Swindoll Study Bible and Searching the Scriptures - Flipbook - Page 7
SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
and allow my imagination to run freely. Perhaps you can try to picture the scene
as it would have been experienced by the people who appear in it, or imagine the
thoughts and feelings that would have been going through the minds of the original
recipients of a letter.
Remember, we have an infinite text! The Bible’s depths are unfathomable. Its truths
are beyond measurement. You could take a verse or section of Scripture and keep
yourself busy for hours. How? By digging into the words, observing the context, and
examining the details in order to see how they relate to each other.
Interpretation
Interpretation is, very simply, coming to an understanding of what the Bible means.
Whether reading a novel, a magazine article, a verse of Scripture, an e-mail message,
or a note from a friend, we must embrace interpretation in order to grasp meaning.
Interpretation is the attempt to understand what the text means after we’ve gathered
observations about it.
As you dig in and discover the truths of Scripture on your own, you will realize that
biblical interpretation is both a science and an art. It’s a science because it’s guided by
rules that form a system. But it’s also an art—it requires Spirit-directed skill to follow
those rules as you interpret the Bible. This might sound simple until you actually start
digging into the Bible on your own.
In our modern context, we’re faced with a couple of barriers to accurate interpretation of the Bible: a language barrier and a cultural barrier. We live in a time
in church history with many faithful and readable translations of the Bible available, like the one you’re now holding, to help us get past the language barrier. We are
also blessed with a plethora of good commentaries and Bible dictionaries to help
us understand the cultures and societies of the Bible and to take them into account
when we interpret. Avail yourself of these tools as you study and interpret the Bible.
They will help you immensely as you work to overcome the barriers of language
and culture.
Interpreting the Bible accurately builds on top of the foundation laid by your
observations of the text. Once you have a feel for what the passage you’re studying is saying, examine the broader context. If you’re focusing on a few verses, see
how they fit in the structure of the whole book. Pay attention to genre, too. Part of
interpretation hinges on the type of literature and what it communicates. Your Bible
dictionary and the book introduction in this study Bible will help you learn more
about the genre of the book you are studying. Read them! Dig into the cultural context, too. Understanding the mind-set of an ancient Near Eastern patriarch or a firstcentury Greek slave will help you better understand what a given author means. In
your Bible dictionary, look up any word or topic that seems like it might be relevant
to the passage you are studying. You’ll learn a lot that will help you understand the
Bible with more clarity. Even if what you learn doesn’t immediately seem helpful to
understanding your passage, don’t be discouraged. Remember, you are on a path of
lifetime learning about the Bible.
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