Understanding Scripture: Authority, Interpretation, and Inerrancy

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Authority of Scripture

The Bible stands as the infallible and inerrant Word of God, self-authenticating and the highest authority for believers. It is not a mere collection of human interpretations but is divinely inspired, providing a reliable foundation for our faith. This understanding is rooted in the belief that there is no higher authority than God Himself, and thus, the Bible's authority is unparalleled. The prophetic word, as emphasized in 2 Peter 1:16-21, is more reliable than even the most spectacular events, underscoring the divine inspiration of Scripture. [04:27]

2 Peter 1:19-21 (ESV): "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize the authority of Scripture in your daily decision-making and spiritual practices today?

Day 2: Humility in Understanding Scripture

While the Bible is without error, our interpretations may not be. It is crucial to approach Scripture with humility, recognizing that our understanding is limited and that some passages may be difficult to comprehend. This humility allows us to be open to learning and correction, acknowledging that our interpretations can be flawed. By diligently studying and interpreting Scripture, using principles that guide us to a true understanding, we can better align our interpretations with the intended message of the Bible. [12:25]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one passage of Scripture that you find challenging? How can you approach it with humility and seek guidance for a clearer understanding today?

Day 3: The Supremacy of Sola Scriptura

Scripture alone is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. It is self-authenticating, and while evidentiary arguments can support its divine nature, the Bible is the Word of God because it declares itself to be so. This principle of sola scriptura emphasizes that there is no higher authority than Scripture itself, and it serves as the foundation for all theological understanding and practice. By holding fast to this principle, believers can ensure that their faith and actions are grounded in the truth of God's Word. [09:00]

Isaiah 40:8 (ESV): "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

Reflection: How can you ensure that your beliefs and practices are rooted in the authority of Scripture alone, rather than external influences or personal preferences?

Day 4: Principles for Interpreting Scripture

To rightly divide the Word of Truth, it is essential to adhere to principles such as understanding genre, distinguishing between description and prescription, and ensuring that no interpretation contradicts the gospel. These principles help navigate the complexities of Scripture and arrive at interpretations that are faithful to the text and the God who inspired it. By applying these principles, believers can gain a deeper understanding of Scripture and its application to their lives. [21:54]

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What is one principle of interpretation you can focus on today to deepen your understanding of a specific passage of Scripture?

Day 5: The Role of Systematic Theology

A comprehensive understanding of the Bible's metanarrative and systematic theology helps interpret Scripture accurately, ensuring that interpretations align with the broader context of God's revelation. Systematic theology provides a framework for understanding the interconnectedness of biblical truths and how they apply to various aspects of life and faith. By engaging with systematic theology, believers can develop a more cohesive and informed understanding of Scripture, leading to a more robust and mature faith. [24:18]

Ephesians 4:14-15 (ESV): "So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."

Reflection: How can you incorporate systematic theology into your study of Scripture to gain a more comprehensive understanding of God's revelation?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we delved into the profound question of how we can be certain that our interpretation of Scripture is correct. We began by examining 2 Peter 1:16-21, where Peter emphasizes the reliability of the prophetic word over even the most spectacular events, such as the transfiguration of Jesus. This underscores the authority and divine inspiration of Scripture, which is not a product of human interpretation but is driven by the Holy Spirit. The Bible, composed over 1,500 years by around 40 authors, is a unified revelation from God, infallible and inerrant in its entirety.

We explored the concept of sola scriptura, affirming that the Bible is self-authenticating and the highest authority because it is God's Word. While evidentiary arguments can support this, the ultimate reason we believe the Bible is the Word of God is because it declares itself to be so. This may seem circular, but it is rooted in the understanding that there is no higher authority than God Himself.

We also addressed common misconceptions and alleged contradictions within the Bible. While there are passages that may seem contradictory or difficult to understand, we must approach them with humility, recognizing that our understanding is limited. The Bible is without error, but our interpretations may not be. Therefore, we must be diligent in our study and interpretation, using principles that guide us to a true understanding.

