Two Rules to Interpreting Scripture

[Gary Petty] What rules do you use when you read the Bible and interpreting what this book says? People say, "Well, what do you mean rules?" Well, maybe you're one of those people who just pray to God, ask a question, open the Bible, close your eyes, put a finger on a verse, and say, "Okay, this is what God's telling me." But you know, if we take that approach to the scripture we'll just create a subjective sort of willy-nilly interpretation of what the Bible means.

This book has meaning, and there has to be a discipline to understanding its meaning. So, okay, what rules? Who makes up the rules?

Well, here at Beyond Today the very first rule that we establish for the study of the scripture, for the Bible is that this is the inspired word of God. Now, if this is the inspired word of God, then we trust that, yes, God filtered this through human beings, but this book gives us instructions on how we're to live life today and how to have eternal life. Now, if that's our first rule it leads us to a second rule, and that is: what does the Bible say about itself? What does the scripture say about itself? Very interesting.

This is what Paul told a young minister named Timothy. He said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3: 16). Okay, that's the first rule, but I want you to stop and think about this for a minute because when he says all scripture, what does he mean?

You realize the scripture that these people had at this time is what we call the Old Testament. Now, how many of you at home may have a New Testament with the book of Psalms attached to it?  You say, "That's all that I need. That's all the Bible that I need." And yet here in the New Testament there is a declaration that the Old Testament is also inspired by God, which really leads us to that second rule, which is we believe in the continuity between the Old and New Testaments, that this book is a whole, that you just study all of it to understand its context. And when you do, you will understand what Paul says here when he says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The entire book, not just part of it. That's the two beginning rules of how we interpret the scripture here on Beyond Today.

That's today's BT Daily.