What is your interpretation of the bible?

I am in the midst of reading the Bible, cover to cover. NEVER did I start with the notion that I'd have complete understanding of it, upon my first read. Nor would I think I could on the 2nd or 3rd reading.

It takes much study and discussion to come to an understanding, and, even then, I wouldn't assume I had a full understanding of God's word.

The Bible is NOT easy to understand in all chapters and verses. I've re-read some verses multiple times, and am yet to come to a complete understanding.

Else, why would churches hold Bible study? Isn't that to choose a verse or chapter, and work through a study to interpret its meaning?

I never thought I could do it on my own. I'm hoping I can find a study group to help me.

Red Lily wrote:

RV wrote:Lol, yeah, you can lie about it, twist what it says or just claim it says something it doesn't, Squint won't care. You can 'interpret' it to say whatever you want!

I see no lie.  Asking for an interpretation is not a lie.

Do you want it interpreted from the standpoint of defending a certain viewpoint.  Say for instance that someone, not you, wanted to defend the practice of homosexuality.    One instance, and i've seen this is that the person says... Sodom was not destroyed for  SODOMY but for being unwelcoming to strangers.   Of course the city was destroyed for wickedness, sodomy being chief among the reasons...and sodomy upon visitors to the city is extremely unwelcomed but that part is left out.   So that is an INTERPRETATION as per the definition that i think that term is now viewed.  And it is iNTERPRETED or RATHER it is added to/subtracted from the actual meaning. And as we all are aware...there are about four warning in the bible about adding to and subtracting from God's Word..which makes doing that a lie.

2cent wrote:I am in the midst of reading the Bible, cover to cover.  NEVER did I start with the notion that I'd have complete understanding of it, upon my first read.  Nor would I think I could on the 2nd or 3rd reading.

It takes much study and discussion to come to an understanding, and, even then, I wouldn't assume I had a full understanding of God's word.  

The Bible is NOT easy to understand in all chapters and verses.  I've re-read some verses multiple times, and am yet to come to a complete understanding.  

Else, why would churches hold Bible study?  Isn't that to choose a verse or chapter, and work through a study to interpret its meaning?  

I never thought I could do it on my own.  I'm hoping I can find a study group to help me.

Are you reading KJV or New KJV and that is difficult because it is in a language that is lovely but not current with how we speak today. That's where a study bible comes in handy and maybe a NLT version or American STandard. PLUS you have the notes that explain what a particular phrase or custom at the time means in today's world. In the days that these books were written people knew what was going on and they understood the turn of certain phrases common to the time. We are far removed from that. But that is not an interpretation meaning a verse that is open to being turned into something it was not originally intended. It is simply explaining what was the understanding of that term in the day it was used. For instance.... in biblical days, most homes had flat rooves and the inhabitants of those homes slept on the roof especially in summer and they were very aware of the movement of stars. They also had small enclosures on those roof tops for guests and often these guests were just travellers. Of course we would not do that today because it is dangerous to do so.

From my link on the first page.

1. The simplest and most natural explanation of a Biblical text is always the best. This is how your friend expects you to read and understand a letter or an email, and this is what the writers of Scripture expected when they wrote. If the text says that Jesus and his disciples traveled from Galilee to Jerusalem, that is exactly what they meant.

2. The Bible is its own best interpreter. Most of the expressions in Scripture that seem challenging or mysterious have probably appeared in Scripture elsewhere. We therefore look up and cross reference these instances, and the meaning becomes clear.

3. Recognize how figurative language works. The metaphors and similes, parables and symbols of Scripture are powerful ways the writers communicated. When Jesus said he was the “door” of the sheepfold, he gave us a memorable figurative expression of his protection. Symbolic and figurative language is not inferior to the literal.

4. Take an expression as literal when the natural way of reading the text is to take the words in their usual sense. Jesus is not literally a door, but when in John 20 it says that the disciples were gathered behind locked doors, we take door there in its normal literal sense. Unfortunately, sometimes today we use the word literal to mean really or truly, which is not what the word literal has historically meant, and it causes confusion. If someone says, “it’s literally raining cats and dogs outside,” he or she does not mean pets are dropping from the sky. So yes, we take the Bible to be literal where its language is meant to be literal, but figurative where the biblical authors intended to be figurative or symbolic. One is not superior to the other.

