BibleInterp-2Tradition

February 28, 2025

Bible Interp-2 Tradition

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Abstract

This article offers a procedure for seeking old, perhaps centuries-old, explanations of Bible verses.

Personal Note

To those experiencing a sense of conflict in the Christian Faith,

First, this website will contain some harsh information. For some, this personal note is one such place.

Ask yourself, what is Christianity? Is it agreeing that God’s Word is true? What is God’s Word? The Bible? Or perhaps it is the well-accepted doctrine and theology you have been taught by men and women who have demonstrably moved the kingdom of God forward? What did you decide to give your life for? We use binary-choice questions to work toward insight.

Are you saved because you have chosen to believe and live according to the laws in the Old Testament? Since these are binary choice questions, the answer is yes or no. We will not provide a discussion here because this website is for Christians, and as such, we do not trust in the O.T. law for salvation. As Christians, we learn much from the Old Testament, but Jesus provides a new way to think about the faith. What is known as the New Covenant is superior to the old.

(Heb 8:6 NKJV) But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

For this question, we replace OT laws (above) with precepts, promises, and covenants from anywhere in the Bible. Do you think you became saved because you have agreed with those who say they are true? The answer may be yes and represent your actual spiritual state. Providing a case for this is too long for this article[1]. Just as faith without works is dead, so are covenants, laws, promises, theology, etc., without a relationship with God[2].

Let’s increase the difficulty of the questions.

Could you be saved if the Bible did not exist? Could you be saved if Moses or the apostle Paul did not exist?

If you sense you are drifting away from the church, are you willing to engage in an experiment? Consider one man’s experience, described below.

In 1736, a professional (paid) preacher was in a terrible storm at sea. He was pretty fearful, not sure if he would live. Moravian believers were on the voyage, and he observed that their spiritual faith somehow resulted in a remarkable calm.

The preacher prayed day after day, seeking God. As with Luther, he lacked the assurance that he was saved. He knew the theology and Bible promises, which he believed were true, but something was missing (inside him).

John Wesley’s pilgrimage toward his Aldersgate experience included attending Moravian meetings and Martin Luther’s preface to Romans.

(Deu 4:29 NIV) But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

(Heb 11:6 NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Introduction

What is tradition[3]? Here, we are referring to Bible commentaries. There are newer, less-than-century-old commentaries and writings for the New Testament going back more than a thousand years. Christian authors and believers before Christ have written commentary on the Old Testament. Jewish writings include the Midrash and Talmud.

Why do we read centuries-old explanations for understanding the Bible, a book written a few millenniums before us? For one, if we go back far enough, the writer may have directly heard Jesus; if not, then one of the apostles. Another reason is that if they were saved, they were influenced by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, just as modern authors can be. They, too, considered Bible interpretation a serious responsibility.

Using Commentaries

The following is intended for those who are responsible to others for the proper interpretation of scripture. This is the next step for the ideas in the first article on Bible interpretation.

After you have read the verse, find three classic commentaries that discuss it. If you can only see two, keep looking. Perhaps a Christian peer will know where else to look for commentary. Only accept two commentaries if you absolutely must.

Some of the steps below are repeated nearly word for word. This is to emphasize the importance of due diligence when interpreting scripture. Sometimes, due diligence is the seed God works through for our spiritual growth. But other less technical, more contemplative reading of the Bible is used by God also for our spiritual growth. We are not required to use commentaries.

  1. We encourage you to start with prayer, submit yourself to God, and ask Him to reveal the truth through the scripture.
  2. Read verses before and after the verse you are interpreting. Read any footnotes that may exist in your Bible.
  3. Read the first commentary and paraphrase its message in the verse. Write it when due diligence is required. You may use this to review how you interpreted the commentary at a future date because we change.
  4. Read the second commentary and paraphrase its message in the verse. Write it when due diligence is required. You may use this to review how you interpreted the commentary at a future date because we change.
  5. Read the third commentary and paraphrase its message in the verse. Write it when due diligence is required. You may use this to review how you interpreted the commentary at a future date because we change.
  6. Write your paraphrase of the verse.
  7. Write what you understand the verse to mean.

If you want to go deeper, consider writing short biographies for the commentators you use. Also, consider searching for relevant books. Try using the search criteria ‘bible study methods.’

This approach may feel cumbersome to students of the Bible. With practice, you will discover that some commentators genuinely understand a verse while others do not. In another verse, the opposite. Most of us settle on three commentaries we use by default, with perhaps four or five more to use as needed. Over time, an understanding develops of what each commentator does well.

