Why Bible Interpretation Matters
Communication is a thing, is it not? Interpretation is a challenge at the times that you least expect it. Sometimes when you say something it can mean some things, and it takes a little bit of work to make sure that you’re actually understanding what a person is trying to communicate. And, if that’s true, if you’re sharing news with a coworker or talking to your girlfriend or communicating with your husband, how true is that when it comes to God? One of the coolest things about Christianity is that we have a God who has spoken to us. We have a God who doesn’t make us follow our hearts or trust our guts, or figure out our feelings. We have a God who’s so gracious that he gave us this book, the Bible, that we call the Word of God. But here’s what I’ve come to learn in my experience as a Christian and as a pastor: this book is not necessarily a good book — it’s only a good book if you understand what God intends it to say. In the history of the church, and maybe in your own personal history, this book can either be really good for you or really toxic for you, depending on how a person interprets it.
I’m not sure of your spiritual story, but has anyone ever used this book, the Bible, in a way that was so good for you, so life-giving and good for your soul? Or has anyone ever quoted this book in a way that was not actually godly or good for anyone involved? Maybe you went to a funeral when your grandpa passed and the pastor read the timeless words of Psalm 23 — that God is our shepherd, that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don’t have to fear evil because God is with us. And in that moment, even though you grieved, you could grieve with hope, because you knew grandpa was with God. This book was such a blessing in a moment when you needed it most.
Or maybe this book wasn’t used for good. Maybe it was used as a weapon. Maybe there’s some messy situation where you were sinned against and someone misquoted, took out of context a Bible passage — “we have to forgive each other, no one’s perfect” — and instead of doing the hard work of confession and reconciliation, you were just rushed through the process and told, “We have to forgive. You have to let it go. We’re Christian after all.” Or maybe someone misquoted this book and told you that divorce is never an option, and even though abuse happened, even though he trampled all over the vows, you felt like you had to stay, that God wanted you to stay. It’s so important not just that we have the book and open the book, but that we interpret the book well. The Bible will either be a blessing or a brutal curse — and so much of it comes down to this: do we interpret it as God intended?
Rule One: Read the Bible, Not About the Bible
This conversation is all about interpretation. We started this conversation last week, and just in case you weren’t here, let me tell you the number one thing we learned about interpreting the Bible well. The most important thing you can know about interpreting the heart of God is to not read about the Bible, but to read the Bible. Sometimes you hear things and think they’re in the Bible, like “money is the root of all kinds of evil,” or “God helps those who help themselves,” or “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Have you heard that? None of those things are actually in the Bible. We sometimes think they are, but they aren’t. So the best thing we can do, almost like a banker who touches real currency every day and can tell the difference between real and counterfeit, is to touch God’s Word. We want to read the Bible so we ourselves are so familiar with it that it becomes easier to recognize a misinterpretation of it. That’s rule number one.
The Most Misquoted Words of Jesus: “Do Not Judge”
Today I want to take you a little deeper and teach you interpretive rule number two. To teach this rule, let me give you one of the most famous examples of it. I have a hunch a lot of you have heard these three words from Jesus: “Do not judge.” Because church people can be super judgmental. Honestly, who am I to judge you? How long is the list of things in my own life that I need to work on? So what business would I have to say, “You should really change how you’re living,” when there are 99 things in my life that I need to change? Maybe it makes sense that I would keep my nose in my own spiritual business and you would do the same. Maybe we could shake this Christian stereotype. Pause — is that a good interpretation?
Let’s think about this for a second. Rule number one said if we want to know if something is really biblical, we should read the Bible. So first, does the Bible actually say this? Did Jesus actually say this, or is this one of those quotes that got twisted? The answer is: he did say it.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” — Matthew 7:1
But is that a good interpretation? Did Jesus, in his teaching, really want Christians never to say that anything or anyone was wrong?