In our post-modern world, where the idea of multiple meanings in a text is prevalent, we must hold fast to the belief that Scripture has one meaning, though it may have many applications. This is why systematic theology and a comprehensive understanding of the Bible's metanarrative are crucial. The Westminster Confession reminds us that Scripture is its own interpreter, and we must use clearer passages to understand those that are more obscure.

Finally, we discussed ten principles of interpretation, emphasizing the importance of understanding genre, distinguishing between description and prescription, and ensuring that no interpretation contradicts the gospel. These principles help us navigate the complexities of Scripture and arrive at interpretations that are faithful to the text and the God who inspired it.

Key Takeaways

1. The Authority of Scripture: The Bible is God's infallible and inerrant Word, self-authenticating and the highest authority. It is not merely a collection of human interpretations but is divinely inspired, providing a reliable foundation for our faith. [04:27]
2. Understanding Alleged Contradictions: While the Bible is without error, our interpretations may not be. We must approach Scripture with humility, recognizing that our understanding is limited and that some passages may be difficult to comprehend. [12:25]
3. The Importance of Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. It is self-authenticating, and while evidentiary arguments can support its divine nature, the Bible is the Word of God because it declares itself to be so. [09:00]
4. Principles of Interpretation: To rightly divide the Word of Truth, we must adhere to principles such as understanding genre, distinguishing between description and prescription, and ensuring that no interpretation contradicts the gospel. [21:54]
5. The Role of Systematic Theology: A comprehensive understanding of the Bible's metanarrative and systematic theology helps us interpret Scripture accurately, ensuring that our interpretations align with the broader context of God's revelation. [24:18]
** [24:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:35] - Introduction to Interpretation
[01:37] - Eyewitnesses of Majesty
[02:36] - The Transfiguration of Jesus
[03:30] - The Prophetic Word
[04:27] - The Authority of Scripture
[05:19] - The Composition of the Bible
[06:38] - Plenary, Verbal Inspiration
[09:00] - Sola Scriptura
[12:25] - Addressing Contradictions
[19:56] - The Bible's Inerrancy
[21:54] - Principles of Interpretation
[24:18] - Systematic Theology
[28:08] - Interpretation for the People
[42:40] - Primary and Secondary Truths
[45:32] - Assurance in Interpretation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 2 Peter 1:16-21

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Observation Questions:

What does Peter emphasize as more reliable than the transfiguration of Jesus, according to 2 Peter 1:16-21? [03:30]
How does the sermon describe the process by which the Scriptures were written, as mentioned in 2 Peter 1:21? [04:27]
What are some of the genres mentioned in the sermon that are found within the Bible? [05:19]
How does the sermon address the common claim that the Bible is full of contradictions? [12:25]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of sola scriptura influence the way believers should approach the authority of the Bible? [09:00]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that humility is important when interpreting difficult passages of Scripture? [20:44]
How does the sermon propose that systematic theology and understanding the Bible's metanarrative aid in interpreting Scripture? [24:18]
What are the implications of the statement that Scripture has one meaning but many applications? How does this affect personal Bible study? [28:48]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you struggled with a difficult passage in the Bible. How did you approach it, and what resources did you use to seek understanding? [20:44]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between description and prescription in Scripture. Can you think of a biblical story that is often misinterpreted as prescriptive? How can you apply this principle in your study? [39:43]
How can you incorporate the ten principles of interpretation discussed in the sermon into your regular Bible study routine? Which principle do you find most challenging? [21:54]
Consider the role of systematic theology in your understanding of the Bible. How can you begin to develop a more comprehensive view of Scripture's metanarrative? [24:18]
The sermon mentions the importance of being ready to defend primary truths of the faith. What are some primary truths you hold dear, and how can you prepare to defend them? [43:16]
How can you ensure that your interpretation of Scripture does not contradict the gospel message? What steps can you take to align your understanding with the core message of the Bible? [40:23]
Identify a specific passage of Scripture that you find challenging. What steps will you take this week to study it more deeply and seek clarity? [12:25]

