7 Steps to Proper Biblical Interpretation
Learning to understand and interpret the Bible is an immensely important skill. One that is intimidating when you first approach it. Especially when you read Paul’s letter to Timothy where he writes,
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 Timothy 2:15
That’s the goal. To correctly handle the word of truth. To correctly understand, interpret, and apply the Bible. But this verse also offers encouragement to all who strive toward that goal: Do your best…
Historically, there are four approaches to interpreting Scripture. They are,
- Literal: Seeks the plain reading of the text in its historical and cultural context.
- Allegorical: Seeks a deeper meaning behind the literal reading of the text, often using symbolism to connect Old Testament stories to the life of Jesus and the Church.
- Moral: Seeks a deeper meaning behind the literal interpretation, that can be applied ethically or morally to Christian life today.
- Anagogical (Spiritual): Seeks a deeper meaning, that connects to the ultimate spiritual realities of eternal life and end times.
If you want to know more about the various approaches to interpreting the Bible, then check out this article. Now, the best way to interpret the Bible is to discover what the original meaning was. The Bible itself offers some key clues on how to properly interpret Scripture.
So, let’s look at how to Biblically interpret the Bible in seven simple steps. Those steps are
Step 1: Read Multiple Times
The first step to properly interpreting passages in the Bible is to read it many times. All throughout the Bible, we see commands and encouragement to meditate on Scripture. Check out this verse at the beginning of the book of Psalms,
“…but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
Psalm 1:2
In Hebrew the idea of meditation means to utter or speak softly. In other words, read multiple times. As we read Scripture over and over and over and over we can gain new insight and depth with each reading.
This is not meant to be a mindless reading of Scripture; its not a mantra to be chanted. Rather, we are to read mindfully, carefully making observations and allowing the text itself to reveal its insights to us.
Studies have shown that repetition can deepen our engagement with new ideas and quicken the learning process. Other studies reveal that repetition not only plays a vital role in learning new ideas, but in helping us retain what we learn as well.
So, repetition and meditation is necessary to properly understanding and interpreting passages from the Bible. It ought to be the first step in any interpretative approach. In short: read, read, and read again.
Step 2: Read In Context
The second step to interpreting passages from the Bible is to read it in context. Context is the most important thing to consider when discovering what a passage means. Understanding the historical and cultural backdrop as well as the immediate context of a passage will help you avoid misinterpretations.
Here are some basic questions that you can ask to help you get an understanding of the historical and cultural backdrop:
- Who wrote this?
- What is his background or ministry?
- When did he write?
- Why did he write?
- Who was his audience?
- What was their (author and audience) relationship to God?
- What was going on at the time this was being written?
- Where were the key events taking place?
Asking some of these key questions can help clarify the authors intended meaning of a passage.
Here is something else we need to remember: the chapter and verse numbers are not inspired by God. They were created to make navigating the Bible easier. They were not in the original manuscripts. So, it is necessary to read the immediate surrounding context of a passage.
For example, say you are doing a study on the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18. This passage is part of a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus. So, reading the entire letter can help bring fresh insight to the armor of God.
Step 3: Read In Literary Genre
The third step in properly interpreting a passage in the Bible is to read it in its literary genre. Books come in different genres. There’s crime, history, sci-fi. mystery, romance, etc. You wouldn’t read a crime story the same way you would read a romance novel. That would be silly.
The same is true with the Bible. Since the Bible is a collection of various books, letters, poems and songs, you are going to find different genres of literature in the Bible. And you need to read these different genres, well differently.
Below is a list of the literary genres in the Bible and key things to consider when interpreting those genres.
| Literary Genre | Characteristics | Interpretation Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative | Storytelling, characters, plot | Focus on understanding characters, events, and moral lessons. |
| Poetry | Poetic language, metaphors | Appreciate the artistic and emotional elements; look for deeper meanings in metaphors and imagery. |
| Prophecy | Predictions, visions, symbols | Consider historical context, fulfillments, and symbolic language. |
| Epistle (Letter) | Formal letters, instructions | Pay attention to the recipients, cultural context, and practical advice. |
| Wisdom Literature | Proverbs, wisdom sayings | Extract timeless principles and practical wisdom for life. |
| Apocalyptic | Symbolism, visions, future | Interpret symbols and visions, often focusing on eschatological themes. |
| Parable | Allegorical stories | Seek the underlying spiritual or moral lessons conveyed. |
| Historical Account | Detailed historical records | Understand historical context, events, and cultural backgrounds. |
| Law | Legal commands, regulations | Recognize the specific laws and their application in ancient Israel. |
Understanding what genre you are reading and how to read it will change how you understand and apply the Bible to your life.