A couple months ago, I got to serve as the foreman of a jury here in our community. It was a terrible case of a guy who had sexually abused members of his own family decades ago, and we found him guilty. I got to stand up and essentially say bad, evil, wrong. Was that wrong of me to do as a Christian? Every one of us in the jury box has a whole bunch of stuff we need to work on — none of us are perfect, spotless, flawless, holy people. So who was I to stand up and say to any human being, “What you’re doing is terrible”? And I think you’re thinking, “No, Mike, you did the right thing.” And honestly, don’t we kind of want some judgment even here in our church? If you found out I was using the church credit card to take your offerings and go out for lavish steak dinners, do you think you should say something? Or because you’re a sinner, should you just stick to your own business and let me stick to mine? If our interpretation of Jesus’s words is that no one should ever say anything to anyone, we run into all kinds of problems — situations that Jesus absolutely does not want.
Interpretation Rule Two: Context, Context, Context
So how do we fix this? With interpretation rule number two. It’s important not just to read the Bible, but to remember context, context, context. It is so essential that you not just quote the Bible, but that you quote it, read it, and understand it in its context. If you get back to the context instead of just quoting a verse or a snippet, you don’t need some fancy degree in interpretation — you’ll know by basic logic and reason what the answer is. There are three contexts you should check to properly interpret the Bible.
Context #1: The Context of the Passage
The first is the context of the passage — the very immediate context. If you’re texting with a friend and one of her texts is a little cloudy and could mean “A” or “B,” you’ll probably look back in the thread to see what came immediately before or after it to understand it. You do the exact same thing with the Bible. So if you thought Jesus was saying Christians shouldn’t judge other people, let’s look at the context of what he said in Matthew 7:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” — Matthew 7:1–5
Jesus’s problem is that if I use one measure for your behavior but change the measure for my own, that’s hypocrisy — and any correction conversation is going to blow up because you’re going to say, “Oh, like you should talk.” Why would I look at the speck in your eye and pay no attention to the plank in my own? That’s Jesus’s problem. But if I am paying attention to the stuff in my own life, if I am repenting of my sin and trying to follow the Word of God, then I have every right to talk to you about your life. Notice what he says at the end: first, and then. First judge yourself, then you’re prepared to help another person.
With this simple interpretation of context, we’ve evaded all the problems. Should we point out sin in the church? Yes, we should. Should you correct my behavior if you see something concerning? Yes, you should. Should I say some hard words to you — not just tender ones, but tough ones — and say, “Repent, come back to Jesus, turn around, change your mind”? I absolutely should. Jesus’s words in Matthew 7 say nothing about never saying anything to anyone. Instead, they’re trying to save us from hypocritical judgment and double standards. That’s the context of the passage.
Context #2: The Context of the Author
Second, if the passage doesn’t clarify things, check the context of the author or speaker. Let’s say Jesus’s words in Matthew 7 weren’t as clear as they were. The best thing to do is let Jesus explain himself — go to other Scriptures where he’s talking about similar themes and find a clarifying answer. For example, in Luke 24, Jesus said:
“The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.” — Luke 24:46–47
If Jesus is telling churches like this one that we should preach repentance — that people should let go of their sin so that God can fill their hands with his forgiveness and grace — that’s exactly what we should be doing, and Jesus is the one who told us to do it. So if my interpretation of Matthew 7 is that Jesus told us not to judge, and then in Luke 24 Jesus tells us to call people to repentance, my interpretation must be off. And how do I know? Simply by following the context of the author. When the apostle Paul says something that could mean “A” or “B,” you don’t shrug your shoulders — you look at his other passages on the same topic, and Paul will clarify himself.
Context #3: The Context of the Whole Bible
What’s the third thing you need to know? The context of the Bible as a whole. If, by rare circumstance, the context of the passage and the context of the author still don’t make it clear, here’s the really cool thing: the Bible, although it was written by 40 different human authors — Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul — has one divine author. That’s why we call it the Holy Bible: it was given to us by the Holy Spirit. And because the Holy Spirit doesn’t contradict himself, we can let Scripture interpret Scripture. The more familiar you get with the whole of Scripture, the better prepared you are to interpret any particular passage of it.
