Bible Study Part Two: Interpretation

This session will introduce us to the second skill of inductive Bible study: Interpretation.

Purpose of Interpretation

To interpret means to explain or tell the meaning of something. When interpreting a Scripture passage, aim to determine what the author meant by the words used, keeping in mind the original audience. Try to put yourself in the writer’s place and recapture the thoughts, attitudes, and emotions.

The primary purpose of interpretation is to discover what the author meant, to discover the purpose and the message. This is not easy, because the writer is not around anymore. But try to be objective in your interpretations. Don’t think about what the passage means to you (this is application), but what it seemed to mean to the author. Even so, interpretations will vary a great deal. You can read a dozen commentaries on a biblical passage and have as many different explanations.

The Bridge Between Observation and Interpretation

The bridge between observation and interpretation is to ask yourself questions for understanding, questions concerning the meaning of words and statements. You probably use

this bridge more often than you realize. Usually when you read something, you may read the words in a passage, observe what the words say, and ask questions about words and statement you do not understand. In learning to become a Bible discoverer, you need to do these things deliberately. As you read a passage, always ask questions about meanings.

Why Ask Questions?

Some of the reasons for asking questions are: to stimulate thinking; to force yourself to think seriously about the meaning of words and statements; and to begin to identify those words, phrases, and statements that need interpretation. Asking yourself questions often will lead to more observations, prepare you for application and serve as the foundation for questions you might use in leading a discussion.

Learning to ask questions about meanings of words is a skill just like learning how to observe. Always remember that you are asking yourself the questions for your own understanding. That is why these are called questions for understanding, interpretive questions, or I wonder questions.