Does The Bible Need To Be Interpreted?

Most believers think we ought to “interpret” the Bible the way this website (https://pickmeuppoetry.org/how-to-interpret-a-poem-a-few-great-tips/ ) says we should interpret a poem – “It is possible to interpret a poem in many different ways. No one interpretation is more correct than any other. No one can point to a famous poem and say this is what it means …and if anybody disagrees then they are just wrong. … How can it be possible to ‘correctly’ interpret a poem if its meaning can exist on so many different, subjective plains? Often, the struggle of interpreting a poem comes from the idea that there must be a single, unambiguously correct answer. To interpret a poem is to let go of this idea and embrace relativity.”

And that’s generally what’s meant when it is said we should “interpret” the Bible – “you have your interpretation and I have my interpretation” (and both can be right). But the Bible needs no such “interpretation” – as if it was written in code. Instead we can just read it and understand its message because it means what it says (Eph 3:3-4)

But I think I know why many suggest the Bible needs to be so interpreted, for example:

· Methodist Church preachers have to interpret “by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24) to reverse it to mean a man is justified by faith only.

· Most gospel preachers have to “interpret” Jesus’ command to “swear not at all” (Matt 5:34) to maintain their already held position it is right to swear in a court of law.

· Most denominational preachers “interpret” Jesus’ instruction “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16a) to mean one doesn’t have to be baptized to be saved.

· Most Christians “interpret” Jesus’ statement “whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of h-e-l-l fire” (Matt 5:21) to somehow mean it is okay to call a brother a fool.

· Presbyterian Church USA teachers interpret “neither homosexuals, nor sodomites will inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor 6:10 NKJV) to mean homosexuals will inherit the kingdom of God.

· Many Christians interpret “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6c) to mean the iniquities of nobody were laid on Jesus. (documentation of this provided upon request)

· Similar to how Calvinists interpret “choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh 24:15) to mean nobody can choose whether to serve God or not.

· Liberal theologians interpret “God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen 1:1) to mean God didn’t create the heaven and the earth.

· Less liberal seminary professors interpret “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth” (Exod 20:11) to mean God didn’t create the heaven and the earth in six days.

· Many gospel preachers “interpret” Jesus’ cry “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46) to mean God didn’t forsake Jesus.

· Many Pentecostal preachers interpret “it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (I Cor 14:35) to mean it is not a shame for women to speak in the church.

· Some gospel preachers interpret “if he repent, forgive him” (Luke 17:3) to mean we should forgive others even if they don’t repent.

· Some “scholars” interpret “these shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matt 25:46) to mean there is no such thing as everlasting punishment.

· Most gospel preachers interpret “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will” (James 4:15) to mean there is no need to ever actually say “if the Lord will.”

· Baptist preachers interpret “ye are fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4) to mean one can’t fall from grace.

· Many gospel preachers interpret “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you” (I Cor 6:19) to mean the Holy Ghost is not really in you.

· Faith Only preachers interpret “he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb 5:9) to mean even those who don’t obey Jesus will receive eternal salvation.

· Many Christians interpret “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce” (Mal 2:16 NKJV, Matt 19:6) to mean God doesn’t really hate divorce … as long as you don’t remarry.

· Calvinists interpret “that … Jesus … by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb 2:9) to mean Jesus didn’t die for every man.

Conclusion: See what I mean when I say “interpreting” the Bible sometimes leads to believing the exact opposite of what the Bible actually says? Me thinks we need to do a little less “interpreting” of the scriptures, and more believing what they plainly say. Maybe this is why most gospel preachers are so afraid to defend publicly what they teach publicly (Acts 19:8-10). It is much easier to say “this is what the text says and that is what it means” than to have to say “I know that is what the text says, but here is why it doesn’t mean that.”