How do we interpret God's word?

I will often provide links to further reading for words, people or concepts that may be unfamiliar to the average person on this board. But linking and bolding every other word makes posts difficult to read. Sort of like typing in all-caps.

 

How do we interpret God's Word?

The answer is we don't. God's Word is not left to our own personal interpretation. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to interpret it for us, and then teach us what it says and what it means. Anytime "man" enters the picture things are going to get messed up

 

Interpretation of documents begins by reading them. Most people read a document fron to back. Christians read the Bible back to front. Why? They don't like the results they get from reading in the conventional direction.

 

Well said, Stanley. 1 Corinthians 2:4-16 is our foundation.

 

"How do we interpret scripture?"

Interpretation of scripture is shaped by our philosophical assumptions, claiming to be taking scripture in its plain and simple meaning. But, those who start with different assumptions see an entirely different plain and simple meaning.

Like it or not we all interpret scripure based on tradition (small "t"). Every person who reads the Bible interprets the Bible, and every interpretation is based upon something. Lutherans use a Lutheran paradigm and inevitably interpret in large part according to the Lutheran tradition. Prebyterians interpret within the Presbyterian paradigm. Eastern Orthodox members interpret within the Easter Orthodox paradigm and so on.

History side note:
Martin Luther himself did not allow for the uneducated laymen to read the Bible by means of Sola Scriptura. Luther was afraid of simply putting Scripture into the hands of those whom may distort and twist it. Therefore, when he translated his first Bible into German he included a sort of damage control device; marginal study notes. Luther placed study notes in the margins to prevent heresy and misinterpretation. While Luther most likely believed his interpretations were based soley on Scripture the question must arise, "how did Luther interpret Scripture?"

How I interpret scripture is within the Tradition (big "T") of the Church. Tradition provides the lenses through which biblical teaching is most fully recognized. If an idea or doctrine is novel (such as the Rapture and, as I would argue, Calvinism) it is very likely wrong. Novel interpretations 99.9% of the time are heresy. The big "T" Tradition helps us determine which beliefs have always been accepted and which have been rejected. Tradition is not without its limitations and problems, though.

Blessings

 

.......and that is what is wrong today. A zillion interpretations bouncing around in the brain, rather than spiritually looking to scripture. Relying upon confirmation from others, not unlike the "Jesus Seminar," toss out here, insert there, vote.... I say again,

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 is our foundation. ALL scripture is spiritually discerned. Everything else is babble. The blind leading the blind.

 

Yeah and look what has happened when the church left orthodoxy and started “spritiually discerning” for themselves, thousands of different protestant denominations all claiming to have the “truth”. Let’s throw 2,000 years of church history out the window and develop a god that best fits (insert name here) worldview….

So who’s right and who’s wrong when two people come to two drastically different interpretations of scripture while both are claiming spiritual discernment?

 

I would like to know what you mean by "Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost." Jesus wasn't born of anything, much less the Holy Ghost.

Jesus also did not need the Holy Ghost to talk to God, since Jesus and God are in constant communion as part of the Trinity.

But please explain that first sentence.