Principles of Interpreting the Bible
The Bible, which contains commands to be obeyed and promises to be claimed also has shown from its pages that it contains the precepts and principles of the Christian faith (Luke 24:25-27; John 5:39; 1 Cor. 15:3-5; 1 Thess. 2:11-13; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Col. 1:3-6; Jude 3). These are examples to follow throughout human history (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11) in addition to direct admonition from the Lord on matters of doctrine and practice (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 6:1, 2). It becomes paramount for all disciples to know how to live in accordance with the word of God, sometimes called “divine traditions” (2 Thess. 2:15). This is of great necessity because while we function under divine ordinances (Rom. 13:2) and also divinely approved human institutions or ordinances (1 Pet. 2:13), we are engulfed in the midst of human and religious traditions (Mark 7: 1-12; Gal. 1:14). The interpretation of Scripture is, thus, a matter that requires attention to important principles outlined as follows:
a) Literal Principle
A good portion of the Bible is written in plain, literal language, such as names of persons and places, incidents, commandments and warnings. As a result, major parts of the Bible require simple literal interpretation. This “literal principle” of interpretation of the Bible means understanding Scriptures in its natural, normal sense. That is, interpretation should stick to the literal
sense, that is to say, the single literary meaning which each passage carries with proper attention to the historical, grammatical, and rhetorical meaning of the text. Specifically, what are the usual or normal meanings of the words being used? There is figurative language, symbolism and allegory in Scripture (Gal. 4:19-31), but the first thing to look for is the literal meaning, not some deeper, hidden secret, or spiritualized interpretation.
For example, when the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), it just means what it says; it is God who created the world from the beginning. Others might try to find deeper meanings for the word “beginning” for example. But for literal interpretation of the Bible, that is not where the interest is. Also, when the Bible records that God created a man called “Adam” and made a woman out of him called “Eve” as his wife and both of them lived in a garden called “Eden” (Gen. 1:27-30; 2:15, 18, 20-25; 3:20, 23), they mean just that and nothing else. Again, when the Bible says, Jesus was born by a virgin called Mary (Matt. 1:18, 22-23; Luke 1:26-27), it is just as it has been written. The initial quest of this principle of interpretation is always for what the writers meant by what they wrote.
However, for one to have a good interpretation by the literal principle there is the need to carefully observe the text of the passage. As a particular verse or passage is read, close attention is to be paid to the different types of words that make up a particular sentence. Is the subject singular or plural? Is the verb tense past, present, or future? Is the sentence a command, statement of fact, or question? Is the statement part of a dialogue? If so, who is the speaker, and why did they make that comment? Can any repetition of words be noted, which perhaps shows emphasis? What ideas are compared or contrasted? Can you identify any cause and effect statements or questions and answers? What is the tone of the passage; are emotional words used? That is, by simply sticking to normal meanings, phrases and sentences, major part of the Bible can be interpreted and understood.
b) Historical Principle
The “historical principle” of interpreting the Bible is also important. Of a truth, the Christian faith is based on historical fact. It is built on a historical Jesus who lived and acted among men in real history (John 1:14; 19:35; Acts 4:20; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:14; 2 Pet. 1:16-18) to reveal God to humanity (John 1:18; 14:7). His life is recorded in the Gospels by eyewitnesses who lived close in time with Him and to Him to give a true historical evidence of His existence. When one searches into these evidence and believes in Him as the Son of God they would be saved in His name (John 20:30-31).
The “historical principle” of interpretation of the Bible, otherwise called the “background” or “cultural” principle is also basic when interpreting Scripture. This principle becomes important in trying to understand certain passages in Scripture like Paul’s teachings in his first letter to the Corinthians for instance. The historical interpretation, which is the process of determining the time in which a writing took place, by analyzing the total cultural environment of the times, and the factors and circumstances involved in the writing such as the author, readers, date, place, occasion, and purpose, and how those factors influence the meaning of the text becomes a useful tool. Thus, to understand 1 Corinthians, one would have to possess knowledge of the surrounding problems of the time, as well as the customs, laws and practices of that era some of which Paul might not have mentioned in his letter since the original recipients were already familiar with them. That is, as it has been expressed by others, one would, as it were, have to be a first century Corinthian to understand clearly, 1 Corinthians.
