While reading the Bible answers the question, "What does the Bible say?," interpreting the Bible answers the question, "What does the Bible mean by what it says?" Presented at the North Charleston church of Christ | http://northcharlestonchurchofchrist.com

1. Effective Bible Study
2 Timothy 2:15 Read It, Explain It, Apply It
Lesson 3
Introduction to
Biblical Interpretation

2. Effective Bible Study
Lesson 1:Who Can Study the Bible?
Lesson 2: How to Read the Bible / The Bible’s Theme
Lesson 3: Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
Lesson 4: Periods of Bible History
Lesson 5: Analyzing the Books of the Bible
Lesson 6: Analyzing the Bible by Chapter
Lesson 7: Biblical Exegesis
Lesson 8: Studying Biblical Words
Lesson 9: Comparative Bible Study
Lesson 10:Topical Bible Study
Lesson 11: Meditating On & Teaching the Bible
January - March 2016

3. Interpreting the Bible answers the question:
What does the Bible mean by what it says?

4. Six Pitfalls of Interpretation
1. Misreading the text – What does the text actually say?
2. Distorting the text – (Making the text say what you want)
3. Contradicting the text – (Misusing Scripture to authorize sin)
4. Subjectivism – (“What does this mean to you?”)
5. Relativism – (The idea that the meaning changes over time)
6. Overconfidence – The process of interpretation never ends

5. Sources of Interpretation
Effective Bible Study
2 Timothy 2:15 Read It, Explain It, Apply It
1. Language Gap
Illustration: 1 Corinthians 4:1, “minister”
2. Cultural Gap
Illustration: Mark & Roman culture
3. Geography Gaps
Illustration: “Went up to Jerusalem” • Laodicea
Interpreting the Bible
means closing some gaps:

6. Paul’s Third Journey
Acts 18:23-21:16

13. Hierapolis from Laodicea

14. Colossae from Laodicea
Mt. Cadmus

15. Locus River in Colossae

16. Sources of Interpretation
Effective Bible Study
2 Timothy 2:15 Read It, Explain It, Apply It
4. History Gap
Illustration: Pilate during Jesus’ trial
Interpreting the Bible
means closing some gaps:
1. Language Gap
Illustration: 1 Corinthians 4:1, “minister”
2. Cultural Gap
Illustration: Mark & Roman culture
3. Geography Gaps
Illustration: “Went up to Jerusalem” • Laodicea

17. Principles of Interpretation
1. The Literal Principle
Understand Scripture in its literal, normal, natural sense.
2. The Historical Principle
What did it mean to the people to whom it was spoken or written?
3. The Grammatical Principle
Look at the sentence and parts of speech
4. The Synthesis Principle
One part of the Bible does not teach something
that another part contradicts.

18. Assignment
Effective Bible Study
2 Timothy 2:15 Read It, Explain It, Apply It
Continue working to memorize
the themes for each book of the Bible.

19. Effective Bible Study
2 Timothy 2:15 Read It, Explain It, Apply It
Lesson 3
Introduction to
Biblical Interpretation