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A Matter of Interpretation

It is often claimed that nobody really knows what the Bible says. It is all just a matter of interpretation, with one interpretation being as good as another. While this belief is very common, it is nevertheless false. It is possible to read and understand what the Bible teaches. Yet, if this is true, then why are there so many churches, each claiming to be Christian?

Part of the problem is how one approaches this subject. There are issues and concerns with understanding the Bible, and it is very common to start by outlining all of these problems. When discussing individual teachings, often there is a greater focus on the areas of disagreement and this can leave the incorrect impression that, when it comes to understanding the Bible, there is nothing but problems and disagreements.

It must also be remembered that the Bible describes God’s dealings with his creation, and it covers a large number of topics. On the most important teachings, such as who is God, and how we can be saved, the Bible is pretty clear. On the core of these doctrines there is little dispute among Christians. On other teachings, the Bible is not as clear. Sometimes this is because we are dealing with God, and as created beings we cannot be expected to fully comprehend all that the Creator does. At other times, it is simply because the doctrines are not essential to salvation and are only briefly mentioned. There are also disagreements over how all these teachings fit together. It is on these non-essential doctrines that Christian churches differ.

The Bible is not an esoteric book teaching doctrines that only the initiated can understand. The apostle Paul stated, “We do not write you anything that you cannot read or understand” (2 Corinthians 1:13). If you accept the premise that words have a particular meaning when used in a particular context, the Bible can be understood. If you don’t accept this premise, then ALL communication becomes impossible. The Bible was written in the everyday language of its time. It was written to convey the truths of God as simply and to as many people as possible.

One source of difficulty is in the fact that, at least for most people, the version of the Bible they read is a translation. Normally this is not much of a problem and the major translations all do a pretty good job of accurately translating the Bible. But there are some inherent problems in translation that cannot be completely avoided. For one there is always a tension between the literal accuracy of a translation and its readability. There is also the problem that the words used to translate a passage do not completely correspond to the original word in all its nuances.

For example, the KJV translation of the sixth commandment (“Thou shalt not kill” [Ex 20:13]) is an acceptable translation, but it often leads to confusion. While the Hebrew word ratsach ( רָצַח ) can be translated kill, so can seven other Hebrew words. Of these seven words, ratsach is the one that would be closest to the English word murder. Thus, while the KJV translation is okay, the translation in the NIV (“You shall not murder,”) is better.

Some people claim that because of problems such as these, everything in the Bible is simply a matter of interpretation. Usually they justify this by challenging the meaning of every word they can. While it is true that some words can have multiple meanings, normally this does not hinder us in communication – that is unless someone does not want to communicate. If I say that I’m going to run down to the store, there would be little doubt about my intentions. If this were a Biblical passage, then the critic would probably question: (1) Whether I was actually going to run? (2) What I meant by down? (3) Was it really a store I was going to, or could it have been a shop? They would then use this ambiguity to ignore the passage altogether, stating that it is too vague to be clearly understood.

Another problem that often ends up making it seem as if the Bible cannot be clearly understood is when statements are cited out of context. It is context that gives meaning to what we say. By taking things out of context, you can make anyone say just about anything. Someone who wanted to misquote me could use the passage at the start of this section and have me say that understanding the Bible is impossible: “ …nobody really knows what the Bible says. It is all just a matter of interpretation, with one interpretation being as good as another.” Clearly this is not my position. It is the opposite of my position. Yet this sort of thing happens with the Bible all the time.

While sometimes deliberate, for the most part this is usually done out of ignorance. For many the Bible is just a collection of loosely connected statements, something akin to a smorgasbord of sayings from which one can select out those that agree with what they are trying to demonstrate. Part of this comes from the chapter and verse numbering system developed by Stephen Langton while a professor at the University of Paris, around 1227.3 Part of this comes from the common practice of teaching children to memorize verses. But for whatever the reason, for many people the Bible exists in their minds as little more than a collection of statements.

While this may be a good description of the book of Proverbs, it does not apply to the other books of the Bible. Rather than loosely connected statements, a great deal of consideration was given to how they were written. The Gospel of John, for example was not haphazardly thrown together, but has the following broad outline to its structure:

1 The Prologue: Becoming Children of God (1:1-1:18)The Word and Becoming the Children of God

2 Revelation of Jesus (1:19-10:42)Jesus is the Word – 7 Days (1:19-51)Early Ministry – New Replaces Old (2:1-4:54)Rising Opposition (5:1-10:42)Conclusion of Section – John the Baptist (10:40-42)

3 Transition – Culmination of Jesus’ Public Ministry (11:1-12:50Jesus’ Greatest Miracles – The Raising of Lazarus (11:1-54)Triumphal Entry (11:55-12:50)Summation of Public Ministry (12:37-50)

4 The Work of Jesus (13:1-20:31)The Last Supper (13:1- 30)Jesus Prepares His Disciples for His Departure (13:31-17:26)Passion (18:1-20:31)

5 Epilogue: Loving God Means Serving Others (21:1-25)Jesus Appears to His Disciples by the Sea (21:1-14)Do You Love Me? (21:15-24)The Greatness of Jesus (21:25)

As you can see, the Gospel has two main sections: the first concerns the revelation of who Jesus is, the second his work. Between these is a short transition section. There is also a prologue that introduces the main themes and the epilogue. Internally, each of these sections has its own structural features, which are often very carefully written. For example, the prologue was written in the form of a chiasmus where the various points are counterbalanced in such a way as to build around a key or central point.

Notice in this structure how the various concepts leading to the central point, “He gave them the right to become the children of God,” are balanced with corresponding concepts leading away, starting and ending with the Word and God.4 For example, John the Baptist is mentioned in the fourth point before the center and then again in the fourth point after the center. Such order and structure does not happen by chance. The central statement was not just a random thought tossed in, but its location in the prologue and in this chiastic structure shows that it is a key theme in the Gospel. Nor are such carefully constructed literary features uncommon in the Bible. Granted it takes a lot longer to understand the context of a passage and why the author chose to write a passage the way they did. But when this is done, often passages that seem vague, unclear, or confusing suddenly become clear.

3 Norman Geilser and William Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, (Chicago, Il: Moody 1986) p. 340

4 This structure is based on the original Greek text. The structure is not always found in translations. For example, with regards to the structure of verse 12 a, b, and c referenced above, order is actually reversed in many translations the so that it reads a, c, and b, because that reads better in modern English.