In this chapter we need to see some of the principles in interpreting the Bible. If we want to study the Bible, we have to understand the Bible. In order to understand the Bible, we need to interpret it. If there is no interpretation and no explanation, naturally we will have no way to understand the Bible. We know everything has its own principles. The more esteemed and important a matter is, the stricter are its governing principles and laws. If a matter is of no significance or importance, and can be carried out in any way, there will not be any laws, principles, and regulations to speak of. But if a matter is proper, and occupies a definite place and significance, and if it is great and noble, surely there are principles and laws governing it; one cannot carry it out haphazardly.
The Bible is an extremely great item in the universe. Besides our Lord and God of glory, I believe the greatest item in the universe is the Bible we have before our eyes and in our hands. Since the Bible is so important, we need the proper interpretation before we can study or understand it. This interpretation must be governed by definite rules, laws, and principles. We cannot interpret it in this or that or any way we like.
Now that we have seen how the Bible was written, how it was translated into different languages and placed in our hands as an available book, we need to find out the governing principles and laws for its interpretation and study. Not only will this help us to understand the Bible, it will also help us to avoid many errors.
All rules are a kind of protection. If a train has no railroad tracks to run on, not only will it be unable to run smoothly, but it will also be without protection. When there are railroad tracks, the train will move smoothly and will have the proper protection. This is the same way with the study of the Bible. If one studies the Bible and expounds it blindly and carelessly, the result will be inconceivable and even dangerous. Our thoughts are often without restraints. It is very dangerous for a person to judge according to what he thinks and to interpret according to what he perceives. If we want to study the Bible properly and understand it accurately, there must be the restrictive interpretation. If we want a restrictive exposition of the Bible, we need to find out the principles and laws of Bible interpretation. Here we will point out ten such principles.
The first principle is to interpret and understand the Bible as literally as possible. We have to grasp firmly the fact that when God inspired men to write the Bible, He used words that are fully comprehensible to man. When we attempt to understand the Bible today, we must understand the thought of God strictly and accurately according to the letter of the words. We should not think that since the Bible is inspired by God, it will always transcend human language, and is therefore open for spiritual interpretation. This is a dangerous proposition. We should interpret the Bible according to the literal meaning of the words. No matter how difficult or out of place a literal interpretation appears to us, we have to adhere strictly to the literal meaning.
Let us mention a few examples. An obvious one is the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah concerning the Lord Jesus being born of a virgin. Today, the Lord has already been born of a virgin. It is therefore no surprise to us when we read and hear this word. But at the time of Isaiah, when men read what he wrote concerning a virgin bearing a child and calling his name Emmanuel, would they not have had difficulty in their mind? A person would certainly have difficulty in understanding how a virgin can be with child. Some could have turned to a spiritual interpretation, suggesting that the virgin could mean something else rather than an actual virgin. But when this prophecy was fulfilled, it was fulfilled literally. The virgin referred to an actual virgin.
Again the book of Zechariah in the Old Testament prophesied that the Lord Jesus would enter Jerusalem the last time on a colt. When a person read this at that time, they could have found it hard to understand because to them, this One to whom others would proclaim “Hosanna,” the King worthy of praise, the most esteemed One of Israel, could not possibly enter Jerusalem on a little colt. Men would think that it is illogical to ride on a colt. For that reason, they would interpret it spiritually to mean something else. However, when the prophecy was fulfilled, it was fulfilled literally in every way. The word was colt, and it was in fact a colt.
When we read the Bible, on the one hand, we have to receive spiritual inspirations, but on the other hand, we must not alter the literal meaning to fit a spiritual interpretation. Only when a literal interpretation of a prophecy or parable leads to absurdities or improprieties can we interpret them spiritually. But such cases are few in the Bible.
One has to consider carefully whether a passage should be interpreted literally or spiritually. There is a big difference there. I have heard that some have interpreted the locusts in Revelation as today’s airplanes, and the hail from heaven as the bombs dropped by the planes. This is ridiculous. We must be careful not to interpret the Bible too freely. If one wants to find examples of strange and irrational interpretations, he can read the “Signs of the Times,” published by the Seventh-Day Adventists. There one can find many unrestricted and haphazard interpretations. We should not interpret the Bible this way. We should hold fast to the principles and adhere to the literal meanings as much as possible. It is only when a literal interpretation of some words in some visions, prophecies, and parables becomes too absurd and silly that we can interpret them spiritually.
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