Should Bible be Interpreted?

Tweet

Should the Bible be interpreted? We found it necessary to discuss with you this subject matter because at present, many religions have deviated from what the Bible really teaches. And this can be attributed to the fact that they have wrongly interpreted the Bible, just like what our Lord said in Mat. 22:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” We will try to answer this question by referring to the Holy Scriptures. There are people who believe that all religions are one and the same in the eyes of God, and that the only difference lies in the manner by which a certain religious belief is practiced. However, this idea ought to undergo a thorough scrutiny, by referring to the Bible. And why are we saying this? Because it is not correct for us to interpret the Bible! God did not give anybody the right to interpret the Bible! And nobody can claim, not even a person with a Bachelor’s degree, like Law for instance, that he can explain the Bible, even if he follow the principles of hermeneutics or the formal study of methods of interpretation. There are preachers who think that, through hermeneutics they can rightfully understand the Bible. We believe that the principles of men do not apply here. They do not contribute in developing correct interpretation and understanding of the Bible. We do not have to follow any set of principles formulated by men because we believe that even before we came into existence, the Bible was already explained. The meaning of everything that had been written there was already explained in the past. For this reason, if our concern is our own salvation, if we are seeking for the light that will lead our souls to the kingdom of God … the only thing that we have to do is, read the Bible. Do not interpret it. Our objective in tackling this subject matter is, to prove to everyone that we are telling the truth, and our intentions are pure. We do not mean to malign and discredit other religious organizations; neither do we intend to exalt ourselves. We hope that you will not develop that impression. Although in an undertaking like this, it is inevitable that we criticize some preachers who are using the Bible the way they want to. We are hoping that this study will open your mind. Let us examine our faith. Be analytic instead of being fanatics. Let us not just accept what our pastors and ministers tell us. What is right and proper is that, we cling to what the Bible teaches. Do not just do things because you simply want to, or because you simply like your pastor, because that will not be in accordance to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. And for us to realize its importance, let us begin analyzing our topic. By referring to the teachings of the Bible, let us find out, is there a need for man to interpret the Bible? Or, had the Bible already been interpreted by the authorities that God Himself commissioned? Let us read Romans 16:25-26. “Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith…” In these verses, St. Paul is clearly telling us that, the mystery that was kept in secret through the ages has already been made known now. The next question is when is that “now” which St. Paul referred to? Does it refer to the 21st century? The “now” that was written of St. Paul is not our present time! It refers to the very time when St Paul was actually preaching this particular teaching. Therefore, it refers to the time of the Apostles. In other words, even before we were born, God had already revealed the mystery that had been kept secret since the beginning of time. He revealed it during the time of the Apostles, and these Apostles were the ones given authority by God to explain the writings of the Prophets. The early writing in the Bible was explained by our Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostles. And to prove that the Bible has been explained in the past, let us read Col. 1:24-26. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind, of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from the ages and from generation, but now is made manifest to his saints.” What St. Paul said is clear in these verses. He said, “I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God.” Consider: “Even the mystery which hath been hid from the ages, and from generation, but now is made manifest to his saints.” In other words, what St. Paul was referring to when he said, “Now is made manifest to his saints” is the mystery that had been kept secret for generations. Now, can anybody claim that, God left a certain mystery unexplained for these pastors to clarify and interpret themselves? Doing this is a clear act of deception. The Apostles had explained long ago the mystery that had been hidden from all ages and generations. And the Apostles had made it known to the saints. http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_2.htm