Step 4: Search the Scriptures
Step four, in Biblically interpreting a passage of Scripture is to search the Scriptures themselves. Seeing what the rest of the Bible has to say about an idea will lead to a more well rounded understanding of that concept. The people in the synagogue of Berea were commended for searching the Scriptures,
“The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men.”
Acts 17:10-12, CSB
The people of Berea examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul and Silas was telling them was in line with the Scriptures. Likewise, when we discover the meaning of a passage, it is wise for us to search the Scriptures as well and see and what we are understanding is affirmed elsewhere.
Some Bibles, especially Study Bibles, will provide cross-references that you can use to help you gain a fuller understanding of a particular passage or verse. These cross-references will link to other verses throughout the Bible that will shed a light on the specific verse you are looking at.
If you are looking for a study Bible, then check out these great study Bibles for beginners. I’d recommend the NIV Study Bible, it offers a great balance of information without going to deep, making it one of the best study Bibles for beginners. You can check out my review of the NIV Study Bible here.
If you do not have a study Bible, that’s okay. Other resources are helpful in searching the Scriptures. Tools like a topical Bible, a Bible dictionary, or a concordance, will help you discover what other parts of the Bible say about a particular word or concept.
If you want to know how you can use a concordance to search the Scriptures, then check out this great article. It will show you how to do both a word study or topical study of the Bible.
Step 5: Aim For the Big Picture Truths
The fifth step in properly interpreting a Bible passage is to aim for the big picture truths. In other words, seek to discover universal truths that are relevant for all people at all times.
The Big Picture Truth is the meaning of the passage we are studying. Typically it should,
- be reflected in the verse or text.
- be for everyone, everywhere, at every time.
- fit what the rest of the Bible says.
- be relevant to both the original audience and people today.
So, how do we go about finding the meaning? Well, it is helpful to ask some questions:
- What does this say about who God is?
- What does this say about who we are?
- What does this say about God’s desire for people?
- What does this say about the world we live in?
Being able to answer these questions helps us take a step back and find the meaning of the verse or passage we are studying.
By making sure that we aim for big picture truths we are ensuring that our interpretation is not isolated or overly narrow. Rather, we are focusing on central and universal truths that guide our interpretation of Scripture. This helps ensure that our interpretation is Biblically sound. Which brings us to the next step.
Step 6: Depend on Holy Spirit
The sixth step in Biblically interpreting Scripture is to depend on the Holy Spirit. A proper and true understanding, interpretation, and application of the Bible depends entirely on a relationship with God. A relationship born as a result of the gospel and Jesus’ saving work on the cross.
Peter writes in one of his letters,
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.
2 Peter 1:20-21
In other words, the Bible was written by men. But it also has a divine author–the Holy Spirit. He plays a vital role in BIble study, and one that is often overlooked. Curious what that role is? Then check out this article that will reveal the role the Holy Spirit plays in Bible study.
Step 7: Look for it in the Life and Work of Jesus
Lastly, a proper interpretation of a passage in the Bible is one that can be found in the life and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word made flesh, everything in the Bible points to Him. So, in some way our understanding of what a passage means ought to point to Him as well.
This doesn’t mean we need to seek an allegorical understanding of every passage in the Old Testament or elsewhere in the Bible. So, if we are not looking for the connection to the life of Jesus in an allegorical sense, what are we looking for?
A witness to the truth. John writes in his gospel,
“Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world–to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
John 18:37
Later in John’s life he writes a letter to fellow Christian’s where he says,
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
1 John 5:20
Here is what these verses mean for us when interpreting Scripture: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He bears witness to the truth. Therefore, eternal truths and meaning found in Scripture will be reflected and seen in the life and ministry of Jesus, especially in and through the gospel.
