Navigating Biblical Interpretation: Truth vs. Subjectivism

 

Summary

In today's exploration, we delved into the often-heard phrase, "That's your interpretation," and its implications for understanding Scripture. This statement, frequently used to dismiss differing views, can be unsettling because it suggests a subjective approach to biblical interpretation. Such subjectivism can lead to a dangerous relativism where the Bible's authority is undermined, and its truth becomes malleable to individual whims. This was a concern for Martin Luther during the Reformation, as he feared the Bible could become like a "wax nose," shaped by personal biases rather than divine truth.

The Reformation brought about the principle of private interpretation, a precious legacy that allows individuals to read and interpret the Bible in their own language. However, this freedom comes with the responsibility of correct interpretation. The Roman Catholic Church's historical resistance to translating the Bible into vernacular languages was not merely an attempt to suppress truth but a caution against the potential chaos of misinterpretation. Indeed, the proliferation of Protestant denominations, each claiming biblical truth, reflects the very fragmentation Rome feared.

Despite these challenges, the principle of private interpretation remains vital. It emphasizes that while there is only one correct meaning of any biblical text, there can be numerous applications and significances. This distinction is crucial because truth is not contradictory. The Bible is a consistent and harmonious revelation of God's Word. When interpretations clash, it is essential to recognize that at least one must be incorrect, as truth cannot contradict itself.

To navigate these complexities, we must engage in exegesis—drawing out the text's true meaning—rather than eisegesis, which involves reading our ideas into the text. This requires humility and a willingness to learn from the broader Christian community, including scholars and historical interpretations. By doing so, we honor the integrity of Scripture and avoid turning it into a subjective tool for personal agendas.

Key Takeaways:

- Subjectivism and Relativism in Interpretation: The phrase "That's your interpretation" often reflects a subjective approach to Scripture, which can lead to relativism and undermine the Bible's authority. This subjectivism is dangerous as it allows personal biases to shape divine truth, turning the Bible into a "wax nose" molded by individual preferences. [03:50]

- The Legacy of Private Interpretation: The Reformation's principle of private interpretation is a cherished freedom, allowing individuals to read the Bible in their language. However, this freedom comes with the responsibility of correct interpretation, as misinterpretation can lead to fragmentation and heresy within the Church. [04:29]

- One Correct Meaning, Many Applications: While there is only one correct meaning of any biblical text, there can be numerous applications and significances. This distinction is crucial because truth is not contradictory, and the Bible is a consistent revelation of God's Word. [11:38]

- Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: Proper biblical interpretation involves exegesis—drawing out the text's true meaning—rather than eisegesis, which involves reading personal ideas into the text. This requires humility and a willingness to learn from the broader Christian community. [26:29]

- The Danger of Contradictory Truths: Embracing contradictions as truth undermines the ability to discern between Christ and antichrist, godliness and ungodliness. Biblically, contradiction is the hallmark of a lie, not truth, and we must strive for consistency and harmony in our understanding of Scripture. [21:03]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:28] - Introduction to Interpretation
- [01:13] - The Dismissal of "Your Interpretation"
- [02:23] - The Terrifying Implications
- [03:50] - Subjectivism and Its Dangers
- [04:29] - The Reformation's Legacy
- [05:11] - Translating the Bible
- [06:24] - Rome's Concerns
- [07:34] - Fragmentation of the Church
- [08:50] - The Inquisition and Belief
- [09:32] - Luther's Agony and Resolve
- [10:53] - One Correct Meaning
- [12:16] - The Treasury of Scripture
- [14:36] - Truth and Contradiction
- [17:17] - The Hallmark of Truth
- [21:03] - The Lie of Contradiction
- [24:04] - Luther's Stand
- [26:29] - Exegesis vs. Eisegesis

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 2 Timothy 2:15 - "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
2. 2 Peter 1:20-21 - "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
3. James 3:1 - "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."

Observation Questions:
1. What does the phrase "That's your interpretation" imply about the speaker's view of biblical authority? [01:13]
2. How did the Reformation change the way individuals interact with the Bible, according to the sermon? [04:29]
3. What concerns did the Roman Catholic Church have about translating the Bible into vernacular languages? [06:24]
4. What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis as explained in the sermon? [26:29]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the principle of private interpretation relate to the responsibility of correct interpretation? [24:41]
2. In what ways can subjectivism and relativism impact the authority of Scripture in a believer's life? [03:50]
3. How can the idea that "truth is not contradictory" help us discern between true and false teachings? [21:03]
4. What role does humility play in interpreting Scripture, and why is it important to learn from the broader Christian community? [25:53]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you dismissed someone’s interpretation of Scripture. How can you approach differing interpretations with more openness and humility in the future? [01:13]
2. How can you ensure that your personal Bible study is more about exegesis rather than eisegesis? What steps can you take to draw out the true meaning of the text? [26:29]
3. Think of a recent disagreement you had about a biblical interpretation. How did you handle it, and what could you do differently next time to seek truth rather than just peace? [21:46]
4. How can you balance the freedom of private interpretation with the responsibility of correct interpretation in your personal Bible study? [24:41]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you might be allowing personal biases to shape your understanding of Scripture. What can you do to address this? [03:50]
6. How can you engage with the broader Christian community to enhance your understanding of Scripture? Are there specific resources or people you can reach out to? [25:53]
7. Consider the potential dangers of misinterpretation in your own life. How can you guard against these while still embracing the freedom to study Scripture personally? [06:24]

