We studied in part one of July Chapter and Verse the subject of how Scripture interprets itself in the verse, and the different ways in the verse that it’s handled. We dare not privately interpret God’s Word because, as we see in 2 Peter 1:20, we are instructed that no prophecy of the Scripture is of one’s own interpretation. Now we continue on this topic to learn how Scripture interprets itself in its context.
If the scripture is not able to be interpreted right in the verse, then we must look at its context, for the context is the enveloping idea, that which makes up the story. A good example would be Psalms 2:8, which sometimes is used in missionary sermons:
Psalm 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
It sounds like God is blessing them with the heathen as a people to draw to God. If you keep reading in the context, it says the complete opposite.
Psalm 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Now that doesn’t sound so nice for the heathen, does it?
Another example is in Hebrews 11.
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
When you consider the context, then you will see that you will not fall for the popular opinion among most Christians that Enoch was such a good man that God did not allow him to die because he so pleased God. Now you will see the error of this. Keep in mind that the word “translated” is the word “transported” in the Greek text, meaning “taken from one place to another,” not up to another place, but over to another place… that he should not see death. The word “see” is the Greek word eidon, which means to look at with actual perception with one’s eyes, literally, to see someone. In this case, “to see someone die.” Let’s take a look at the fuller context.
Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain… Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death… Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God… Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called… Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength… Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
So, is Enoch part of the “these all” in verse 13? You bet he is! So did Enoch die? You bet he did. Now you see that if you were to agree with the popular opinion that Enoch was such a special person and so good before God that God did not allow him to die, you would be dead wrong … according to the Scriptures. We see through the Old Testament that Enoch never saw anyone die with his own eyes. The only one who is alive and with the Father God is His Son, Jesus Christ, for God raised Him from the dead. A good student of God’s Word must always go to the Scripture and its context to find out exactly what it says before we make any hasty conclusions.
Another example is in Matthew 13.
Matthew 13:24-30: 24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
What is the good seed? What are the tares? What is the field? Who is the enemy? Who are the reapers? Has the Word told you what these things are? So far, we don’t know because the Word has NOT told us. So let’s quit guessing and giving our own opinions as to what these things are. Let the Word speak. Let’s be wise as the disciples were in verse 36: …and his disciples came unto him, saying, "Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field." They were wise, they didn’t guess. In the context, Jesus goes on to explain.
Matthew 13:37-39 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Now that we’ve looked at the context to see how the story unfolds, could it be any clearer or more plain? Following the context, all the guesswork is eliminated.
The book of Revelation is considered to have a lot of symbolic meaning and terms. Let’s look.
Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
What are the candlesticks?
Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
What are the seven stars? So far it hasn’t told us. So we don’t guess, we look in the context. If we keep reading, we see in the context that the Word gives us the answers.
Revelation 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
You see, all of the opinions and guesswork are eliminated by letting the Word of God speak for itself either in the verse, as we saw in part 1, or in the context as we see here in part 2.
Part 3 will handle the third basic way in which the Word of God interprets itself, so stay tuned!
To be continued…