First Basic Principle of Interpretation

1.  The Bible should be interpreted literally.

The Bible says what it means and means what it says.

The most important principle of biblical hermeneutics is that the Bible should be interpreted literally unless the passage is obviously intended to be symbolicly, figuratively, metaphorically, or even written as a parable.

Seeking the intended meaning of the original text

If you don't understand a particular word or verse, in your Bible, it is now easy to look up the word or verse in its original Hebrew or Koine Greek language.  Since very few Christians have studied Greek and Hebrew, God has provided us with the Strong's Concordance to research out the correct Greek or Hebrew meanings of a particular text in the Bible. This handy Concordance can be purchased in hard copy or free on your computer or smart phone for ready reference.  (I carry and use regularly the Strong's Concordance app on my smart phone to have as a reference at all times) 

Instant research 

Sadly, most Christians think they are researching Scripture literally and accurately, but when they come to a passage they don't understand, or even when they have been indoctrinated to believe differently about that text, they automatically allegorically seek out their own meaning or others conclusion as to what the truth may be saying.

Never allegorize Scripture by drawing to your own conclusion for the Bible to say something it was never intended to say.  And, never take someone else's opinion as God's Truth.  Many false doctrines have been created by the use of allegorizing Scripture.  If Scripture does not give the answer, don't make up one or conclude an answer, and certainly don't research  other people's opinions on what they think is truth.  

To get to the original true meaning of a word or verse, guard against going to Bible commentaries, well-known authors or speakers, even pastors or Bible teachers, or other people's opinions, including the opinions of the society in which you live in.  You do not know whether these people have accurately researched the Scriptures to find God's Truth.  Many researchers allegorize Scripture to fit their personal opinions, denominational doctrines, societal or even scientific beliefs. 

Relying on other people for God's Truth is dangerous and often leads to deception, bringing on false doctrine, lacking in God's Truth.  This kind of indoctrination then spreads and divides the Body of Christ. 

 If you cannot find your answer in the Bible, you cannot make up something to say that it doesn't say.  Don't be afraid to say that the Bible is not clear on an issue, or the Bible doesn't tell us.

As believers in Christ, we are each personally responsible before God to accurately research the Scriptures to discover God's Truth. 

Our main text for this article is 2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  KJV

Let's do a quick research in the Strong's Concordance to see what some of these key words mean in its original Greek.  (It took me less than five minutes using the Strong's Concordance app on my cell phone).

Study (G4704) = Do diligence, to make effort, be prompt or earnest.
Shew (G3936) = Assist, to stand beside, exhibit, substantiate
Approved (G1384) Properly acceptable
Workman (G2040) Labourer, toiler; teacher, worker
Ashamed (G422) Irreprehensible, not ashamed
Rightly dividing (G3718) To make a straight cut, to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message)
Word (G3056) Account, something said/thought, reasoning, the Divine Expression
Truth (G225) True, truly, truth, verity.

Let's now take some of those more obvious words and rewrite 2 Tim 2:15 from the original Koine Greek to grasp a clearer and deeper meaning of that scripture verse.

2 Timothy 2:15 (Koine Greek)

2 Tim 2:15 Transliteration into English

2 Tim 2:15 "Be diligent, making a prompt effort to earnestly exhibit and substantiate yourself properly, being accepted and not ashamed before God as a labourer/toiling worker/teacher dissecting and expounding correctly the Divine message of the Divine Expression of God's Truth."

Now I see this verse as more of a command, not a suggestion - to quickly, responsibly, and earnestly seek out God's Truth as written down by the Holy Spirit through the pens of His anointed writers back 2000 years ago.  In the translation, the researchers have exegetically researched out through correct hermeneutics, taking the principles of interpretation (as is explained throughout this article) to make sure we, in our English language, understand the correct original meaning of the text, because what was said back then has to mean the same thing today.   

We Are Responsible

Third Basic Principle of Interpretation:

3.  The scriptural passage must be understood by its right dispensation of time.

Dispensation:  A period of time when God is dealing with mankind

 The audiences of the Bible would have been addressed to either Old or New Covenant believers under basically two different dispensations of time.

Exception:  The audiences of the Books of Genesis and Revelation are the exception because Genesis was written to God's people before the Law regarding the beginning of time, the flood, and re-beginnings.  The Book of Revelation speaks to the Church, Jews, and also about unbelievers, bringing all of the history of humanity to an ending conclusion, which in God's eyes, simply brings mankind back to its beginnings.

 God deals differently with the Jews under the Old Covenant than He does with Christians (the Church) under the New Covenant.

All books under the Old Covenant were written by Jews.   All Gospel authors in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were also written about the Old Covenant period of time, under the Mosaic Law, and MUST be treated as under the Old Covenant. 

Anything before Pentecost was considered under the Old Covenant because Christ had not been resurrected or ascended into heaven, and the Holy Spirit had not come to indwell believers in Christ.  As such, the audience of the New Covenant began in Acts, chapter 2, with the birth of the Church, having a different set of rules of understanding for God's plan for humanity.

Authors of the New Covenant were all written by Christians, whether they were Jew or Gentile by birth, such as Paul, John, Peter, Jude and Luke.

To summarize everything, let me be so frank as to say,  no one believer has all truth!  In other words, as believers, none of us are without fault.  We each have been indoctrinated by some person, some church, or some organization or society, including science along the way to believe something is truth when it is not, and that belief has stayed with us even until day.  While some may find it difficult to believe this statement, indoctrinations are subtle and difficult to overcome, especially if we believe we have the full truth.  That kind of thinking; however, leads to pride, looking at other believers whose doctrines differ as the one's being deceived.  When in essence, God knows who are the deceived, and He desires that we all come to know His Truth.

God seeks those who seek after His Truth by continuously, humbly, and accurately seek to interpret His Word.

Remember, we are all responsible before God to study, know, and walk in His Truth.  Hopefully, undertanding this will encourage us to go deeper into God's Word to discover His Truth.   For when we do, we will put away wrong thinking little by little as we grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord. 

Seek to reach the plain meaning of the original text as the author, anointed under the Holy Spirit, wrote to his audience.