Interpreting Scripture

As readers of English versions of the Bible, our understanding is heavily influenced by at least two significant factors: (1) The misunderstanding that naturally occurs when writing is translated from one language to another, particularly in languages lacking equivalent usage and word meanings, and (2) The fact that we view writing of other times and cultures through the ‘lens’ of our own time and culture. These issues profoundly affect our reading both in ways easily identified and in more subtle ways that hinder an accurate understanding. This problem applies to all the Bible’s contents, whose authors lived long ago in cultures vastly different from our own. 

For those who accept the Bible as Holy Scripture, this is an issue of more than academic interest. Precise interpretation of the text from its original languages and subsequent analysis spanning gaps between cultures and time periods is essential to accurate understanding and application of Scripture. Errors in interpretation impact readers who absorb them and, potentially, others with whom they interact. At their worst, interpretive errors can cause people to believe things that are actually anti-Biblical. 

We can improve our understanding of Scripture by applying some basic principles of Biblical interpretation. These include at least the following: 

1. The meaning of Scripture is not always vague, obscure, or hidden within some deeply symbolic expression. Much of the Biblical text simply means what it says. 

2. Scripture helps interpret Scripture. A fuller understanding of the meaning of many (maybe even all) Bible passages can be gained by viewing a passage from the perspective of other passages that address the topic involved. 

3. Cultural misinterpretation of the Bible is pervasive to the extent it may be considered the ‘default’ position for many readers, for three reasons: 

(1) Cultural complexity -- there is not a single category of time and cultural values that represent “Bible times.” The multiple cultures and times present in Scripture vary widely from each other. 

(2) Cultural distortion -- because culture is powerful, pervasive, and often subtle, readers who live within a culture [few have lived in multiple cultures] often remain unaware of the degree to which their own cultural background and bias influence their understanding of Scripture. 

(3) Cultural conformity – we will face fewer conflicts with non-believers (and perhaps other believers) and can avoid the stigma of being considered odd, out of touch, reactionary, politically incorrect, etc. if we interpret Scripture in ways that conform to the dominant values of our culture. 

4. When we detect cultural conformity (#3, above) in interpretation, we may benefit from recognizing that the messages contained in Scripture were often distinctly opposed to the values of the dominant cultures surrounding the writers (nota bene – Jesus was consistently and shockingly counter-cultural). 

5. The Bible describes three different covenant relationships between God and man (first with Abraham, then with Moses, then with Christ’s church) and not all the ‘rules and regulations’ under one covenant continued under the next. One example is the law given to Moses in Exodus 31 that calls for execution of anyone who desecrates the Sabbath. Careful study is required to delineate which teachings and requirements carried over through all three covenants. 

6. For numerous Scriptural passages, an understanding of the culture of the time makes it clear that what is written is not intended as a universal mandate. One example of this is chapter 11 of I Corinthians, in which Paul asserts that a woman should not pray with her head uncovered. This is understandable within the context of that culture, when women of bad reputation left their heads uncovered. 

7. An instruction, prohibition, or moral standard repeatedly addressed to multiple cultural audiences (e.g., to both Jews and Gentiles, over hundreds of years, by multiple authors) is not culturally dependent and therefore not subject to reinterpretation based on the reader’s culture. An example of this is limiting sex to the marriage of a man and a woman, a position from which Scripture does not deviate. 

8. Our understanding of many passages can be enhanced by bearing in mind that the Scripture originated in the area we call the Middle East, a portion of the world where the predominant values were (and are) those of an ‘honor/shame’ culture. An example of this is one of the key factors in the Jewish leaders’ decision to kill Jesus, the fact that he had shamed them in public debates. 

Avoiding the pitfalls of Scriptural misinterpretation is challenging. Even extensive study of Biblical cultures will not guarantee totally accurate understanding of the Bible, but a basic knowledge can greatly reduce the tendency toward interpretive errors. A multitude of books and articles are available to help build a foundation in this area. Experiencing the ‘aha’ moments produced by studying Biblical cultures is often the encouragement needed to continue. 

 

Recommended reading/study: 

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, by E. Randolph Richards & Brandon J. O’Brien 

The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Hendrickson Publishing, Peabody, Mass. 

NIV Cultural Background Study Bible, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mich. 

Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, by Marvin R. Wilson