Saturday, August 30, 2014

“Private interpretation” (2 Pet 1:20) and its influence on my approach to Bible study? 544 - 2 - 1

The apostle Peter walked in the dust of the Rabbi for three years and cited prophecy as being a better witness. 2 Peter 1:19-21 attests to the validity of the Word, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Bible gateway is my go to website for a quick keyword search. Individual verses having that keyword are listed plus the opinion to view them in context.

An example is Daniel 7:16 which resulted from a search for the keyword “interpretation.” In context it reads:

Daniel 7:15-17,

15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
Without reading the original verse in context one could miss the fact that Daniel was given a look into the last days.

Old Testament heroes depended on God when interpreting dreams. 

Genesis 40:8, "And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you."

Genesis 41:16, "And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."

Solomon used the wisdom given him by God when interpreting “a thing.” Ecclesiastes 8:1, "Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed."

When Daniel interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 2, Daniel credited God. Daniel 2:28, “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these”

And again regarding the “Handwriting on the Wall.” Daniel 5:26, "This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it."

Jesus warned us again and again about false teachers. This warning was reinforced in 1 Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

With this in mind, my Bible study is just that, a study of God’s Word.

Added Later:

2 Timothy 2:14-16 reinforces this:

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (G3718) the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings (G2757): for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

G3718 - From a compound of G3717 and the base of G5114; to make a straight cut, that is, (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message): - rightly divide.


G2757 - From a presumed compound of G2756 and G5456; empty sounding, that is, fruitless discussion: - vain.

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