Practical Rules for Biblical Interpretation

The following is a loose para-phrasing (with some quoting) of a chapter of the book Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul. I don't just recommend reading this book but I command it! (if only I had the authority) It's a post that I've been meaning to write since before we moved, I couldn't find the book for a long time, hence the delay... and now, you can have it to read Randy! (I told him I'd let him borrow it after I wrote this post)

We would do well to follow these rules on Wednesday night as well as in our private reading. I'll give it a go to very briefly sum up the rule, if you want a clearer understanding you'll just have to read the book.

Rule 1: The Bible Is to Be Read Like Any Other Book.
The first rule is the most important, but easily misunderstood. Not that the Bible is the same as all books in every respect, it is uniquely inspired and infallible, but for matters of interpretation the Bible does not take on some special magic that changes basic literary patterns of interpretation. In the Bible a verb is a verb and a noun is a noun, just like in any other book.

Rule 2: Read the Bible Existentially
Stated with fear and trembling, this rule could be grossly distorted and become more trouble than help. Not that we should use the modern "existential" method of interpreting scripture, but that as we read the Bible, we ought to get passionately and personally involved in what we read. "Crawling into the skin" of the characters we are reading about.

Rule 3: Historical Narratives Are to Be Interpreted by the Didactic
The word didactic comes from the Greek that means to teach or to instruct. Didactic literature is literature that teaches or explains. Much of Paul's writing is didactic in character. The Epistles should interpret the Gospels, not as an absolute, but as a good rule of thumb.

Rule 4: The Implicit Is to Be Interpreted by the Explicit
Usually we can determine the difference between what is actually said and what is left unsaid but implied. If this one rule were consistently followed by Christian communities, the vast majority of doctrinal differences that divide us would be resolved.

Rule 5: Determine Carefully the Meaning of Words
Mostly self-explanatory. Read the book.

Rule 6: Note the Presence of Parallelism in the Bible
One of the most fascinating characteristics of Hebrew literature is its use of parallelisms. The ability to recognize it when it occurs will greatly aid the reader in understanding the text.

Rule 7: Note the Difference Between Proverb and Law
A common mistake in biblical interpretation and application is to give a proverbial saying the weight or force of a moral absolute.

Rule 8: Observe the Differences between the Spirit and the Letter of the Law
DON'T BE A PHARISEE! ...but also don't obey the spirit whilst ignoring the letter.

Rule 9: Be Careful with Parables
Parables are great! But they present many questions that cannot be ignored i.e. what was the original intent and what is it's relationship with allegory?

Rule 10: Be Careful with Predictive Prophecy
Don't get left-behind! Just kidding, but seriously...

Okay guys, for the vast majority of each of these rules there are at least two to three pages of explanation, so obviously the one provided here is inadequate. Like I said before READ THIS BOOK it's pretty great.

Coming soon Practical Tools for Bible Study