houses, the House of Israel (see Matthew 15:24) and the household of faith [the Body of Christ] (see Galatians 6:10). Each of these houses has a different set of rules? Do you know to which house you belong? Then you ought to know the rules of your household.

The house of Israel's rules are the Law and the Body of Christ's rules are Grace.

(Ephesians 3:1-11 KJV) For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, {2} If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: {3} How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, {4} Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) {5} Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; {6} That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: {7} Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. {8} Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; {9} And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: {10} To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, {11} According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

In this dispensation of grace our house rule is the MYSTERY, which was hid in God until it was revealed to and through the Apostle Paul. Notice, that Paul says it is for Gentiles, not Israel. The house rule is no longer the Law of Moses. The Body of Christ has a different set of rules than the House of Israel. But how often do we go to Scriptures that are clearly written to the House of Israel and try to make it applicable to our lives. In doing so, we are following the wrong set of rules.

3. Progressive Revelation

We, today, have the completed Word of God. It is easy to forget that the Bible was not given all at once.God gives new revelation to:

• further explain previous revelation

An example of this would be the Law was given to Moses. Then Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years and there was a new generation which needed to have a fresh understanding of the Law. So, God gave a restatement of the Law (Deuteronomy) in which there is further explanation of the first giving of the Law.

• modify a previous revelation

The promise that was made to Abraham had the Law added to it some 430 years later. The adding of the Law did not nullify the promise. The Law was just added to it.

• replace a previous revelation

This is where a new revelation superseded a previous revelation. This does not mean that the previous revelation was false, just that it is being replaced with something new.

An example of this would be where Christ sent the 12 to go into all the world and teach all nations, baptizing them. Yet, he did not send Paul to baptize. And in Galatians 2:9 the 12 agreed to limit their ministry to the circumcision. What happened to "Go into all the world and teach all nations"? It was superseded by new orders. The rules have changed. A new dispensation has begun.

Understanding right division, dispensations, and progressive revelation, will help us to understand the Bible. We will then know if the Scripture is for our learning or for application in our lives.

(2 Timothy 3:16 KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: