Bible Reading, Interpretation, and Confidence
I often talk about the process of interpreting when it comes to the Bible. I don’t mean the practical steps of interpretation, although I’m very interested in that, but rather the theological implications of interpretation.
The statement that I am often trying to respond to is: “The Bible clearly says…”
What do people mean when they make such a statement? I think they are saying that they have read certain passages of the Bible, listened to preachers and teachers, and have come to an interpretation of what they think it means.
If that is all they are saying, then perhaps “The Bible clearly says…” is not the right language to describe that. When we say something like that, we are really saying that a person who disagrees with us is either ungodly, ignorant, or just plain rejecting the Bible.
This is what really gets me frustrated: People who equate rejecting their interpretation with rejecting the Bible itself. That completely shuts off any further conversation or opportunity to learn.
There are those who believe that you can simply read the Bible and come to all of the correct interpretations in such a way that all reasonable and spiritual people would hold to those interpretations.
The problem with that is that does not reflect reality. If we were to look at the history of biblical interpretation from the completion of the New Testament until today, all across the world, we would quickly see a very wide range of interpretations.
Some might respond that heresies are to be expected. But even with what we consider orthodox Christianity, there are differences of interpretation. Even as you narrow your focus, from Orthodox/Roman Catholic/Protestant to individual traditions, you are still finding differences of opinion.
Whether you look at specific denominational traditions or academic biblical studies, you will find that there are many different interpretations. The narrative that any reasonable person would hold to the same interpretation is difficult to maintain.
One important addition is the fact that we ourselves, most often have changes in our understanding of how to interpret certain passages. An interpretation that looks so clear at one point might change completely a decade later. You cannot be certain that what you think “the Bible clearly says” today will be the same thing that you think “the Bible clearly says” just a few years down the road.
All of this makes people nervous.
They assume that I am saying that all interpretations are equally valid. They think I am saying that there is no correct interpretation that reflects the intentions of God or the biblical writers. That is not what I am saying.
I am not suggesting we give up any confidence we have in the interpretation that we hold. I am only saying that we hold those interpretations with a certain amount of humility and grace.
It is completely appropriate to believe your interpretation is more correct than the other person’s interpretation. But it does not mean that they have rejected the Bible because they disagree with you. Nor does it mean that your interpretation might not change in the future.
My advice is to work hard at reading the Bible well. Listen to different interpretations. Wrestle with the hard passages. Look for what seem to be the themes that rise to the surface. And most of all, remain teachable.