5. The methods we use to understand the Bible are basically the same as the way we interpret any written text. We get at the meaning of words, the way words work together, the background of the texts, the historical setting of the text, etc. The outcome we get is the life-changing word of God, but the way we come to understand that is the way we interpret written texts in general. (This, by the way, is why ordinary believers can read and understand the Bible for themselves rather than being dependent upon a few enlightened teachers who are the only ones who can understand the Bible.)

6. A particular biblical text has a particular meaning. It may be applied in various ways, but the meaning is specific to the intent of the author. This prevents us from making biblical texts mean whatever we want them to mean, which is an insult to the intent of God.

7. The Bible has large controlling themes, and these help us with interpreting its various parts. In the Old Testament the idea of God’s promise, of covenant, of the people of God, of the land, are a few examples of the major ideas. In the New Testament, the central theme is Jesus the Christ. From the perspective of the New Testament we understand how the coming Messiah is a central theme in the Old Testament as well.

number 5 6 and 7 are important.

Bible studies are fun..and what they help me to do is to recognize a verse, a word, a meaning, a phrase, a fact, a name, a geneology, a little jewel that God puts there for those that are serious about wanting to know more about God's word..... that i hadn't noticed before.  But we do NOT interpret scripture.  Godmeant wnat he said and said what he meant when he inspired his prophet to write it down.

Calypso Jones wrote:

Red Lily wrote:

RV wrote:Lol, yeah, you can lie about it, twist what it says or just claim it says something it doesn't, Squint won't care. You can 'interpret' it to say whatever you want!

I see no lie.  Asking for an interpretation is not a lie.

Do you want it interpreted from the standpoint of defending a certain viewpoint.  Say for instance that someone, not you, wanted to defend the practice of homosexuality.    One instance, and i've seen this is that the person says... Sodom was not destroyed for  SODOMY but for being unwelcoming to strangers.   Of course the city was destroyed for wickedness, sodomy being chief among the reasons...and sodomy upon visitors to the city is extremely unwelcomed but that part is left out.   So that is an INTERPRETATION as per the definition that i think that term is now viewed.  And it is iNTERPRETED or RATHER it is added to/subtracted from the actual meaning. And as we all are aware...there are about four warning in the bible about adding to and subtracting from God's Word..which makes doing that a lie.

Why are you asking me?  I didn't make the thread. But I also won't stand idle when someone is pounded on for asking a question, no matter how impossible that question may be.

oh good grief i was just using your post as a starting point.

did you miss the part where i said, 'not you'?

Calypso Jones wrote:Bible studies are fun..and what they help me to do is to recognize a verse, a word, a meaning, a phrase, a fact, a name, a geneology, a little jewel that God puts there for those that are serious about wanting to know more about God's word..... that i hadn't noticed before.  But we do NOT interpret scripture.  Godmeant wnat he said and said what he meant  when he inspired his prophet to write it down.

Fair question. Could Jesus not write himself? The OT was begun 40 after the death of Jesus Christ and the NT was written some 300-400 years later.

Rhetorical question and no need for an answer.

From my experience and i mean no disrespect to Catholics but face it.....Catholics are not likely to read the bible.  THAT has been my experience>>IN CATHOLIC schools, with catholic friends, in catholic groups.    They rely on the priest to tell them what is in the bible and frankly....they shouldn't do that.    THere Enters the potential for a catholic priest to INTERPRET a passage any way he wants.  and i am directly reminded of the catholic church in NYC THIS WEEK that put in the church...God is Trans.  God is most definitely not Trans and that is a false interpretation and claim.

Calypso Jones wrote:oh good grief i was just using your post as a starting point.

did you miss the part where i said, 'not you'?

Well you quoted my post and began your post with "Do you want it interpreted from the standpoint of defending a certain viewpoint" then threw in a "not you" so it would be reaonably assumed the first part was directed at me.

I, me, myself don't want an interpretation at all.