⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 5 min read
Interpreting Scripture Correctly: Handling God’s Word Faithfully
Show Summary
Interpreting Scripture correctly is essential for understanding God’s Word. In this episode, Dave Jenkins explains how believers can handle Scripture faithfully by seeking the intended meaning of the text, paying attention to context and authorial intent, allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture, and applying God’s Word only after understanding what it means.
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Key Scriptures
- Nehemiah 8:8 — God’s Word is read clearly and explained so God’s people understand.
- 2 Peter 1:20–21 — Scripture does not originate from human will but from the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Timothy 2:15 — Believers are called to rightly handle the Word of truth.
Episode Highlights
- Scripture has an intended meaning given by God through human authors.
- Interpretation is rooted in authorial intent and the literary/historical context.
- Scripture interprets Scripture: clear passages help explain less clear ones.
- Interpretation comes before application so we apply what God actually said.
- You do not need to be a scholar—faithful interpretation requires humility, patience, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Full Article
Interpreting Scripture correctly is essential for understanding God’s Word and growing in biblical discernment. Many Christians read the Bible sincerely, but still feel uncertain about interpretation. Some assume the Bible can mean whatever it feels like to them. Others think interpretation is only for scholars or pastors. But the Word of God presents interpretation as both necessary and accessible for the people of God.
In this episode, we look at what it means to handle God’s Word rightly with humility, care, and confidence. Our anchor texts show us that Scripture has a clear meaning intended by God and that believers are called to understand and handle it faithfully.
Big Idea: To interpret Scripture correctly means seeking to understand what God has said in His Word, in its proper context, according to its intended meaning, and in submission to its authority.
What It Means to Interpret Scripture Correctly
To interpret Scripture correctly means seeking the meaning God intended in the text rather than inventing meaning for ourselves. Learning how to interpret the Bible faithfully helps believers grow in discernment, confidence, and obedience as they read God’s Word.
1) Scripture Has an Intended Meaning
The Bible is God’s Word communicated through human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This means Scripture is not random or ambiguous. God intended His Word to be understood. Nehemiah 8 shows us that when God’s Word is read clearly and explained faithfully, God’s people can understand it.
Interpretation seeks to uncover the meaning already present in the text—not to invent new meanings. This guards us from treating Scripture like a mirror of our own thoughts rather than as a revelation of God’s truth.
2) Interpretation Is Rooted in Authorial Intent and Context
Right interpretation begins by asking good questions of the text: Who wrote this passage? To whom was it written? What is the historical and literary context? Scripture is written in real languages, cultures, and settings. Paying attention to context helps us avoid misusing verses or drawing conclusions that God never intended.
Context does not weaken Scripture—it clarifies it.
3) Scripture Interprets Scripture
Because God is the ultimate Author of Scripture, the Bible is unified and consistent. Clear passages help us understand less clear ones. No verse stands alone. This principle protects us from building doctrines on isolated texts or obscure passages. We interpret Scripture in light of Scripture and allow God’s Word to explain itself.
4) Correct Interpretation Leads to Faithful Application
Interpretation always comes before application. We must understand what a passage means before asking how it applies. When Scripture is interpreted correctly, application becomes clearer and more faithful. God’s Word confronts, comforts, corrects, and trains us—not according to our preferences, but according to His truth.
So how do we interpret Scripture correctly? We approach God’s Word prayerfully and humbly. We pay attention to context and meaning. We allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, and we submit ourselves to what God has said.
You do not need to be a scholar to interpret Scripture faithfully, but you do need patience, humility, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. God has spoken clearly and graciously in His Word, and He invites His people not only to read Scripture, but to understand it rightly.
Takeaways / Reflection Questions
- Do I approach Scripture seeking God’s intended meaning, or looking for support for my own preferences?
- Am I reading verses in context, or isolating them from their chapter/book purpose?
- How can I practice letting Scripture interpret Scripture in my Bible reading this week?
- What is one passage I can revisit to understand its meaning before applying it?
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
