“Did you know that for just about every passage of Scripture there are literally thousands of interpretive choices?” A lot of these interpretations are a result of the cultural context from which the interpreter approaches the text.
So how do you know which interpretation is the best or most accurate?
The makers of the following video offer 5 guidelines to help you more accurately interpret the meaning behind Scripture:
- Engage the text often and with others – Read and re-read the Bible for the rest of your life. Seek the help of others—especially those who study the Bible for a living.
- Don’t assume you have all the answers – Avoid thinking the view you were raised with is somehow closest to the truth.
- Expose yourself to the views of other Christians – Challenge yourself to become familiar with the views of Christians from other times and places
- Focus on the meaning of the text in its original context – Don’t ask “what does this mean to me?” until you’ve asked “what did this mean to the original readers?”
- Don’t forget to look at the box top – Remember that Christ told us the Scriptures testify about him (John 5:39). Our interpretations of the Bible should point us to Christ and his redemptive work.
