Interpretation


Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. [2Peter 1:20-21 NIV]

Hermeneutics is the theory or methodology of biblical interpretation taught at seminaries and bible colleges. Though the concept has much merit, such classes rarely examine the prime hermeneutic, the interpretation of God himself. In reality, all biblical interpretation is filtered through how one sees God. It is a difficult topic to be taught because it reveals how the most essential hermeneutic skews every other hermeneutic.

So when Peter tells us that the scriptures are not about human interpretation we understand that he is not saying that the prophets were not human. In contrast he tells us that these humans were carried along by God's Spirit as they spoke. God spoke through them in the context of their culture, language and their image of God. As we read their words in scripture we interpret their words in the light of the prime hermeneutic.

Help us Lord to fully embrace your divine image presented by Jesus in the gospel accounts.


... this devotion is part of my series on the epistles of Peter and biblical words.

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