Devotional

Day 1: The Perils of Subjective Interpretation
Subjectivism in interpreting Scripture can lead to relativism, where the Bible's authority is compromised, and its truth becomes subject to personal biases. This approach can turn the Bible into a "wax nose," easily shaped by individual preferences rather than divine truth. The danger lies in allowing personal whims to dictate the meaning of Scripture, which can lead to a fragmented understanding of God's Word. It is crucial to recognize that truth is not contradictory, and the Bible is a consistent revelation of God's will. When interpretations clash, it is essential to discern which one aligns with the true meaning of the text. [03:50]

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed personal biases to shape your understanding of Scripture? How can you seek a more objective interpretation today?


Day 2: The Responsibility of Private Interpretation
The Reformation's principle of private interpretation is a cherished freedom, allowing individuals to read the Bible in their language. However, this freedom comes with the responsibility of correct interpretation. Misinterpretation can lead to fragmentation and heresy within the Church, as seen in the proliferation of Protestant denominations, each claiming biblical truth. The Roman Catholic Church's historical resistance to translating the Bible into vernacular languages was not merely an attempt to suppress truth but a caution against the potential chaos of misinterpretation. It is vital to approach Scripture with humility and a willingness to learn from the broader Christian community. [04:29]

"Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." (Acts 17:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you ensure that your interpretation of Scripture is informed by a broader understanding of Christian teachings and not just personal opinion?


Day 3: One Meaning, Many Applications
While there is only one correct meaning of any biblical text, there can be numerous applications and significances. This distinction is crucial because truth is not contradictory, and the Bible is a consistent revelation of God's Word. Understanding the correct meaning of a text requires careful study and discernment, but once understood, it can be applied in various ways to different life situations. This approach allows for a rich and dynamic engagement with Scripture, where the same truth can speak to different circumstances in unique ways. [11:38]

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a Bible passage that has spoken to you in different ways at different times. How can you apply its truth to your current situation?


Day 4: The Importance of Exegesis
Proper biblical interpretation involves exegesis—drawing out the text's true meaning—rather than eisegesis, which involves reading personal ideas into the text. This requires humility and a willingness to learn from the broader Christian community, including scholars and historical interpretations. By engaging in exegesis, we honor the integrity of Scripture and avoid turning it into a subjective tool for personal agendas. It is essential to approach the Bible with an open heart and mind, ready to be taught and corrected by God's Word. [26:29]

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you practice exegesis in your daily Bible study? What steps can you take to ensure you are rightly handling the word of truth?


Day 5: The Danger of Contradictory Truths
Embracing contradictions as truth undermines the ability to discern between Christ and antichrist, godliness and ungodliness. Biblically, contradiction is the hallmark of a lie, not truth, and we must strive for consistency and harmony in our understanding of Scripture. When faced with conflicting interpretations, it is crucial to seek the one that aligns with the overall message of the Bible. This pursuit of truth requires diligence and a commitment to understanding God's Word as a coherent and unified revelation. [21:03]

"But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, ESV)

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you have accepted contradictory beliefs? How can you seek consistency and harmony in your understanding of Scripture today?

Quotes

"Father, we thank You that You not only have spoken to us, set down Your Word for us in writing, but that that Word is available to us, that in the privacy of our own homes, we can read for ourselves the truth that You have given to Your church. We thank You for this in the name of Christ. Amen." [00:00:47]

"But I tell you what terrifies me., I'm afraid that so often what people mean when they dismiss us lightly by, 'That's your interpretation,' is 'Well that's your interpretation. You read it one way, I look at it another way, and a third party over here reads it still a third way. And these three may be mutually exclusive, they may contradict each other, but that's all right because the Bible is a matter of individual subjective interpretation. Whatever it means to you is fine.'" [00:02:38]

"Yes, indeed, the principle of private interpretation was one of the most precious legacies that we have from the protestant reformation. It's a principle incidentally that we tend to take for granted. If you were sitting in your home reading the Bible in your own language, you may assume that that's a freedom and a privilege that is easily achieved, but the blood of the martyrs has flown through the streets of Europe to make that possible, because in the sixteenth century, one of the most important things that Martin Luther did when the reformation was started was to translate the Bible into the vernacular, into the German language, which was the first time it had been accomplished, and that created a hue and cry and protest throughout the Roman Catholic Church that brought all of the power of the church to bear to stop the printing presses from releasing copies of the Bible in native languages." [00:04:29]