Let me give you two quick examples. There’s a passage in 1 John 4 that says:
“God is love.” — 1 John 4:8
Sweet passage — one of the simplest summaries of the heart of God. Now, some people take that Scripture and get it twisted. They think, “Well, if God’s so loving, he never gets angry. There’s no judgment. There can’t be such a thing as hell, because God is love, period.” But you can’t read the Bible cover to cover and come to that soft, squishy conclusion. You can’t get to Noah and the flood on page six of the Bible without seeing God’s seriousness and holiness toward sin. You can’t get twenty pages into the story of Sodom and Gomorrah without seeing fire and brimstone come down on hard-hearted, abusive, violent people. My interpretation of any one verse has to fit with the rest of the Bible.
Look at James 2. James once said:
“Faith without deeds is dead.” — James 2:26
If you thought, “Oh no — have I done enough good things? Can I have life with God if I don’t always do the things I should?” — read the rest of the Bible and hear that getting to heaven is a gift that comes in the name of Jesus Christ. In baptism you’re saved and your sins are washed away. The deeds we do aren’t ways to climb a ladder to God — they’re the things we do to say thank you, because he already put us at the top of the ladder in the name of Jesus.
Practical Takeaway #1: Do Devotions With Caution
Now let’s talk about your life. What difference does any of this make? If you’re going to be the kind of Christian who’s focused on the context of the Word for good interpretation, what are you going to do differently? Here’s the first practical takeaway: do devotions with caution. If you get a little spiritual nourishment from scrolling on TikTok or watching YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, read those with caution, because brevity requires content creators like me to eliminate the context. I had to make a bunch of Instagram Reels recently, and they said, “Pastor Mike, in 60 seconds or less, watch this video and respond to it.” The video was a woman who had an abortion and now felt complicated regret. Abortion, one minute, go. How much Bible teaching do you think I’m able to do in 60 seconds or less?
“My coworker is trans, Pastor Mike — should I use his preferred pronouns or not? Under one minute, go.” That’s a huge issue. I can barely quote one Bible passage in 60 seconds. I’m not saying making those videos is bad, but they have to be on-ramps to a deeper study of what the Word of God says about such things. Was your divorce okay, or was it not? Should you leave him, or shouldn’t you? Do you have to keep your distance from your dad, or should you forgive him and try to reconcile? So many of the real questions you ask require a deep study of what God has to say. I know we live in a fast world where we just want the verse of the day, some spiritual quick food — the one-page devotion because we’ve got to run the kids off to school. These things aren’t bad, but they are bad substitutes for a deeper study of the Word of God in its context. Fast food rarely nourishes your precious soul. So take a step: watch the one-minute video, and then click the link to do a deeper study. Let the short discussion lead you into a broader study of what God has to say. Your soul is connected to your interpretation of the Word of God, and your interpretation is connected to the context. Use devotions as icing on the cake of your connection with God, not the whole cake.
Practical Takeaway #2: Controversy Requires Context
Why is this practical for your life? Because controversy requires context. Whenever we’re talking about an issue that’s really intense — not just “what does the Bible say about that,” but people holding their breath, fighting societal division, passionate debate in families — context is huge. Sometimes there are itching ears that want to hear a certain take from the Bible. “I want this thing so badly, and I want God’s support for it, so I’ll find any little snippet that backs up what I already want.” It’s so important in those moments to slow down and actually see what God says. The devil himself quoted the Bible when he tried to trick Jesus — he took a snippet out of context, and it was Jesus who had to zoom out and read it in context to correct the devil and resist the temptation. So whenever it’s getting emotional, refuse to just drop the social media post and end the argument. Instead, slow down with the people you love and check the context. It takes time and a lot of study and work. But our hope is that we won’t come up with some convenient, clever, or cultural interpretation of the Word of God, but actually understand everything he wants us to know. Controversy requires context.
