Hermeneutics: Understanding Bible Interpretation

Our Apostle wrapped our June series beautifully with a teaching on “Hermeneutics: Understanding Bible Interpretation”🔥

We were reminded that God desires for us to rightly divide His Word. While the Bible can seem difficult to understand, it is not beyond understanding. Through sound teaching, proper interpretation, and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can grow in our knowledge of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures.

📍Major points to note from the sermon👇🏼

• Hermeneutics is the science of interpreting the Word. • ⁠It is something we practice daily in life. We see it in everyday instructions and even in professions such as law, where interpretation is essential. (Matthew 13:18; 2 Timothy 2:15)

NOT EVERY KIND OF PREACHING PRODUCES GROWTH

📍 2 Timothy 4:3 shows us that there is a kind of preaching that is influenced by the popular interests of the people.

📍 However, that is not God’s will for us as Christians to grow.

SCRIPTURE MUST BE BALANCED WITH SCRIPTURE

📍 We see an example of wrong interpretation in Matthew 4:5 and Luke 4:10-11.

📍 Although the devil was quoting the Bible, his interpretation was wrong. This teaches us that Scripture must be balanced with Scripture, just as Jesus did.

WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE WITHOUT TRAINING

📍 It is right for us to admit that we cannot understand the Bible without training. (Isaiah 30:20; Acts 10:5; Acts 8:29-31)

📍 We should not be under the impression that we do not need teachers.

📍 For example, the context of John 14:26 does not imply that we do not need teachers. Rather, seeing that we have the Holy Spirit, we have the advantage of being reminded of what we have learned from our teachers. (2 Timothy 2:2; Galatians 1:8).

📍 Peter uses the metaphor of a child growing to emphasize the need for us to learn and grow in the Word. (1 Peter 2:2)

WHY IS HERMENEUTICS IMPORTANT?

📍 Your soul depends on it. (2 Peter 3:16)

📍 Because the Bible commands it. (2 Timothy 2:15)

SCRIPTURES THAT HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED OUT OF CONTEXT

📍 Ephesians 3:3-5: The revelation that ended up being written was given to the Apostles and not directly to us in modern times.

WHY IS THE BIBLE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND?

📍 The Bible was deliberately veiled in the Old Testament. (1 Corinthians 2:8; Acts 8:30-35; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:1-5; John 5:39)

📍 The language barrier. (Exodus 34:29)

📍 The moral and historical context.

FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK FOR ACCURATE INTERPRETATION

📍 “Is it written?”

📍 “What was the author’s intention?”

* Read it in context. * Understand what was said before and after. * Consider the audience it was written for. * Understand the point in time at which it was written.

📍 “How do the historical and cultural contexts affect the meaning?”

📍 “How is it applicable in Christ?”

As believers, our responsibility goes beyond simply reading the Scriptures—we must learn to rightly interpret them. The more we grow in sound doctrine, the more clearly we see Christ throughout the Bible and the more firmly we are established in the faith.