Summary

The secondary level makes use of how others have understood the passage.

Conclusion

The classic interpretations of the past serve as a default. We thoughtfully consider them and perhaps accept one as how we understand the verse. After considering three classics, we may arrive at a synthesis that uses all three. But not always. Additionally, we may have the sense that we have not been able to find the true meaning. When this happens, if you sense God’s calling, seek Him for the understanding.

When we rely on God for an understanding that we have not found anywhere else, we do so humbly before Him. We pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning, and then we use historical writings as a guide here. By doing this, we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone on before us. This can significantly accelerate growth in the knowledge of Christianity.

Additionally, consult with the other believers in your peer group. For the writings, we accept that God may have influenced the commentator, but their understanding is through the filter of their context. Their context consisted of their knowledge of the world and the medical science of being human. Some writers may have been under persecution, arrest, a pandemic, and other hardships.

With such a significant body of writings from past Christians, we thank God.

Notes

[1] How can accepting a doctrine, theology, or precept as true save someone? Consider the possibility that a person who has been taught that accepting these will result in God making the decision (God is not a machine executing a series of instructions) to forgive their sins. Now, suppose that the Holy Ghost is calling the sinner. In such a sinner’s context, from all that they know, accepting God’s gift of salvation is done by believing in the precepts, promises, and covenants. Why? Because God looks at the heart. So the turning point from being the lord of their own life, to accepting Jesus as the lord of their life occurs at the moment they comply with what they have been taught by Christian teaching.

[2] Thought experiment: does a Christian ritual save us, such as Holy Communion? Not by itself. Such rituals, or works must be performed in faith by each and every believer. This is a matter of the heart. These interplay. Many have confused heart with cognition or emotion, for now simply know that we must be sincere.

[3] The tradition discussed here is written commentaries on the Bible. There are other traditions, such as the oral tradition. Here, beliefs were passed to successive generations by speech, not writing. If they are important for furthering the Kingdom of God today, then honest, altruistic saints have written them for the benefit of others. God can and has cloaked some concepts. If there exists an important concept which is not written, then perhaps something is amiss.

Glossary in the website area More

Additional Information

Bible Versions

A goal for site content is to be independent of the Bible version. This is the reason many articles contain quotes from several versions. The literal interpretation of a verse may conflict with some church denomination’s teachings. If we know that a concept being promoted in an article or blog post conflicts with any mainstream church, we try to use the version of the Bible that the denomination prefers. Exceptions will exist for various reasons. See the Bible interpretation series (currently being written or edited) in the BnB section.

About the Bible Interpretation Series

Many Christians are doing well in the faith and know they are growing. Some see that they have been more connected with the faith in the past. Sometimes God seems distant, sometimes a feeling of being conflicted about church teaching. This website intends to offer alternative, mainstream Christian perspectives. Sometimes, one mainstream Christian perspective does not work as well for a believer as a different one.

No part of this series requires the reader to be a polyglot, able to study scripture in many languages. Everything suggested on this website works for people that only speak English, or any other language that offers a variety of Bible versions and study tools. No suggestion planned requires the use of a software translation tool.

There is a reason for each mainstream perspective.

Interp-1, Easy

This approach is a straightforward understanding of the scripture. if something does not make sense that we read, then a good choice is to talk to your Christian peers or spiritual leader. Interrupting Bible text may require the frequent use of an ordinary dictionary, which can feel like excessive overhead. However, many people become used to using online websites and apps because they are convenient and, for our purposes, kept up to date. Online dictionaries can be fast but may require a paid account, other options exist.

Interp-2, Tradition

Teaching Christianity is a serious responsibility and requires due diligence for interpreting scripture. Before prayer meetings, our preparation is often prayer. Before the Bible teaching, prayer and careful preparation are needed.

Here, we add tradition to the research. We show respect for tradition when we make use of a classic commentary. After the research, write your paraphrase of the verse and how you understand it.

Interp-3, Advanced

Advanced Bible study is beyond the scope of why this website was created. But it is essential to know that it exists. One type is a critical analysis, which can be lengthy for a single verse or word. A few tools will be discussed but no attempt for how to use them. Simply using some tools may require two levels of depth for defining the terms used. In the past, some tools were only available, for example, a parallel of the Gospels in Greek and German.

Interp-4, ‘Heart knowledge’

This article will be delayed. Some people believe that the witness of the Holy Ghost is in every believer and themselves. Other people state what they have experienced and what they are aware of. So, this is on hold because there is so much to write from many Christian perspectives.