Understanding scripture is usually not an easy task, particularly if you do not know how to go about it. Lack of proper interpretation skills may lead to a misinterpretation of the Bible and wrongful application of the word of God. However, this does not have to be the case. You can take time to study the basic principles of biblical interpretation. You do not have to be a theological student to know how to go about rightly dividing the word of God.
You should consider what the author's original intended meaning was. In order to do this effectively, you can use some study tools to help you understand the author's original context, in terms of culture and history. This includes using a bible commentary and a study bible when studying scripture. There are several versions of commentaries and study guides, so try and find a good one by checking out reviews about it before making a purchase.
Avoid interpreting isolated texts of the bible. This will most likely lead to misinterpretation. Always read passages in context. This means finding out what the scriptures before and after the text you are studying say. You also need to consider the context of the whole chapter and book of the bible. You also need to know who wrote the scripture and compare it to their other writings in the bible.
There are several scripture passages which are referred to in other places in the Bible. To understand such scriptures better, go to the places where the passage have been mentioned and study them. This will increase your understanding of that particular passage. Also, if you think that a particular passage seems to be contradicting another passage, it could be that you are interpreting one or both scriptures incorrectly, so you may want to study both scriptures further.
Consider the genre of the scripture you are reading. Different genres are interpreted differently, as they have different features and are written using different styles. For instance, how you interpret poetry books is different from how you will interpret narratives or parables. This may require a more trained mind to do this, as some differences may be quite subtle for an ordinary reader to notice.
In some cases, the surface meaning of the text is its true meaning. There is no other meaning. This applies in cases where the text is quite straightforward. Don't attach additional meaning to passages where no additional meaning is required.
Having an understanding of Hebrew and Greek will come in quite handy. If you do not understand the languages, then use Bible study guides to uncover the original meaning of various words used in the passages. This is because some words tend to lose their original meaning when they are translated from the original language they were written in.
Depend upon the Holy Spirit to help you discover God's truth. This means approaching scripture interpretation prayerfully and with an open mind that is ready to understand. It would be hard for you to interpret the scripture without the Spirit's help. However, this does not mean being lazy and not studying. You must study to understand the bible.
You should consider what the author's original intended meaning was. In order to do this effectively, you can use some study tools to help you understand the author's original context, in terms of culture and history. This includes using a bible commentary and a study bible when studying scripture. There are several versions of commentaries and study guides, so try and find a good one by checking out reviews about it before making a purchase.
Avoid interpreting isolated texts of the bible. This will most likely lead to misinterpretation. Always read passages in context. This means finding out what the scriptures before and after the text you are studying say. You also need to consider the context of the whole chapter and book of the bible. You also need to know who wrote the scripture and compare it to their other writings in the bible.
There are several scripture passages which are referred to in other places in the Bible. To understand such scriptures better, go to the places where the passage have been mentioned and study them. This will increase your understanding of that particular passage. Also, if you think that a particular passage seems to be contradicting another passage, it could be that you are interpreting one or both scriptures incorrectly, so you may want to study both scriptures further.
Consider the genre of the scripture you are reading. Different genres are interpreted differently, as they have different features and are written using different styles. For instance, how you interpret poetry books is different from how you will interpret narratives or parables. This may require a more trained mind to do this, as some differences may be quite subtle for an ordinary reader to notice.
In some cases, the surface meaning of the text is its true meaning. There is no other meaning. This applies in cases where the text is quite straightforward. Don't attach additional meaning to passages where no additional meaning is required.
Having an understanding of Hebrew and Greek will come in quite handy. If you do not understand the languages, then use Bible study guides to uncover the original meaning of various words used in the passages. This is because some words tend to lose their original meaning when they are translated from the original language they were written in.
Depend upon the Holy Spirit to help you discover God's truth. This means approaching scripture interpretation prayerfully and with an open mind that is ready to understand. It would be hard for you to interpret the scripture without the Spirit's help. However, this does not mean being lazy and not studying. You must study to understand the bible.
{ 0 commentaires... read them below or add one }
Enregistrer un commentaire