The purpose of the historical principle is to recreate the historical setting in which the passage was written in such a way as to get the original intended meaning that the author had in mind at the time of writing and grasping how the original recipients or hearers would have understood the message in their own context. For example, to understand Paul’s teachings on “head covering” (1 Cor. 11:3-16) and “women remaining silent in church” (1 Cor. 14:34-35), one would have to do a historical and cultural background check to understand the life and society in Paul’s days in Corinth to capture his true thoughts that would lead to an accurate interpretation.
c) Grammatical Principle
The “Grammatical Principle” which is concerned with what the passage says in terms of words and grammar is also necessary. It is the process of determining the exact meaning of passages in Scripture by ascertaining the meaning of words (lexicology), the form of words (morphology), the function of words (parts of speech), and the relationships of words (syntax). That is, it is a “words” principle. It is recognizing the rules of grammar and nuances of the Hebrew and Greek languages and applying those principles to the understanding of a passage. It covers the study of verb tenses, nouns, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions and laws of structure in a language. The purpose is trying to understand what the author meant based on what he has said and how he said it.
d) Synthesis Principle
The “synthesis principle” is also referred to as “comparing Scripture with Scripture”. That is, using Scripture to interpret Scripture. The old reformers used to call it “analogia Scriptura” or “the analogy of Scripture” or “analogy of faith”. This is where we look for other passages that are parallel in thought, event or similarity to provide correct interpretation since the Bible is the source of its own interpretation. The principle is based on the Bible’s own teachings. That is, since the Bible is the word of God and God cannot lie or contradict Himself (Num. 23:19; Heb. 6:18), then one passage cannot contradict another passage in the same Scripture. The rule is that always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear ones.
Thus, this principle of interpreting the Bible helps to find meaning to certain obscure and isolated passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:29 in which Paul asks the questions, “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?” This text comes under what has been termed “baptism for the dead” and several interpretations have been suggested. In such instances, one would wish the Bible gave more details and some might even wish those words were not written at all; however, we have them penned. It is not prudent to build a doctrine from such passages.
Because it is only in this text that “baptism for the dead” is specifically mentioned in the entire Scripture, it may be difficult to come to a firm conclusion. Nevertheless, by comparing with other passages in the Bible one may came to conclusions about what it does not teach. It does not mean people should be baptised for the dead since Paul himself and other biblical writers clearly teach that salvation, which is purely by God’s grace, is received by the exercise of a personal faith in Christ Jesus alone (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:5; 11:6; John 1:12) and each person is to make their own personal choice (Matt. 23:37; 2 Pet. 3:9). It cannot be administered on behalf of another, whether by baptism or any other way. Each individual is to bear his own responsibility before God (Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 14:12). It is also certain that those who perform this act of baptism for the dead would not realise what they hope to achieve which is the salvation for the dead unbeliever since Hebrews 9:27 emphatically reveals that, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (KJV).
Again, this principle helps to provide checks and balances in our interpretations to help us stay on the right path. There come a time when one may find it difficult to understand a given passage or may give a wrong interpretation to it. But by studying the Bible, a passage or passages that speak into a similar issue may be found which could shed light on it to bring about the right and balanced meaning. In such instance, one is helped to have the actual meaning of the passage in question by comparing Scripture with Scripture.
e) Literary Contextual Principle
The “literary contextual principle” is another important means of interpreting the Bible. It is said to be a principle of biblical interpretation that is universally agreed upon. It seeks to understand the context of the word, phrase or passage. Merriam Webster online defines “context” as “the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning”.50 That is, the contextual principle looks at the part or parts of a scriptural passage, preceding or following after, that can help make its meaning clearer. A verse or passage explained out of its context can often give a meaning completely different from the intention. This method, therefore, focuses on the importance of looking at the context of a verse in its chapter, book and even the entire Bible.
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