Sermon Clips

The Bible, and Peter here is speaking primarily here about the Old Testament Scriptures, as more sure than the revelation that he was an eyewitness to on the Mount of Transfiguration because all of Scripture, every jot, every tittle of it is not the product of someone’s own interpretation but is the product of God driving along the prophets, carrying them along by the Holy Spirit, so that what is given to us in the Scripture is the very will, the very intent of Almighty God. [00:04:34]

I believe in plenary, verbal inspiration, that the totality of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation in all of its diversity comes from ultimately one Author, God Himself. So I believe that Wesley was correct when he said that if there is… if there is one error in the Bible, there might as well be a thousand, that if there is one falsehood in the Scriptures, it did not come from the God of truth. [00:07:11]

I stand behind the Reformation slogan sola scriptura. I believe the Bible to be the Word of God because the Bible says it’s the Word of God. Now that sounds circular but think about it. There can be no higher authority than God, and if the Bible is God’s Word, there’s no higher authority than the Bible to corroborate that it is the Word of God. [00:08:41]

The Bible is true. The Bible is without error, but our understanding of the Bible is not without error. The Bible is without error, but our interpretation of the Bible may not be inerrant. So that’s the question that Chris has put to me. And we need to be humble as we approach the Scriptures because God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither His ways our ways. [00:20:06]

We need principles of correct interpretation of Scripture. Now in our day and age in the 21st century in post-modernity, we ask the question, or the question is asked, “Is there meaning in the text?” because in post-modern thinking there cannot be one meaning in the text. The text contains many meanings. [00:21:54]

This is why it is so important to have systematic theology. This is why it’s so important to have – let me use a buzz word – a metanarrative, a big picture, so that all the little details have some relationship to the bigger, broader picture. Allow me… allow me to reference the Westminster Confession, chapter 1 and section 9, “The infallible rule of interpretation is the Scripture itself. [00:24:03]

Rule number two, Scripture has one meaning. It has many applications, but it has one meaning. From Augustine through the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th, 13th, 14th century, there was a… there was a… a rule of interpretation that suggested that every text had four different meanings, a literal meaning, an allegorical meaning, a theological or tropological meaning, and a moral meaning – four entirely different meanings. [00:28:38]

Scripture has one meaning because behind it lies one mind. There are many authors, human authors, and you can… you can discern the difference between John’s grammar and Mark’s grammar. Mark is always in a hurry. “And suddenly, and suddenly, and suddenly,” that’s Mark. John is much more elevated. You can… you can give the same story and ask the question, who wrote this Mark or John? [00:29:41]

Rule number four, interpret obscure passages in the light of those that are clear. Turn with me just for a second to 1 Peter, chapter 3, 1 Peter 3, and beginning at verse 18, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to… to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. [00:33:13]

Rule number eight, no interpretation can ever, ever contradict the gospel. No interpretation of the Bible can ever contradict the gospel. It can never contradict justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Whatever and however we explain the use of the law as a moral guide for Christians to become more like Jesus Christ, we cannot interpret that in a way that contradicts the essence of what the gospel actually is. [00:40:10]

God has given to us an extraordinary gift in the Bible. Let’s treasure it and let’s be assured of that which it contains, and let’s, yes, for those things that are first of all, let’s be ready to give our lives for them. Let’s pray together. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the infallible, inerrant Word of God. We thank you that holy men of old wrote as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, that none of it is from private interpretation, but is God-breathed and God-given. [00:45:37]

Grant to us a greater and greater understanding, so that in understanding we might be men, mature and bold and steadfast and all for Jesus’ sake. Amen. [00:46:28]

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Understanding Scripture: Authority, Interpretation, and Inerrancy

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Authority of Scripture

Day 2: Humility in Understanding Scripture

Day 3: The Supremacy of Sola Scriptura

Day 4: Principles for Interpreting Scripture

Day 5: The Role of Systematic Theology

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Understanding Scripture: Authority, Interpretation, and Inerrancy

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