Practical Takeaway #3: Be a Bible-Bringing Christian
Finally, I hope that you and I are not just Bible-believing Christians, but Bible-bringing Christians. It is such a sweet thing to see you walking into church with a Bible in your hand. The Bible doesn’t say you have to bring a Bible to church — if you don’t have one in your hands, you’re not a bad Christian, and for most of Christian history people didn’t have a printed Bible, so it was never a requirement from God. But here’s what I love about it: the best kind of churches have a system of checks and balances. If I’m in total control of the teaching of the service, I can pick how much of the context goes up on the screen, and I’m in control of what you see and don’t see. It’s not because I have any intent to deceive you, but so that you can see for yourself — what came before this verse, what came after it, and does what I’m telling you right now fit the flow of Scripture?
It’s an amazing story in Acts 17 where the apostle Paul is preaching, and it says his listeners, a group of people called the Bereans, were of noble character because they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what he said was true. So don’t be overly critical, but be cautious. Don’t be a doctrinal hawk just waiting to swoop in and write that email with the caps lock on. But let’s make sure there are checks and balances so we interpret the Bible well and say only what God wants us to say — no more and no less.
The Gift of a God Who Speaks
Before I say amen, why does this matter so much? If you grew up in church or grew up a Christian, I can almost guarantee you’re no longer stunned that God speaks. I never want to get used to the fact that God is so kind to us that he gave us a book. He chose not to give us a line, a snippet, or some vague words in the clouds — he has spoken to us from Genesis to Revelation. In his mercy and compassion, he hasn’t made you guess whether you’re forgiven — he declares it in his Word. And this book points you to Jesus. You don’t have to guess, you don’t have to wonder, you don’t have to wander through life. Instead, you can open this book and know that God is speaking to you. He’s showing you the seriousness of your sin, convincing you that you cannot save yourself, and then telling you that he came to save you — that there is a Jesus, he is God, and he shed his holy, precious blood so that you could be forgiven, so that your sins could be washed away, so that everyone who believes in his name will be saved. I don’t have to wonder if I’m going to make it to heaven. I don’t have to question if I’m good enough. I have Jesus, and he is enough. Why do I want you to interpret this book well? Because it is a gift from a gracious God. He gave it, and he wants you to get it — because when you get it, you get Jesus, and when you get Jesus, you get everything.
So, my friends, find the time, make the time, and thank God for every bit of time you get with the Word of God. Yes, we live in a world of division, even among Christians, even in churches. But sometimes all you have to do is check the context, context, context, and you’ll get what God is giving. May it be so in me and you and here at this church. Let’s pray.
Oh, God, what a gift to have your Word. It’s a big book, God. It’s an old book. It’s a book that intimidates a lot of us, but I pray that you open our eyes to the beauty and the treasure it is to have a Bible. There are literally people who gave their lives so that this book could be here, well interpreted in our language, so that we could access it whenever we want. We thank you for their sacrifice and pray that we make the most of it by opening your Word today.
God, give us humility. Sometimes the things we hear online, sometimes the things we’re taught by our parents, even our pastors or priests, are not true to your Word. Help us to be willing to adjust our interpretation once we see what you’re actually saying in this book. God, help us to be a church that’s humble. The Pharisees thought they loved the Bible, but they were unbelievably hypocritical and critical. We don’t want to love your Word in that way. We don’t want to use it as a weapon; we want to use it as a way to worship you and to understand your heart. So help all of us handle this Word with care, with caution, that it would be a blessing to our own hearts and those in this community.
I pray, God, that today’s the day for someone to get back on the Bible-reading train, for someone who gave up the last time around to try again with the help of pastors and people here at our church. I hope a year from now we’ve read huge chunks, if not all, of the Bible — that we would understand not just the context of some doctrine, but the context of the very heart of God. Help us to do the work, God, because we will reap what we sow. And when we sow these seeds of effort in your Word, we know that we will reap a harvest of faith, of joy, and of peace. It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray all these things, and all God’s people said, amen.