"Rome was afraid that the body of Christ would be fragmented and fractured and that heresy would run wild if you gave people the right of private interpretation and of translating the Bible into their own native language. They were pretty accurate in their forecasting, and they said we will use corporal punishment, physical force, torture chambers, which were commonplace in that day. If necessary, we'll harm every joint of the human body if we can preserve people's souls from eternal torment in hell." [00:08:00]

"Sure, I can study the Bible on my own and I can interpret it on my own and it is theoretically possible that I can understand it in a way that for everybody else in the church has missed for two thousand years, but that's very unlikely. It's very unlikely; that's why it's wise to consult the interpretation of the church, to consult the best commentaries, to consult what other minds have garnered, because it's very possible that I can learn from others." [00:24:57]

"The difference is this: we have two technical terms in biblical studies that we need to learn. One is exegesis; the other is eisegesis. They both come from Greek verbs: 'ex.' We see it in the exit sign, we see it in a lot of words. 'Ex' means 'out of' or 'from.' The science of exegesis is coming to the text and drawing out of the text -- ex, out of the text -- what is actually in the text. Eisegesis, E-I-S comes from the Greek word, 'eis,' which means into. Eisegesis is when I come to the text and read into the text something that isn't there at all." [00:26:09]

"An invaluable lesson is conveyed that the Bible is a treasury of truth. We have little books that help us in writing and in literature, and in English, we call them thesaurus, Roget's Thesaurus, for example, and the word thesaurus means a 'treasury.' Well the ultimate thesaurus is Scripture and it is a treasure of meaning and application -- I mean a treasury of significance and application in every single verse. Each verse is pregnant with significance for our lives, and the professor could have gone on every day till next Tuesday and the Tuesday after that assigning fifty more and fifty more, and the most brilliant student would not have exhausted the possible significances and possible applications from each of those verses." [00:12:16]

"But dear friends, there's only one correct meaning. Truth is not contradictory. The Word of God is consistent. It functions in harmony, and if I interpret a portion of Scripture in a way that contradicts how you interpret that portion of Scripture, we know something at the outset that's very important, and that is that one of us, at least, is wrong. If your interpretation contradicts mine, one of us, at least, is wrong. We may both be wrong and a third party may come down and say, 'A pox on both of your houses,' and show us where we both made a mistake, and we both should change our minds. We both can be wrong, one of us might be wrong and one of us might be right, but if they are contradictory, they cannot both be right. Why? What's the working principle? The working principle here is: the truth is not contradictory." [00:14:11]

"You see, good friends, without a clear-cut understanding of a contradiction, there is no human way to discern the difference between Christ and antichrist, between godliness and ungodliness, between righteousness and unrighteousness, between truth and falsehood. Biblically, the contradiction is not the hallmark of the truth; it is the hallmark of the lie. That's why, even as uncomfortable as we become when we disagree, because we want peace; we want harmony; we want fellowship. When we're dealing with the Word of God, we have to understand that when those disagreements come, if we're really understanding each other, and if there really does exist a difference of opinion, somebody's wrong." [00:21:03]

"Now, so it's important to understand that the principle of private interpretation is not a principle upon which is to be established subjectivism or relativism. That was not clearly understood even in the sixteenth century after Luther set down his principle of private interpretation -- and remember the circumstances of that, where he got in trouble with the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of justification by faith alone, and he got in debates, and they said, 'Well Martin, how can you disagree with what the church council back here said?' And he said, 'Well church councils can make mistakes. I'm trying to read what Paul says here, and it seems to me that Paul is saying justification by faith alone.'" [00:22:43]

"Luther said, 'Well maybe the church made a mistake.' 'The church made a mistake? A church council made a mistake? How can a church council make a mistake?' Luther said, 'Well they're human beings just like us. They're not infallible.' 'But look here, the pope has' -- and Luther said, 'Well maybe the pope can err too.' And they say, 'Luther, how arrogant that you would set yourself up against church and council.' And you know what Luther said? When he was called upon to recant, he said, 'Unless I am convinced by sacred Scripture, or by every reason, I can't recant because my mind, my conscience is held captive by the Word of God, so in the final analysis, well, I have to go by what I understand the Bible to say at that moment.'" [00:23:26]

"Let's look at the idea that truth, that -- excuse me, contradiction is the hallmark of truth. A contradiction, it's not just an irony or a twisted meaning or even a paradox, which is an apparent contradiction that under closer scrutiny yields its resolution. We're talking of real contradiction, you see, where both ends mutually exclude the other one. There is a god; there is no god. Those two statements are contradictory; they cannot both be true." [00:17:17]

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