Bible Interpretation: Principles for Christians

Principles for Christians Reading the Bible Together

Understanding Yourself and Others

• Every Christian must determine the context from which he or she speaks.
• Every Christian should recognize which theological orientation to the Bible is most natural.
• Patience and tolerance are needed to dialogue with those who approach the Bible in a different manner.

Working Responsibly with Ancient Customs and Beliefs

• Recognize that ancient Israelite society, as well as Greco-Roman society, were very different from our modern society.
• To understand these differences well, it may involve seeking additional knowledge beyond what we initially bring to the text.

The Three "C"s of Interpretation

Dialogue is enhanced if we commit ourselves to the three “C”s of interpretation: Credible, Coherent, Contextual.

Scripture Interprets Scripture

Scripture records the way things were, not always the way they should be, and reflects progressive revelation.

Determining Credible, Coherent, and Contextual Readings

Credible

Can other persons in the community be convinced of the soundness of the proposed reading?

Coherent

Does one's reading of the Bible deal honestly with the text?

Can the reading stand up to the generally accepted principles of interpretation?

Contextual

Does the proposed reading take seriously the literary, historical, and cultural context out of which the text comes?

Is the proposed reading consistent with Christian faith and practice?

Is the proposed reading consistent with Christian principles of love for God and neighbor?

Can other persons within the Christian community be convinced of the ethical and theological soundness of the proposed reading?

English Translations of the Bible

Literal Translations

• Maintain linguistic equivalence.
• Attempt to stay close to the form of the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.
• Idioms translated literally.
• Odd grammatical constructions are maintained.

“Dynamic Equivalent” Translations

• Maintain Dynamic Equivalence.
• Attempt to keep the meaning of the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic but alter the language, grammar, and style.
• Idioms changed to an English equivalent.
• Odd grammatical constructions are removed.

Free Translations

Do not maintain Formal and Functional Equivalence. Attempt to translate the “ideas” being communicated in the text. The goal is to read the Bible as if it was written today. Some “free” translations seem to take too much license with the text and are deemed more a “paraphrase” than a translation.