{"id":9234,"date":"2026-05-12T11:39:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/answers\/yak-pravylno-tlumachyty-bibliyu\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T11:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:39:50","slug":"yak-pravylno-tlumachyty-bibliyu","status":"publish","type":"answers","link":"https:\/\/advent-ug.org\/en\/answers\/yak-pravylno-tlumachyty-bibliyu\/","title":{"rendered":"How should the Bible be interpreted correctly?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interpreting the Bible is not an arbitrary \u201cvision.\u201d<\/b> Different people read the same passage of Scripture differently, and that is not accidental: how we interpret the text depends on the method. If the method is arbitrary, every conclusion will benefit only the interpreter. If the method is honest, the Bible explains itself.<\/p>\n

First principle: context is more important than an isolated verse<\/h2>\n

The greatest mistake in reading the Bible is to pull one verse out of an entire chapter. Every sentence of Scripture was spoken in a specific situation, to specific people, in a specific language. Without context, a verse becomes clay that can be shaped into anything.<\/p>\n

Before drawing a conclusion from one verse, ask three questions:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Who is speaking, and to whom?<\/b> A law given to priests is not always a law for us today. A promise to David is not always a promise to you.<\/li>\n
  2. What is said before and after it?<\/b> Read the whole chapter. Often the next verse explains the previous one.<\/li>\n
  3. What genre is the text?<\/b> A psalm is poetry, Revelation is apocalyptic, Proverbs is poetic wisdom. Genre determines how it should be read.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Second principle: the Bible interprets the Bible<\/h2>\n

    The Reformers called this the principle of Sola Scriptura<\/i> \u2014 \u201cScripture alone.\u201d This means that a difficult passage of the Bible is explained through other, clear passages of the Bible\u2014not through human tradition or personal inspiration.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAll Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.\u201d 2 Tim. 3:16<\/a><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    In practice, it works like this: if in the Old Testament you see a prophecy, look in the New to see how the apostles understood it. If in Paul you encounter a difficult metaphor, look in the Gospels to see how Jesus spoke about it. The Bible is one book with 66 chapters<\/b>, not 66 books with different truths.<\/p>\n

    Third principle: distinguish between the literal and the figurative<\/h2>\n

    Most of the Bible should be read literally\u2014as history, commandment, promise. But some texts are clearly figurative: the parables of Jesus, the poetry of the Psalms, the symbols of Revelation. How do we tell the difference?<\/p>\n