One of my biggest pet peeves in group Bible studies or when I am talking to someone about a passage of Scripture is when someone says, “Well… I think this passage means…”
I don’t want to know what we think it means. Scripture doesn’t bend to our opinions. The Bible has a single meaning, given by the Holy Spirit who inspired it.
The Spirit both inspired the text (He gave it meaning) and illuminates the text (He makes it personally significant). Without Him, we turn the Scriptures into moral advice, political commentary, or a self-help book. With Him, we see Jesus — because all of Scripture points to him (Revelation 19.10).
There are two essential mindsets we must bring to every passage:
MINDSET #1 – The Bible is a unified story that points to Jesus
Jesus repeatedly asked the scholars of His day, “Have you not read…?” (There are at least thirty-four times he did this in the Gospels). These were men who had memorized and mastered the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures. Yet Jesus told them they still didn’t understand.
Why?
Because they refused to let the Spirit reveal what the Scriptures were truly about — Jesus himself.
The Spirit is the only one who can draw the threads, connect the patterns, and apply them correctly. Without Him, even sincere interpretation becomes, at best, self-centered or culture-driven.
MINDSET #2 – The Bible was written for us, but not to us
Scripture came through real people in real cultures with real political issues, languages, and historical circumstances. That means we can read Leviticus 15.19–21 but instinctively know we don’t need to check every seat before we sit down to discover who sat there last. We recognize context because we know it wasn’t written to us, even though it’s still for us.
If we ignore this, we either make truth relative to our culture or force our culture onto Scripture. Both lead us away from Jesus.
Only the Spirit can help us understand the original meaning and its timeless application today.
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If we read the Scriptures without the Spirit, we become like the religious leaders Jesus rebuked — full of information but lacking understanding. However, when we read them with the Spirit, we find Jesus, and we learn how to live empowered by Him.
Ask the Holy Spirit this week: Where have I been interpreting Scripture through my opinions instead of asking You what You actually meant when You inspired it?
God bless,
Nathan
P.S., we have several FREE Bible Study tools available on our website. From video teachings and PDF booklets, here is a handful of recommended helps that we provide:
- Threads PDF Booklet: A Study in How to Read the Scriptures
Jesus is perfect theology. This study will reveal how Jesus is the culmination of all of Scripture. From word studies to discovering themes that point to Jesus, this booklet will give you practical resources and confidence to understand God’s heart through the whole of Scripture. - Threads Teaching Series (Video)
These teachings ground believers in the truth that Jesus fulfilled every promise, every shadow, every type, and every hope of the Hebrew Scriptures. - Bible Tools Online Resource
The Bible, comprising the Old and New Testaments, stands as humanity’s most influential library of writings. Our Bible Tools resource aids in comprehending this divine-human book, revealing its unified message and fulfillment in Jesus.
